Big news for farmers: BARC gave 8 new Trombe crop varieties of wheat, rice and pulses to farmers

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, has once again proven its leadership in agricultural innovation by dedicating 8 new Trombay crop varieties to farmers. Developed through radiation-based mutation breeding techniques, these high-yielding, climate-resilient, and non-GMO crop varieties are set to transform Indian agriculture. These advancements aim to boost farmers’ incomes, strengthen food and nutritional security, and align with India’s agricultural goals.

Early-Maturing and High-Yield Crop Varieties:

The newly introduced varieties include 5 cereals and 3 oilseeds, catering to diverse agricultural requirements across the country. These varieties were developed in collaboration with state agricultural universities. BARC Director Shri Vivek Bhasin described these varieties as a boon for farmers, emphasizing their qualities like early maturity, disease resistance, climate adaptability, salt tolerance, and high productivity.

Two New Wheat Varieties: For the first time, BARC has developed two wheat varieties that are heat-tolerant and disease-resistant:

1. Trombay Jodhpur Wheat-153 (TJW-153): Designed for Rajasthan’s arid regions, this variety features heat tolerance, longer spike lengths, resistance to fungal diseases, and excellent chapati-making qualities.
2. Trombay Raj Vijay Wheat-155 (TRVW-155): Tailored for Madhya Pradesh, this variety offers enhanced zinc and iron content, superior chapati-making quality, and resistance to diseases like blast and powdery mildew.

Three High-Yielding Rice Varieties:

Recognizing the low productivity of traditional rice landraces, BARC has introduced three innovative rice varieties:

1. Bauna Luchai (CTLM): Developed for Chhattisgarh, this dwarf variety matures early and provides 40% higher yields than the traditional Luchai landrace.
2. Sanjeevani: Enriched with over 350 phytochemicals, this rice variety boosts immunity and offers therapeutic benefits.
3. Trombay Konkan Khara: This variety for saline coastal areas of Maharashtra gives 15% higher yield in saline conditions.

Advanced Oilseed Varieties: To support India’s self-reliance in oilseed production, BARC has developed three advanced oilseed varieties:

1. Trombay Jodhpur Mustard-2 (TJM-2): Designed for Rajasthan, this variety yields 14% more than existing options and contains 40% oil content, along with resistance to fungal diseases.
2. Trombay Latur Sesame-10 (TLT-10): Developed using gamma-ray irradiation, this is BARC’s first sesame variety, providing a 20% increase in seed yield and featuring bold seeds.
3. Chhattisgarh Trombay Groundnut (CGTM-88): Suitable for both rainy and summer seasons, this groundnut variety offers 49% oil content and versatility for farmers in Chhattisgarh.

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