Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Oct 4: A scientist from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology Kashmir (SKUAST) has been working on producing oats variants for human consumption.
This, according to the researcher Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Dar from Pulwama’s Gusoo will be first of its kind variant for human consumption in the country.
Dr Mushtaq said that several studies on oats have been conducted in industrialised nations and they have been effective in creating new types for human consumption. “But we have no such type of oats for human consumption, we grow oats mostly for cattle,” he said.
Oats are extremely nutritious, making them the most essential aspect of oat for human consumption in India, where consumption is growing by 24 percent annually, he said.
Dr Mushtaq explained that the climate in Kashmir is favorable for the cultivation of oats for human consumption as well.
“The cultivation of high-quality oat grains also improves the livelihood of small and large farmers, not only doubling their incomes but also increasing it seven times more than with other cereals,” he added.
Oat cultivation is significant for the environment because it uses fewer fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides, is generally resistant to diseases and pests, and requires very little maintenance as compared to other cereals, he added.
Dr. Mushtaq claimed that SKUAST-K has launched a research project for creating oat variants for human consumption for which he is the primary investigator.
“Two types of oats for human consumption are under trial. SKUAST-K will release them in the next two years.” One of the two types has been given the suggested name “Sher-e Kashmir Quality oats-1,” he added.
In the entire nation, this will be the first kind of oats of its kind, he claimed.
Dr Mushtaq noted that because of their high nutritional value and health advantages, oats have supplanted rice and wheat as a common food source in other nations. “The type includes 4.9 percent of beta Glucan, the nutrient will help people battling with obesity and diabetes,” he stated.
The scientist said that during demonstration, the crop’s quality control tests had produced consistently positive findings for the previous two years.
Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad, who recently finished a visiting scientist fellowship at the University of Nebraska USA Lincoln, worked extensively on oats during his doctoral studies. His research project, “combining and ability studies in oats for forage quality and grain quality” won the 2016 prize for best thesis.
The scientist has written more than four books, 130 research and review articles on topics other than oats, with an emphasis on food security and climate change in particular.
In recognition of his research, he has received awards including the Young Scientist Award in 2016, the World Sustainable Agriculture Award, and the Young Scientist Award in 2017.
