What is PUSA-44?

About PUSA-44:

• It is a paddy variety which was developed in 1993 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• By the end of 2010s, it had gained widespread popularity among farmers across the Punjab, covering approximately 70 to 80% of the area under paddy cultivation.
• Farmers claim that PUSA-44 yields nearly 85 to 100 mann (34 to 40 quintals) per acre, while other varieties’ yield average is 28 to 30 quintals per acre.
• Concerns
  • It is a long-duration variety, taking around 160 days to mature.
  • This is around 35 to 40 days more than other varieties, requiring 5-6 extra cycles of irrigation.
  • With Punjab facing severe groundwater depletion and the availability of short-duration paddy varieties, the government aims to conserve one month of irrigation water by banning the variety.
  • Moreover, this variety is also known to exacerbate the long-running issue of stubble burning in the state.
  • This variety generates around 2 per cent more stubble than short varieties, which becomes a significant concern when cultivated on a large scale.

Key facts about the ICAR

• It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Government of India.
• It was formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research.
• It was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.
• The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.
• With 113 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.