New Delhi: The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has recommended the cultivation of two new varieties - "PBW 826 Wheat" and "OL 16 Oats" - for farming in the state. Both these varieties were approved during the recent meeting of the State Variety Approval Committee, chaired by Dr. Gurvinder Singh, the Director of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare in Punjab. Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, the Vice-Chancellor of PAU, mentioned that the seeds for the new wheat variety will be available for purchase at all farmer fairs held in the state this month.
Dr. Ajmer Singh Dhatt, the Director of Research at PAU, stated that the new wheat variety, PBW 826, has been approved for cultivation under timely planting conditions. It offers an average grain yield of 24 quintals per acre, which is higher than existing varieties. Additionally, it has a higher grain weight compared to current varieties. The average plant height is 100 cm. This variety matures in about 148 days, approximately four to six days earlier than existing varieties. In research trials, PBW 826 ranked first for grain yield in the North-Western Plains of India over three years of testing during the first-ever national testing for grain yield in different agro-climatic regions of the country. Oats are primarily a fodder crop in Punjab, but they have gained popularity as a breakfast cereal. Keeping this in mind, the State Variety Approval Committee has given approval for a new variety of oats, OL 16 (New Oat variety OL 16), to be cultivated in the state. Dr. Ashok Kumar, the Director of Extension Education at PAU, stated that the new variety is good for fodder, grain, and at quality. The first cutting for fodder can be done after 65 to 70 days of sowing. It yields approximately 90 quintals of green fodder per acre.
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