Lok Sabha Question No. 2034 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Use of Radiation-based Agricultural Technologies
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Ms Kangna Ranaut, Dr. Nishikant Dubey, Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Dr. Vinod Kumar Bind, Shri Dharambir Singh, Shri Shashank Mani, Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2034

ANSWERED ON 11/02/2026

## USE OF RADIATION-BASED AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGIES

2034.  SHRI SUKANTA KUMAR PANIGRAHI SHRI DHARAMBIR SINGH DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY DR. VINOD KUMAR BIND SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT SHRI SHASHANK MANI MS KANGNA RANAUT SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether  the  radiation-based  technologies  including  radiation-induced  mutagenesis and  related  breeding  methods  have  been  utilised  for  developing  improved  crop varieties  with  traits  such  as  high  yield,  early  maturity  and  stress  tolerance  in  the country  particularly  for  cultivation  in  Odisha,  Haryana  particularly  in  BhiwaniMahendragarh Lok Sabha Constituency and Maharashtra particularly Khandesh and Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituencies;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the varieties of crops developed and notified for commercial cultivation as on date, State-wise and crop-wise indicating those adopted or recommended in Odisha, Haryana particularly Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha Constituency and Maharashtra particularly Khandesh  and Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituencies;
- (c) the  extent  to  which  radiation-based  food  preservation  and  post-harvest  technologies including  shelf-life  extension,  disinfestation  methods  and  phytosanitary  irradiation have  been  deployed  in  Odisha,  Haryana  particularly  Bhiwani-Mahendragarh  Lok Sabha Constituency and Maharashtra particularly Khandesh and Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituencies to reduce agricultural losses and enhance export potential; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  undertaken  initiatives  in  collaboration  with  the  State Agricultural  Universities,  ICAR  institutions  and  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  to  promote nuclear  agricultural  technologies  to  enhance  farmers'  income  and  food  security  in Odisha,  Haryana  particularly  Bhiwani-Mahendragarh  Lok  Sabha  Constituency  and Maharashtra particularly Khandesh and Jalgaon Lok Sabha Constituencies and if so, the  details  thereof  including  budgetary  support  provided  along  with  the  steps  taken towards promotion, collaboration, scale adoption and building farmers' awareness?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) Yes.  Using radiation induced mutagenesis along with cross breeding, Bhabha Atomic Research  Centre  (BARC),  Mumbai  a  Constituent  Unit  of  Department  of  Atomic Energy (DAE) has developed 72 varieties in oilseeds (groundnut, mustard, soybean and  sunflower),  pulses  (urdbean,  mungbean,  pigeonpea  and  cowpea),  rice,  jute  and banana,  which  have  been  released  and  notified  for  commercial  cultivation  for  the entire country.  Of these, 32 Trombay crop varieties have been released for cultivation in Odisha, Haryana and Maharashtra.  These crop varieties have desirable traits such as  high  yield,  early  maturity,  improved  lodging  resistant,  biotic  &  abiotic  stress tolerance etc. and thus benefiting farmers in the country.
- (b) Following  are  the  details  of  Trombay  crop  varieties  released  with  their  salient features:

Table1: Trombay crop varieties released and notified for commercial cultivation in Odisha

| S. No.    | Variety   | Year of release   |
|-----------|-----------|-------------------|
| Groundnut | Groundnut | Groundnut         |
| 1.        | TAG 24    | 1992              |
| 2.        | TG 37A    | 2004              |
| 3.        | TPG 41    | 2004              |
| 4.        | TG 38     | 2006              |
| 5.        | TG 51     | 2008              |
| 6.        | Mungbean  |                   |
| 7.        | TARM-1    | 1997              |

|   Banana | Banana                |   Banana |
|----------|-----------------------|----------|
|        8 | Kaveri Vaaman (TBM-9) |     2025 |

Table 2: Trombay crop varieties released and notified for commercial cultivation in Haryana

|   S. No. | Variety   | Year of release   |
|----------|-----------|-------------------|
|        1 | Groundnut |                   |
|        2 | TG 37A    | 2004              |
|        3 | TPG 41    | 2004              |

