Agricultural think tank of the State, Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), and the Agricultural Directorate of the State Government are jointly trying to increase income of the farmers of the State. In order to do so, BAU has started research on the newly emerging oilseed crop ‘Gobhi Sarson' in the current Rabi season for searching opportunities in the State.
This initiative of research on this crop is being done for the first time in the State by the Agronomy Department of BAU, which is being implemented under the ICAR supported All India Coordinated Research project on Integrated Farming System Research.
This crop was planted in November in the agronomy department's Integrated Farming System Research Farm. Presently this crop is flourishing in the field. Flowering has started in its plants.
Director Agriculture, Nesha Oraon said that the Directorate is to connect the research and findings of agriculture scientists, to the farmers in fields , to facilitate innovative practices and optimum productivity, therefore leading to economic empowerment of farmers. “We plan to promote these findings on pilot basis, by demonstrating them on our own Government agricultural lands and introducing these crops to our progressive farmers,” she added.
Recently, BAU Vice Chancellor (VC), Dr Onkar Nath Singh along with agronomists observed the perception of this new crop. He expressed satisfaction over the vegetative growth and flowering of the crop in the local climate. The scientists appreciated the initiative on the possibility of cropping Gobhi Sarso under the Integrated Farming System model.
Singh said that the intensity of Rabi crop is very less in Jharkhand and in this research initiative, if found suitable in the agricultural ecology of the State, ‘Gobhi Sarson’ crop can prove to be very effective in increasing the income of the farmers. He said that innovative agricultural technology development is the need of the hour as per the changing agricultural environment and market demand and agricultural scientists have to be always ready in this direction.
The VC added, this crop, which is prevalent in Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh of India, can prove to be very useful in increasing the income of farmers if it is suitable in the agro-ecology of Jharkhand.
Project Investigator Associated with this research Dr S Karmakar, told that the improved variety RP-9 of ‘Gobhi Sarso’ has been used for research in the experimental farm. “The seeds of this have been provided by Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Its cultivation has been started in the Integrated Agricultural System Farm of the University Headquarters, Kanke, in addition to the Regional Research Center, Chiyanki (Palamu) and Darisai (East Singhbhum) and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chiyanki (Palamu). The perception has been done in the fields of some farmers of East Singhbhum. The performance of the crop is still satisfactory in the research centers of Palamu and East Singhbhum,” he added.
Dr Karmakar informed that ‘Gobhi Sarso’, is grown in Rabi season. Its cultivation has also started in the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh. “The yield potential of the RP-9 variety is 30-35 quintals per hectare and the oil content is up to 40-42 per cent, which is much better than the traditional mustard crop. In the initial stage it is also used in animal fodder. Fewer amounts of seed are required in cultivation. It is an attempt to explore possibilities in Jharkhand's agricultural ecology through research and analysis. In this research program, the possibility of cultivation in the local environment on the basis of yield potential, oil quantity, quality, benefits and harmful effects and others will be assessed,” he added.
