Progress of Wheat Research -A Review of Pusa

Progress of Wheat Research :A Review of Pusa : 

Progress of Wheat Research :A Review of Pusa By S. Chowdhury Head IARI R.S.Pusa (Bihar)

Introduction : 

Introduction All India Coordinated Wheat Improvement Project has played an important role in improving wheat research in India The credit of green revolution in India goes to the success story of wheat production in the county.

Cont.. : 

Cont.. Actually the coordinated wheat research was initiated in 1961 and it was reshaped to All India Coordinated Wheat Improvement Project in the year 1965 during the 3rd 5-year plan.

Cont.. : 

Cont.. This is a model programme for all the national coordinated projects. Under this programme scientists from various disciplines work together with great pride and dedication. It is due to their untiring efforts and significant contributions, India emerged as a second largest wheat producing country in the world.

Cont.. : 

Cont.. All India Coordinated wheat and Barley Improvement Project conducts near about 400 trials in 6 mega zones. The North Western and North Eastern Plain Zones cover about two-third of the total wheat area and determines the productivity and production trend of the country. The NEPZ comprising of Eastern U.P., Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam has about 9.5 million ha area under wheat. In Uttar Pradesh B.H.U., Varanasi, C.S.A.U., Kanpur, N.D.A.U., Faizabad and in Bihar IARI, Regional Station, Pusa have played key role in advancing wheat production in their respective states and ultimately in the country by developing new high yielding disease resistant varieties.

Varietal Development : 

Varietal Development The first and foremost component of production technology is the selection of an appropriate high yielding variety for a given production condition. B.H.U. Varanasi got credit by evolving 10 high yielding varieties for NEP zone namely HUW 12, 37, 55, 206, 213, 234, 318, 468, 510 and 533 for different agro- climatic conditions. HUW206 was a selection from sister lines of well known “Veery” (Kavkaz/Buho//Kalyansona/Blue bird) that carries 1B/1R translocation from “Imperial rye”.

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HUW234 is an outstanding variety for late sown conditions of NEP zone. This was released in 1986 and from that time, it is very popular and has occupied more than 3.0 million hectares. It is an excellent variety for chapatti making and carries Lr34+ Lr14a+ Sr9b+ Yr2 gene. HUW533 is a variety released for rainfed cultivation in NEP zone. The crosses between Unnath C 306 (C 306 Sr 24 + Lr 24).

Cont.. : 

Cont.. K8027 are necrotic but after bridging Ne1s gene of Unnath C306 with HUW81, this variety was developed by top crossing with K8027. BHU, Varanasi has done a commendable work on the identification and control of foliar blight pathogen. Bipolaris sorokiniana is the major pathogen in NEP zone however, Alternaria triticina, Fusarium spp, Exserohilum rostratum, Drechslera spp have also been found.

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Relative dominance of B. sorokiniana and A. triticina have also been studied and found that A. triticina dominated in earlier growth stages while B. sorokiniana dominated during the crucial growth stages: i.e. anthesis to grain filling stage. By screening, more than 20 resistant genotypes have been identified. A new pathogen, Exserohilum rostratum has been identified being responsible for the outbreak of epidemic in NEP zone during the year 1997-98 crop season.

Cont.. : 

Cont.. CSAU, Kanpur has also developed many varieties such as K7410, K8804 & K9107 for irrigated timely sown condition and K8027, K8962 etc. for rainfed condition of NEP zone. Narendra Deo University of Agriculture and Technology, Faizabad has also developed three high yielding varieties namely NW 1012 for timely sown irrigated condition while NW1014 and NW2036 for irrigated late sown condition.

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K 9107 is still a popular variety for Bihar, Jharkhand and U.P. possessing more than 13% protein, best chapatti quality and more bhusa. NW1014 and NW2036 are the most recent varieties for late sown cultivation receiving wide popularities among farmers. The Average yield of NEP zone is less than 2.0 tons/ ha as compare to 4.0 tons /ha in Punjab of NWPZ. The yield gap of NEP zone is being reduced gradually by adoption of all these high yielding varieties in cultivation.

Contribution of IARI Pusa : 

Contribution of IARI Pusa IARI, Pusa is one of the important centres in NEP zone which has developed many new high yielding varieties such as HP1102, HP1731 and HP1761 for timely sown irrigated condition while HP1209, HP1633, HP1744 for irrigated late sown condition of NEP zone.

