| Horticultural Research Station, Yercaud
was started in the year 1976. It is situated in Athiyur
village, 3 km away from Yercaud town on Nagalur Road and 35 km
from Salem. The total area of the station is 45.16 ha. It is
situated at latitude of 11.4 to 11.5oN. The
elevation is 1500 m MSL and it receives an annual rainfall of
1572 mm. The mean temperature ranges from 21.0 to 32.2oC(Day);
9.0 to 18.0oC(Night). The relative humidity ranges from 58 to
75 per cent. The soil is lateritic with a depth of 0.52 to
1.55m. The soil pH varies from 4.75 to 6.25. Coffee is the
major crop grown besides mandarin orange, spices like pepper,
cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and cardamom, cut flowers like
anthurium, gerbera, orchids, vegetable such as beans, chow
chow, cauliflower, tomato, carrot, etc. |
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Schemes in
operation
Non-Plan (Main)
PLAN
1.
Strengthening of Horticultural Research Station, Yercaud
under NARP II
2. Scheme for Establishment of Regional Laboratory
at Horticultural Research Station, Yercaud
3. Scheme for Strengthening Research on Medicinal
and Herbal Plants in the hills of
Yercaud.
ICAR schemes
1. All India coordinated Research and Improvement
project in floriculture
2. All India coordinated Research and Improvement
project in spices
GOI
1. Integrated pepper Development Scheme
2. Medicinal and Herbal Plants
Scheme
Venture Capital schemes
1. Mass production of earthworms, vermi compost,
vermi wash and VAM
2. Mass
production of biocontrol agents viz., Trichoderma
viridae and Pseudomonas
fluorescens
3. Mass
production of horticultural crops planting
materials
Varieties released
|
Variety |
Year of release |
Yield |
Salient features |
|
YCD-1 Pomegranate |
1982 |
60 - 70 fruits/tree/yr. |
Soft seeded, purple aril, high TSS
(15.6o Brix) |
|
YCD-1 Rose |
1985 |
100 - 120 flowers/ plant/yr. |
Yellow flowers, vase life - 7
days. |
|
YCD-2 Rose |
1991 |
200 flowers/plant/yr. |
Buds are yellow with scarlet margin, changes to
red at full bloom |
|
YCD-1 Gerbera |
1991 |
60 flowers/plant/yr. |
Cherry red flowers with long, sturdy
stalk. |
|
YCD-1 French Bean |
1992 |
9.9 tons pods / ha. |
Bush type, fleshy pods with bold
seeds. |
|
YCD-1 Timla fig |
1992 |
2000 - 3000 fruits/ tree /yr. |
Introduced from Pune, Crimson red colour
fruits. |
|
YCD-3 Rose |
1994 |
153 flowers/plant./yr. |
Flowers crimson in colour with 9.5 cm
diameter |
|
YCD-2 Gerbera |
1994 |
80 flowers/plant/yr. |
Flowers light pink in colour, devoid of blunt
neck |
|
YCD-1 Cinnamon |
1996 |
360 kg. dry bark/ ha |
Oil in quills 2.8%, in leaves 3.0%, quills tasty,
sweet and pungent. |
I. ONGOING
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Flowers
Research is being carried out in four mandatory cut
flowers viz., Gerbera, Anthurium, Carnation and Orchids.
Varieties are being collected from allover the state and
country and a germplasm is maintained. Their performance is
evaluated for their suitability in this location. So far,
three varieties in roses and two varieties in gerbera have
been released from this station. In addition, standardization
of agro-techniques such as identification of ideal growing
environment, ideal growing media, foliar nutrient application,
use of biofertilizers, prolonging the vase life of flowers
etc., are taken up.
Spices
Under the All India Coordinated Research and
Improvement project in spices, research on pepper is being
carried out. A germplasm of pepper is being maintained and the
accessions are being evaluated for their performance under
Yercaud conditions. Besides this, research is being taken up
to standardize the application of biofertilizers to
pepper.
Medicinal plants
A total of 182 species of medicinal
plants were collected and are under evaluation and
maintenance. Plants of commercial medicinal and aromatic
plants are mass multiplied and supplied to the
farmers.
Mass production of biofertilizers
Biofertilizers viz., Azospirillum,
phosphobacterium and VAM are mass-produced and supplied to
farmers all over the state.
Mass
production of biocontrol agents
Biocontrol agents viz., Trichoderma viridae and
Pseudomonas fluorescens are being mass produced
and supplied to farmers all over the state.
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