The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Four new varieties of paddy seed ready for release

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Thursday, Nov 06, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Four new varieties of paddy seed ready for release

Staff Reporter

-Photo: Mohd Arif

Honoured: Best farmer award being presented to Gopala Krishna at ICRISAT in Medak district.

Patancheru (Medak District): Directorate of Rice Research (DRR) is all set to release four new varieties of paddy seed that would be available in large quantities to farmers. As all the tests were over DRR is waiting for bulk release orders from the National Seed Corporation (NSC).

The four varieties that would be made available to farmers by NSC are – Improved Samba Masuri (R.P.Baio- 226), Akshayadhan, Varadhan and Sampada.

The earlier variety of Samba Masuri (BPT 5204) developed and released by Acharya NG Ranga University has been prone to bacterial leaf blight (BLB). DRR in association with Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) released this improved variety by incorporating X.A. 21, X.A. 13 and X.A. 5 genes in the seed which can resist BLB. The new modified variety was released for field test at Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra during last year and it has given excellent results.

Best scientists

Disclosing these details at the ‘Seed Day’ held at ICRISAT on Wednesday, DRR project director Dr. B.C. Viraktamath said that Sampada can give yield with in 135 days whereas it would take 150 days for other varieties. Stating that farmers were best scientists, he called upon them to blend their inherent knowledge with the modern technology.

He also suggested them to change the seed every three years as the best quality seed can be sown.

Agriculture University Vice-Chancellor said that to meet the demand of producing additional quantity of 10 million metric tonnes of rice , farmers have to use the quality seed without fail.

ICRISAT Global Theme Leader C.L. Laxmipathi Gowda stressed the need of public- private -partnership to make available research results to the farming community.

Large number of farmers from neighbouring areas participated in the programme.

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