ANNUAL REPORT 2015-16 ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Bengaluru 560 089, India ISO 9001:2008 Certified ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Hesaraghatta Lake Post Bengaluru - 560 089, Karnataka, India Tel. No. : +91-80-28466420-423 +91-80-28446140-143 Fax : +91-80-28466291 E-mail : [email protected] Website : http://www.iihr.res.in Correct Citation ICAR-IIHR Annual Report 2015-16 ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India June 29, 2016 Published by Dr. M. R. Dinesh Director Editorial and Publication Committee Chairperson: Dr. S. Shivashankar Members: Dr. Reju M. Kurian Dr. G. Selvakumar Ms. P. L. Anushma Mr. A. K. Jagadeesan Member Secretary: Mr. A. N. Lokesha Editorial Assistance: Bhagabati Rout Printed at: Jwalamukhi Mudranalaya Pvt. Ltd. Ph : +91-80-26617243, E-mail : [email protected] Contents Preface 1. Executive Summary 1 2. Introduction 9 3. Research Achievements 3.1. Crop Genetic Resources 22 3.2. Crop Improvement 33 3.3. Crop Production 60 3.4. Crop Protection 74 3.5. Crop Utilization and Farm Mechanization 83 3.6. Economics of Production, Statistical Research and Computer Application 88 3.7. Extension Research 91 4. All India Coordinated Research Projects 94 5. Transfer of Technology 96 6. Education, Training and Capacity Building 108 7. Awards and Recognitions 116 8. Linkages and Collaborations 120 9. Publications 128 10. Research Projects 146 11. Commercialization of Technologies 154 12. RAC, IRC, IMC - Major Recommendations 155 13. Presentation of Papers in Conferences, Seminars etc. 163 14. Symposia, Seminars, Other Events 174 15. Women Empowerment 180 16. Tribal Sub Plan 181 17. Official Language Implementation 183 18. Distinguished Visitors 186 19. Personnel 187 20. Meteorological Data 195 21. Results-Framework Document Annexure Preface vailability of food, nutritional security, sustainable livelihoods and health care are integral aspects Acontributing to inclusive growth of any developing economy. In this scenario, horticulture has emerged as one of the most important sub-sectors of agriculture in the country. The production of horticultural crops has outpaced the production of food grains since 2012-13. India has witnessed voluminous increases in horticultural production over the last few years. Significant progress has been made in the area expansion resulting in higher production. Over the last decade, the area under horticulture grew by about 2.7 per cent per annum and annual production increased by 7.0 per cent. During 2013-14, the production of horticultural crops was around 283.5 million tons from 24.2 million hectares area. Out of the six categories viz., fruits, vegetables, flowers, aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops, the highest annual growth of 9.5 per cent was seen in fruit production during 2013-14. The production of vegetables has increased from 58,532 thousand tons to 1,67,058 thousand tons since 1991-92 to 2014-15. India witnessed a sharp increase in the acreage of horticultural crops compared to food grains over the last five years (from 2010-11 to 2014-15) with the area under horticultural crops increasing to around 18 per cent as compared to an area expansion under food grains by a marginal 5 per cent during the stipulated period. The production of horticultural crops has outpaced the production of food grains since 2012-13. The percentage share of horticultural output in agriculture presently is more than 33 per cent. During 2014-15, the country exported fruits and vegetables worth Rs.7474.14 crores. Under the purview of agriculture and allied activities, the share of plan outlay for horticulture, which was 3.9 per cent during IX Plan, has increased to 4.6 per cent during the XII Plan, thus providing opportunities. The sub-sector has accomplished different milestones despite the challenges of low productivity, diminishing land resources, degraded production environment, energy crisis, significant post-harvest losses, low levels of value addition, climate change, global competition, weak knowledge sharing infrastructure, inadequate market linkages, sub- optimal factor productivity, harnessing of space and IT benefits. I feel utmost privileged to present the Annual Report 2015-16 of the ICAR - Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru. The institute along with its regional stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras is playing a pivotal role in conducting research, education and knowledge management activities for boosting horticultural growth in the country through technology development in the areas of trait-specific varieties of fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, medicinal & aromatic crops and mushrooms focusing on water prudence, climate resilience and tolerance to different