The Agricultural College and Research Institute (ACRI) here has developed a new rice variety, MDU-6, which holds a lot of promise to farmers with regard to crop duration, yield and quality.
This variety, which was subject to intensive research and field trials over a period of 10 years, is all set for release during the Pongal celebrations to be organised by the State government.
C. Chinnusamy, Dean, and C. Vanniarajan, Head, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, told The Hindu on Friday that a new variety would come from the ACRI stable after a gap of nearly two decades.
“MDU-6 was put to several onsite trials and tested on farmers’ fields. The multi-location trials were very satisfactory and the data compiled was submitted to the screening committee of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,” the Dean said.
The university screening committee too endorsed the ACRI’s new variety and sent it to the State Variety Screening Committee recommending its release. Formalities for its introduction have been completed and it will hit the field in January.
Dr. Vanniarajan said that trials were held in 120 locations and MDU-6 would be suitable for variety rice, including pongal.
“It will need a short duration of 110 days and the yield will be 10 per cent more than other varieties. MDU-6 will be a slender, good quality rice,” he added. The last rice variety, MDU-5, was released by ACRI in 1996.
Dr. Chinnusamy said that the institution extensively focussed on research and release of new varieties in agriculture and horticulture crops.
Early this year, it had released a black gram variety, MDU-1, which possesses good battering quality and is suitable for idli preparation.
