IIWBR to produce paddy seeds

Karnal, May 19

With an aim to enhance quality seed availability to the farmers of basmati export zone, including Haryana and Punjab, the ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) will now produce basmati and non-basmati paddy seeds.

It has joined hands with ICAR-IARI, Delhi, for quality seed production of basmati rice varieties. However, the IIWBR will not sell the produced seed, but will send it to the IARI, which will further sell the seeds. The institute remains in headlines due to its high yielding, climate resilient and disease resistant wheat varieties, which has contributed a lot in the wheat production of the country. After producing several key wheat varieties, the institute is going to produce paddy varieties.

“We have signed an MoU with IARI Director Dr AK Singh, under which we will produce seed of the latest varieties of the IARI at our institute,” said Dr Gyanendera Singh, Director, IIWBR.

“We will raise the nursery of the latest seed varieties PUSA 1847, PUSA 1692 from June 1 and the seed will be prepared by the end of October month,” said Dr Singh.

This step has been initiated to meet the increasing demand for quality seed of paddy. During the off season, the scientists will utilise the crop resources. This step will also make the inter-institute collaboration stronger, said the Director.

Dr Singh further said with good quality seed, the production would increase and would further enhance the income of the farmers.