December 2019 Volume 2 no.12

Monthly Newsletter I.H.T

Newsletter

ContentsHOMESTEAD MUSHROOM FARMING

FARMERS TRAININGS

FARMERS OUTSIDE STATE TECHNICAL EXPOSURE VISITS

ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS

IHT CONDUCTS TRAINING IN HOMESTEAD MUSHROOM FARMING

Institute of horticulture technology conducted short duration training on homestead mushroom production. The

candidates from different regions of India participated in the trainings where the trainees were provided hands on

trainings in button mushroom production. The major components covered during this training period were preparation

of mushroom seed (spawn), preparation of substrate (compost), pre-harvest and post-harvest handling and packaging

etc.

Homestead mushroom farming system improves the resources of poor farmers and also meets several socio-

economic and nutritional aspects which contribute to their better living and sustainability. Low input cost, stable yield

and application of simple technology is important features to grow homestead mushroom. The farmers can better utilize

the free time after sowing of rabi crops during October November to get extra income by adopting homestead

mushroom farming system.

If a farmer or prospective entrepreneurs have a small room 10×15 feet within farm or house, he can produce about 3

quintals of mushroom within 3 to 4 month which can fetch him about Rs. 36-40 thousand @Rs.120-150/kg. The

homestead mushroom farming can ignite the entrepreneurship for the prospective entrepreneurs.

Homestead farming system is a well-established land and time use system where different crops are grown in an

integrated manner to provide maximum returns. Growing of mushroom is best suited for homestead farming system

because it is easy to grow, do not require large area, have low inputs and high profit ratio within a short duration cropping

time of about 3 months. Homestead mushroom farming suited to the given agro-climatic conditions and supplements

the income of the farmers but also help in full fill the nutritional requirement as well as increasing the family labour

employment.

Newsletter

Farmers- Outside State Technical Exposure VisitsInstitute of Horticulture Technology organized an outside state exposure visit programs for the farmers from different

districts of Haryana to Nashik, Maharashtra. The exposure visit was organized to provide an opportunity to the farmers

to interact with eminent horticulture scientists and progressive farmers to see various new technologies, practices

carried in cultivation of vegetables and other horticultural crops. The farmers along with IHT expert visited to NHRDF

Nashik with the purpose of getting more knowledge about onion and garlic cultivation. Sahyadri farms for technology

demonstration for cultivation of grape and rose under polyhouse, cultivation of marigold and other crops in the open

fields. Farmers were also visited to historical places of Nashik, Maharashtra like Panchavati, Tapovan, Shirdi Sai

Darbar, Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga and Godavari Udgam Sthal.

Farmers TrainingsFramers from different districts of Gujarat and Chhattisgarh took part in

training cum exposure visits on “Modern Horticulture Technology”. They

were provided hands on trainings in the modern horticulture technologies

like protected cultivation, soil water conservation, weed management, micro

irrigation, IPM and other associated technologies. The other major

components of the training were soil health management, nursery

production technologies, pH, EC correction, mulching – organic and

inorganic, nutrient management, integrated pest management, post-

harvest handling, storage in zero energy chamber. The trainees found the

program very useful being practical oriented which helped in understanding the technologies involved in the protected

cultivation and developing their skills. Instead of this farmers were also taken part in exposure visit to NCOF in

Ghaziabad, Technology Park of IHT and Delhi Darshan.

Field Demonstration of Production Technology in Grapes Cultivation and Light Trap for Insect Control

December 2019 Volume 2 no.12

Newsletter

Entrepreneurial Capacity Building Trainings Commercial Hydroponics: Institute successfully organized trainings programs for prospective entrepreneurs on

“Commercial Hydroponics” during the month. The trainees were explained the importance of the water quality and its

analysis for open & closed loop systems. The trainees went through training sessions with regard to crop varieties,

seeds identification, nursery production, plant nutrition management, training-pruning, physiological disorders of

hydroponics crops and greenhouse pest management. The trainees interacted with the greenhouse experts for

knowing about various components of the greenhouses and climate control in greenhouse.

Landscape Horticulture: One-month training program for entrepreneurs/students on “Landscaping” were also

conducted in December. The major training sessions were planting material, nursery production, plant propagation,

types of gardens, selection of plants like edge/shrubs/hedges/creeper/annuals/trees, planning and designing of

greenhouse technology related to landscape horticulture, soil health management, bed preparation, moisture

conservation, soil solarization, bonsai making, irrigation and fertigation, disease, pest and nutrient management,

training and pruning in garden plants, establishment and maintenance of lawn and turf, culture of floral display,

maintenance of garden and container gardening. The trainees found the program very useful being practical oriented

with hand on experience.

Plug Nursery Training Programme: Entrepreneurs form Gujarat attended a training programme exclusively on Plug

Nursery Production.Major focus of this training was on Seed Sources, Viability, Germination, Recommended Varieties

Substrate Media Preparation, Containers, Seeding Protected Structures, Hardening Structure, Micro Irrigation

Systems, Management of Nursery in Plugs Fertigation, Early Care, Disease and Pest Management, Transplanting

Stages, Pesticide Treatments, Hardening Methods and Packing etc. The participants found the trainings very

informative and felt that more trainings and visits like this should be organized by institute.

Mushroom Cultivation: Participants from different states of India participated in 3 days’ mushroom cultivation training

programme. The training was conducted in every week of the month. The major components of the course were

interactive lectures on structure for mushroom cultivation, cultivation practices for button mushroom and hands on

training on preparation of compost for mushroom cultivation, spawn production, methods of seed/spawn sowing in grow

bags, casing and methods of casing preparation, methods of irrigation for mushroom cultivation and application of

fungicide /insecticide.

December 2019 Volume 2 no.12

Newsletter

Main Campus: 42A, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida - 201310, Uttar PradeshNorth East Campus: Mandira, Kamrup - 781127, Assam

Mobile: 8860621160, website: www.iht.edu.in, Email: enquiry@iht.edu.in, training@iht.edu.in

December 2019 Volume 2 no.12

Upcoming Trainings in January 2020

Date Course Code Type of Course Topic Duration

IHT-110

IHT-106

IHT-508

IHT-109

IHT-302

IHT-504

IHT-504

IHT-508

Supervisor Level-2

Startup Course

Special Course

Supervisor Level-1

Standard Course

Special Course

Special Course

Special Course

Production Technology of Greenhouse Vegetable Crops

Year Round Vegetable Production

Mushroom Production Technology

Production Technology of Greenhouse Vegetable Crops

Production Technology of Cut Flowers in Greenhouse

Commercial Hydroponics

Commercial Hydroponics

Mushroom Production Technology

3 Months

5 Days

3 Days

1 Months

5 Days

3 Days

3 Days

3 Days

th7 Jan

th14 Jan

st21 Jan

th24 Dec

Customized courses also offered on demand

LATEST NEWSHorticulture output marginally up at 314.87 MT in 2018-19. As per the final estimates released by agriculture ministry

for 2017-18, horticulture production stood at record 311.7 MT is 3.7 percent higher than the previous year and 10

percent higher than the past five years' average production. The production of fruits is estimated to be around 97.38

million tonnes in 2018-19 compared to 97.36 million tonnes in the previous year. Vegetables production is estimated to

rise 1.6 percent at around 187.36 million tonnes.