shrink-wrapping high-value temperate fruits for enhancing shelf-life
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Volume 15 No. 3 July-September 2009
RESEARCH UPDATE
Promising Technologies• Shrink-wrapping high-value temperate 1
fruits for enhancing shelf-life
New Initiatives• Effective utilization of farm 3
and home wastes
Natural Resources Management• Areca-cocoa system for reducing 4
greenhouse gases• Cryostorage of tree-borne oilseeds 4
Profile• Central Institute for Subtropical 6
Horticulture, Lucknow
Spectrum• Varietal Releases 12
Govind Ballabh Pant University of 12Agriculture and Technology, PantnagarVivekananda Parvatiya Krishi 12Anusandhan Sansthan, AlmoraVRW 3, yellow-rinded watermelon 13
• Terminal heat and wheat productivity 14in the northern states
• Drought-tolerant transgenic sorghum 15• Torsa – A high-yielding, early-maturing 16
Motihari tobacco• Grass fly, a new rice pest 17• Ber value-addition for regulating its 18
fresh-fruit market• Subsurface drain envelope materials 18
for waterlogged vertisols• K supplemented fish products 20
to address hypertension• Enhancing pig productivity at farm-gate 21
level using superior germplasm
Impact of Technology• Dealing with erratic monsoons and 23
droughts: The Way Forward
The Last Page 24
PROMISING TECHNOLOGIES
Shrink-wrapping high-value temperatefruits for enhancing shelf-life
Apples and kiwifruits are the most important fruits of thetemperate region of our country. In both, post-harvest lossesaccount for 25-30%. Considering their importance, the technologyof shrink-wrapping for apple (variety Royal Delicious) and kiwifruit(variety Allison) has been standardized.
Different types of heat-shrinkable films, viz. Cryovac (9 μ),polyolefin (13μ) and LDPE (25 μ) were used. Cryovac film was thebest in extending both shelf-life and storage life with betterretention of fruit quality over unwrapped fruits. And best resultswere obtained when heat shrinking was done at 120oCtemperature with 10 seconds’ exposure.
IIIIIndian Cndian Cndian Cndian Cndian Council of Aouncil of Aouncil of Aouncil of Aouncil of Agggggriculturriculturriculturriculturricultural Ral Ral Ral Ral ResearesearesearesearesearchchchchchKrishi Bhawan, New Delhi 110 001, India
www.icar.org.in
Apples and kiwifruits tray-wrapped
This technique involves over-wrapping of the produce with heat-shrinkable films of the desirable thickness with the help of a machine.For individual shrink-wrapping, initially individual fruit is loosely
Advantages• It is easy, user-friendly,
can be very well adopted by
marginal farmers and/or
entrepreneurs.
• It adds very little to
the cost of high-value fruits
like apple or kiwifruit.
• Machine used for
shrink-wrapping of apples or kiwifruits can also be
used for other commodities. Thus, year-round
production of shrink-wrapped produce is possible.
• Shrink-wrapped produce looks attractive, hygienic
and free from dust and dirt.
• It is easy to handle shrink-wrapped apples or
kiwifruits during storage or transportation.
• It avoids secondary infection, which is important for
long-term storage.
• It delays deterioration of the produce, and thus
enhances to shelf-life.
R.R. Sharma and R.K. Pal
Division of Post-harvest Technology, Indian
Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012
e-mail: rrs_fht @rediffmail. com
PROMISING TECHNOLOGIES
Individually shrink-wrapped apples
Shrink-wrap packaging is a new technique for
post-harvest handling of fruits and vegetables.
The technology delays physiological
deterioration of fruits and also prevents
condensation of droplets within the package.
Individual shrink-wrapping of the produce
provides optimum gas and humidity for
maintaining quality of the produce during the
transit and storage. As a result, it doubles or
sometimes triples storage life of the fruits under
proper storage conditions. Such unit packs also
provide protection against abrasion and maintain
attractive appearance of the product.
sealed in a desirable heat-shrinkable film with the help of
an impulse sealer. The produce is then placed inside the
machine maintained at 120°C. Then upper cover of the
machine is pressed for 10-15 seconds to activate fan,
which circulates hot air around the produce, and the film
shrinks tightly around the produce. In case of tray-wrap
packaging, produce is first sealed in a consumer pack of
suitable size and then passed through the machine.
Shrink-wrapped produce is immediately removed from
the machine and cooled for 2-3 hours at 5-100C or by
rapid ventilation. Thereafter, the produce can be packed
in plastic crates for further storage or transportation.
The cost of the shrink-wrap packaging varies with the
commodities to be wrapped or films to be used for wrapping.
In practice, it adds a packaging cost of about Rs 0.80-1.00 for
one kg fruits. This cost can be further reduced if tray-wrap
packaging of 6-10 units per pack is done.
Fruit Shelf life at room temperature (days) Storage life in zero energy cool chamber (days)
Unwrapped Wrapped Unwrapped Wrapped
Apple 21 30 35 45
Kiwifruit 9 14 11 20
2ICAR NEWS
NEW INITIATIVES
Effective utilization of farm and home wastes
Located in the dense forest hills of Talavadi village,
Erode district in Tamil Nadu, Krishi Vigyan Kendra
has emerged as one of the leaders in the promotion
of Eco-San with Integrated Farm Development (IFD)
concept by successfully demonstrating eco-san
toilets and IFD components in all households within
the framework of the existing programmes and
resources.
A project, initiated by the KVK in 2003-04 and
supported by the ICAR, Tamil Nadu State
Government and the UNICEF, has used innovative
approaches to promote Eco-san concepts, ranging
from involvement of the self-help groups, micro-
credit based revolving funds and multi-sectoral
approaches through integrated farming initiatives
to inclusive capacity-building approaches.
The KVK was instrumental in promoting sustainable
agricultural practices,
especially for
recycling of farm and
home wastes. The
Eco-san system
became a part of the
peoples’ existing
‘Integrated Farming
Approach’ that
directly focused on
the household
through increasing
attention on the Low
External Input
S u s t a i n a b l e
Agriculture (LEISA)
technologies and
fuller utilization of
agricultural and
domestic wastes through biogas, vermi-composting,
eco-san toilets, indigenous growth promoters and
pest repellents, rainwater harvesting, tree planting
on field bunds, etc. Because of this overall holistic
approach, each household at present has a biogas
plant, a bathroom with an eco-friendly water heater,
an Eco-san toilet, a kitchen-garden, a cow-shed with
urine collection tank, and a space for vermi-
composting.
All these interventions
are interlinked in a way
to promote maximum
waste utilization;
generated either at the
household or at the
farm. This approach
followed a systematic
path that graduated
from the farm waste to
animal waste to human
waste. Eco-san in this
route of waste
management has filled
the gap very
effectively.
S. Prabha Kumar
Zonal Project Directorate-Zone VIII
H.A. Farm Post, Hebbal
Bengaluru (Karnataka) 560 024
e-mail: icarto8@yahoo.com
The journey of the IFD had started in 2001 with
eight farm families when KVK had demonstrated
eco-san and IFD in MP Doddi village as an
experiment.
These farm families had accepted the new
concept and integrated this practice in recycling
of farm and household wastes; it also supported
their need for safe disposal and usage system for
human waste. As a result, after seven years it has
spread to 53 villages with 860 farm families. Now
the village looks greener and the people are living
in a more hygienic environment; it stands as a
model for others to advocate eco-san with an
integrated approach.
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3 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
Cryostorage of tree-borne oilseeds
Areca-cocoa system for reducing greenhouse gasesCarbon sequestration by terrestrial biomass is one ofthe mitigation options used for reduction ofgreenhouse gases. The areca-cocoa mixed croppinggives a sustainable production, and also serves as agood system for biomass production and carbonaccumulation. Arecanut is grown either as a mono-plantation or is intercropped with cocoa and banana,and cocoa is grown only as an intercrop of coconut orarecanut.
Areca-cocoa system had a standing biomass of 23, 54and 87 tonnes/ha in 5, 8 and 15 years of growth.Contribution of biomass was greater from areca thancocoa. Annual increments in biomass or net primaryproductivity ranged from 1.4 to 2.6 tonnes/ha in cocoaand 3.3 to 7 tonnes/ha in areca. Parallel to these, CO2
sequestration ranged from 2 to 3.8 and 5 to 10.9 incocoa and areca respectively. The standing biomass
increased over time indicated accumulation of biomassin stem, and also increased yield of areca and cocoaplants with age up to 15th year of planting. The studyhas revealed that biomass and primary productivityare considerable with areca-cocoa mixed crop, and iscomparable to any agroforestry systems involvingcocoa. Areca cocoa-based systems produce abundantbiomass to qualify for carbon sequestrationmechanisms. Organic carbon content was higher inareca basin than in cocoa basin; higher organic contentin upper layers of the soil profile.
