Krishi Vigyan Kendra Farmers, Dibrugarh Urged to Cultivate Flood-Tolerant Rice Varieties

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Dibrugarh began its demonstration of flood-tolerant rice variety, namely Ranjit Sub-1 and Swarna Sub-1 for Sali season rice cultivation under the direction of Senior Scientist Dr Diganta Sarmah. Speaking as chief guest of the seed distribution programme of Ranjit Sub-1 and Swarna Sub-1, Dr Sarmah urged all the participant farmers to cultivate these crops properly by following timely guidance of scientists of the Kendra.

Why to Cultivate Flood-Tolerant Rice Varieties

Hemchandra Saikia, course director, in his deliberation on improved cultivation of Ranjit Sub-1 and Swarna Sub-1, informed the participant farmers that as Dibrugarh district was affected by the problem of flood every year causing great loss of crops, productivity and income, KVK encouraged the scientific cultivation of Ranjit Sub-1 and Swarna Sub-1 because these two Sali rice varieties can perform very well under submergence condition of flood and can withstand 12-14 days of submergence condition of water. Saikia further mentioned that Assam Agricultural University Jorhat recommended these two Sali rice varieties, after sufficient multi-location trial across the State. "Their productivity is found to be three to four times more than the local traditional rice varieties of our farmers," he said.

"As the quality seed of paddy is a significant problem for our farmers in adopting an improved method of paddy cultivation to enhance their productivity and income, KVK Dibrugarh urged the farmers to cultivate these two improved varieties of paddy as Quality Seed Production Purpose," added Saikia. He also briefed farmers about various important aspects of improved Sali rice cultivation and urged farmers to strictly follow those techniques in the right time and place. He requested them to take all the agro-advisories from the scientists of the Kendra at the right time.

As a part of a suitable demonstration programme aimed to popularize suitable paddy variety and also to create mass effective sensitization and awareness among farming community, altogether 450 kg and 525 kg of Ranjit Sub-1 and Swarna Sub-1 were distributed among 39 participating farmers of district belonging to several villages.

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