Ph. D. (Agronomy), ARS

Plantation Crops Management, Farming/Cropping System Research, Water management, Integrated nutrient management, Organic Nutrient Management, Fertigation and Weed Science

Significant Achievements

 Developed Sustainable cropping systems for coconut, arecanut and oil palm based plantations

·         Established successful coconut based cropping system models with horticultural crops such as medicinal and aromatic plants, vegetables, fruit crops, and spices as inter/mixed crops in coconut garden..

·         Coconut based high density multispecies cropping system (HDMSCS) with black pepper, clove, banana, pineapple, vegetables, turmeric and ginger has been developed.

·         Established arecanut based cropping system models with vegetables and flower crops for North- Eastern region.

 Developed Coconut based integrated mixed farming systems for sustainable profitability

·         Evaluated Intercropping of fodder crops in coconut and integration with black pepper trailed on coconut, animal (dairy, rabbitry), poultry, fishery, mulberry cultivation and sericulture, Azolla as a supplementary feed for dairy animals for a decade and its sustainability and socio-economic viability was established indicating its advantage compared with coconut monocrop.

Drip irrigation and water conservation regimen for coconut and arecanut

·         Drip irrigation requirement along with mulching (with coconut leaves) has been standardized for coconut growing in littoral sandy soil,

·         In laterite soil also water requirement through drip irrigation for WCT and DXT coconut cultivars has been standardized.

Integrated approach for managing root (wilt) affected coconut garden

·         Standardized agronomic management practices for increasing the productivity and profitability of root (wilt) affected coconut gardens through adoption of INM, recycling of available plantation biomass, efficient water management, In situ green manuring in the basins and inter/mixed cropping system with banana, pineapple, nutmeg, black pepper and tuber crops.

 Developed INM and organic nutrient management technologies for palms and palm based cropping systems

·         Technology developed for successful utilization of composted coir pith in combination with inorganic fertilizer for coconut and arecanut (composted coir pith 50% + NPK 50%). Vermicompost from coconut leaves as organic supplements for coconut production (50% Vermicompost + 50% NPK) resulted in higher nut yield, and improvement in soil properties.

·         Successfully established the use of coir pith as bedding material in deep litter system without affecting poultry birds and use of such enriched coir pith with poultry droppings as organic manure in coconut plantations.

·         Standardised technology for In situ green manuring of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and its contribution towards soil nutrition in coconut root (wilt) affected gardens and coconut based HDMSCS.

·         Glyricidia as green manure crop in coconut garden has been established.

·         Impact of INM and organic nutrient management practices in coconut based high density multispecies cropping system (HDMSCS) with black pepper, clove, banana, pineapple, vegetables, turmeric, ginger and other annuals resulted in higher productivity of coconut through INM and organic nutrient management.

·         Integrated nutrient management package (2/3rd of recommended NPK and recycling biomass in the form of vermicompost) for arecanut based high density multispecies cropping system with lemon, black pepper, banana for North Eastern region has been developed.

·         Organic nutrient management package was developed for cultivation of Vanilla as intercrops in coconut garden.

Developed Location specific varieties/hybrids and crop management technologies for coconut, oil palm, arecanut and palmyrah

 Coconut:

·         Four high yielding hybrids (Kalpa Sreshta hybrid recommended for Karnataka and Kerala, Vasista Ganga recommended for Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Kalpa Ganga hybrid recommended for Karnataka, VHC 4 recommended for TN) were developed and recommended for cultivation.

·         Improved variety, Kalpa Shatabdi recommended for cultivation in Tamil Nadu and Kerala for its higher copra content and copra yield.

·         IND 010 S derived from the ICAR CPCRI accession IND 010 Federated Malay States has been recommended for release in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the name Kalpa Ratna.

·         Two Dwarf varieties viz., Kalpa Jyothi and Kalpa Surya recommended for tendernut purpose .

·         Water requirement through drip irrigation was standardised (@66 % of Pan Evaporation) for different agro-climatic regions for sustaining higher productivity.

·         Drip-fertigation suitable for different coconut growing regions was standardized which resulted in higher fertilizer use efficiency with a saving of upto 25% to 50% of recommended fertilizers.

·         Location specific coconut based cropping systems have been established at different coconut growing region as of the country aiming for enhanced returns and system productivity.

