BAU's fodder variety gets ICAR nod, may address national deficit
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has approved the release of
Birsa Lathyrus-1
, an improved fodder crop variety developed by Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) scientists under the All India Coordinated Research Project on fodder crops.
The new variety, targeted for India's northeastern and central zones, yields 190 quintals of green fodder per hectare, surpassing the national check variety Mahateora by 6.3%. Its daily per hectare green fodder yield (GFY) of 2.65 quintals also exceeds the national check variety.
BAU scientists Dr Yogendra Prasad and Dr Birendra Kumar, who developed the variety over a decade, presented their findings at the AICRP annual group meeting held at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka on April 22 and 23.
"This development is significant given India's 11.24% green fodder deficit, with Jharkhand facing a more severe shortage of 46%. The tribal-dominated state also experiences a 23% dry fodder deficit," said editor, Directorate of Research at BAU, Pankaj Vatsal.
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