Question : AGRICULTURE RESEARCH PROJECT



(a) whether any Agriculture Research Projects have been launched in the country with U.S.A. assistance;

(b) if so, the details thereof particularly in Maharashtra, State-wise; and

(c) the details of progress made under the said projects?

Answer given by the minister

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE DR. DEBENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) & (c): The details are given in Anexe.

Annexe-I

Sl. Name of the	Loction	Total	Duration Progress
No. Project	Cost	of the	(Rs in	Project	lakh) 
1. Natural Enemies CPRI, 60.10 5 years The Project is in operation of Besmisia tabaci Thiruva from at Central Tuber Crops Genn. And their pot- nantapuram, 1.6.98 Research Institute. Thiruva ential as biocontrol Kerala to nanthapuram (Kerala). components of Inte- 31.5.2003 The survey was undertaken grated Pest Management in the Whitefly infested (IPM) areas of Kerala, Tamil Nadu Maharashtra to collect the parasites of this pest from cassava, sweet potato, cotton and vegeables. Encarsia transvena was found to be potential parasite of whitefly and tested under nethouse conditions. Fecundity of whitefly was found highest on tobacco in comparison to other crops. The whitefly which were maintained on cassava were used for comparative biological studies and it showed that they could successfully complete their development on cassava, eggplant and tobacco but not on sweet potato and cotton.
2. Regeneration of Agri- NBPGR, 63.96 October Efforts have been made to biodiversity compri- New 1998 To collect and maintain a sing of Agri-horti- Delhi Sept. number of accession in cultural crops, their 2002 different crops (Rice:3148 wild and weedy relatives Taro 475; Greater Yam: 181 and other economically Okra: 869; Banana: 150 useful plants of South clones; Jackfruit: 67; India. Horse Gram: 973; Sesamum spp; 72). These accessions are also being characterised. Certain infra-structure facilities are also being created for recording the data and maintenance of the accesssions.
3. Use of in-vitro NBPGR, 66.62 October Established 70 accessions technology for mass New 1998 of pepper and 170 access- propagation and con- Delhi To Sept ions of cassava in the servation of clonally/ ember nursery as mother plants vegetatively propagated 2002 for obtaining explants crops and their relatives. For in vitro culture and conservation. Initiated the tissue culture work in the three mandatory crops in this project viz., Cassava, black pepper and ginger.
4. Molecular tagging and PAU, 34.03 October Derivatives of wide crosses precise transfer of Ludhiana 1998 involving wheat and C.M and rust and Karnal bunt to U genome Aegilopes spp and resistance from non Sept- their amphiploid were deve- progenitor Aegilopes ember loped and screened for dis- species into cultivated ease resistance. Two deri- wheats. Vatives carrying novel resistance to leaf rust from Aegilopes triuncialis have been identified.