·         Under Coconut based high density cropping system with compatible crops, application of 50% of RDF (NPK) + 50% N through organic recycling with vermicompost + vermiwash application + biofertilizer application and in situ green manuring recorded higher system productivity followed by 75% of recommended NPK + 25% through organic recycling with vermicompost or fully organic is recommended for different coconut growing regions.

·         Location specific integrated technologies for managing insect pests and diseases of coconut have been standardized for different regions.

Oil palm:

·         Oil palm hybrids viz., NRCOP 4, NRCOP 17 and NRCOP 2 were recommended for release in the states of Maharashtra, TN, AP and Telangana.

·         Water requirement through drip irrigation was standardised for different agro-climatic regions for sustaining higher productivity.

·         Ten drought tolerant African Dura type oil palm genotypes viz., ZS 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8, TS 2, 5, 10 and 11 were identified for further breeding programme

·         Fertilizer schedule for Oil palm in different agro climatic regions has been standardised.

·         Standardized fertigation requirement of Oil palm in different agro climatic regions.

·         Location specific intercropping systems have been established at different oil palm growing regions for enhanced returns.

Palmyrah:

·         247 accessions have so far been collected from different parts of India and are being maintained at Killikulam (TN) and Pandirimamidi (AP) centres for further evaluation.

·         Inflorescence sap extraction process has been standardised for higher yield.

·         Palmyrah jaggery prepared from inflorescence sap collected by adopting CPCRI method having a shelf life of six months under room temperature recommended for commercial release.

·         Composting of Palmyrah leaf base pith with the following technology resulted in production of suitable organic manure in 100 to 105 days period with sufficient nutrient content. Palmyrah pith (100 kg) + Poultry manure (10 kg) + Urea (1kg) + Pleurotus fungus 2 bottles (1kg)+ Ligno Cellulolytic Fungi (1kg) + Trichoderma viride (1 kg) (turning for 15 days interval up to 45 days. Application of Trichoderma viride on 46th day and again turning at 15 days interval)

Arecanut:

·         For the management of koleroga disease in arecanut, Application of Fenamidone 10% + Mancozeb 50% (w/w) (sectin) (@ 0.3% spray)+Adhesive OR Application of Trichoderma harzianum (IMI 304056) + Pseudomonas fluorescens (NCIB 9046)+Bacillus megatarium (NCTC 9848) @ 20 ml (105×107 cfu/ml stock solution/l water)+ soil application of microbial consortia (talc formulation) containing all the three isolates @ 100 g/plant (Pseudomonas fluorescens+ Bacillus megatarium @ 25 g each and Trichoderma harzianum @ 50 g) along with 1 kg of FYM/decomposed compost to the soil per year as an alternate management practice in place of Bordeaux mixture (1%) is recommended for Malnad region of Karnataka.

·         For managing root grub problem in arecanut, Soil application of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), Steinernema carpocapsae (CPCRI Isolate) 0.75 billion IJ/ha (June-July) followed by application of EPN in synergy with imidacloprid 17.8 SL (0.5ml/2 l water) during September – October is recommended for Arecanut growing regions of Karnataka.

 Awards and Recognitions:

·         ICAR Award: Choudhury Devi Lal Outstanding AICRP award 2014 was bagged by AICRP on Palms for the year 2014. Award was given during ICAR award   Ceremony held  at Patna, on 25th July 2015.

·         Nominated to attend the International training in the frontier areas: “Carbon sequestration and climate change” at Carbon Management and Sequestration   Centre, School  of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, USA for three months from 15th July to 14th Oct. 2010.

·         ICAR Award: Sardar Patel outstanding ICAR Institute Award by CPCRI during 2002 from ICAR.

·         State level 5 yearly Best publication award : “Krishi Sahithya Sree Prashasthi” for the book ‘Dryland Horticulture’ from Kannada Sangha of UAS, Dharwad,   Karnataka.

·         Certificate: Paper titled “Long term effects on top soil depth and amendments on particulate and non particulate carbon fractions in a Miamian soil of central OHIO.   Soil and Tillage Research - Volume 121. Authored, Srinivasan, V., Maheswarappa, H.P. and Rattan Lal. Featured in the SCIENCEDIRECT TOP 25 LIST OF MOST   DOWNLOADED   ARTICLES, Ranked 25th on the top 25 for SOIL   AND TILLAGE RESEARCH- January-March 2012. ScienceDirecct Team, Elsevier B. V., Amsterdam, The   Netherlands.

