ICAR organises farmers' participatory programme
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 15 2022: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre has organised a programme on 'Farmers' Participatory Varietal Selection on semi dwarf Black rice at ICAR, Lamphelpat Farm today.

Around 50 farmers from different parts of the State participated in today's programme.

Speaking in connection with the programme, Dr Konsam Sarika, Scientist of ICAR Lamphelpat (Genetic and Plants breeding) stated that the indigenous Blackrice (Chakhao) plants are quite tall and the yield per hectare is comparatively low with regards to other rice varieties.

Therefore, with an aim to improve the quality of Blackrice and to increase the yield per hectare, ICAR RC-NEHR Manipur Centre has developed the semi dwarf Blackrice varietal lines, she said.

She further informed that there are 11 such varieties in the pipeline.

Out of these 11 varieties, the best three varieties have been selected and are grown for trial at five different locations across the State namely Chandel, Tharoijam, Bishnupur , Kwak Siphai and Irilbung for this season, she added.

Dr Sarika also shared that the newly developed Blackrice varieties are 100-110 cms tall and the yield per hectare is around 4.5 tonnes which is almost the double of the normal ones and it takes less time to cook as compared to the indigenous varieties.

With regards to the conduct of the programme, she said that it has been organised to sensitize the farmers about the new Blackrice varieties and to seek inputs/feedbacks from the farmers for effective production of such varieties along with their support.

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