Regional Horticultural Research & Training Station, Sharbo Sharbo, Kinnaur(HP)

HON'BLE GOVERNOR

Sh. Kavinder Gupta

HON'BLE GOVERNOR HP

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HON'BLE CHIEF MINISTER

Sh. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

HON'BLE CHIEF MINISTER HP

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VICE CHANCELLOR

Dr. Harminder Singh Baweja

HON'BLE VICE CHANCELLOR

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Dr Pramod Kumar
Associate Director (R&E) and Head

Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station, Sharbo, District Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh was established in 1958 as Grape and Raisin Research Station under the State Department of Agriculture, HP. It was elevated to the status of Regional Horticultural Research & Training Station during the year 1985 after the creation of Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan. This research station and KVK, Kinnaur of this University were restructured as Regional Horticultural Research & Training Station and KVK, Sharbo, District Kinnaur in 2013. This research station has one satellite research station i.e. Vegetable Research Station Kalpa established in 1959.
Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station & KVK, Sharbo is situated at 2,121.4 meters above mean sea level and caters the regular and extra needs of the farmers of dry temperate and cold desert zone (Zone-IV) of the state, in the field of horticulture and forestry. The area experiences wide seasonal temperature fluctuations, negligible rainfall, and heavy snowfall in winters and high intensity of UV and IR radiations together with high velocity winds. The soils of the region are shallow, sandy to sandy loam with low organic matter. Vegetable Research Station, Kalpa is situated at 2,743.2 meters above mean sea level. Germplasm of cabbage, carrot, beans, lettuce and peas are being maintained at the station, beside the production of cabbage, carrot, turnip and radish seed.

Mandate

Collection, introduction and evaluation of promising varieties of dry temperate fruits, vegetable, agroforestry, and their multiplication etc.
Standardization of agro-techniques for plantation and application of IPM in horticultural and forestry crops
Dissemination of improved technology of horticulture, apiculture and forestry crops to the end users.

Strengths

This station is working specially for the dry temperate region of the state.
VRS Kalpa is having unique agroclimatic conditions suitable for seed production of temperate vegetables.
Established first high density plantation of Apple and pear in dry temperate zone.
Demonstration on pistachionut and hazelnut.

Academics

This station is serving as the centre for RHWE programme of UG students exclusively for agro-climatic conditions of dry temperate zone.

Important research publications

Prashad D, Sharma SK, Dev I, Kumar P, Kumar Sharma A and Sharma M. 2026. First report of Alternaria tennuissima associated with leaf light of Apple in India. Journal of Phytopathology 174 (2):e70277.
Bhandari DP, Sharma U, Sharma M, Thakur AK and Kumar A 2024. First report of Nectria dematiosa causing European cancer of Apple in India. Journal of Phytopathology.e13328:1-3.
Bharmera P, Gupta SK, Prashad D and Sharma M.2021.Morphological characterization and epidemiological studies of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) powdery mildew. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences.91(7):1025-1028.
Singh K, Sharma JN, Gupta BK and Bhandari DP. 2022. Status of stem brown canker of apple in Himachal Pradesh. The Pharma Innovation Journal11(3): 2334-2337.
Singh K, Sharma JN, Gupta BK and Bhandari DP. 2022. Status of smoky blight canker of apple in Himachal Pradesh. The Pharma Innovation Journal 11(3): 2338-2343.
Bharmera P, Gupta SK, Prashad D and Sharma M. 2021.Morphological characterization and epidemiological studies of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) powdery mildew. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 91(7):1025-1028
Bhandari DP, Sharma JN and Gupta B. 2020.Management of apple powdery mildew (Podosphaera leuchotricha (Ell. And Ev.) Salm. in dry temperate region of Himachal Pradesh. Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology 50(4): 441-444.
Sharma IM and Bhandari DP. 2018. Effect of climate variation on apple scab occurrence in Himachal Pradesh. Journal of Agrometeorology 20(3):252-252.
Bhandari DP, Sharma JN, Thakur VS, Sharma SK, Sharma Shashi K, Gupta B and Sharma R. 2018.Prevalence, Epidemiology and Management of Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) in Dry Temperate Region of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh.J Mycol Pl Pathol 48(1): 57-64.
Bhandari DP, Gupta SK, Kumar R and Sharma SK. 2018.Management of Storage Rot of Cole and Root crop in dry temperate region of Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology 48(3): 332-337.
Prashad D, Sharma JN, Gupta P and Sharma M. 2017. First report of dieback of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) incited by Dothiorella spp. causing in India. Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology 47(2)234-236.
Prashad D, Ram V, Sharma IM and Sharma S. 2014. Antifungal activity of essential oils and plant extracts against Corticium salmonicolor, the incitant of pink canker in apple. Indian Phytopathology 67(3):278-284.
Prashad D, Ram V and Sharma IM. 2014.Relationship between weather parameters on and development of pink canker (Corticium salmonicolor Berk. & Br.) of apple. Journal of Agrometeorology 16(2): 236-237.

