On the occasion of Kharif campaign and World Environment Week under the Farmer First Program, a workshop on improved varieties of Pusa Basmati paddy and their scientific farming and distribution of seeds and agricultural machinery was organized in the Department of Animal Genetics from June 3 to June 7, 2024. In this workshop, 154 farmers from about 15 villages of the first and second phases and 50 farmers participated through virtual medium.
In this workshop, Dr. A.K. Singh, the father of Pusa Basmati paddy and Director of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi, told the farmers the three main benefits of direct sowing of paddy, which includes 30 to 35 percent water savings, ₹ 4000 to 4500 per acre savings on paddy transplantation and 30 to 35 percent reduction in the emission of greenhouse gas polluting the environment. When this method has so many benefits, then why did farmers not adopt this method? Because in this method weeds grow in abundance which becomes very expensive and difficult to control. Keeping these problems of farmers in mind, Director of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa New Delhi, Dr. A.K. Singh and his team of scientists have developed India’s first two weed-tolerant varieties, Pusa Basmati-1985 and Pusa Basmati-1979, by improving Pusa Basmati-1509 and Pusa Basmati 1121.
Direct sowing of these two varieties can be done from June 15 to June 20. The seeds of these varieties are available in abundance at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi. 8 kg seeds are required in one acre through direct sowing method. Apart from this, Dr Singh told about the resistance of other improved Pusa Basmati varieties like Pusa Basmati-1847, 1885 and 1886 against Blight and Jhoka diseases. And farmers should plant nursery of short duration Pusa Basmati-1847 variety on June 20 and transplant the seedlings when they are between 21 to 25 days old. Head of Animal Genetics Department, Dr Bharat Bhushan advised rearing Murrah buffalo and Sahiwal cow. Dr. Ranveer Singh, the Principal Investigator of this project, informed that in this workshop, 1008 kg of Pusa Basmati-1847 variety seeds were distributed to 154 farmers of Farmer First Program. All the farmers participating in this workshop were trained on earthworm organic fertilizer and vermiculture production from cow dung and organic waste using indigenous Jai Gopal earthworm technology. Agricultural equipment like Singh hand hoe, power sprayer, wheel bore, multi seed drill and various vegetable sowing machines were distributed to the farmers. Rose plants were distributed to the farmers on World Environment Day. In this workshop, Shri Ravindra Ji, Chief Executive Officer of Bareilly Cantonment, laid more emphasis on the use of compost to improve the health of the soil. Dr. Keshav Kumar, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, told about the Uttar Pradesh Government’s policy of protecting destitute cattle. Shri Prem Shankar, Anshu Kanaujia, and Surya Pratap assisted in organizing this workshop.
Read more: https://www.ivri.nic.in/News/News_farmer_first.pdf
Original link: https://www.ivri.nic.in
