SKUAST-K's Maize Research Centre ranks 4th nationally

Srinagar, June 23: The Quinquennial Review Team (QRT) recently completed its evaluation of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR) Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) and All India Coordinated Research Project on Maize (AICRPM) centres for the period 2017-2021.

Led by Dr. B.S. Dhillon, former Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, the team conducted meetings in Hyderabad, Ludhiana, and Delhi.

Centres presented detailed reports on their work, followed by thorough discussions. The QRT also visited AICRPM centers in Hyderabad, Ludhiana, Sabour, and Dholi, as well as IIMR stations in Hyderabad, Ludhiana, and Begusarai. Additionally, scientist-industry interface meetings were held in Hyderabad to gather stakeholder input for refining research programs.

The QRT ranked centres nationwide based on criteria such as varietal development, research contributions, impact publications, outreach, seed production, and collaborations. The AICRPM Center in Srinagar, operating under Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), secured the fourth position among regular centers across India and topped the northern hill zone.

The Srinagar center has released 27 maize composites and hybrids and produced over 1,000 quintals of maize seed in the past five years. It also ranked first in impact publications, tying with Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

This national recognition is significant given the importance of maize in Kashmir, where it covers 73,000 hectares and yields 154,000 tonnes of grain annually. Maize is crucial for food, feed, fodder, and nutritional security in the region. SKUAST-K is working towards achieving self-sufficiency in maize production for the valley.

Kashmir requires 2,300-2,800 tonnes of maize annually for livestock feed, with a total seed requirement of 22,183 quintals. To meet this demand, efforts are underway to improve the Seed Replacement Rate through large-scale production of SKUAST-K bred varieties in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture. The university also plans to adopt a public-private partnership model, particularly for single-cross hybrids.

Professor Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-K, congratulated the AICRPM team and stressed the importance of identifying specific niches for maize to address the diverse needs of the farming community.