Agriculture Department introduces new red gram variety on demonstration plot in Musiri

Agriculture Department introduces high-yield red gram variety CO-9 in Musiri block under NADP, suitable for the region.

The Agriculture Department has introduced a long-term variety of red gram in Musiri block in the district on a demonstration plot under the National Agricultural Development Programme (NADP).

According to sources in the department, CO-9, the variety brought out by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 2019, was raised in the field of a farmer with support under the NADP at Abinimangalam in Musiri taluk. The field is now being treated as a seed farm so that seeds can be procured and distributed to farmers next season.

The variety was raised as a rain-fed crop and harvested recently in the presence of senior department officials. A maximum yield of 611 pods weighing about 325 grams was recorded from one particular plant at the field, an official of the department said adding that the variety had the potential to yield more than the native varieties.

The variety is of 170-180 days duration and is well-suited for the region. It is moderately resistant to Fusarium Wilt and Spotted Bollworm. It grows to a height of about seven to eight feet and a maximum yield of 2,697 kg a hectare has been recorded in Telangana.

The crop was raised in rows with proper spacing with a gap of three feet each and three feet gap between each plant. At the flowering and pod-filling stages, the recommended pesticide and plant growth hormone were sprayed using drones.

It is better to use drones for their spraying as it would be difficulty to do it manually in view of the height of the plants. Farmers could raise the variety even as inter-crop in groundnut / cotton or even as a bund crop, a senior official said.