Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur

1. ESTABLISHMENT

Tapioca and Castor Research Station was established as 32nd research station of TNAU on 1.4.98 at Yethapur village, Attur taluk of Salem district to meet the requirements of tapioca and castor growers of Tamil Nadu. The Research Station is located on the Salem - Ulundurpet National Highway - NH 68 at 35th km from Salem.   The co-ordinates of the station are 11º 35' N latitude, 78 º 29’ E longitudes and at an altitude of 282 meters above mean sea level. This station is located in the agro climatic region of North Western Zone of Tamil Nadu. The total extent of the farm is 9.57 ha.

2. MANDATE

• To undertake  basic  strategic applied thrust areas of research in tapioca and castor
• To act as a lead centre for scientific information and to co-ordinate farmers problem solving issues in tapioca and castor
• To introduce new technologies for increasing the productivity of tapioca and castor
• To act as a centre for training the farmers and extension functionaries and 
• To provide consultancy service on crop management and crop protection in tapioca and castor

3. ACTIVITIES

COORDINATED RESEARCH SCHEMES

AICRP -CASTOR

All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Oilseeds - Castor is functioning at Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur from April 1998 with the aim of promoting castor cultivation as pure crop and to carryout research work on castor.            
Preliminary evaluation and identification of promising hybrid combinations.    
              New hybrids 184 are developed and tested in the Preliminary Hybrids Trials.
Hybrids in Pipeline
      YRCH 1106 and YRCH 1116 are the hybrids in pipeline research.
Pistillate line developed
YRCP 1 -Spontaneous mutant of TMV5
            During 2011-12, exploration for collection of land races / farmers varieties in castor in collaboration with DOR, Hyderabad has been conducted. Total of following 69 accessions of land races were collected for utilization in the breeding programme.   
                                                                                                     
Technologies in pipe line

• Pre-emergence application of pendimethalin 1 kg a.i/ha + interculture at 40 DAS gave higher yield and returns in castor

AICRP-TUBER CROPS

In coordination with Cental Tuber Crops Research Institute, Trivandrum, Tapioca and  Castor Research Station is conducting field trials on tapioca in and around Salem District.

I. EXPERIMENTS UNDERTAKEN
 Field trials are undertaken in crop improvement, crop production and crop protection aspects.  

A. CROP IMPROVEMENT
a)  Germplasm collection, conservation, characterization, cataloguing of different  
      types / cultivars of genetic resources of root and tubers in their respective regions.
b)  Seedling evaluation programme.
c)  IET on cassava mosaic resistant lines
d)  URT on cassava
e)  URT on cassava mosaic resistant lines

B. CROP PRODUCTION
a). Integrated nutrient management in cassava
b). Effect of pruning on tuber yield of cassava
c). Standardization of fertigation through micro irrigation for Cassava
d). Low input technology for cassava production
e) Integrated weed management in cassava

C. CROP PROTECTION
Survey and surveillance of pest and disease of tuber crops.
D. MAINTENANCE OF GENETIC RESOURCES
 In cassava, 364 entries of available at Tapioca and Castor Research Station.

TCRS – MAIN
Research on tapioca and castor crops are being carried out at Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur both under irrigated and rainfed situations under TCRS- main scheme.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES
Research trials are conducted in the following aspects

• Cropping systems in tapioca and castor
•  Spacing and weed management in castor and tapioca
• Survey and monitoring of tapioca and castor pests and diseases and developing IPM techniques
• Integrated Nutrient Management studies in  tapioca and castor
• Drip irrigation, farm machinery and processing technology for tapioca.

 OTHER SCHEMES ACTIVITIES

1. Development  of wilt resistant hetrotic gene pool in castor (Ricinus communis L) through      
     induced mutagenesis funded by BRNS, Mumbai

The project aims for diversification and development of wilt resistant parental lines (Pistillate line and monoecious line) and there by development of heterotic gene pool with wilt resistance through mutagenesis by gamma rays. The expected out come from the project is development of early/medium duration wilt resistant castor hybrids with high yield.
2. Farmers Participatory Approach for Hybrid Castor with onion Intercropping through
    Drip Fertigation funded by NADP

