Karnal: The Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI) at the Regional Research Centre in Karnal has developed a new sugarcane variety that is expected to bring higher returns to farmers in northwestern India, reported ETV Bharat.
The variety, named Karna-18 (CO-18022), has been developed to suit changing weather conditions and is tolerant to both salinity and drought. It is also resistant to red rot disease and less prone to damage from top borer pests, which are major causes of crop loss for sugarcane farmers.
Senior Scientist at SBI, Dr M.R. Meena, said the new variety is expected to benefit sugarcane farmers across the country, especially in the northwest region where sugarcane cultivation is widespread. He said Karna-18 is suitable for farmers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttarakhand and is likely to improve farm incomes on a large scale.
He said one of the key features of the variety is its ability to perform well under different climate conditions, with minimal impact from weather changes. Its tolerance to salinity and drought is expected to help farmers achieve better yields even under difficult growing conditions.
Dr Meena said the variety is resistant to major sugarcane diseases and pests, particularly red rot and top borer, which often lead to heavy losses and reduced production.
He said Karna-18 is expected to replace the existing CO-05011 variety and will also give good yields in ratoon crops. The average yield of the new variety is estimated at 986 quintals per hectare, with sugar recovery at mills expected to be around 11 per cent.
Dr Meena said Karna-18 offers farmers a strong alternative with higher yields and better returns and is expected to play an important role in improving sugarcane farming in the coming years.
The new sugarcane variety was recently released by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with 183 varieties of other crops. It has also been officially approved by the Central Varietal Release Committee.