Faculty

Research

Thrust Areas

Productivity enhancement in temperate fruit crops.
Evaluation and selection of suitable cultivars of temperate fruits.
Diversification through high value fruit and vegetable crops.
Productivity enhancement of key medicinal plants.
Seed production and distribution of improved cultivars of temperate vegetables.

Major ongoing Research Projects

Testing of fungicides (UHF-002-52), External funded project in collaboration with Department of Plant Pathology, Dr YSP, UHF Nauni Solan, since 2016 (Co-PI)
World Bank Assisted (HPHDP) Horticulture Development Project funded by State Department of Horticulture, HP Govt. from 2016 (Member) till 2024
Bioefficacy of herbal preparations against scab disease of apple under national innovation foundation-India Aided Project for Rs 11.22 lakh from 2022 to 2023 (Collaborators)

Achievements

Package of Practices for production of temperate horticultural crops of Himachal Pradesh.
Varieties evaluated and recommended: Apple cvs. Super Chief, Jeromine, Red Velox, Red Cap Valtod, Gale Gala, Redlum Gala;
Pistachio Nut cvs. Kerman, Peter;
Snowpeas cv. Mithi Phalli
Production technology recommended: Management of alternate bearing in Pistachio nut through NPK and Boron manipulation

Plant protection technologies recommended: 20 new molecules were tested and recommended in the package of practices/ spray schedule of apple as listed below:

Cursor (Flusilazole 40%EC) for Apple scab.
Lustre 37.5%(Carbendazim 25%+Flusilazole12.5%) for premature leaf fall and Alternaria leaf spot in apple
DodinO FIL SC for Alternaria leaf blight & Premature leaf fall.
LUNA Experience for Marssonina leaf blotch Alternaria leaf spot, & Fruit rot
Avtar (Zineb 68% + Hexaconazole 4%) @ 500g/200L for core rot, powdery mildew, scab, premature leaf fall and alternaria leaf spot.
Sercadis Plus for management of apple scab and powdery mildew
Merivon for premature leaf fall and alternaria leaf spot
Signum and Acrisio for powdery mildew management in apple
Saaf for apple scab and powder mildew.
Shamir, Rubigon D, Karara, Kanji, Aroosh, Scale, Marlett, Krizole and Key for management of apple scab.

Extension

KVK has organized more than 30 number of on-campus training programme on training & pruning, Beekeeping etc., & more than1000 farmers were benefited.
Total of 77 off campus training programme on disease management of horticulture crops, training & pruning of apple, introduction & cultivation of exotic vegetable & beekeeping etc. were organized & 3236 farmers were benefited.
Thirty Front line demonstrations were organized involving more than 100 benificiaries.
35 OFTs were laid out on various important technologies of key crops of dry temperate zone.
Important days celebrated like Kisan diwas, world water day, international women’s day, world bee day, food & nutrition day, sawachhta campaign, azadi ka amrit mahotsav etc where more than 1000 participants attended.

Awards/Recognitions

Dr BB Mundkar Award -2024: Conferred with this award jointly by SR Warangal Hyderabad and just agriculture group Chandigarh on 4-6/3/2024
Certificate of Excellence in reviewing given by Journal of Advances in biology and biotechnology forvthe year 2025
Consolation Prize in National Symposium for poster presentation entitled ‘New generation fungicides to combat apple diseases in Himachal Pradesh’ by Himalayan Phytopathological Society, Department of plant Pathology, Dr YS Parmar, UHF Nauni during May 5- 6, 2021.
Best Oral Presentation award – collectively received this award for research paper on “Bio-efficacy of trifloxystrobin 3.5%+propineb 61.3% WG against apple scab incited by Venturea inaequalis in IPHe-C technical session 3A at ICAR-IARI New Delhi during August 18-20, 2021.
Professor HC Dube Outstanding Young Scientist Award: Conferred with this prestigious award by ISMPP Udaipur Rajasthan India and ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulse Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India during November 16- 18, 2018.
PP Singhal Memorial PI Industries Award: Commendation certificate for presenting research paper entitled “Emerging diseases problem in dry temperate region of Kinnaur under changing climatic condition and their management at Kanpur during November 16-18, 2018.
Professor MJ Narasimhan Award: Certificate of honour by Indian Phytopathological Society (NZ) for research work on “Studies on bacterial spot of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria.
Book Chapter: 8
Technical Bulletin/E magazine/ Popular Article : 24

facilities

Well equipped laboratories of fruit science, food processing, soil and leaf analysis, plant pathology, entomology are available.
Experimental farms at Sharbo and Kalpa having dry temperate climate.
Hostel facility as at Reckong Peo as well as at Kalpa for tranees and researchers visiting RHRTS and KVK Kinnaur.
Quality planting material of temperate fruits and seed of temperate vegetables.
Budwood bank of improved cultivars of apple.
Demonstration units of ultra HDP of apple, HDP of pear, pistachio nut, hezel nut, mud hive for local bee rearing.