PASIGHAT, 17 Nov: The College of Horticulture and Forestry, CAU (Imphal), Pasighat organized a one-day awareness programme on scientific production technology of Job’s tear (Coix lacryma-jobi) on 16 November at ATIC- KVK, East Siang.
Thirty-five trainee farmers of nearby villages of Pasighat attended the programme sponsored by All India Coordinated Research Network on Potential Crop (AICRN-PC) under Tribal Sub Plan (TSP).
Besides distributing seeds, leaflets were released on the two potential crops- Job’s Tear and Buckwheat, which are nutrient rich crops for hill farmers.
Job’s Tear is a pseudo-cereal known as ‘tanyak’ by the locals in the Siang belt.
PI and Co-chairman, AICRN-PC Prof P Debnath stressed on the superiority of tanyak to major cereal crops, such as rice, wheat and maize in terms of nutrients and nutraceutical properties. The crop is also known to have the ability to withstand biotic stress and drought.
Dean CHF, Pasighat Prof BN Hazarika reminded that the crop is found growing in wilderness near water sources and was once consumed by many communities as a source of food but has been abandoned after the popularization of other field crops, rendering it an underutilized crop.
“However, the crop is now categorized as a potential crop by researchers owing to its nutritive value and health benefits. In recent times, continuous attempts have been made to popularize it among the masses for its extensive cultivation,” he said.
Network Co-ordinator AICRN-Potential Crop, National Board of Plant Genetic Resource (NBPGR), New Delhi, Dr Hanumanlal Raigar highlighted the research achievements in releasing improved varieties of buckwheat.
Ojing Mengu, a progressive farmer of Mirsam village is cultivating buckwheat in more than 10 hectares of land. He encouraged fellow trainee farmers to take up scientific cultivation of both the crops to fetch higher returns with a small initial investment.
After the field visit to the trial farm of the project, Dr SK Pattanaiak also shared his views.
