Department of Agronomy conducted a one-day workshop under the title of “Off-season crop production under protected structures” on 28.03.2022, Monday from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. Farmers, agriculture instructors and students from university college, and school of agriculture participated in this workshop.
Limitations of agricultural land, decreasing crop production, climate change and declining biodiversity, and ever-increasing population which has led to quadrupling demand for food, protected agriculture has offered a new dimension to produce more in a limited area. Protected agriculture has a potential for expansion as is associated with large profits, quality products and produce availability at all times of the year. Therefore, the workshop was organized with the objectives of motivating the farmers to involve in off-season crop cultivation under protected structures and to provide basic technical skills and knowledge of protected cultivation structures (poly house and shade net house) and manipulation of environmental condition for different vegetable, orchard and floricultural crops.
Welcome address of the workshop was delivered by Dr. K. Pakeerathan, AHEAD coordinator, Faculty of Agriculture, following that special address was given by Dr. (Mrs). Loha Pradheeban, Head, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture. Dr. (Mrs). Loha Pradheeban, Senior Lecturer, Mr. K. Jeyavanan, Senior Lecturer and Dr. (Mrs). Sarujaa Selvaskanthan, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Agronomy and Mr. Sritharan, Farm manager, Faculty of Agriculture were served as the resource persons for this workshop. This workshop was organized under the AHEAD programme (AHEAD/RA2/ELTAELSE/JFN/FAG/OVAA 08/ WS6).
Introduction of protected cultivation structures, climate control system under protected structures, different off season crop cultivation under protected structures, irrigation and fertigation management, hydrophonics and soil-less cultivation strategies were explained to farmers with practical demonstration under the protected structures at crop farm of the Faculty of Agriculture. Explanations were given by the resource persons to the participants’ questions and doubts after the group works.
At the end of the workshop, participants achieved the following,
- Acquired knowledge and skills in erection of protected structures and production of planting materials and off-season crops under greenhouses/net houses/insect proof net houses
- Learned about the crop selection to maximize the production as well as the net profit, growing media, hydrophonic techniques and other special management practices
- Gained basic knowledge on manipulation of environmental conditions
