To solve this issue, the GB Pant Agricultural University in Pantnagar, district Udham Singh Nagar, has produced Pant Matar 462, a new type of pulses (peas from the legume plant) that claims to assist farmers raise yields while decreasing prices.
AS Nain, the university's director of research, stated that the new variety was created by crossing two different types, HFP 529 and Pant Matar 31, using a pedigree approach.
"Pant Matar 462 outperformed the standard types SKNP 04-09 HFP 4 and HUDP 15 by 21.01 percent, 25.00 percent, and 39.85 percent in three-year trials. The plants are medium in size, reaching 74 cm in height and maturing in 120-130 days. The variety is resistant to powdery mildew, rust, and ascochyta blight, reducing the requirement for expensive pest management,” he went on to say.
The university's vice-chancellor (VC), Manmohan Singh Chauhan, stated that the new type has the potential to benefit small and marginal farmers as well as neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. He ordered scientists to produce enough seeds and to widely promote the new type among farmers.
"The university has a history of developing effective pulse types, with over 60 kinds developed thus far. Pant Matar 462 is suitable for growing in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and North Orissa. Scientists RK Panwar, SK Verma, and Anju Arora produced the novel cultivar, which has the potential to enhance yields and cut expenses for farmers battling with disease and pest management difficulties.
The institution intends to grow enough seeds for the upcoming season and make them available to farmers. The discovery of this new pulse type is an important step in meeting India's protein needs and ensuring food security, according to VC Chauhan.
