WORLD COLLECTION OF SUGARCANE AT KANNUR INSTITUTE
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| Sugarcane research institute, John Mill Road, Puzhathi Panchayat, Kannur |
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Unknown
to many, there exists in Kannur, a research institute that is the
custodian of a world collection of sugarcane germplasm.
Although the area under sugarcane cultivation in Kerala would be
miniscule, the 20-acre institute, situated at John Mill Road, Puzhathi
Panchayat, Kannur, has the largest collection of ‘saccharam’
variety in the world.
Since
1969 the institute is working under Indian Council for Agricultural
Research. It has a collection
of 3340 varies of sugarcane, of which 1020 are Indian and 585 foreign.
‘Saccharam’ variety has 764 specimens.
Every
year, the institute produces new varieties.
In a sense the lack of sugarcane cultivation in the neighbourhood
is a blessing in disguise. That way, there is less chance of pests infecting the
collection. The foreign
clones are accepted after rigorous check to ensure they are pest-free and
healthy.
The
varieties produced here are exchanged with other research institutes, both
in India and outside.
In
the idyllic atmosphere of the institute, work goes on without any
hullabaloo – almost like the sugarcane spreading its leaves.
There are totally 25 staff in the institute, including Dr.
A.N.Premachandran, scientist-in-charge.
Courtesy: T.N.Jayachandran, Karshakashree, June 2001
Contributed by: Administrator
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