KVK urges farmers to use prescribed wheat seeds for high yield

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kapurthala, under the supervision of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, regularly recommends improved varieties of wheat to the farmers.

To promote these improved varieties, KVK, Kapurthala, also undertakes seed production on its farms. The centre advises farmers to sow only recommended wheat varieties, as many farmers get influenced by advertisements or social media and end up buying private seeds, which often leads to poor yield due to substandard quality.

One such variety, PBW 826, was recommended in 2022. This variety has bold and shiny grains and is tolerant to terminal heat stress, KVK officials said. It has been adopted for seed production in various districts. KVK, Kapurthala, also produced about 300 quintals of this seed and sold it to farmers with positive results, they said.

KVK, Kapurthala, also launched a campaign called “Apna Khet, Apna Beej”, encouraging farmers through various programmes to retain their own seeds, as it is not necessary to buy new seeds every year. Prominent farmers like Dilbag Singh from village Thatha and Sukhdev Singh from village Sultanpur Lodhi recorded more than 26 quintals per acre yield with PBW 826 variety.

The campaign was carried out in various villages of Kapurthala district, where farmers were trained about quality seed production techniques. As a result, most farmers have retained seeds of the high-yielding PBW 826 wheat variety. It is expected that wheat production in the district will increase in the coming year, officials added.