Indore (Madhya Pradesh): For the first time in India, the farmers took part in a live virtual field demonstration on improved soybean varieties and agronomic practices.
The live virtual session was organised by the city-based Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR) on Monday.
The broadcast was made through 'YouTube channel' and 'Facebook page' of IISR under the ongoing ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations. The ICAR-IISR since its establishment, has been carrying out demonstration in its experimental block covering the newly released soybean varieties suitable for various districts and states and new agronomic package of practices during the Kharif season.
Dr Nita Khandekar, the officiating director of the institute, in her address said that through this "live virtual programme" the latest soybean varieties and other technologies & practices developed by the institute will reach to more and more farmers.
She also briefed that the IISR is formulating new strategies and mechanisms for the spread of the new varieties’ seed released by the institute among the farmers of Madhya Pradesh. These varieties have resistance to insect and disease which at present are matters of serious concern to the soybean growers.
This year, the institute in its demonstration plot, has grown a total of 9 soybean varieties (NRC 127, NRC 128, NRC 130, NRC 138, NRC 142, RVSM 2011-35, RSC 10-46, RS. C. 10-52, and A.M.S. 100-39) recommended for different regions and states of the country on 1 hectare plot area.
In addition, other agronomic practices especially useful in case of adverse weather conditions like drought and excessive rainfall viz; soybean cultivation using Broad Bed Furrow/Ridge & Furrow method were demonstrated which are visited physically every year by the farmers of major soybean-growing states of the country.
As the farmers are not able to visit in large numbers due to the present Covid situation, this innovative method has been used to reach the soybean stakeholders.
During the virtual scientist-farmer interaction moderated by Dr BU Dupare, breeders of the institute namely Dr Sanjay Gupta, Dr Anita Rani and Dr Vineet Kumar provided relevant information and also addressed the farmers’ queries. Over 750 farmers belonging to soybean-growing states of the country took part in the programme.
