Agartala: True Potato Seed, is an innovative approach that is being used in
Tripura to address the major challenges of traditional potato cultivation,
paving the way for more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices
Dr Rajib Ghosh, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Research Center in
Nagicherra, Agartala, shared insights on True Potato Seed (TPS) and its
transformative impact on potato farming during a conversation with ANI.
He emphasized how TPS is transforming agriculture by tackling major challenges
in traditional potato farming.
In conventional potato cultivation, tubers are used as seeds, requiring around 2
metric tons of seed potatoes to cultivate one hectare of land. The
transportation of such large quantities, especially in hilly areas, becomes
expensive and logistically difficult.
The TPS method, however, eliminates these challenges. With just 100 grams of
seeds, farmers can cultivate the same area, which reduces the costs and
transportation efforts. The seeds are compact, resistant to rotting, and easy to
handle, making them an ideal solution for farmers in remote regions.
According to the officials, the advantages of TPS and Botanical Seeds are higher
yields since TPS-grown crops yield more compared to traditional methods. This
culture is also resistant to pests, which allows crops from botanical seeds to
show greater pest resistance.
Several products like hybrid vegetables and potatoes grown using TPS show
improved quality and productivity.
Dr Ghosh revealed that TPS is being developed under various government projects
in Tripura, with specialized crossing and multiplication blocks ensuring
high-quality seed production during the winter season. The TPS produced in
Tripura is in high demand both domestically and internationally, with exports to
Bangladesh and Kenya.
“In agriculture, especially in potato cultivation, traditional farming relies on
tubers (potatoes) to grow new potato plants. To cultivate one hectare of land
using this method, farmers need approximately 2 metric tons of seed potatoes,
which require a truck for transportation. In hilly regions, transportation
becomes a significant challenge due to high transportation costs and poor
accessibility,” he said.
“In contrast, True Potato Seed (TPS) offers a revolutionary solution. Only 100
grams of TPS is sufficient to cultivate one hectare of land. This compact size
allows farmers to easily carry the seeds in their pockets, eliminating
transportation costs and logistical difficulties. Moreover, TPS has no issues
with rotting, ensuring safe and reliable handling over long distances. TPS and
botanical seeds offer several advantages Higher Yield Crops grown from TPS
produce higher yields compared to traditional methods. Pest Resistance Plants
grown from botanical seeds are more resistant to pests. Hybrid Benefits Like
other hybrid crops (e.g., hybrid vegetables), potato crops grown from TPS
exhibit better productivity and quality,” he added.
Another expert, Sudhriti Das, Assistant Director at the Horticulture Research
Center in Nagicherra, Agartala emphasised the role of light in Hybridization and
elaborated on the significance of artificial lighting in the hybridization
process.
“In winter, limited daylight hinders flowering, which is crucial for higher
yields,” he explained.
To address this, sodium vapour lamps are used to extend daylight hours,
promoting effective flowering. Without these lights, flowering would be
insufficient, leading to reduced production.
Tripura’s climatic conditions are also considered favourable for hybridization
by several experts.
“As you can see, lights are glowing all around us. We are currently in a
hybridization field, and these lights are essential for the hybridization
process. During the winter season, this process becomes crucial due to the
specific characteristics of light. Flowering requires extended daylight, but in
winter, daylight hours are very limited, with darkness setting in as early as 4
PM. To compensate for this, we use sodium vapour lamps to extend the
photoperiod. These lamps promote flowering, which in turn leads to higher
production. Without these lights, although the plants may grow, flowering will
not occur effectively, significantly reducing yield,” Dr Das said.
“The demand for these lamps is particularly high in Tripura, where we use about
60 to 70 kilograms of seeds annually for hybridization. Other states like
Odisha, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam also use these techniques.
However, these states are unable to produce the seeds locally because the
climatic conditions are not as favourable as in Tripura. The ideal climatic
conditions in Tripura are similar to those in a region of South America, the
original birthplace of this seed production method,” he added.
Tripura’s success in the method has also garnered international attention. A
South Korean scientist and the original pioneer of TPS from Lima, South America,
recently visited the region and praised its innovative methods. They
acknowledged Tripura’s achievements as unmatched, even compared to efforts in
their own countries.
Dr Das also emphasized that Tripura’s hybridization success is due to favourable
conditions and the absence of natural disasters during critical periods. This
consistent success has drawn scientists from across India and the world to study
and replicate Tripura’s model.
the initiative aims to make Tripura a global hub for True Potato Seed
production, ensuring sustainable farming practices and contributing to
agricultural advancements worldwide. (ANI)
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