Regional Agricultural Research Institute, Bahawalpur

The imperative state of Bahawalpur established an Agricultural Research Station at Khanpur in 1950 for the improvement of the crops grown in the region, for enhancing the prosperity in the territory and to assist the farmers and upgrade their living standards. During 1969, Agricultural Research Station was shifted to Bahawalpur and its position was raised to Regional Agricultural Research Institute during 1987.

The institute is playing a vital role in the awareness towards the farming community of Bahawalpur region through providing them with improved production and protection technology in consort with evaluation of high yielding, high fertilizer responsive, pest and disease resistant and well suited varieties of various crops for the region. Crop breeding efforts are underway to develop high yielding varieties of Wheat, Pulses, Millet, Sorghum and Oilseed suitable for irrigated as well as low rain or Arid-climatic zone of Southern Punjab. Wheat is the main food crop of Pakistan. Punjab is the main wheat producing province of the country sharing more than 75 % of the national. A number of high yielding, drought tolerant, disease and insect pest tolerant wheat and other crop varieties along with their production and protection technologies have been released for general cultivation in the region.

Objectives

• Evolution of new varieties of wheat, pulses, oilseed, sorghum, millet and vegetable crops possessing high yield, heat tolerance, salt and moisture stress tolerance, disease and pest resistance and ecologically well appropriate for Bahawalpur region
• To determine more efficient production and protection technologies for newly developed crop varieties. Development of more efficient production technology and agronomic practices like seed bed preparations, seed rate, planting time, weeding, irrigation, fertilizers and other nutritional necessities for new strains of various crops.
• Screening of new genotypes of different crops against heat, salinity and their relevant pest and diseases
• Investigations on the cause and control of newly emerged pests and disease problems and other disorders in the region
• Dissemination of innovative technology developed at the institute to the farmers through seminars/workshops, print and electronic media.

Reseach Activities

Following are the research activities of the institute:

Wheat Section: 

Three advance lines (BF-21151, 226614 and 226640) from this institute were included in NUWYT trials and Four advance lines (214218, 224463, 224466 and 3364) from this institute were included in PUWYT trials. Eighty-five genotypes were tested in preliminary yield trials (A-trials) under normal as well as heat stress conditions. Seventy genotypes were evaluated in five regular wheat yield trials (B-trials).Ten wheat strains/varieties were screened against Aphids. Total of 60.163 metric tons of BNS and Pre-Basic seed of approved wheat varieties i.e. Nawab-21. Sadiq-21, Ghazi-19, Jauhar-16, Gold-16, and Aas-11 were produced during 2024-25.

• Genetic improvement in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through hybridization
• Study of filial generations (F₁- F₇)
• Preliminary wheat yield trials (A-trial)
• Regular wheat yield trials (B-trial)
• Regional wheat yield trial (06 locations in Southern Punjab)
• Punjab uniform wheat yield trials (07 locations in Southern Punjab)
• National uniform wheat yield trial (07 locations in Southern Punjab)
• Moisture stress tolerance studies of prominent wheat varieties/strains
• Production of heat tolerant wheat varieties
• Testing of exotic wheat germplasm in local environment
• Production of BNS and Pre-basic seed of wheat varieties
• National uniform durum wheat yield trials (NUDWYT)
• Evaluation of durum exotic germplasm in local environment
• Preliminary durum wheat yield trial
• Evaluation of barley exotic germplasm in local environment
• Preliminary yield trial of Barley​

Agronomy Section:

• Adoption of newly developed wheat strains to climatic changes under Bahawalpur conditions      
• Response of wheat varieties under different moisture regimes in southern Punjab
• Efficacy of various weedicides against broad and narrow leave weeds in wheat, mungbean and chickpea crops        
• Determination of genetic coefficients of wheat and mungbean varieties for crop modeling calibration (DSSAT and APSIM models)      
• Sowing date trial on raya strains/varieties for determination of suitable sowing time of newly developed Raya strains. 
• Trials regarding seed rates, spacing and irrigation requirements for wheat and chickpea crop.
• Testing of different early and late sowing planting methods which can provide farmer with beneficial output in case of late planting.

:Oilseed Section

• Collection and maintenance of germplasm of mustard
• Hybridization of Brassica juncea
• Study of filial generations of Brassica juncea
• Micro yield trial of mustard (B. juncea)
• Micro yield trial of rapeseed (B. napus)
• National uniform yield trial of mustard
• National uniform yield trial of rapeseed
• National uniform yield trial of taramira
• Production of “BNS” and Pre-basic seed of Bahawalpur raya
• Response curve studies for promising raya strains under Bahawalpur conditions
• Sowing date trial on raya strains/varieties
• Study of aphid on Brassica napus and Brassica juncea
• Efficacy of different insecticides against aphid on brassica

:Pulses Section

• Collection and maintenance of germplasm of pulses
• Hybridization of pulses
• Study of filial generations of pulses
• Micro yield trial of pulses
• National uniform yield trial of Mung bean
• National uniform yield trial of chickpea (kabuli)
• National uniform yield trial of chickpea (desi)
• Production of BNS and Pre-basic seeds of mung bean and chickpea
• Sowing date trial on pulses varieties
• Efficacy of different insecticide against pod borer of chickpea
• Study of pod borer on chickpea

