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Sci Tech
Short-duration groundnut for rainfed farming
By Our Agriculture Correspondent
Early duration variety is ideally suited for rainfed tracts of Tamil Nadu.
AN EARLY groundnut variety with a high yield potential and other attractive features has been developed by ``J''-Farm at Kelambakkam about 35 km south of Chennai.
``This improved variety christened ''J``-20, is suited for both rainfed and irrigated conditions, and it is not affected by the major pests and diseases. It produces dark red kernels with high oil content of 48 per cent.
The shelling percentage of the pods is also more,'' says Mr. S. S. Nagarajan, Senior Vice President (Agricultural Research), ``J''-Farm.
An eminent crop breeder with keen interest in sustainable farming in dry and semi-arid regions, Mr. Nagarajan developed this variety by pure line selection.
He has already developed and introduced several varieties of rice, groundnut and vegetables with astounding success in the State.
He found the promising line in dry belt of Andhra Pradesh bordering Tamil Nadu, and has extensively tested it at the research farm.
``It is after 12 years of intensive trials, we have developed this variety. Several innovative farmers have tried this variety in their holdings and recorded higher yields.
This variety assured them handsome profit, and farmers have shown great enthusiasm in adopting this variety. We propose to introduce it in the State shortly,'' explains Mr. Nagarajan.
The new variety has done exceedingly well in rainfed condition, and it matured in 85 days recording a yield of 1762.5 kg fresh pods per hectare, according to Dr. M.J. Narasimhan, a physician and a progressive farmer of Morapakkam village, 4 km from Maduranthagam, Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Narasimhan got the seeds and technical advice from Mr. Nagarajan, and raised the crop in 0.8 hectares in his farm ``Arunachala Ramana'', using only enriched-organic manure and botanical insecticides.
The bunchy-type ``J''-20 was sown in August as a rainfed crop. Liberal quantities of well ripe farmyard manure and vermi-compost were applied prior to sowing.
The crop was weeded manually three times, and the field was kept free of unwanted vegetation. The crop was sprayed with pregnant cow's urine and neem leaf extract to keep the sucking and chewing pests at bay, according to Dr. Narasimhan.
The crop was harvested in the last week of November, and it had yielded 1410 kg pods from 0.8 hectares and two cart loads of haulms, which can be fed as fodder to cattle.
On an average each plant produced 18 well- filled pods. The total cost of cultivation was Rs. 7000 for 0.8 hectares, and a net profit of Rs. 8000 was recorded, according to Dr. Narasimhan.
``The new drought-tolerant variety also does well under irrigated conditions.
The irrigated crop has recorded an average yield of 2600 kg per hectare.
Some farmers have realized a net profit of Rs. 12,500 per hectare from the irrigated crop.
The new improved variety has been a consistent yielder, and it is a sure winner among the other ruling varieties in rainfed regions as also the irrigated fields,'' points out Mr. Nagarajan.
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