HD-3385 [New Wheat Variety developed by ICAR]

ICAR scientists have developed a new climate-smart variety of wheat, amenable to early sowing and escaping the impact of temperature spikes in March. This new variety is named HD-3385. This is an important development as far as the agricultural landscape of the country is concerned and is hence a vital topic for the IAS exam.

Wheat developed by ICAR

• The development of heat-tolerant wheat by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is a significant achievement in the field of agriculture. 
• This new variety of wheat has been specifically designed to withstand the high temperatures that are prevalent in many parts of India.
• In addition, wheat and atta (flour) inventories in government godowns recently reached their lowest levels (at 154.44 lakh tonnes) in six years, but grain inflation spiked to a record 16.12% year-on-year in January ’23.
• The Union Agriculture Ministry declared that a committee had been established to keep an eye on the situation resulting from the rise in temperatures and its effects on the present wheat harvest.

Reason for Uncertainty Regarding Wheat Crops in India:

• In 2022, a jump in March temperatures coincided with the grains’ starch and protein accumulation, which caused a major decline in both production and government purchases of wheat.
• With both maximum and minimum temperatures already 3-5 degrees Celsius over average in several wheat-growing regions, there are worries that the same thing may happen again this time, in 2023.
• The early summer and lack of spring break have made it more likely that India’s wheat crop would experience terminal heat stress during the last phases of grain production and filling.

Way out to Beat the Heat:

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recommended moving up planting time.
• Following the harvest of paddy, cotton, and soyabean, wheat is normally a 140-145 day crop sown primarily in November in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and MP as well as in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (after sugarcane and paddy).
• If planting can be postponed and started around October 20, the crop won’t be subjected to extreme heat.

Conclusion 

This new variety of wheat is expected to have a significant impact on Indian agriculture, with the potential to improve food security, reduce poverty, and increase the incomes of farmers. The ICAR is continuing to work on developing new crop varieties that can withstand climate change, and this achievement demonstrates the importance of investing in agricultural research and development.