Ferozepur, August 17:
Under the guidance of Dr. Gurmell Singh, Deputy Director (Training), Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Ferozepur, and with the support of the ATMA Scheme, an exposure visit on “Nursery Management in Horticultural Crops” was organised at the Dr. J.C. Bakshi Regional Research Centre, Abohar, to promote horticulture as an allied occupation.
At the beginning of the visit, Dr. Gurmell Singh, Deputy Director (Training), KVK Ferozepur, encouraged the young farmers participating in the exposure visit to closely observe the horticultural activities being carried out at the Regional Research Centre, Abohar, and consider adopting the enterprise as an allied occupation.
Dr. B.S. Sekhon, Assistant Professor (Vegetable Science), provided the trainees with basic information about the prospects and important aspects of raising nursery plants of date palm, jamun and citrus fruits as an allied occupation. He said that commonly available plants may have roots affected by nematodes and other diseases, and therefore plants should always be purchased from reliable government nurseries.
Dr. Anil Kumar Kamra, Scientist (Horticulture), Regional Research Centre, Abohar, shared information with the farmers about recommended varieties of date palm and jamun, methods of establishing mother blocks and producing nursery plants, as well as fruit-bearing plants. He explained that the newly recommended jamun varieties require less space and begin bearing fruit about five years after planting.
During the visit, Dr. Subhash Chander, Scientist (Horticulture), provided the trainees with practical demonstrations on propagation techniques for citrus plants, including grafting and other methods such as wedge grafting, T-budding, patch budding and tongue grafting.
Following the exposure visit, the participating farmers expressed their willingness to adopt the production of fruit plant nurseries as an allied occupation, along with vegetable nursery production, by establishing mother blocks of fruit crops.
A total of 25 farmers from various villages of Ferozepur and Faridkot districts participated in the exposure visit.