Kathmandu Post

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Study on multipurpose wheat crop in Jumla

JUMLA, DEC 29 - Nepali agro scientists are conducting a research on multipurpose wheat crop in Jumla. If succeeded, like that on sugarcane, wheat can be harvested several times (up to 4-5 years) once planted.
Ram Bahadur Bhujel, a scientist at the Agricultural Research Station, Jumla, said the research was being conducted simultaneously in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK, besides Jumla. “We have harvested wheat of this verity twice and the productivity has so far been good,” he said.
Amid decreasing interest of farmers in traditional crops like buckwheat and millet, among others, due to low yields, the research aims to encourage farmers to get back to these crops, said Bhujel, adding the major targeted areas are mountain and hilly regions. “Implementation of this crop will help address the ongoing food insecurity faced by a number of hill and mountain areas,” he said.
Currently, the Nepal Agricultural Research Council has recommended wheat verities like 1204, Annapurna 1 and Annapurna 4. The 1204 has a yield potential of 8,889kg/ha and maturity period of 169 days from seeding.
As Jumla has been announced as ‘organic district’, farmers here said they were facing shortage of compost and organic fertilisers which has been hitting production hard.
 
Posted on: 2012-12-30 08:50

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