Arka Shakti hybrid root stock fights Gummy Stem Blight to save Karnataka watermelons
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Cropping patterns & irrigation· Prelims + Mains·
Biotechnological interventions in horticulture: a GS3 case study on crop pathology and yield optimization.
Why in news
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) developed 'Arka Shakti', a hybrid root stock designed to combat Gummy Stem Blight in Karnataka's watermelon crops.
Background
Watermelon cultivation in Karnataka declined from 12,000 hectares in 2014 to 1,300 hectares in 2024 due to disease. Arka Shakti grafting costs an additional ₹15,000 per acre but yields disease-free fruit weighing 3 to 8 kg.
Facts for Prelims
- BodyIndian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) is the body that developed Arka Shakti.
- FactWatermelon cultivation in Karnataka dropped from 12,000 hectares in 2014 to 1,300 hectares in 2024.
- FactArka Shakti hybrid root stock produces fruit weighing between 3 to 8 kg.
Prelims practice question
Which institution is responsible for developing the Arka Shakti hybrid root stock to combat Gummy Stem Blight?
- (a)Indian Council of Agricultural Research
- (b)Indian Institute of Horticulture Research
- (c)Indian Agricultural Research Institute
- (d)National Institute of Agricultural Sciences
Show answer
Answer: (b) Indian Institute of Horticulture Research — The Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) is the body that developed Arka Shakti.
For Mains
Q. Discuss how biotechnological interventions like hybrid root stocks can mitigate crop-specific diseases and ensure food security in horticulture.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Economic trade-off: Balancing the ₹15,000 per acre grafting cost against increased yield and disease resistance
- Institutional role: IIHR's contribution to localized agricultural resilience against pathogens like Gummy Stem Blight
Keywords: biotechnological intervention · crop pathology · horticultural resilience · yield optimization · agricultural R&D
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