28 AGM

The 28th Annual Group Meeting of All India Co-ordianted Research Project on Palms was organized at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 6th & 7th, June 2019. The inaugural function was presided by Dr. N. Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Dr. W.S. Dhillon, Assistant Director General (Horticultural Sciences), ICAR, New Delhi was the Chief Guest. Dr. P. Rethinam, Former Executive Director, Asian and Pacific Coconut Community, Jakarta, Dr.K.Muralidharan, Director, ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod and Dr.R.K.Mathur, Director,ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi were the guests of honour. The programme had a pleasant beginning with invocation and ICAR theme song highlighting the glory of farmers. As a mark of tradition, the dignitaries lighted the lamp and began the function. Dr.K.S.Subramanian, Director of Research, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore welcomed the gathering in which he narrated the research accomplishment of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in taking palm research to the next level. He did narrate that Impact assessment of Gaja cyclone in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu adopting geospatial tools, Management of the debilitating pest of coconut, Rugose Spiraling Whitefly employing the parasitoid Encarsia guadeloupe and Development of Multi -tier and Integrated Farming System models in coconut are the recent success stories of TNAU in palm research. The Project Co-ordinator of AICRP (Palms), Dr.H.P. Maheswarappa in his report briefed the mission and achievement of AICRP on five crops - coconut, oil palm, palmyrah, arecanut and cocoa distributed across 30 centres of 14 states and one union territory covering 13 State Agricultural Universities, four ICAR Institutes and two central universities. Dr. W.S. Dhillon, Assistant Director General (HS -I), ICAR, New Delhi gave a bird's eye view of the overall growth of horticultural sector and its significant contribution to GDP and nutritional security of the nation. Dr. N. Kumar, Vice Chancellor, TNAU, in his Presidential address underlined the need for the development of composite mother gardens for the production of quality seedlings and called on palm scientists to develop drought mitigation strategies considering the weather extremities. Fertigation strategies hold great promise in increasing palm productivity and invited palm researchers to take concerted efforts on developing hydraulic harvesters and value addition technologies. Dr.K.Krishnakumar, Actg. Head, CPCRI - RS, Kayamkulam, Dr.B.N.Rao, Prinicipal Scientist (Hort), ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi, and Dr.K.Rajamanickam, Professor (Agricultural Entomology), Coconut Research Station, Aliyarnagar were honoured on the eve of their superannuation. Horticultural Research Station, Vijayarai was adjudged as the best AICRP (Palms) Centre for the year 2018-19. Hand full of publications which include three books on coconut and oilpalm, two technical bulletins and seven folders and pamphlets were released by the dignitaries. Dr. L. Pugalendhi, Dean (Hort.), TNAU, Coimbatore proposed the vote of thanks. About 80 scientists from different AICRP centres and ICAR institutes participated in the meet. The inaugural session was followed by technical sessions on variety release proposal, genetic resources and crop improvement, crop production, crop protection and post harvest technology. In the technical sessions, proposal for release of three oil palm tenera hybrids for different regions and one coconut variety was recommended. Region specific nutrient management in coconut based cropping system and protection technologies were recommended for transfer to extension agencies.

Lighting Lamp

Lighting Lamp

Address by ADG

Address by VC

Best centre award to Vijayarai

Report by PC

Release of publications

Delegates attended AGM