Inauguration of Vegetable Grafting Facility at Hisar University
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Chandigarh, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Chief Secretary of Haryana, Vivek Joshi, officiated the opening of a Vegetable grafting facility at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar on Sunday.
Developed with an investment of Rs 175 lakh, this facility is designed to boost vegetable crop productivity and enhance the financial returns for farmers. During the opening ceremony, Joshi underscored the unit's advantages, stating it will equip farmers with disease-free and high-quality vegetable seedlings.
He also mentioned that the establishment of this facility will not only elevate farmers' incomes but also provide consumers with chemical-free vegetables. Joshi raised concerns regarding the excessive application of pesticides and chemicals in vegetable farming, which escalates costs and diminishes quality.
The application of grafting technology stands to mitigate these issues, fostering healthier crops while decreasing dependence on chemical inputs.
Prof. B.R. Kamboj, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, characterized grafting as a distinctive horticultural method that addresses nematodes and soil-borne diseases, while also improving plant resilience against various environmental factors.
This technique is applicable to crops such as eggplant, tomato, chili, bell pepper, cucumber, and melons. For example, grafting tomatoes onto wild eggplant or bell peppers onto wild chili in polyhouses can effectively combat nematode-related ailments. Furthermore, grafting cucumbers onto fig leaf gourd can shield plants from harsh cold and abiotic stress.
Prof. Kamboj pointed out that the grafting facility has the potential to produce millions of plants simultaneously, benefiting farmers not only in Haryana but also in other northern states. The benefits of this technique encompass enhanced disease resistance, improved yields, tolerance to extreme temperatures, salinity, and flooding, along with superior nutritional quality of the produce.
This facility will also provide training sessions for farmers and unemployed youth, motivating them to consider grafting as a promising business opportunity.
Previously, the university secured a chemical process patent aimed at eliminating gossypol from cottonseed products. The consumption of oils with high levels of free gossypol can lead to severe clinical symptoms of gossypol poisoning, including respiratory distress, weight loss, anorexia, and weakness.
