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| Sunday, 30 January 2005 |
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Varieties of crops to flood market Department of Agriculture recently introduced several new varieties of crops including two varieties of rice. A new variety of Basmathi rice with an average yield of 125 bushels per acre has been developed by the Ambalantota Rice Research and Development Institute. This new variety named AT 306 is of medium age and is short in size with white rice. It matures within three months and resists major insect pest and diseases of rice. According to Department of Agriculture AT 306 is the world's highest yielding basmathi variety. Bathalegoda Rice Research and Development Institute has developed a short term rice variety with a high yield. This new variety named BG 250 has an average yield of 175 bushels per acre. It matures within 80 days. Researchers said that BG 250 is both drought and flood resilient. This variety also gives white rice. Meanwhile Mahailluppallama Field Crops Research and Development Institute has developed a new variety of maize called "Sampath". It is suitable for both Yala and Maha seasons. It is a medium age variety with a maturity period of 105-110 days. The maize crops of this new variety is longer and the yield is higher than all other maize varieties. Researchers say that this variety responds well to the inputs. According to the Department of Agriculture, this is the first hybrid variety of maize developed in Sri Lanka. A new capsicum variety called "Lanka Yellow Wax" is another new innovation of agro scientists of the Agriculture Department. This new variety is moderately resistant to Bacterial Wilt. Its average yield is 30-40 tonnes per hectare. This new variety was derived from cross breeding between popular CA 8 variety and Hungarian Yellow Wax variety. "Wasana" a green chilies variety is another new crop developed with high yield as well as resistance to bacterial wilt and leaf curl diseases. It is recommended for wet zone and the average yield is 14.5 tonnes per hectare. Researchers say that the quality of "Wasana" chilies is higher. Bindu Thibbatu (Solanum Viatecium Ortega) is another new crop developed by Aralaganwila Regional Agriculture Research Institute. It is a six month variety and average yield is between 12-14 tonnes per hectare. Thibbatu is a very popular vegetable today and many farmers in North Central Province are engaged in cultivation. Two new varieties of cucumber Makandura selection and Champ 320 with advanced quality and higher yield are also among the new innovations introduced by the Department. The department said that Champ 320 variety is suitable for export market to be sold as salads. These new innovations are not sudden miracles but are the results of long scientific researches and field cultivations. If all the research efforts are ended with success it will take about 7 years to develop a new variety of rice. Department sources said that there is a setback in the research institutions due to suspension of new recruitment to government services. These institutions faced problem of a shortage of manpower due to lack of researchers and retirement of experienced officers. (GW) |
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