The new hybrid variety of chilli SH-82 has come as a big relief to farmers who had suffered huge losses following the failure of monsoon in the past. The new variety, developed by the Dharwad-based Sarpan Agriculture and Horticulture Research Centre, has come to the rescue of several farmers in the taluk.
The new variety was cultivated on some 70 acres in Gudgeri in Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district and it has provided an average yield of 500 kg per acre.
According to N B Gaddagimath, Managing Director, Sarpan Hybrid Seeds Company Pvt Ltd, the SH-82 chilli variety is capable of a yield of up to 40 tonnes per acre in the irrigated regions, while it can yield up to 500 kg per acre in the rain-fed regions of Dharwad district.
While the fresh green chilli output could be in the region of 15-18 tonnes per acre, the red dry chilli production is normally in the range of 1.2 tonnes per acre, he claimed.
Local varieties fetched these farmers 100 kg per acre during monsoon cultivation. The SH-82 breed resembles the Byadagi species with medium hot and dark red colour. The variety released in 2003-2004 has been gaining popularity among farmers.
Other two newly developed varieties SH-12 and SH-92 too have similar high yields.
The Sarpan Agriculture and Horticulture Research Institute had organised demonstrations on the qualities of SH-82 at Dharwad, Belgaum, Haveri and Koppal districts. The centre has also introduced various time-saving and cost-saving techniques to develop high quality chilli saplings.
While the farmers were usually use one kilogramme of seeds per acre, the centre successfully grew saplings for one acre using just 50-60 gm of seeds.
