BARC using nuclear technology for agriculture

NAGPUR: The nuclear technology is making valuable contribution to the agriculture in India, a scientist from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre said here.

Sanjay J Jambhulkar, a senior BARC scientist, said that BARC has a separate department for nuclear agriculture and bio technology including the food technology.

This technology -- specifically called mutation breeding -- plays a crucial role in the development of varieties of oils seeds and pulses, he said.

As of date, BARC has developed 41 new varieties of pulses and oil seeds, he added.

These varieties have no side-effects, he added. After the development, the variety is handed over to the state agriculture universities or the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Jambhulkar said.

Universities, ICAR test these seeds for three years before introducing them in the market.

BARC recently developed a groundnut variety TAG-24, he said.