Staff Reporter
It is an innovative programme
PUDUKOTTAI: The State Agriculture Farm at Kudumiyanmalai in the district has taken up an innovative programme for rejuvenating the ‘dead’ amla trees, so as to extend the period of profitability for the horticultural farmers.
Interestingly, the process facilitates the dead tree to simultaneously bear four or five varieties of high-yield amla.
The Farm has successfully developed a dead tree with five varieties of ‘NA 7’, ‘Kanjan,’ ‘Trisha,’ ‘Sakia,’ and ‘BSR.’
“Amla trees turn unbearing with nil yield over a period of years. They can be rejuvenated through what is called ‘top-working’ process that involves grafting of high-yielding varieties,” says the Horticulture Officer, P. P. Sampathkumar.
He says that the dead tree of single variety would not only be ‘revived’ but also yield different varieties of amla.
The process could be extended to other horticultural crops, especially mango, he says.
The members of the Tamil Nadu Assembly Committee on Estimates who visited the farm on Friday, were surprised over the rejuvenation process.
The Committee Chairman, V. Mullaivendan advised the officials to popularise the programme among the farmers all over the State.