CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Neelamraju Ganga Prasada Rao (5 September 1927 – 27 July 2016) was an Indian geneticist and plant breeder, known for his efforts in developing hybrid varieties of sorghum, which earned him the moniker, the Father of Hybrid Sorghum.

Detailed explanation-2: -Later on, research work was initiated on Bajra and Pearl millet and Sorghum (Jowar) crops during 1961 and first hybrid in sorghum and in Pearl millet was released during 1964.

Detailed explanation-3: -Dr Rao has made important contribution in the field of sorghum breeding, leading to the release of the first commercial sorghum hybrids, CSH-1 and CSH-2 in India. Subsequently, a high yielding variety, Swarna, that equalled the commercial hybrid CSH-1 in yield levels, was developed and released for general cultivation.

Detailed explanation-4: -Gregor Mendel (1822–84) is considered the “father of genetics". His experiments with plant hybridization led to his establishing laws of inheritance. Genetics stimulated research to improve crop production through plant breeding.

Detailed explanation-5: -Ebrahimali Abubacker Siddiq (born 1937) is an Indian agricultural scientist, whose research in genetics and plant breeding is reported to have assisted in the development of various high-yielding rice varieties such as dwarf basmati and hybrid rice.