SKUAST Kashmir develops new variety of rice

Srinagar, May 30 (UNI) After introducing Jhelum, Chenab, Kohsar and Shalimar varieties of rice, the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) has developed another high-yielding hybrid variety of rice for upper reaches.

While Shalimar (Rice-I) was best suitable for lower belts of the valley, the new rice variety would be suitable for high altitudes with superior yield and disease resistant.

The SKUAST Research Department would also shortly release ten new vegetable hybrid varieties, including two each of tomato, brinjal, capsicum, cucumber and potato, in its sustained effort towards crop improvement in the Kashmir division.

SKUAST Director Research Dr A R Trag said the University has supplied 2059 kg of breeders and foundation seed of maize, 277 kg of pulses, 71638 kg of vegetables, 792 kg of oil seeds, 16856 kg of oats, 2463 kg of wheat and 16 kg of berseem to the department during the past three years.

Similarly, bud wood material of various high-yielding fruit varieties like walnut, apple, almond and planting material of fruits has been supplied to the Horticulture Development Department for further propagation.

The university has also setup research stations and sub-stations at 17 different locations spread over various agro-climatic zones of Kashmir and Ladakh divisions to develop area specific technologies.

The university has also introduced strawberry in Kargil through trench technology and modern dehydration techniques have been developed for apricot, apple and pear.

A saffron research sub-station has also been set-up at Konibal, Pampore to boost the production of world famous Kashmiri saffron, Dr Trag said. A scientific method for drying of fresh saffron using solar and hot air dryers has been developed, which takes 4 to 6 hours to dry the saffron as against 27.53 hours, retaining the pigment concentration and crocin content of 8.55 per cent.

UNI AG CS BD1425