Collection & Exchange of Germplasm
As a vital part of the SSRI variety development program, germplasm exchange is actively maintained with top agricultural research institutes across Pakistan, including:
- Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI), Faisalabad
- Sugar Crops Research Institute (SCRI), Mardan
- Dewan Farooq Sugarcane Research Institute (DFSRI), Thatta
- National Agriculture Research Council (NARC Sub-station), Thatta
- Nuclear Institute for Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam
- Qaid-e-Awam Research Institute, Larkana
These research institutes coordinate closely under the National Uniform Varietal Yield Trials (NUVYT) managed by NARC Islamabad.
Sugarcane Agronomy & Pathology
Sugarcane Agronomy
Provides direct technical guidance on production technology, biometric varietal traits, judicious fertilizer application, and irrigation water management. Agronomic trials cover seed rate studies, row spacing, fertilizer application coefficients, and post-harvest loss minimization.
Sugarcane Pathology
Systematic screening of sugarcane clones against major fungal and viral diseases including Red Rot, Rust, Pokkah Boeng, and Smut during March to May under natural and artificial inoculation conditions. Artificial inoculation of axenic cultures for Red Rot is conducted during the peak growth phase in July.
Shakarganj Organic Fertilizer (SOF)
Research at SSRI identified that low sugarcane production in regional soils is directly linked to organic matter depletion (dropping below 0.40% due to high summer temperatures and lack of organic restitution).
Shakarganj Organic Fertilizer (SOF) is a 100% organic, slow-release compost engineered for root building, soil structure restoration, and enhanced chemical fertilizer absorption.
SSRI Scientific Library
Established in 1990, the SSRI research library is computerized using Dewey Decimal Classification and provides online catalog access to researchers and departmental officers.
The library repository houses over 6,205 volumes comprising scientific books, research journals, proceedings, manuals, and audio-visual agricultural references.