High-yielding wheat, barley varieties identified

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, September 10

Three varieties (two of wheat and one of barley) of the Karnal-based Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley (IIWBR) have been identified for different production conditions in six wheat-growing zones of the country. This was decided at the 56th All-India Wheat and Barley Research Workers’ meet held in Varanasi from August 25 to 28.

Scientists say these varieties are heat tolerant and give higher yield. Besides, these are resistant to stripe rust and brown rust and have high protein content.

“The committee considered 11 proposals (six of wheat and five of barley) submitted for identification and after detailed deliberations finalised nine varieties. Three IIWBR varieties identified are DBW-173 and DBW-168 of wheat and DWRB-137 of barley. These will be sent to the central variety release committee (CVRC) for the final approval,” says Dr GP Singh, Director, IIWBR.

Scientists of the institute have been working on these varieties for the past several years keeping in view different climatic conditions in various parts of the country, he adds.

Wheat variety DBW-173 has been developed for the north western plains zone (NWPZ) comprising Punjab, Rajasthan (excluding Kota and Udaipur divisions), Western Uttar Pradesh (except Jhansi division), Jammu and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Paonta valley and Una district of HP and the Terai region of Uttarakhand, he says.

Dr GP Singh says DBW-173 gives high yield, is resistant to stripe rust and brown rust and has high protein content.

“DBW-168 has been developed for the peninsular zone (PZ) comprising Maharashtra and Karnataka, which is the single variety proposed under irrigated timely sown conditions. It is superior in yield and is disease-resistant. The chapatti and biscuit quality of this variety is comparatively superior,” he says.

The basic aim to develop these varieties was to control stripe rust in wheat, besides meeting the increasing demand of wheat with iron and other fibre across the country, he adds. The DWRB 137 barley variety has been developed for the irrigated and timely sown conditions of the North Eastern Plains Zone and the Central Zone as it also gives high yield and is disease-resistant