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Pusa Arhar 16 - the game changer short duration variety of pigeon pea

India is the largest producer and  consumer of pulses . But its domestic production is  less than the required quantity to feed the population.This shortfall is made up by imports.

Estimated domestic demand in India  is normally around 23-25 million tones.

Due to the deficient in monsoon rains ,  production of pulses  fell to 16.47 million tons in the 2015-16 crop year from 17.2 million tons in the previous year – 2014-15.

‘Pigeonpea/Arhar/Tur’ accounts for about 15 percent of the total pulses production.

A breakthrough has been achieved in this field - by   developing a new “short duration variety of Arhar Dal” by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and is expected to be a game changer.

Named "PUSA - Arhar 16" , this short duration Arhar variety has the following characters :

  • Matures in just around 120 days (Traditional -160-180days)
  • No compromise on yield (20Q/ha)
  • Dwarf variety - 1m long (Traditional - more height)
  • Semi erect -compact plant type
  • Spacing of only 30*10 cm (Traditional - 75 cm * 30cm) -High density planting suitable
  • Synchronous maturity with podding only at top  - Suitable for harvesting with combine
This new Arhar variety is expected to help bridge the demand supply bridge in Pulses.

2016- International year of Pulses by UN

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