The Provincial Seed Council in its 30th meeting held on 26 March 2013 approved and released two wheat varieties 'Benazir-2012' and 'Hammal' and one sugar cane variety 'Chandka' for general cultivation in Sindh. 'Benazir-2012' variety has given 24 percent higher yield than TD-I, 41 percent higher than Imdad-05 and 46 percent more yield than SKD-I with yield potential of 87 md/acre. Maturity period of this variety is 126 days.
On an average, weight of 1,000 grain is 42 grams and has good chapatti-making quality. Due to its short duration it can be grown in both late and early seasons. Benazir-2012 is found resistant against leaf rust. 'Hammal' has yield potential of 7,000 kgs/ha. (71 mds/acre). It is suitable for cultivation in areas with water shortage having average yield of 60 mds/acre. In dubari conditions it has average yield of 25 mds/acre. In the some growers fields 'Hammal' has given a yield of 50 mds/acre.
Its yielding ability is 17 percent higher than Mehran-89, 7.7 percent higher than Abadgar-93 and 13 percent higher than Imdad-05 varieties. It takes 130 days to mature. Sugar cane variety 'Chandka' has yield potential of 2,000 mds/acre with good sugar recovery of 10.61 percent. It is resistant to lodging and suitable for cultivation in all ecological zones of Sindh province. President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari applauded the efforts of Agriculture Research Sindh and stated that release of new high yielding varieties will enhance the production of wheat and sugar cane to a great extent in the country.
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