MUMBAI, Nov. 27 -- A new, dwarf banana variety, designed to withstand strong winds and mature earlier than standard ones, could emerge as an economic game-changer for farmers. Developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), this is the first mutant banana variety in India, and also the first fruit crop developed and released by BARC, according to a media statement. Formally called the "Trombay Banana Mutant-9" (TBM-9), the mutant banana has been christened "Kaveri Vaaman". BARC says it has been developed from the economically important "Grande Naine" cultivar and is an expansion of its mutation breeding programme. With Kaveri Vaaman, BARC has released 72 improved crop varieties. "The key advantage of Kaaveri Vaaman is its short stature, which makes these plants highly resistant to lodging (i.e. bending or breaking of stems), a major problem with the tall banana plants grown in windy areas along the coastline. Conventionally, bamboo or wooden poles are used as props to prevent lodging. As the new variety is dwarf and lodging-resistant, props are not essential, leading to a significant reduction in the input cost," said BARC. The maturity period of Kaveri Vaaman is one and a half months less than the parent, enabling quicker harvest. "Besides these advantages, the banana fruit from the new variety retains all the typical organoleptic characteristics of the parent Grande Naine variety. Kaveri Vaaman is apt for high-density plantation as well as terrace gardening, qualities that support both commercial as well as household cultivation," reads the release. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, secretary with the department of atomic energy, said the release of TBM-9 is a "a major step in revolutionising the improvement of horticultural crops in India through the use of ionising radiation". BARC developed Kaveri Vaaman in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Research Centre for Banana (ICAR-NRCB), Tiruchirappalli....