IARI Wheat Research Station, Wellington: A Crucial Center for Wheat Research in India

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Wheat Research Station, located in the breathtakingly picturesque valley of Wellington in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu, is a key player in India's wheat research landscape. Established in 1954 under the "Coordinated Wheat Rust Control Scheme" of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), this station has significantly contributed to the advancement of wheat cultivation and disease resistance research in the country.

Historical Background and Establishment

The research station was initially set up on land leased from the Ministry of Defense. However, due to the strategic significance of its research in combating wheat rust, it was later permanently transferred to ICAR by a decision taken at the highest levels of the Prime Minister's Secretariat. This decision was heavily influenced by the recommendations of Nobel Laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, who recognized the station's importance in the global fight against wheat rust. His timely intervention in 1988 saved the station from being repossessed by the defense ministry, thus securing its future.

The Strategic Importance of the Nilgiri Hills

The station's location in the Nilgiri Hills is not only visually stunning but also strategically vital for wheat research. The hills act as a primary source of inoculum for stem and leaf rusts of wheat, which can spread as far as central India. Controlling these pathogens at their source in the Nilgiris is crucial to preventing rust epidemics (epiphytotics) in key wheat-growing regions of Peninsular and Central India. This led to the establishment of Wellington with a primary mandate to develop rust-resistant varieties of wheat, particularly Dicoccum wheat, which is suited for widespread cultivation in South India.

The first Dicoccum wheat variety in India, NP 200, was developed at this station from a local collection from Rishi Valley, Andhra Pradesh. The station has been instrumental in carrying forward the Green Revolution in India. It was here that the seeds of CIMMYT dwarf wheat varieties from Mexico were first multiplied in the summer of 1962. These seeds were then used for small-scale demonstrations in the 1962-63 Rabi season at Delhi, marking a crucial step in India's Green Revolution.

Research Activities and Contributions

Thanks to its unique climate and availability of rust inoculum, the Wellington Wheat Research Station has become an essential off-season nursery for wheat and other winter crops across India. Wheat scientists utilize this station to screen their materials for disease resistance, advance generations, undertake initial seed multiplication of important strains, and make fresh crosses.

The station has hosted several renowned international wheat scientists, including Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, Dr. R.G. Anderson, Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Dr. R.A. McIntosh, Dr. Watson, and Dr. Roy Johnson. In the mid-1980s, a backcross program involving valuable materials from renowned wheat geneticist Dr. R.N. Sawhney was initiated here. This program focused on transferring desirable resistance genes to commercial wheat cultivars, resulting in several "Unnath" (developed) wheat varieties. These seeds have been widely distributed to wheat breeders, pathologists, and other scientists across India.

The station has played a pivotal role in inter-institutional cooperation, leading to the release of several wheat varieties incorporating genes like Lr24/Sr24, Lr19, and Sr25. Notable releases include HW 2004 for the central zone, HW 2045 for the northeast plain zone, MACS 6145/HW 2034 for the peninsular zone, and Sonak for the northwest plain zone.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Initially, the station had only 7.5 acres of land. However, an additional 36.0 acres were later taken on lease from the Ministry of Defense and subsequently transferred permanently to ICAR. With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Anderson leveled the land using bulldozers, creating most of the terraces available today. Recently, a piece of barren land measuring about 5 acres and lying in an abandoned state for the last 50 years was converted into a well-managed farm area.

The station is equipped with several advanced facilities that enhance its research capabilities. It serves as a natural phytotron for screening wheat diseases, particularly rusts, and white rusts of Brassica. A series of glasshouses are available for rust pathotyping and rust resistance gene postulation. Six new polyhouses with autoregulated temperature and humidity facilities will soon be erected with funds allotted under the 11th Plan budget of IARI. Additional infrastructure includes two laboratory-cum-office complexes, a pucca threshing floor, seed storage rooms, an underground irrigation system covering the entire farm area, and a well-equipped rest house that can accommodate up to 12 persons.

Mandates and Future Directions

The primary mandates of the IARI Wheat Research Station in Wellington are:

• Organization of National Off-Season Nursery: Mainly for wheat, barley, and triticale, with extended facilities for other crops like mustard, pea, lentil, safflower, and sugarcane.
• Breeding Disease-Resistant and High-Yielding Cultivars: Developing wheat varieties suitable for the agro-ecological conditions of the southern hills.
• Wheat Rust Pathotyping and Rust Resistance Gene Postulation: Critical for understanding rust resistance and developing new resistant varieties.
• Pyramiding of Genes for Durable Rust Resistance: Focused on incorporating multiple resistance genes into popular high-yielding Indian wheat cultivars.
• Popularization of Rust-Resistant Cultivars: Promoting these cultivars in the southern hill ranges to curtail the primary rust inoculum responsible for rust epidemics.
• Understanding the Genetics of Rust Resistance: Through phenotyping rust responses using pathotypes prevailing in different Indian regions.
• Coordination of All India Wheat & Barley Improvement Trials: Focused on the southern hill zone.

The IARI Wheat Research Station in Wellington continues to be a cornerstone of India's wheat research efforts. Its contributions to disease-resistant wheat breeding, genetic studies, and the development of high-yielding cultivars have had a lasting impact on Indian agriculture. As it moves forward with new research and expanded facilities, the station remains dedicated to securing India's wheat production against the ever-present threat of rust and other diseases.