The Department of ‘Fruits and Orchard Management’ was established in 1996 at Mohanpur under the Faculty of Horticulture of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. It has completed 22 years of existence as a department, earlier; the Faculty of Horticulture existed as department since in 1962 under the Faculty of Agriculture of Kalyani University. Subsequently, it was functioning under the Faculty of Agriculture of First state Agriculture University –‘Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya’ in the 1974. Before 1996, Pomology was offered as a specialization subject at Post graduate M. Sc. (Ag.) level.
Since its creation, the ‘Department of Fruits and Orchard Management’ is actively associated with the teaching, research and extension activities. Pomology is being taught in UG level both under Faculty of Horticulture and Faculty of Agriculture. Department is also offering Post graduate courses (M. Sc. and Ph. D.) with semester system of education. The department is also functioning as an effective linkage among growers of fruit crops, research and extension workers of various Govt., Semi-Govt. and Non-Govt. Organizations. Beside these, the department is being played a major role in organizing Fruit show, Mango show, Litchi day etc. For creating zeal and awareness among farmers.
Recently, the department is going to change its name as ‘Fruit Science’ as per direction of ICAR.
Vision
- Conduct basic and strategic research to develop cost effective and viable technologies for production of tropical and subtropical fruit culture as a component of integrated farming strategy.
- Conservation of genetic diversity of tropical subtropical fruit crops for future utilization.
- Augment production, productivity, sustainability and competitiveness of tropical subtropical fruit culture.
- Management of genetic resources of mandate fruit crops and their characterization through conventional and most recent molecular approaches.
- Crop improvement through conventional breeding and genetic engineering.
- Enhancing productivity through improving quality and quantity of planting materials using modern propagation techniques and rootstocks, precision farming practices including mechanization and management of biotic and abiotic stresses.
- Reduction in post-harvest losses through integrated pre-and postharvest management practices, value addition and diversification of products.
Mission
- Extensive/intensive surveys for collection, identification and subsequent conservation of superior cultivars of mango, guava, litchi, banana and ber.
- Morphological and molecular characterization of indigenous and conserved germplasm of mango, guava, litchi, jackfruit, banana to best utilize them in breeding programme to develop trait specific improved cultivar .
- Identifying off-season and double or triple cropping mango varieties for extending the mango availability period.
- Development of genetic linkage maps for fruit colour, tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, etc., for reducing time required for breeding of desirable types in mango and litchi.
- Rejuvenation of mango orchards in relation to canopy architecture management, bearing behaviour, use of intercrops and mulching for improving productivity.
- Standardization of high density plantation in mango (cv. Amrapalli), litchi and guava on the basis of light infiltration, photosynthetic efficiency, stomatal behaviour and harnessing solar energy, etc., by modifying tree canopy architecture.
- Development of techniques for balanced and conjunctive use of different sources of nutrient supply including bio-fertilizers for evolving integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM) modules in local/regional perspectives for all the tropical and sub-tropical fruit crops.
- Management of irregular bearing in mango (cvs Dashehari, Chausa and Langra), lime and litchi (cvs. Bombai, Bedana) by application of paclobutrazol along with judicious inorganic/organic nutrient management, pruning and mulching.
- Optimization of irrigation water requirement with microirrigation including fertigation mainly for banana.
- Standardization of fruit bagging material specification (thickness, colour, timing of application) to obtain quality fruit with reducing chemical application for mango, litchi, banana and guava.
- Improving branch bending technique followed by local farmers in guava to regulate market oriented harvesting time.
- Recommendation of fruit specific pruning intensity and training system for ber for good canopy development to sustain huge crop load.
- Selection of pink pulp coloured varieties of guava combined with less and/or small soft seeds, better quality, good shelf life and suitable for West Bengal Condition.
- Development of guava varieties with high vitamin C, lycopene, carotenoids and antioxidant contents by selecting better pollen parent source among available cultivars and species.
