Business Opportunities in Agriculture: 150 Field Interviews (Book)

Mr. M.K.Shankara Guru - Invents high yielding paddy variety

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Invents high yielding paddy variety


Bumper production and good taste are the two most important features a farmer looks in the crop at the time of sowing. These days if it is grown without using any chemical farming inputs then it is a boon for consumers. If all these important traits found in one paddy variety it is a bonus. Is such variety available? Answer is NMS-2 paddy.
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Mr. M.K. Shankar Guru

It is the invention of Mr. M.K. Shankar Guru, farmer with 50 years plus experience in paddy cultivation. Since 1992 he is engaged in collecting and conserving different varieties of seeds. Being fascinated with developing new seed varieties he finally developed NMS-2. He has been felicitated by the National Innovation Foundation-India, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for his invention of high-yielding paddy variety. He gives the walk through to his journey of developing NMS-2. Excerpts:


My farm spreads in 25 acre in Madarahalli village, T.Narasipura taluk, Mysore district, Karnataka. Initially it was a dry land farm and we used to grow ragi, jowar and pluses namely Bengal gram, green gram, black gram and tuar dal. However post 1985 Kabini river project came into being and we started irrigating our land hence started growing paddy, sugarcane and banana. Presently it is a mixed crop farm having diverse cultivation of pulses and grains along with cotton and coriander. In summer we cultivate sugarcane, ragi etc, paddy from June to December while from March to July, we grow cotyledons.
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As my family is engaged in farming for ages, it runs in my blood. Since the age of 16 years I am cultivating various crops in my field. Consequently I instantly observe the change in the crop growing pattern. One day when I was monitoring the growth of Salem Sanna and Jeerasanna or samba (scented rice) paddy varieties in the farm, I observed 4 plants different from these two paddy varieties. I marked these 4 different varieties by tying it with four different colored threads. After the harvest in December, I collected the seeds of all these four varieties and named as 1,2,3,4.


In Jun-July I developed nursery saplings with these 4 varieties. I cultivated all in four distinct places to note the changes in growth pattern. Every year post harvest seeds were preserved for the next season. I cultivated them all organically. It continued the process for seven years. The second variety of sapling continued to grow well and gave high yield while other three could not survive. It was different with respect to the robustness of stem and its tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. I was confident for its results hence approached the Agricultural Universities.


Then there was series of trails, tests and research conducted on this new variety. All the results were in my favour and finally it was named as NMS-2 after Narasipura (or Nirmala, my wife) Madarahalli Shankar.


NMS-2 is 130-135 days crop. In one acre 10-15 kg seeds are planted that yield 28-30 quintals. It is grown through organic farming practices. It is resistant to chemicals. The seeds are processed into rice or grown as seeds while its grass is used as cattle fodder. It is disease resistant variety having pure white colour. The size of seed is average-medium. After harvesting when it is processed into rice, the percentage of loss is comparatively less than other paddy variants. Seeds are sold at Rs. 3000-3500/quintal while the rice is sold at Rs. 2000/quintal.


In 2012 NMS-2 was formally recognized by Ahmadabad based National Innovation Foundation and received Plant Genome Saver Farmer Recognition in 2014. I shall be receiving the patent most probably by next year as it is in process. I am deeply satisfied of developing the seed variety that I dreamed about since childhood. I shall continue the preservation of seeds as it is my passion irrespective of being 70 years old now!


(As told to Mamatha S R)


Contact details:

Mr. M.K. Shankara Guru

Madarahalli Village, Kannehalli Anche, T Narasipura Taluk, Mysore District–571 124, Karnataka

Mobile: 09900658921
 

Business Opportunities in Agriculture: 150 Field Interviews (Book)

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