Monday, July 25, 2011

Tissue-cultured planting materials to rejuvenate cardamom plantations

GANGTOK, 24 July: Planting material grown through closely monitored tissue-culture is being introduced as a bid to rejuvenate the failing health of Large Cardamom plantations in Sikkim by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, ICAR Research Complex, Sikkim Centre.
A training-cum-demonstration programme on “organic large cardamom production technology” was organised by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra on 22 and 23 July at the KVK premises at Ranipool, informs a press release.

The “technological forward linkage” has been initiated by KVK, East Sikkim, under the DBT-sponsored project on ‘Bio-technology led organic farming in NEH region’ with the support of Horticulture Department, the release adds. The DBT project on ‘Bio-technology led organic farming in NEH region’ has been launched in fourteen districts of the North East Hill region, including the East district of Sikkim, with the objective of enhancing the organic production potential of the region by conserving its natural bio-diversity.
25 Large Cardamom growers selected from seven villages of East Sikkim - Khamdong, Ranka, Pangthang, Namli, Saramsa, Singtam and Marchak - participated in the training, the release adds.
Inaugurating the programme, chief guest, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, CP Dhakal, lauded the efforts of ICAR Krishi Vigyan Kendra to bring a scientific touch to the farming practices here. He urged the farmers to adopt improved farming technologies not only in large cardamom but also for other crops for the upliftment of rural economy of the state in particular and the country in general.
Programme Coordinator, KVK, ICAR, Dr. AK Mohanty, highlighted the importance of large cardamom cultivation under organic conditions in the State and gave a brief account of the project. He advised farmers to adhere to scientific organic management practices while adopting any organic production technology. In this connection he said that in addition to large cardamom, the project will also cover crops like ginger, turmeric, mandarin under organic farming practices.
Guest of honour, Addl. Director, Horticulture, GPS Chauhan, gave a detailed account of the benefits of organic farming as compared to inorganic farming and advised farmers to take up the ITK practices available in their surroundings to bring about eco-sustainable farming in the region.
Giving a frank account of the alarming situation of large cardamom farming in the state, he urged farmers to go for pathogen-free planting materials for large-scale rejuvenation of large cardamom and suggested some organic plant protection measures as recommended by the state government.
Dy. Director (Res), ICRI RRS, Spice Board, Dr. U Gupta, briefed the participants on the importance of tissue culture plants and explained aspects of disease management of large cardamom.
Large cardamom planting materials were distributed by the chief guest and guests of honour to the selected and “potential” large cardamom growers. This training programme will be followed by a field level demonstration at the villages to provide practical orientation on organic large cardamom production technology, the release further informs.

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