ICAR adopts heat-tolerant crops, timely sowing to protect yield

ICAR adopts heat-tolerant crops, timely sowing to protect yield

Subject: Environment

Section: Climate Change

Context: Selection of varieties based on when exactly a crop is getting sown is one of the key components in protecting the yield during an abnormal increase in temperature as seen during the recent heat wave

Impact of Heat Wave:

The heat wave coincided with the grain filling and development stage of wheat resulting in yellowing and shrivelling of the grain and forced maturity— with average yield losses between 15 and 25 per cent

Ways to solve the problem

• Timely sowing and adoption of heat-tolerant varieties PBW03, DBW187 and DBW222 along with a spraying of Potassium Nitrate at 0.5 per cent at boot leaf and anthesis stages minimized yield loss
• Technologies such as mulching in sugarcane, ridge and furrow conserved the soil moisture and minimised the stress
• Heat tolerant wheat varieties DBW173, Raj4120 and Raj4079 contributed to containing yield loss by 5-6 per cent
• As a part of risk-prone 151 clusters created by ICAR through its National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme across the country, where technologies were demonstrated that helped minimize the negative impacts of heat waves.

How potash sprays have helped cap heatwave impact on crops

• Potash helps in osmo-revolution process in plants. Due to osmotic pressure, turgidity in plants is maintained and regulates the opening of
• And when evapotranspiration does not happen due to it, plants retain the moisture level.
• Potash also helps in translocation of nutrient from leaves to grains,

National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA):

• It is a network project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched in 2011.
• The project aims to enhance resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration
• The research on adaptation and mitigation covers crops, livestock, fisheries and natural resource management.
• The project consists of four components viz. Strategic Research, Technology Demonstration, Capacity Building and Sponsored/Competitive Grants