In the Kharif season, many farmers in India cultivate paddy. Paddy is considered to be a cash crop as it is usually produced for commercial value, and that’s why it is considered important among farmers. While farmers across the country sow a wide variety of rice, basmati rice is the variety, which is produced at big level in India.
But for the past few years, farmers grow basmati rice using more chemicals. As a consequence, the yields are getting reduced. In such a situation, a new variety of Basmati has been introduced among farmers. The new variety is named ‘Basmati 1637’. This new variety is considered disease resistant, which will ensure a good yield without farmer concerning about spraying chemicals to save crop from various diseases.
Basmati-1637: A New Variant
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed 1637 variety of paddy from Pusa Basmati-1, which is an improved variety of paddy. Many other new varieties of basmati have developed under the Seed Act of the Government of India. Since the year 1966, there have been about 29 varieties of Basmati rice, which are cultivated in many states of the country.
Disease Resistant Basmati-1637
This new variety has high anti-disease capacity. Pusa Basmati-1 of paddy is at risk of blast disease, but in this new variety, the chances of appearance of this disease are negligible. It also does not require spraying of chemicals in the crop. This way, the farmers can get yield of 22 to 25 quintals per acre by sowing this variety. By sowing this variety of basmati, they can double their income.
What is Blast Disease?
The disease is spread by a fungus called Piricularia oryzae, which is very harmful for the paddy crop. This disease makes small and blue spots on the leaves and its lower parts. These spots often look like a boat. The symptoms of this disease first appear on the leaves. Usually, this disease attacks on the lumps and shells.
States that Produce Basmati
The basmati cultivation takes place in many states across the nation. These states include Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. Among these, Punjab is considered the leading state in basmati production. If a farmer wants to sow this variety in paddy cultivation, they can connect with experts at Pusa. They can also avail the seeds at the feasible prices.
