Location

Horticultural Research Station, Udhagamandalam, was established during the year 1988. The Research Station is located in the Nilgiris, the queen of hills at 11° 24' N latitude, 74° 4’ E longitude and at an altitude of 2240 m above mean sea level. Annual average rainfall of 1236 mm is received in 90° rainy days. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 19.2° and 10.8 C° respectively. The office, laboratory and green house are located in the Vijayanagaram Farm, near Centenary Rose Park.  The field experiments are conducted at Wood House Farm with an area of 8 hectares, near Doddabetta. The seed production of temperate vegetables is taken up at State Horticultural Farm, Nanjanad.

Mandate crops

·         Potato

·         Cabbage

·         Carrot

·         Beans

·         Medicinal/aromatic plants

·         Cut flowers

·         Mushroom

Objectives

• To breed high yielding varieties and develop suitable production technologies of temperate vegetables and cutflowers suitable for the Nilgiris

• To develop new varieties in temperate fruits and develop suitable production technology

• To collect and maintain germplasm of herbal spices, medicinal and aromatic plants and develop suitable varieties for the Nilgiris

• To introduce new horticultural species to increase the income of the farmers

• To develop new varieties of mushroom for commercial cultivation, impart training to the farmers and to supply spawn

• To work out the production techniques for biodynamic organic farming system to reduce pesticide and chemical fertilizer application

• To collect native acid tolerant strains of Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Phosphobacteria, Rhizobium and VAM for mass production and supply to the farmers

• To mass produce bio control agents for the management of pest and diseases of hill crops

• To produce and supply virus free potato seed tubers to farmers

• To impart training on environment to preseve the Nilgiris ecosystem

• To develop mixed farming and dry farming systems to the Nilgiris ecosystem

• To mass multiply medicinal and aromatic plants for supply to the farmers

First Professor and Head

Dr. K. Nanjan

Project Details:

• Introduction and testing of Mentha spp.

• Development of cut flowers in the Nilgiris

• Developments of medicinal and aromatic plants

• Studies on mushroom, training and supply of quality spawn

• Identification of suitable and beneficial microbial strains for hill vegetable crops

• Biological control of hill crop pests and diseases

• Promotion of new horticultural species for the Nilgiris ecosystem

• Bio-dynamic organic farming in horticultural crops in Nilgiris Ecosystem

• Evaluation of suitable varieties of cauliflower beans, peas and green for Nilgiris and production of breeder seeds

• Mass production of bio-control agents for the management of pests and diseases of hill crops

Departments/Libraries

Departments

• Horticulture

• Agricultural Entomology

• Plant Pathology

• Plant Nematology

Laboratory details

• Well-maintained laboratory is available for analysis of nutrients of soil and plants, identification of pests and diseases including nematodes and production of biological control agents.

Information of individual teachers

Technologies:

Varieties released

Contact Address

Professor and Head,

Horticultural Research Station,

Vijayanagaram,

Udhagamandalam – 643 001.

Phone: (0423) 2442170

e-mail ID: selvanan@yahoo.co.in