D. Balasimha1 and S. Naresh Kumar2
1CPCRI, Regional Station, Vittal (Karnataka) 574 243e-mail: balasimhad@rediffmail.com
2Division of Environmental Sciences, IndianAgricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Vegetable oils obtained from tree sources have edibleas well as industrial uses. Oils derived from tree-borneoilseeds (TBOs), especially jatropha (Jatropha curcas),karanj (Pongamia pinnata) and wild apricot (Prunusarmeniaca), have potential to be used as bio-diesel.Salvadora oleoides seeds contain 40-50% of greenishyellow-fat with large amount of lauric and myristicacids. Purified fat is used for soap-making, and is apotential industrial substitute of coconut oil for humanconsumption. S persica oil possesses pharmaceuticalapplications. Cheura (Diploknema butyracea) oil is usedas a substitute for ghee and butter for cookingpurposes.
In India, TBOs are mostly found under naturalconditions. Their population under farm cultivation isvery limited, and is in the initial years of establishment.
TBOs are mostly propagated by seeds, as clonalpropagation of these has still not been worked out.The major collection constraint in TBO seeds is their
short collection period (4-6 weeks) and that alsoprecedes or even coincides with rains. Besides this,various biotic and abiotic stresses are continuous threat
Dried jatropha fruits
4ICAR NEWS
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Wild apricot tree, and seedlings raised from cryostored seeds(inset)
National cryo genebank
for the germplasm growing under the naturalconditions.
TBOs germplasm can be conserved in situ as well exsitu. Among all methods of ex situ conservation,cryopreservation is the only method for long-term(infinite) conservation.
Conserved TBOs at the National Cryogenebank,NBPGR, with the following objectives: (i)Collection, seed handling and post-harveststorage of selected TBOs (jatropha, karanj, wildapricot, Salvadora spp. and cheura); (ii) Studieson seed storage behaviour including seedviability and longevity for development ofsuitable cryopreservation protocols; (iii)Development of suitable short-, medium- andlong-term conservation methods for ex-situconservation; (iv) Cryopreservation in the formof seeds and embryonic axes.
Detailed experiments led to the determination ofcritical moisture content and desiccation and freezingtolerance in the investigated species.
For seeds and excised embryonic axes of jatropha andkaranj, high germinability (80-100%) was observedafter 24 hr of storage in liquid nitrogen. In wild apricot,60-80% viability was observed for seeds and axes after
liquid nitrogen exposure, indicating intermediatenature of seeds. Seeds and axes of Salvadora persicaand S. oleoides showed low level of recovery after liquidnitrogen exposure of 40%, indicating recalcitrant seedstorage behaviour.
Cheura seeds were found highly recalcitrant, andrecovery of up to 20% was achieved using embryonicaxes alone, and there was no success using wholeseeds.
Cryostorage of germplasm
A total of 742 accessions of jatropha collected from 92districts of 14 states, 176 accessions of karanj collectedfrom 37 districts of 9 states and 417 accessions of wildapricot collected from 10 districts, 8 from Jammu andKashmir and 2 from Himachal Pradesh and 35accessions of Salvadora species from 2 states have beensuccessfully cryostored in cryogenebank.
Viability testing of samples of species after 3 years ofcryostorage have revealed good germinabilty. Usingexcised embryonic axes, normal healthy plantlets ofJatropha, karanj, wild apricot and Salvadora spp. couldbe recovered.
Rekha Chaudhury, S.K. Malik and Jyotsna JoshiNational Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
Pusa Campus, New Delhi 110 012e-mail: rekha@nbpgr.ernet.in
5 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
PROFILE
The Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH)was started as the Central Mango Research Station on4 September 1972 under the aegis of the IndianInstitute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru. TheResearch Station was upgraded to full-fledged Institute,named as the Central Institute of Horticulture forNorthern Plains on 1 June 1984. Later the Institute
was renamed as the Central Institute for SubtropicalHorticulture (CISH) on 14 June 1995.
The Institute has established its Regional Station atMalda, West Bengal, for which 68.74 hectares weregiven by the Govt of West Bengal on 29 March 2007.The mandate of the Regional Station is to conductresearch work on the subtropical fruits like mango andlitchi.
The National Committee on Plasticulture Applicationin Horticulture (NCPAH) under the Ministry ofAgriculture has sanctioned the Institute as one ofthe centres for promotion of precision farming inhorticultural crops. The centre is conducting trainingprogrammes on the technologies developed for thebenefit of orchardists.
The Institute has also been recognized by theIGNOU, New Delhi, as the study centre for offeringone year Diploma Course on value-added products
Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow
6ICAR NEWS
PROFILE
Temperature humidity controlled polycarbonate structure
of fruits and vegetables and organic farming. AndNational Horticulture Mission has identified it as anodal centre for imparting training on all aspectsof the subtropical fruits.
MANDATE
• To undertake basic and applied research to enhanceproductivity and develop value-chain to major andminor subtropical fruits.
• To act as a national repository of above fruit crops.• To act as a centre for human resource development
and provide consultancy to stakeholders.• To develop linkages with the national and
international agencies to accomplish above activities.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Experimental farms. The Farm at Rehmankhera hasarea of 132.5 hectares comprising 4 blocks and R.B.Road campus has of 13.2 hectares.
Nursery complex for planting material. To meetgrowing demands for planting materials of mango,guava, aonla and bael and making them available all-round-the-year, the Institute has polyhouse,polycorbonate structures fitted with heaters forsterilization and filling of media, soil sterilization unit,shade nethouse, shading platform for seed extraction/rubbing and automated drip irrigation/ micro sprinkler.
Rainwater harvesting. Three types of (Dugout, Roofwater and earthen embakemant) water-harvestingponds of 3,600 M3, 1,600 M3, 6,500 M3, 5,800 M3 and1,225 M3 capacity having corresponding area of 4 ha,3.5 ha, 4.35 ha, 6.50 ha and 2.15 are in operation.
Guava grafts in poly bags
Mango grafts in mist chamber
Equipments. The Institute has followingequipments: RT-PCR, PCR, Gel Documentation Unit,Chip-based Electrophoresis, Liquid Nitrogen Unit, GeneGun, Laminar Air Flow, Ultra Centrifuge, TransgenicGlasshouse, Inductively Coupled Plasma EmissionSpectrometer, Fermenter, Growth Chamber, D-freezer(-800C), Table-top Centrifuge, Temperature, humidityand light control system equipped glasshouses, One-ton-capacity packaging line for fruits, Processing linefor the preparation of juices and other products, FreezeDryer, HPLC, Colour Flex Meter, CO2 Ethylene Analyzer,Juice Concentrators and Vacuum Dryer.
Biotechnology laboratory. The laboratory hasadvanced DNA fingerprinting, transgenic, tissueculture and cytogenetics facilities.
Biocontrol laboratory. The laboratory has all state-of the art facilities. Equipment like fermenter andgrowth chamber for conducting experiments on theresponse growth and developments of antagonistsvis-à-vis abiotic factors have been acquired for massproduction of bioagents.
Museum. Research achievements are displayed inthe museum in the form of photographs, charts,graphs, live materials, models and publications.
Conference hall. This hall is equiped with LCDprojector, black-board, projection screen, and audiosystem for better- and-effective communication.
7 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
Library. It has 3,085 scientific and technical booksand 7,457 back volumes of journals, and it subscribesto 111 journals. Out of which, 49 foreign journals arebeing subscribed in printed as well as in Internetversion. The library has also been automated throughLS Ease software (Libsys).
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Crop improvement• Germplasm/accessions of mango (721), guava (114),
papaya (32), bael (54), litchi (35), aonla (35), jamun(45), khirnee (38), mahua (30), tamarind (24), wood-apple (17), custard apple (8), mulberry (10), amra/hog plum (3), lasora (5), carambola (9), rose apple (3)and karonda (30) collected from different locationsare maintained in the field gene bank.
• Mango varieties, Ambika (Amrapali x JanardhanPasand), Arunika (Amrapali x Vanraj), regular bearerwith good potential for domestic and export marketshave been released.
