പൈനാപ്പിള്‍ ഗവേഷണ കേന്ദ്രം, വാഴക്കുളം

Profile

The Pineapple Research Station at Vazhakulam was established on 2nd January 1995 to give research and development support to pineapple farmers. Since then, this research institute of the Kerala Agricultural University has been steadily growing and serving as a subvention to the pineapple growers of the state and the country as well.

The research institute had a humble beginning on 2.1.1995 as “Pineapple Research Station & Pest and disease Surveillance Unit” under Kerala Horticulture Development Programme (KHDP). For the construction of the office-cum-laboratory building of the station. It was delinked from KHDP and became a constituent research centre of Kerala Agricultural University under central zone on 1.7.1997 and shifted to its own new building on 27.6.1998.

The research centre is located  at Google Map Geocoordinates: 9.9435,76.6384 close to the pineapple market at Vazhakulam, 10 km east  of Muvattupuzha on the Muvattupuzha - Thodupuzha road in Ernakulam District, Kerala, India. It is about 40 km from Cochin International Air port, Nedumbassery; 50 km from Aluva railway station and 80 km from the Cochin harbour.

Our mandate is to give research and development support to the pineapple growers, provide quality technology, products and services to the pineapple sector and undertake basic and applied research in pineapple and other fruit crops of Kerala.

Vision

Quality People, Infrastructure & work culture for Quality Technology, Products & Services.

Motto

Merit alone counts for Quality suitable for the purpose.

Mandate

Give research and development support to the pineapple and passion fruit growers
Provide quality technology, products and services to the fruit crops sector
Undertake basic and applied research in pineapple and other fruit crops of Kerala 

Thrust areas

• Collection, characterization, documentation, conservation and evaluation of germplasm of pineapple and passion fruit
• Refinement of propagation and management methods of pineapple and passion fruit
• Development of Organic and Good Agricultural practices for pineapple and passion fruit
• Management of pest and diseases of pineapple and passion fruit
• Domestication, evaluation and management of exotic varieties of the mandate fruits
• Identification of subtropical fruit varieties for plains, development of agro techniques for subtropical and temperate fruits
• Identification of fruit crops and varieties suitable for homestead cultivation
• High tech fruit culture (high density planting, fertigation, protected cultivation, canopy regulation, precision farming etc.)
• Technological interventions in fruit crops for sustainable livelihood, employment along with food, health and environment security
• Development of pre and post harvest technologies for enhancing shelf life of major fruit crops
• Product diversification, by-product utilisation and waste management of fruit crops
• Mechanisation in fruit cultivation, harvesting, post harvest handling and processing
• Influence of climatic variations in the performance of fruit crops

Aims

• Promote pineapple and passion fruit cultivation
• Develop  viable fruit production technology and transfer to the stake holders
• Boost organic farming and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for safe production and health security
• Develop pineapple and passion fruit varieties resistant to virus diseases
• Facilitate processing, product diversification, utilization, export and waste management
• Real time access and use of technology for problem solutions
• 100% transparency and accountability in project management and transactions
• Acquire Quality People,  Infrastructure and Work culture for Quality Technology, Products and Services

Facilities

The research station has modern laboratories in plant biotechnology, phytochemistry, microbiology, Food Technology and Information Technology equipped with adequate items of equipment and network of computers with active internet and WiFi connectivity. The centre has adequate experimantal farm, library, conference room, nursery and sales centre.

Research

The research institute undertakes basic and applied research and development activities in pineapple, passion fruit, banana and other fruit crops of Kerala. The research and development projects are mainly in Participatory technology development (PTD) mode and funded by various agencies as KAU, State and central governments, ICAR, SHM, NHM, etc.

Participatory technology development

The centre has developed scientific technology for the commercial cultivation of Kew and Mauritius varieties of pineapple, including pure cropping, intercropping in rubber and coconut plantations and in reclaimed paddy lands. Technology is developed for organic production. Tissue culture protocols for various varieties of pineapple are available. GI indication of Vazhakulam Pineapple is registered.  Participatory technology process and product development in association with sister institutions, Nadukkara Agro Processing Co.Ltd. and Pineapple Farmers' Association for the stake holders is a steady and continuing process at the centre.

Seed & Nursery

The station undertakes large scale production of Tissue Culture Plants of different varieties of Pineapple, Passion fruit and Banana and Seedlings and Rooted cuttings of Passion fruit. They are available for sale at the centre. Booking for the planting materials can be made with advance payment as Demand Draft in favour of Associate Professor & Head, PRS, Vazhakulam payable at State Bank of Travancore, Vengalloor (Code No: 71085) (Bldg No.180/D, Ward 27, Kovilakom Arcade, Vengalloor PO, Thodupuzha - 685608, Kerala, Ph: 0485-2835362). Priority is always given to firm orders with advance payment and delivery will be on first-come-first-serve basis.

