MACS-6478 wheat variety doubles farmers’ yield

MACS-6478 wheat variety doubles farmers’ yield

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Biotechnology

In news

•  A new wheat variety MACS-6478 was recently in news. 
• It has helped farmers in a village in Maharashtra to double their yield.
• Developed by: Scientists from Agharkar Research Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology.
• The farmers are now getting a yield of 45 to 60 quintal per hectare with the new variety compared to earlier average yield ranging 25 to 30 quintal per hectare.
• It is also called high yielding Aestivum, matures in 110 days and is resistant to most races of leaf and stem rust.