Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Reckongpeo Reckongpeo, Kinnaur(HP)

Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kinnaur, having headquarters at Reckong Peo, was established in 1995 by ICAR, New Delhi under the administrative control of Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, HP. The KVK is dedicated for strengthening transfer of technology to the farming communities of district Kinnaur with the main objective to promote cultivation of high value cash crops like temperate fruits, off-season vegetable crops, increasing area under oilseeds and pulses. Specialised horticultural ventures like cultivation of exotic vegetables, mushroom production, bee keeping, cultivation of medicinal plants etc are also emphasised upon for enhancing the income of peasantry of the District.

The key extension education programmes include on-farm testing, front line demonstration of novel and improved agro-technologies; training on various aspects of horticulture and forestry for increasing productivity and self-employment; exhibitions; publication of literature for farmers; and real time farmer advisories based on location and crop specific needs. Being a district level extension education organisation, this KVK caters the technical and capacity building needs of farming community, extension personnel and other stakeholders directly or indirectly involved in agriculture and rural development. KVK also plays a key role in providing the quality seed and planting material of improved varieties of potential crops of the District and other vital agro-inputs. In addition to farming, KVK organises various educational and awareness programmes for overall social upliftment of the society.

Mandate

  • Facilitation and update of the extension officers/functionaries with emerging advances in horticulture/agricultural and allied field research and developments.
  • Organization of training programmes in horticulture and allied fields for the farmers and rural youths
  • Identification of location specific technologies and conducting 'On-farm testing' trials and organization of 'Front-line demonstration' for adoption of improved technology.

Strengths

  • Laboratories pertaining to fruit science, food processing, soil and leaf analysis, plant pathology, entomology are available
  • Hostel facility as Kisan Bhawan at Reckong Peo (14 beds) and Dr GC Negi Scientist .
  • Hostel at Kalpa (14 Beds) for tranees and researchers visiting RHRTS and KVK Kinnaur.
  • Quality planting material of temperate fruits and seed of temperate vegetables is being maintained, multiplied and distributed to the farmers.
  • Demonstration units of ultra HDP of apple, HDP of pear, pistachio nut, hezel nut, mud hive for local bee rearing.

Academics

This station is serving as the centre for RHWE programme of UG students exclusively for agro-climatic conditions of dry temperate zone

Achievements

  • Dr Ashok K Thakur received best editor award Ratikanta Maiti Foundation, Kolkata in 2013
  • Professor HC Dube Outstanding Young Scientist Award -2018: Conferred with this prestigious award by ISMPP Udaipur Rajasthan India and ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulse Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India during November 16- 18th 2018.

Research

Thrust Areas

  • Productivity enhancement in temperate fruit crops.
  • Evaluation and selection of suitable cultivars of temperate fruits.
  • Diversification through high value fruit and vegetable crops.
  • Productivity enhancement of key medicinal plants.
  • Seed production and distribution of improved cultivars of temperate vegetables.
  • Skill Up-gradation for Improved Livelihood through Agri-Interventions in Tribal Areas of HP, funded by ICAR for ₹ 70.00 Lakhs from 2021 to 2023.
  • Niche Area Development and Skill Upgradation for Diversified Agriculture in Tribal Areas of HP funded by ICAR for ₹ 32.00 Lakhs from 2022 to 2023.
  • Promotion and conservation of Apis cerana in the potential pockets of Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh funded by NABARD for ₹ 15.64 Lakhs from 2023 to 2024.
  • Bioefficacy of herbal preparations against scab disease of apple under national innovation foundation-India Aided Project for ₹ 11.22 lakh from 2022 to 2023.
  • Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project (POP) funded by Department of Horticulture, Himachal Pradesh from 2016 to 2023.
  • Studies on the effect of Nano urea and Nano DAP on growth, yield and quality of apple funded by IFFCO New Delhi for ₹ 10.0 lakh from 2023 to 2024.
  • Establishment of Bud Wood Bank under HPHDP funded by Department of Horticulture, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh for ₹ 26.0. Lakh from 2021 to 2023.
  • Impact of technological interventions of KVK’s on socio-economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood security of Tribal Farmers (TSP Network Project), funded by Centre Govt. (ATARI) from 2021 to 2023.
  • Field evaluation of Sanovita concept on apple funded by Sanovita India Pvt. Ltd for ₹3.0 Lakhs from 2021 to 2023.
  • Evaluation of ambition complete as a liquid fertilizer on apple funded by Bayer Crop Sciences for ₹ 7.0 lakhs from 2022 to 2023.
  • Evaluation of Femigrow on apple funded by Swaroop Agro-chemical Industries Nasik, Maharashtra for ₹ 3.0 lakhs from 2023 to 2024.
  • Evaluation of Aquafert foliar on apple funded by Rallis India Limited, Chandigarh for ₹ 3.0 lakhs from 2022 to 2023.
  • Study the various new spur cultivars on seedling rootstock under High Density Plantation at different elevations of Kinnaur funded by ATARI, ICAR for ₹ 3.0 lakhs from 2020 to 2023.
  • Package of Practices for production of temperate horticultural crops of Himachal Pradesh.
  • Varieties evaluated and recommended: Apple cvs. Super Chief, Jeromine, Red Velox, Red Cap Valtod, Gale Gala, Redlum Gala;
  • Pistachio Nut cvs. Kerman, Peter;
  • Snowpeas cv. Mithi Phalli
  • Production technology recommended: Management of alternate bearing in Pistachio nut through NPK and Boron manipulation
  • Plant protection technologies recommended: 20 new molecules were tested and recommended in the package of practices/ spray schedule of apple as listed below:
  • Cursor (Flusilazole 40%EC) for Apple scab.
  • Lustre 37.5%(Carbendazim 25%+Flusilazole12.5%) for premature leaf fall and Alternaria leaf spot in apple
  • DodinO FIL SC for Alternaria leaf blight & Premature leaf fall.
  • LUNA Experience for Marssonina leaf blotch Alternaria leaf spot, & Fruit rot
  • Avtar (Zineb 68% + Hexaconazole 4%) @ 500g/200L for core rot, powdery mildew, scab, premature leaf fall and alternaria leaf spot.
  • Sercadis Plus for management of apple scab and powdery mildew
  • Merivon for premature leaf fall and alternaria leaf spot
  • Signum and Acrisio for powdery mildew management in apple
  • Saaf for apple scab and powder mildew.
  • Shamir, Rubigon D, Karara, Kanji, Aroosh, Scale, Marlett, Krizole and Key for management of apple scab.

