Table of Contents
Rice
- Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or Oryza glaberrima (African rice).
- As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in Asia.
Rice in India
- India is considered to be one of the original centers of rice cultivation covering 44 million hectares.
- Its rice harvesting area is the largest in the world.
- Around 65 percent of the total population in India eat rice and it accounts for 40 percent of their food production.
- Rice-based production systems provide the main source of income and employment for more than 50 million households.
Sahyadri Megha
- The University of Agriculture and Horticultural Sciences, in Shivamogga (Karnataka) has developed ‘Sahyadri Megha,‘ a new red variety of paddy.
Decade long development
- Paddy growers in Karnataka are switching over to commercial crops like arecanut, ginger and rubber for lucrative returns.
- Since 2009 a program to develop a new ‘lucrative’ variety began.
- ‘Jyothi’ variety, which was widely cultivated in the command areas of the Bhadra and the Tunga reservoirs and in semi-arid areas nearby taluks, had become vulnerable to blast disease and other infestations.
- Blast disease of paddy is caused by fungus Pyricularia grisea (P. oryzae).
- There was a demand for a new paddy variety that is resistant to the infestations.
- The new variety was developed under the hybridization breeding method by cross-breeding the best among the ‘Jyothi’ variety with that of ‘Akkalu’, a disease-resistant and protein-rich paddy variety.
- Another objective of developing the new variety was to cater to the strong demand for red rice, rich in fibre and protein, by health-savvy consumers in urban areas.
Qualities of Sahyadri Megha
- The variety is resistant to blast (a fungal disease) and rich in nutrients.
- The protein content in it is 12.48%, higher than the other red rice varieties grown.
- The yield per hectare from ‘Sahyadri Megha’ is around 65 quintals, substantially higher than other red paddy varieties.
- It is a medium-term paddy that can be grown when there is a delay in the onset of monsoon.
- It can be harvested after 120 days of sowing.
Red Rice
- The red variety gets its rich colour from an antioxidant called anthocyanins, which are also
- found in deep purple or reddish fruits and vegetables.
- The compound is believed to have properties that can reduce inflammation, allergy, prevent risks of cancer* and help in weight management*.
- It is expected that the Sahyadri Megha variety will fetch a good price for its nutrition values, aroma, and taste.
- It is expected that the Sahyadri Megha variety will fetch a good price for its nutrition values, aroma, and taste.
- As it is disease-resistant , the cultivation cost will also be low.
How does a new variety get approval?
- Variety Release Procedure
- Any variety of agricultural or horticultural crops is recommended by the Central Seed Committee constituted under the Seeds Act, 1966 for its release and notification for commercial cultivation.
- The Central Seed Committee consists of two sub-committees –
- Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of varieties for agricultural crops, chaired by DDG (FC), ICAR.
- Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of varieties for horticultural crops, chaired by DDG (Hort.), ICAR.
Approved
- Sahyadri Megha was approved by the State-level Seed Sub-
- The aroma and taste of the new variety paddy was verified and found satisfying.
- The new variety of paddy will be notified under the Indian Seed Act 1966, and it will become a part of the seed chain. It will be made available for farmers from the coming Kharif