MP university creates new crop varieties

The Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (JNKVV) has come up with two new varieties each of oats and wheat, one type of rice and three varieties of niger. These can be produced in other states of India as well. For example, JO 05-304 is suitable for production in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while JO 10-506 can be produced in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern region of Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Manipur. Similarly, three varieties of niger (ramtil) JNS 521, JNS 2015-9 and JNS 2016-1115 are suitable for irrigated and non-irrigated areas of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

These crops were tested over a period of three years in various agro-climatic conditions in specific crop-growing areas of various states. The Union government has deemed them as being suitable for production. “Seeds of these new crop varieties will be made available to farmers shortly. This will ensure quality production of crops and generate more income,” the university’s vice-chancellor Dr P K Bisen said. Some of the characteristics that these crops possess include high-grain yield, resistance to diseases, good grain quality and short duration harvest, points out Dr G K Koutu, director of research services at the JNKVV.