Read the original article in United News of India
A newly developed sorghum hybrid using ICRISAT breeding material was recently given special recognition as the outstanding Forage Hybrid 2019 for revolutionizing forage sorghum production in India.
This is significant considering that currently India – the world’s leading milk-producing country – has a major devicit of 35% for green fodder. Known for its excellent yield and quality traits, the sorghum hybrid CSH 24 MF is not only widely adopted by farmers across the country, but also used as the national check – the gold standard against which other cultivars are tested – in National level tests for other forage sorghum hybrids.
This ‘multi-cut’ (affording several cuttings over its lifetime) forage hybrid CSH 24 MF was developed by GB Pant university of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUA&T), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, using its Pant Chari-6 as the male parent, and ICRISAT-bred ICSA 467 as the female parent.
The demand for this hybrid is so high that the ICAR – Indian Institute of MIllet Research grants licences to 10 – 12 seed companies each year to produce the seeds.
