The over-a-century-old Agricultural Research Station at Hagari, near Ballari, has taken up research and study of over 200 varieties of sorghum in a big way at its farm. The study, which is being carried out on various parameters, is aimed at finding out what varieties could be adapted in the district.
Except for about 12 hybrid varieties, the rest of the 200 are traditional varieties.
“Such type of research study activities is a continuous process. But this year, we have taken it up in a big way as the weather is congenial.
“Researchers are carrying out a detailed study to find out which of the varieties are suitable for cultivation in the rain-fed areas in and around Ballari district,” Mohammed Ibrahim, head of ARS, told The Hindu.
According to him, all sorghum variety seeds have been collected from different universities and institutes, including the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, and the Indian Institute of Sorghum Research Hyderabad, and cultivated. The growth of the plant, right from germination to harvest, is constantly monitored and recorded.
In the process, scientists also record observations of the girth of the plant, size of the corn, lodging of the plant due to wind, height of the plant, diseases/virus attacks, among other things.
The standing crop is provided protective irrigation and watered only once during the critical stage. Each variety is codified and details as to from which place the variety was collected will be made known after the final analysis by the institutes from where the seeds are procured.
In about a fortnight, the harvesting will be taken up.
Meanwhile, scientists have protected some of the corns which they consider as good varieties by covering them up with protective material.
“We have observed that most of the varieties could be adapted in our district but some of them are more suitable to the local geographical conditions,” Mr. Ibrahim added.
