NewzVille Exclusive
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has developed the country’s first mutant banana variety, Trombay Banana Mutant-9 (TBM-9), officially released as ‘Kaveri Vaaman’ by the Government of India. This landmark development also marks the first fruit crop created and released by BARC, raising its total number of improved crop varieties to 72.
Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), hailed the release as a significant step toward revolutionizing horticultural crop improvement using ionizing radiation.
It’s a coincidence that it was released on the BARC Founder’s Day 2025.
Speaking on the occasion, BARC Director, Vivek Bhasin highlighted the crucial role of gamma ray-induced mutagenesis in sustainably improving crop varieties. He noted that Kaveri Vaaman would benefit farmers who grow the widely cultivated Grande Naine banana, adding that the variety reflects BARC’s expansion of its mutation breeding programme from traditional crops to fruit and other vegetatively propagated plants.
Developed in collaboration with the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Tiruchirappalli, Kaveri Vaaman originated from the popular Grande Naine cultivar, which was subjected to gamma radiation to induce useful mutations. After years of screening and extensive field trials, TBM-9 was selected for its superior agronomic traits.
