In continuation of CSIR’s ‘farmer-centric’ approaches, a new pest-resistant cotton variety developed by a Lucknow-based research laboratory is ready for field trials which are expected to be done soon at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, CSIR Director-General Shekhar C. Mande, who was in Mysuru, said the cotton crop usually faces the problem of pest attacks and scientists carried out a research for developing the “pest-proof” cotton variety.
The same variety will undergo further tests and trials before it is certified for commercial cultivation. The research has been carried out in collaboration with the ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research.
Dr. Mande recalled the Samba rice variety (Samba Mashuri), which was developed jointly by the Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, a CSIR lab, and the ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research. Today, this “pest-resistant” rice variety was grown in about 18 lakh hectares in many States, helping farmers fetch higher yields and higher returns.
Dr. Mande also spoke about the aroma and honey missions. The Khadi Village Industries Corporation (KVIC) has joined hands with CSIR for the “Honey Mission”. Honey is a good alternative to sugar since it contains medicinal properties. A MoU had been signed with KVIC, he said. The idea is to help farmers take up modern methods of beekeeping to improve honey yield and also get additional income.
He said a new programme would be launched by the DST from April 1 to promote basic sciences by setting aside a grant of ₹50 crore. It would help students come up with scientific ideas in an attempt to encourage them to pursue basic science.
On the Aroma Mission and the CSIR Floriculture programme, he said the Aroma and Phyto-Pharmaceutical Mission was intended to boost the cultivation of aromatic plants that have medicinal properties. This mission, taken by the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and medicinal plants such as lavender and others, will be promoted with the help of farmers in several States, including Karnataka.
