Pakistan Agriculture Research Council releases four new rust resistant wheat varieties

In Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) meeting, the agriculture scientists of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) have released four new rust resistant wheat varieties including a bio-fortified variety having 50 percent Zinc (Zn) contents.

It is pertinent to cite here that Zinc is a metal also called an essential trace element. Zinc is used for treatment and prevention of zinc deficiency so the new wheat variety, having 50% zinc has health benefits, particularly for children and women.

While chairing the meeting, Chairman PARC Variety Evaluation Committee, Dr. Shahid Masood elaborated that all these varieties are also resistant to the different types of rusts, which have been one of crucial biotic threats to wheat production.

So these varieties could resist the all stem rust races including, UG-99, which has been infecting the wheat crop all across the world and RRTTF, which has been menacing for wheat crop in Sindh province.

After meticulous cogitation and estimation of the new varieties, the VEC finally recommended four candidate wheat varieties for impart in the country, providing an opportunity to the farmers to choose from these new varieties and yield healthy wheat to cater to increasing nutritious food demands.

Meanwhile, PARC Spokesman, Sardar Ghulam Mustafa said that agriculture scientists were engaged in conveying new technology and research results at the door steps of the farmers to foster agriculture sector.