HI-TECH HORTICULTURE

Established during 2005-2006 with the facilities for protected cultivation having different greenhouse/polyhouse, shadehouses, nethouse, misthouse, micro-irrigation and fertigation systems with other technologies in an area of 10 hectares. Established under Directorate of Research at Main Agricultural Research Station, Saidapur farm, with a basic objective to conduct research on Protected Cultivation and Hi-Tech Horticulture besides Teaching, Training and Demonstrations of the technologies in the main campus of the University

Research Accomplishments

In about 135 vegetable and flower genotypes screened for their performance for protected cultivation and 30 among were recommended for adoption besides, introduced and popularized three unexploited flower crops for protected cultivation. About 20 technologies have been developed for protected cultivation of high value vegetables and flowers. The findings in brief are given here under.

I Varieties recommended for adoption under protected cultivation

1. Capsicum and Cucumber: Green genotype Indra produced higher yield of 85.69 t/ha with benefit cost ratio of 2.75, but colour hybrids red Bomby yellow Orobelle and Bachata produced an average yield 75.83 t/ha with higher benefit cost ratio of 3.25 which fetches premium prices. Cucumber parthenocarpic public hybrid, KPCH-1 released by KAU performed better (148 t/ha) and on par with Pvt. hybrid Multistar (152t/ha). Cost of the seed also inexpensive (Rs1/Seed) as against Rs.5/seed of Pvt.hybrid

Indra                           Orobelle                            Bomby                          KPCH-1

2. Orchid and Anthuriums: Purple with white colour genotype Sonia- 17 found superior (55spikes/ m²) in In anthurium Tropical Red. Cheers and Acropolis recorded higher productivity of 88.50, 83.36, 85.56 and 80.25 flowers /m² respectively and found commercial variety for polyhouse cultivation.

Sonia- 17                         Tropical Red                      Cheers                           Acropolis

3. Rose: Out of 20 genotypes tried Sun king, First red , Upper Class and Tropical Amazon performed better in rose and produced an average yield of 157 flowers per m² under polyhouse.

Sun King                          First red                  Tropical Amazan                Upper Class

4. Gerbera : Out of 50 genotypes tried Savannah (Red+ BC), Dalma (white+BC), Rosalin (pink), Dana Ellen (yellow ), Intense (Purple + BC), Submarine (Yellow), Nashville (Deep pink+BC), Pre-intenz (pink+BC) performed better with an average yield of 225 flowers /m² under polyhouse

Savannah                         Dalma                            Rosalin                        Dana Ellen

Intense                         Submarine                           Nashville                    Pre-intenz

5. Carnation: Out of 30 genotypes tried  Gaudina,  Firato,  Baby pink,   Gwen, Vincidor                              Sienna, Malaga and Liberty performed better and produced an average yield of 285 flowers /m² under

Gaudina                            Firato                            Baby pink                         Gwen

Vincidor                     Sienna                                  Malaga                            Liberty

 

1. Technology Developed
2. Planting geometry and training methods for capsicum cultivation: Planting capsicum at 45X30 cm for  polyhouse and  45X45 cm for shade house condition retaining four stems per plant for both conditions recommended for to obtain  superior quality produce with higher yield of 95.72 t/ha and 25 t/ha respectively

                                                  

45X30 cm – polyhouse                         45X45 cm-shade house                     Four stem method

2. Planting geometry and training method for Tomato, Cherry tomato, Pole beans and Yard long beans: Planting tomato at 45X60 cm retaining two stems per plant recommended to obtain superior quality produce with higher yield of 160.55 t/ha in table tomato and 65 t/ha in Cherry tomato under protected condition.

       

              Tomato                       Cherry tomato                    Pole bean                       Yard long bean

In pole beans and yard long beans, planting geometry of 45x30cm with single seeds per hill produced higher growth with higher productivity of (2.19 and 3.34kg/m²) and yield per hectare (21.9 t and 33,4 t) in yard long bean  and pole bean respectively under 35% shading net house.

3. Performance of exotic vegetables under protected structures and planting geometry: About seven exotic vegetables such as- lettuce, china cabbage, broccoli, celery, red cabbage, zucchini and leek were tested under three growing environments viz; poly house, shade house and open field to study their influence with three different planting geometry.

