KisanKraft develops 12 direct-seeded rice varieties, to take up multi-location trials in 14 states this 12 months

KisanKraft Ltd, the Bengaluru-based agri-firm, has developed 12 new forms of rice which might be fitted to direct-seeded rice (DSR) technique of cultivation that makes use of much less water for rising the cereal crop.

KisanKraft, which manufactures inexpensive farm gear comparable to inter-cultivators and harvesters for small- and medium-sized farmers, diversified into seed analysis and improvement a couple of years in the past.

“Now we have been focussing on creating rice varieties for the DSR technique of cultivation since 2017. Our focus is on breeding varieties which might be appropriate for the altering climatic patterns. Now we have screened some 175 traces of paddy from throughout the nation for varied traits — from rainfed areas to construct resistance and the wetlands for yields — to develop these 12 DSR varieties,” mentioned Ravindra Agrawal, Chairman, KisanKraft.

At the moment, the corporate has taken up trials of those DSR paddy varieties at three places in Karnataka within the ongoing summer time cropping season.

Trails on 40 places

The corporate expects to take up multi-location trials of the 12 DSR rice varieties throughout 40 places in about 14 main rice rising States together with Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar amongst others within the forthcoming kharif 2024 cropping season, Agarwal mentioned. KisanKraft is aiming to commercialise these DSR rice varieties in 2025 kharif season, he mentioned.

“Our DSR varieties are a mixture of fantastic grain, medium slender and daring varieties. The yields are higher than common yields and on par with the excessive yielding varieties, ranging between 22 and 25 quintals per acre,” mentioned Sumanth Holla, head of seed R&D at KisanKraft.

Paddy is a water-intensive crop and the transplanted paddy makes use of some 4,000-5,000 litres of water to provide one kg of rice. In comparison with the standard technique of paddy cultivation that entails creation of nursery and transplantation, the DSR technique saves on water use, labour requirement and reduces the price of cultivation , moreover reducing down on methane emission. “Water consumption will be lowered by greater than half underneath the DSR technique. If you take away puddling and transplanting, the water use comes down right away by 30 per cent,” Holla mentioned.

KisanKraft, which has acquired its R&D models recognition from the Division of Scientific and Industrial Analysis (DSIR), can also be engaged on creating hybrids of greens comparable to tomato, cucumber, gourds and capscium amongst others. The corporate expects to commercialise among the vegetable hybrids subsequent 12 months, Agarwal added.