    Fellow:

·           Fellow of Indian Society of Agronomy, New Delhi

·           Fellow of Indian Society for Plantation Crops, Kasaragod

·           Fellow of Confederation of Horticultural Association of India, New Delhi

·           Fellow of Society for Horticultural Research and Development, Gaziabad

 Best paper Award

·         Best research paper award was given by Indian Society of Agronomy, IARI, New Delhi for the paper entitled: Impact of integrated mixed farming system in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) garden on coconut yield and economic analysis. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 46(1): 56-63. Authored by Maheswarappa, H. P., Hegde, M.R., Dhanapal, R., Sairam, C.V. and Vidhan Singh, T. 2001.

Best poster Award

·         Received Dr. R.L. Narasimha Swamy Memorial Award for second best original research paper entitled “Economic evaluation of high density multispecies cropping systems in root (wilt) disease affected coconut (Cocos nucifera) area in Kerala” authored V. Krishnakumar, H.P. Maheswarappa and S. Jayasekhar which was displayed at the poster session of PLACROSYM XIX (National Symposium on Plantation Crops) held at Rubber Research Institute of India, Rubber Board, Kottayam from 7th to 10th December, 2010.

·         Best poster Award for the research paper: Field evaluation of talc formulations of Hirsutella thompsonii (CPCRI isolates) against Eriopohyid mite in coconut gardens, authored Srinivasan, T., Chandrika Mohan and Maheswarappa, H.P. 2014. Presented in session No. VI of 6th Indian Horticulture Congress – 2014. Horticulture for inclusive growth – An International Event held during November 6-9, 2014. CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex, Coimbatore.

·         Best original research paper (poster) entitled trait based selection for copra content in tall coconut authored A. Subramanian, N. Shobha and H.P. Maheswarappa presented in the technical session ‘’Germplasm Conservation and Utilization” at the ISOCARD 3 (3rd International symposium on coconut Research and Development) held at ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, 10-12 Dec.2016.

·         Best poster entitled ’’ Effect on coconut based multispecies cropping system with INM on crop yield and economics under coastal Odisha’’ authored Sahoo, S.C., Gopa Mishra, Ajaya Karna, and Maheswarappa, H. P. presented in technical session no. 04 (Theme- VI) during 8th Indian Horticultural Congress – 2019 Shaping future of Indian horticulture held at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Chhattisgarh during 17-21 January 2019.

·         Best poster entitled ’’Integrated management of coconut eriophyid mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Eriophyidae: Acari)’’ authored by M. Alagar, T. Srinivasan, K. Rajamanickam, K Venkatesan, H .P. Maheswarappa and Jilu V Sajan presented in International Conference on Plant Protection in Horticulture: Adavances and Challenges (ICPPH-2019), during 24-27 July 2019 at ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru.

 Best oral

·         Best original research (oral) entitled “Coconut based cropping system with organic and integrated nutrient management for Southern dry region of Karnataka” authored T. B. Basavaraju and H.P Maheswarappa presented in the technical session ‘’ Enhancing Input Use Efficiency’’ at the ISOCRAD 3 (3rd International symposium on coconut Research and Development) held at ICAR -CPCRI, Kasaragod, 10-12 Dec.2016.

·         Best original research paper (oral) entitled “Controlled delivery of ethyl-4-methyl octanato, the pheromone of coconut rhinocerous beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros” authored K. Subaharan, M. Eswaramoorthy, B.V.V.S. Pavan kumar Vibina Venugopal, N.B.V. Chalapathy Rao, S. Gurav, Rajamanikam, S. Ganesan, A. Joseph Rajakumar, H.P. Maheswarappa and P. Ravindran presented in the technical session “Management of Pest and Diseases” at the ISOCRAD 3 (3rd International symposium on coconut Research and Development) held at ICAR-CPCRI, Kasaragod, 10-12 Dec.2016.

·         Best oral presentation prize for the paper entitled “Assessing carbon sequestration potential of coconut plantation in Coimbatore authored Lincy Davis, P., Pannerselvam, S., Subramanian, K.S., Balajikannan, Maheswarappa, H.P. and Shoba, N. 2020 during the National Seminar on Agrometeorological Interventions in Enhancing Farmers’ Income” held at College of Horticulture, KAU, Thrissur during 20-22, Jan. 2022.

479

30