ICAR-SBI introduces Mechanised Plant Material priming to increase production

ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore, a research Institute of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has developed  the Sett Treatment Device using vacuum infiltration technology for mechanised treatment of seed canes called setts which can help prevent transmision of pathogen infection from stalk to the main field.
The demonstration was conducted in the farm of Mr Punithan, an enterprising farmer in village of Thondamuthur block, Coimbatore district, a place known for turnmeric cultivation . This approach of mechanically priming planting material using this mobile unit is economical and environment friendly in terms of chemical usage as it requires less quantity of chemical/ input with repeated use, rapid and less cumbersome and amenable for large scale application under farmer’s field conditions.

According to Dr. P. Malathi, Principal Scientist (Plant Pathology) of the Institute, the device which was developed basically for sugarcane can also be used for tapioca, banana, ginger, turmeric, onion, garlic, potato and many other vegetatively propagated crops that are widely grown in Tamil Nadu. It  will be of commercial importance to produce efficiently primed planting material for producing healthy disease-free main crops to increase the productivity said Dr. T. Rajula Shanthy, Principal Scientist and Head, Extension of the Institute.