Students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University-Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute (ADACRI) exuded palpable happiness as they got ready to harvest the paddy variety, “TNAU TRY Rice 3”, raised by them on the college campus.
In all, 20 acres had been brought under this short-duration variety of which crop in four acres of land had been raised by the students.
“We understood various techniques of raising paddy, including irrigation and saving crops from pest attacks,” said students S.Suganya and R.Ilavarasi. The 135-day crop was raised in September and the variety was suited for making idli batter, said V.Jayanthi and Jusvin Sinthiya.
The crop would be harvested within a week’s time and “we are hopeful of a good yield”, said T.Sundari and R.Harshini. The students have been visiting the field daily to ascertain the number of pinnacles.
The programme was aimed at helping students understand farm practices and crop management techniques, said P.Pandiyarajan, dean of the college. In all, 65 students took part in the programme.
The college has been taking steps to popularise the rice which has a milling percentage of 71.30 and head rice recovery of 66 per cent. The variety was also resistant to diseases, including leaf folder, stem borer, brown spot, sheath rot, and sheath blight, Mr. Pandiyarajan said.
This year, at least 50 tonnes of paddy was expected to be harvested indicating an average yield of 2.5 tonnes an acre. “Of this, eight tonnes would be reserved for distribution as seeds to farmers,” Mr.Pandiyarajan said.
The decision to supply seeds was taken based on the growing demand for seeds from millers, traders, and farmers from across the State. “But our aim was to supply more seeds to farmers,” he said.
S.K.Ganesh, professor, Plant Breeding and Genetics, said that research trial had been taken up for further improving the quality of the rice so that a newer variety with higher yield could be released. The dean said that one-third of the proceeds from the sale would be given to the students as a reward for their hard work for 135 days.