Cont.. : 

Cont.. Farmers of Bihar were growing conventional tall varieties and harvesting yield less than 30 quintal per hectare. But due to introduction of HP1102 a variety developed from the cross 8156 (Blanko)/Nadadores63 occupied more than 60 percent area in Bihar. There were long queue to receive the seed of HP1102 a dwarf variety of that period.

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HP1209 is a variety for late sown cultivation and was released in 1976. It became very popular as more than 70 percent area of Bihar comes under late sown cultivation. Therefore, demand of the seed of HP1209 was very high and still it persists. HP1633 (Sonali) is grown under late sown condition. This is substitute of popular variety Sonalika. This is the first Lr9 alien gene introduced variety in the country shows very good tolerance to foliar blight in addition to resistance against brown rust. HP1744 is an outstanding variety for chapatti quality and is most popular among farmers.

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Another breakthrough was brought when HP1731 and HP1761 wheat varieties were released. Before that UP262 and HUW206 were mostly adopted by the farmers of Bihar. Any increase in wheat production of Bihar state was made, the contribution of new high yielding varieties- HP1731 and HP1761 was reckoned as 35%.

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A number of cultures have been developed possessing resistance against different rust pathogens viz. HP1822, 1826, 1832, 1833 showed resistance against black and brown rust, HP1718, 1808, 1811 showed resistance against black rust while HP1529, 1824 and 1825 showed resistance against brown rust.

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HP1531 and HP1731 have been found as reckoned source for resistance against shoot fly. HP1531 inherits resistance against Karnal Bunt also. FLW-6 developed by DWR, R.S., Shimla showing resistance against yellow rust, has been derived from the parents HP1776 and HP1633. Pusa is a hot spot for the leaf blight. It serves as good platfarm for screening and developing foliar blight tolerant/ resistant varieties.

Collaborative Programme : 

Collaborative Programme There is a collaborative wheat improvement programme of Genetics Division and Regional Station, Pusa. Out of the programme very important high yielding wheat varieties have been developed and released for eastern parts of the country. Most popular and leading wheat varieties are HD2733, HD2824 for timely sown and HD2643 and HW 2045 for late sown condition. All these varieties are replacing old varieties and occupying major area under cultivation in NEPZ very fast.

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During last 3 years the percentage of new Varietal saturation and reduction of old varietal acres has been noticed. HD2733 is preferred due to high tillering habit, bold grain, good chapatti making quality and high yield . This variety is moderately resistant to leaf blight which is a serious problem in eastern zone.

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Under late sown, variety HD2643 (Ganga) is very popular due to bold and lustrous grain and there is a heavy demand of seed. Other varieties like PBW 373, HW 2045, NW 2036, DBW14 and PBW 524 are slowly becoming popular under late sown condition. The productivity and production in North Eastern Plain Zone may be improved, or in other words, the yield gap may be reduced significantly if the good quality of seed, mechanized farming and availability of fertilizer are given due importance or assured. Use of seed drills itself enhance yield against traditional method of broadcasting.

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Loss of produce due to early set of pre monsoon is a serious matter. Use of modern thresher or Mini Combine may help economic return to the farmers. Co-operative farming system is essential due to large number of marginal and poor farmers in this area. The production of wheat will certainly improve if all the constraints are given due consideration.

Constraints : 

Constraints There is lack of thermo tolerant varieties which can overcome the adverse effect of grain shriveling due to sudden rise in temperature during grain filling period. Sporadic problem of grain setting due to deficiency of micronutrients in the soil. Lack of quality seeds particularly in Bihar. No organized cooperative farming and proper marketing. Majority of the area under small and marginal land holding. Increase in the intensity of black point disease in grains of almost all the cultivated varieties particularly in North Bihar.

Proposed Strategy : 

Proposed Strategy Cooperative farming should be encouraged to ensure the availability of quality seed, fertilizers and marketing network. Creation of large storage facility for seed. Encouragement for mechanized farming. Focus should be on availability of quality seed. Need to introduce foliar blight resistant varieties. The focus should be on micronutrient deficient soil regions and measures should be taken for their reclamation. There should be proper marketing network to ensure the profitability of the farmers.

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Thank you