Horticulture Directorate

Introduction

Horticulture Division vested with the responsibility of overseeing the overall accelerated development of horticulture in national perspective for improving nutritional, ecological and livelihood security.
Achieve technology led development of Horticulture.
To plan, co-ordinate and monitor Research and Development programmes at national level as well as to serve as knowledge repository in Horticulture Sector.
The Horticulture (fruits including nuts, vegetables including potato, tuber crops, mushroom, ornamental plants including cut flowers, spices, plantation crops and medicinal and aromatic plants) has become a key drivers for economic development in many of the states in the country and it contributes 30.4 per cent to GDP of agriculture, which calls for technology-led development, where Division of Horticulture of ICAR is playing a pivotal role. The research priorities are for genetic resource enhancement and its utilization, enhancing the efficiency of production and reducing the losses in environment friendly manner.
 

  • Effective management, enhancement, evaluation and valuation of genetic resources and development of improved cultivars, with high quality characteristics, productivity, resistance to pest and disease and tolerant to abiotic stresses.
  • Development of technologies to improve the efficiency of breeding to develop cultivars, which meet market needs including taste, freshness, health benefit and convenience beside resistant to biotic and abiotic stress.
  • Increasing the value of production by reducing variability in yield, quality, reducing crop loss and increasing marketability through development and site specific technologies for different horticultural crops
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  • Developing system for productive use of nutrients, water and reducing impact of pest and disease through the use of innovative diagnostic techniques.
  • Improve the understanding of interaction between native ecosystem and production system and develop best practices to conserve biodiversity and sustainable use of resource.
  • Develop the production system that minimizes the production of wastes and maximizes the re-use of waste.
  • Enhancing the shelf life of perishable fruits, vegetables, flowers, product diversification and value addition for better profitability.
  • Understand social needs of communities and build the capabilities for practice the change for effective utilization of resources and adoption of technologies and respond to needs including bio-security needs.