Srinagar: The State Seed Sub-Committee Meeting, J&K was held under Chairmanship of Principal Secretary to Government, Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Department, GoJKShri Naveen Kumar ChoudharyIAS, in hybrid mode and Vice Chancellors of two farm Universities Dr.Nazir Ahmad Ganaiand Dr. J.P. Sharma were also present during the Meeting. The Director Researches of the two farm Universities presented 12 new crop varieties for Kashmir division and 09 crop varieties for Jammu Division. The varieties for Kashmir Division included 03 cereal varieties viz. Rice,Wheat, Maize, 05 Pulse varieties – Chick pea, Cow-pea, Soybean, Rajmash, 01 Oil-seed, 02 vegetable varieties – Brinjal and Kashmiri Chilli, 01 first global Saffron variety developed by Breeders of the respective crops.
For Jammu Division 02 cereal varieties (wheat &maize), 02 oilseed varieties of Rapeseed, 02 Pulse varieties (Moong&Rajmash), 02 Walnut varieties and 01 Lemon variety. The varieties recommended by SSSC, J&K included first global Saffron variety with a yield potential of26.15% over natural population, first rice variety (Mushkbudji) developed through DNA Marker Assisted Selection with inbuilt resistance to blast and 01 variety of improved version of Kashmiri Chilli having a very good commercial marketability. The varieties recommended by the committee shall help the farmers to improve their productivity in these crops and withstand various biotic and aboitic stresses.The Vice-Chancellors of the two Farm Universities congratulated all the breeders for their hardwork and effort in development of these varieties which will be multiplied and included in the seed chain of the UT. Principal Secretary, Shri Naveen Kumar ChoudharyIASwhile congratulatingthe Scientists of both Universities for bringing advanced varieties stressed that zone-wise varieties for various districts should be developed in order to improve the cropping intensity across the UT and proper mechanism should be put in place by Department of Agriculture (Jammu/Kashmir) for largescale seed multiplication of these new varieties.
During the meeting two policy documents for containment and eradication of Apple leaf blotch minor and Apple fruit borer were released by Shri Naveen Kumar ChoudharyIASfor immediate implementation in collaboration with Department of Horticulture. The meeting was attended by Director Research, Director Extension, Deans of Faculties of SKUAST-K/J, Joint Directors Agriculture (Inputs/Extension), Divisional Seed Certification Officers, Seed Analysts and progressive farmers.

KR Desk