BOTTLE GOURD

IIHR scientists’ disease-resistant variety rescues vine vegetables

The scientists tried the new variety at a field near Anekal, southeast of Bengaluru in 2022-23. "Farmers gave up cultivation of vine variety of vegetables due to this disease. Yet, we convinced them to try our new variety Arka Shreyas. Despite the untimely rains in 2023 and 2024, it withstood the excess moisture in the soil without any trace of the virus and doubled the yield per hectare," he said.