The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, has selected Indira Gandhi Agriculture University (IGAU), Raipur as a ‘Voluntary Centre’ for advanced research on groundnuts. Dr KK Sahu, Public Relation officer, IGAU informed that it was the result of special initiative taken by Vice Chancellor of the University Dr SK Patil. The project will speed up research on groundnuts in Chhattisgarh. The research will be helpful in identifying type of groundnut crop that suits the soil at local level which in turn will help in increasing production, he said.
Notably, apart from paddy, IGAU is also carrying out research on oil-seed crops. The IGAU is also planning to develop new varieties of rice from 23250 varieties of rice germplasm conserved in the university.
In October last year , IGAU Vice-Chancellor Dr S K Patil had directed the Head of Genetics and Plant Breeding Department to prepare a comprehensive action plan for this, officials said.
The officials said that testing of 17000 germplasm out of total germplasm available with the University has been completed. The Agronomy Department has been asked to start test production of the first 100 varieties of these so that varieties yielding good production could be identified and their seeds can be produced.
Dr Patil had also directed the concerned officers for compiling the research work of Agriculture Scientist Dr HR Richhariya who had collected and conserved germplasm of rare varieties of paddy. The research work of Dr Richhariya on paddy should be preserved as heritage.
He further said that the Murra and Poha industry is growing rapidly in the State. The Kranti variety of paddy developed by IGAU is considered best for Poha. Dr Patil said that better variety should be developed from ‘Kranti’ seeds for production of Poha. He also directed the officers to develop new varieties for preparation of Murra and Poha from Dokra-Dokri variety.