A rice variety with higher protein content would be taken up for large scale cultivation from the next year’s kharif season in eastern region, which is facing problem of malnourishment.

A rice variety with higher protein content would be taken up for large scale cultivation from the next year’s kharif season in eastern region, which is facing problem of malnourishment.

Named CR Dhan 310 and developed by scientists from Cuttack- based National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), the rice variety has 10.5 – 11% protein content in comparison to 6% in the most of the rice varieties. Besides, in the field trials the new variety has produced a yield of 5 tonne per hectare against usual 3-4 tonne in the conventional paddy varieties.

“The new variety would certainly help deal with the protein deficiency in many communities in the eastern region,” AK Nayak, director, NRRI, told FE. The agriculture ministry’s central varietal release committee has recently approved the variety for cultivation.

Nayak said that CR Dhan 310 has the yield potential better than many of the hybrids available in the market while the key benefit for the farmers is that they can save their own seeds for next crop season instead of buying it every year.

In the coming kharif season, which is commencing from September, the variety would be taken up for limited cultivation through multiplying seed production from the NRRI’s breeder seeds by many state government-owned agencies. Subsequently from the next year, the state government agencies in eastern region would produce certified seeds from the foundation seeds for large scale cultivation by farmers.

Nayak said that the new high-yielding protein variety would be suitable for the cultivation across all the eastern regions such as Tripura, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

“The new variety, also a non-lodging plant type, can address the problem of yield stagnation in this major rice ecosystem of the country. With its high yield and grain quality, this variety can significantly enhance the income of farmers of eastern region,” an agriculture ministry official said.