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Advisory / BIOTECHNOLOGY

Agricultural productivity and nuclear techniques

World wheat production has increased from 249 million tonnes in 1960 to 586.7 million tonnes in 2000. Pakistan has also made a quantum jump from 3.6 million tonnes to 21.8 million tonnes in this period.

This has been achieved by bringing more area under wheat and by adopting improved varieties with better technology. The increasing global population will continue to demand more wheat grains.

Horizontal increase by bringing more area under wheat seems to be limited and the option left is through the vertical increase, i.e. by enhancing productivity per unit area.

High yielding varieties with appropriate inputs of agronomy have significant role in this regard.

Both, federal and provincial research organizations, are involved in the evolution of new crop varieties and improvement of production technology.

The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) which has a multi-disciplinary research and development programme has established four agricultural research institutes namely

i) the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam;

ii) the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad;

iii) the Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Tarnab, Peshawar and

iv) the National Institute for Bio- technology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad.

The NIA, formerly known as the Atomic Energy Agricultural Research Centre, (AEARC), works in four disciplines: plant genetics, plant physiology, entomology and soil science.

The evolution of new crop varieties of important crops such as wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, mungbean, lentil, rapeseed, mustard and sesame is the major activity of Plant Genetics Division. This is being done using nuclear techniques in addition to conventional breeding.

Wheat breeding at NIAB is being vigorously pursued to evolve good quality, high yielding varieties with wide adaptation and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.

The strenuous efforts of the experts have resulted in the evolution and release of 5 improved varieties of wheat: jauhar-78, Sind-81, sarsabz, soghat- 90 and kiran-95 possessing high yield, better quality and other desired agronomic traits, in space and time.

Wheat variety, jauhar-78, released in 1979 was a high yielding amber grain and shattering resistant evolved through fast neutrons. With appropriate inputs, farmers harvested upto 6000 kg/ha.

It remained under cultivation almost for a decade in the province of Sindh. The other high yielding and leaf rust resistant variety evolved by the institute using conventional methods was Sind 81, high yielding varieties.

There is no end to innovations. Recent developments in science and technology will bring new advances in crop production.

Enhancement of agricultural productivity will get more emphasis in developing countries where resources are shrinking and population is increasing. Our scientists have great enthusiasm and potential to meet these challenges, but they need recognition, resources and encouragement.