High yielding, disease-resistant wheat variety
The wheat variety yields lustrous grains of good bread-making quality.
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
SCIENTISTS AT the Division of Genetics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, have developed a high-yielding and disease resistant wheat (Triticum aestivum) variety.
The improved variety with good bread-making quality has been released for commercial cultivation under the name `PUSA Vishesh', according to Dr. S. Nagarajan, Director, IARI.
Developed through the pedigree method, this new variety is specifically suited for growing in Delhi State.
High yielding variety
It was developed with an objective to breed a rust resistant, high yielding genotype with good quality traits for irrigated and timely sown crop in highly fertile conditions, reckon the scientists. The medium-duration (123 to 163 days) variety grows to a height of 75 cm and with erect plant type and produces lustrous grains with high density.
It has recorded an average yield of 56.4 quintals per hectare, and has a potential to produce 68.4 quintals per hectare under timely sown conditions.
The variety is resistant to leaf, stem and stripe rust under field conditions. Leaf (brown) rust occurs widely in all wheat zones of the country, and it cripples wheat production considerably.
The new variety has shown a high degree of resistance to leaf rust both in artificially inoculated and in the field trials. It is also resistant to yellow and black rusts.
The variety is not attacked by any major pest in the field. It is a non-lodging variety and the grains do not shatter easily.
In the North Western Plain Zone, including Delhi region, there is not much genetic diversity among the wheat varieties cultivated under irrigated, timely sown conditions.
Good alternative
Both the popular varieties `PBW 343' and `HD 2687' have been derived from CIMMYT (the International Research Centre for Wheat and Maize) material with `Veery' genetic background. Therefore, there was a need to introduce a diverse genotype in the region. The new variety, developed from indigenous genetic material, provides a good, diverse alternative to the ruling varieties.
Longer growth period
Again, grain growth period plays an important role in translocating the carbon assimilates till maturity resulting in the development of unshrivelled and plump grains. "PUSA Vishesh" has longer grain growth period compared to the checks, and has distinctly higher quality grains.
The new variety has been field tested extensively under the All India Coordinated Programme, and it has been found do better than the other varieties grown as checks.
The Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR), Karnal, identified this variety as the best for bread quality. With the field resistance to leaf rust, and attractive trait to produce high-density grains of good bread-making quality, this variety will be immediately accepted by wheat growers under timely conditions of planting.
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