PITIC 62
"There are no miracles in agricultural production" -Norman Borlaug
About 65 years ago, Orville Vogel combined wheat varieties Norin 10 (a Japanese semi-dwarf plant) and Brevor, resulting in a hybrid called N-10-B. Later on in 1954, Norman Borlaug, a University of Minnesota graduate, was working in the Yaqui River Valley (Mexico) with wheat plants that had tall, thin stalks. He noticed that while these plants absorbed plenty of sunlight, they had a tendency to topple due to the weight of the seed heads, which then fell to the ground and rotted. To address this problem, Borlaug decided to cross N-10-B (Vogel's plant) with another variety (Yaktana 54), producing a hybrid wheat plant known as Pitic 62.
This reformed wheat plant had a shorter, stronger, and thicker stalk, enabling it to support a larger seed head. Along with being able to produce two to three times more grain than a traditional variety of wheat, this plant was fast-growing, and could resist most diseases, such as stem rust and stripe rust. The average wheat plant didn't benefit from fertilizers, even in excessive amounts. Pitic 62 outperformed these other plants, responding well to any type of fertilizer in any amount. It was also capable of growing in different types of climates, another factor that improved wheat yield. Pitic 62 is one of Borlaug's ever-lasting contributions to the world. |
Dr. Norman Borlaug on India