Annamalai University to evaluate submergence-tolerance of paddy

CUDDALORE: 

          The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Manila, the Philippines, has assigned the task of evaluating submergence-tolerant paddy varieties in Tamil Nadu to the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University.

             Rm.Kathiresan, head and professor, Department of Agronomy, told The Hindu that the existing paddy varieties would withstand partial submergence only for a limited period and would perish soon if submerged fully. In the recent years, in the delta districts, the food basket of Tamil Nadu, submergence of standing paddy crops for over a week had become a common phenomenon. If the problem was not tackled in a scientific and consistent manner, it might endanger food security and seriously threaten the livelihood of lakhs of farmers and farm labourers.

          Mr. Kathiresan said that the IRRI, through the project called “Stress-tolerant rice for Africa and South Asia (STRASA)” funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S., had isolated the submergence tolerant gene and introduced it in paddy varieties such as IR-74, Swarna, Samba Mashuri and CR-1009, all with the suffix ‘sub-1.'

              Various agricultural research institutions were evaluating these varieties elsewhere in India and in Tamil Nadu the task had been assigned to Annamalai University. Mr. Kathiresan further said that his department had already been implementing the World Bank-Indian Council of Agricultural Research-funded National Agricultural Innovation Project for livelihood enhancement of 2,400 farming households in the disadvantaged districts of Tamil Nadu.

                  On the strength of the latter project, the IRRI had given the responsibility of evaluating the new varieties to the department. The evaluation process for these new cultivars had already started. Mr. Kathiresan observed that the Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology had involved the Agronomy Department as a partner in a network mode in collaboration with the IRRI to speed up the process of evolving many more flood and saline-tolerant paddy varieties. He hoped that the new varieties would come as a boon to the delta farmers to mitigate the crop losses on account of floods.

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Assessment work inspected

CUDDALORE: 

           Collector P. Seetharaman and District Revenue Officer S. Natarajan on Sunday supervised the assessment of damage to crops and houses caused by the recent floods. The assessment is being carried out by official teams. Mr. Seetharaman went to places such as Thirunaraiyur, Kattumannarkoil and Kurinjipadi, and, Mr Natarajan visited Killai and Bhuvanagiri.

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Paddy crop on 25,000 acres under water

CUDDALORE:

           According to a preliminary estimate, standing paddy crop on about 25,000 acres in Cuddalore district has been submerged.

             A large tract of farm lands alongside the Velliangal Odai – a stormwater outlet from the Veeranam tank – and the Paravanar are among the worst affected. V. Kannan of Kollidam-Keelanai Paasana Vivasayigal Sangam told The Hindu that the heavy discharge of about 5,000 cusecs through the Velliangal Odai from the Veeranam tank had submerged standing crops in 40 villages along its course such as Veeranatham, Edayar, Pillaiyarthangal, Siragilandanallur and Thirunaraiyur.

         The fragile Meensurutti bridge on Kattumannarkoil-Tiruchi road was washed away by floods, cutting off villages from the Kattumannarkoil block. The bridge was more of a make-shift structure, consisting of cement pipes and soil, which could hardly withstand floods, Mr. Kannan said.

             K. Vijayakumar of Sethiathope Anicut Paasana Vivasayigal Sangam said crops on at least 6,000 acres in the ayacut area of the dam were under water.

          The affected villages include Mela Manakudi, Keezha Manakudi, Peria Kumutti, Chinna Kumutti, Poovalai, Alamelumangapuram, Sathyanallur and Kothattai. The villages were situated alongside the course of the Paravanar, which was carrying rainwater from vast catchments areas spread over places such as Perambalur, Ariyalur, Namakkal, Salem and Cuddalore, besides water baled out from the NLC mines at Neyveli.

           Since the crops in the Sethiathope anicut ayacut areas were hardly two weeks old, they were highly prone to pest attacks. In some of the areas such as Velangipattu, transplantation was yet to be completed. Mr. Vijayakumar also said that fertilizers applied to crops were fully washed away. District Revenue Officer S. Natarajan told The Hindu that about 50 houses in Boothangudi and Kalgunam areas were water-logged. The Veeranam tank was getting an inflow of 6,000 cusecs and the same quantity was being discharged through Velliangal Odai (5,000 cusecs) and Veeranam New Supply System (1,000 cusecs).

The water level in the tank was being maintained at 45.5 ft against its full height of 47.5 ft. Officials were keeping a round-the-clock vigil on all water sources.

Rainfall

Rainfall in Cuddalore district was recorded as follows: 

Vriddhachalam – 235 mm, 

Vanamadevi – 233.40 mm, 

Kuppanatham – 224.70 mm, 

Kothavacheri – 224 mm,

Lalpet – 222 mm, 

Sethiathope – 217 mm, 

Kattumannarkoil – 210 mm, 

Tholudur – 205 mm, 

Bhuvanagiri – 204 mm, 

Cuddalore – 203.8 mm, 

Chidamabaram – 202 mm, 

Annamalai Nagar – 189 mm, 

Parangipettai – 185 mm,

Panruti – 159.60 mm, 

Sri Mushnam – 145 mm and

Vepur – 90 mm.

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