Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The city-based Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR) has released and notified 24 varieties of soybean seed this year so far. This is for the first time that such a large number of seeds have been released in a single year. These include eight soybean varieties especially suitable for Madhya Pradesh.
Sanjeev Gupta, assistant director-general, (oilseeds and pulses), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), who visited the institute on Saturday was given this information.
Gupta reviewed the progress of experiments and research trials being conducted at the Institute during this Kharif season. Nita Khandekar, acting director, ICAR-IISR briefly presented the salient achievements made by the institute in recent years and its preparedness in the changed climatic scenario on account of aberrant weather conditions being experienced in the major soybean-growing states.
Gupta also made a short visit to the institute research-cum-experimental block and interacted with the concerned scientists about the progress of research programmers being undertaken in this season. He was taken for a visit to Crossing Block for improvement in yield and other quality parameters, iindigenous & exotic germplasm having characteristics for suitability across the latitude, advanced trials and breeder seed production centre, food-grade and specialty soybean varieties, agribusiness incubation centre and demonstration block highlighting new methods recommended for mitigating the adverse impact of climate change.
In his address, Gupta gave stress upon the dire need of identification of more germplasm having characteristics of waterlogging tolerance, climate resilience, high oleic acid content and also for the development of disease-resistant varieties for major diseases like Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV), Anthracnose and Charcoal rot which were occurred in recent times across the soybean belt of the nation.
Along with that he also brought the attention of the house to the incorporation of qualities like anti-dehiscence (non-seed shattering), anti pre-harvest sprouting (Anti-vivipary) etc in the currently ongoing research activity. He emphasised further working on resource conservation technologies in soybean.