        Intercropping of onion in hybrid castor is promoted through this scheme among the farmers of Salem and Namakkal districts. Totally 40 demonstrations were laid out, 20 trainings and 10 field days were conducted in Salem and Namakkal districts
3. Demonstrating the foliar spray of cassava tonic on cassava funded by NABARD,
    Mumbai
            This project is operated in Erode Namakkal and Salem Districts to prove the effect of cassava tonic foliar spray in tapioca crop. Fifteen FLD on cassava tonic (5 /district) was conducted and six trainings were organized            
4. Technological empowerment and sustainable livelihood security of tribal women through agricultural farm productivity and employment generation activities in Kalrayan hills of Tamil Nadu funded by GOI-DSIR, New Delhi
             This project aims at the sustainable livelihood security of tribal women through tapioca cultivation and bee keeping enterprise.
Preliminary visit made to the project site and awareness programme on beekeeping enterprise was conducted in the project sites. 320 tribal women were identified and selected for eight villages (40/village) viz., Maniyaragundam, Erumbur, Navampattu, Pattikkaraselankuruchi, Athumeduselanguruchi, Pudhur, Kattuvalavu and Thekkampattu of Karumandurai. 320 tribal women formed into 1 groups (20/group & 2 groups/ village). Six honey bee boxes with accessories were distributed for each group to start commercially model beekeeping enterprises and also provided the honey extractor, smoker and mask. Totally 96 bee hive boxes were distributed. Seven trainings on Bee keeping enterprise were conducted. A model beekeeping enterprise unit was developed in each village. Follow up visit made periodically to give technical guidance. Beekeeping unit is maintained cleanly. Well multiplied beehives are being separated into 2 more hives. At present, bee hive separation work under the progress.
 5. Generating secured income for farm women through dissemination of hybrid castor production technology funded by GOI-DSIR, New Delhi
            The project is operated in Salem and Namakkal districts and aims at increasing the income of self help group farm women through production of hybrid castor as sole crop.

TN-IAMWARM
Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water Bodies Restorationand Management (IAMWARM) is an integrated, multidisciplinary approach with the objective of improving water use efficiency and increasing, the agricultural productivity.
TN-IAMWARM Upper Vellar (Vasista) is functioning in Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur for the benefit of farmers of Vasista river basin in Salem District.
            The Upper Vellar river basin is one of the major river sub basin in Tamil Nadu with drainage of 1722 sq.km.In this subbasin an area of 10,572 hectares area irrigated through 70 tanks and 79 Anicuts. The total length of the Vasita river is 76.70km. The river Vasista Nadhi drains out from the southern slopes of the    Kalrayan Hills on the Northern boundary of Attur Taluk of Salem District. It originates at an altitude of about 1266m above MSL. Major crops grown are Paddy, Sugarcane, Maize, Tapioca, Groundnut, Sorghum, Arecanut, Turmeric and Banana.
Objectives

• Working towards large scale adoption of specific technologies such as SRI in rice, Drip fertigation in sugarcane, coconut, tapioca etc., to increase productivity in crops.
• Provide information on price forecasting and market intelligence to develop market access.
• Popularization of labor saving implements & machineries in rice, coconut, groundnut, cotton and maize to reduce cost of production.

Testing and adoption of technologies developed on- station to farm contitions.

COMPONENTS OF TN- IAMWARM SCHEME
1. System of Rice Iintensification
SRI (System of Rice Intensification) has been successfully introduced in the Upper Vellar sub-basin during 2007-08. Around 525 farmers have got benefited from the technology in an area of 720 hectares with in Upper Vellar Sub basin, which is popularly known for its higher rice Yield under SRI
2. Organic farming
     In Upper Vellar sub basin organic farming was implemented in 50 ha.
3. Improved production technology for groundnut
Under IAMWARM Scheme Co 3 variety groundnut seeds were given to the beneficiaries those who have coming under the members of the water user association.
The average yield was 1252.5 kg/ ha.  By the adoption of this improved production technology groundnut yield showed an increase of 30 %   when compared to conventional method.

4. Precision Farming
Precision farming in upper vellar basin was introduced in 2007-08 and area of 102.02ha. Precision farming in upper vellar sub basin has been implemented for banana, turmeric, coconut,  vegetables, tapioca, sugarcane& flower crops.
5. e- Velanmai Scheme
About 278 farmers have been enrolled in TN-IAMWARM  e- Velanmai scheme. A total amount of Rs. 27,800  has been collected as membership fee.  15 training programmes have been conducted  on  pulses, maize and oil seed production technologies for the beneficiaries. A total number of 77 advices were given to the beneficiries. Sixty two number of capacity building programmes were conducted under e –velanmai scheme on handling of ICT tools.
VENTURE CAPITAL SCHEMES
1. Seed production in castor varieties and hybrids
2. Production of cassava CO2 and CO3 planting materials
3. Production and supply of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Coconut Tonic for North
    Western zone of Tamil Nadu
4. Revolving funded scheme on castor seed production  

