Agricultural Research Station, Pattukkottai

1. Year of Start: 1935

2.  Genesis: Agricultural Research Station, Pattukkottai was started during the year 1935 to study the requirement of water for different crops of the new Cauvery delta area of Thanjavur district. Later on, during 1972 this station was converted into Multi Crop Experiment Station to cater the research needs on different crops grown in this locality. Then the station was brought under Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 1981 and converted into a Seed Centre to produce breeder seeds in paddy, pulses and groundnut. The research activities on cropping systems were also taken up. The station was upgraded as Agricultural Research Station during 1986. In addition to breeder seed production of rice, pulses and groundnut, the research on various crops are in progress.  As per the Registrar’s Proceedings No.A6/3850/2012 dated 10.12.2012, the All India Coordinated Research Project on oil palm functioned at TRRI, Aduthurai is ordered to shift to ARS, Pattukkottai with effect from 10.12.2012..

3. About the Station
Location: 1.5 km from Pattukkottai Town on the Pattukkottai –  Muthupet Road.
Latitude: 10º25’ E
Longitude: 79o 20’ E
M.S.L: 20.0 m
Area: 11.40 ha
(Wet Land: 8.6 ha.; Dry land/Drying Floors/Wells/Roads and buildings: 2.8 ha)
Soil: Sandy Loam
Irrigation Source: Cauvery Mettur Project – Main Source.  This area is under the command of Grand Anaicut Canal

Weather 
Maximum Temperature: 37.3 º  C
Minimum Temperature: 25.4 º   C
Relative humidity: 76.0 %
Rainfall: 1106 mm / annum

4. Mandate

• To evaluate hybrids under ICAR- AICRP – Palms scheme and to standardize technologies in oil palm suitable for Tamil Nadu
• To develop production technologies for the major crops of Cauvery New  Delta area
• To produce breeder seed on promising varieties of  rice, groundnut, black gram and green gram
• To develop high yielding blackgram variety suitable for summer irrigated condition of Cauvery New Delta area.
• To produce quality coconut seedlings under GOI- sponsored Coconut Development board scheme and Venture capital scheme
• To produce Pseudomonas fluoresens and Trichoderma viride  under Venture Capital Scheme
• To  serve as testing and verification centre for the varieties and technologies developed at other research stations and its adaptability to this region
• To impart training for Agricultural Extension staff and farmers on improved crop production technologies.

5. List of ongoing schemes

• Main – Non Plan Scheme :  Non. Plan – A 26 AY Agricultural Non Plan ARS & Centre, Pattukkottai
• Plan Scheme : B 27 CA Strengthening of Seed Production Programme
• ICAR Scheme : D 32 BL - ICAR – Partly – All India Co-ordinate Research Project on Palms
• NADP -RKVY : Production and supply of foundation seeds of pulses by TNAU” at seed centre
• ICAR – Revolving Fund Scheme : ICAR – Revolving Fund Scheme on Production of Breeder Seeds in cereals and pulse
• Coconut Development Board–Revolving Fund Scheme : GOI – R 28 AB – Coconut Development Board Scheme – Revolving Fund on “Production and distribution of quality coconut seedlings”
• Venture Capital Scheme :  V-TNAU – Venture Capital Scheme on “Production and distribution of coconut seedlings,  fruit and ornamental plants, TFL seeds of Paddy and vegetables”
• Venture Capital Scheme : V60 FWZ – Mass production of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride
• NADP -28 AT  : NADP -28 State Government Sponsored – 28 – schemes –AT Production and supply of  foundation seeds of pulses by TNAU” at seeds centre
• E-GOI – SERB Scheme : E 28 TM -Biodiversity of Odonata (insect) and the impact of agrochemicals on them in the rice  ecosystem of Cauvery Delta Zone in Tamil Nadu

6. Activities

a. List of on-going Research sub Projects

b. Salient achievements and progress -
i. Crop improvement

• The oilpalm trials viz., GEN 8 and GEN 8C laid out under farmer’s holdings are being monitored and yield parameters of bunch of individual genotypes are being recorded at fortnightly interval.
• Oilpalm seedlings of GEN 8 D trial received from TRRI, Aduthurai has been planted and established well.
• Superior performing blackgram culture PBG-10-010 is tested under state ART during 2013-14.
• Promising blackgram culture PBG-10-021 is being tested under MLT during 2013-14.
• Multi location trials were conducted in rice, maize, sesame and pulses and results have been submitted to the concerned lead centres for compilation.

ii. Crop management

System Pulses Intensification (SPI): Adopting ‘SPI’ techniques in irrigated greengram, the yield level  (1010 kg/ha.) excelled over other package of practices (960 kg/ha. in CPG and 790 kg/ha. in farmer practices) and given higher monetary returns (1:2.21).

