Genetic Enhancement of Rice for Alkalinity-Affected Area of Central Uttar Pradesh, India

Uttar Pradesh is a significant contributor of food security of the nation. The rice-wheat cropping system is a major production system of the state. About 28% of India’s wheat and 12% of rice is produced by the state. It is blessed with the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains. The problem of salt affected soils in the state was earliest observed in1876 by Mr. David Robarts, a landlord of Sikandara Rao. The central part of Uttar Pradesh of Ganga-Yamuna Doab is severely affected by alkalinity which reflected high pH, EC, ESP and preponderance of sodium bicarbonate and carbonate. Rice is one of the most important crops of Uttar Pradesh on which research work was initiated in 1924 at Kanpur and onward more rice research station established at Nagina where famous variety Nagina 22 developed, Basti, Gorakhpur, Panchperwa, Tissuhin, Surha Tal to address the problems of rice in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Ghaghraghat research station was established in 1959 to tackle the problems of deep water rice in flood affected area of the eastern Uttar Pradesh developed number of famous varieties for deep water. Kanpur centre was reoriented in 1971–1972 to develop rice variety & technology (s) for saline—alkaline soil of the state. Salt tolerance research work was more focused on alkalinity tolerant rice with the assistance of STRASA project operated since 2013. Famous rice varieties viz., N22, Chakiya 59, Sudha, Majhera3, Jalmgna, Madhukar, Uasar 1, Ashwani for various ecosystems were developed and some of which are being used as transgression work. The technology for reclamation of alkali soils like application of RSC water passing through 15 cm phospho-gypsum bed for soil properties and improving productivity of paddy and wheat crop; gypsum for reclamation of sodic soil @ 50% G.R replaced with 25 % G.R. if supplemented with press mud @ 5 t ha−1; Standardized Resource Conservation Technologies for alkali soils and Identified suitable tree species for alkali land plantations. Efforts are being made to developed inbuilt salt stress tolerant varieties, suitable production technology to enhance production, productivity and profitability of farmers of Uttar Pradesh.