In what could prove to be a boon for diabetic patients, scientists of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have developed a new wheat variety, which is very beneficial for such patients. Now, they can look forward to consuming food products from new ‘Dicoccum’ wheat variety that controls the sugar as well as cholesterol level in blood. ICAR has also identified 5 new improved wheat varieties, 2 varieties of barley and one variety of Triticale for various agro-climatic regions of the country.

ICAR has initiated research work on developing hybrid wheat in order to improve the productivity as compared to the conventional varieties. Also, it has been decided to develop new wheat varieties suited to zero-tillage system, Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed System (FIRBS) and surface seeding in network mode. These decisions were taken in the 45th All India Wheat and Barley Research Workers’ Meet held at Kanpur this week.

Developed by All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) at Dharwad centre of University of Agricultural Sciences, the food products made from Dicoccum variety called DDK 1029, slowly dissolve in the body and releases very less amount of calories. It takes five to six hours to dissolve in the human blood, thereby controlling sugar levels. DDK 1029 has good yield gain of nearly 3q/ha over best dicoccum check DDK 1009 along with disease resistance. The average yield of this variety is 40.9 q/ha and has been identified for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, plains of Tamil Nadu, Hilly areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala comprising the Nilgiri and Palni hills of southern plateau.

Another identified variety called DBW 17 has yielded 1.2 quintals more than the presently best variety PBW 343. It is also proven to be resistant to new yellow rust race for which PBW 343 and PBW 302 are susceptible. It also has shown better Karnal rust resistance than PBW 343. Besides this, DBW 17 has better chapatti making quality ( score 7.96 out of 10 ) and gives average yield of 49.0 quintal per hectare. It has been identified for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan (except Kota and Udaipur divisions) and Western UP (except Jhansi division), parts of J &K (Jammu and Kathua distt.) and parts of HP (Una dist. and Paonta valley) and Uttaranchal (Tarai region) under timely sown irrigated conditions.

In order to improve the wheat productivity, it was recommended that sowings in the states of Punjab, northern Rajasthan and western parts of Uttar Pradesh be completed between 4th to 11th November under timely sown, high fertility irrigated conditions. Also, Intensification of rice-wheat system by including vegetable pea after rice and before late sown wheat was found more profitable in north western India.

GW 366 variety has shown yield gain over of about 3q over the best check, GW 322 along with better disease resistance. The average yield of this variety is 51.7 q/ha and has been identified for Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Kota and Udaipur divisions of Rajasthan and Jhansi division of Uttar Pradesh.

K0307 variety has been identified for Eastern UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and plains of NE States. Besides having good yield potential (45.6 q/ha) and disease resistance it also has better chapatti making quality with score of 7.96 out of 10 and bread with 603 loaf volume than the present best varieties.

RAJ 4083 variety has been identified for late sown irrigated conditions in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, plains of Tamil Nadu. It has shown yield gain of 1.4 q/ha over best check, HI 977 along with disease resistance. The average yield of this variety is 41.5 q/ha.

TL 2942 Triticale (cross of wheat and rye) variety has been identified for Western Himalayan regions of J&K (except Jammu and Kathua distt.); H.P. (except Una and Paonta Valley); Uttaranchal (except Tarai area); Sikkim and hills of West Bengal and N.E. States for rainfed/irrigated timely sown conditions. It was found better in yield as well as had good amber grains. It yielded 47.2 and 24.5 q/ha under irrigated and rainfed conditions respectively.

Two varieties of Malt Barley namely DWRUB 52 (average yield of 45.1 q/ha) and RD 2668 (average yield of 42.5 q/ha) have been identified for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan (except Kota and Udaipur divisions) and Western UP (except Jhansi division), parts of J&K (Jammu and Kathua distt.) and parts of HP (Una dist. and Paonta valley) and Uttaranchal (Tarai region). Both are 2-rowed barley having good yield potential and malting quality with resistance to yellow rust.

Another feed barley variety PL751 with average yield of 46.8 q/ha and resistant to black rust have been identified for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kota and Udaipur divisions of Rajasthan and Jhansi division of Uttar Pradesh.