EXTENSION

• On farm trials for improved technologies of Tapioca, castor and Maize.
• Demonstrations on improved technologies in tapioca and castor 
• Front line Demonstrations on hybrid castor
• Dissemination of latest technologies in tapioca, castor, paddy, pulses, maize etc., are are being carried out through on and off campus trainings, demonstrations, seminars, field days, radio talks, TV programmes, leaflet, booklet, pamphlet publications in dailies etc.,
• Solving field problems through field visit and attending queries of farmers.

FRONT LINE DEMONSTRATIONS
Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur in Coordination with the Directorate of Oil seeds Research (DOR), Hyderabad is conducting FLD on Castor production technologies from the year 1998 onwards both in Salem and Namakkal districts. So for 150 FLD programmes were conducted in the farmer’s field of Namakkal, Erode, Salem Districts to popularize hybrid castor cultivation.

TRAININGS
            Trainings are given to the farmers on crop production and crop protection technologies of tapioca and castor.

FACILITIES AVAILABLE  
Land area of 11.25 ha of land is available for experimentation to conduct demonstration field trial in the Institute.
The research station has the following infrastructure. 

• Well equipped training hall and
• Automatic Weather Station
• A well developed meteorological observatory is established in TCRS farm.
• Automatic weather Station (AWS) is installed in TCRS farm for recording all the weather parameters.

The following weather parameters are recorded in Automatic weather Station.

• Maximum temperature (oC) and Minimum temperature (oC)
• Relative humidity (%)
• Wind speed (kmph)
• Soil moisture 15 cm (%) and Soil temperature (oC)
• Rainfall (mm)
• Solar radiation (Cal/cm2)
• Atmospheric pressure (hpa)
• Leaf wetness (hr)

The mean monthly weather data is recoded and it is sent to ARS, Kovilpatty for consolidation of the entire centre.

Beneficiaries

• Based on the weather forecasting the cropping programme and agricultural operations are carried out in TCRS farm.
• Mean monthly weather data in TCRS for the past 10 years were recoded and it is maintained.

The recorded weather parameters are collected by the farmers, AO’s, ADA’s in Salem district.

4. ACHIEVEMENTS
a. Varieties released
Tapioca varieties released
Tapioca entry H740/92 was evaluated at TCRS, Yethapur  from 2003 - 2010 under variety trials viz., IET, URT & MLT.  This variety was accepted for release by Central Variety Release Committee at 10th Biennial Workshop of AICRP Tuber Crops scheme held at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhuvaneshwar, Orissa 9 – 11th October 2009.
Special Features

• The plant is erect growing type with light yellowish stem. 
• It possesses top branching habit.
• The petiole is reddish in colour during vegetative stage and later on it turns cream in colour.
• The individual leaflets are broader at the middle than at the top. 
• It flowers and set seeds also. 
• Tuber possesses brown outer skin, light cream rind and white flesh.
• Tuber shape is conical cylindrical.
• It ha yield potential of 41.2 t/ha with the very good starch content of 27%. 
• Cynogen content is 48.1 ug/100g.

Tapioca Yethapur-1
Tapioca Yethapur-1 is a selection from Thondamuthur region of Coimbatore District.  It was evaluated and selected at Tapioca and Castor Research Station, Yethapur. It has high starch content (28% ) and suitable for irrigated and rainfed condition with minimum irrigation.  The cassava mosaic virus disease grade was one to two.
The plants are erect and non branching.  Tubers are long and cylindrical in shape. The outer skin is brown and the rind is light cream in colour.  Flesh colour is white.  The starch content is 28 %. HCN content in tuber is 188.5 μg/g and in rind is 833.3 μg/g.
Dry weight of the tuber is 33.08 %.  The tuber yield its 49.5 t/ha. The tuber yield increase was 35.16 per cent over CO (TP) 4 and 58.38 per cent over H 226.   It can be grown from November – January under irrigated condition and in April – May under rainfed condition with minimum irrigation.  It can be cultivated in Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Perambalur, Dharmapuri and Cuddalore districts in Tamil Nadu..
Castor hybrid YRCH 1
            Castor hybrid YRCH 1 was released from this station in 2009, which is high yielding and  suitable both for rainfed and irrigated areas.
Salient features of castor hybrid YRCH-1

