Farmer's Notebook
Early-maturing chickpea for northern plains
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
The new variety of chickpea has field tolerance to drought and soil borne diseases.
SCIENTISTS AT the Division of Genetics at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, have developed a high-yielding and early maturing chickpea or Bengal gram (Cicer arietinum).
The improved variety has been recently released for commercial cultivation by the farmers of northern plains, according to Dr. S. Nagarjan, Director, IARI.
Christened `Pusa 1103', the new variety was developed by pedigree method. It has been found particularly suited for cultivation in Delhi and adjoining States.
Early maturity
The plants of this variety grow to a height of 65 cm, and have erect growth habit. They sport dark green leaves.
The crop matures in 117 to 135 days, and it recorded an average yield of 2.2 tonnes of grains per hectare in farmers' holdings in Delhi under late sown conditions. When grown in the adjoining states, it yielded an average of 1.84 tonnes a hectare, according to the scientists.
The early-maturing variety started flowering in 65 days after sowing, and the total duration of the crop from seed to seed varied from 117 to 135 days under field conditions.
It has been found to be moderately resistant to Fusarium wilt, dry root rot and stunt virus diseases. The high yielding variety was resistant to lodging and shattering.
High tolerance
It has been found well suited for late plantings. It has demonstrated high degree of tolerance to drought and soil borne diseases.
The grains of `Pusa 1103' are uniform, attractive and medium-bold in size, and have higher dal recovery.
They have excellent cooking quality.
Superior variety
The variety proved its superiority over the other chickpea varieties tested in large-scale demonstration fields and in the All India Coordinated Trials as well. The variety responded well to modern management practices.
It did extremely well when 20 kg nitrogen and 50 kg phosphorus were added per hectare. Application of liberal quantities of organic nutrients and proper treatment with suitable biofertilizers will also prove to be rewarding.
During the last ten years, no suitable chickpea variety was released for late planting in the northern parts of India. The ruling `desi' varieties grown under late planting conditions were low yielders and poorly adapted.
In this context, the release of the improved variety `Pusa 1103' is hailed as a boon to the chickpea farmers in the northern States.
Better performance
With its superior field performance, high yields and attractive grains with excellent cooking quality, the new variety is bound to be accepted well by the growers as well as the consumers, according to the scientists.
The genetic yield potential of the new variety is very high when compared to the local varieties, and its yield superiority over other check varieties ranged from 8 to 18 per cent in the All India Coordinated Trials.
All the cultural practices for growing this improved variety are the same as those for other varieties of chickpea, and farmers can grow it with the same ease and get higher yields, according to the scientists.
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