CCRI always ready for farmers’ guidance: Dr Ladaniya

Though, this productivity has reached 12 to 13 tonne per hectare in recent years, the set target is to take it to 20 tonne per hectare, said director of ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI), Dr M S Ladaniya here.

He was talking to Lokmat Times in an exclusive interview.

About the success story of the one-of-its-kind CCRI in India, Dr M S Ladaniya said as far as export of citrus fruits is concerned, China tops the order, followed by Brazil and later on India.

Every year about 80,000 to 90,000 tonne citrus fruits are exported from India.

In future with increased productivity, this picture would completely change since the avowed objective of CCRI is to provide disease free quality planting material in less expenses to the farmers.

For this purpse, CCRI is working towards inventing new varieties and developing them in local climate.

In the last five years, CCRI has supplied 17 lakh disease free planting material - the result of which is seen in the increased productivity, he said adding CCRI is using improved technique for increasing productivity.

Currently, 277 saplings of citrus are planted on one hectare area.

In the improvised technique to be used in future, near about 700 to 800 saplings would be planted in one hectare area because spacing between two plants would be reduced to 6 x 3 foot as compared to 6x6 foot earlier.

This experiment, which was carried out on the premises of CCRI has been successful. CCRI has done special research in developing disease free mother plant by using Shoot-Tip drafting method, Dr M S Ladaniya informed.

Research in last fifteen years

CCRI developed and distributed many varieties of mosambi, oranges and lime in the last 15 years.

A new variety Alimau

Santra which is resistant to dinkya or gummosis was developed in 2012-13.

In lime, NRCC-7, NRCC-8 and nine other varities have been developed and distributed.

Similarly, three seedless varieties of oranges NRCC

Seedless-4 have been developed.

Cutter Valencia variety for juice in sweet orange and NRCC-5 for pomello have also been developed in addition to research on 615 other varieties conducted at CCRI.

Similarly, four varieties namely Jafa from Israel Blood Red Malta and Westin and Hamlin from Brazil have been developed in sweet orange and Pearl Tangelo and Daisy for Nagpur orange have been developed.

CCRI has an excellent workforce of 50 including 15 scientists, 20 technicians and others.

The vision of CCRI has been to develop a world class echnique.

The Orange Festival organised by Lokmat, of which CCRI was an important part has enabled to increase the reach of the Santra barfi of Nagpur to entire globe,

Dr M S Ladaniya informed.

Quote

We are always ready for providing guidance to farmers. Citrus growers can direclty approach panchayat samiti, agricultural officers or CCRI directly for free guidance.

Dr M S Ladaniya, director Central Citrus Research Institute, Nagpur.