- Chemical (growth regulator) or mechanical treatment standardization for changing sex expression male papaya towards female or gynodoiecious in nature.
- Collection, conservation and evaluation of superior germplasm of aonla, bael and pomegranate suitable for the region.
- Development of improved cultivation technique (fertilizer requirement, plant spacing, water requirement, organic cultivation approach, spray schedule to set maximum fruit set) in all tropical minor fruit crops.
- Cheap and easiest method development for mass multiplication of important fruit crops like mango, litchi, guava, jackfruit, and banana.
- Popularizing high valued exotic fruit passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp) by standardizing their planting set up, nutrient requirement and propagation methodology.
- Collection and evaluation of indigenous and exotic germplasm of underutilized fruits, viz. jamun, wax apple, pomegranate, karonda, khirnee, woodapple, tamarind, amra, custard apple, loquat, mulberry, carambola etc
Sl.no | Course No. | Title | Credit | Semester |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FSC -501 | Propagation and Nursery Management for Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 1st |
2 | FSC- 502 | Canopy Management in Fruit Crops | 1+1 | 1st |
3 | FSC- 503 | Biodiversity and Conservation of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 1st |
4 | FSC -504 | Growth and Development of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 1st |
5 | FSC- 505 | Nutrition of Fruit Crops | 1+1 | 1st |
6 | FSC -551 | Tropical Fruit Production | 1+1 | 2nd |
7 | FSC- 552 | Subtropical Fruit Production | 1+1 | 2nd |
8 | FSC -553 | Temperate Fruit Production | 1+1 | 2nd |
9 | FSC -554 | Breeding of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 2nd |
10 | FSC -601 | Arid and Dry Land Fruit Production | 1+1 | 3rd |
11 | FSC- 602 | Biotechnology of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 3rd |
12 | FSC-603 | Organic Fruit Culture | 1+1 | 3rd |
13 | *FSC -604 | Protected Fruit Culture | 2+1 | 3rd |
14 | FSC -649 | Seminar –I | 1+0 | 3rd |
15 | *FSC -651 | Gap for Fruit Crops | 1+0 | 4th |
16 | FSC -699 | Seminar – II | 1+0 | 4th |
17 | FSC-700 | Master’s Research | 0+20 |
Sl.no | Course No. | Title | Credit | Semester |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FSC- 701 | Advances in Breeding of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 1st |
2 | FSC -702 | Advances in Growth Regulation of Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 1st |
3 | FSC- 703 | Advances in Production of Fruit Crops –I | 1+1 | 1st |
4 | FSC -751 | Advances in Production of Fruit Crops- II | 1+1 | 2nd |
5 | *FSC -752 | Genomics and Bioinformatics in Fruit Crops | 1+1 | 2nd |
6 | *FSC- 753 | Biotic and Abiotic Stress Management in Fruit Crops | 2+1 | 2nd |
7 | FSC -799 | Seminar I | 1+0 | 2nd |
8 | FSC- 849 | Seminar II | 1+0 | 3rd |
9 | FSC- 999 | Seminar III | 1+0 | 6th |
10 | FSC- 1000 | Doctoral Research | 0+45 |
Year | No. of M. Sc. students admitted | No. of Ph. D the Students admitted |
---|---|---|
2012 | 09 | 06 |
2013 | 09 | 04 |
2014 | 11 | 06 |
2015 | 12 | 11 |
2016 | 14 | 03 |
2017 | 14 | 06 |
2018 | 15 | 08 |
2019 | 16 | 04 |
2020 | 11 | 06 |
- Two well equipped class rooms
- Three P. G. laboratories modern facilities
- Soil Moisture Measurement System (TDR)
- Neutron Probe Moisture Meter
- Portable Photosynthesis System
- Plant Canopy Analyzer (concerned laptop is out of order)
- UV Spectrophotometer
- Flame Photometer
- pH meter
- Leaf area meter