During 2009 Kharif season, in Andhra Pradesh Frontline Demonstrations (FLDs)[2] were conducted by Directorate of Rice Research in collaboration with Andhra Pradesh Rice Research Institute (APRRI), Maruteru in two districts of Andhra Pradesh viz., West Godavari and Mahbubnagar.
In West Godavari, even though the yield advantage of Improved Samba Mahsuri was not significant enough, the cost of cultivation has gone down because of resistance to the Bacterial Leaf Blight. The BPT 5204 (Samba Mahsuri) is a popular variety grown in this region, but the variety is susceptible to Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB). Farmers were impressed by this new variety and many farmers started asking the seed for next season. To that extent these demonstrations have helped generating the awareness about the new variety.
Since Bacterial Leaf Blight is a serious problem in this area, the variety developed by DRR and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad through Maker Assisted Backcross Breeding would be a boon to the farmers, not only in AP but also for farmers in other states where BLB is a serious problem.
Rice is farmed in 14 districts of Gujarat. Rice productivity in Gujarat state is quite low, at 1,356 kg/ha, compared to the national average of 1,947 kg/ha. More than 40% of rice land is concentrated in the very low productivity group, with about 40% concentrated in the medium-low production group. As a result, there is potential for increasing rice productivity in farmers' fields.
In 2010, 37 FLDs were organized in nine locations covering 150 farmers by Main Research Station, Navagam (Anand Agricultural University). Kharif being the dry and unfavorable season of the region, over all performance of demonstrated technologies could be considered as significant. The yield advantages of these varieties were in the range of 28% to 67%. Out of 37 FLDs, 2 FLDs were conducted on Improved Samba Mahsuri by Directorate of Rice Research,[3] in collaboration with the Main Research Station. In an area of 2.0 ha, it has recorded yield advantage of 32% compared to the local check.