BENGALURU:Dr A T Sadashiva, principal scientist and head, Division of Vegetable Crops, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, on Friday received the Dr Kalayya Krishnamurthy National Award for best agricultural research from the University of Agriculture Sciences, GKVK.
His work on tomato varieties — Arka Rakshak and Arka Samrat — has helped farmers get better yields. Arka Samrat, a new variety released this year, is resistant to three common diseases — TLCV, BW and early blight. It gives a high yield of 80-85 tonnes per hectare in 140 days and the variety is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.
There are case studies of farmers in HP who have become millionaire through this variety, which is big, deep red with a firm skin that has a long shelf-life, Dr Sadashiva said.
The Arka Rakshak variety is also resistant to three diseases. It gives a yield of up to 18 kg a plant. These tomatoes can earn a farmer an average net income of `4-5 lakh an acre depending on the seasons.
Dr Sadashiva told Express, “I completed my graduation and PhD in UAS Bengaluru. I am very grateful and happy to be recognised by my parent institution for my work.”
Future Plans
Dr Sadashiva wants to develop tomatoes that are heat- and disease-resistant, can grow in temperatures above 40 degrees Celcius and can be grown all over India. Tomatoes do not do well at night temperatures or below 25 degrees Celcius. He would also like to develop tomatoes and other vegetables with multiple traits such as disease and temperature resistance. He said, “I would like to develop high yielding varieties of vegetables with Marker assisted breeding that are resistant to pests like nematodes. We have also developed some cherry tomatoes that are doing well.”