Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha

Research Activities

Following are the research activities of the institute: 

Development of new varieties of fodder crops (oats, berseem, alfalfa, sorghum, millet, maize, cowpea etc) having high fodder yield potential, dual purpose, better nutritional quality, disease and insect tolerance.

1. Oats:          Dr. Imtiaz Akram Khan Niazi
2. Berseem:   Mr. Shoaib Anwar Kholi
3. Alfalfa:      Mr. Abdul Jabbar
4. Sorghum:  Mr. Ghulam Ahmad
5. Millet:        Mr. Sikandar Hayat
6. Maize:       Mr. Abdul Basit
7. Cowpea:    Mr. Ahmad Hussain

• Technology development for fodder and seed production of upcoming advance lines of fodder crops ( Aness-Ul-Hussnian)
• Evaluation of fodder varieties on basis of milk production and milk quality of dairy animals (Buffaloes) ( Mr. Shakeel Hanif)
• Pre-basic seed production of oats, berseem, alfalfa, sorghum, millet and maize (Mr. Ahmad Hussain)
• Dissemination of production technology (Fodder & Seed) to farming community (Mr. Ghulam Ahmad)
• Demonstration and dissemination of silage & hay production technology to farmers (Mr. Shakeel Hanif)

Achievements

Following are the achievements of the institute:

• Developed 47 high-yielding fodder varieties i.e., oats (10), berseem (7), alfalfa (3), ryegrass (1), sorghum (8), S.S. hybrid (1), pearl millet (3), maize (2), guar (6), Maize x Teosinte (1) & cowpea (2), Jantar (1), Napier Grass, (2)
• Developed production technology for seed and fodder for different fodder crops and developed the capability to produce > 40,000 kg of pre-basic seed of different fodder crops per annum.
• Standardized Hay & Silage making technology.
• Conducted 12 training workshops on production technology of fodder crops for master trainers of Extension Department.

List of Fodder Crop Varieties of Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha

Initiatives

• Supply of pre-basic seed of approved varieties of fodder crops to PSC for further multiplication
• Screening of advance lines of oats, lucerne, sorghum and pearl millet against salinity
• Evaluation of barley and moringa plants for fodder yield and its effect on milk production
• Focusing on quality parameters of fodder crops
• Import of new exotic germplasm of different fodder crops
• Demonstration and training of silage and hay making to promote use of conserved fodders
• Training of Master Trainers of Agriculture (Ext. & AR) Department on fodder crops production
• Development of social media links for the promotion of fodder crops International seminars on fodder crops

Facilities

Following are the facilities provided by the institute:

• Provision of pre-basic and basic seed of approved fodder varieties to the farmers and seed companies
• Dissemination/transfer of fodder production technology to stakeholder

Services

Following are the services offered by the institute:

• Provision of quality seed of approved fodder crop varieties to the farmers and seed companies
• Advisory services to stakeholders regarding fodder production technology and fodder conservation technology (Hay and Silage)
• Conduction of 02 training workshops per annum on production technology of fodder crops for master trainers of Extension Department.

Allied stations

Experimental Seed Production Unit, Farooqabad

The experimental seed production unit was established in 1988-89. The aim is to increase the quality of seed production. In 2017-18. we produced the following quantity of seed was produced by this sub-station.

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Guar Research Station, Bahawalpur

Government of the Punjab, Agriculture Department established a Guar Research Sub-Station in the year 1973-74 at Bahawalpur for the improvement of Guar crop. After that in 1983-84 a development scheme, “Intensification of Research on Fodder” was approved by the Govt. of Punjab and a post of Guar Botanist was sanctioned at Bahawalpur. In 1986-87, this development scheme was converted into Non-development project and a full-fledged Agricultural Research Station started work under the control of the Director, Fodder Research Institute, Sargodha. This station mainly deals with guar [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. (Taub)] crop. Guar is a drought tolerant, summer annual legume, well adapted to arid and semi-arid regions of Pakistan. Although, guar is considered to be a minor crop, it has a larger role among the domesticated plants that supply the food and needs of human beings as it contains a high content of nutritional quality protein. Guar is the only commercially exploited source of a very valuable product called “Galactomannan” (guar gum, 25-35%) derived from its endosperm.

Guar gum has diversified industrial applications e.g. food, pharmaceutical, textile industry, drugs, paper, cosmetics, tobacco, oil & gas well drilling, hydraulic fracking, fish farming, poultry and cattle feed, paint, leather, firefighting, explosive, beverages, confectionary, dairy products, baby pampers, mosquito mats, photography, mining, construction and so on. It is also used for vegetable, green manuring, guar meal and fodder purposes. On account of industrial value, guar has great demand from foreign countries like USA, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, UAE, Lesotho, South Africa, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Australia, etc. Pakistan exports guar and guar products to more than 60 countries of the world. Guar gum is an important source for foreign exchange earnings. World’s most of the guar is grown in tropical deserts of Indo-Pak Sub Content. India produces 75% of guar, Pakistan 20% and only 5% is produced by the other countries (USA, S. Africa, Sudan and Australia). Keeping in view the importance of its seed, this station is conducting research to develop high yielding, early maturing, drought tolerant and disease and insect resistant varieties of guar with high gum contents.

