About Department
The Department of Fruit Science, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam is cater multidisciplinary activities such as teaching, research and extension. Teaching is the prime objective and offering courses in basic horticulture, tropical, subtropical and temperate fruit crops production technologies to under graduate and post graduate students. Research on mandatory fruit crops are in progress under Non plan, AICRP (Fruits) and externally funded projects. Crop improvement is one of the major visions in research programme and released ten varieties in fruit crops viz., Mango (PKM 1 & PKM 2), Acid lime (PKM 1), Sapota (PKM 1, PKM 2, PKM 3, PKM 4 & PKM 5) and Manila Tamarind (PKM 1, PKM 2) for the benefit of farming community.
Besides, exploration, survey, collection, characterization and evaluation of germplasm in fruit crops are another vital focus pertaining to the enrichment of field gene bank and crop improvement research. In addition, technology development and refinement of existing technologies are the mission and successfully contributing through precision farming, high density planting (HDP), ultra high density planting (UHDP systems), optimization of nutrients and crop regulation for higher production and productivity. Transfer of technologies through trainings, demonstrations and melas under broad based extension system and to disseminate the developed technologies for the benefit of fruit growers.
Mandate
- To provide quality education to under graduate and post graduate students
- Augmentation, conservation and exchanging of germplasm for crop improvement
- To evolve high yielding varieties and hybrids in fruit crops
- To standardize agro techniques for enhancing the production and productivity
- Transfer of developed technologies to the farmers & extension functionaries and to study the impact
- To produce quality planting materials in fruit crops
Vision
- Develop high yielding varieties in mandatory fruit crops for area expansion.
- Technology development to increase the production and livelihood security.
- Technology for reduce the postharvest losses.
Mission
- Introduce suitable mango rootstock for problematic soil.
- To identify pickling mango varieties suitable for commercial exploitation.
- Identify small sized, coloured flakes suitable for commercial exploitation in jackfruit.
- Develop variety in acidlime through mutation breeding.
- Exploration, characterization and identify promising types in wood apple.
- Strengthening of field gene bank, mother plant and rootstock blocks.