Water-guzzling PUSA-44's acreage may go up: Experts

LAST YEAR, THE AREA UNDER THE VARIETY WAS REDUCED TO 16%; ICAR HAD ASKED TO STOP PRODUCTION OF PUSA-44 SEEDS

- Gurpreet Singh Nibber

CHANDIGARH: After the chief minister's announcement to start paddy transplantation from June 1 this year, farmers are opting for long-duration PUSA44 variety, raising the hackles of the experts who say that the efforts to improve paddy cropping patterns, made in the past few years, will go to waste.

Last year, the area under the variety was reduced to 16%, and it was being phased out as two years ago, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which has produced the variety, had announced to stop the seed production and had asked farmers to stop its cultivation.

However, some farmers and companies have kept the seed, which is now being sold for setting up nurseries.

To start the transplantation of paddy saplings the farmers would start making setting nurseries from May 1. In the state, paddy is sown over nearly 30 lakh hectares (75 lakh acres).

Sukhwinder Singh, a farmer from Samrala, said that he will also cultivate PUSA44 as it gives a higher yield, and grain is also sturdy, but seeds are in shortage. He added that more than environment conservation, farmers are concerned about the yield.

According to an eminent plant breeder with expertise in paddy, Dr GS Khush the cultivation of PUSA44 should stop as it would waste all efforts made in the past few years to bring change in the cropping pattern of paddy.