Deputy Director General (Horticultural Sciences) Dr A K Singh stressed the impending need for studies on carbon-sequestration in the wake of climate change.
He was addressing a gathering virtually at a programme organised to celebrate the ICAR-Central Plantation Crops Research Institute’s (ICAR-CPCRI) 106th Foundation Day on Wednesday.
He also laid emphasis on the mapping of nutrient status of soils where plantation crops are grown.
Former ADG (Plantation Crops) Dr P Rethinam delivering the Dr K V Ahmad Bavappa Memorial lecture spoke about the importance of adoption of technological applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), precision farming etc, among others.
Dr A K Singh released a book, ‘The Coconut Genome’, e-book on Scientific Coconut Farming - Seed to Market (in Malayalam), audio compilations on arecanut cultivation (in Kannada and Malayalam), and a series of four extension folders pertaining to integrated disease management practices in coconut (in Kannada).
Dr Singh presented the annual best scientific team research award to an interdisciplinary team headed by Dr Rajkumar for their work on the management of root grubs of arecanut.
A farmers’ training programme on ‘Micro-irrigation for coconut’ was conducted as part of the foundation day celebration.
Selected farmers from five micro-watersheds in Kasaragod district under the NABARD- assisted scheme attended the training programme organised in collaboration with the Centre for Rural Development (CRD) Nileswar.
CPCRI’s initiative to provide technical support for establishing a one-hectare coconut garden in the open prison and correctional home campus in Cheemeni was inaugurated in the programme held at PJ Hall in CPCRI Kasaragod.
Assistant Director General (ADG) Horticultural Sciences Dr B K Pandey, ICAR-CPCRI Acting Director Dr Anitha Karun, among others, were also present.