COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) on Wednesday released 23 new crop varieties. This includes 16 agricultural crops, three horticultural crops and four tree varieties. Besides this, the university introduced ten agro technologies and six farm machineries.
Addressing media, TNAU Vice Chancellor V Geethalakshmi said, “The new varieties include four improved varieties of kavuni CO 57 paddy, three pulses, two oilseeds, one maize, sugarcane and green manure crop and sunn hemp. In commemoration of International Year of Millets 2023, four new varieties such as Peal millet hybrid COH10, Sorghum K13, Kudiraivali ATL1 and Panivaragu ATL2 have been introduced.”
The horticulture crops include two varieties of Ridge Gourd besides a variety of jasmine. To help the state government’s afforestation plan, the university unveiled silk cotton, red sanders, casuarina and khaya trees. Farmers can procure the new varieties from the university. Earlier in the day, Geethalakshmi inaugurated a national level agrometeorological conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Geethalakshmi said farm yield has to increase to commensurate with the country’s rising population, without compromising on quality and nutritional value. “Climate variability and climate changes are the biggest challenges, especially flood is a complex phenomenon in recent years. For instance, crops were ready to harvest in the Cauvery delta region, but a big rainfall affected the yield of crops recently. It indicates rainfall uncertainty.”
The three-day conference is organized by the Agro Climate Research Center of TNAU in collaboration with the Association of Agrometeorologists. Around 250 scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and India Meteorological Department among others are taking part.