ISHS Acta Horticulturae 752: I International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition
SEED PRODUCTION - AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT FOR POPULARIZATION OF MUNGBEAN |
| Authors: | I. Singh, T.S. Bains, S. Singh, H.S. Sekhon, B.S. Kooner, Poonam Sharma, R.K. Gill |
| Keywords: | Seed production, mungbean, SML 668, seed village programme |
| Abstract:
Mungbean (Vigna radiate (L.) Wilczek.) is an important pulse crop of India. In the North-West Plain Zone of India, rice-wheat cropping system is followed predominantly for the last 3-4 decades which resulted in several problems. There is a tremendous scope to bring large area under mungbean in summer as well as kharif season. But the availability of quality seed of improved varieties is a major constraint. The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), initiated an elaborated mungbean seed production campaign in 2001. This campaign received further boost with the funding under DFID-AVRDC Project. The PAU produces various classes of seed i.e. nucleus, breeder, foundation, certified and truthfully labeled seed of different mungbean varieties. At PAU Seed Farms, seed production of mungbean increased many folds in the last 4-5 years. The seed village programme proved to be very successful in rapid production and distribution of seed in large quantity. In addition to this, Frontline Demonstrations and adaptive trials at farmers’ fields were also instrumental in the seed multiplication at farmer’s level. Further, minikits of seed of improved varieties are distributed to large number of farmers at Farmer Fairs. The experts also provide technical know-how to farmers at field days and Farmer Fairs about quality seed production. Thus, PAU with support from AVRDC has been able to increase the seed production substantially which has resulted in rapid increase in area under mungbean in the Punjab state. By seeing the success of mungbean in Punjab, the farmers of adjoining states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have also initiated the cultivation of mungbean variety SML 668 on large scale and government and private agencies of these states have taken up the seed production programme. | |
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