Vol. 17 No. 2
Seed replacement rate and varietal performance of paddy in lower Indo-Gangetic Basin
Author(s): A. K. NANDI, M.S. SABLE, R. BISWAS AND D. MUKHERJEE
Abstract: To increase the agricultural productivity the leading input ‘quality seed’ is come to the fore for agricultural production. But this basic input gets minimum attention to most of the farmers and they use farm saved seeds without knowing the decline potentiality of repeated use in case of field crops. Introduction of hybrid paddy and de-notification of older varieties are a common slogan for augmentation of yield. In the lower Indo-Gangetic Basin (LIGB) the seed replacement rate of paddy is lower (18-26 per cent) than vegetables (83-99 per cent). Lack of timely availability of quality seeds as well as fear psychosis farmers still depends on farm-saved or locally available seeds. The study examined the varietal performances of paddy, sources of paddy seed and seed replacement rate, seed supply system and policy aspects in the high cropping intensity areas in LIGB. Two hundred samples had been collected from the four districts following on the SRSWOR. In LIGB both winter and summer season the existing HYVs were also capable to get potential yields (55-62 q ha-1). In every four years interval seed replacement is necessary to maintain the required yield in the study region. Therefore, before entering into de-notification a rigorous discussion among agro-biological and social scientists in presence of farmers representatives were essential as because these varieties were not only capable to produce higher yields but also maintain a stock in genetic diversity for main food grain crops.
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