The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has released two new high-yield rice varieties, one of which is drought resistant and the other of which is adapted to salt soil conditions. TNAU's director of research, K S Subramanian, recently announced the release of eight agricultural crops and seven horticultural crops.
TRY 5, a mutant of TRY 2, was among the new paddy types, he added, since it was ideal for saline soil conditions and could be harvested 10-15 days quicker than conventional crops cultivated in comparable conditions. "It's ideal for growing kuruvai (June-July), late samba (September-October), and navarai (December-January)." It produces more than 5 tonnes per acre on average. "It has a milling rate of 64 percent and a head rice recovery rate of 54 percent," he added.
Other new paddy varieties, according to Subramanian, include TKM 15, which was developed for direct sowing in semi-dry conditions during the northeast monsoon in the state's northern and southern regions; CO 55, a ponni rice variety that yielded 6 tonnes per hectare in just 115 days; and ADT 57, which has an average yield of 6.5 tonnes per hectare.
ADT 7 and VBN 5 are two green gramme cultivars released by TNAU. While ADT 7 has a yield of 724kg per hectare and can be harvested in 65 to 70 days, VBN 5 has a yield of 870kg per hectare and can be harvested in 70 to 75 days. Mung bean yellow mosaic virus resistance is also seen in VBN 5.
It also introduced two groundnut cultivars, VRI 9 and VRI 10, both of which had a yield of 2,500kg per hectare in 115 days with a 48 percent oil content. In 95 days, VRI 10 might be harvested. Banana variety CO 3, developed from karpooravalli x H201, BSR 3 turmeric variety, and MDU 2 brinjal variety are among the new releases.
