Horticulture Research Station from Kadapa

Kadapa: The Horticulture Research Station(HRS), which is affiliated to Andhra Pradesh Horticulture University (APHU) located at Anantharajupet village of Railway Kodur mandal 80km from here has turned boon for farmers.

Scientists are performing research on, Flowers, Vegetables, Vegetable leaves in the HRS as it has known one of the best Horticulture Research stations in the country. Farmers from two Telugu speaking states visiting the purchasing the plants securing rich yielding for their produce.

According to the scientists fruits like Mango 36 varieties like Banisani, Totapuri, Neelam, Pulihora, Mallika, etc, Gauva 9 varieties like Parker Desert, Alahabad Safeda, Luck now-49, Nagapur seedless, Banana 9 varieties like Sugandhalu, Nellore Amruthapani, Red Bananaetc. Papaya, vegetables like Muskmelone, Water melon, vegetables, Spices, Turmeric.

Flowers like Chrysanthemamum 49 varieties like Yellow Star, Salora, Selection-2, Paper white, White Daily, Winter Queen, Neelima, etc, 9 varieties related to Jasmin, like AJS-1, AJS-2, AJS-3, 9 varieties related to Gladiolus like star Pink, Star White, Panjab Anuradha, Deeraj Binda, 12 varieties related to Tuber Rose like Sikkim selection, Srinigar, Calcutta single, Prajwal, and 23 varieties related to Heliconia like Lady Die, Labstar Clay, Parkeet, Red Ginger.

Senior scientist Dr. R. Nagaraju said that the technologies developed by HRS scientists have wider acceptability and are being participated by the farmers. He said that the institution has adopted a village Surapuraju Palle and demonstrated the technologies. HRS is giving top priority for invention of new varieties in fruits and flowers in the interest of promoting living standards of farming community in the like severe drought hit district like Kadapa.’

One Odula Adinarayana Reddy who came from Butchi Reddy Palem of Nellore district for purchasing Mango, and Gauva plants said the plants which are grown in HRS available lees cost and quality comparatively developed in the private nurseries. “I purchased mango plant Rs 40, and Gauva Rs 30, which are costs Rs 120, and 100 respectively in private nurseries” he said.

The HRS which has comprising 5 scientists in the disciplines like Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Entomology, playing key role in inventing different varieties of fruits, flowers which were brought available to the horticulture farmers as they are regularly visiting HRS to purchase plants instead approaching private nurseries.

The government has acquired 22.23 acres site for HRS on 1st March in 1935 and research work commenced after appointing DR KC Naik by Government of Madras as first to hold charge as Vice Chancellor of HRS on 4th August in the same year.

The HRS was one of the important regional centers in inventing different varieties of mango fruit along with other two centers Sabour of Bihar, Krishnagiri of West Bengal. Following remarkable inventions by HRC scientific community it was upgraded as one among eight Fruit Research stations (FRS) in the country with the financial assistance of Indian Council of Agriculture Research ICAR) in 1960.

It was brought under control of Andhra Pradesh Horticulture University (APHU) after establishment of Horticulture college on 1st April 2008 and was renamed as HRS in 2010.