Sahyadri Megha

News:University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences(UAHS) has developed ‘Sahyadri Megha’,to prevent decline in the area under paddy cultivation.

Facts:

About:

• Sahyadri Megha is a new red variety of paddy that is resistant to blast disease and rich in nutrients.
• It was developed under the hybridization breeding method by cross-breeding ‘Jyothi’ variety with that of ‘Akkalu’, a native disease-resistant and protein-rich paddy variety.
• The new variety will also cater to the strong demand for red rice, rich in fibre and protein by health-savvy consumers in urban areas.

Additional information:

About Blast disease:

• Blast is a fungal disease caused due to Magnaporthe oryzae.The disease is also known as rotten neck or rice fever.
• It is reported from 80 rice-growing countries.First recorded in India during 1918.
• The disease infects paddy at all growth stages and all aerial parts of plant.The expected grain loss is around 70 to 80%.