The Floriculture Research Station, Thovalai was established on 24.07.08 The total extent of land is 4.43 ha. The establishment of this Research Station will be highly valuable for the flower growers and entrepreneurs. The research station is located in Thovalai taluk in R.S. 334/1 of Thovalai village of Kanyakumari District in National Highway 47B at a distance of 2.5 km from Thovalai flower market.

Establishment

Mandate

• Breeding and evolving high yielding varieties of flower crops viz., Jasmine, Tuberose, Nerium, Scented rose, Marigold, Celosia, Chrysanthemum, Gomphrena, Crossandra etc.,
• Breeding varieties with long stems and longer vase life with high degree of resistance to pests and diseases in tropical orchids, anthurium, heliconia, bird of paradise etc.,
• Standardization of agro-techniques for loose and cut flower crops.
• To study the possibility of growing flowers in the already existing coconut and banana cropping systems.
• To standardize technologies for pest and disease management in flower crops.
• To standardize techniques for optimum stage of harvesting.
• To standardize the post harvest and packing technologies for loose and cut flowers.
• To develop technologies for value added products from flowers.

Activities

The following is the list of on going sub projects at FRS,Thovalai.

• HCBE FRS FLO 10 001: Collection and evaluation of Nerium accessions for high yield, prolonged shelf life and as standards for ornamental purpose.
• HCBE FRS FLO 10 002: Standardization of package of practices in button rose and Rosa hibrida Var. Gladiator for loose flowers production.
• HCBE FRS FLO 09 001: Evaluation of high yielding elite flowers in coconut and banana based cropping systems.
• HCBE FRS FLO 09 002: Standardization of agro techniques in Heliconia.
• HCBE FRS FLO 10 003: Collection and evaluation of under exploited ornamentals.
• HCBE FRS AEN 10 002: Insecticidal Management of rose thrips.
• HCBE FRS AEN 10 001: Cataloguing of Pests, diseases and nematodes in flower crops of Kanyakumari district.
• Impact of paclobutrazol on physiological, biochemical parameters of mango in relation to soil and environmental factors.  (Ph. D - Thesis work)
• TN - IAMWARM Project –Hanumanathi river basin
• e-Velanmai activities.
• ODL - Medicinal crops

Besides this, number of externally funded schemes / programmes are also being undertaken and the details are furnished below:

1. Externally funded projects being operated

 Extension

• Diagnostic field visit
• Training programmes
• Field days
• Exposure visits
• Collector meeting

Achievements

A. Crop improvement

Under the project on,`Collection and evaluation of Nerium accessions for high yield, prolonged shelf life and as standards for ornamental purpose` a total of 22 accessions have so far been assembled  from various places including Beemanahari, Santhavilai, Thirupathisaram, Aralvaimozhi, Kumarapuram, Thazhakudy, Rasipuram, Salem, Azhaganapuram and Kulasekaranpudur coming under the districts viz; Kanyakumari, Salem, Theni and Namakkal and the collected accs. are being  evaluated for different yield and growth characters. Based on the data so far collected it is evident that the accs.  NI.15 (Red and Pink mixed single) assembled from Rasipuram, is found to be promising in terms of flower yield. The trial is in progress.

2. Under exploited ornamentals (Heliconia, Alpinia, Bird of Paradise)

In Heliconia, 28 varieties belonging to  10 species were evaluated for yield and growth characters. Among them the yield in terms of no. of spikes / year was more in var.Tropics (21.4) followed by var.Red christmas (20.2). Among the two accessions of Alpinia (Red, Pink) the cv. Red has recorded 10.4 flowers / clump / year. In Bird of paradise, among the two accessions (Strelitzia reginae and S. nicolai) evaluated, S. reginae comparatively recorded more flowers (5 flowers / clump / year) in the first year of flowering. The trial is in progress.

B. Crop management

In an experiment on `Standardization of package of practices in button and gladiator roses for loose flowers production `Button rose (Rosa chinensis) and Gladiator rose (Rosa hybrida var. Gladiator) were planted under different growing environments viz., under 35 % shade, 50 % shade and 35 % & 50 % shade at top shade alone and purely under open conditions in order to elucidate information on requirement of appropriate growing environment. Based on the data so far recorded, it is inferred that, the plants raised under open condition had recorded more yield and other yield contributing characters in both button rose and gladiator rose varieties.

In another study on standardization of fertilizer requirement for rose varieties viz; Button rose and Kashmir rose, the trial has been raised under farmer`s field selected at Thovalai and Kozhikottupothai and the treatments have just been imposed. The study is in progress.

Elite flowers (Orchids and Heliconia)     

The experiment on evaluation of high yielding elite flowers (Heliconia and orchids) in coconut based cropping system was laid out and the orchids viz; Aranthera, Vanda, Aranda and Arachnis were planted with additional artificial shade using 50% Shade net as top cover. Amoung them, Aranthera var. Anne Black was found to be promising under coconut based cropping system, recording the highest yield of 18.2 flowers / m2, while Vanda and Aranda failed to flower. In Heliconia, four varieties composing of 4 species, viz; Iris (H. Stricta), Tropics (H. latispatha), Wagenaria Red (H. wagneriana), Red Christmas (H. angusta) were taken up for the study. Among them cv.Tropics recorded a higher yield of 22 flowers / m2 and found to be promising over three years.

