Agriculture

- High yielding varieties and hybrids of cotton (Nimbkar-1, NH-391 and NH-101), sunflower (NSFH-10), safflower (NARI-NH-1, NARI-6, NARI-H-15 and Nira), and sweet sorghum (Madhura) have been developed. High quality seeds of safflower and sweet sorghum produced at NARI’s own farms are available on commercially attractive terms.

- NARI is one of the research centers included in the All India Coordinated Research Project on Oilseeds for irrigated safflower under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR, New Delhi). Several varieties/hybrids are being developed and tested. A new moderately pest-resistant safflower hybrid NARI-H-15 was released in 2006. In 2007 a moderately wilt-resistant variety NARI-38 was identified for national release.

- In addition to seed, petal production from safflower is also being promoted. Petals are being collected presently by hand-picking from non-spiny safflower hybrids. A battery powered and knapsack type petal collector has been developed. Presently the petal collection from spiny varieties is being done by these collectors. These petals are being bought by persons for treatment of essential hypertension and other ailments. A systematic study to test these effects is underway.

- Agrochemical testing for various companies and research laboratories in India is carried out at NARI. Data generated by NARI are acceptable to the Central Insecticides Board for purposes of registration of new pesticides. The clientele has included many reputed companies like NOCIL, Godrej Soaps, Gharda Chemical, Marson, Hoechst Schering Agrevo and Hindustan Lever (all from Mumbai), NCL and Sudarshan Chemicals (Pune), IICT (Hyderabad), EID Parry (Chennai) etc.

- NARI has been a pioneer in developing sweet sorghum as a multipurpose crop in India. Complete technology for producing ethanol, jaggery and syrup from sweet sorghum has therefore been developed. The syrup is being marketed under the brand name "MADHURA". There is anecdotal evidence for its usefulness as treatment of asthma. The seed of MADHURA hybrid is available.

- NARI has an A class weather station for its agriculture and renewable energy research where all the weather data including solar radiation has been collected since early 1980s.