Coochbehar
Name of the centre: Coochbehar, West Bengal
Year of start: All India Wheat and Barley Improvement Project was initiated in West Bengal at Block Seed Farm, Malda during 1975. Later it was transferred to GSTC campus, Coochbehar during 1980. Now this centre operates at Pundibari, Coochbehar since 1990.
Centre information: This centre lies in the Sub-Himalayan Plains of West Bengal with an annual rainfall more than 3000 mm throughout the year. Coochbehar is northern terminal district of West Bengal and is ‘Gateway’ of North –East India. This location is situated on National Highway 17 at 26° 19’86” N & 89° 23’ 53” E with an Altitude of 43msl. The nearest airport is Bagdogra (IXB) which is 100 km away from the centre.Beside, main centre it has 4 sub centers at 4 different locations viz. Manikchak ,Majhian, Kharibari and Kalimpong. All the centersis underNorth Eastern Plain Zone (NEPZ) except Kalimpong which is under Northern Hill Zone (NHZ).
This location has characteristics of short winter along with terminal heat stress. Also it is hot spot location for Foliar blight/Spot blotch disease due to presence of high humidity. Other major biotic and abiotic stresses include: micronutrient deficiency especially zinc and boron, pre-harvest sprouting etc.
Mandate :
- Identification of location specific, short duration, heat tolerant wheat varieties .
- Screening of wheat genotypes against biotic and abiotic stresses like spot blotch, foliar aphid, terminal heat, micronutrient deficiency like Zn, Boron etc.
- Development of suitable production technologies under conservation agriculture system.
- Dissemination of new technologies through Front line Demonstration (FLDs).
- Survey and surveillance of spread of new diseases like WHEAT BLAST.
Salient Achievements:
- Coochbehar is hot spot location of Foliar blight or Helminthosporiumleaf blight (HLB) disease. This is a National Screening Centre under AIC&BIP project for screening genotypes against HLB disease.
- New sources of resistance against foliar blight have been identified by joint research effort with NBPGR. [Total 13 – IC564121, IC549372, IC529684, IC443669, IC443652, IC469447, IC73386, IC529962, IC530108, IC548325, IC540909, IC530151, EC178071-331]. Among them two were registered under by Plant Germplasm Registration Committee of ICAR in 2018. These are IC564121(INGR18014), IC443669 (INGR18015).
- Zero tillage along with conservation agriculture technologies has been refined by on farm research trial along with Front Line Demonstration (FLD) activities at this agroclimatic region.
- Site specific nutrient management revealed increased agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) vis a vis increased yield under both zero and conventional tillage.
- Evaluation of efficacy of new generation herbicides against broad leaf weeds in wheat has been successfully implemented and recommended dose has been finalized.
- Survey and surveillance activities have been vigorously conducted against the spread of wheat blast disease caused by MagnaportheoryzaepathotypeTriticum (MoT) especially surrounding Bangladesh border.
Scientist Details:
| Name | Designation | Phone | Photograph | |
| Dr. Saikat Das | Asstt. Prof. (Senior Scale) and Incharge AICRP
(AICRP on W &B funded staff) |
9434939334 (M) | saikat_breeder@yahoo.co.in |  |
| Dr. Biplab Mitra | Associate Prof. (Agronomy)
(Non-AICRP on W &B funded staff) |
9434502292 (M) | bipmitra@yahoo.com |  |
| Dr. Satyajit Hembram | Assistant Professor
(Non-AICRP on W &B funded staff) |
987486819 (M) | jitsatya2008@gmail.com |  |