Big gift for Indian farmers on Pongal; TNAU releases new crop varieties to increase agricultural production

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) Coimbatore has released 11 crop varieties inclusive of six varieties in agricultural crops and four in horticulture and one in Forestry as a ‘Pongal Gift’ to benefit the farmers and increase Agricultural Production in the state.

The 51th State Variety Release Committee under the Chairmanship of Agricultural Production Commissioner (APC) & Principal Secretary to the Government, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, IAS and Dr. N. Kumar, Vice Chancellor of TNAU has suggested 11 crop varieties for adoption in the state. 

There are 3 rice varieties released in Tamil Nadu. Rice variety Co 54 for Sornavari/ Kar/kuruvai/Navarai seasons and ADT 55 for Kar/ Kuruvai/Summer seasons and the rice variety TRY 4 for salt affected soils in Samba/Thaladi/late Thaladi seasons under irrigated conditions.

In Small millets, varieties Ragi ATL 1, Varagu  ATL 1 has been released for rainfed and irrigated conditions to improve the nutritional security and to adopt “eat right food”. 

Blackgram Co 7 is resistant to a serious devastating yellow mosaic viral disease and released for rainfed as well as irrigated conditions.  

Among 4 horticultural crops, Brinjal VRM (Br) 2, a spine less variety to replace spine variety VRM (Br)1 for Northern Districts of Tamil Nadu, Gumless/latex free sweet Jackfruit PLR3, Kodampuli /Malabar Tamarind PPI(K) 1 for cooking & medicinal purpose and the nutria-health fruit Wood Apple PKM 1 has been released for adoption.

In Forestry, MalaiVempu MTP3 was released for agro-forestry to increase the farmers’ income. This variety possesses industrial application of face veneer utility for plywood decoration. 

Tamil Nadu Government and TNAU hope that these crop varieties can be cultivated by the farmers to increase their farm income and rural livelihood. 

Features of crop varieties

• Rice variety Co 54 is a short duration variety (110-115 days), suitable for Sornavari/Kar/Kuruvai/Navarai seasons of Tamil Nadu. It recorded average yield of 6400 kg per ha. Grain is medium slender. Cooking quality including soft gel consistency is good. Moderately resistant to pests (BPH) and diseases (Blast, Sheath rot, Brown spot)It is suitable all major rice growing tracts of Tamil Nadu.

• Rice variety TRY 4 is medium duration variety with 125-130 days, suitable for Samba/Thaladi/late Thaladi seasons. Grain is medium slender and possesses good cooking quality and yields 5800 kg/ha. It is specially recommended for salt affected soils of Tamil Nadu. This variety has moderate resistance to major pests and disease.

• ADT 55 is a short duration variety (110-115 days), suitable forKar/Kuruvai/Summer seasons. It yields 6000 kg /ha and grain is medium slender.Importantly, it has moderate resistance to bacterial leaf blight. It is recommended for the areas especially bacterial leaf blight is serious problem like Tirunelvel, Tenkasi, Cauvery Delta Zone during samba season.

• In Small millets, two varieties Ragi ATL 1 and Varagu ATL 1 are released to enhance the nutritional security and to adopt “eat right food”. Ragi ATL 1 is 110 days duration and yields 3130 kg/ha under irrigated condition and 2900 kg/ha under rainfed condition. The grains are rich calcium. It has good clum strength and non-lodging and suitable for machine harvest. It is recommended for both rainfed and irrigated conditions of Tamil Nadu.

• Varagu ATL 1 is 110 days duration variety, suitable for rainfed conditions in Tamil Nadu. Its grain yield is 2500 kg/ha and straw yield 4400 kg/ha. It has good clum strength non-lodging and grain is non shattering. This variety is suitable for machine harvest. It has good nutritional content of phosphorous and iron. It possesses drought tolerant and well adopted to black cotton soils in Tamil Nadu.

• Blackgram Co 7 variety is 60-65 days duration, suitable for kharif (June-July) and Rabi(Sept. - Oct) seasons. Seeds are bold type and yield is 881 kg/ha. It is resistant to a serious devastating yellow mosaic viral disease. It is suitable for all seasons and all districts across Tamil Nadu except Kanyakumari and Nilgris.

• Jackfruit PLR3 is a perennial fruit tree. Its carpels are pale yellow, gum less/ latex freeand possesses good sweetness. Fruit size is medium with 5 kg and yields 200 fruits / tree. It is suitable for home garden and commercial cultivation.

• Kodampului/ Malabar Tamarind PPI (K) 1 is a perennial tree suitable for cultivation in high rainfall areas up to elevation 1000 m MSL. One tree possesses 750 fruits and yields 120 kg. It has good amount of citric acid and amenable for cooking, preservative uses and medicinal purpose for weight reduction. It is recommended for home garden and commercial cultivation.

• Wood Apple PKM 1 is also a perennial fruit tree. Its fruit weight is 450 g and one tree possesses 300 fruits and yield is 28 t /ha. It has good nutrients contentlike calcium (234 mg/100g), potassium 727 mg/100g and medicinal compounds like Phenol (64.50) and antioxidant (1569 kg/g). It is recommended for home garden and commercial cultivation.

• In Horticulture crops, Brinjal VRM (Br) 2 variety with 140 days duration recommended for Vellore and adjoining districts. Its fruits are oval and deep purple in color with green tinge in the distal end. Fruits borne in cluster with 2-3 with an average fruit weight of 100-150g and yields 50t/ha. It is spineless brinjal to replace VRM (Br) 1 to facilitate harvest, packing, transport and storage. It grows well in high temperature regions of northern Tamil Nadu and moderately tolerant to brinjal shoot borer and little leaf disease.

• In Forestry, MalaiVempu MTP3 is released for promoting agro forestry with industrial value. It is a dedicious perennial tree and reaches harvest in 8-10 years. Its wood quality is suitable for face veneer utility for plywood decoration. This is the first variety released for face veneer utility and to reduce the import of raw material. One tree yields 530 kg and yield per hectare is 50-70 tonnes (2500 - 3000 cft /ha). Leaves are good fodder and preferred by goats. This variety recommended for cultivation with supplemental irrigation. Intercropping can be done with agricultural and horticultural crops.

Vice-Chancellor, TNAU, Dr. N. Kumar said that University released 854 crop varieties since past 100 years and in addition, 11 varieties released this year as “Pongal Gift”. The varieties are suitable to different agro climatic zones and meeting the demand of farmers.