Punjab agri varsity holds workshop on winter horticultural crops, ‘focus on super elite seeds for assured production,’ says V-C Gosal

Vice-chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal while delivering his inaugural address, emphasized on reorienting research to promote sustainable agriculture in the state. He stressed upon the need to wean away from the paddy-wheat cycle, and lean towards diversification by enhancing horticulture production in a big way. He exhorted the university scientists to commit their research to assured production by focusing on new varieties, production technologies, protection technologies, post harvest technologies, water saving technologies, marketing technologies etc.

Dr Gosal further emphasized rooftop vegetation, hydroponics and soilless technology for lettuce and salad crops, intercropping, rootstock breeding, vegetable grafting, use of bio-inoculants, bio-insecticides among others for super elite seed production of horticultural crops- be it fruits, vegetables or flowers. He also sought assistance in aeroponics technology from the Horticulture Department of Punjab. Further, Dr Gosal highlighted the need for developing vegetable seed kits from quality breeder seeds, for which he suggested the accreditation of nurseries, thereby discouraging the spurious seed kits from private players. Gosal said that farmers should go for super elite seeds of the highest quality for assured production.

Shailender Kaur, director horticulture, Punjab, said that total area under horticulture production in Punjab had risen to 4.39 lakh ha, which is a 63 per cent jump from the previous years. She stressed upon kinnow as the flagship fruit of Punjab, while discussing other major fruits such as guava, mango, pear, litchi etc. She also shared that vegetable crops like potato, pea, cauliflower and root crops were coming up aggressively. Kaur also divulged various Horticulture Schemes and initiatives of the Punjab Government, such as, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (Central Sector Scheme), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana; besides International collaborations, Indo-Israel Projects, Centres of Excellence for Potato, Onion, Floriculture etc.

Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU, while presenting research highlights of horticulture crops, shared that the University has developed new varieties, such as, Dorset Golden (Apple), Red Dragon 1 and White Dragon 1(Dragon fruit), PP101 and PP 102 (Potato), Punjab Khushboo (Coriander), Punjab Himmat (Brinjal), PVG 16 (Cluster Beans), PROL 1 (Okra), Seasonal Chrysanthemum 19 and 23, PE 11 (Eucalyptus), Punjab Dek 1 and 2 among others. These varieties are yet to be approved by the State Varietal Approval Committee, he added.