Jute
(Corchorus sp.) is the principal bast fibre crop of Assam. It has two
cultivated species, C. olitorius (Tossa jute) and C. capsularis (White
Jute), Jute is one of the cheapest source of plant fibre of primary importance.
Jute fibre is extensively used for the manufacturing of gunny bags, packaging
materials, sacking, cordage and many such types of materials. Now-a-days,
several valuable and attractive diversified products like ear-rings, apparels,
garments, slippers, dresses, partition boards, papers, mats etc. are
manufactured from jute fibres blending with other natural as well as synthetic
fibres. Such attractive products are even used now-a-days in fashion
technology. Jute fibre is bio-degradable and eco-friendly. The crop is grown in
Assam since long back. The soil and climatic condition of large part of the
state is favourable for growing jute and well fitted to the prevailing jute – rice
cropping sequence of Assam.
Jute research in Assam was initiated
at Sorbhog of Barpeta district during 1957. Initially, the research was
controlled by Indian Central Jute Committee. Later it was handed over to
Department of Agriculture, Govt. of Assam in 1962. In 1965, the state jute
research project was shifted from Sorbhog to Shillongani, Nagaon and thereafter
it came under the control of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat from 1971. In
the same year, All India Coordinated Research Project on Jute
and Allied Fibres (AICRP on JAF) was implemented at Shillongani, Nagaon
under ICAR, New Delhi. The scheme was renamed as All India Network Project on
Jute and Allied Fibres (AINPJAF) in the year 2003. Present coordinating centre
of the scheme is Central Research Institute on Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF),
Barrackpore, Kolkata.
The objectives of the project are :
Ø Development / identification of promising jute/ramie/flax
varieties suitable for the agro climatic
conditions of Assam
Ø To find out the optimum fertilizer doses of NPK in various forms,
suitable methods of application and other cultural practices for augmentation
of yield and quality of jute fibres
Ø To find out suitable crop rotation with jute
Ø To find out suitable herbicide(s) to control of weeds in jute
fields
Ø To find out suitable agronomic practices to augment seed yield of
jute
Ø To find out the effective plant protection measures against the
pests and
diseases of jute
Ø To find out effective postharvest technology for improving the
quality of the fibre
Ø To find out diversification of jute products
Ø To find out package of practice of flax
Development
of high yielding jute variety “Kkhyati”
The high fibre
yielding capsularis jute variety “Kkhyati” was developed through
selection (modified bulk method) from a cross between CEX - 045 and CEX - 050.
The objective of the breeding was to develop a high fibre yielding capsularis
jute variety with multiple pest and disease resistance. The variety is suitable for sowing from mid - February
to last week of April. It’s stem is cylindrical, non - branching, green in
colour with resistance to lodging. The days to fibre maturity is 120 to 125
days and seed maturity is 155 to 165 days. The variety is resistant to stem rot
and root rot, tolerant to semi looper, yellow mite and moderately tolerant to
stem weevil. It’s fibre strength is fairly good (16.98 g/tex) and fibre
fineness is 1.93 tex. The average yield of fibre is 30.0 q/ha and seed yield is
about 6.0 q/ha.
Development
of Integrated pest and
disease management (IPM) module for olitorius jute for Assam
condition
The IPM module comprised of different control tactics viz., soil
application of Trichoderma viride @ 2.5 kg/ha
(mixed with 150 kg of FYM, covered with moist gunny bag and incubated for 48
hours in shade) in soil at the time of sowing; manual weeding at 3-4 weeks
after sowing; hand picking and destruction of egg masses and larvae of hairy
caterpillar; erection of bamboo perches @ 40 nos./ha; two sprays of neem oil @
4 ml/l water at 2nd week of June and 1st week of July and one spray of recommended
insecticide if the pest population reached the economic threshold level.
Management
of Macrophomina phaseolina incuced
disease complex in jute
The combination of fungicide
molecules (azoxystrobin & difenoconazole) applied as seed treatment @ 1.0
ml/kg seed followed byspray @ 0.075% at 40 – 45 days f crop age is suitable for
management of Macrophomina phaseolina
induced disease complex in jute.
Control
of Lepidopteran pests in jute
Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC @ 0.3
ml/l or Lamda cyahalothirin 5 EC @ 0.6 ml/l water is recommended to control
lepidopteran pests in jute.
