HRS develops bouquet of flower and fruit varieties

Kadapa: The Horticulture Research Station (HRS), located at Anantharajupet village of Railway Kodur mandal and affiliated to Andhra Pradesh Horticulture University is proving to be a boon for the horticulture farmers.

The Research Station comprising five scientists in various disciplines like Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, Entomology, is playing a crucial role in developing different varieties of fruits and flowers and making them available at cheaper prices.

Horticulture farmers are now procuring plants from HRS instead of approaching private nurseries.

The main objective of the HRS is to improve tropical fruits, flowers and vegetables. According to official sources research is being carried out on 36 varieties of mangoes like Banisani, Totapuri, Neelam, Pulihora, Mallika, 9 varieties of Gauva like Parkers Desert, Alahabad safeda, Luknow-49, Nagpur seedless, 9 varieties of Banana like Sugandhalu, Nellore Amruthapani, Red banana etc.

Related to flowers, the HRS is working on 48 varieties of Chrysanthemum.

According to Dr. Nagaraju, senior scientist (horticulture), technologies developed by the HRS have gained wider acceptability and are being practiced by the farmers.

He said that the institution has adopted a village Surapurajupalle and demonstrated the technologies related mango, banana, papaya, turmeric and betelvine.

"In severe dry spell districts like Kadapa we are giving top priority for developing new fruits’ and flowers’ varieties in the interest of the farming community in the district," said Dr R.Nagaraju.

Odula Audi Narayana Reddy a horticulture farmer from Chetwel who had come to the HRS to purchase mango plants told The Hans India that the plants grown at the HRS were not only less costly compared to private nurseries but they also enable him to perform pesticide management effectively and get a good yield.