New cabbage variety to raise yield by 40%

A new hybrid cabbage seed, developed here at the regional station of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, may be released next month for commercial cultivation, which will boost yield by up to 40 per cent.

"We have developed the cabbage seed here at temperate climate, which can give a yield of 35 tonnes a hectare if grown at an optimum temperature level of 15-20 degree Celsius," head of the regional station S R Sharma said. The current yield of normal cabbage seed is 20-25 tonnes a hectare.

After its success at field trials, the KCH-5 variety of cabbage is awaiting the approval of the All India Coordinated Trials (AICT), Sharma said.

The next meeting of AICT is likely to be held at Hyderabad later this month or early March, Agriculture Ministry sources said. The AICT is the body that approves commercial release of seeds in the country.

This regional station of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has developed 60 varieties of fruits and vegetables so far and is currently concentrating on developing seeds for cauliflower, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, paprica and tomato. It produces 30-35 quintals of seeds annually in three farms on eight hectares of land.

Sharma said the seeds developed here can be grown anywhere in the country at a particular temperature level, and the seeds have to be developed only at temperate climate.

The IARI's research station, located on the Kulu-Manali road, deserves to become a national research centre of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for its achievements and future goals, Sharma said, and added, "our annual income is Rs 7-8 lakh from seeds sale."

He also said the Katrain centre has developed two varieties of cauliflower "" KTH 1 and KTH 2 "" which are with IARI to be referred for AICT trial. "These varieties will increase the yield level to 30 tonnes a hectare from the current 20-25 tonnes level."

Sharma said apart from increasing the yield level, the research is also focusing on improving quality of vegetables.

"The new seeds must contain higher carotene level and other nutrients," he noted.

For more sale of seeds and their popularisation, the public-private partnership is necessary, the agriculture scientist said. He said there are some private companies which are selling seeds developed by IARI's Katrain centre.