Multiblooming technology for irrigated greengram: Application of 25:50:25:20kg NPKS/ha. + 25 kg N/ha. in 3 equal splits on 30, 45 & 60 DAS + 2% DAP spray on 45 & 60 DAS is recommended for higher yield (1834 kg/ha.) and income.

Nutrient Management for irrigated gingelly: For irrigated gingelly, application of present recommended level of 35:23 kg N&K/ha. (50% Basal dose + 50% at 30 DAS) + Enriched Farm Yard Manure (FYM) with 75% recommended P2O5 (17.25 P Kg/ha. all basal dose) as single super phosphate along with Azhophos  2 kg/ha.  involving TMV 3 gingelly variety recorded the highest seed yield.

Nutrient Management for groundnut: RDF of 17:34:54 kg NPK/ha. may be applied. All ‘P’ as basal dose; N and K 33.3% basal dose + 33.3% I top dressing  + 33.3% II top dressing at flowering and pod initiation stages recorded higher pod  yield in irrigated groundnut.

Package of practices for mustard: This is the new package developed for the New Cauvery Delta area. Application of 20:20:20 kg NPK/ha (Basal) + 20 kg N/ha at  30 DAS (Top dressing) recorded the yield of 578 kg/ha in mustard cv. Seetha under irrigated condition. 

iii. Crop protection: The field experiment laid out with groundnut variety TMV 7 showed that the collar rot incidence was the least (20.5 per cent) in bioformulation mixture of Pf 1+Tv 1+ Neem cake + FYM as against 60.0 per cent in untreated control. The maximum pod yield was recorded in Pf 1+Tv 1+ Neem cake + FYM (1321 kg/ha) when compared to the control (933 kg/ha).

iv. Seed production: Breeder seed production is being undertaken in rice, pulses and groundnut and the target was achieved without any short fall.

c. Austerity measures taken on the usage of stationary, fuel, telephone, electricity and labour

• The Communication to the Directorates and other Research Stations was mostly done through e-mail and the stationeries are used to the minimum.
• The vehicle is used only for the important visits.  The fuel consumption is within the allotted quota.
• The Telephone is used very restrictedly. 
• Only in the needy electric points, lights and fans are used. The points are switched off whenever the persons go out.
• Casual labourers are engaged only for specific operations. 

d. Income generation for the past five years

7. FACULTY

8. CONTACT ADDRESS

Dr.S.SARASWATHY
PROFESSOR AND HEAD
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION
PATTUKKOTTAI 614 602
THANJAVUR DISTRICT
TAMILNADU
PHONE: + 91 4373 235832
FAX: + 91 4373 236491
MOBILE : 94439 28772
EMAIL: arspattu@tnau.ac.in

9. HOW TO REACH                    

By Bus: 1.5 km from Pattukkottai bus stand on the Pattukkottai – Muthupet Road.
By Train : 60  km from Thanjavur railway station
By Air: 100 km from Trichy Air Port

10. Gallery

OIL PALM HYBRIDS AT ARS, PATTUKKOTTAI	OIL PALM HYBRID NRCOP 14 IN FARMER’S FIELD AT PERAIYUR
BREEDER SEED PRODUCTION IN RICE	SRI DEMO AT KALLALANKUDI
DROUGHT MITIGATION SPRAY IN SAMBA PADDY CROP USING PPFM SOLUTION THROUGH BOOM SPRAYERS	AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON LEAF COLOUR CHART IN PADDY           AT THIRUTHURAIPOONDI
GROUND NUT + SESAME INTERCROPPING	DEMO ON COCOA AS INTERCROP IN COCONUT