Department of Vegetable Science

Department Profile

Genesis

1. Established as a statutory Department of Kerala Agricultural University in 1972.
2. Started M.Sc. (Hort.) programme in 1976.
3. Started Ph.D programme in 1979.
4. Shifted to an independent full-fledged building on 01.06.2000.

Vision/ Objective

1. To develop the technology for scientific vegetable cultivation in Kerala and to educate students, farmers and stake holders.

Mandate

1. Generation of professional human resources, skills and technology in vegetable science through higher education, research and extension.

Facilities

Physical Resources

1. Three Research cum Seed Production Field Blocks, Having a total land area of 8.03 ha
2. Main department building with a built-up area of 12000 sq.ft. having class rooms, UG laboratory, PG laboratory, research laboratory, seed tech laboratory, conference hall, computer room, staff rooms, office room, farm office, museum and store rooms.
3. Roof-top Hi-tech Lab
4. Roof-top Auditorium
5. Hi-tech seed testing lab of 1800 sq.ft. built-up area
6. Field laboratory of 12000 sq.ft. built-up area
7. Seed processing hall of 1000 sq.ft. built-up area
8. Dehumidified walk-in cold room
9. Protected cultivation structures: 16 Nos.

 Faculty strength:

Sl.No.	Name	Designation
1	Dr. T. Pradeepkumar	Professor and Head
2	Dr. Sangeeta Kutty M.	Assistant Professor
3	Dr. Aswini A.	Assistant Professor
AICRP on Vegetable Crops
4	Dr. P Anitha	Associate Professor, AICVIP
5	Dr. Rashmi.C.R	Assistant Professor, AICVIP
6	Dr. Dicto Jose M.	Assistant Professor, AICVIP

Technical and supporting staff

Sl.No.	Name	Designation
1	Mrs. Roshni M. Michael	Farm Manager
2	Mr. Bijoy Balakrishnan	Assistant Section Officer
3	Ms. Ansamol M.S.	Computer Assistant
4	Mr. VO Joy	Farm Manager, AICVIP

Awards

Achievements / Major Accomplishments

Sl.No	Name of faculty/department	Awards / recognition- details
1	Dr. T. Pradeep Kumar Professor and Head Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara	1. Krishi Vigyan award for the best Agriculture scientist in Kerala (Govt. Of Kerala 2015) 2.Fellow of Indian Society of Vegetable Science (Indian Society of Vegetable Science, Varanasi 2016) 3. International fellow of NONI foundation 2018-19 4. Fellow of Indian Academy of Horticultural Science (2019).

• Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Award – 1
• Dr. MH Marigowda National Award – 1
• ISVS Silver Jubilee Medal – 1
• NAAS Recognition Award – 1
• Indo-American Hybrid Seeds Gold Medal – 1
• Krishi Vigyan Award – 1
• Young Scientist Award – 2
• Harbhajan Singh Award – 3
• Fellow Indian Society of Vegetable Science-3
• Best Paper / Poster Award – 15
• Fellow of Indian Academy of Horticultural Science-1
• Fellow of International Society of Noni Science-4

Research Achievements

• Cucumber hybrid suitable for polyhouse cultivation (Parthenocarpic type) was developed and notified by Central Seed Sub committee for Horticultural Crops. First hybrid from public sector notified in India.
• Cucumber gynoecious F1 hybrids suitable for open and rain shelter cultivation were developed and released (Heera and Shubhra)
• Two seedless watermelon triploid hybrids were developed and released (Shonima, red flesh and Swarna, yellow flesh)
• Ridge gourd hybrid , KRH-1 was developed exploiting CGMS type of male sterility and recommended by state variety release committee
• Five high yielding fleshy podded cowpea accessions were identified
• 36 segregates resistant to both bacterial wilt & tolerant to tomato leaf curl virus were developed.
• Organic cultivation practices were standardized for okra, vegetable cowpea, oriental pickling melon & bitter gourd
• Amaranthus tricolor accessions, resistant to Rhizoctonia solani was identified.
• Photo insensitive purple winged bean lines has been selected
• Nantes and Pusa Rudhira has been found to be most ideal carrot varieties for the plains of Kerala during Nov- Dec
• Varieties/Hybrids have been located for rain shelter cultivation in crops like cabbage, brinjal, cherry tomato and tomato
• Varieties were identified for the successful cultivation of cool season vegetables like beetroot, french bean, knol khol & sprouting broccoli in the plains under Velanikkara conditions
• Biological & chemical management measures have been developed against many pests & diseases of vegetables
• Techniques for extending storage life of major tropical vegetables have been developed
• The cow pea variety Geethika has been identified as most suitable for polyhouse cultivation

