भारतीय गन्ना अनुसंधान संस्थान शुगरबीट ब्रीडिंग आउटपोस्ट, मुक्तेश्वर

Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow is the only institute working on sugarbeet since its introduction in India. Sugarbeet has been shown to be agriculturally feasible under Indian conditions. Being tolerant to salinity and frost, it can help to bring several hundred hectares of uncultivable land under cultivation. The crop also can help to extend the factory season and consequently promote employment. Available in the beginning of April, sugarbeet enables the factory to process both the raw materials-sugarcane and sugarbeet during their high efficiency periods. It provides the added advantage of a combined agricultural and manufacturing economy. It has the potential to yield comparable to sugarcane in half the time with water saving of 30-40%. For farmers, sugarbeet is important for three main reasons as a dependable cash crop; ameliorates salt affected soils with promoting soil fertility through sound farming practices and the by-products provide nutritious cattle feed during the hot months of the year when green fodder is not readily available.
The suitable varieties (LS-6 and IISR Comp-1 from IISR and others) have been identified and the production technology has been developed. Agro techniques for profitable cultivation of sugarbeet in tropical and sub tropical India have been developed. The mechanization of sowing and crop raising have been done. The ecological niches for the successful cultivation of the crop have been identified. The seed production technology in Indian condition with reduced period has been standardized. Full facility for evaluation of root crop for economic traits and screening for disease and pest incidence is available at Lucknow. Facilities for germplasm maintenance, breeding and seed production are available at Sugarbeet Breeding Outpost, Mukteswar Distt. Nainital (Uttarakhand). The efforts have been made to sensitize the stakeholders by way of national consultation, summer school and IISR- industry interface on R &D initiatives on sugarbeet. Sugarbeet R & D efforts are capable to impart training on germplasm maintenance, evaluation and utilization, seed production, root crop production, plant protection, mechanization in Indian agro climatic conditions.

Mission

• Enhancement of sugar and energy production through non conventional crops

Objectives

• Germplasm evaluation and utilization for adaptation to Indian agro climate
• Development of indigenous varieties
• Seed production
• Popularization of crop in India for meeting the future energy and sugar requirement

Thrust Areas

• Fine tuning of agro techniques
• Development of indigenous varieties

Research team

• Dr Sanjeev Kumar
• Dr A K Mall