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Sci Tech
Semi-dwarf rice for direct seeding
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
The new variety is non-lodging, non-shattering, and ideal for direct-seeding.
A HIGH-YIELDING semi-dwarf rice variety that does well under direct seeding in the rainfed uplands and lowlands of Kerala, has been developed by scientists at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Mele Pattambi in Kerala.
The promising rice variety has been released as `Harsha' by the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU).
A progeny of M.210, a dwarf mutant of the traditional tall indica rice variety PTB-10 and PTB-28, `Harsha' combines the drought-tolerance of PTR-28 and the high-yielding ability of M.210, with an average grain yield of 4500-6000 kg per hectare. It has the potential to yield 4-4.5 tonnes of straw per hectare, according to the scientists.
The new variety is resistant to WB plant hopper and leaf folder and moderately resistant to earhead bug, blue beetle and stem borer.
It also showed low susceptibility to blast and sheath blight compared to other popular varieties such as Jyothi and Matta Triveni.
This variety is non-lodging and non-shattering, and it responds well to high nutrient application. A dose of 70 kg nitrogen, and 35 kg of phosphorus and potash per hectare is recommended for this variety.
Unlike the other short-duration varieties such as Matta Triveni and Jyothi, the seeds of this variety do not sprout in the panicles. The variety showed high seedling vigour, drought-tolerance and blast tolerance, which are the essential traits for varieties preferred for direct sowing.
This variety is well adapted to the Palakkad and Thrissur districts of Kerala for direct sowing in kharif ("Virippu'' season).
"Harsha'' was ranked ninth in overall yield when tested at national level in eleven locations along with 54 other cultures under direct seeding. It proved its superiority over all other varieties in terms of yield and quality.
The quality parameters of the variety was compared with that of Kairali and Kanchana, the recently released short-duration varieties of the station, and was found to be comparable to both the varieties.
It produces grains with a kernel length of 6.95 mm and kernel width of 3.30 mm, and with hulling percentage of 75 and 71.4 milling percentage.
On cooking, the kernel expands 1.2 times with a volume expansion of 5.3. The overall acceptability of this non-sticky and moderately soft grains on cooking has been rated as good, according to the scientists.
The variety was field tested in farmers' holdings in Palakkad and Thrissur districts under direct-seeded conditions.
The farmers found it highly attractive because its superior field traits and high yielding potential.
The variety can also be transplanted, but care should be taken to transplant the seedlings at the right nursery age of 18 to 20 days, according to the scientists.
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