• Lalit and Shweta, two open-pollinated seedlingselections of coloured guava, have been released.
• Two bael varieties CISH-B1 and CISH-B2 selected fromthe seedling population have been released.
• Two superior genotypes (CISHJ 37 and CISH J 42) of jamun wereidentified and have been establishedin the field gene bank. A seedlessgenotype (CISH J 42) selected fromChandauli district of Uttar Pradeshhas been multiplied by soft-woodgrafting, and planted at the fieldgene bank.• One-hundred-fifty mangocultivars have been characterizedusing 20 microsatellites (STMSprimers). The Gene Scan basedanalysis could detect variabilityamong Dashehari and Himsagarclones.• A rapid regeneration systemusing immature zygotic embryoshas been developed for papaya PusaDelicious.• Genetic transformation systemhas been developed in guava usingendochitinase gene mobilized inAgrobacterium. PCR analysis has
confirmed presence of endochitinase and npt–II gene.
Crop production• Technologies to rejuvenate old and senile orchards
have been standardized for mango, guava and aonla.• High-density plantings for mango Dashehari with
400 plants/ha spaced at 5 m x 5 m and guavaAllahabad Safeda with 555 plants/ha spaced at3 m x 6 m have been standardized.
• Drip irrigation from September to second week ofMay, followed by fertigation (P and K with 25% ofthe recommended doses in split doses at flowering
Lalit Shweta
Ambika Arunika
High density guava planting
PROFILE
8ICAR NEWS
PROFILE
and fruit-setting)resulted in highestfruit yield (59.74kg/tree) incomparison toc o n v e n t i o n a l(basin system18.71 kg/tree)irrigation andfertilizer use inmango.
• Meadow orchardsystem developedfor guava, whicha c c o m m o d a t e s5,000 plants/ha (1m x 2 m) coupled with regular topping and hedging.An average yield of 12 tonnes/ha was obtained afterthe first year, and it reached to 50 tonnes/ha afterthe 3rd year.
AN-17 and Penicillium citrinum, applied through FYM(30 kg/plant).
• A forecasting model for the prediction of powderymildew has been developed.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) module formango insect pests and diseases has been developedand standardized.
• A simple technique, involving covering fruits on treeswith paper-bags one month prior to harvest,eliminates all post-harvest diseases in an eco-friendlymanner.
• Inoculation technique (stem-hole inoculation) forreproduction of wilt in guava has been standardized.Gliocladium roseum has been found the most potentcausal pathogen for guava wilt, as it producessymptoms in grown-up plants in the field within 2months of inoculation.
Post-harvest management• Dashehari fruits harvested with 8-10 mm stalks could
be stored for 21 days at 12°C and relative humidityof 85-90% and then for 6 days under ambientconditions.
• Uniform ripening of early harvested mangoes couldbe achieved by dip treatment of fruits in 750 ppmethrel in hot-water (52 ± 2oC) for 5 minutes.Concentration of the ethrel could be reduced to 100-500 ppm depending upon the stage of the fruitmaturity and variety.
• Beverages prepared from blends of mango-pineapple (1:1), mango-pear (any ratio) and mango-papaya (2:1) were ideal combinations with betteracceptability.
• Recipe of oil-less pickle of mango was developedwith salt, chilli and asafoetida as ingredients. It couldbe stored for nine months safely.
• Good quality vinegar from mango-peel could beobtained by use of Acetobacter aceti.
• Jelly-grade pectin and edible fibres could beextracted chemically from mango-peel.
• Guava slices from cv. Lalit could be stored in 40oBrixsugar syrup for 9 months.
• Techniques for preparation of sweetened and brined(salted) aonla segments have been standardized.
• Recipe of sweet papaya chutney has been developedthat can be stored for 9 months in plastic jars.
• Hydraulically-operated fruit-picking platform hasbeen found very effective in harvesting bael fruits.
• CFB boxes of 2-kg capacity for packaging of mangoand guava fruits have been developed.
Wedge grafting in guava
Rejuvenation of old and senilemango orchard
• Wedge grafting technique has tremendous potentialfor multiplying guava plants throughout the year ingreenhouse as well as in open.
• Cow-dung pasting in rejuvenated mango trees isfound most effective for managing gummosis.
• Farm waste utilization through vermi, micro-mediated and biodynamic (BD) compost enhancedbeneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Crop protection• Methyl eugenol wooden-block traps were found
highly efficient in trapping male mango fruit flies.• A technique has been developed for biocontrol of
wilt disease by antagonistic fungi Aspergillus niger
9 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
commercial potential as its fruits are found free fromjelly formation and ripen 10 days later thanDashehari.
• In guava, Lalit, a selection from Allahabad Safeda,released in 1998, has been found suitable for tableand processing purposes. Not only in the North, thevariety has been most successful processing varietyin South (Andhra Pradesh) and West (Maharashtra).More than 250 hectares have been covered by thevariety within last 3 years.
• Guava Shweta develops pink colour on the peelduring cool nights under the north Indian conditions,and thus makes the fruit very attractive. The areassuitable for cultivation of this red-peel variety havebeen mapped using GIS tool.
• For mango and guava wedge grafting techniquehas been found suitable for mass multiplication oftrue-to-type plants.
• With rejuvenation technology for old mangoorchards, an additional income of Rs 33,000 wasrealized from 0.7 ha (100 plant) of the rejuvenatedmango plants as against Rs 21,000 from the non-rejuvenated ones.
• Forecasting model for powdery mildew of mangoand fungicidal spray schedule for its managementdrastically curtailed expenditure incurred by themango orchardist around Malihabad.
• CFB boxes designed and fabricated have tensilestrength above the standard set by CODEX.
Thrust areas• Enrichment, management and efficient utilization
of germplasm of subtropical fruit crops throughconventional and biotechnological tools, includinggenetic mapping and marker-aided selection.
Aonla dietary fibre enriched biscuits
All-India Co-ordinated Research Project onSubtropical Fruits
This project with its headquarters at the CentralInstitute for Subtropical Horticulture located atRehmankhera, Lucknow, coordinates researchwork on mango, guava and litchi.
At present the research work is being carried outat 12 centres viz. IARI, New Delhi; IIHR, Bengaluru;CISH, Lucknow; FRS, Sangareddy; BAC, Sabour;FRS, Vangurle; FRS, Rewa; FRS, Paria; RCA, Udaipur;GBPUA&T, Pantnagar; BCKV, Mohanpur; HC&RI,Periyakulam
Achievements• A total of 12 technologies in mango, 16 in
grape, 3 in guava, 2 in litchi and 5 in temperatefruits have been standardized.
• Hybrids/ selections, 25 in mango, 12 in grape,7 in guava, 2 in litchi, 6 in apple, 3 in pea, 5 inpeach and 4 in plum have been developed.
Impact of technologies• From a meagre production of planting material
(13,500 and 12,500 plants during 2003-04 and 2004-05), a significant increase was observed during 2005-06, 2006-07, and subsequently in 2007-08, a recordsale of 157,000 plants was achieved.
• The institute has the largest mango germplasmrepository of the world; currently have 721accessions.
• Ambika has been developed to cater to exportmarket. Similarly another hybrid Arunika has beendeveloped to overcome biennial bearing. Anotherhybrid CISH-M2 developed from a cross betweenDashehari and Chausa, would have immense
PROFILE
10ICAR NEWS
• Tapping cultivar/varietal sources for off-season
fruiting / extended duration.
• Working out water productivity norms for
monocropping and multiple cropping.
• Development of cropping systems for perennial
fruits’ orchards.
• Development of input-use efficiency management
systems such as fertigation, mulching, growth
regulators and IPM / IDM protocols and biosaftey
models against toxic pesticides.
• Utilization of biotechnological tools for
enhancement of productivity per unit area and
development of cultivars for biotic and abiotic
stresses.
• Enhancement of cropping efficiency through crop
canopy architecture through the development of
crop canopy models.
• Development of efficient organic farming protocols
based on the bio-prospecting-aided interventions.
• Exploration, identification and conservation of
efficient pest/pathogen antagonists, and
development of bioagent-based pest / disease
management protocols.
• Management of alternative bearing/mango
malformation through biochemical interventions.
• Enhancement of farm income through development
of value-added products and their microbial quality
assurance, and economically sustainable waste
utilization.
• Development of database on market intelligence to
safeguard farmers’ interests.
