Bolstering the farmer-scientist connection as well as maintaining the long-lasting trust and confidence of farmers for the past 62 years, the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has once again seen a massive upswing in the seed sale of its rice varieties during the current Kharif season 2024.
Revealing the details, Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Agriculture), informed that the seed of PAU developed rice varieties has witnessed a huge surge in its sale, emerging as the first preference of the environment and water-conscious Punjab farmers. He divulged, “Seeing the popularity of PR 126, the University had produced more than 10,000 quintals seed of this variety this year. For the convenience of farmers, PAU had set up 35 seed sale counters across the state. Notably, more than 9,000 quintals of PR 126 seed have been sold out.”
Sharing the last year’s seed sale data, Dr Mangat said, “During Kharif 2023, 15,000 quintals seed of different rice varieties was available for sale with PAU, out of which, the maximum quantity (4,800 quintals) was of PR 126. Due to declining preference for water-gulping Pusa 44 and growing penchant for less-water consuming PR 126, each and every grain of PR 126 was sold to the farmers.” This unprecedented surge in seed sale is a testimony to the farmers’ ever-lasting trust which they have always reposed in PAU evolved crop varieties and their technologies, and repose till date, he observed.
Elaborating, Dr Mangat disclosed that there is an enormous demand for the late sown varieties comprising PR 126, PB 1509, PB 1847 and PB 7. These varieties perform better when sown in the first fortnight of June and their 25-30 days old nursery is transplanted in July, he added.
Feeling delighted at the overwhelming response to the PAU developed early maturing, non-water intensive rice varieties, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, remarked, “Despite so many hardships emerging in agriculture, PAU and farmers have together scored a success, touching the heights of glory in terms of food security for the nation.” Pointing out that Punjab was passing through a critical phase of water depletion, Dr Gosal exuded confidence in overcoming this big challenge with the never-ending support of farmers.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9131
