Department of Vegetable Science Neri,Hamirpur (HP)

Dr BS Dogra
Professor & Head

Department of Vegetable Science came into existence in the year 2017 under the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur, which is the constituent college of UHF, Solan, HP.

The college falls under Sub Tropical Mountain and Low Hills of Himachal Pradesh. Vegetable Crops being one of the major components of horticulture produce, the importance of this department is well understood. Commercial vegetables crops of this zone are tomato, brinjal, okra, chilli, cucumber, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, garlic, onion, turmeric, colocasia etc. The research funding is mainly through various external funding agencies and self sponsored scheme of the college.

Department is engaged in imparting education to B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture, M.Sc. (Horticulture) Vegetable Science and Ph.D. (Horticulture) Vegetable Science. Department is also running ELP module on Protective Cultivation of High Value Horticulture Crops (Vegetables) at UG level. Collection, evaluation and maintenance of indigenous germplasm of chilli, cherry tomato, okra, coriander, colocasia, turmeric and garlic available in low hill region of the state is being undertaken for use in further breeding programmes. Further the department imparts technical knowledge to the farmers about various aspects of vegetable production by organizing different training programmes, awareness camps, demonstrations, diagnostic field visits, exposure visits, farmer-scientists interactions, field days, consultancy services through Live Phone In programmes, radio talks, telephonic mode etc.

Mandate

To impart skill based education in the field of Vegetable Science to develop entrepreneurship and employability.
Development of suitable climate resilient varieties/hybrids of vegetable crops and standardization of their remunerative production technologies.
Supply of quality planting material of the vegetable crops and technical know-how to the farmers.

Strengths

Collection, characterization and maintenance of germplasm of different vegetable crops.
Commercial nursery production of onion and cucurbits.
Modern laboratory facilities for estimation of various bio-chemicals.
Well established Experimental Farm with polyhouse, net house and power tiller for laying out experimental trials of students/faculty.
Research at PG level (M.Sc. and Ph.D.)

Academics

The Department offers two degree programmes

M.Sc

Ph.D

Ms. Riya Rani (NH-2020-32-M) student of the department has qualified ICAR- Senior Research Fellowship Examination during the year 2023.
Ms. Riya Rani (NH-2020-32-M) student of the department has secured first position (Gold Medal) for the session in 2022-23 in M.Sc. disciplines at College of Horticulture and disciplines with common nomenclature at constituent colleges.
Ms. Deeksha Rana (NH-2019-42-M) student of the department has secured first position (Gold Medal) for the session in 2021-22 in M.Sc. disciplines at College of Horticulture and disciplines with common nomenclature at constituent colleges.
Many alumni of the department are pursuing their higher studies (Ph.D.) at prestigious institutions and serving at various capacities in seed companies of repute like Pioneer and Syngenta.

Click here for course details

Students working in lab

Capsicum Production in Polyhouse

Research

Thrust Areas

To collect and characterize the germplasm of different vegetable crops and utilize it for breeding purpose.
To develop new production technologies to improve the productivity and to uplift farmers economic status.
To develop/introduce new improvised varieties/hybrids suitable for low hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh.
To standardize the production technology for vegetable crops under protected conditions.
To standardize/improve technologies for organic/ natural farming for vegetable production.

Research Achievements

Indigenous germplasm of important vegetable crops of low hill zone has been collected, evaluated and maintained.
Healthy nursery of cucurbits, onion and cole crops is being produced and distributed among farmers of the district.
Quality seed production of important vegetables has been undertaken.
Production technology of kharif onion has been popularized.

Extension Activities

To disseminate improvised cost effective production technologies and superior OP varieties/hybrids of vegetable crops to the farmer for its better adoption in the field.

1,00,000 seedlings of cucurbits and 1,500 kg of onion seedlings have been distributed to the farmers.

30 exposure visits of the school students to the department have been conducted.

Six one day training camps were organized in different blocks of Hamirpur district.

20 Radio talks and 01 TV talk has been delivered.

Consultancy to the farmers.

Exposure visit of School Students

Awards/Recognitions

Dr Santosh Kumari received the best paper award for her publication “Effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria on growth and yield of okra” at International Conference on ‘Innovative and Current Advances in Agriculture and Allied Sciences” organized by Society for Scientific Development in Agriculture & Technology Meerut, UP at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla w.e.f. 12th -14th June 2022.
Dr Deepa Sharma received the best paper award for her publication “Kharif onion production in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh- a success story” in National Seminar on Doubling Farmers Income by 2022: Challenges, Opportunities and Way Forward held at Career Point University, Bhoranj, Hamirpur w.e.f. 15-17 February, 2020.
Dr BS Dogra received “Certificate of appreciation” for collection and exploitation of local germplasm of vegetables from Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni Solan in year 2019.

Facilities

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer - 01
Kjeldahl Distillation unit - 01
Water Distillation unit - 01
Analytical Balance - 02
Centrifuge - 01
Hot air oven - 01
Hot water bath - 01
Microscopes - 05
pH meter - 01
Refrigerator - 01
Shaker - 01
Refractometer - 02
Power tiller - 01