ICAR-NRCB Releases Two New Banana Varieties: 'Kaveri Thangam' and 'Kaveri Nadan'

The ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) in Tiruchi (Tamil Nadu) has released two new banana varieties— 'Kaveri Thangam' and 'Kaveri Nadan'—during its Foundation Day celebrations.

Key Features / Major Points:

Development Timeline: The varieties were developed and released following 15 years of extensive research and multi-location field trials across India.

Kaveri Thangam:

Premium quality biofortified variety.

Contains nearly 10 times higher Vitamin A content compared to traditional banana varieties.

Kaveri Nadan:

High-yielding variety.

Provides almost double the yield compared to conventional regular varieties.

Agricultural Impact: Promotes nutritional security through biofortification while substantially improving crop yield and farmers' income.

Static GK Facts:

ICAR-NRCB & Banana Production:

ICAR-NRCB: Established on August 21, 1993, at Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Banana Production: India is the world's largest producer of bananas.

Top Producing States in India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Which newly released banana variety developed by ICAR-NRCB contains 10 times higher Vitamin A than conventional varieties?

Answer: Kaveri Thangam

Where is the ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) headquartered?

Answer: Tiruchirappalli (Tiruchi), Tamil Nadu