BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has developed a new high-yielding nutrition-rich millet variety.The variety named ‘ShreeRatna’ (precious jewel-grain) has already been piloted in a few districts of the state and would soon be promoted across the country. It is suitable for both kharif and rabi seasons.
The new variety comes at a time when millet topped the menu at the dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for G20 leaders indicating its global acceptance.With semi-dwarf plant height, medium sized light green leaves and light brown seed, the new variety has a medium maturity period of around 117 days. It is resistant to brown spot and foot rot disease, moderately resistant to blast disease and stem borer, aphis and grasshopper.
Unlike other finger millet varieties which have an average productivity of 1,477 kg per hectare, ‘ShreeRatna’ developed under All India Coordinated Research Project on small millets by the Centre for Pulses Research and department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, has an average yield of 2,350 kg per hectare.
Dean (research) of OUAT Prof Susanta Kumar Swain said the new variety has more health and nutrition benefits as it has high iron content (50.2 mg/kg) and zinc (21.6 mg/kg) as compared to other national and local varieties.
Since it is rich in fibre, Prof Swain said, consuming this variety of millet will help lower cholesterol, keep weight under control, stabilise glucose, which is important for people with diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Healthy and nutritious
The variety named ‘ShreeRatna’ has already been piloted in a few districts of the state
‘ShreeRatna’ has an average yield of 2,350 kg per hectare
It has 50.2 mg/kg iron and 21.6 mg/kg zinc content