During Birsa Agricultural University’s (BAU’s) Seed review meeting on Wednesday, Vice Chancellor (VC), Onkar Nath Singh said that in the last two years, BAU scientists have excelled in the development of advanced crop varieties suitable for the State and farmers will get its benefit only by making effective the seed chain of all the 16 advanced varieties developed by the university.
Singh said that the Director Seed and Farm will have to send demand letter of all improved varieties to the Central Agency in coordination with the State Government. “All the 16 new varieties should be given priority in the seed production programme. Speed up the seed production program by progressively increasing the production of verified seeds of well performing varieties and obtaining advance seed indents in coordination with the seed producing company,” he added.
The Vice-Chancellor said that information about the availability of improved seeds for the upcoming Kharif season should be ensured by the month of April and for the upcoming Rabi season by August. “There is a need to supervise the nucleus seed and breeder seed production programs of all the crop varieties developed by the university in the field. A team of two plant breeders and one agronomist headed by Director Research will assess and monitor the flowering stage of the crop and after flowering,” he added.
Singh said that the Krishi Vigyan Kendra working in the districts will have to perform better in limited resource and material conditions. “All the centers are the strong pillars of the university. Make the local district administration and agriculture stakeholders a participant in the programs of the centre. The financial resources of the university are very limited. Get the cooperation of the district administration in furthering the agricultural research and extension programs in the district,”.
On the occasion, Director Research, Dr SK Pal said that the year 2023 is to be celebrated as the International Year of Millets. “Millets products have come to be known as superfoods. “Effective strategy and priority will have to be fixed in the seed production plan for the coming year. The seed production program should be taken forward by KVK only on the basis of local demand and availability of land,” he added.
On the occasion, Director Seed and Field, Dr S Karmakar placed the progress report related to seed production of Rabi crops in the year 2021-22, action plan for seed production of Rabi crops in the year 2022-23 and future programs. He informed that a total of 1,990.6 quintals of seeds and 3,16,084 fruits and vegetables were produced in the university headquarter area, Goriyakarma Farm, Regional Research Centers and KVK during the Rabi season of the year 2021-22.
The target is to produce 3,589.1 quintal seeds and 3,41,500 planting material in the Rabi season of 2022-23. In the Rabi season of the year 2021-22, 18.5 quintals of breeder seed, 398.7 quintals of foundation seed and 1073 quintals of seeds were produced under NFSM Pulses Seed Hub.
Dr Sohan Ram, Chairman (Genetics and Plant Breeding) and Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Co-Director, Regional Research Center, Dumka, also presented their views on the occasion.