• Quantification of impact of technologies among
clientele groups.
Ramesh Chandra
Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture
Rehmankhera, PO Kakori, Lucknow
(Uttar Pradesh) 227 107
e-mail: pmecish@gmail.com
Web-based softwares developed for soybean
The Directorate of Soybean Research has developed
softwares that are available in the public domain to
benefit users by providing wealth of information stored
in the system on the WWW on different aspects –
soybean diseases and multilocational AICRPS trial data
management. These are linked to the Institute website
http://www.nrcsoya.nic.in.
The Directorate has obtained Copyrights ‘for the
following softwares: (i) Web-based soybean
disease diagnosis and information system (Regn
No. SW-3457/2007 dtd 23/4/2007); (ii) Soybean
disease database (Regn No.SW-3456/2007 dtd 23/
4/2007); (iii) Screens of the web-based soybean
disease diagnosis and information system (Regn
No.SW-3455/2007 dtd 23/4/2007); (iv) Screens of
data management system for all-India co-
ordinated research project in soybean agronomy
trials data (Regn No. SW-3707/07 dtd 27/11/2007);
(v) Data structure for agronomy trials data of all
India co-ordinated research project on soybean
(Regn No. SW-3708/07 dtd 27/11/2007); (vi) Data
management system for All-India Co-ordinated
Research Project on Soybean Agronomy trials
data (Regn No. SW-3709/07 dtd 27/11/2007)
“Web-based soybean disease diagnosis and
information system has been developed using web
technologies like HTML and active server pages. It
serves as a good tool for correct identification of
diseases and provides all the necessary information
on soybean diseases. The database is developed using
SQL SERVER 2000. “Screens of the Web-based soybean
disease diagnosis and information system” were
created for taking disease-symptom inputs from the
users for providing them solutions for disease-related
problems.
Data management system for All-India Co-
ordinated Research Project on Soybean Agronomy
is computer software developed for processing
multilocation agronomic experimental trials data
generated under the All-India Co-ordinated Research
Project on Soybean and for generation of summary
table report in easy, efficient and user-friendly mode.
The system has been developed using Visual Basic (6.0).
The reports are generated in EXCEL worksheets.
Savita Kolhe and S.K. Srivastava
Directorate of Soybean Research, Khandwa Road
Indore (Madhya Pradesh) 452 001
e-mail: director @ nrcsoya.com
PROFILE
11 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
SPECTRUM
Pant Lentil 7This hybrid has been developed by crossing high-yielding L 4076 and DPL 15. It showed an overall yieldadvantage of 10.9% over the best check DPL15 in theAll-India Co-ordinated Trials over 3 years. It was foundresistant to rust and wilt diseases and also to pod-borer pest. It has large seeds (2.9 g/100seeds), and itmatures in 125-130 days. The variety has been releasedby the State Varietal Release Committee in 2008 forcultivation in the plains of Uttarakhand.
Pant Lentil 8It has been developed by hybridization of DPL 59 andIPL105. It showed an overall yield advantage of 26%over the best check Pant Lentil 4 in the All-India Co-ordinated Trials over 3 years. It was found moderatelyresistant to rust and wilt diseases and resistant topod-borer pest. It has smaller grains (1 g/ 100 seeds). Itmatures in about 130-135 days. This has beenidentified as a promising genotype for cultivation inthe plains of Uttarakhand.
D.P. Singh, S.K. Verma and J.P. SinghDepartment of Genetics and Plant Breeding, GBPUAT
Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) 263 145
Pant Pea 74It is a dwarf and high-yielding variety of fieldpea,developed by hybridizing HUDP 6 and Pant Pea 11.This showed an overall yield advantage of 23% overthe best dwarf check KPMR 522 and 15% over tall checkDMR 7 in the All-India Co-ordinated Trials over 3 years.It was found resistant to powdery mildew andmoderately resistant to rust diseases. It has mediumsized grains (16 g/ 100 seeds), and matures in 125-130days.
D.P. Singh and Ravindra KumarDept of Genetics and Plant Breeding
GBPUAT, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) 263145
Varietal Releases
Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture andTechnology, Pantnagar
Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, AlmoraVivek Sankul Makka 35 (VL 113)This, an early, yellow flint synthetic cultivar of maize(Early Yellow Heterotic Pool-I) has been released andnotified for Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammuand Kashmir and North-East Hills region. It yielded15% higher over the best check Surya and 7% higherover the double-cross hybrid HIM 129. The cultivar
matures in 90-95 days in hills. It responded very well tolower and higher doses of nitrogen.
V. Mahajan, H.S. Gupta, V.P. Mani,S.K. Pant and J.K. Bisht
VPKAS, Almora (Uttrakhand) 263 601
Pant Lentil 8
12ICAR NEWS
SPECTRUM
Vivek Sankul Makka 37 (VL 114)This, an extra-early, yellow flint synthetic cultivar ofmaize has been released and notified for Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It yielded13% higher over the best check Surya. It matures in85-89 days. It responded well to lower doses ofnitrogen.
V. Mahajan, H.S. Gupta, V.P. Mani, S.K. PantVPKAS, Almora (Uttarakhand) 263 601
VRSG 52-1, a cluster-bearing sponge-gourdA cluster-bearing genotype of sponge-gourd hasbeen isolated from a local material collected fromthe adjoining areas of the Farrukhabad andShahjahanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. The plantbears greenish-white coloured fruits, 15-20-cm longand 12-14-cm in girth. Fruiting starts in bunches of5-7pistilate flowers per cluster, and finally 2-3fruitsare set per cluster. Plants start fruiting at 65-70days after sowing. This material can be furtherutilized for developing high-yielding, good qualitygenotypes.
P.K. Singh, B.R. Choudhary, Ramesh SinghD.R. Bhardwaj and Mathura Rai
IIVR, Seed Production CentreSargatia, Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh) 274 406
Vivek Sankul Makka 37 (VL 114)
VRW 3, yellow-rinded watermelonVRW 3, a yellow-rinded line of watermelon has beenisolated from the local material collected fromShahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh). It is characterized byyellow-coloured rind, early maturity (75-80 days), short
vine length (3.2-3.6m), high total soluble sugars (11%)and profuse bearing (5-7 fruits/plant). The yellow colourof the fruits appears right from the ovary stage. Fruitsare small in size, are very attractive and delicious in
13 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
SPECTRUM
Terminal heat and wheat productivity in the
northern states
Climate-change related, short-term, location-specific
weather abrasions are more pronounced in north
Indian states. Sudden rise and fall in temperature
during growth and reproduction stages of rabi crops
cause significant reduction in productivity.
In late sowing of wheat, duration of several phenotypic
stages is reduced considerably because plant has to
complete its life-cycle to match with the rise in
temperature in March. Wheat sown in December and
January takes 10-15 days for germination and the
November-sown wheat germinates within 4-6 days.
Effects of higher temperature on wheat
• Temperature beyond 30°C, when synchronizes
with low relative humidity at maturity reduces
grain yield.
• During terminal spikelet to anthesis stage,
increase of one degree mean temperature
above 17-1 7.5°C declined 597 grains in HD
4502 and 685 grains in Kalyansona per m2.
• Wheat under 25/10°C temperature regime took
one week less to complete floret phase than
the one under 20/5°C regime, and plants
exposed to 15/5°C took 3 weeks more
During 2005-06, the maximum and minimum
temperatures during February and March were 2-4°C
above long-range average. Maximum rise in
temperatue was recorded between 15 and 18 January
and 14 and 23 February 2006. These temperatures were
not favourable for wheat, and affected adversely overall
wheat productivity. During 2006-07, minimum
temperatures remained either one or two degree
higher or lower during whole of March. This favoured
wheat growth and productivity. And in 2007-08 both
highest and lowest temperatures were favourable for
the crop. Starting from 20 January to 20 February,
maximum and minimum temperactures were 0-3°C
below long-term average. But for a few abrasions,
temperatures followed the trend of long-term average.
States like Punjab and Haryana surpassed procurement
targets fixed for 2007-08.
Response of wheat varieties to weather scenario
during 2007-08
In HD2851, plant height, spike length, effective
tillers, spikelets/spike and number of grains/spike
were markedly better when planted in late
November as compared to when the same variety
was planted in the first week November. Number
of grains per spike were 44 in late planted crop
compared to 29 in the early planted. The reverse
trend was observed in PBW 502. These observations
indicate that weather favoured PBW 502 when it
was planted in the first week of November.
