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23 AGM

		23 ANNUAL GROUP MEETING  
ALL INDIA COORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT ON PALMS
			
          	POGRAMME

Venue:	DOR, Hyderabad
Period:	July 25-28, 2014	

25.07.2014              
05.30 PM  	:	Registration	
07.00 PM	:	INAUGURAL SESSION
Welcome 	: Dr. J. Dilip Babu
Coordinator’s Report	Maheswarappa H.P
			Project Coordinator (Palms) 
Guests of honour	Dr. P. Rethinam
			Dr. K.U.K. Nampoothiri
			Dr.K.S. Varaprasad
			Dr. T. Janakiram

Release of publications	
Presentation of best AICRP Award	: 
Chief Guest  Address 	: Dr. BMC Reddy
Presidential address	: Dr. N.K. Krishna Kumar, DDG (Hort.)
Vote of Thanks	: Dr. G. Ramanandam

SUMMARY REPORT

23rd Annual Group meeting of AICRP on Palms held at DOR, Hyderabad from 25th to 28th July 2014 The 23rd Annual group meeting of All India Coordinated Research Project on Palms was organized from 25th to 28th July 2014 at Directorate of Oilseed (DOR), Hyderabad. The annual group meeting was inaugurated by Dr. N. K. Krishna Kumar, Honorable Deputy Director General (Horticulture Science), ICAR. The inaugural function was presided by Dr. B. M. C. Reddy, Vice Chancellor, Dr. YSRHU, Andhra Pradesh. Dr. P. Reithinam, Former Exec. Dir., APCC, Jakarta, Dr. K. U. K. Nampoothiri, Dr. MSRF, Regional Station, Jeypore, Odisha, Dr. Janakiram, ADG (Horticulture Science- 1), Dr. K. S. Varaprasad, Project Directorate of DOR, Hyderabad graced the occasion. Besides, Dr. George V. Thomas, Director, CPCRI, Dr. Arualraj, Director DOPT, Dr. Prakash Patil, Project Coordinator (Fruits) (In-charge), Dr. Nirmal Babu, Project Coordinator of Spices, Head of the divisions of CPCRI, Scientists from different centers of AICRP and scientist from different ICAR institutes and personnel from more than 3 value added products of coconut industries were participated in the programme. Dr. P. Reithnam, Dr. K. U. K. Nampoothiri and Dr. B. Mallik, Emeritus Scientist, UAS, Bangalore participated in the group meeting as expert members for the technical sessions of Crop Production, Genetic Resources and Crop improvement and insect pest management. A guest lecture on Date palm cultivation and Trichoderma as Bio-pesticide for management of soil borne fungal pathogens was also organized during the group meeting in which 7 technical sessions were organized and the respective programme leaders of the technical sessions of crop improvement, production, protection and post harvest programmes were presented the findings of 2013-14 and expressed their views and constraints under the Chairmanship of Dr. N. K. Krishna Kumar, DDG (Horticulture Science) and Dr. J. Janakiraman, ADG (Horticulture Science-1). The session wise proceedings have been described.

At the outset, the Director of Research, Dr. YSRHU, Venkataramangudem, Andhra Pradesh Dr. Dilip Babu welcomed the delegates. The Project Coordinator Dr. H. P. Maheshwarappa presented the coordinators report for the year 2013-14. Dr. Krishna Kumar, DDG, Horticulture Science, ICAR, inaugurated the group meeting and in his presidential address highlighted the emerging problems in plantation crops such as declined crop productivity and soil health management, lack of control measures for disease and pest, declining trend in innovative projects which address the bottlenecks in value addition in palms. He stressed specifically on exploitation of value added products in palms especially in the context of increase in demand of tender coconut water. The production of quality planting material of plantation crops particularly in coconut, areca nut and oil palm has to be taken up on large scale. Dr. BMC Reddy, Vice Chancellor, Dr. YSR Horticultural University, Andhra Pradesh, chief guest of the programme stressed upon popularizing value added products of coconut and palmyrah, and providing technology for introducing cocoa as intercrop in coconut and oil palm. Dr. H. P. Maheshwarappa, Project Coordinator (Palms) lucidly highlighted research findings of AICRP on Palms for 2013-14 and thrust areas of the project. Dr. P. Rethinam, Former Executive Director, APCC, Jakarta emphasized the need of developing short statured oil palm varieties for easy harvesting and mechanization of harvesting process. Dr. T. Janakiram, Assistant Director General, (Horticulture Science-1), ICAR, Dr. K. U. K. Nampoothiri, Director, Dr. MSSFR, Jeypore, Odisha and Dr. K. S. Varaprasad, Project Director, DOR, Hyderabad was also spoke on the occasion and wished for fruitful discussion. During the inaugural session, publications like “Research Accomplishments of AICRP on Palms”, RCRS, Bhatye Research at a glance”. “Coconut based cropping system for Assam” and extension pamphlet in regional languages were released. Following technical sessions were held during the annual group meeting of AICRP on palms.

Technical Session 1: Action Taken Report

Technical Session 2: Variety Release Proposals

Technical Session 3: Genetic Resources and Crop Improvement

Technical Session 4: Crop Production

Technical Session 5: Disease Management

Technical Session 6: Insect Pest Management

Technical Session 7: Post Harvest Technology in palmyrah and TOT

Technical Session 8: Plenary session

Recommendations

1. The hybrids like GBGD x LCOT (Ananta Ganga), and GBGD x PHOT (Vasista Ganga) are performing well in Ambajipeta and Arsikere Centres. These hybrids have been recommended for release. GBGD x FJT (Kalpaganga) is performing well in Arsikere centre and recommended for release for Karnataka.

2. Based on the studies taken up on fertigation in coconut and oil palm at different Centres of AICRP on Palms from 2007-08 to 2012-13, the following recommendations have been made for different regions of the country.

  • Aliyarnagar,Veppankulam Mandouri and Kasaragod Centres: The nut and copra yield per palm per year in fertigation of 50% RDF was on par with fertigation of 75% RDF and soil application of 100 per cent RDF.
  • Ambajipeta, Arsikere Centre: Application of 75% RDF through fertigation recorded significantly higher nut and copra yield per palm per year compared to soil application of 100% RDF and on par 100% RDF through fertigation.
  • Fertigation in Oil palm with 1200:600:1200 g N P2O5K2O / palm/ year in six equal splits at bi-monthly interval for Gangavathi and Vijayarai centre and 1200:600:1800 g N P2O5K2O / palm/ year in six equal splits at bi-monthly interval for Mulde centre recorded higher FFB yield and higher monetary returns.

    • 3. Higher productivity in coconut can be achieved through the adoption of cropping system approach. The crops are to be selected based on agro-climatic situation of the region.

    4. Inundative release of parasitoids and predators viz, Bracon hebetor, Goniozus nephantidis, Brachymeria nosatoi and Cardiastethus exiguus against black headed caterpillar outbreak in Visakhapatnam district led to suppression of the pest in 4 to 6 months period.

    5. Soil application of microbial consortia consisting of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma viride @ 300g along with FYM 5 kg/palm at quarterly interval was found to be effective in reducing the leaf blight disease incidence.