Lettuce                                          Chinese cabbage                                Broccoli

Among the growing environments shade house performed better for all the crops with varied plant spacing. Hence shade house cultivation is recommended with varied spacing. For lettuce 30 x 30 cm, china cabbage 45 x 45 cm, broccoli 45 x 45 cm, celery 30 x 15 cm, red cabbage 45 x 30 cm, zucchini 100 x 90cm and leek 20 x 15cm to obtain superior quality produce with higher yield of 24.30t/ha, 51.76 t/ha,14.5t/ha, 30.0t/ha, 34.0t/ha, 22.15t/ha and 30.5t/ha respectively

Celery                         Red cabbage                     Zucchini                           Leek

4. Fertigation for cultivation of Broccoli, Red cabbage, Lettuce and Chinese cabbage: Fertigation study with different levels of water soluble fertilizers were tried. It is recommended from the study that, 75% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (112:75:93kg NPK/ha) through water soluble fertilizers by fertigation for broccoli, red cabbage and china cabbage and (112:75:75 kg NPK/ha) for lettuce to obtain superior quality produce with higher yield of 45 t /ha, 39.62 t/ha, 48.60 t/ha and 28.45 t/ha respectively

Broccoli                         Red cabbage                   Lettuce                     Chinese cabbage

5. Growing media and system of cultivation for orchid and anthurium under polyhouse: For orchid pot system and growing media as brick pieces +charcoal found best for higher productivity of 74.44 flower spikes /m² with superior quality flowers. In case of anthuriums growing system of 90% shading net as media holding material found best for higher productivity of 126.50 flowers /m² with superior quality flower

Pot with brick piece+ charcoal                     Orchid flower                          90% shading net method

6. Broad bed method for tuberose and chrysanthemum cultivation: In the broad bed method for cultivation, planting of bulbs at 30×30 cm in tuberose and 45x30cm spacing in chrysanthemum on the broad bed with plastic mulch and recommended dose of water and fertilizers through drip irrigation system produced 74% higher yield in tuberose and  55% higher yield in chrysanthemum with superior quality produce

30x30cm on broad bed in tuberose                         45x30cm on broad bed in chrysanthemum

7. Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) for Protected Cultivation of Exotic vegetables: Integrated Nutrient Management with different combination of chemical fertilizers (NPK) organic manures (FYM &Vermicompost) and bio-fertilizers (Azatobactor and PSB) were tried in Broccoli, Red cabbage, Lettuce and Chinese cabbage.  Among the different combination of chemical fertilizers, organic manures and bio-fertilizers

Broccoli                         Red cabbage                          Lettuce                 Chinese cabbage

The treatment with 50% of recommended dose of NPK with recommended dose of Vermin-compost, Azatobactor and PSB recorded higher yield while in Chinese cabbage 75% of recommended dose of NPK  Vermi-compost, Azatobactor and PSB recorded higher yield

8. Introduction and popularization of underutilized flower crops: Underutilized flower crops such as Bird of Paradise, Alpinia and Heliconia are introduced for shade house cultivation commercially as they are shade loving crops and popularized for modern flower decoration

Bird of Paradise-Mandela’s Gold                  Alpinia-Purple                     Heliconia-Golden torch

MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS UNIT

Medicinal and aromatic plants unit established with the facilities of irrigation and protected cultivation in an area of 2.33 hectares. Established under Directorate of Research at Main Agricultural Research Station, Saidapur farm, with a basic objective to conduct research on medicinal and aromatic plants and Demonstrations of the technologies, training and sale of the seedlings.

 HORTICULTURE

• Rejuvenation of senile mango trees: In order to improve the productivity of 70 year old mango orchard, rejuvenation work was initiated. In the first phase 75 mango trees were pruned and precautionary plant protection measures were undertaken during March 2020. For this purposes, garden machineries such as pole pruner, chain saw, HTP sprayers and power weeders were procured.
• Establishment of ornamental garden: A new ornamental garden with lawn, shrubs and paths was established around the temple complex in Dharwad campus
• Green Initiative: More than 2000 saplings of minor fruit and forest trees planted as the part of green initiative were maintained by regular watering.
• Production of quality planting material:

