The Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) has developed 15 new varieties to boost productivity across different ecosystems and severe climatic conditions as the country aims to achieve 150-million tonne production by 2030.
The rice varieties have been released for commercial production and would be available to the farmers in a year. They are not only high-yielding but also greater disease and pest-tolerant.
With erratic monsoons becoming a regular feature over the recent years leading to drought-like situations in many districts, the CRRI scientists have developed Satyabhama variety which would give an average yield of 4.7 tonne per hectare under normal conditions and a high 2.3 tonne per hectare under drought situations. The upland variety is resistant to pest infestations like stem borer and leaf folder.
For the shallow uplands, the scientists have developed Sumit which has a maturity duration of 150 days with an average yield of 5.2 tonne per hectare and resistance to leaf blast, stem borer, leaf folder, glumes discoloration. It has high tolerance to submergence condition withstanding waterlogging for around one week.
For deep water ecosystems, Jalamani with an average yield of 4.6 tonne per hectare, Jayanti Dhan with 4.6 tonne per hectare and CR Dhan 500 with a yield of 4 tonne have been released.
For the irrigated areas, the institute has released six varieties including Hue, which has an average grain yield of 4.5 tonne to 5.5 tonne per hectare.
CRRI has also released the improved Lalat and improved Tapaswini varieties which would yield 4.5 tonne to 5 tonne and 4 tonne to 5 tonne respectively. CR Dhan 200 with an yield of 4.5 tonne, CR Dhan 300 with 5 tonne and CR Dhan 303 with more than 5 tonne have also been released for commercial production.
The coastal saline regions have got two varieties Luna Sankhi and Luna Barial, specially designed for them. Luna Sankhi is suitable for dry season cultivation with a yield capacity of 4.6 tonne while Luna Barial is suitable for kharif season and has grain yield capacity of 4.1 tonne per hectare.
The institute has also released two aromatic varieties Poorna Bhog and CR Sugandh Dhan 907 with 4.5 tonne to 5 tonne and 4 tonne yield respectively, Director T Mohapatra said.