Solan: Two vegetable varieties developed by the Department of Vegetable Sciences at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, have been recognized as top-performing varieties for their consistent performance at the national level. The temperate carrot variety Solan Shresth and the French bean variety Laksahmi were officially released by the Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC) recently in New Delhi.
The performance of these varieties was presented by Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Project Coordinator of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops (AICRP VC), at the national release event. Both Lakshami and Solan Shresth were praised for their outstanding performance across multiple regions.
The Lakshami French bean variety has been recommended for cultivation in Zone I (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand) and Zone IV (Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand), while Solan Shresth is suitable for Zone IV and parts of Punjab and Bihar. These varieties were developed by the university in 1992 and 2016, respectively, and tested under the AICRP on Vegetable Crops from 2017 and 2019 before being approved for national release.
Dr. Ramesh Kumar Bhardwaj, breeder and Principal Investigator at the Solan Centre of AICRP (VC), explained that both varieties performed consistently over three years of testing. Their results were recognized at the 39th and 41st Annual Group Meetings of AICRP held in Varanasi and Srinagar. Scientists Dr. Sandeep Kansal, Dr. D.K. Mehta, Dr. Kuldeep Thakur, and Dr. Rakesh have contributed significantly to the maintenance and mass multiplication of seeds for these varieties.
Director of Research, Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, highlighted the qualities of Solan Shresth, a carrot variety known for its long, attractive, orange-colored, cylindrical roots with self-cores. It matures early, is smooth with non-hairy roots, and is rich in β-carotene. Solan Shresth is resistant to common diseases and pests, and its average root weight is 255-265g, yielding 225-275 q/ha of marketable produce. Similarly, Lakshami, the French bean cultivar, produces 2-3 long, attractive, stringless green pods per node, maturing in 65-70 days. It offers a high marketable yield of 150-200 q/ha, with mature seeds that are white with light yellow stripes.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel praised the contributions of the scientists, noting that the Solan Centre of AICRP has brought great recognition to the university. He emphasized that the success of these varieties, particularly in terms of their excellent performance and cost effectiveness, will greatly benefit small and marginal farmers. Both varieties are open-pollinated, making them more accessible to farmers compared to expensive hybrid seeds. Prof. Chandel expressed confidence that these open-pollinated varieties will contribute to the livelihoods of farmers across the country, especially in regions where they have shown promising results.
Prof. Chandel further noted that these varieties will play a vital role in boosting the agricultural economy in Himachal Pradesh and other states where they have proven to be highly productive.
