Date:03/08/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/08/03/stories/2004080302201900.htm

Back New redgram strain developed

Our Correspondent

MADURAI: THE National Pulses Research Centre (NPRC) at Vamban in Pudukottai district has developed a high-yielding, short-duration redgram culture, `VRG-62'.

According to Prof S. Jebaraj, Head of the Centre, the work was pursed under the All-India Coordinated Pulses Improvement Project, funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). After the due process and approval from the State Variety Release Committee in Chennai, data about the redgram would be released.

The culture is suitable for intercropping with groundnut. It is tolerant of pod bores and requires less pesticide. While conventional redgram takes months to mature, VRG-62 takes just 100 days.

The culture could be used in rain-fed and irrigated conditions. During field trails it has recorded an average grain of yield of 950kg a hectare, he added.