Extension

  • KVK has organized more than 30 number of on-campus training programme on training & pruning, Beekeeping etc., & more than1000 farmers were benefited.
  • Total of 77 off campus training programme on disease management of horticulture crops, training & pruning of apple, introduction & cultivation of exotic vegetable & beekeeping etc. were organized & 3236 farmers were benefited.
  • Thirty Front line demonstrations were organized involving more than 100 benificiaries.
  • 35 OFTs were laid out on various important technologies of key crops of dry temperate zone.
  • Important days celebrated like Kisan diwas, world water day, international women’s day, world bee day, food & nutrition day, sawachhta campaign, azadi ka amrit mahotsav etc where more than 1000 participants attended.
  • KVK Kinnaur organized various awareness programmes/demonstrations on managed bee pollination and resulted 19.20 percent increase in apple fruit production in the district.
  • KVK Kinnaur has organized various awareness camps/trainings, OFTs and FLDs on line sowing technique, now around 750 hectare area is covered under this technique and save input cost of pea seed by ~0.95 crore Rupees by saving seed up to 130 MT.
  • KVK Kinnaur organized various awareness camps/trainings, OFTs and FLDs on mushroom cultivation and rural youth of district Kinnaur has adopted mushroom cultivation as an additional source of income generation and one of best example is of Sh. Chhatar singh who earned net profit/return of Rs. 168000 from 400 bags.
  • KVK has documented success stories of Sh PS Negi and Sh. Gewa Shanker on High/Ultra High Density Plantation for improving productivity in apple.
  • 102 success stories have been documented under doubling farmers income.
  • 19886 number of mobile advisories were distributed among farmer of district Kinnaur through different WhatsApp group. 10182 farmers were registered under Kisan Sarthi

Awards/Recognitions

  • Professor HC Dube Outstanding Young Scientist Award -2018: Conferred with this prestigious award by ISMPP Udaipur Rajasthan India and ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulse Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India during November 16- 18th 2018.
  • Dr Ashok K Thakur received best editor award Ratikanta Maiti Foundation, Kolkata in 2013

Facilities

  • Well equipped laboratories of fruit science, food processing, soil and leaf analysis, plant pathology, entomology are available.
  • Experimental farms at Sharbo and Kalpa having dry temperate climate
  • Hostel facility as at Reckong Peo as well as at Kalpa for tranees and researchers visiting RHRTS and KVK Kinnaur.
  • Quality planting material of temperate fruits and seed of temperate vegetables.
  • Budwood bank of improved cultiuvars of apple
  • Demonstration units of ultra HDP of apple, HDP of pear, pistachio nut, hezel nut, mud hive for local bee rearing.

Gallery