Vegetable Section:

• Evaluation and genetical study of quinoa germplasm (Set-I & Set-II) under agro-climatic conditions of Southern Punjab
• Study regarding development of filial generations of peas under climatic conditions of Southern Punjab
• Zonal yield trial of carrot under agro climatic conditions of Southern Punjab
• Seed production of carrot under agro climatic conditions of Southern Punjab

Plant Pathology Section:              

• Screening of advance wheat varieties / lines against leaf rust (Puccinia Recondita) under artificially inoculated conditions.
• Screening of advance wheat germplasm against yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis) of wheat under artificially inculcated conations.
• Screening of wheat advance lines to stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici) under natural conditions.
• Genetic resistance in wheat germplasm against spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana).
• Screening of wheat varieties/ lines against kernel bunt (Tilletia indica) under natural condition۔
• Screening of wheat varieties/ lines against loose smut (Ustilago tritici) of wheat.
• Maintenance of isogenic lines of leaf rust (Puccinia recondita), yellow rust (Puccinia strifomis) and stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) for prevailing rust races monitoring.
• Surveillance of wheat rusts in Southern Punjab (incidence and severity) of wheat diseases.
• Screening of mung bean varieties/ lines against mung bean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV)
• Screening of sorghum verities/ lines against grain smut (Sphacelotheca sorghii)
• Evaluation of brassica cultivars/ lines against Alternaria blight, white rust and powdery mildew.

:Entomology Section

• Response of wheat varieties/strains against aphids under natural conditions
• Estimation of losses of wheat caused by aphids on commercial varieties
• Entomological study of NUWYT
• Study of aphid on Brassica
• Efficacy of different insecticides against aphid on Brassica and Mustard
• Response of promising chickpea lines to Helicoverpa armigera.
• Efficacy of different insecticides against gram pod borer
• Evaluation of various strains/varieties of mung against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
• Evaluation of sorghum strains/varieties against stem borer (Chillo partellus)
• Screening of guar strains against sucking insect pests

Soil Chemistry Section:

• Response of Mung beans to Sulphur application under Bahawalpur conditions.
• Impact of fertilizer doses on promising Mung strain BRM-355 under Bahawalpur conditions.
• Evaluation of promising Millet strains at different levels of fertilizer under Bahawalpur conditions.
• Evaluation of promising Sorghum strains at different levels of fertilizer under Bahawalpur conditions.
• Response of Mung beans to soil vs foliar application of ferrous sulphate
• Response of Mung beans to soil vs foliar application of zinc sulphate.
• Response curve studies for promising raya strains under Bahawalpur conditions.
• Fertilizer requirement of promising wheat strain under Bahawalpur Conditions.
• Fertilizer requirement of promising desi (black) chickpea strains under Bahawalpur conditions
• Screening of wheat strains against salinity (Hydroponic/Pot study).
• Effect of integrated use of fertilizer and poultry manure on wheat yield.
• Response of wheat to different doses of ZnSO4 under Bahawalpur environment.
• Fertilizer requirement of promising kabuli (white) chick pea strains under Bahawalpur conditions.

Millet Section:

• Local varietal yield trial of sorghum
• Local varietal yield trial of millet
• National uniform sorghum yield trial
• National uniform millet yield trial
• Pre- Basic Seed production of Sorghum & Millet varieties/strains
• Advisory services to farmers
• Collection and maintenance of sorghum and millet germplasm

Achievements

Sixteen wheat, two millet, one sorghum, one raya, one chickpea and two mungbean  varieties have been developed by this Institute up till now, which are very popular among the farmers of Southern Punjab because of their improved productivity and resistance against diseases and insect pests. The detail is given as under:

Facilities 

• Agronomy/climate change laboratory

A well-furnished Agronomy/Climate change laboratory is established during 2020 and is being upgraded with the time. It is targeted for studying the effect of climatic parameters under the controlled climate chamber with regard to different crops. Mini lab experiments are also conducted by internship students for their better understanding in the field.

• Plant pathology laboratory

Plant pathology lab comprises of different instruments for pathogen culture and pathogen identification especially the artificial inoculant preparations take place which are tested for their resistance in the newly developed wheat lines at the institute.   

• Soil Chemistry Laboratory

Soil chemistry laboratory perform detailed analysis of soil pre and post harvest of various crops.  It comprise of all basic instruments for measuring soil chemical properties. 

• Advisory services for farmers
• Provision of pure and quality seed of approved varieties of different crops
• Sampling of diseased plants, their analysis and formulation of recommendations

Services

Following are the services offered by the institute:

• To guide farmers about production technology of newly developed varieties
• To guide farmers about solutions of their problems through electronic and Print Media talks
• Practical training of students of various agricultural universities through internship
• Interaction with international research organizations and germplasm exchange
• Identification and suggestion of suitable treatment against different crop diseases
• Surveillance of wheat rusts in Southern Punjab
• Survey, identification and evaluation of insect pest problems of field crops, vegetables and fruit plants for effective pest management​
• Monitoring of cotton crop in Southern Punjab
• Monitoring of Wheat Training Program in Southern Punjab
• Dengue awareness

Contact Us