Coimbatore :

In what could be a milestone in rice farming in the state, a farmer from Varathampalayam village in Sathyamangalam in Erode district has raised a bumper crop of the hybrid variety CORH3. The farmer, M Palanisamy, has harvested about 1,400kg of hybrid seeds which will be procured by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) and the department of agriculture at a rate of Rs 110 per kg.

Palanisamy, who employed cutting-edge technology, has earned Rs 1.88 lakh from the harvest and after meeting the expenses of Rs 40,000, he will get a net profit of Rs 1,48,000 at the rate of Rs 74,000 per acre, a remarkable achievement in rice farming.

During Navarai season in 2010-11, production of hybrid rice seeds was taken up in five hectares of land in and around Sathyamangalam. Besides, he has harvested 3,000 kg of produce from the male parent (R’ line) which will be sold in the market at minimum support price of Rs 10 per kg. “The R’ line is the sterile male line and is sown alternatively with the female line for pollination,” said S Robin, professor and head, department of rice of the TNAU. The TNAU organised a field visit cum awareness campaign in Varathampalayam on May 17 in order to inspect the hybrid rice seed production field and to create awareness among local farmers on advantages of hybrid rice seed production.

Dr. K. Thiyagarajan, director of the Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics of the TNAU, explained that hybrid seed is a proven modern rice production technology, which helps farmers produce and earn more. Burgeoning population and shrinking resources like land and water put the onus on farmers to produce more per area. Rice, being the single most important food crop of the state, requires added attention as production constraints are enlarging and total rice area is shrinking.

TNAU, which developed the country’s first hybrid rice CORH1 in 1994, has so far released four rice hybrids with the latest being the short duration CORH3. Pilot studies were conducted over several years in Tamil Nadu, to standardise the locations for taking up hybrid rice seed production, he said. India  ranks first in total area under rice.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore> Tamil Nadu Agricultural University / by Nandhu Sundaram / May 27th, 2011