Junagadh (Gujarat) : The 86-year-old Ambavibhai Bhalani, a resident of Sondra village, has been working continuously in the field of wheat research for the last 40 years. He is still seen working continuously in the fields to help the farmers through his research. A graduate from Sanosara Lokbharti, the octogenarian is still preparing improved wheat seeds at his advanced age and that too in a completely natural way.
Presently, his organisation has a total of more than 304 varieties of wheat and 50 wheat seeds of preserved varieties. Ambavibhai is preparing an improved wheat seed with only naturally occurring genetic changes and quality without any hybridization experiment. Forty years ago, Ambavibhai Bhalani was studying at Lokbharti Sanosara. At the same time, world famous researcher Dr JH Patel also worked there. Under his guidance, Ambavibhai started the work of preparing wheat research seeds.
Today, even though he is 86 years old, he keeps doing new experiments every year during the wheat crop season. Ambavibhai, who came to his hometown Sodarda after retirement, started the work of naturally preparing the seeds of Lokvan and Parchi varieties in the year 2,000 and today after 24 years of hard work, he has developed more than 304 new varieties of wheat.
The quality of wheat improves every year due to natural changes and pollination after sowing of wheat. Due to which every year a new variety is discovered in Lokvan and Pakhchi Ghau in their Akhtar. Ambavibhai also explains that Lokvan's certified seeds naturally give 15% more yield than treated seeds as compared to normal production.
Today, Ambavibhai is also developing an improved variety of Dhu seed that grows in daylight for more than 90 days and at temperatures up to 40 degrees, even in the midst of an El Nino climate. Wheat prepared in more than 90 days and at high temperatures can prove to be a boon for the next 50 years, he says.
- " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="">
Read More
