Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla for the production of breeder seed of notified potato varieties. This initiative will strengthen the collaboration with CPRI, and their benefits will percolate to the end users more easily at affordable prices.
CPRI will provide virus free index tubers and training to the PAU scientists for raising seed crop and this will be further multiplied by PAU, and Department of Horticulture, Punjab to produce foundation and certified seeds.
Due to agro-climatic conditions and local cost structure, there is a great potential to enhance potato production in the Punjab state and it can also help in crop diversification programme.