Kempu Rudrakshi, a jackfruit variety of Shivamogga, has been registered under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority.
| Photo Credit: special arrangement
Four varieties of jackfruit grown in parts of Sagar and Hosanagar taluks of Shivamogga district in Karnataka have made it to the list of fruit varieties registered by the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPFRA), a statutory body.
The registration recognises the unique and distinct traits of the variety and protects it, besides ensuring financial benefits to growers.
The scientists of Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences in Shivamogga proposed these varieties after a thorough study of their unique features. The PPFRA issued the certificate of registration on March 20.
Four jackfruit varieties, including Orange RPN (in the pic), of Shivamogga have been registered under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority.
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Ananthamurthy Javali of Baruve village near Ripponpet in Hosanagar taluk got the certificate for the Haladi Rudrakshi variety grown on his farm. Trees in heavy rainfall areas start bearing fruit six years after planting. They bear small-size fruits in clusters. The ripe fruit flakes look bright yellow, and 20 flakes weigh one kilo. A tree can bear up to 300 fruits a year. Experts estimate the yield per acre at 180 quintals.
Prakash Nayak of Anandapura in Sagar taluk got certification for the orange-RPN variety. The trees start bearing fruit after four years of planting. Fruits are generally bigger in size compared to other varieties, and each weighs around 15 kilos. Around 12 flakes account for one kilo. Each tree can bear 25–35 fruits in a year, and the yield per acre is 250 quintals.
Orange RPN, a variety of jackfruit of Shivamogga
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special arrangement
S. Devaraj of Varakodu in Hosanagar taluk registered the Kempu Rudrakshi variety with the authority. The tree bears small-size fruits in clusters. Each fruit weighs around 3 kilo. Ripe fruit flakes are red in colour, and 15–16 flakes account for one kilo. A tree can bear up to 125 fruits a year, and the yield per acre is around 120 quintal.
Rajendra T. of Mankalale in Sagar got the registration for the red RTB variety. The fruits of this variety weigh 10 to 15 kilograms. Fruit flakes are red in colour. A tree bears up 75 fruits a year, resulting in a yield of 200 quintal per acre.
Purpose of registration is protection of distinct varieties of fruits
On June 14, Dr. Sushyanth Kumar, Director of Research of the university, informed reporters in Shivamogga that varieties were found by scientists of the varsity and proposed certification. “The protection of distinct varieties of fruits is the motto of the registration. It involves cataloguing, documentation, and conservation. The efforts of our scientists yielded results in the form of registration. The university congratulates the farmers who got the registration. The university will take up activities to popularise these varieties and their cultivation in the future,” he said.
Dr. A.K. Singh, Plant Variety Examiner at the authority’s branch office in south India located in Shivamogga, said that protection of distinct varieties is the objective of PPFRA that works under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. “The protection of varieties and conserving them would benefit farmers too. If protected varieties are taken up for commercial production, the certificate holder farmers will get financial benefits. And, if the growers of protected varieties face any loss, they deserve compensation as per the Act,” he said.
Red-RTB , a variety of jackfruit of Shivamogga
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Dr. Nagarajappa Adiveppar, scientist and head of the Areca Research Centre at the university, identified these four varieties during field visits and proposed registration. “The process is quite lengthy. We have to prepare the proposal by analysing all the characteristics of the variety, including fruit size, flake size, weight, taste, colour, tree size, and fruit-bearing pattern, among others. We analyse the varieties technically in the laboratory as well. Later, the authority will send a team of experts to verify the claims. The certificate is issued after inviting objections, if any,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Adiveppar said, the university got certificates for farmers growing distinct varieties of paddy. For the first time, fruit varieties were proposed. “This will encourage more farmers to protect distinct varieties of fruits,” he said.
Kempu Rudrakshi, a jackfruit variety of Shivamogga
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
Haladi Rudrakshi, a jackfruit variety of Shivamogga
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement
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