RNR 15048, a fine grained blast resistant paddy variety, christened ‘Telangana Sona’, is fast gaining popularity among farmers in Khammam division with many farmers evincing keen interest to embrace the new rice culture. RNR 15048 has gained ready acceptance after its release last year because of its unique grain size, short slender shape, high grain yield potential, high head rice recovery, good cooking quality and above all robust blast resistance characteristics.
One of the striking qualities of this paddy variety is that it can be raised in both kharif and rabi seasons in a short duration of about 125 days.
Hyderabad-based professor of Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) has developed the new rice variety two years ago to enable the farmers overcome recurring problems associated with delay in monsoon and deficiency in rainfall, besides reaping good harvest with low investment, sources said. Its low Glycemic Index (GI) of 51.5 percentage compared to the popular BPT 5204 rice variety (GI of 56.5) has made it a preferred choice for health conscious consumers, particularly diabetic patients. Many farmers in Nelakondapalli, Chintakani, Mudigonda and several other mandals in the district have raised Telangana Sona (RNR 15048) in over 1,500 acres in the rabi season, says Dr. J. Hemantha Kumar, Programme Coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Wyra.
Prompted by their success in cultivation of the new rice variety, more farmers are showing interest to take up cultivation of ‘Telangana Sona’.
We are recommending ‘Telangana Sona’ in place of BPT 5204 due to its suitability for late planting conditions in kharif and potential to reap good yield with low expenditure in both crop seasons, he notes.
I have raised ‘Telangana Sona’ in 6.5 acres in rabi season, which gave a good yield of nearly 250 bags of fine quality of short slender grain, says M. Venkateswara Rao, a paddy grower of Chennaram in Nelakondapalli mandal.
It is highly palatable and suits health conscious consumers, he remarks, adding that the new variety has proved its efficacy in harsh weather conditions, he emphasises.
The government should supply seed of Telangana Sona to the small and marginal farmers, especially in tribal areas, and encourage them to cultivate the high yielding and blast resistance new rice variety and overcome agrarian crisis, suggests Balram, a tribal farmer of Chandrugonda.
