NIF Transfers 5 High-Yield Crop Varieties for Commercialisation

The initiative integrates grassroots innovations into formal agribusiness systems while protecting farmers’ intellectual contributions and income rights.

In a significant boost to grassroots agricultural innovation, five high-yielding crop varieties developed by farmer innovators from Varanasi have been transferred for commercialisation through agreements facilitated by the National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF).

The varieties — three wheat and two pigeon pea cultivars — have been licensed to Nagpur-based Ginni Agro Products Limited (GAPL), enabling large-scale seed production and distribution across multiple states.

Empowering Farmer Innovators

NIF, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), facilitated the transfer agreements between farmer innovators Shri Shreeprakash Singh Raghuvanshi and Shri Ranjeet Kumar Singh of Varanasi and GAPL.

The five varieties transferred include:

Developed by Shri Shreeprakash Singh:

• Kudrat-3 (Pigeon Pea)

• Kudrat-8 (Wheat)

• Kudrat-9 (Wheat)

Developed by Shri Ranjeet Kumar Singh:

• Lalita (Pigeon Pea)

• Annapurna (Wheat)

Under the agreement, GAPL has secured rights for seed production, multiplication, processing, marketing, and sale as Truthfully Labelled (TL) seeds in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Madhya Pradesh.

The initiative integrates grassroots innovations into formal agribusiness systems while protecting farmers’ intellectual contributions and income rights.

High-Yield Wheat Varieties with Nutritional Gains

Kudrat-8 (Wheat)A high-yielding variety with potential up to 65.41 quintals per hectare, Kudrat-8 features:

• Average 50 grains per spike

• High test weight of 52 grams

• Dwarf plant height (76 cm), preventing lodging

• 390 tillers per square metre

• Higher biomass (18 g per plant)

• Moderate resistance to aphid and resistance to leaf rust

Kudrat-9 (Wheat)With yield potential up to 67 quintals per hectare, Kudrat-9 is bio-fortified, contributing to nutritional security:

• 10–12% protein content

• 47.58 ppm iron

• 23.77 ppm zinc

The variety addresses micronutrient deficiencies while maintaining high productivity.

Annapurna (Wheat)With yield potential up to 60 quintals per hectare, Annapurna stands out for its:

• 25 cm panicle length

• High grain density

• Up to 80 long, bold seeds per panicle

Innovative Pigeon Pea Varieties

Kudrat-3 (Pigeon Pea)A perennial variety capable of two harvests per year, delivering cumulative annual yields up to 36.17 quintals per hectare.

• Outperformed check varieties (max 3253.70 kg/ha)

• 6–8 cm long pods

• Average 5 bold seeds per pod

• Suitable for both green pod and grain use

• Sweet dry seeds with red coat, marketable as whole arhar or bright yellow dal

Lalita (Pigeon Pea)An annual variety with yield potential up to 30 quintals per hectare.

• Round red seeds reduce milling breakage

• Dal recovery over 80%

• Suitable for organic cultivation systems

Strengthening Seed Access and Farmer Income

The commercialisation is expected to enhance availability of quality seeds, improve farm productivity, and generate sustainable income opportunities for the innovators.

By facilitating licensing agreements, NIF continues its mandate of supporting grassroots innovators and ensuring that farmer-led scientific advances reach wider markets.

The collaboration also reflects a growing emphasis on combining traditional field-level innovation with formal research validation and private-sector scale-up.

With increasing focus on climate resilience, nutritional security and sustainable agriculture, the transfer of these varieties represents a model for integrating farmer innovation into India’s mainstream seed ecosystem.