The observations suggest that the terminal heat plays
a significant role in deciding wheat productivity in
northern states, including Punjab, Haryana and western
Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, there is a strong case to
monitor critically growth parameters from sowing of
crop till its harvest and correlating each phenophase
with daily maximum and minimum temperatures.
Wheat varieties are not likely to yield according to
their reported yield potential, but will produce
differently in different years according to the
temperature trends in February and March.
Breeding wheat varieties for their tolerance to terminal
heat is the need of the hour. Till such varieties are not
available, a mechanism needs to be put in place for
forewarning farmers to reduce/negate impacts of high
temperatures during flowering and grain-filling stages
through agronomic manipulations such as application
of light frequent irrigations and use of sprinklers
wherever possible.
Gurbachan Singh
Central Soil Salinity Research Institute
Karnal (Haryana) 132 001
e-mail: director@cssri.ernet.in
taste with a unique aroma, weighing 3-3.5 kg. They
contain 6.7 mg ascorbic acid/100g, 4.95 mg
carotenoids/100g, 0.192% citric acid and 10.0% oxalic
acid.
B.R. Choudhary, S. Pandey, P.K. Singh, Ramesh
Singh and Mathura Rai
IIVR Seed Production Centre, Sargatia, Kushinagar
(Uttar Pradesh) 274 406
14ICAR NEWS
Transgenic strawberry tolerant to salt and
drought stresses
Fragaria x ananassa Duch., the modern cultivated
octaploid strawberry (2n = 8x = 56) is in great demand
for fresh market as well as in fruit-processing industry
for preparing jams and other products. But, drought
stress during fruit maturation seriously limits its fruit
size, and in severe cases berries resemble raisins.
Strawberry, a potential for post-harvest processing,
can transform economy in rural India if its cultivation
is encouraged in salt-affected and drought-prone areas.
Drought-tolerant transgenic sorghum
Shoot apices of sorghum cultivar SPV 462 cultured on
medium supplemented with 2,4-D and kinetin
produced friable and embryogenic calli. After two
subcultures, calli when transferred onto regeneration
medium containing kinetin alone gave rise to 40 green
shoots per callus.
A very robust protocol for microprojectile
bombardment was optimized with Gene Pro 2000He
for high frequency transformation. Suitable vectors
were constructed with mtlD gene for particle
bombardment and Agrobacterium-mediated
transformation, which contained kanamycin resistance
for bacterial selection, hygromycin for plant selection
and GUS as reporter gene along with mltD gene driven
under the control of a constitutive promoter. Frequency
of transient GUS expression varied from 60 to 86%,
and regeneration frequency after transformation was
around 41% with 23 shoots differentiating per callus.
Regeneration and rooting of plantlets from selected
transformed calli was successfully achieved.
Gene mtlD codes for mannitol -1- phosphate
dehydrogenase enzyme involved in biosynthesis
of mannitol, which has a role in osmotic
adjustment and free-radical scavenging.
Several putative transgenics were generated by
bombardment of sorghum shoot-tip calli with mtlD
gene. T0 plants were raised in pots in a transgenic
glasshouse. Hygromycin selection pressure was
maintained during germination for all plants to minimize
multiplication of escapes. Segregation analysis based
on germination of T0 seed on hygromycin selection
medium revealed an expected Mendelian monogenic
ratio of 3 tolerant : 1 susceptible. Selected independent
transgenic lines were advanced to flowering, selfing and
collection of seed. Molecular characterization was
carried out at different generations by PCR, RT- PCR,
Southern and Western to confirm transgene integration
and expression. Physiological evaluation of transgenic
lines had been carried out for improved tolerance to
PEG8000 and NaCl stress.
Currently sorghum T4 transgenics with a high
expression of mtlD gene are being evaluated in terms
of water relations and capability of stress recovery.
M. Maheswari, S.K. Yadav and B. Venkateswarlu
Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture
Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) 500 059
e-mail: v bandi_1953 @ yahoo.com
SPECTRUM
Germination potential and root/shoot growth
were several folds higher in mtlD transgenics
when germinated under PEG (-0.7MPa) and NaCl
(200mM) stress. Leaf water content and
chlorophyll retention were remarkably higher in
transgenic leaf segments when exposed to
polyethylene glycol 8000 (-2.0 MPa) and NaCl
(600mM), as compared to untransformed control.
The root mass at harvest was significantly higher
in tansgenic plants when challenged with water-
deficit stress compared to untransformed plants.
Osmotin provides osmotolerance to plants
and possesses antifungal activity also. These
properties make it an important target gene
for potential improvement of stress tolerance
in strawberry, which besides being susceptible
to many fungal diseases (Rhizoctonia solani,
Phytopthora fragariae) is highly salt-sensitive.
15 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
Torsa–A high-yielding, early-maturing Motihari tobacco
An early-maturing, high-yielding, superior quality
Motihari tobacco variety Torsa was released in 2008 by
the tobacco variety release committee of West Bengal
for northern
districts of West
Bengal, covered
under terai region.
The variety was
evolved by mass
selection from local
landrace to replace
traditional early-
maturing, low-
yielding Bitri. Cured
and first grade leaf
yield of Torsa
registered 29 and
33% increase over
the traditional Bitri.
Torsa attains height of 45-47 cm under topped
condition. After topping, 8-9 leaves can be retained in
the variety as against 7-8 leaves in Bitri. It possesses
moderately medium large-sized leaves with pungent
taste and sweet aroma, and higher gumminess and
satisfactory chewing strength. Cured leaf exhibits
desired reddish brown colour, thick texture with higher
gums and oil. Leaf lamina of torsa contains on average
5.7% nicotine, 0.3% reducing sugars and 1.3% chlorides
while for Bitri, it is 4.6% nicotine, 0.19% reducing sugars
and 1.3% chlorides. The variety is found moderately
resistant to brown spot (Alternaria alternata), showed
pest infestation by aphid (4.5%), leaf eating caterpillar
(4.5%) and cut
worm (5.5%), which
was low under field
condition.
In contrast to 1,598
and 1,203 kg/ha
yield of cured and
first grade leaf yield
obtained in Bitri,
Torsa produces
2,423 and 1,598 kg/
ha. Its NPK
requirement is
125:50:75 kg/ha
along with 10
tonnes FYM/ha. The
benefit: cost ratio of growing Torsa was 1:1.91 as against
1:1.43 of Bitri. The new variety fits well in the existing
cropping system of Jute-Aman paddy (rainfed) -
Tobacco or Boro Paddy (irrtheigated) - Aman paddy-
tobacco.
S. Amarnath, V. Krishnamurthy,
K. Deo Singh, S. Roy and R.L. Arya
Central Tobacco Research Institute Research Station
Dinhata, Cooch Behar District (West Bengal)
Transgenic strawberry lines have been generated in
which osmotin gene was introduced. Transgenic plants
produced with enhanced ability to grow under long
period of NaCl exposure will provide a way of achieving
a significant yield gains in salinity affected areas.
Somatic embryos of strawberry have been regenerated
at a high frequency of 26 ± 0.82 per explant. And their
efficiency of germination into plantlets has been as
high as 48%. This is the first report where shoot
regeneration in the strawberry cultivar Chandler has
been achieved simultaneously through somatic
embryogenesis and shoot-bud formation. This system
can therefore accelerate introduction of improved
clones into commercial production, since somatic
embryos can be encapsulated and handled as artificial
seeds. And variability in embryogenic cultures is
relatively less than that of organogenic cultures, and
hence it can serve as a very promising system for
regeneration of genetically transformed cells, and
avoiding chimeras.
Amjad M. Husaini
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and
Technology, Jammu and Kashmir
e-mail: amjadhusaini@yahoo.com
SPECTRUM
16ICAR NEWS
Uttarakhand, which often witness
dead hearts problem by stem
borer, should be closely monitored
for grass-fly presence. So, correct
identification of the grass fly is a
must for adopting suitable management measures.
Identification through taxonomic and
morphological characters. Bring rice hills showing
dead hearts to laboratory and keep them as such in
plastic jar containing water, then wrap the jars with
white cloth to notice emergence of black flies. See
these flies under the microscope to notice broken
costa only near Sc or R1, absence of anal cell
(where basal cell and discal cell unite to form
Dead hearts by grass fly
Coastal break (1), absence of anal cell (2)
Ocellar triangle between eyes
Grass fly, a new rice pest
Recently, many states are going for rice: cereals
cropping systems and so they may share same pests,
and their spread may also be fast and disasterous.
