Ludhiana: PAU varieties cover 74% land under rice across state, says VC

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), since 2012, has released a series of short to medium duration rice varieties that have seen widespread acceptance among farmers. Satbir Singh Gosal, vice-chancellor, PAU, said, “During the ongoing kharif 2024 season, these varieties were sown across nearly 74% of the total rice cultivation area in the state, with PR 126 and PR 131 alone accounting for 43% and 19% of the coverage, respectively.”

Experts at PAU said that these varieties help curb the decline in groundwater levels and reduce the number of stubble-burning cases. Experts highlighted that these varieties aslo have shorter growth duration resulting in less straw generation and provide a wider window for residue management before the sowing of the next crop.

PAU officials highlighted that at present, university recommends 12 short to medium duration rice varieties tailored for different agro-climatic zones and farming systems. These include PR 132, PR 131, PR 129, PR 128, PR 122, PR 114, PR 113 (transplanting window: June 20–25), and PR 127, HKR 47, PR 130 (June 25–30). The widely popular PR 126, which is the shortest-duration variety, can be transplanted between June 25 and July 10 using a 20–30-day old nursery. However, experts warn that transplanting PR 126 beyond July 15 can reduce yield and rice recovery.

This year, PAU has introduced a new variety—PR 132—which performs best with just 75% of the recommended dose of urea. Overuse of fertiliser may lead to lodging and lower yields.

To ensure accessibility, the university has produced ample seed stock, available at all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Farm Advisory Service Centres, university seed farms, and the seed shop at Gate number 1 of PAU. Furthermore, 35 seed sale counters have been set up across the state, operating seven days a week.

PAU scientists have urged farmers to adopt these resource-conserving, high-yielding, and environmentally friendly rice varieties to promote sustainable agriculture across Punjab.

This article has been republished from The Hindustan Times.