Dr. YSRHU e-Newsletter Fortnightly e-Newsletter of Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural University Volume-II, Issue –16 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 16th —31st August, 2016 Fortnight Focus Events Education Research Extension General Events Board of management meeting 39th Board of management meeting of Dr. Y.S.R.Horticultural University was held on 31.08.2016 at University Head Quarters, Venkataramannagudem. Dr. B.M.C.Reddy, Vice-Chancellor and chairman made a presentation on various activities being undertaken in the university after 38th Board of management meeting and the board discussed about the agenda items. Members of Board of man- agement visited the automated plug type nursery production unit and polyhouses at Centre of Ex- cellence for Protected Cultivation in the campus. Education Site inspections A Committee constituted by Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural University has in- spected the places from where the expression of interests have come to establish Private Horticultural Colleges in the State of Andhra Pradesh from 22.08.2016 to 26.08.2016. Exposure visits Dr. A.V.D.Dorajee Rao, Asst. Professor (Hort.), COH, Venkataramanna- gudem arranged an exposure visit to third year B Sc (Hons.) Horticul- ture students to show the landscaping and bioaesthetic plantings at ca- nal and Godavari bunds, town park at Nidadavolu, Hydal Power station at Settipeta, SRLE Hospital, Nidadavolu, beautification of highway on NH-16, corporate offices, railway stations, State Forest Research Centre, Rajahmundry, Madhurapudi air port and Sir Arthur Cotton Museum. Students of ISTS College of Engineering for Women, Rajamahendrava- ram visited HRS, Kovvur on 23.08.2016. Smt. R. Naga Lakshmi , Scientist (Hort) explained about the various equipments used in tissue culture laboratory. Ms. T.Sowmya, RA(Pl.Path) explained about the primary and secondary hardening of banana plantlets under green house conditions and also explained about drip irrigation equipment under field condi- tions. Research Biocontrol agent for rust diseases Dr. P. Rama Devi, Scientist (Pl.Pathology), HRS, Venkataramannagudem recorded leaf rust (Hemileia hollarhenae) on Kodisapala (Holarrhena anti- dysenterica) a medicinal tree and the maggots of Mycodiplosis sp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) a dipteran fly feeding on rust uredospores. The larval popula- tion ranged from 6 to 39/leaf, which varied with the rust per cent incidence and the stage of uredospores. It was identified as voracious predator on uredospores and a natural biocontrol agent on rust diseases caused by Phakospora ampelopsidis on grape- vine in Taiwan, Puccinia recondita on wheat (Kaushl et al., 2015) in India and Hemileia vastatrix on coffee (Ong and Vandermeer, 2015). Mango root stock Mr. D. Sreedhar, Scientist (Hort.), Horticultural Research Station, Anantharajupet collected mango root stock varieties viz., Bappakai and Kurukkan, three varieties of Jasmine viz., Arka Surabhi, Arka Arpan, Arka Aradhana and nine varieties of chrysanthemum viz., Chandrakanth, Indira, Chandrika, Kirti, Yellow Star, Usha Kiran, Yellow Gold, Arka Ravi, Arka Pink Star from IIHR, Bengaluru. Volume-II, Issue –16 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 16th —31st August, 2016 2 Disease Survey Sowmya Tetali, RA (Pl. Path), Dr. K. Mamatha, Scientist (Hort.) and Mrs. R. Naga Lakshmi Scientist (Hort.), HRS, Kovvur conducted roving survey in various ba- nana fields of Ryali and Ravulapaddu villages of Ravulapalem mandal in East Godavari district on 30.08.2016 and observed sigatoka leaf spot in Tella Chak- kera Keli and Karpura Chakkera Keli cultivars and Rhizome rot in Tella Chak- kera Keli cultivar in traces. Extension Training programmes Dr. K. Subramanyam, Principal Scientist (PP) & Head, HRS, Mahanandi attended a farmers training programme on “Cultivation of Pomegranate” organized by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Yagantipalle on 18.08.2016. Smt. R. Naga Lakshmi, Scientist (Hort.), HRS, Kovvur imparted training on “Improved Package of Practices in Banana cultivation” to the farmers from Torredu and Madhurapudi villages in Korukonda mandal of East Godavari district at Regional Horticultural Training Institute, Eluru on 26.08.2016. Dr. R. Nagaraju, Asst. Professor (Hort), COH, Anantharajupet participated in the Training-cum- Exposure visit to the polyhouse farmers and Horticulture engineers on 18th August, 2016 at Centre of Excellence, Kuppam, Chittoor (Dist) as a resource person. Crop visits Dr.A.Srinivas, Sr.Scientist & Head, Sri P.Venkata Ramana, SMA (SS&AC) KVK, Pandirimamidi, Sri K.V.N.Chakradhara Babu, IAS, PO – ITDA, Rampachodavaram, Smt. Padmaja, PD-ATMA, Kakinada and NGO rep- resentatives visited sorghum, bajra, korra, redgram, paddy demonstra- tion fields on 23.08.2016 as a follow up visit to check the seasonal con- ditions in Rampa, Gorramamidi, Madicherla, Chilakamamidi village of Rampachodavaram & Maredumilli mandal. Diagnostic visits Sri. M. Ravindra Babu, Scientist (Hort.), HRS, Venkataramannagudem visited brinjal and bitter gourd fields at Kondaveedu, Yadlapadu man- dal, Guntur district. Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB) in brinal and fruit fly damage in bitter gourd was noticed. Use of pheromone traps, removal and destruction of infested fruits and shoots followed by spraying of profenophos @ 2 ml/lt was recommended for FSB. Dr. K. Swarajya Lakshmi, Assoc. Professor (Hort.), Dr. M. Raja Naik, Asst. Professor (Hort.) and Dr. Ch. Ruth, Asst. Professor (Pl. Pathology), COH, Anantharajupet visited banana and citrus fields at Y. Kota, Y.S.R Kadapa dist on 27.08.2016 and observed nutrient deficiencies, sigatoka leaf spot and suggested management practices for both the crops. Volume-II, Issue –16 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 16th —31st August, 2016 3 Field diagnostic visits to the Cluster Frontline Demonstration fields- Red gram and Green gram were conducted by Dr. E. Karuna Sree, Senior Sci- entist and Head, KVK, Venkatarmannagudem on 22nd and 24th in Jeelu- gumilli and Buttaigudem mandals and observed the effect of long dry spell in green gram fields at flowering stage and suggested for spraying of 2 % urea. Red gram crop is in vegetative stage and neem soap is pro- vided as pest repellent @ 5 g/l. Dr. E. Karunasree, Senior Scientist & Head, KVK, Venkataramanna- gudem visited vegetable fields in tribal villages Bandarlagudem and Pandugudem in Buttaigudem mandal and Venkataramannagudem vil- lage of Tadepalligudem mandal on 29th August, 2016 and demon- strated installation of yellow sticky traps for the control of white fly in brinjal and chilli crops and pheromone traps in brinjal for assessing the incidence of shoot and fruit borer. kkkistir Follow up visit to Apiary unit established in cashew garden of Sri. K. Posa Rao, Kamaiahkunta village on 29.09.2016 and observed the per- formance of colonies of Apis-cerana indica honey bees. The colonies were found to be healthy and brood chambers were completely filled and ready for adding super frames. Comb foundation sheets were given as additional assistance to the trainee. Distribution of Aseel poultry birds Aseel poultry birds were distributed in tribal villages as a part of Tribal Sub Plan activities of KVK, Venkataramannagudem on 31.08.2016. 1000 Aseel birds were reared at KVK instructional farm and given to tribal families in Jeelugumilli and Buttaigudem mandals as supplementary income gen- erating activity to tribal families. General Visitors Sri P.Govinda Satyanarayana garu , MLA, Anakapalli and Hon’ble Member, Board of Management, Dr.YSRHU visited PHTRS, Venkata- ramannagudem along with Scientists of RARS, Anakapalli on 24.08.2016. Dr. B. Prasanna Kumar, Principal Scientist (Hort.) & Head explained about the functioning of ripening chamber and cold storage and vegetable processing unit. Twenty trainees accompanied by Dr.K.S. Nagaraj, Assistant Profes- sor (Fruit Science) and Mr.A.N.Subhash, Asst Professor (Agronomy) from College of Horticulture, Kolar, Karnataka visited College of Horticulture, Anantharajupet to on 30.08.2016 and acquainted with the activities and production technology of horticultural crops’. Volume-II, Issue –16 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 16th —31st August, 2016 4 Parthenium Awareness Week At COH , Anantharajupet The “11th Parthenium Week” was conducted from 16th to 22th August, 2016 at Punnetivaripalli, an adopted village of COH, Anantharajupet to create awareness and for adoption of integrated approach to eradicate the rampant weed, parthenium. This was conducted as a component of Swachh Barath programme. At KVK, Pandirimamidi As part of Parthenium Awareness Week KVK, Pandirimamidi organized Parthenium removal programme on 22.08.2016. Staff of KVK demon- strated control of Parthenium through different methods like using brush cutter, spraying of herbicide and manual weeding and created awareness on effective management practices. At Horticulture Polytechnic, Madakasira Parthenium eradication programme was taken up as part of Parthenium Awareness week at S.S.P.G. horticulture Polytechnic, Madakasira on 22.08.2016. In this programme Dr.M.Ramakrishna, Principal explained about the harmful effects of parthenium and eradication methods to the students. All the students, staff members and workers of the college par- ticipated and removed parthenium weed in the college premises. Meditation classes Students and Staff of College of Horticulture, Anantharajupet partici- pated in meditation classes for three days on 19st, 20th and 22ndAugust, 2016 organized by Heartfulness foundation, Tirupati. An advantage of doing meditation was explained to the gathering. Meetings attended Dr.D.Srihari, Dean of Student of Affairs has attended