Extension

Technology transfer is effectively carried out through personal discussions, field visits, phones, egovernance, emails, website, Pineapple & Passion fruit WhatsApp Groups, posts, radio, TVs, news papers, periodicals, publications, pineapple fests, seminars. trainings, etc. Publications such as leaflets, palmlets, books, CDs, DVDs, etc covering various aspects of cultivation and utilization of the mandatory crops of the station are also being undertaken. Pineapple and Passion fruit whatsApp groups help the members to interact with specialists, solve queries and share their experiences. In order to become its member you only need to give your whatsApp number.

Products

• Tissue Culture Plants of pineapple, passion fruit and banana
• Seedlings of passion fruit
• Rooted cuttings of passion fruit
• Publications

Services

• Agriclinic & advisory
• Training
• Consultancy
• Quality testing
• Project work of P.G. students of other Universities
• Large scale Tissue Culture production

With the objective of developing and promoting local self help groups (SHGs), short term trainings on Tissue culture, pineapple cultivation, preservation, processing, value addition, etc are offered to unemployed youths. Fee based training programs on payment basis subject to the terms and conditions (in Word / PDF) issued by Kerala Agricultural University from time to time are available for UG and PG candidates in Biotechnology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Food Technology, Information Technology, etc. for gaining hands-on experience and building up a good career. They can work in the well equipped laboratories of the station along with the R & D Team of the centre for gaining first hand experience. They can acquaint with the operation of various equipment like Gel documentation, ELISA Reader & washer, PCR, Colourimeter, UV-Transilluminator, Flame photometer, Centrifuge, Microscopes, Electrophoresis, Shakers, ovens, Precision Weighing balances, Deep freezer, BOD, Laminar Air Flow, still, etc. They will get excellent opportunities to become well-versed with scientific research methodologies and protocols in their field. They will be provided ample opportunities at the station to develop their expertise, skills and efficiency and build high performing teams for executing ambitious tasks. Success is our way of life.

E-Governance

UFAST (University Functional Accountability SysTem) is established for the smooth accountability of all the projects. This helps Kerala Agricultural University to oversee the project implementation at the station simultaneously. The university can also supervise the station’s research project activities through ORMIS (Online Research Management Information System).

Website 

The centre has its own website at http://prsvkm.kau.in  for making the research and development projects, programmes, reports and publications accessible by the public. The website of the station is regularly updated with more relevant and useful information for the public, facilitating free download of the publications of the centre.

WhatsApp groups

The station has created Pineapple and Passion fruit whatsApp groups which can help the members to interact with specialists, solve queries and share their experiences. In order to become its member you only need to give your whatsApp number.

Looking ahead

Pineapple cultivation is very extensive in Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta districts, etc and fast spreading to all other districts of Kerala, and even going beyond the state and country boundaries. Because of the imbalance of production and demand, market glut occurs at times, leading to sharp fall in market prices and consequent heavy losses to the pineapple farmers. Hence, the urgent need of the hour is focusing more on pineapple processing, value addition, product diversification, industrial manufacturing of novel commercial pineapple products and strong efforts for export promotion, exploring the export potential of 'Vazhakulam Pineapple' Geographic Indication. we have to follow a professional participatory management system to plan and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, prioritize, execute, monitor, review, refine, achieve tasks and evaluate performance continuously for the overall development of the pineapple sector. Best resource persons are to be identified and their expertise utilized for training all the stakeholders for further comprehensive development of the Pineapple Sector in Kerala.

Earnest efforts are also being taken to acquire free government land nearby as a permanent farm for raising various fruit plants, conserving germplasm and conducting field research, besides establishing adequate infrastructure for further development and diversification, renaming the station as Tropical Fruit Crops Research Station (TFCRS). It is also proposed to establish a fruit processing laboratory with FPO registration at the centre for the efficient conversion of leftover fruits to value added products like squash, jam, syrup, etc.

Besides pineapple, since Vazhakulam and neighbouring areas are well-known for other fruit crops like banana, mango, jack, papaya, passion fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, etc, and there is no research station in the district catering to the needs of these farmers, Pineapple Research Station, Vazhakulam visualizes to be Tropical Fruit Crops Research Station (TFCRS) in the near future. This advanced research centre of excellence dreams to be the ultimate authority and provider of excellent quality technology, products and services in tropical fruit crops through concerted research and development efforts sustained by best human resource and infrastructure development in line with Our Motto ‘Quality People & Infrastructure for Quality Technology, Products & Services and Merit alone counts for Quality suitable for the purpose’.

You are welcome

You are welcome to this research centre of Kerala Agricultural University any time preferably with intimation. But please visit our website http://prsvkm.kau.in to know more about Pineapple Research Station and call us before you come. Whenever, you pass-by Vazhakulam/Muvattupuzha please drop in to our station for a friendly discussion. Your constructive comments, suggestions and criticisms are gratefully appreciated and acknowledged as they help us advance in the right direction. Let's together strive for a better morrow.

Guidelines and action plan for comprehensive development of pineapple sector