Two novel varieties of paddy have been produced by the Batalagoda Paddy Research Station.
According to project officials attached to Batalagoda Paddy Research Station, these two varieties of paddy are named as BG 369 and BG 3R. Of them, BG 369 is a white rice variety.
Through the successful cultivation of the BG 369 variety in an acre of land, a harvest of 100 to 125 bushels of paddy could easily be yielded.
It is also resistant to all pests and insect diseases and these paddy plants would not fall down, even up to the point where the harvest is ready to be yielded. BG 3R is a red samba strain and the grains of rice are small. One hundred and forty to 150 bushels of paddy could be obtained in successful cultivation in an acre of land. This is also resistant to pests all other paddy diseases.
They could be cultivated even in brackish and salty lands.
It is the speciality of this strain of paddy, researchers said. Within a period of less than three and half months, the harvest could be reaped from them and they are now in high demand among paddy farmers, they added.