Latest news with #PR-126
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Why PAU is reassessing PR-126 variety nine years after introduction: ‘timing holds the key'
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) recently released a survey report on different sowing timings for the PR-126 rice variety from June to August to inform farmers how these varying sowing periods affect the yield, moisture level and the milling out-turn ratio (OTR) of this variety. After 'conducting all required tests and trials', PAU introduced this variety in Punjab in 2016. Considered one of the PAU's best paddy varieties so far in terms of short duration, good yield, resistance to pests and consistently desirable OTR, among other qualities, a large area under rice cultivation in the state is producing this variety. However, ahead of the paddy transplanting season in Punjab in June, PAU undertook a fresh survey on the performance of this variety — why? That too, after nine years, given a large area in Punjab, is already producing PR-126 variety. The Indian Express explains: Paddy is an extremely water-intensive crop, and despite a severe groundwater crisis in Punjab, the area under paddy cultivation has been increasing every passing year. Last year, the state recorded the highest 32.44 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation, producing different varieties, ranging from short to medium to long-duration types. In such a scenario, shifting to shorter-duration paddy varieties is one of the best options to conserve water. That's how the PR-126 variety comes in. After its introduction in 2016, this variety quickly gained popularity among farmers due to its shorter growth period, high yield (over 30 quintals per acre), minimal pesticide requirements and excellent OTR. PR-126 matures in just 93 days after a 25 to 30 days of transplantation, using less water, producing less straw (making residue management easier), and providing a longer gap between rice harvesting and wheat sowing. This is also resistant to major pests and diseases, reducing the input cost significantly. In 2023, PR-126 was cultivated over approximately 8.59 lakh hectares, almost 33 per cent of the total area under non-Basmati paddy cultivation in Punjab. This increased to 43 per cent this year. Additionally, PAU sold around 7,500 quintals of PR-126 seeds this year, in addition to seeds saved by farmers and produced by several paddy seed breeders in the state. Last year, rice millers raised a large hue and cry about the procurement of PR-126 and several high-yield (up to 36 to 38 quintals per acre) hybrid paddy varieties by the government. They refused to store itin their mills, claiming the OTR of this variety did not meet the specifications of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) set at a minimum of 67 per cent, and alower OTR means they will have to pay from their pockets to the FCI. Procurement is carried out by the government or private agencies based on FCI's specifications. The major parameters for purchase at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) include — grain moisture content not exceeding 17 per cent, and mixture of lower-class grains not more than 6 per cent, damaged, discoloured, sprouted, or weevilled grains should not be above 5 per cent and immature, shrunken or shrivelled grains should not more than 3 per cent. PAU strongly argued that it releases any new variety after rigorous testing for three years on all possible parameters, including yield, OTR, and pest resistance. However, millers remained adamant and refused to store PR-126 and several other hybrid paddy varieties, citing low OTR. Later, the government intervened and millers stored it. Thus, PAU initiated this survey to dispel this notion and demonstrate the variety's relevance and profitability for farmers and the environment. Recently, issues related to inconsistent yields, high grain moisture, and milling quality surfaced, especially when PR-126 is transplanted too early or too late, or when aged seedlings are used. According to the survey, out of the 43% area covered by PR-126 during Kharif 2024, a sizeable portion was transplanted very late (from the second fortnight of July to August 10). This area was typically transplanted after summer maize—a practice PAU does not advocate. The very late transplanting resulted in issues with yield, grain moisture content, and milling quality. Key findings from the survey reveal that PR-126 performs best when transplanted between June 25 and July 15, using 25–30-day-old seedlings, as very early and very late transplantation led to yield reduction. Aged seedlings (35-45 days) can reduce yield by 7.8 per cent to 18.9 per cent. After July 15, yield, grain quality and milling recovery begin to decline. As a result, PAU is advising farmers to transplant PR-126 between late June and mid-July, use 25–30-day-old seedlings, avoid very late transplanting (after July 15), and ensure proper drying and handling for better grain quality to maximise productivity. Is case of banned hybrid varieties in Punjab similar to PR-126? Like PR-126, the notified hybrid paddy varieties — also cultivated in Punjab for several years — have been blamed for low OTR last year only. Experts from the seed industry suggest that harvest moisture content, rather than the seed variety, may be a key factor affecting milling outcomes. 'Optimal milling requires grain to be harvested with 22-23 per cent moisture, dried to 16-17 per cent for procurement, and milled at 13-14 per cent,' they explain. Delayed procurement, often due to bad weather conditions from late sowing and logistical bottlenecks, can lead to excessive field drying, causing grain breakage and lowering OTR regardless of the variety.
