High-yield seed named after Amta girl to boost oil output
Times of India | 8 December 2024
123 Kolkata: Tanjila, a high-yield sesame seed named after a girl from Amta, is set to boost nationwide oil production levels. The discovery by the researchers of the agricultural science department of Calcutta University has been recognised by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare.
Tamina Begum, scientist and developer of this variety, said all the qualities of this new variety will maximise returns to the farmers and make sesame cultivation more economical and profitable. Commercial cultivation of this new variety will help overcome the problem of shortage of edible oils and thereby reduce the demand-supply gap of edible oilseeds production in the country.
Tamina said she was given the option to name the new variety, which she named after her younger sister as she made a significant contribution to its success. "Tanjila is my sister who is not a part of the project but made a great contribution, especially during Covid when farmers were not available in the field to collect samples. She became a constant support of the research programme. When I was given the opportunity to name this new variety, I proposed her name. The new variety will be known as Tanjila (CUMS-09A) forever."
Developed at the University of Calcutta's Institute of Agricultural Science, Tanjila (CUMS-09A) is a high-yielding sesame variety created through gamma irradiation mutation breeding. It offers exceptional seed yield (up to 1.9 t/ha) and oil content (52%).
CU interim VC Santa Datta said, "This is a matter of pride for our university. The institution consistently supports its researchers in their endeavours to create innovations that benefit humanity."
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare posted on X handle that this climate-resilient and bio-fortified variety has been recommended for more than 10 states, including Bengal. Ashim Kr Dolai of Institute of Agricultural Science said, "A good number of such promising outstanding lines are already in the pipeline, which are ready for testing in multi-location evaluation trials at the national level."
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.