Prayagraj scientist develops two ‘super wheat varieties’
Scientist urges CM to aid their wider use in state
WHEAT VARIETIES ARE HIGH YIELDING, SUGAR-FREE AND RESISTANT TO EXTREMES OF INDIAN WEATHER
PRAYAGRAJ : A 79-year-old genetic scientist at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Science (SHUATS) has developed two semi-dwarf high yielding wheat varieties—SHIATS-W6 and SHUATS-W10, that are sugar free, high in nutrition, use less water and are resistant to extremes of Indian weather.
The senior scientist, Mahabal Ram, a professor (emeritus) at the institute, has also written to the UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath urging him to ensure wider use of these nutritive-rich super wheat varieties that are already notified by Central Variety Release Committee of the Union Ministry of Agriculture-New Delhi and are under limited cultivation in the state.
In his recent letter to CM, the Prayagraj-based scientist has highlighted that the two wheat varieties combine high yield and higher protein, zinc, iron, fiber contents while also being free of sugar (below detection limit) that is ideal for a state like Uttar Pradesh that suffers from malnutrition on one hand and challenges of climate change like sudden heavy rains and very dry summers with high temperatures on the other.
He has urged that these wheat varieties be distributed to the people under the public distribution system as well.
The innovation comes amid growing concern over falling farm output, including that of wheat, owing to rising temperature and unpredictable rainfall. Prof Ram, an eminent geneticist and plant breeder of international repute, said the State Variety Release Committee (UP, Lucknow) has also formally released these two varieties for cultivation.
Already thousands of farmers in 11 districts have started cultivating these new wheat varieties. These districts include Prayagraj (Allahabad), Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Mirzapur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Ghazipur and Mahoba, he said.
“These two wheat varieties can tolerate temperature as high as 40 to 42 degrees Celsius against 30 to 32 degrees of average regular varieties, sown by farmers traditionally. They can even withstand water logging for even 7-8 days and still flourish,” he claimed.
Cost of production of these two SHUATS wheat varieties is lower by 30-35% as compared to Centrally (ICAR) released wheat varieties (PBW 343, HD 2967 and DBW 187), he said.
Based on grain quality analyses done by CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute Mysuru, SHIATS-W6 has been found to possess Protein (14.31%), Zinc (3.44mg/100g), Iron (3.54mg/100g), Fibre (2.89%) and Sugar-Below Detection Limit (BDL) i.e. free from sugar.
Second variety, SHUATSW10 has been found to possess Protein (12.56%), Zinc (3.19mg/100g), Iron (3.39mg/100g), Fiber (2.49%) and Sugar (0.2%).