PAU Wheat Variety PBW 550 Becomes Popular In Bihar, West Bengal And Eastern U.P

Ludhiana, May 29, 2015: The wheat variety PBW 550 of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has evoked excellent response and has gained national acceptability among the farmers of Bihar, West Bengal and Easter Uttar Pradesh under the PAU-ITC (Indian Tobacco Company) agreement. According to Mr J.P. Tandon, ITC, since the inception of this pact in Rabi 2012-13, many PAU varieties and technologies have been tested under Choupal Pradarshan Khet (CPK) programme of ITC. Performance of most of the varieties has been outstanding, he added. PBW 550 has grain quality acceptable to food division of ITC and keeping in view the farmers acceptance of this variety, ITC has made special efforts to increase the spread rate of this variety among cultivators of the eastern zone, he informed. During 2014-15, ITC has arranged seed to cover nearly 15,000 acres in Bihar (Munger, Bhagalkot, Lakhisarai and Begusarai region); 1000 acres in Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad, Chandoli and Gazipur region); and 200 acres in West Bengal (Murshidabad region) where ITC has programme to procure wheat from farmers, he said.

Mr Tandon said the joint efforts will make this variety tremendously popular among farmers in other regions.

Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU said it is highly creditable and encouraging for PAU to see its crop varieties becoming popular in other states.