In the evaluation study under banana based wetland cropping system, Alpinia, Torch Ginger, Ornamental Musa, Heliconia and Bird of paradise were evaluated with banana cultivar Rasakathali and among them, the highest yield of 26.8 flowers / m2 was recorded by Heliconia.

In the garden land banana cropping system, the elite flower crops such as marigold, celosia, Chrysanthemum, Heliconia, Aster and Ocimun were grown with banana cv. Rasakathali. Among them ocimum was found to be remunerative with more fresh herb yield (21.84 kg / plot size of 5 x 5 m / year) and high return with a  B:C ratio of 2.96 

Heliconia

In an experiment on standardization of agro techniques for Heliconia var Red Christmas eight different spacings were studied. Among them, the paired row system of planting with a spacing of (60 x 60) x 90 cm  recorded the highest flower yield of 21 flowers / m2.

In another trial on evaluation of Heliconia species in open and shade net conditions, 13 varieties under seven different species were studied. They were raised under open as well as 35% shade net conditions. The vegetative growth and yield were more under shade net compared to open condition. The flower yield / clump ranged from 7.0 - 20.8 in open, while, it was 10.2 - 65.4 respectively in shade net condition. Among the different accessions the cv. Tropics was found to be promising, which recorded 65.4 flowers / clumps under shade as compared to 20.0 flowers / clump in open.

Crop Protection

1. Cataloguing of pests, diseases and nematodes in flower crops of Kanyakumari district.

Survey was conducted in different villages of Kanyakumari district viz., Kozhikottupothai, Kumaranputhoor, Thovalai and Kumarapuram on the incidence of insect pests, diseases and nematodes in flower crops at fortnightly intervals. The results revealed that the incidence of rose thrips viz., Scirtothrips dorsalis and Frankliniella schultzei were found to be serious throughout the year causing unopening of flower buds which reduced the flower quality and yield. In tuberose, severe incidence of thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis was noticed from October to March resulting in yield reduction by causing yellowing and drying of flowers. The occurrence of flower borer, Helicoverpa armigera was noticed in rose, tuberose and marigold occasionally and caused flower damage.

2. Insecticidal Management of rose thrips

Insecticides belonging to different classes were tested in the laboratory, pot culture experiments and field conditions against rose thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis and Frankliniella schultzei). The acute toxicity studies revealed that based on LC50 value Thiamethoxam was more effective against thrips followed by Acephate and then by Acetamiprid. Based on the persistent toxicity studies, Thiamethoxam is found as highly persistent in killing rose thrips for up to 15 days followed by Acetamiprid (14 days) and the least persistence was recorded by ethion which persisted for 10 days. From the field experiments also, it is evident that thiamethoxam is highly effective against rose thrips followed by acetamiprid. Thus it is concluded that thiamethoxam 25 WG @ 25 g a.i. ha-1 was found to be promising against rose thrips followed by acetamiprid 20 SP @ 20 g a.i. ha-1.  

 NAIP - Understanding the mechanism of flowering and fruiting in mango under different environmental condition  

• The Phenological studies in 3 promising off season mango varieties viz, Neelum, Kalepad and Totapuri indicated that these varieties produced profuse flowering and fruiting in off season. Among them Totapuri and Kalepad are early and Neelum is comparatively late in the off season.
• Among the 40 varieties available in kanyakumari, 20 varieties regularly flowers and yield fruits in off season. In addition to the main and off season crops they also produce intermittent, sporadic and sparse crops in between the seasons. Based on the survey, 10 promising clones were identified for further testing and evaluation
• Application of Paclobutrazal to induce off season production revealed that in Imampasand when it was applied @2.5ml/m canopy area during September has resulted in higher flowering and fruiting compared to other periods of application.

GOI-SERB - Integrated Pest Management of cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.)
Survey was conducted at Naraseepuram and Madhampatti villages of Coimbatore district and Ooty (Nilgiris dt) in cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli fields for the incidence of cabbage and mustard aphids and their natural enemies. The population of Brevicoryne brassicae was noticed in the cole crops and the natural enemies viz., coccinellids and syrphids were recorded. The mass culturing of cabbage aphids is being carried out in the laboratory for acute toxicity studies.
 

Venture Capital Scheme

Production of quality planting materials in ornamentals, commercial flower crops, aquatic ornamentals and inputs for flower crops
Under this scheme, the following income based activities are being taken up

• Production of quality planting materials in flower crops.
• Production of inputs viz., Vermicompost and Ornamental Pots.
• To strengthen the already established small nursery for the production of quality planting materials of flower crops.

Germplasm on flower and ornamental crops collected and conserved

TN-IAMWARM Project

            The TN-IAMWARM project for Hanumanadhi sub basin is initiated in 2010 with the following components.

Demonstration of Farm technologies.
            The following activities are carried out in the following project.
1. System of Rice Intensification (SRI)
            a. Green manure - SRI - Rice Fallow Pulses
            b. SRI - Rice Fallow Pulses
2. Improved Production Technology in Pulses
3. Integrated Nutrient Management
4. Precision Farming in Flower Crops
5. Precision Farming in Banana

Federations formed and supported by Floricultural research station, Thovalai

The following three federations have been started especially for transfer of Technology into a business reality through social net work mode ie formation of forums in ‘3 I mode’ (Individual- Institution- Industry)
a) National Off-season mango growers association (NOMA)
b) Indian Herbal Association (INHA)
c) Thovalai Florists Federation (TFF)

Updated on Oct 2013