18/07/2026
VC Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai reviews high-value crop research
SRINAGAR: Vice-Chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, on Wednesday reviewed the university’s varietal development program at the Division of Vegetable Science, Faculty of Horticulture, Shalimar Campus, with a focus on climate-resilient, high-value vegetable crops and market-oriented research.
Accompanied by Director Extension and Associate Dean, Faculty of Horticulture, Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, Prof. Rohitash Kumar, Associate Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, and other officials, the Vice-Chancellor inspected ongoing breeding programs, protected cultivation technologies, and field experiments. Head of the Division, Prof. Ishfaq Abidi, briefed the visiting team on research initiatives covering climate-resilient breeding, hybrid development, quality improvement, disease resistance and protected cultivation across major vegetable crops.
During the visit, scientists and postgraduate students showcased advanced breeding programs, including tomato hybrids, coloured capsicum, cherry tomato, yard-long bean, parthenocarpic cucumber, potato, and niche vegetable improvement. The Vice-Chancellor appreciated the promising performance of several hybrids, with tomato lines yielding 14-16 kg per plant and yard-long bean hybrids producing 10-12 kg per plant.
Interacting with researchers and students, Prof. Ganai stressed the importance of field-based learning and problem-oriented research that directly addresses farmers’ needs. He called for continued emphasis on climate-smart, demand-driven innovations to improve productivity, profitability, and resilience in the vegetable sector. Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth highlighted the need to strengthen research-extension linkages to ensure rapid dissemination of technologies among farmers.
The Vice-Chancellor also inaugurated the dehaulming operation in potato and the harvesting of watermelon and muskmelon, describing the crops as commercially viable intercrops capable of enhancing farm returns through scientific crop management.
Prof. Ganai expressed satisfaction with the Division’s climate-smart breeding initiatives, including the development of drought-tolerant tomato hybrids, heat-tolerant bottle gourd hybrids, and cold-tolerant French bean genotypes. He also appreciated the successful standardization of micropropagation protocols for Kashmiri Pran (shallot), local garlic, and potato, noting that the technology would accelerate the production of disease-free planting material and strengthen the seed sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
An extensive live display of vegetable genetic resources, featuring bottle gourd, squash, cucumber, tomato, cherry tomato, brinjal, colored capsicum, paprika, potato, cowpea, French bean, Kashmiri Pran, garlic, onion, and ridge gourd, highlighted the Division’s ongoing crop improvement programs.
During his interaction with scientists, the Vice-Chancellor underscored the export potential of common bean varieties, advocated comparative evaluation of local and exotic germplasm to identify superior breeding lines, and highlighted the growing market opportunities for premium vegetables, particularly tender cowpea pods.
Concluding the visit, Prof. Ganai commended the Division of Vegetable Science for its contributions to vegetable breeding, seed production, and technology development. Appreciating the leadership of Prof. Ishfaq Abidi, he urged scientists to continue pursuing climate-resilient, farmer-centric, and market-oriented research to strengthen the vegetable sector and enhance farmers’ livelihoods across Jammu and Kashmir.
