India: PAU launches new vegetable varieties

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) said it has released new varieties of vegetables for commercial cultivation in the Punjab.Four varieties of tomato and one variety each of chilli, broccoli, radish, brinjal and garlic have been approved for general cultivation during the meeting of State Variety Approval Committee for Vegetable and Floriculture, held under the Chairmanship of Dr Gurkanwal Singh, Director of Horticulture, Punjab.

Among the new varieties, the chilli variety will be medium long (6.7 cm), thin skinned, light green when immature and deep red when mature. The hybrid is resistant to leaf curl virus, fruit rot and root knot nematodes, and tolerant to sucking pests such as thrip and mite, said an official release.Punjab 'Varkha Bahar' of tomato is a determinate variety with green and dense foliage. It is suitable for cultivation in rainy/autumn season and is resistant to leaf curl virus while its average yield is 245q/acre.The plants of the tomato variety Punjab 'Gaurav' are indeterminate in growth habit. Its first picking is possible 120 days after transplanting and it gives early an yield of 247 and it is suitable for protected cultivation under polynet houses.

Source: business-standard.com