Following planting materials were produced during the period

1. Fruit plants such as mango, sapota, tamarind – 5000 no
2. Coconut                         – 2000 no
3. Ornamental plants – 10000 no
4. Vegetable / seed spice seeds                         – 3 qtl.
5. Medicinal plants             – 1000 no

• Sale of Planting material : Fifteen thousand guava layers from Department of Horticulture, MARS Dharwad and 25000 layers from Hitech unit were sold during February-March 2020
• Department was involved in the stage decoration and arrangement of the Farmers Knowledge Centre during GRAM 2020.
• Maintenance of Ornamental gardens: Maintenance of ornamental gardens and plants in the premises of University during the lock down period. In addition, a small vertical garden was established at the entrance of University main building.

 e) SAIDAPUR FARM

Saidapur Farm is the oldest Farm coming under the MARS, Dharwad. The farm is located on Dharwad Belgum Highway, opposite to UAS, Dharwad main block, 3 km from the Dhrawd located at 15° 26’ 31.17’’ N latitude, 75 cm° 07’ E longitude and at an altitude of 678 m above mean sea level.

Agro-climatic zone: The farm comes under Northern transition zone (zone -8) of Karnataka which lies between the Western hilly zone (zone – 9) and Northern dry zone (zone – 3) of Karnataka.

Climatic Condition: During the past 70 years, mean annual rainfall was 743.4 mm with maximum (137.6 mm) during July and minimum (0.7 mm) during January month. The mean maximum temperature (36.5 °C) and minimum temperature (14.0 °C) were recorded during April and December, respectively.    Further, maximum relative humidity (86.3 %) and minimum relative humidity (42.5 %) were recorded during July and March respectively.

Soil type:  Shallow black soil, red soil and sandy loam soil, The soil was neutral in reaction (7.18) with normal electrical conductivity (0.27 dS m-1). It was low in available nitrogen (246.5 kg ha-1) and medium in phosphorus (22.5 kg ha-1) and available potassium (251.4 kg ha-1).

 

                   

 

Total Area of the Saidapur Farm and Allocation of Land resources for 2022-23:

Sl.No.	Details	Area (ha)
1.	Saidapur Farm, MARS Dharwad	22.21
2.	Hi-Tech Horticulture including nursery	12.00
3.	Krishi Vigyan Kendra Dharwad	20.00
4.	Medicinal and Aromatic Plants	02.33
5.	NSP/Seed unit	08.00
	Total	64.54

Saidapur Farm

Sl.No.	Particulars	Area (ha)
A	Area Under Horticulture Crops	13.00
B	Cultivable area (Aerable Land)	7.00
C	Area under roads & buildings	2.21
	Total Area of the farm	22.21

• Station is involved in the breeder, foundation and certified seed production of Ground nut, soybean, Multicut fodder sorghum during kharif season as per Seed production action plan.
• During the rabi season breeder, foundation and certified seed production programme on Bengal gram, jowar and safflower will be taken up as per Seed production action plan.
• Seedlings production of curry leaf , drumstick , Sesbania
• The farm is having block plantation of Mango in 2.0 ac (Keasr, Alfanso and Mallika) , Guava 1.70 ac (Lucknow -49), Sapota 1.20 ac (DSS- 1 & 2), Coconut (Arasikeri Tall) and Drumstick (Bhagya).
• The Miyawaki Forest demonstration unit is maintained in 1.0 ac.
• The Mango germplasm collection in 6.0 ac. Which is used for the sale of Sion to different mango nurseries.
• Multiplication and popularization of pre released varieties of different crops.
• Seedlings production of curry leaf , drumstick , Sesbania etc,.
• Conducting new chemical testing trials as per the University guidelines.
• In order to improve the soil fertility every year 25% of the land will be brought under green manuring with sunnhemp in different blocks.

The station is providing the technical information to the farmers field crops, Fodder crops , horticulture crops based on the current research finding to the farmers. The station is also conducting demonstration trials and experiments. The scientists are participating in the extension and training programmes on different crops organized by GoK -Agriculture and allied department

 

Office Contact:

Name of the Office: Main Agricultural Research Station, UAS, Dharwad

Email: srfsmarsdwd@uasd.in

Telephone: 0836-2214245