A grass fly is a new insect pest of rice reported in
July-August 2008 from four districts (Ghaziabad,
Bulandshahar, Aligarh and Mathura) of Uttar Pradesh,
which are part of the basmati belt. This pest is
dipteran fly, Anatrichus erinaceus Loew, belonging to
Chloropidae family.
This pest shares nature of damage and symptoms
(dead hearts) with that of rice stem borer, so it may
have been unnoticed earlier. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and
single cell) on wings and the large
black ocellar triangle between two
compound eyes on the head.
Morphological characters which can
be easily seen with naked eyes are
black adults with thorax full of
vertically directed whitish yellow
hairs with black tip, and hind tibia
of both the sexes with black-dot
marking.
Management. Grass fly is an
internal feeder and attacks crop in the early stage, so
systemic insecticides are advised. Carbofuran
granules at 0.75 kg ai/ha are recommended at the
time of planting to contain this new pest.
Sachin Suresh Suroshe1, R D Gautam2,
and G K Mahapatro2
1ICAR Complex, Barapani , Meghalaya 793 103.2 Division of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi 110 012.
e-mail: sachinsuroshe@gmail.com
Thorax with vertically directed
whitish yellow hairs
Black dot marking
on tibia
Grass fly
SPECTRUM
2
1
17 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
Ber fruit ripens at different times even on a single tree
and look golden yellow when fully ripe. The shelf-life
of ber is very short, hardly 2-4 days in the ambient
conditions, which leads to market glut. Considering
this and the fast increasing area under ber cultivation
with high-yielding varieties, its preservation and
processing technology and diversification of existing
food processing industries for ber products are needed
to regulate price of fresh fruits.
Pre-harvest and post-harvest management practices of
ber fruit/produce including harvesting, sorting, grading,
storage, disorder and disease management have been
standardized. The processing techniques have been
developed and standardized for making various value-
added products like ber preserves, ber osmo-air dried
products, squashes, ber shreds, ber chuahara, jam and
jelly along with their effective packaging and storage.
Since the equipment and machinery required is similar
to the one used for jam, jelly and preserve-making from
other fruits, these technologies can be easily adopted
for commercial production by the existing food-
processing industries. The ber preserves without peel
and the osmo-dehydrated products like ber cubes and
rings developed were found highly acceptable, shelf-
stable with very high ascorbic acid content (45-50 mg/
100g). These products can be stored in glass jars up to
4 months at ambient conditions and for 180 days at low
temperature (8-10ºC).
Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana) seed oil can be used for
production of biodiesel. The average oil yield has been
reported as 4.9 kg oil/tree or 1,371 kg oil/hectare; hence
this tree can also meet fuel oil requirement if its
processing activity is properly organized.
Central Institute of Post-harvest Engineering
and Technology
PAU Campus, Ludhiana (Punjab) 141 004
e-mail: ramabahu@yahoo.com
Subsurface drain envelope materials for
waterlogged vertisols
The cost of the subsurface drain envelope materials
varies from 25 to 30% of the total cost of the subsurface
drainage (SSD) system, depending upon the type of
commonly used synthetic envelope materials.
In vertisols, during laboratory test and field
performance evaluation studies, the SSD system with
non-woven geotextile fabric envelope resulted into
82% and 60% increase in subsurface drain flow,
compared to SSD without envelope. No sediment in
drained water was found for the tested envelope
materials. Sediment concentrations in subsurface water
drained through SSD without envelope was 156.6 g
per m2 surface area of the drain pipe.
The maize crop yield increased by 40% and 22% over
the control (3.5 tonnes/ha) under the SSD system with
envelope and without envelope, installed at 20-m
drains’ spacing and 1.0 m drain depth. The one with
envelope SSD system resulted in 12% increase in yield
of subsequent wheat over control. In heavy clay soils
(vertisols), envelope materials use is suggested for
increasing subsurface flow through pipe drainage and
effective drainage of temporary waterlogged areas.
The hydraulic performance of the coconut-coir fibres
and non-woven geo-textile fabrics is on a par. However,
due to limited life of coconut fibres and long-run higher
cost as compared to geo-textile fabrics (more than 25
years), the non-woven geo-textile fabrics are suggested
as envelope material for the SSD system under vertisols.
Ramadhar Singh and KVR Rao
Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering
Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal 462 038
e-mail: rsingh@ciae.res.in, kvrr@ciae.res.in
Ber value-addition for regulating its fresh-fruit market
SPECTRUM
18ICAR NEWS
Effect of solar eclipse on behaviour of goats
A near full solar eclipse (85%) was observed on 22
July 2009 at some places in India. At the Central
Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom,
Mathura, solar eclipse had started at about 0530 hr
and reached 85% for 5 min at 0615 hr. By 0725 hr,
the eclipse was over.
An experiment was designed to study the effects of
solar eclipse on goat’s physiological, behavioural and
biochemical responses. The observations were
recorded on 24 kids and 24 adults (12 males and 12
females) of Barbari breed. One group of 12 animals
was kept in the shed protected from solar rays and the
other was in corrals outside the shed. Feeding and
watering for the animals were done as per the standard
practices followed at the farm.
The recordings were carried out on 19, 20 and 21July
(before eclipse), on the day of eclipse (22 July) and a
day after the eclipse (on 23 July). As the eclipse started,
there was sudden drop of 1.6 °C in the ambient
temperature, and considerable dimness of the light
was observed.
Marked changes were noticed in the behaviour of adult
animals, but not in the kids. Adult goats moved inside
the shed and were seemingly afraid. However, kids
moved around the corrals freely. Rumination was
absent in most of the adult animals. The goats had
stopped taking feed, fodder and water during solar
eclipse.
S. P. Singh, Vijay K. Bharti, Puneet Kumar,
R.P. Misra and M.C. Sharma
Environmental Physiology Laboratory
Central Institute for Research on Goats Makhdoom,
P.O. Farah, Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) 281 122
e-mail: drpuneet2006@gmail.com
Adult Barbari goats Kids of Barbari goat
Sediment enzymes as indicators of riverine pollution
Microbial enzymes are known indicators of production
in soil and show alterations in response to pollution. A
simple-and-rapid spectrophotometric protocol and a
microplate-based fluorometric protocol were
standardized for assessment of impacts of industrial
effluents on riverine microbial funcitions. The sediment
dehydrogenase and phosphatase activities were
assessed using these protocols in river Damodar, highly
impacted by iron-and coal-based industries, sand-
mining and by damming. Activities of enzymes were Sediment enzymes activities in river Damodar
SPECTRUM
19 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
Potassium is the most important dietaryelectrolyte. Potassium is essential for conversionof blood sugar into glycogen; the storage form ofblood sugar in the muscles and liver. A potassiumshortage results in lower levels of storedglycogen. Because exercising muscles useglycogen for energy, potassium deficiencyproduces great fatigue and muscle weakness; thefirst signs of potssium deficiency.
Fish powder, fish soup powder, ready-to-use frozenblocks, dressed chilled fish, freshwater fish chunks,ready-to-eat snack items, dried fish products utilizingsmaller size fishes such as silver bellies, goat fish, ribbonfish, sciaenids, etc have been prepared incorporatingpotassium chloride at 1% level. Potassium chloride isrecognized as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe)compound by the USFDA and an approved foodadditive by the European Union (E number - E 508).The potassium supplemented fish powder can beadded to any curry preparations and thus will be
Potassium (K) levels in fish and shellfish
Fish/Shell fish Sodium Potassium(mg%) (mg%)
Freshwater FishCommon Carp 146 633Silver Carp 150 986Grass Carp 302 1358Mirigal 148 985Rohu 205 1232Catla 273 1038Marine FishPomfret 474 1580Silver bellies 451 1563Mackerel 259 1763Ribbon fish 208 958Rainbow sardines 163 1849Sea bass 961 1249Kawa Kawa 451 1563CrusataceansTiger prawn (cultured) 562 1327Freshwater prawn 371 1236(reservoir)Squilla 196 1044CephalopodsSquid body meat 882 588Squid body meat 604 705(deep sea)
Cuttle fish 546 1478
Salt (NaCI) is used both in traditional fish processing(curing) and in modern fish/shrimp processing(treatment with salt and sodium tripoly phosphate ornon phosphate). Medical research has linked over-consumption of dietary sodium with health problemssuch as high blood pressure. Nowadays people whoare having hypertension want to reduce consumptionof sodium chloride salt. Hence, there is an urgent needto reduce sodium in fish processing by substitutingNa+ ion with another positively charged ion to developlow sodium fishery products. Numerous studies haveshowed that sodium restriction alone does not reduceblood pressure in most people; it must be accompaniedby a high potassium intake.
