Milestones
- Main building of FRS, Thovalai was built during the year 2009
- The building was extended during 2011
- Trainees hostel and Training hall was constructed during 2019
Achievements
- Through intensive surveys undertaken at potential nerium growing tracts, elite and promising accessions which are high yielding and with diverse flower colour were collected from various places in Kannyakumari, Namakkal, Madurai and Salem dts; and based on the evaluation of collected accessions for growth and yield characters over years, it was observed that Acc.no. 15 (Rasipuram red and pink mixed- single) continued to record the maximum yield of flowers per plant.
- The total germplasm collection of nerium at FRS, Thovalai stands as 37.
- Ten species of Heliconia and 36 vars. belonging to them have so far been assembled and were evaluated for various growth and yield characters and it was found that the maximum number of spikes /plant per year were recorded in Heliconia latispatha Var. Tropics which is closely followed by wagneriana Var. Wagenaria Red and Heliconia angusta var Red Christmas
- Different spacing treatments in heliconia revealed that the paired row system of planting with a spacing of {60 x 60} x 90 cm had recorded the highest flower yield of 17.07 flowers / m2
- Eleven varieties belonging to seven species of heliconia were evaluated for their performance both under 35 % shade and open conditions and the results showed that there was a reduction in plant height ranging from 40.57 to 57.53 percent and reduction in number of suckers / clump ranging from 17.43 to 55.88 percent when grown under shade net. There was a yield reduction of 29.73 to 49.0 percent under shade net. But, the appearance of flowers was good under shade.
- Among the two accessions of Alpinia (Red, Pink) the cv. Red has recorded 10.4 flowers / clump / year. In Bird of paradise, among the two accessions (Strelitzia reginae and nicolai) evaluated, S. reginae comparatively recorded more flowers (5 flowers / clump / year) in the first year of flowering.
- In a study to evaluate the performance of five underexploited flowers , Alpinia, Torch ginger, Ornamental Banana, Heliconia and Bird of Paradise as intercrop of banana cultivar `Rasthali, grown in wet land,it was found that heliconia was the best intercrop as it recorded the highest yield of 15.19 flowers/ m2 with a Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.82.
- Under gardenland condition, among the different crops such as marigold, celosia, chrysanthemum, heliconia, aster and ocimum grown with banana cultivar `Rasthali, ocimum was found to be a remunerative crop with the highest cost benefit ratio of 2.98 and is followed by Celosia 2.84.
- In an experiment on `Standardization of propagation practices in button and gladiator roses it is inferred that, the plants raised with semi hard wood cuttings had early sprouting (3.33 and 5 days), highest sprouting percent (80 and 62 %) and lowest mortality percent (20 and 385) respectively.
- `Button rose (Rosa chinensis) and Gladiator rose (Rosa hybrida var. Gladiator) were planted under different growing environments viz., under 35 % shade, 50 % shade and 35 % & 50 % shade at top shade alone and purely under open conditions in order to elucidate information on requirement of appropriate growing environment and it was inferred that, the plants raised under open condition recorded more yield and other yield contributing characters in both the rose varieties.
Insecticidal management of rose thrips
- Insecticidal management studies for control rose thrips showed that Thiamethoxam 25 WG at 0.2 g/ lit. was found to be effective.
Cataloguing of pests, diseases and nematodes in flower crops of Kanyakumari District
- The flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis was found to be a serious pest in rose and occurred throughout the crop season.
- The incidence of bud borer, Helicoverpa armigera occurred in rose from January – March and powdery mildew during August, February and March
- Jasmine bud worm, Hendecasis duplifascialis infestation was more during July and August, 2011 whereas it is not predominant in this region.
During January – February, thrips was observed in tuberose which deteriorates the flower quality.