The thrust area of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi is agricultural research and education. Genomics-aided analytical breeding programs of the Institute accelerated the pace of crop breeding and led to the release of varieties/hybrids with improved yield, quality and climate resilience in field and horticultural crops. In wheat, HD3171, HS562 and HW5207 were released for commercial cultivation in North Eastern Plain Zone (NEPZ), Northern Hills Zone (NHZ) and Tamil Nadu, respectively. A high yielding wheat variety HI1605 with high protein and micro-nutrients (iron, zinc) was released for Peninsular Zone. Durum wheat varieties HI8759 and HD4728 with an average yield of >5.4 t/ha were released for timely sown irrigated conditions of Central Zone (CZ). Using marker assisted selection breeding, high yielding and superior quality iron and zinc biofortified wheat variety HI8777 was released. Wheat variety HD3249 enriched with iron, zinc and HI8802 with high protein and carotenoid content was released in 2019. IARI wheat variety HD2967 occupied about 10 million ha and brought prosperity to the farmers. Three wheat varieties (HD3226, HD3237 and HI1620), one fine grain rice variety (Pusa Samba 1850) and two maize hybrids (Pusa Super Sweet Corn 1 and Pusa Jawahar Hybrid Maize 1) and 11 varieties/hybrids of different vegetables were released for commercial cultivation. IARI Basmati varieties earned about Rs. 25000 crores of export earnings. IARI has released two basmati rice varieties namely Pusa Basmati 1637 and Pusa Basmati 1728 with blast and bacterial blight resistance, respectively, for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, western Uttar Pradesh. The Pusa Basmati 1121 developed by the Institute earned Rs 50 lakh crores during 2008-2016, and brought prosperity to millions of farmers. An improved version of Pusa Basmati 1121 named Pusa Basmati 1718 was developed with inbuilt resistance to bacterial blight disease. To address the Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), three bio-fortified maize hybrids viz., ‘Pusa HQPM-5 Improved’, ‘Pusa HQPM-7 Improved’ and ‘Pusa VH-27 Improved’ were released. The Country’s first double zero Indian mustard variety Pusa Double Zero Mustard 31 was released for Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Jammu and northern Rajasthan. In pulses, desi chick pea BG 3043, lentil L-4717 and mung bean Pusa-137 varieties were released for NEPZ, CA and NHZ, respectively. In horticultural crops, 23 hybrids/varieties of vegetables and 2 varieties in flower crops were identified/released.
Pusa soil test fertilizer recommendation (STFR) meter has been improved, which is now capable of analyzing fourteen parameters viz., pH, EC, OC, 9 different available nutrients [(derived N), P, K, S, Zn, B, Fe, Mn and Cu], gypsum and lime requirement, and is expected to play a key role in soil health management. In addition, entomo-pathogenic nematode-based Galleria Cadaver for Insect Pest Management, BGA bio-fertilizer technology, VAM bio-fertilizer technology, and compost inoculant bio-fertilizer technology were licensed to different industries. The institute has also protected 26 crop varieties under ‘Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights’. IARI has made a breakthrough in developing and popularizing “Pusa Decomposer”, a fungal consortium, for in-situ and ex-situ crop residue decomposition which will help mitigate rice residue burning problem and air pollution, and also enhance soil fertility.
Three new rice varieties (PB 1718, PB 1728 and PB1637), 5 vegetable varieties, Pusa STFR and Compost Inoculant Biofertilizer Technology were licensed to 40 industry partners. During these years 11 patents and 8 copyrights were granted to the institute. The annual economic surplus generated from PB1121 are estimated at Rs. 14707 crores during triennium ending 2018-2019 which is 12-fold more than the budget of ICAR-IARI and two-fold more than the entire ICAR budget during 2018-19. About 48 of mustard grown area in the Country is cultivated with ICAR-IARI varieties. The average economic surplus generated by IARI mustard variety Pusa Mustard 25 during ending 2018-19 was estimated at Rs. 2919 crore and was allocated Rs.1499 crore to the farmers and Rs. 1420 crores to the consumers. To promote agri-entrepreneurship and startups through Agribusiness Incubation programmes, SAMARTH 2019, UPJA 2019 and ARISE 2019 programs were launched. Under UPJA 2019, 618 applications were received of which 30 applicants were selected and incubated, and 78 on-to-one and group mentoring sessions were conducted.
The 57th Convocation of the Post Graduate School of the IARI was held on February 8, 2019. Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Radha Mohan Singh awarded degrees to 239 candidates (123M.Sc., 22 M.Tech. and 94 Ph.D.), and 08 international students. IARI helped complete the establishment of Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education (ACARE) at Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar, and on 12 December, 2018 by Hon’ble President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind dedicated ACARE to the people of Myanmar. It is a matter of greatpride for this institute that 2020’s World Food Prize was conferred upon Prof. Rattan Lal, an alumnus of IARI. The Institute was awarded with “Agricultural Leadership Award 2019” by a national agriculture magazine, “Agriculture Today” for helping the country attain and maintain self-sufficiency in food grains and for improving the economic conditions of Indian farmers.
To bridge the phenotype-genotype gap, the Institute has established “Nanaji Deshmukh Plant Phenomics Centre (NDPPC)” which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and dedicated to the Nation on 11th October, 2017.
The Institute played a pivotal role in Mera Gaon Mera Gaurav (MGMG) programme which improved outreach of technologies through on field demonstrations and direct interaction between scientists and farmers. Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2019 with the theme of Krishi Vikas: Innovative Technologies was organized from March 5-7, 2019, wherein over one lakh visitors and 170 public and private exhibitors from across the country participated.
IARI faculties have brought large number of externally funded project worth Rupees 184.78 crores, and IARI had collaboration with 4 or more Institute in each of 78 externally funded projects. About Rupees 603 lakhs worth new equipment were added to the laboratories. IARI was awarded with Centre for Advanced Agricultural Technology (CAAST) project under National Agricultural Higher Education program with a budget of Rs 1999.68 lakhs for enhancing faculty and student research skills and research outcomes.
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