Teaching

• Offers one course for B.Sc (Hons.) Agriculture, eight courses for M.Sc Horticulture /M.Sc Agriculture and six courses for Ph.D
• M.Sc students passed out: 112
• Ph.D students passed out: 21
• Students who received national awards- 6
• Students on rolls: M.Sc -5 and Ph.D -7

Seed production

• Well organized vegetable seed and pro-tray seedling production network comprising of ICAR and State Plan schemes
• Massive infrastructure development for seed production and processing under ICAR Mega Seed Project
• Till date 32.5 tons of vegetable seeds worth Rs. 2.5 crores produced and supplied to farmers
• Average annual revenue from the sale of breeder/foundation/truthfully labeled seeds and pro-tray seedlings of vegetables Rs. 22 lakhs

ACADEMICS

List of Courses offered

Under graduate level

Catalogue No.	Course title	Credit
Hort 2204	Production technology of vegetable crops	2+1

Post graduate level

Sl.No.	Catalogue No.	Course title	Credit
1	VSC 503	Breeding of vegetable crops	2+1
2	VSC 504	Growth and development of vegetable crops	2+1
3	VSC 502	Production technology of warm season vegetables	2+1
4	VSC 506	Systematics of vegetable crops	1+1
5	VSC 507	Production technology of underexploited vegetables	1+1
6	VSC 505	Seed production technology of vegetable crops	2+1
7	VSC 501	Production technology of cool season vegetables	2+1
8	VSC 508	Organic Vegetable Production Technology	1+1

Ph. D level

Sl. No.	Catalogue No.	Course title	Credit
1	VSC 602	Advances in breeding of vegetable crops	2+ 1
2	VSC 604	Biotechnology for vegetable crops	2+1
3	VSC 601	Advances in vegetable crop production	2+1
4	VSC 606	Abiotic stress management in vegetable crops	2+1
5	VSC 605	Seed certification, processing and storage of vegetable crops	1+1
6	VSC 603	Protected cultivation of vegetable crops	1+1

EXTENSION SERVICES:

• Published 35 books/ technical bulletin, 575 research papers and around 500 popular articles
• Conducted 10^th and 20^th workshop of All India Co-ordinated Research Project (Vegetable Crops) in 1988 and 2002
• Conducted Summer Institute on Recent Advances in Tropical Vegetable Production 1991
• Conducted Model National Training on Tropical Vegetable Production in 2009
• Regularly conducting training programs on Commercial Vegetable Production, Homestead Vegetable Production, Vegetable Seed Production, Protected Vegetable Cultivation and Precision Farming for the officers and field level workers of development department, master farmers and unemployed youth
• Maintain Hi-tech Vegetable Production Unit, Model Nutritional Garden, Vegetable Specimen Plot and Vegetable Demonstration Plot for the benefit of visiting farmers, school/college student’s scientist and general public
• Participates in agriculture seminars, radio and TV programmes, Agroclinic and Agriculture Exhibitions
• Fallow land vegetable cultivation using SHG’s

Projects:

Completed Projects (external aided)

Sl. No.	Project	Principal Investigator	Funding Agency	Financial Outlay (lakh Rs)
1	Network project on Hybrid vegetable and Hitech Production Technology	Co P.I. Dr. P. Indira	State Planning Board	1.203
2	Network Centre for Planting Material Production	Dr. P. Indira	State Planning Board	0.076
4	High-tech Seed Testing Facility in Kerala	Dr. T. Pradeepkumar	State Planning Board	2.296
5	Advanced Centre for Tropical Vegetable Research	Dr. P. Indira	State Planning Board	3.371
7	Strengthening Production of Quality Planting Materials & Bio Inputs in KAU	Dr. P. Indira	State Planning Board	6.0
8	Development And Seed Multiplication of F1 Hybrids in Vegetable crops and Utilization of Genetic Potential management technique to enhance Vegetable Production.	Dr. T. Pradeepkumar	State Planning Board	6.0

Ongoing Projects (external aided)

Sl. No.	Project	Principal Investigator	Financial outlay	Funding Agency
1.	State Plan Project on Establishing Hi-tech Seed Testing Lab facility	Dr.T.Pradeepkumar	Rs. 1.03 crores	State Planning Board
2.	Popularization of seedless watermelon hybrids (Shonima and Swarna) developed by KAU	Dr.T.Pradeepkumar	Rs.5.0 lakhs	State Horticultural Mission
3.	Station wise Funding on Ongoing Research Projects	Dr.T.Pradeepkumar	Rs.5.0 lakh	State Planning Board
4.	AICRP (VC)	Dr. P. Anitha	79.70 lakhs	ICAR -IIVR
5.	Plan project AICRP (VC)	Dr. P. Anitha	2.00 lakhs	GoK

Revolving Funds:

Sl. No.	Project	Principal Investigator	Annual turnover
1	ICAR Mega Project on Vegetable Seed Production	Dr.T.Pradeepkumar	Rs.10.88 lakhs