This station also conducts Adaptability fodder yield trials of Lucerne, Berseem, Oats, Sorghum, Maize and Pearl Millets and produces BNS and pre-basic seed of these crops.

Mission

Striving for better nutrition for live stock

Objectives

• Development of new high yielding (seed, fodder & vegetable) short duration and early maturing varieties of guar resistant to Insect pests and diseases.
• Production of Pre-basic seed of Lucerne, Berseem, oats, sorghum and guar. 
• Adaptability Trials of fodder crops like Lucerne, Berseem, Oats, Sorghum, Maize and Pearl Millet.
• Transfer of the production technology of fodder crops to the farmers. 

Research Activities

• Acquisition, maintenance and evaluation of guar germplasm for use in breeding programme.
• Hybridization and study of filial generations of guar.
• Identification of promising progeny lines of guar
• Adaptability and yield evaluation trials of guar
• Screening of advance lines of guar against insect pest and diseases.
• Evaluation of advance lines of guar under drought stress conditions to address climate change.
• Agronomic studies of advance lines of guar for optimization of seed rate, sowing method, sowing time, row spacing, irrigational requirements and other inputs like NPK. 
• Production of Pre-basic seed of Lucerne, Berseem, oats, sorghum and guar. 
• Adaptability/Zonal/ National Uniform Fodder Yield Trials of fodder crops like Lucerne, Berseem, Oats, Sorghum, Maize and Pearl Millet.
• Transfer of the production technology of fodder crops to the farmers. 

Team Members: Mr. Rashid Minhas (Senior Scientist), Mr. Muhammad Shahjhan Bukhari (Scientific Officer), Mr. Muhammad Zubair (Scientific Officer), Mr. Muhammad Imran Akram (Scientific Officer) and Mr. Rahmat Ullah (Scientific Officer), ​

Services

• Demonstration of fodder production technology to the farmers.
• Provision of pre-basic seed of fodder crops like guar, Lucerne, Berseem, oats and sorghum to the farmers and seed companies of the southern Punjab.
• Provision of guar germplasm for research purposes to different research institutes and universities on their request.
• Advisory services to the visiting farmers regarding varietal selection, control of insect pest and diseases, harvesting and storage of crop seed etc.

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Agronomy Forage Production Section, Faisalabad

With the de-linkage of Agricultural Research Farm Rasal-e-Wala in 1962 from the newly established University of Agriculture, Lyallpur, a section named Livestock Management came into being which was later on renamed as Agronomy Livestock Section in 1972, now called Agronomy (Forage Production) Section from 2000.

Mission

Striving for better nutrition for live stock 

Objectives

• To develop the package of production technology for newly evolved fodders/forages cultivars (seed rate, irrigation/fertilizer requirements etc).
• Standardization and value addition of dairy products.
• To conduct feeding performance trials of newly evolved fodders/forages cultivars (proximate analysis, palatability/digestibility and effect on production and health of dairy animals etc).
• To provide means to educate farmers regarding benefits derived from efficient and profitable forage based dairying to improve the economic and social well-being of dairy farmers.
• To develop technology for feeding to animals during lean periods (hay and silage etc).
• To disseminate the research findings through publications (popular urdu articles and research papers).

Achievements

• Sunflower meal @ 20% in dairy cattle feed proved superior than cotton seed cake for milk production and weight gain.
• Molasses @ 15% in dairy cattle feed improved feed intake and milk yield.
• Dicalcium phosphate @ 1% resulted in relief of milk fever.
• Ryegrass gave four cuts and almost similar green fodder yield in comparison with berseem.
• Sadabahar sown in second week of February covered the summer scarcity period.
• ½ recommend dose of N along with 1.5% foliar application of urea 60 DAS saves almost 1 bag of urea per hectare without affecting green fodder yield of oat.
• Wheat bran and cotton seed cake in the ratio of 50:50 gave highest milk yield I buffalos. 
• A combination of wheat bhoosa and green fodder of berseem in the ratio 20:80 respectively resulted in maximum milk yield in buffalos.
• Production technology of Super and Anmol berseem varieties, sorghum variety, MR-2011, Ryegrass RG-1, Pearl Millet variety Sargodha-2011 and oat-2011 was evolved for general cultivation.
• Feeding performance trials for toxic hazards and effect on milk and meat production of animals.

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Fodder Research Sub-Station, Faisalabad

Research Activities

Research activities of this Sub-Station are focused on development of high yielding, resilient new varieties of Berseem, Lucerne, Oats, Sorghum, Maize, Millets and Jantar crops.

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