The 30th Annual Group Meeting of All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Palms was organized by Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod through virtual mode on November 22, 2021. Dr.B.K.Pandey, Assistant Director General (Horticultural Sciences II), ICAR, New Delhi was the Chief Guest of the event. Dr.R.K.Mathur, Director, ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi and Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR- CIARI, Port Blair participated in the Inaugural Session. Dr. Anitha Karun, Director and Project Co-ordinator (Acting), CPCRI, Kasaragod welcomed the dignitaries and delegates in which she applauded the unstinted support rendered by the Deputy Director General (Horticultural Sciences) and the Assistant Director General (Hort. Sci. II) for the progress of the AICRP (Palms) scheme by providing first hand information on diverse arena. She presented the report of the AICRP (Palms) for the year 2020-2021. The action taken report of the recommendations of the AGM held on 10th – 11th August 2020 was presented by Dr Ravi Bhat, Acting Head (Crop Production) and Scientist In Charge, PC Cell. The Assistant Director General (Horticultural Sciences) in his inaugural address suggested bringing out a publication on "Fifty Years of AICRP (Palms)" on the eve of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the AICRP (Palms). He envisaged the need for the collection, conservation and evaluation of trait specific germplasms devoid of duplicates, enhancing input use efficiency with special reference to micronutrients, identification of alternatives for red labelled chemicals towards hassle free plant protection and demonstration of cutting edge research technologies to the farm front through KVKs of the states and digitization of data for easy reference by the scientists. He appreciated AICRP (Palms) centres for the exemplary work and wished the Palm Scientists to reach the pinnacle of success on technological platform. Development of T x T coconut hybrids, coconut based multispecies cropping system, location specific Integrated Farming System models, management of stem bleeding disease in coconut through Trichoderma harzianum and T.reesei, technology capsule for the management of Rugose Spiraling Whitefly in coconut, integration of coriander in arecanut system, bioagents for the control of crown choke disease in arecanut and identification of best performing cocoa clones viz., VTCH -2, 16, 20, 17 and 4 for intercropping in coconut gardens are the noteworthy contributions made during 2020. Effective Transfer of Technology from lab to land through diverse tools and modes and need based diagnostic field visits despite COVID curfew remain the major strength of this programme. Dr.R.K.Mathur, Director, ICAR-IIOPR, Pedavegi invited researchers to explore alternative pesticides, to develop cropping systems approach and to enhance resource use efficiency in cropping systems. Dr E. B. Chakurkar, Director, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair appreciated the work of Palm Scientists and requested them to come out with location specific farming system models which can double the income of small and marginal farmers. About 72 participants from different AICRP centres and ICAR-CPCRI were connected through virtual mode. The inaugural session was followed by technical sessions on genetic resources and crop improvement, crop production, crop protection and post harvest technology. Plenary session of the XXX Annual Group Meeting of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Palms was held in the afternoon of 24.11.2021 under the chairman ship of Dr. A.K. Singh, DDG (Hort. Sci.). He made special mention on the need to develop technology for intercropping in oil palm garden to enhance the income of farmers and keeping in view of the increasing demand for cocoa, he stressed upon intensifying the work on growing cocoa as intercrop under palms in different regions.

(Source : ICAR – AICRP on Palms, ICAR- CPCRI- Kasaragod)