The Dharwad centre of All-India Co-ordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Sorghum (Jowar), University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad, has been adjudged as “The Best Performing AICRP centre” in the country.
According to a press release issued by the Vice-Chancellor of UAS-D Mahadev Chetti, this recognition, for the period 2017 to 2020, was conferred on the university at the 50th Virtual Annual Group Meeting (AGM) held on Sunday.
Prof. Chetti has said that the university had received the recognition for its overall contribution to sorghum improvement in the country and the research work on kharif and rabi sorghum.
The Vice-Chancellor has said that at a time when the area of cultivation of jowar, which is the staple food of the people of North Karnataka, was declining due to competition from commercial crops, this recognition was significant.
The Sorghum centre, which has completed five decades of its establishment, has contributed 4 hybrids, seven varieties in kharif sorghum and 2 hybrids and 3 varieties in rabi sorghum since its inception. It had developed many crop production and protection technologies resulting in further increase in sorghum productivity in the region.
Accepted
The Vice-Chancellor has said in the release that in the same Annual Group Meeting, the early maturing kharif sorghum (SPH 1883) developed by the Dharwad centre had been accepted for cultivation in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
The hybrid variety has been developed by principal scientists N.G. Hanamaratti and S.T. Kajjidoni and the seeds will available to the farmers during the kharif season of 2021.
