Dr. YSRHU e-Newsletter Fortnightly e-Newsletter of Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural University Volume-II, Issue –24 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 15th —31st December, 2016 Makara Sankranti Fortnight Focus Events Education Research Extension General Events New Vice-Chancellor to Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural University Sri. Chiranjiv Choudhary, IFS, Ex-officio Secretary to the Govern- ment of Andhra Pradesh, Agriculture and Cooperation (Horticulture & Sericulture) Department assumed charge as Vice- Chancellor, Dr.Y.S.R.Horticultural Univerity on 19.12.2016 by re- lieving Dr.B.M.C.Reddy. Inauguration of Centre of Excellence for Protected Cultivation (CEPC) Centre of Excellence for Protected Cultivation under Centre for Research and Development established at University Head Quar- ters, Venkataramannagudem under NABARD-RIDF-XX was inau- gurated by Sri Prathipati Pulla Rao garu, Hon’ble Minister for Agri- culture and Horticulture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh in the august presence of Sri.Ganni Veeranjaneyulu, MLA, Ungutoor, Sri. Chinta- maneni Prabhakar, MLA, Denduluru, Sri. Pitahni Satyanarayana, MLA, Achanta, Sri.P.Govinda Satyanarayana, MLA, Anakapalli & Board Member, Sri. Popuri Sivarama Krishna, Board Member, Sri. Bonam Nageswara Rao, Board Member. Dr.B.M.C.Reddy, Vice- Chancellor explained about the purpose of starting this facility to the dignitaries. This centre in addition to research aims at production of ten million seedlings of various vegetable crops to supply the farmers and cultivation of different high value vegetables and flowers under protected as well as open condition besides im- parting training to farmers. Udyana Mela –2016 Udyana mela was organised by Dr.YSRHU at the Univer- sity campus on 17th and 18th December, 2016. Sri. Pra- thipati Pulla Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture and Horticulture, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, chief guest, Sri. Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, Hon’ble Minster for Endow- ments, Govt. of AP, Sri. Ganni Veeranjaneyulu, MLA, Un- gutur, Sri. Pitani Satyanarayana, MLA, Achanta and Sri. P.Govinda Satanarayana, MLA, Anakapalli were wel- comed by Dr.B.M.C.Reddy, Vice-chancellor and other University Officers. Exhibition with stalls of Dr.YSRHU, ANGRAU, SVVU, IIOPR, Pedavegi, DFR, Pune, Department of Horticulture, Department of Agriculture, Government & Non-Government Organisations and Pri- vate Companies was arranged. Live field demonstrations of vegetables, flowers and fruits under open and protected conditions were organised by the University to demonstrate improved tech- nologies to the farmers from different districts of Andhra Pradesh. Grand Farewell to the Vice Chancellor Dr.B.M.C.Reddy was relieved from the duties of Hon’ble Vice Chanellor, Dr YRSHU on 19.12.2016 after successful completion of his tenure as Vice chancellor. All the University Officers, Staff of the University and students felicitated Dr.B.M.C.Reddy in a grand event held at University campus and praised for shaping the uni- versity with best standards. Volume-II, Issue –24 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 15th —31st December, 2016 2 Education Exposure Visits As part of educational tour for 1st year diploma students of Horticul- ture Polytechnic, Kalikiri visited CRS, Tirupati on 19.12.2016 and RASS KVK, Karakambadi, Tirupati on 22.12.2016, IIHR, Bengaluru on 23.12.2016 and HRS, Anantharajupet on 24.12.2016. 2nd year students of College of Horticulture, Anantharajupet accompa- nied by Associate Dean, Dr. C.Madhumathi visited Citrus Research Sta- tion, Tirupati on 27.12.2016. Scientists of CRS briefed the ongoing re- search activities and Production technology of virus free sweet orange budlings. Dr L. Mukunda Lakshmi, Scientist (Hort.), CRS, Tirupati along with RHWEP-2016 students of College of Horticulture, Anantharajupet vis- ited Galla Processing unit, at Puthalapattu, Chittoor district on 29.12.2016 as a part of Industrial exposure. Dr. T. Suseela, Assistant Professor (Hort.), COH, Venkataramannagudem conducted an exposure visit to Satyadeva nursery, Kadiapulanka for the identification of various ornamental plants used in landscape designing to 1st year, B.Sc Horticulture students on 23.12.2016. Dr. V. Suchitra, Assistant Professor (Hort.) and M. Bala Krishna, Teach- ing Associate (GPBR), COH, Venkataramannagudem conducted expo- sure visit to 2nd year, B. Sc Horticulture students of COH, Venkatara- mannagudem to show the genome block of banana and tissue culture unit at to HRS, Kovvuru and then the students were taken to Kadiyam nurseries on 28.12.2016. Dr. K. Usha Kumari, Assistant Professor (Hort.) and Dr. A. Harsha Vardhan, Assistant Professor (Hort.), COH, Venkataramannagudem conducted expo- sure visit to HRS, Kovvuru and Malakalapalli village to show the