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid ban on sale of hybrid paddy seeds, farmers feel squeezed between court dates
'Tarikh Pe Tarikh…' Navjot Singh delivers this iconic dialogue from the 1993 Sunny Deol-starrer Bollywood hit 'Damini', as he prepares to sow the paddy nursery for his 12-acre field. For the 27-year-old from Kamalpura village in Jagraon tehsil of Punjab's Ludhiana district, 'tarikh pe tarikh' reflects not reel, but a real-life situation of court adjournments and slow wheels of the judicial system. In this case, it's a race against time, with nursery sowings just starting off and no clarity on availability of high-demand seeds at least till May 13. That's the date for the next hearing of the Punjab and Haryana High Court – on the Punjab government's April 7 order banning the sale of hybrid paddy seeds across the state. 'They heard the matter on April 25, May 2, May 5 and now it will be May 13. But we cannot wait that long, tarikh pe tarikh (date after date) to sow. Sowing has to take place 25-30 days before transplanting (when the seedlings raised in the nursery are uprooted and re-planted in the main field),' says Navjot. The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has set June 1 as the starting date for paddy transplanting operations. It means the sowing season is already underway. Navjot had planned to sow his seeds from May 10. He has bought 16 kg of seeds of two hybrids – Sava-7301 and Sava-7501 – traveling almost 200 km one way to Sirsa in Haryana. But these will suffice for only four acre (at 4 kg/acre) of land. 'If the ban is not lifted in the court's next date, I'll have to make a fresh trip to Haryana and get the seeds for my remaining eight acre of land. The dealers there will, of course, take advantage and charge their price,' sighs Navjot. He, like many farmers in Punjab, is keen to sow hybrid paddy seeds, bred by private companies such as Savannah Seeds, Corteva Agriscience/Pioneer, Bayer CropScience and VNR Seeds. These give higher yields than the varieties of public sector institutions such as Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI's). 'Last year, I harvested 38-40 quintals of paddy per acre from Sava-7501 and 35-36 quintals from Sava-7301 (both hybrids of Savannah Seeds), whereas it would be only 30 quintals from PAU's PR-126. While Pusa-44 (of IARI) also yields 35-36 quintals, it takes over 155 days to grow (from seed to grain), whereas the hybrids mature within 115-120 days,' claims Navjot. Shamsher Singh, farmer with 20-acre of land from Talwandi Dasaundha Singh village of Amritsar district, has procured 56 kg of Sava-7501 seeds through a relative in Patiala, who, in turn, had sourced it from dealers from Haryana. The rest of the 24 kg requirement was bought from a dealer in Una, Himachal Pradesh. 'I don't have the time to wait for the court to decide. If farmers in other states can buy and plant these seeds, why are we being forced to run around like this?' quips the 32-year-old, who has obtained an average of 39 quintal per acre from Sava-7501 in the last two years. 'No variety, barring Pusa-44, can compete with this hybrid, which yields so much in so little time,' says Shamsher. Jagtar Singh, a farmer from Gajewas village in Patiala district's Samana tehsil, has also placed orders for sowing hybrid seeds in his 25-acre paddy holding. He is part of a group of around 120 farmers who have tied up with seed dealers in Karnal, Haryana. 'If the court gives another date on May 13, we will simply go ahead and purchase from there. How can they stop us from planting these hybrids that yield up to 40 quintal per acre and also save water? These varieties take less time to grow.' he said. Shorter duration, moreover, enables farmers to manage their leftover paddy stubble from combine-harvesting better. 'If I sow by May 15, my paddy can be harvested by mid-September. After that, I just need to irrigate once to plough back the stubble into the field, providing ample time to sow the next wheat crop by early-November,' Jagtar added. Gurinder Singh, a farmer from Bhamian village in Khamanon tehsil of Fatehgarh Sahib district, was among the three parties – the other two being the Federation of Seed Industry of India and a dealer (New Kissan Agro Agency) – to challenge the April 7 order before the High Court bench of Justice Kuldeep Tiwari. The petitioners' primary contention was that the Punjab government did not have the authority to issue a ban order on sale of seeds of hybrids notified by the Centre, after their evaluation by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for yield advantage, milling recovery and adaptability to different agro-climatic regions/states. Such powers under the Seed Act and Seed Control Order were solely vested in the Controller of Seeds appointed by the Central government.
