ICAR-IIHR organized a special five-day (09-13 November 2020) online training programme on "Advances in Horticultural technologies" for NHM beneficiaries from 02 different blocks in Dindugal districts of Tamil Nadu. The objective of the programme was to create awareness about recent ICAR-IIHR technologies on fruits, vegetables, flowers, post-harvest technologies, mechanization, nutrient, pest and disease management among the NHM beneficiaries. The programme was started with welcome address by Sri.J.Perumalsamy, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Dindugal, Govt. of Tamil Nad, which was followed by presentation on ICAR-IIHR fruit crop technologies by Dr. R. Senthil Kumar, Principal Scientist, Division of Social Sciences and Training. In the afternoon, virtual tour to demonstration blocks was arranged. In day 2, Dr.V.Sankar, Principal Scientist, Division of Social Sciences and Training delivered lecture on 'Advances in vegetable crop cultivation and improved production technologies developed by ICAR-IIHR'. In the afternoon, virtual tour to Krishimela 2020 held at University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru was arranged. In day 3, Dr.Kalaivanan, Senior Scientist, Division of Natural Resources Management delivered lecture on 'integrated nutrient management' which was followed by lecture on 'Advances in flower crops technologies' delivered by Dr.Usha Bharathi.
In day 4, Dr.Bhuvaneshwari delivered lecture on 'Post harvest technologies and value addition in horticultural crops'. In the afternoon Dr.Caroline delivered lecture on 'Mechanization in Horticultural crops'. In day 5 Dr.Sriram delivered lecture on 'Integrated disease management' and in the afternoon Dr. Umamaheswari delivered lecture on 'Integrated pest management'. After the end of each lecture in all five days, there was an interaction meeting wherein doubts raised by the farmers were cleared. At the end, scientists emphasized the department officials and progressive farmers to take up demonstration of ICAR-IIHR released fruit and vegetables varieties and hybrids also and to make use of IIHR seed portal for purchase of seeds and planting material. This training programme was coordinated by Dr. R. Senthil Kumar, Principal Scientist, Dr.V.Sankar, Principal scientist, Division of Social Sciences and Training, ICAR-IIHR, Bangalore.
