The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI) has released a new drought-tolerant tapioca (cassava) variety which promises high yield.
The variety is the result of a research carried out by the CTCRI considering the growing concern over the impacts of mid-season drought on crops. Christened Sree Kaveri, the new variety was recently released by the Central Subcommittee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties for Horticultural Crops, the institute said on Monday.
Drought-tolerance apart, Sree Kaveri is characterised by a yield of 51 tonnes per hectare and 28% starch, said M. N. Sheela, principal scientist and lead developer of the variety. The CTCRI had launched drought-tolerance studies by evaluating 30 different cassava clones, including indigenous collections, released varieties,and exotic clones obtained from South America.
“Field evaluation of these clones resulted in the identification of promising mid-season drought -tolerant clones such as 8S501 (Sree Kaveri), 9S127, and CR43-7 with stable higher tuber yield and starch content,” the institute said.
Sree Kaveri promises higher growth rate, a capacity to develop more number of leaves, greater leaf chlorophyll content, early bulking of tubers, a significant proportion of storage roots, and accumulation of higher total biomass in the first three months after planting. The high carbohydrate reserves in the stem and their slower depletion during drought enable the variety to tolerate mid-season droughteffectively.
A. V. V. Koundinya, scientist, CTCRI led the drought-tolerance studies.
CTCRI director G. Byju said an all-out effort has been launched to popularise the new variety among tapioca farmers through large-scale field demonstrations, registration of decentralised seed multipliers, and establishment of seed villages in major growing areas.
