SKUAST-Jammu VC reviews on-going activities at ACHR Udheywala

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 3: Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-Jammu, Prof B N Tripathi, visited the Advanced Centre for Horticultural Research (ACHR), Udheywala to review the ongoing research, production and extension activities being carried out at the Centre.

During the interaction, the Vice Chancellor directed that the Centre of Excellence should also incorporate vegetable and floriculture crops so that the requirements of farmers can be adequately addressed. He emphasized the need to produce technically sound and quality bio-control agents and to further promote their adoption among farmers particularly in view of the growing emphasis of the Government on bio-pesticides and safer crop protection chemicals.

Prof Tripathi further advised the Centre to organize regular farmer training programmes and capacity building activities to facilitate the transfer of advanced horticultural technologies and sustainable crop production practices to the farming community.

During the visit, Dr Vikas Tandon, Dean, Faculty of Horticulture and Forestry and Head, ACHR, briefed the Vice Chancellor about the major activities and facilities of the Centre. He apprised the Chair that the Centre has three major components including the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Fruits which has the capacity to produce around 50,000 quality planting materials of subtropical fruit crops. He also highlighted the facilities of the Tissue Culture Laboratory and the Biocontrol Laboratory established at the Centre.

Dr Vishal Gupta, Head Plant Pathology apprised about the activities of the Biocontrol Unit and its upgraded/upscaled facility, Dr Reena, Professor Entomology presented the activities related to the production of bio-insecticides, Dr Peeyush, Professor, Soil Science, briefed about soil fertility and plant nutrition related activities including the soil testing facilities available at the Centre.

Vice Chancellor also visited the Tissue Culture Laboratory and appreciated the work being carried out on saffron and kalazeera. K K Raina, Estates Officer; Dr Anil Bhat, Associate Director Research; Dr Anil Bhushan, Professor, Vegetable Science and Dr Deepak Kumar, Professor, Plant Pathology and Dr Mamta Sharma were also present during the visit and interaction.