• Average yield 1861 kg/ha under rainfed ecosystem and oil content 49 per cent.
• Early duration of 150-160 days (15 days earlier than TMVCH 1 and 30 days earlier than GCH 4).
• Semi dwarf highly branching and high yielding.
• Proportion of female flower on the spike is more than 95 per cent.
• Resistant to lodging.
• Non shattering type.
• Fertilizer responsive.
• Suitable for rainfed and areas of limited irrigation potential because of its short duration.
• Less time lag between any two order of spike, hence more number of spike is produced in short period.
• Compact plant type suitable for intercropping system also.
• Because of its earliness, it escapes botrytis in early sown conditions during kharif in Tamil Nadu.  It recorded the score of 5 in the 0-9 scale with only 11 to 25 % of capsule affected under normal epiphytotic conditions.

• Low leaf hopper (Hopper burn 11 – 25 per cent) and whitefly (1 in 0-5 scale) incidence.
• Moderately tolerant to capsule borer with an incidence of less than 20 per cent during

      peak infestation level.

b. Technologies released

• Management of cassava tuber rot with soil drenching of copper oxy chloride (2g/lit) @ 3rd and 6th MAP  
• Management of Areca nut wilt disease with soil application of neem cake @ 2 kg/palm/year+ root feeding of Tridemorph (2%) 3 times @ quarterly intervals: 
• Inter cropping of castor with black gram (1:2) in rainfed situation
• Management of castor defoliators and capsule borer with Profenophos 0.05%:
• Seed priming with 1% KCI for 3 hours and sowing a week before onset of monsoon resulted   in better seed yield in castor.
• Inter cropping of castor with black gram (1:2) in rainfed situation
• Application of 30 kg sulphur through gypsum produced substantially higher seed yield in castor.
• Castor based intercropping system with high value crops under irrigated conditions
• Management of castor defoliators and capsule borer with Profenophos 0.05%
• Foliar spray of carbendazim (0.1%) or Trichoderma viride (0.3%) on 45 and 60 days after sowing for effective control of Botrytis grey mold.

c. Technologies developed and recommended for adoption  
1. Designer seed for castor under rainfed condition
Castor seed designed with Polykote (Red) 3ml + Imidachloprid 5ml + Carbendazim 2g +  Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g +  Azospirillum 20 g per kg of seed for increasing 20 % productivity and minimize the pest and disease incidence.
2. PGR consortia (Castor Gold)
Foliar application of 0.05 % castor gold (Ethrel + Brassinolide + Salicylic acid) 0.5 ml / lit of water on 28 DAS increased the yield to 27 %.
3. Effect of fungicides and bio control agents against Botrytis grey mold of castor
Foliar spray with Trichoderma viride (0.3%), Salicylic acid 100 ppm and Carbendazim (0.1%) was given on 45 and 60 days after sowing recorded less incidence of Botrytis grey mold.
d. External funded scheme obtained

MEALY BUG PARASITOID MASS CULTURE LABORATORY
In Tapioca and Castor Research Station Yethapur, Mealy bug parasitoid Acerophagus papayae is established for mass culturing under laboratory and net house condition.   A total …. no of  parasitoids are distributed to the … no of farmers to control the mealy bug a major pest of cassava in Salem and Namakkal , Dharmapuri, Trichy District of Tamil Nadu.
Awards for recognition received for outstanding work

• Best stall award was received in Salem Agri fair’ 2011
• Best Live Sample Award has been received for tapioca Me 833 tuber live sample which was exhibited in Salem Agri Fair’ 2012.
• Received recognition for eight externally funded projects from various funding agencies viz., NADP, GOI, DSIR, NABARD, ICAR were obtained with a total financial outlay of 82.91 lakhs and projects are in progress at TCRS, Yethapur.
• Best poster award was received by Dr. P.Kalaiselvi, Assistant Professor (ENS) in National seminar “ Recent Advances in Bio- inoculant technology” organized by the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, held at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai on  1-2nd March,2012.
• Best AICRP - Castor - Centre award was received by TCRS, Yethapur for significant research contribution for enhancing Castor area and production in Tamil Nadu

Contact:

Professor and Head
Tapioca & Castor Research Station,
Yethapur - 636 119. Salem
Phone :04282  - 293526
Mobile : 94428 51828
e-mail : arsyethapur@tnau.ac.in