RAJUVAS DEVELOPS SEWAN
GRASS SEEDLINGS
THROUGH SOIL-LESS
CULTIVATION
Jaipur,The
Scientists at Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS),
Bikaner have achieved a breakthrough that could open doors for technology
driven, soil-less cultivation of seedlings in the state. They have claimed
success in developing seedlings of sewan, a desert grass found in western
Rajasthan, using the hydroponics technology.
Facing challenges in
proper germination of sewan, the scientists at Livestock Feed Resource
Management and Technology Centre (LFRMTC) of RAJUVAS at the behest of Vice
Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Col. A.K. Gahlot embarked on using hydroponics
technology for developing planting material from seeds of sewan.
The Vice Chancellor
said that hydroponics technique was focused on cultivation of plants without
soil, using water as a medium to supply all the requisite nutrients. In the
hydroponics machine, crops can be grown in controlled environmental conditions
with a temperature range of 15-320C and a relative humidity of 80-85
percent. Controlled light is let in through suitably glazed windows. Crop is
grown in multilayer shelves and planting material is ready in 7-8 day
continuous cycle.
Principal Investigator,
LFRMTC, Prof. R.K. Dhuria said that major problem with sewan seed was that it
could not be sown by seed drill and plough due to its very less weight. When
broadcasted in conventional cultivation, most of the sewan seed do not
germinate as they are picked up by ants, rats, birds and termites. Further,
these seeds have less reserve nutrient in their endosperms which also inhibit
their proper germination. Prof. Dhuria said that alternative technology of
making pellets in cow dung and broadcasting in the field after rain or just
before rain required protection of seeds from wind in the early stages of
establishment. He said that taking a clue from the use of hydroponics
technology in preparing planting material for rice crop, scientists of LFRMTC
engaged in developing planting material from seeds of sewan grass.
Sewan, popularly known
as the king grass of desert has high protein content of 7-11 percent. This grass
is relished by ruminants like buffalo, sheep, goat and camel but has not
withstood heavy grazing and eventually degraded.
The Vice Chancellor
said that Minister for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Shri Prabhulal Saini
appreciated the efforts made by RAJUVAS in development of this breakthrough
technology. The minister said that the technology could prove to be a viable
tool to give boost to the ambitious pasture development programme of the state
leading to better availability of monsoon herbage for precious livestock of the
state. The minister said that as Rajasthan became the first state to achieve
this success, RAJUVAS should further refine this technology by the next rainy
season so that it could be applied in larger areas of the north-western
Rajasthan. Shri Saini assured that funds would not be a constraint in this
regard.
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