Jharkhand: Birsa Agriculture University develops new resilient pea variety

RANCHI: Birsa Agriculture University (BAU) has developed a new variety of pea which is adaptable to the climatic condition of Jharkhand. The species is also resistant to pests and diseases.
The species termed as Birsa Matar-1 received the approval of the State Variety Release Committee (SVRC) in March 2022. BAU is now awaiting notification from the central government. The Birsa Matar-1 was developed by a team of scientists led by Dr C S Mahto after about seven years of research.
Talking to TOI, Mahto said, “The new variety has been created by crossing two breeds. The plant is moderately resistant to powdery mildew, which is common in the state. It is also resistant to rust.” He added that being a dwarf plant type, the yield of the seed would be between 13 and 15 quintal per hectare, while the existing production is 12.17 quintal per hectare in a year.
Apart from being high-yielding, this variety is also a high remuneration crop with a return of 30 to 40%. The BAU variety is considerably different from normal pea, which is used as vegetable. It would be mainly used as a pulse and has protein content up to 25%.
BAU vice-chancellor Onkar Nath Singh said, “After the approval by SVRC, the new varieties generally get the sanction of the central government. The BAU is releasing new species of crops for Jharkhand and other states of the country almost every year.”
BAU said the new species of pea was well adopted for entire state of Jharkhand. The institution said that the pea, which grows in Rabi season, can be cultivated in the rain-fed areas as it requires minimum irrigation.