Message from the Director

In the year 2000, the Field Crops Research Institute (FCRI) achieved many things through a multitude of different research projects. Some of the highlights of these can be briefly summarized as follows:

  1. The FCRI is proud of its record in developing new field crop cultivars that have been released over the years. This year has been exceptional in this respect with the released of several new cultivars for general use by farmers and growers, some of which are now described:
    1. Two peanut cultivars: Kalasin 1 (KAC 1) and Kalasin 2 (KAC 431).
    2. Two sugar cane clones: clone 90-2-029, and clone 90-2-318.
    3. One new soy bean lines: SSR 8407Y-2-1.
    4. One white sesame line: LH 220.
    5. One cotton line: GDPSR38-136.

    All seven of these new cultivars have been approved by the Department of Agriculture Varieties Release Committee which allows them to be released for use by farmers and growers. More information regarding these cultivars will appear here in the following issues of this Bulletin in the coming months, which, we hope will serve as a useful source of information for their effective uptake and end user. Foundation seed are produced by the FCRI and are available to farmers. In addition, any person who is interested in any of the these varieties may request small amounts of the foundation seed directly from the Director of the FCRI.

  2. At the same time, the FCRI has developed a number of production technology packages that have been designed to help Thai farmers to increase their crop production in such aspects as increasing yield per unit area, improving soil fertility, reducing soil erosion and improving the wider aspects of sustainable crop production. These packages are now available and are being distributed amongst farmers. Anyone who is interested can again obtain further information from FCRI’s director.

Danit Sophanodon

FCRI Director

Tel: +66-2-579 3934

Fax: +66-2-940 6841

 

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