C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Bhaba Atomic Reseach Centre scientists are helping Tamil Nadu Agriculture University to develop a new mutant of white Ponni Rice that could deliver better yieds than the original one.
On the sidelines of an interactive session on "Radiation and Quality of Human Life' BARC director of biomedical group K B Sainis and former head of Nuclear Agriculture and Biotech division S G Bhagwat told Express that the project to develop a smaller version of white Ponni rice and ADT 47 is currently underway.
Bhagwat said that the three year project is being funded by Board of Research in Nuclear Science.
He said Tamil Nadu Agriculture University is looking for a dwarf variety of white Ponni which would deliver 10 to 15 per cent more yield than the original Ponni.
He said the testing and trials are going on for the new mutant. "It will take about three years," said Bhagwat who is part of the project.
He said once the mutant is identified than trials would undergo for three years. Usually these trials take nearly a decade.But since rice could be grown in two seasons, it is likely to take another three years and a number of tests before being ready for commercial production, he said.
He said the reduction in the height of the crop would result in less consumption of water also but more use of fertilizer. Interestingly, this could also help the farmers grow more rice in the area where water resources are less.
He said scientists are also working in the state to develop pulses in the land left fallow after rice cultivation. "There is lot of moisture left in the soil post rice harvest. Scientists are working to use it to cultivate pulses," he said.
He also said that scientists are also working towards enriching the nutrition content in soya by reducing phytic acid
Chennai:
Bhaba Atomic Reseach Centre scientists are helping Tamil Nadu Agriculture University to develop a new mutant of white Ponni Rice that could deliver better yieds than the original one.
On the sidelines of an interactive session on "Radiation and Quality of Human Life' BARC director of biomedical group K B Sainis and former head of Nuclear Agriculture and Biotech division S G Bhagwat told Express that the project to develop a smaller version of white Ponni rice and ADT 47 is currently underway.
Bhagwat said that the three year project is being funded by Board of Research in Nuclear Science.
He said Tamil Nadu Agriculture University is looking for a dwarf variety of white Ponni which would deliver 10 to 15 per cent more yield than the original Ponni.
He said the testing and trials are going on for the new mutant. "It will take about three years," said Bhagwat who is part of the project.
He said once the mutant is identified than trials would undergo for three years. Usually these trials take nearly a decade.But since rice could be grown in two seasons, it is likely to take another three years and a number of tests before being ready for commercial production, he said.
He said the reduction in the height of the crop would result in less consumption of water also but more use of fertilizer. Interestingly, this could also help the farmers grow more rice in the area where water resources are less.
He said scientists are also working in the state to develop pulses in the land left fallow after rice cultivation. "There is lot of moisture left in the soil post rice harvest. Scientists are working to use it to cultivate pulses," he said.
He also said that scientists are also working towards enriching the nutrition content in soya by reducing phytic acid
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