Table 3: Trombay crop varieties released and notified for commercial cultivation in Maharashtra

| S. No.             | Variety            | Year of release    |
|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Groundnut          | Groundnut          | Groundnut          |
| 1.                 | TAG 24             | 1992               |
| 2.                 | TKG 19A            | 1996               |
| 3.                 | TG 26              | 1996               |
| 4.                 | TPG 41             | 2004               |
| 5.                 | TLG 45             | 2007               |
| 6.                 | TAG 73             | 2021               |
| Soybean            | Soybean            | Soybean            |
| 7.                 | TAMS 38            | 2005               |
| 8.                 | TAMS 98-21         | 2007               |
| Mustard            | Mustard            | Mustard            |
| 9.                 | TPM 1              | 2007               |
| 10.                | TAM 108-1          | 2021               |
| Sunflower          | Sunflower          | Sunflower          |
| 11.                | TAS-82             | 2007               |
| Mungbean/Greengram | Mungbean/Greengram | Mungbean/Greengram |
| 12.                | TAP-7              | 1983               |
| 13.                | TARM-2             | 1994               |
| 14.                | TARM-1             | 1997               |
| 15.                | TARM-18            | 1997               |
| Urdbean/ Blackgram | Urdbean/ Blackgram | Urdbean/ Blackgram |
| 16.                | TAU-1              | 1985               |
| 17.                | TPU-4              | 1992               |
| 18.                | TAU-2              | 1993               |
| Pigeonpea          | Pigeonpea          | Pigeonpea          |
| 19.                | TT-6               | 1985               |
| 20.                | TAT-10             | 1985               |
| 21.                | TT-401             | 2007               |
| 22.                | TJT-501            | 2009               |
| 23.                | PKV-TARA           | 2013               |
| Cowpea             | Cowpea             | Cowpea             |
| 24.                | TC 901             | 2018               |

| Rice            | Rice                            | Rice            |
|-----------------|---------------------------------|-----------------|
| 25.             | TKR Kolam                       | 2020            |
| 26.             | Trombay Konkon Khara            | 2024            |
| Sorghum (Jowar) | Sorghum (Jowar)                 | Sorghum (Jowar) |
| 27.             | Trombay Akola Suruchi (TAKPS 5) | 2023            |
| Sesame          | Sesame                          | Sesame          |
| 28.             | TLT- 10 (Trombay Latur Til)     | 2024            |

- (c) With the aim of reducing post-harvest losses in various agri-produce through radiation technology,  various  commercial  irradiation  facility  centres  have  been  set  up  across various  states  of  the  country.  There  are  two  (2)  commercial  irradiation  facilities  in Haryana, nine (9) irradiation facilities in Maharashtra.  Some of facilities among nine facilities  in  Maharashtra  are  also  approved  by  the  USDA-APHIS  for  irradiation  of mango  for  export.    These  facilities  are  providing  irradiation  services  for  broad spectrum food and allied commodities.

List of Food Irradiation Plants operational in the State of Haryana and Maharashtra:

|   S. No. | Name of the Plant                                                     |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Radiation Processing Plant, BRIT, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra     |
|        2 | KRUSHAK Irradiator, Lasalgaon, Nashik, Maharashtra                    |
|        3 | M/s A.V. Processors Pvt. Ltd., Ambernath (E), Thane, Maharashtra      |
|        4 | M/s Agrosurg Irradiators, Vasai, Thane, Maharashtra                   |
|        5 | M/s Hindustan Agro Co-Operative Ltd., Rahuri, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra |
|        6 | Maharashtra State Agricultural Mktg. Board, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra  |
|        7 | M/s AV Gamma Tech LLP, Ambernath, Maharashtra                         |
|        8 | M/s Akshar Gamma Sterile LLP, Ambernath, Thane, Maharashtra           |
|        9 | M/⁠s. Vishvesh Agro Med Pvt Ltd., Mihan, Nagpur                       |
|       10 | M/s Aligned Industries, Dharuhera, Rewari, Haryana                    |
|       11 | M/s Microtrol Sterilisation Services Pvt. Ltd. Bawal, Haryana         |

- (d) Yes, DAE has been consistently evaluating their developed breeding lines/mutants in different crops and their release in different agro-climatic zones in respective states in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities (SAU) and various ICAR institutes.

BARC has MoUs with Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola; Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri; Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli in Maharashtra. BARC along with SAUs multiply seeds of released varieties and supply to various state  seed  corporations,  national  seed  corporations,  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras,  Farmer Producer  Organizations,  NGOs,  seed  companies  and  farmers.  BARC  also  conducts scientific conferences  and  participates  in  Kisan  Melas  to  spread  the  information  about  their awareness programmes through their outreach programmes, regular improved crop varieties.

Funds  of  around ₹ 9.85  crores  have  been  provided  through  Board  of  Research  in Nuclear  Sciences  (BRNS)  towards  collaborative  research  in  the  field  of  agriculture and food security in Odisha, Haryana and Maharashtra in last decade.

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