Project Coordinator-AICRP TC

Dear readers, Root and tuber crops occupy an important position as a source of food in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Apart from its popular use as food for human beings, tubers also find an important space in cattle feed and agro industries sector. Food security challenges brighten the prospects of tuber and root crops, both nationally and internationally. All India Coordinated Research Project on Tuber Crops (AICRP TC) is the largest national network of tropical tuber and root crops, other than potato, covering 18 States and one Union territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) in the country. The AICRP TC centres are located in 12 State Agricultural Universities, two Central Agricultural University and 3 ICAR Institutions. AICRP TC has recommended 16 cassava, 37 sweet potato, 8 yams, 16 taro, 4 elephant foot yam, 2 coleus and one each of yam bean, tannia, swamp taro and bunda variety which amounted to the total of 87 varieties till date for state or central release. Among the released varieties, many of the varieties have become bench mark varieties for their crops for further improvement and breeding. Some of the varieties recommended for release have attained all India appeal. For instance, elephant foot yam is rather known by its variety Gajendra in some states than its own name, is one of the important varieties identified and released through AICRP TC. The cassava variety Sree Jaya, Sree Padmanabha, CO 2 and IGT-4, sweet potato variety Sree Bhadra, Sree Vardhini, Biddan Jagannath and Kamalasundari have become very popular in different regions of the country and are being widely cultivated by the farmers. AICRP TC has developed and disseminated many location specific agro-techniques on integrated nutrient management, fertigation techniques, bio-pesticides application, pest and disease management of various tuber crops in different region. To bridge the gap between AICRP TC and other stakeholders, an effort was made to make interactive web page which has information and tool for farmers who always seek a better variety and agro-techniques, extension personnel who need varieties and technologies to disseminate, researchers who requires information to sharpen their research focus on untouched areas as well as students. I gratefully acknowledge Dr. Santhosh Mitra, Mr. Syam M. and Mr. P.S. Karthik for developing and maintaining this exclusive web page for the benefit of clientele of tuber crops.