Eminent pulse scientist and Vice Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur (Karnataka) Dr PM Salimath said north east and north hill zones were very important for enhancing production, productivity and area of protein-rich pulse crops and can play major role in ensuring nutritional security in the country. This region has all the suitability for being developed as hub of pulses production. Jharkhand too comes in this region.
Addressing the concluding session of the two-day quinquennial (Five yearly) review team (QRT) meeting of pulses scientists at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) on Wednesday (June 7), he said the north east plain, north east hill and north hill zones comprising the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Assam, Utter Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir have variation in crop growing conditions and scientists have to face challenges but with sincere efforts those challenges could be converted into opportunities as soil and climate of the region was very suitable for pulses. Dr Salimath was the Chairman of five-member QRT.
BAU Vice Chancellor Dr Parvinder Kaushal assured the team chairman that the University would initiate immediate effective steps for removing the deficiencies pointed out by the team in BAU programme including filling up vacant positions in projects and raining the motivational level of scientists for optimum utilization of their potential.
BAU Director of Research Dr DN Singh said pulses production in the country during 2016-17 was record 22.13 million tonnes in an area of 22.84 million hectare due to very good rain. However, the average production during last one decade was 18-19 million tones only. He urged the scientists to gird up their loins for enhancing the pulse productivity level from present 777 kg to one tonne per hectare in next five years so that the target of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 could be achieved.
He stressed on rigorous breeding programme for developing drought- tolerant varieties. Rainwater harvesting and recycling was very important for providing supplementary and life-saving irrigation to crops in critical stages of growth because major part of the region was rainfed, he added.
Dr Sanjeev Gupta, Project Coordinator of MUllaRP (Mung, Urd, lentil, lathyrus, Rajmah, Pea), Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur said north east zone was indispensible for enhancing pulses production where scope of area expansion was unlimited. Since the next green revolution has to come from eastern region, all research centres should speed up breeding process.
QRT member Dr SS Tomar, former Director Research of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Dr Jagdish Singh, Member Secretary and Dr ZA Haider, Chairman, Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, BAU also participated in the deliberations and gave their remarks and suggestions for improving breeding programme. Purpose of the meeting was to examine and identify research achievements of the institutes, critically evaluate them commensurate with the objectives, mandates and resources of the organization, the socio-economic impact of research on farmers/ beneficiaries, and transferability of results to farmers through extension.
About 50 scientists associated with ICAR-sponsored All India Coordinated Research Projects on MUllaRP, Pigeonpea, Chickpea and Arid legumes (Cowpea, Horsegram etc) from these 10 states participated in the event and presented highlights of their research programme during last five years. The review team suggested ways and means for improving and accelerating the programme.