To encourage the adoption of commercial flower production and increase farm income, the Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station (RHRTS), Dhaulakaun of Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni organized a five-days training programme on ‘Commercial flowers and value addition’ at the station. Twenty-five farmers from Mattar, Phulpur, Bangran, Dobri Salwala, Danda Paggar, Jerwa, Kiari Gundeha, Drabin, Gundhan, Shillai, 6th Indian Reserve Battalion Force, and adjoining areas of Dhaulakuan took part in the training which was sponsored by Deputy Director Horticulture, Sirmour under the Pushap Kranti Yojana.
Dr. Priyanka Thakur, who coordinated the training with Dr. Sanjeev Sanyal, informed that the main emphasis was on seed production of winter, summer and rainy season annuals. The participants were also trained on media preparation, nursery production of annuals under sunken beds, polytunnels, mist chambers, glasshouses, etc, potting and repotting, different structures and hydroponics in floriculture, multiplication of foliage and flowering pot plants and vertical gardening. Vegetative propagation in dahlia, marigold, chrysanthemum, coleus, and geranium(softwood cuttings) along with production technology of gladiolus, gerbera and rose for cut flower production, production technology of dahlia, marigold, chrysanthemum, rose and other loose flowers were also explained.
A visit to the Floral Craft lab and dehydration techniques of native and naturalized plant parts in the form of floral craft items, making and management of lawn, hedging and topiary making, off-season flower production in Chrysanthemum, etc were also taken up during the training.
The training was inaugurated by Sh Ram Kumar Gautam, DC, Sirmour who had urged the farmers to work on commercial flower crops to increase their income and disseminate knowledge among all farmers in their areas. He appreciated the work done by the research station for the farmers of the area and asked them to utilize the knowledge gained during the training to set up their floriculture enterprise. Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Chauhan, UHF Director of Research, spoke about the cultivation of winter season annuals and requested the farmers to initiate such crops for seed production purposes. Dr. Satish Sharma, DDH Sirmour informed about the different funding schemes of the government for cultivation, irrigation, etc.
The visits to the fields of progressive farmers- Rahul Dev Singh Chauhan, Ambwala (Entrepreneur in Floriculture Commercial Nursery) and Ravi Swaroop. (a progressive farmer of Majra working on Gerbera), where winter annuals (Calendula, Acroclinium, Daisy) have been planted for seed production under PPP mode by the university. A farmer scientist interaction was also held on the last day. Shubhra Tiwari, Commandant, 6th Indian Reserve Battalion Force, Dhaulakuan was the Chief Guest during the valedictory function and distributed certificates to the participants.
Dr. Sukhdev Singh Palyal, Associate Director, HAREC, Dhaulakuan, Dr. Neena Thakur, Fruit Technologist, Department of Horticulture, HP, Dr. Amit Bakshi, SMS, Horticulture, Dr. Neha Sharma, ADO also attended the inaugural session.
