Pantvarsity’s Forage Research Programme receives ICAR’s Best Centre Award

my uttarakhand news Bureau
Pantnagar, 28 May: The ‘AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilisation’ Centre of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, has been honoured with the “Best Centre Award” by ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi, during the National Group Meeting (Kharif) held at Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya.
The award was presented to the forage research team by the Deputy Director General (Crop Science), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr DK Yadav in the presence of Assistant Director General (Food and Fodder Crops), ICAR, Dr SK Pradhan, Director, ICAR-IGFRI, Jhansi, Dr Pankaj Kaushal, and other distinguished guests.
The All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops and Utilisation has been operational at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, since 1995. The objective of the project is to strengthen forage crop research and promote the dissemination of improved technologies. The fodder situation in Uttarakhand still remains critical with a deficiency of 46.75 percent in green fodder availability and 20.59 percent in dry fodder availability. In such a scenario, Pantnagar University has achieved remarkable milestones in forage crop improvement and technology development.
So far, the university has developed a total of 19 forage crop varieties, including 12 varieties of forage cowpea, 4 varieties of forage oat, 1 variety of berseem, and 2 varieties of forage maize. During the last two years, scientists have developed two new varieties of forage maize, one new variety of forage cowpea, and one new variety of forage oat.
Scientists associated with the project have also published 28 research papers related to forage research during the last two years. In addition, the Pantnagar Centre has developed two important production technologies, including cutting and nitrogen management in forage oat and cutting management technology for higher seed production in berseem. During the current workshop organised at Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, the Pantnagar Centre presented two identification proposals, one related to forage cowpea and the other to forage maize. The Centre also received special appreciation for successfully conducting 100 percent of the AICRP trials allotted to it.
One of the university’s major achievements includes the development and release of the inter-specific forage maize hybrid DFH-2, which has been officially notified by the Central Variety Release Committee and included in the seed chain. DFH-2 is considered the world’s first inter-specific forage maize hybrid developed by Pantnagar University. The development of DFH-2 has emerged as a significant technological breakthrough not only for India but also for other countries, as it will help enhance green and dry fodder production, livestock development, and nutritional security. This achievement is regarded as a milestone in the history of forage maize improvement at Pantnagar University.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Shivendra Kumar Kashyap congratulated the scientists of the forage research team, namely Professor Dr Birendra Prasad and Dr Narendra Kumar Singh from the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Assistant Professor Dr Kranti Kumar from the Department of Agronomy, describing the achievement as another important milestone towards the university’s academic excellence. The award symbolises Pantnagar University’s research capability, innovation, and dedication towards agricultural development.