Professional Information
Area of specialization	Organic farming of tuber crops, Resource management of tuber crops, Cropping systems research
Area of interest	Alternative sustainable management practices like organic farming
Number of institute projects completed	7
Number of Institute projects being handled	7
Number of externally funded projects completed	4
Number of externally funded projects being handled	2
Technologies developed	Resource management for tuber crops in cropping systems Development of agronomic package and integrated nutrient management practices, for the first time, for white yam intercropping in coconut garden
	African white yam found suitable as a profitable intercrop in coconut gardens
	Treatment of white yam setts of 100g with thiourea 2% for early, synchronized and higher sprouting
	Planting white yam setts of 200g at a spacing of 90x90 cm (9000 plants ha-1 of coconut garden) for optimum yield, quality tubers and higher profit.
	Feasibility of alternative manuring practices using coir pith compost or green manure in the place of traditional manuring using farmyard manure for white yam production under intercropping
	Conjoint use of coir pith compost @ 5 t ha-1 and N, P2O5, K2O @ 80:60:80 kg ha-1 ensures higher yield (24.61 t ha-1) and returns (Rs. 36,187 ha-1) from white yam production in coconut gardens
	The above technology would promote the safe disposal of coconut coir pith, an organic waste posing environmental problems, to provide good quality manure for profitable white yam production in the southern coconut growing tracts
	Coconut–white yam system was profitable (Rs. 31,525 ha-1) generated additional employment (318 man days per ha) and provided high energy secondary staple
	Production techniques for banana+Dioscorea system was developed
	In Banana-Dioscorea system banana var. Robusta requires manuring at the full recommended dosage, while 2/3 recommended level is sufficient for Dioscorea. About 6000 Dioscorea plants can be accommodated in such an association
	Intercropping Dioscorea in immature rubber plantation is feasible only during the initial 2-3 years
	Resource management for short-duration cassava
	Short duration cassava varieties, Sree Jaya, Sree Vijaya, Kalpaka and Vellayani Hraswa appeared promising for cultivation in rice fallows
	Nutrient management based on soil test data, which resulted in a saving of full P, 10% N and 15 % K by the third year, proved sufficient for short-duration cassava
	Sequential cropping of vegetable cowpea (var. Pusa Komal) and grain cowpea (var.C-152) with short-duration cassava is an ideal practice
	Saving of full P and half N is possible for short-duration cassava in both sequential and intercropping systems with cowpea
	Low input technology for cassava/Integrated Nutrient Management for cassava
	Integrated use of biofertilizers (Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium) with the full dose of organic manure and K and 50% of N and P produced tuber yields on par with the present nutrient recommendation for cassava implying the possibility to reduce N and P fertilizer input to 50%
	Production technology for minor tuber crops
	Plant spacing of 30x15 cm, mulching using locally available plant materials and application of 50 kg N, 25 kg P2O5 and 75 kg K2O ha-1 proved to be ideal for higher rhizome yield and starch yield from arrowroot raised as an inter crop in coconut garden
	Application of FYM @10 t ha-1 along with wood ash @ 3 t ha-1 for higher cormel yield in tannia
	Planting during May-June, mulching using green leaves and a spacing of 90x90 cm proved beneficial for higher productivity in tannia
	Organic farming of yams and aroids
	Developed package of practices for the organic production of elephant foot yam (EFY), tannia, taro, yams (white yam, greater yam, lesser yam and dwarf white yam) and cassava involving seed treatment in cow-dung, neem cake and Trichoderma slurry, farmyard manure incubated with Trichoderma, practice of green manuring, use of crop residues, neem cake, biofertilizers and ash
	Validated and popularized organic farming technology for elephant foot yam in 10 on farm sites in 5.2 ha in Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala. This is included in POP Crops 2011 of Kerala Agricultural University.
	Evolved a sustainable alternative production system for these crops for higher yield (by 10-20%), profit (by 28% in EFY) and maintenance of soil health
	Evolved soil quality index for organic farming in elephant foot yam
	Developed a strategy for the production of safe and better quality food: Organic farming produced quality tubers with higher dry matter, starch, crude protein, K, Ca and Mg and lower oxalate contents over conventional practice in elephant foot yam and yams
	Technologies included in POP Crops of Kerala Agricultural University
	POP CROPS-2011: Organic farming technology for elephant foot yam
	POP (Adhoc) for Organic farming: CROPS-2009: Organic farming technology for tuber crops
	POP CROPS-2007: Production technology for arrowroot