Potassium plays a major role in : water balance anddistribution; acid-base balance; muscle and nerve cellfunction; heart function; kidney and adrenal function.
K supplemented fish products to address hypertension
beneficial with additional nutrients like fish proteins,calcium, phosphorus. Popularization and use ofpotassium supplemented fish products will go a longway in improving health of the people, especially thosesuffering from high blood pressure.
D. Imam Khasim, B. Madhusudan Rao andA.K. Chattopadhyay
Visakhapatnam Research Centre of CIFT(Andhra Pradesh) 530 003
e-mail: ciftvizag@gmail.com
markedly reduced in the river stretches receivingindustrial effluents, with recovery of microbialfunctions in downstream non-polluted sites (Panagarhand Jamalpur). The methods standardized are not veryexpensive and can be performed in a day havingreaction time of only one hour. The microbial
assessments along with other indicators can be appliedeffectively for generating valuable information ofecological status and pollution status to microbialfunctions in different river systems of India.
Sanjib Kumar MannaCentral Inland Fisheries Research Institute
Barrackpore (Kolkata) 700 120
SPECTRUM
Contd. from previous page
20ICAR NEWS
Enhancing pig productivity at farm-gate level
using superior germplasm
Pig is the most preferred and important livestock
species in the north-eastern hills region. In spite of
considerable pig population and interest of people to
rear pig, the pork production is inadequate to meet
the demand. This is mainly due to poor productive and
reproductive abilities of local pigs and non-availability
of quality germplasm. And supplying superior breeding
male to every village was a costly affair. The mating
cost in pig is also very high due to early castration of
male pigs for fattening purposes. Therefore, artificial
insemination is the most suitable and viable option.
A total of 68 pigs were inseminated in different villages
and pregnancy was diagnosed by Doppler method
using trans-abdominal probe after 50-60 days at
farmer’s field. Pregnancy rate of 79.4% and farrowing
rate of 77.8% with average litter size of 8.2 was
observed.
The beneficiaries could save on mating cost of Rs1,000-
1,500 and transport cost of females to boar pen (Rs
300). The adopted farmers also got additional litter
size (2-3 piglets); thus enhancing their income of
Rs 3,000-4,000 through sale of piglets. Besides this,
they also saved on the maintenance cost of boar
(approx. Rs 5,000) including manpower. The
technology of artificial insemination using improved
germplasm has resulted in improving productivity and
economic returns to pig rearers. Therfore, 80% of tribal
farmers adopted this technology for pigs in selected
villages.
Training of village youth in AI technology would ensure
continuity of the programme with less dependency
on the government machinery thereby generating
employment opportunities besides enhancing pig
production.
G. Kadirvel, R. K. Bardoloi and S.V. Ngachan
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region
Umroi Road, Umiam (Meghalaya) 793 103
AI at farmer’s field
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SPECTRUM
21 JULY – SEPTEMBER 2009
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi
announces following ICAR Awards
• Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award 2009:
To recognise best performance in Agricultural Research and
Education, three Awards of Rs five lakh each will be given to
two ICAR Institutes/NRCs/Project Directorates and one to State
Agricultural University.
• Chaudhary Devi Lal Outstanding All-India Coordinated
Research Project Award 2009: To recognise the outstanding
performance of the All-India Coordinated Research Project and
its cooperating Centres, one award of Rs one lakh is given. All-
India Coordinated Research Projects, which have been in
operation for at least 10 years, can apply for the award.
• Jawaharlal Nehru Award for P.G. Agricultural Research
2009: To promote high quality doctoral thesis research in
priority/frontier areas of agriculture and allied sciences, ICAR
has instituted 18 awards of Rs 20,000 each to be given annually
for outstanding original research work in agriculture and allied
sciences. All postgraduate students who have obtained Ph.D.
degree during 2008 in India in agriculture or allied sciences are
eligible to apply.
• Panjabrao Deshmukh Woman Agricultural Scientist
Award 2009: All women scientists working in ICAR Institutes/
State Agricultural Universities are eligible for the award. Two
awards of Rs 50,000 are given annually for the significant
contributions made during their career as agricultural scientists.
• Vasantrao Naik Award for Research Applications in
Dryland Agriculture 2009: All scientists or extenstion workers
who have made outstanding contribution in Water
Conservation and Dryland Farming in India shall be eligible for
the award. One award of Rs 100,000 is given annually for the
work done during the preceding five years of the award.
• Jagjivan Ram Kisan Puruskar 2009#: To recognise the
outstanding contributions of innovative farmers in agriculture
and allied activities, one annual award of one lakh is given to a
practising farmer (he/she) whose creative approaches and
initiatives should result in (i) new knowledge/packages of
practices/management strategies/additional information to the
existing one (ii) additional income to individual farmer/farming
community (iii) saving in resources/inputs (iv) prevention of
outbreak of diseases and pests and in breaking technology
transfer barriers.
• N.G. Ranga Farmer Award for Diversified Agriculture
2009#: To recognise outstanding contributions of innovative
farmers for diversified agricultural activities, one annual award
of Rs one lakh is given to a practising farmer (he/she) whose
creative approaches and initiatives should result in (i) new
entrepreneurship/enterpr ises/management strategies/
additional information to the existing one in diversification of
Indian agriculture (ii) additional income to the individual
farmer/farming community.
• Chaudhary Charan Singh Award for Excellence in
Journalism in Agricultural Research and Development 2009:
To recognize excellence in journalism and to create awareness
among the farmers and policy makers for the enhancement
and promotion of Agricultural Research and Development in
the country, one annual award of Rs one lakh is given to a
journalist for his outstanding contributions in Journalism in
agriculture and allied sciences.
• Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Award for Agricultural Research
in Tribal Areas for the biennium 2007-2008: All scientists
working in tribal areas and engaged in applied research and its
application aimed at improving productivity, profitability and
sustainability of tribal farming systems are eligible for the award.
Two prizes of the value of Rs 50,000 each are given biennially
for outstanding original research in agricultural sciences and
animal sciences. The number of associates in a single application
should be restricted to two only, if any.
• ICAR Awards for Outstanding Team Research for the
Biennium 2007-2008: These awards are exclusively meant for
inter-disciplinary teams of scientists jointly planning and
implementing an integrated programme/project of system
based research dealing with an inter-disciplinary problem. Team
membership should be restricted to 8 members. A total of 9
individual prizes of Rs 100,000 each are given once in two years
in agriculture, horticulture, natural resource management,
engineering & technology, animal husbandry and fisheries.
• Bharat Ratna Dr C. Subramaniam Award for Outstanding
Teachers for the Biennium 2007-2008#: All faculty members
engaged in undergraduate or postgraduate teaching for at
least 5 years in deemed universities, ICAR Institutes and State
Agricultural Universities shall be eligible for the award. Eight
awards of Rs 50,000 each are given once in two years in crop
science, horticulture, natural Resource Management,
Engineering & food technology, veterinary science, fishery
science and social science.
• National Krishi Vigyan Kendra Award 2009: All KVKs in
the country that have completed five years of operation after
the year of the establishment are eligible for the award. Three
awards of Rs 100,000 each are given every year to the KVK in
the field of research and training. A KVK winning the award will
be eligible to apply again after the lapse of 5 years.
• Dr Rajendra Prasad Puruskar for Technical Books in Hindi
in the field of Agriculture and Allied Sciences for the
Biennium 2007-2008: The award is open to Indian authors
including Editors of multi-authored books. Both published
works and manuscripts proposed to be published by its author
will be accepted provided that such a work is written originally
in Hindi and does not infringe copyright of any other person.
The publication must have been written and published during
the last three years preceding the year of the award. Eight
awards of Rs 50,000 each are to given once in two years.
