Telangana farmer grows paddy from rice grains

A farmer from Nizamabad who is known for his experiments in agriculture has produced paddy from rice grains. Nagula Gangaram popularly called Chinni Krishnudu usually cultivates different varieties of rice from various countries in his agriculture field in Nizamabad.

Usually, paddy is grown with ordinary paddy seed, but Chinni Krishnudu cultivated paddy by using rice grains. He used coarse rice or brown rice seed that is slightly trimmed with grain in mills without losing their upper layer. He said that he brought 21 varieties of rice when he had gone to USA and after five years of experimentation, he finally grew them in his field.

Chinni Krishnudu also grew Italian variety of rice called Risotto given by Hithin Bhimani, CEO of Gajanan rice mills in Nizamabad. Bhimani found a variety of rice at an exhibition in Germany. He then learned that the rice variety can be cultivated in Telangana's atmosphere. As there was no permission to bring paddy to India, Bhimani bought one kg of Risotto and gave it to Krishnudu for cultivation.

Before cultivating, the farmer soaked the rice in a cloth for one day and later planted the germinated seeds. Out of them, 30 per cent of seeds started growing. The farmer used cow urine, dung and neem powder in his lad to earn good yield.

The farmer said that Risotta variety of rice crop arrives 20 days prior to the local varieties and requires less amount of water compared to 1010 and Sona Masuri. It is very useful for the farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, he said.