Khalsa College ties up with PAU to Develop New Varieties of Berseem Seed

Amritsar, Dec. 12 (Punjab Post Bureau) – In a new initiative, the historic Khalsa College has tied up with the Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana to develop new variety of the Barseem, the primary fodder for the milch animals in the state during winter months. This is part of the education program of the College to rain the farmers to adopt dairy farming  and rearing mammals as a very useful profession through the nutritious food.

            Khalsa College Principal Dr. Mehal Singh said that a MoU has been signed between the College and the PAU . “Animal feed has a major contribution in promoting this profession of rearing the animals so the new varieties which are more nutritious and healthy would be developed.’’, said he adding that Berseem is cultivated on approximately 2.26 lakh hectares of land in Punjab for which it is a big challenge to make available disease free and a  good quality of  its seed.

            He said the total consumption of Berseem seed  is approximately 56,500 of quintals. “Punjab is able to produce only 15 to 20 per cent of the total requirement of Berseem. The remaining seed is imported from outside.  Sometimes, the farmers have to purchase this seed from private companies at hefty rates’’, said he adding that keeping in view this problem,  the initiative has been taken as per the guidelines of Rajidner Mohan Singh Chhina,  Honorary Secretary, Khalsa College Charitable Society, Amritsar and Dr. Baldev Singh, Vice-Chancellor, PAU.

            He said that as per the agreement between two institutions  good quality of Berseem seed will be produced in the agricultural farm of  Khalsa College and PAU both. These new varieties of Barseem seed will be available to farmers in the next year from the month of May-June, said Dr. Mehal Singh adding that the farmers of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts will not be now required to go to Ludhiana for collecting Berseem seed.  Dr. R.K. Gomber, Director Research and Dr. Tarsem Singh Dhillon, Director Seeds from PAU also helped the initiative to start.