Regional Research Station Gerua, Assam (RRLRRS)

The flood is an annual disaster and about 2 m ha of rice-land plunge into flood annually to varying depths in Assam. The Productivity of rice under rainfed lowland to deepwater conditions is only around 1 t/ha in spite of excellent soil and climatic conditions in Assam. Rice is not only the staple food, but also it is a hub of other species that support the environment and employment opportunity to many others. Considering the flooding events, Govt. of Assam had requested the Central Government to establish a rice research station at Assam to work for the development of rainfed lowland and flood prone rice. As a result, RRLRRS, Gerua was established in 1997 as a Regional station of Central Rice Research Institute under Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi to work on the rice development in Eastern India including Assam.

Mandate:

  • Collection, evaluation, conservation and exchange of rice germplasm.
  • Development of suitable high yielding varieties with tolerance to cold during early stage of the crop to replace the existing local varieties in Boro season.
  • Catering to the research needs and requirements of flood prone lowland areas of Assam, which are invariably affected by flash flood.
  • Generation of appropriate rice production and protection packages for Ahu, Sali, Bao and Boro rice of Assam
  • Characterization of hydrology and prioritization of farming options of rice ecosystems for the region.

Thrust Area of Research:

  • Strengthening the breeding strategy to evolove suitable Sali varieties with tolerance to flood.
  • Development of short duration varieties with blast resistance and cold tolerance for Boro season.
  • Evolution of HYV as preflood Ahu and post flood Sali sitations.
  • Development of flood resistant rice varieties for lowland, semi deep and deepwater conditions.
  • Development of appropriate integrated insect pest and disease management strategies.
  • Development of strategies to avoid crop submergence through suitable cultural practices for both intermediate and semi deep conditions.

Present and Future Work at RRLRRS:

  • Released rice variety Chandrama as Boro and Sali for Assam.
  • Rice strains viz. Pratikshya, Raimukhi, CR898, Tapaswani, LPR 119, Anjali, Nilagiri, Vandana on pipeline
  • Production technology for Rice rice-rice cropping sequences for irrigated lowlands standardized.
  • Rice Fish-Horticulture farming system revalidated for rainfed lowland of Assam
  • Continual maintenance of Over 2000 Eastern Indian Rice germplasm
  • Bio control agents like T. harzianum, T.viride, gives good control of leaf blast, Sheath blight and BLB.
  • Survey revealed that Leaf blast is the major disease in Boro & Ahu while BLB, Sheath blight, Sheath rot & Blast occur in Sali season. Developed 2500 breeding lines from 37 crosses for flood prone rice improvement.