biotic and abiotic stresses supported by a range of farmer-friendly technologies for soil and plant health management, post-harvest management, value addition and farm mechanization. The institute takes pride in claiming that it is an innovative hub that has led to commercialization of a number of innovations in the area of seed and quality planting materials, diagnostics, bio-control agents, micronutrient formulations, microbial inoculants and gender mainstreaming technologies resulting in the mitigation of problems in real-time farming situations. The institute has also empowered the trainers, growers and other stakeholders through gap analysis, technology refinement and knowledge sharing mechanisms. I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to all the staff of the institute for admirably raising to the occasion of challenges and harnessing the opportunities for optimizing the outputs. I am grateful to the Institute Management Committee and Research Advisory Committee, for reviewing the institutional activities and programmes from time to time and offering valuable suggestions for improvement. I wish to place on record my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. S. Ayyappan, Former Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE & Director General, ICAR, New Delhi and Dr. N.K. Krishna Kumar, Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science), ICAR, New Delhi for their continued support and guiding this institute towards the path of achieving excellence. The contributions of the publication committee of the institute in bringing out this publication in time, in an abridged form are greatly appreciated. Bengaluru M.R. Dinesh June 29, 2016 Director A few commercialized technologies of ICAR-IIHR 1. Executive Summary Research work at the Institute is being carried out in approved under the XII plan have been procured to 153 sub-projects under 25 in-house projects which strengthen the research. The scope and quality policy include 133 sub-projects from the main station at of the Institute has been defined and the ICAR- Indian Hesaraghatta, eight sub-projects from CHES, Chettalli Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru has and 12 sub projects from CHES, Bhubaneswar. Apart been certified for ‘Quality Management System ISO from this there are 77 externally funded projects, one 9001:2008’ during the year. Summary of the research international aided project, one national fellow project achievements in various projects under operation are and eight All India Coordinated Research Projects presented below. under operation at the Institute. Apart from this, two Management of plant genetic resources Flagship Programs, three New Initiatives one Centre of Excellence and nine Consortia Research Platform Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru projects have been sanctioned during the XII five year has been recognised as the nodal centre for plan and work in these projects has been initiated. In management of horticultural plant genetic resources the field of education, training and capacity building, in the country in association with other horticultural the Institute has signed an MoU with IARI, New crop institutions under the Council. In keeping with Delhi for initiation of Ph.D. program as an Outreach the fresh mandate, the institute carried out further Program of PG School, IARI, New Delhi and the exploration, collection, introduction, domestication, Post Graduate School of Horticultural Sciences has evaluation, characterization, conservation and been established at Indian Institute of Horticultural documentation of horticulture plant genetic resources. Research, Bengaluru during August 2014 and has Several germplasm accessions with novel features commenced the Ph.D. program in horticultural were added and with the new additions, the total sciences at the Institute. On the capacity building germplasm collection of the institute, including front many staff members were deputed for advanced regional stations stands at 10626. trainings in specific fields of their specialization, many Explorations conducted in Nagaland yielded 176 staff members of the other institutes were trained samples of vegetables, wild relatives of crop plants in specialized fields of expertise available at the and land races belonging to 40 taxa and some Institute, the scientists of the Institute were deputed unique collections like, Abelmoschus tetraphyllus to various national and international conferences, var. pungens and Momordica subangulata subsp. seminars, symposia, etc. to participate and present subangulata. Apart from this, Hadagali Jasmine, three papers, get exposure to the recent advancements made Jamun accessions, eleven mangosteen samples, two in the field of horticultural research, interact with