Chennai:
A mutant variety of groundnut developed by Bhaba Atomic Research
Centre has been cultivated and harvested in the open air prison at
Purasaidai Udaippu in Sivaganga district and the initial yield has
been promising, according to a senior Barc official.
Speaking to Express on Wednesday, BARC senior scientist of technical
coordination wing J Daniel Chellappa said that the cultivation of
TG37A, a mutant groundnut has begun in 3.5 acres of land belonging to
the prison.
The drought resistant groundnuts have already been cultivated in many
states including Rajasthan and Maharashtra. He said this is the first
time it is officially being cultivated in Tamil Nadu.
Chellappa said initially farmers from the state used to buy this
variety from other states after it was released in 2008. “Now they
can buy it from the prison department,” he said.
The groundnut variety is highly nutritious as it contains 43 per
cent oil and 23 per cent protein.
Prison department officials said that BARC supplied them with 350kg
(10 gunny bags) of hybrid groundnut seeds for cultivation. “The seeds
were sown with the help of BARC technical Coordination Wing and
Sivaganga District Agriculture department on February 2014.
The initial yield which was harvested on Wednesday has been promising,
said Chellappa. He said the yield could be three times more than the
quantity of ordinary groundnuts.
Interestingly, the seeds have also been sown in Madurai prison on a
.75 acres of land on March 9, 2014 besides 2.5 acres of land in
Central Prison in Palayamkottai on March 15.
Prison officials are planning to use the harvested yield as seeds for
cultivation in other Central prisons like Salem, Open Air Jail,
Singanallur, Vellore, cuddalore, Trichy and Coimbatore apart from
district and sub jails. The yield is likely to be sold as seeds in the
prison bazaar to farmers.
Chellappa said such initiative could be taken up by the corporate
sector as part of corporate social responsibility by adopting
villages. He said Barc is ready to provide such technology for the
betterment of lives and livelihood of people.
A mutant variety of groundnut developed by Bhaba Atomic Research
Centre has been cultivated and harvested in the open air prison at
Purasaidai Udaippu in Sivaganga district and the initial yield has
been promising, according to a senior Barc official.
Speaking to Express on Wednesday, BARC senior scientist of technical
coordination wing J Daniel Chellappa said that the cultivation of
TG37A, a mutant groundnut has begun in 3.5 acres of land belonging to
the prison.
The drought resistant groundnuts have already been cultivated in many
states including Rajasthan and Maharashtra. He said this is the first
time it is officially being cultivated in Tamil Nadu.
Chellappa said initially farmers from the state used to buy this
variety from other states after it was released in 2008. “Now they
can buy it from the prison department,” he said.
The groundnut variety is highly nutritious as it contains 43 per
cent oil and 23 per cent protein.
Prison department officials said that BARC supplied them with 350kg
(10 gunny bags) of hybrid groundnut seeds for cultivation. “The seeds
were sown with the help of BARC technical Coordination Wing and
Sivaganga District Agriculture department on February 2014.
The initial yield which was harvested on Wednesday has been promising,
said Chellappa. He said the yield could be three times more than the
quantity of ordinary groundnuts.
Interestingly, the seeds have also been sown in Madurai prison on a
.75 acres of land on March 9, 2014 besides 2.5 acres of land in
Central Prison in Palayamkottai on March 15.
Prison officials are planning to use the harvested yield as seeds for
cultivation in other Central prisons like Salem, Open Air Jail,
Singanallur, Vellore, cuddalore, Trichy and Coimbatore apart from
district and sub jails. The yield is likely to be sold as seeds in the
prison bazaar to farmers.
Chellappa said such initiative could be taken up by the corporate
sector as part of corporate social responsibility by adopting
villages. He said Barc is ready to provide such technology for the
betterment of lives and livelihood of people.
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