# Awards by nomination.
General Instructions
The prescribed proforma for applying these awards may be
obtained from the ICAR on or before 31.10.2009 by sending a
self-addressed stamped envelope or it can be downloaded
from the ICAR’s website www.icar.org.in . Six copies of
applications with complete documents should be sent to the
Assistant Director-General (Co-ordination), ICAR, Krishi
Anusandhan Bhavan I, Pusa, New Delhi 110 012, so as to
reach him on or before 30.11.2009. The last date for candidates
in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, States/
Union Territory in the North Eastern Region, Ladakh Division of
J&K State and Sikkim is 15.12.2009. The candidates are
required to submit six copies of applications/documents
failing which application will not be considered. The Council
will retain the award winning application/thesis for record. Each
candidate will be judged on the basis of the originality and the
applied value of the investigations as revealed in the documents
submitted by him. In all matters relating to the award, the
decision of the Council shall be final and no correspondence
on this account will be entertained.
ICAR Awards 2009
22ICAR NEWS
Dealing with erratic monsoons and droughts: The Way ForwardErratic monsoons and droughts of various intensities
are a recurrent phenomenon in India. It is the fifth
time since 1991 that India is under pressure due to less
than normal rainfall. Further, the impact of the same
deficiency in rainfall is going to rise due to shrinking
availability of water from natural sources and rising
demand for water from all sectors. We must reckon
that droughts and rainfall deficiencies can’t be avoided,
rather they are expected to become more frequent in
future due to ecological disturbances and on-going
climate change. What matters is how we can deal with
such situations to minimize their adverse effects on
the society and economy. For this, India needs to
develop an effective and appropriate response. Such
response requires three approaches: One, area specific
crop/agriculture plan for different scenarios of rainfall
distribution; Two, strategy, mechanism and resources
to implement alternative plans; Three, reliable and
advanced information about rainfall pattern and its
distribution at disaggregate level. Technology, rainfall
forecast and institutional mechanism form an integral
part of the response to deficient rains.
Monsoon forecasts by the IMD provide only the broad
idea about the amount of total rainfall, and there is a
probability associated with these forecasts. The actual
rainfall received during a fortnight or a month is likely
to show more deviation from its long-run average than
the deviation of the total rainfall (June to September)
from its LPA. The IMD must develop database and a
new model for disaggregate level, state or region within
large states, and by fortnight rather than four months.
It is particularly important to have a separate rainfall
forecast for the sowing period.
The next step is to quickly work out crop plans
according to rainfall forecasts for sowing period, and
disseminate this information to farmers in a given area.
We have paddy varieties which can be grown in short
duration, and we have aerobic rice varieties which
require much less water than common varieties.
Similarly, the ICAR has developed short-duration
varieties of other cereals, pulses, oilseeds, which can
be taken as an alternative to normal crop in the event
of delay or deficiency of rains. These alternate crop/
varieties generally give lower yield than normal season
varieties/crops but they are certainly a better option
in stress. Timely distribution of seed-kits of such
varieties with appropriate extension can check decline
in area sown and reduce damage due to crop failure.
Implementation of such plans entails keeping
adequate seed of those varieties and crops ready which
can quickly replace normal duration crops/varieties.
Effectiveness of such plans requires very close co-
ordination between states and central governments
and agencies. Agriculture being a state subject, any
plan to combat drought is to be implemented by state
governments. While adverse effects of the drought/
floods can be reduced to a large extent by effective
use of already available technologies, more emphasis
would be needed to develop new strains that are hardy
and have wider adaptations to climate aberrations.
Sometimes the severity of such events is so large that
moderate decline in domestic production is bound to
take place. At macro level this can be dealt with stocks
and scientific management of inventories and imports.
However, adverse effects of events like drought on
farmers require action at the local level. This involves
strengthening of metereological capacity in the
country to get timely and reliable forecasts on rainfall
at disaggregate level, dovetailing crop plans to weather
forecasts, and mechanisms to implement alternative
crop plans at farmers’ fields. It is a challenging task.
Ramesh Chand
NCAP, New Delhi 110 012, e-mail : rc@ ncap. new. in
IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY
Published by Dr T.P. Trivedi, Project Director, Directorate of Information and Publications of Agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, New Delhi 110 012. Lasertypeset by M/s Print-O-World, Shadipur, New Delhi 110 008, and printed in India at M/s Royal Offset
Printers, A-89/1, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi 110 028.
Editing : Dr R.P. Sharma and Shashi A. Verma Design & Production : V.K. Bharti and Punit Bhasin
EDITORIAL BOARD
Chairman
Dr Mangala Rai
Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR
Members
Dr S Ayyappan, DDG (Fisheries & Anim. Sci)
Dr S P Tiwari, DDG (Education)
Dr A K Singh, DDG (NRM)
Dr H P Singh, DDG (Horticulture)
Dr M M Pandey, DDG (Agric. Engg.)
Dr K D Kokate, DDG (Agric. Ext.)
Dr S Datta, DDG (Crop Sciences)
Dr Mruthyunjaya, ND (NAIP)
Dr N B Singh, ADG (Co-ordination)
Dr T P Trivedi, Project Director (DIPA)
THE LAST PAGE
T he World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg (2002) declared water as themost critical resource in the twenty-first century withincreasing demands and diminishing supplies. This isof great concern to India as per capita availability ofwater is declining progressively over the years owingto increasing demands of burgeoning human andanimal populations. And also because of irrigationneeds of crop-plants, that would continue to be themajor consumer of water; though its share wouldreduce by 10-15% by 2025 due to competing demandsfrom domestic, industrial and energy sectors.
Realizing the importance of this resource, theGovernment has wisely contemplated to bring 10 Mhaadditional area under irrigation as a component ofBharat Nirman initiative. However, the gap between thepotential created and utilized is widening with time;has reached to a level of 20%. This is a cause of seriousconcern. Even after achieving full irrigation potential,more than 40% of the total cultivated area of thecountry would remain rainfed. Studies indicate that ifrainwater is suitably stored, about 30% of it is likely tobe available for rabi crops (70 BCM to provide one pre-sowing supplemental irrigation of 5-cm depth to 60million hectares and one pre-sowing and oneprotective irrigation to about 35 million hectares). Anadditional yield of about one tonne per hectare couldbe realized through supplemental irrigation undermultilocational projects undertaken by the ICARInstitutes. Thus, additional foodgrains production of60-65 million tonnes can be easily realized throughwater harvesting and recycling techniques. For thesuccess of the water-harvesting programme, concertedefforts are needed. Flagship programmes like NationalRural Employment Guarantee Scheme and BharatNirman have already included waterharvesting as oneof the key activities under their fold. What is urgentlyneeded is an effective utilization of scarce resources toensure creation of an asset in a harmonized manner ?
Conjunctive use of water also plays an important roleto control waterlogging and salinity in canalcommands. Sinking of tubewells along the canal aftertaking into account requirement for their spacing andcapacity, will provide necessary drainage relief andlower water-table. In areas of salinity, mixing of canalwater with saline groundwater would mitigate effectsof salinity. Strengthening of knowledge base ongeology and aquifer characteristics, hydrology ofsurface and groundwater, and existing surface andgroundwater facilities is required to developappropriate conjunctive-use system.
Along with improving use-efficiency of existing waterresources will be crucial to relax supply-sideconstraints. So development of technologies andmanagement systems that enhance water-useefficiency (WUE) warrants high priority. And alsoidentification, development and adoption of water-useefficient crop varieties for dryland and salineenvironments are other important aspects. Availableestimates indicate that by 10% increase in WUE,country can gain more than 50 million tonnes offoodgrains from the existing irrigated area. Andadditional 14 million hectares can be brought underirrigation with the existing irrigation facilities.Researchers have already identified traits and genes fordrought and salt-tolerance in a number of crops andlivestock, and new programmes are being undertakenin gene discovery and allele-mining.
In the present scenario, with the increase of food trade,the importance of virtual water at global level is likelyto be felt more. In the water scarce areas, the transferof virtual water embedded in the food being tradedwould become an important component of watermanagement. Therefore, assessment of virtual water interms of its value over space and time, and itsconsideration at agricultural and water policy levels isalso of paramount importance.
To conclude, for proper water resources management,Geographical Information System, simulation tools andremote sensing are required to be an integral part ofthe scientific management of irrigation networks, waterdistribution, crop planning, watershed activities andrelated operational activities, as they will enable systemmanagers to take corrective and timely decisions forefficient and economical water utilization.
(M(M(M(M(Mangala Rangala Rangala Rangala Rangala Rai)ai)ai)ai)ai)e-mail: mrai.icar@nic.in
Dr Mangala Rai, Secretary (DARE) and Director-General (ICAR)
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