A one day (22 Oct.2021) online Training programme on Advances in Horticultural Technologies for Horticulture Department officials of Tamil Nadu Government was organized by ICAR-IIHR, Bengalore. The objective of the training programme was to create awareness about recent ICAR-IIHR technologies in fruits, vegetables, flowers and papaya seed production to the officials of Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Government of Tamil Nadu. The programme was started with ICAR Song followed by IIHR Jingle. Dr.R.Venkattakumar, Head (i/c) and Principal Scientist, Division of Social Sciences and Training, ICAR-IIHR. Bengalore welcomed the participants and explained about ICAR-IIHR technologies for doubling the farmers income . Dr.B.N.S.Murthy, Director, ICAR-IIHR, Bengalore explained about various horticultural schemes of Government of India and laid emphasis on developing entrepreneurs through various ICAR-IIHR technologies. Later presentation on ICAR-IIHR fruit crop technologies was delivered by Dr. R. Senthil Kumar, Principal Scientist. This presentation was followed by that of Dr.V.Sankar, Principal Scientist on Improve vegetable crops cultivation and improved production technologies developed by ICAR-IIHR. The third lecture was delivered by Dr.Usha Bharathi, Scientist on flower crop technologies and Improved Papaya production technology and finally, a lecture on seed productions aspects was covered by Dr.C.Vasugi, Principal Scientist, Division of Fruits Crops, ICAR-IIHR, Bengalore. At the end of each lecture there was an interaction meeting wherein doubts raised by the officials were cleared. At the end, scientists emphasized the Horticulture Department Officials of Tamil Nadu to take up demonstration of ICAR-IIHR released varieties and hybrids of fruits, vegetables and flowers and also urged to make use of IIHR seed portal for purchase of seeds and planting materials required for respective region. Thiru.T.C.Kannan, Additional Director of Horticulture and Mr.GO.Boopathi, Joint Director of Horticulture (Farms),Govt Of Tamil Nadu Chennai, TN requested ICAR-IIHR to provide suitable training to the officials of horticulture department in latest horticultural technologies developed by ICAR-IIHR, Bengalore particularly seed production techniques in vegetable crops. The program was ended with vote of thanks proposed by Dr.V.Sankar, Principal Scientist. The programme was attended by 96 horticultural officials including Joint Directors of Horticulture, Deputy Directors of Horticulture, Assistant Directors of Horticulture, Horticultural Officers and Assistant Horticulture Officers. This training programme was organized and coordinated by Dr.V.Sankar, and Dr. R. Senthil Kumar, and Dr R Venkattakumar of Division of Social Sciences and Training, ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore.