cultivation of tuber crops and temperate vegetables in farmer’s fields to 2nd year, B. Sc Horticulture students, COH, Venkataramannagudem on 29.12.2016. Skeletonization of Ficus religiosa leaves Post graduate students of COH, Anantharajupet prepared skele- tonized leaves in the PHT lab with fully matured Ficus religiosa leaves after soaking them in water for one week followed by scrapping of green matter with a soft brush leaving only the veins. On this skeletonized leaves any design can be drawn or printed to improve its value further. Volume-II, Issue –24 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 15th —31st December, 2016 3 Research Centre of Excellence for Protected Cultivation Various crops like capsicum, tomato, cucumber, rose, ger- bera, carnations, chrysanthemum were planted in protected structures like Naturally Ventilated Polyhouses, Fan and Pad Polyhouses and Screen Houses at Centre of Excellence for Protected Cultivation at Venkataramannagudem. Some other crops like cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, radish, turnip, mari- gold, chrysanthemum and gladiolus were also grown to dem- onstrate various technologies in the open field. Performance of different varieties of the above crops will be studied for standardisation of agro techniques. Extension Jai Kisan Jai Vigyan Divas “Jai Kisan Jai Vigyan Divas” programme was conducted by KVKs and COH of Dr.YSRHU from 23.12.2016 to 29.12.2016. An awareness on importance of new developing technology in the field of agriculture was created among the school children and pulse production technology, preparation of silage in silage bags and green fodder cultivation by Hydroponic method. At Venkataramannagudem At Anantharajupet At Pamdirimamidi Diagnostic visits Dr.M.M.Naidu, Sr. Scientist (Hort.) HRS, Darsi, attended Farmer - Scien- tist interaction programme organized by ATMA on 21.12.2016 at Darsi followed by a field filed visit. Smt. T. Naga Lakshmi, Scientist (Pl. Path.) visited Yellaipalli village of Obulavaripalle mandal on 27.12.2016 along with Horticultural officer and observed midge and blossom blight incidence in mango orchards and suggested suitable control measures. Dr. K. Subramanyam, Principal Scientist (Pl. Path.) & Head, HRS, Mahanandi visited moringa field at Gajulapalli village on 27.12.2016 and diagnosed the collar rot disease and suggested soil drenching with Ridomil MZ 72 WP@2g/l. Dr.M.M.Naidu, Sr. Scientist (Hort.), HRS, Darsi inspected banana crop at Venkatagaripalle village of Puttaparti mandal in Ananthapuramu district on 24.12.2016 along with Horticultural Officer and Asst. Director of Horticulture. Volume-II, Issue –24 Dr.YSRHU e-Newsletter 15th —31st December, 2016 4 Dr.G.Ramanandam, Principal Scientist, (Hort.), Dr.N.B.V.Chalapathi Rao, Senior Scientist (Ento.), Dr. L. Ranjith Kumar, Scientist (Ento.) and Dr. B.V.K. Bhagavan, Zonal Research Head carried out diagnostic visit to Kadiyapulanka for spiralling white fly affected banana and coconut in nursery on 22.12.2016. Scientists of KVK, Venkataramannagudem on 23.12.2016 visited redgram fields at Venkataramannagudem and suggested suitable reme- dial measures against pest and diseases and on the same day they par- ticipated in transplanting of Taiwan Guava seedlings with hogger at Venkataramannagudem. Sri.G.Shali Raju Scientist (Ento.) and Dr.V.Deepthi, Scientist (Agrl.Extn.) on 24.12.2016 visited paddy fields at Venkataramannagudem and Te- likicherla villages observed deficiency of zinc in paddy fields and sug- gested spraying of zinc sulphate @5 g/l. Dr. C. Sarada, Sr. Scientist (Hort), Smt.T.Vijaya Lakshmi, Scientist (Path.) and Smt A.Rajani, Scientist (Hort.), HRS, Lam visited seed production plots of chilli at Jonnalagadda along with Dr.L.Naram Naidu, Principal Scientist (Hort) & Head, HRS, Lam and Dr. Major Singh, Project Coordinator, AICRP on Vegetable Crops. On 22.12.2016, Sri P.Rajasekhar, Scientist (SS&AC) and Sri K.C.Bhanu Murthy, Scientist (Hort.) visited chilli fields in Adavivenkannapalem vil- lage of chintur mandal. During the visit they observed aphids and thrips in farmers field and recommended to spray acephate@1g/l or phosa- lone@3ml or fipronil@2 ml/l . On 26.12.2016, Sri G.Sandeep Naik, Scientist (Pl. Path.) and Sri. K.C.Bhanu Murthy, Scientist (Hort.), KVK, Pamdirimamidi visited Cashew fields at I.Polavaram village of Rampachodavaram mandal. Ob- served tea mosquito bug infestation and demonstrated spraying opera- tion in Sri.Satyanarayana farmer’s field with [email protected]/l with neem [email protected] ml/l against tea mosquito bug. These chemicals were provided to the farmers under Tribal Sub Plan - 2016. Dr. A. Snehalatha Rani, Scientist (Pl. Path.) conducted a diagnostic survey for diseases of Banana at Kalavalapalli village of West Godavari District on 23.12.2016. Dr. B.V.K. Bhagavan, Principal Scientist (Hort.) & Head, HRS, Kovvur conducted diagnostic survey on coconut, cocoa,