Field day of rabi castor at Panchalingala village, Makthal mandal, Narayanpet district by AICRP on Castor, RARS, Palem on 25.02.2026

To enhance the area under rabi castor cultivation, the AICRP on Castor team at RARS, Palem has conducted 50 demonstrations in farmers’ fields under the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SC-SP). These demonstrations focused on the adoption of improved production technologies particularly high-yielding cultivars to improve productivity and profitability. In this context, a field day was organized at the farm of Sri Anjaneyulu in Panchalingala village, Makthal mandal, Narayanpet district where the improved castor cultivar ICH-5 was demonstrated. The programme was organized by a team of scientists from AICRP on Castor, RARS, Palem comprising Dr. K. Sadaiah, Scientist (Plant Breeding), Dr. G. Eswara Reddy, Scientist (Plant Breeding), and Dr. V. Divya Rani, Scientist (Plant Pathology) under the chairmanship of Dr. M. Sreedhar, Principal Scientist (Oilseeds). The event was also attended by scientists from the ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR), Hyderabad, including Dr. V. Dinesh Kumar, Principal Scientist (Biotechnology), Dr. Senthilvel Senapathy, Principal Scientist (Plant Breeding) and Dr. T. Manjunatha, Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding). At the outset, Dr. K. Sadaiah highlighted the importance of the programme and emphasized the need to expand castor cultivation in the state. The host farmer Sri Anjaneyulu, shared his experiences and the crop management practices he adopted to raise a healthy crop. This was followed by an interactive session in which farmers raised queries regarding pest and disease management as well as marketing opportunities. Later, Dr. G. Eswara Reddy elaborated on good agricultural practices for achieving higher yields in castor. Dr. V. Divya Rani discussed effective pest and disease management strategies in castor. Dr. M. Sreedhar has emphasized the importance of reintroducing traditional crops in the region and stressed the need for crop diversification. Subsequently, Dr. T. Manjunatha explained the varietal characteristics of ICH-5 and detailed important agronomic practices such as optimum spacing and suitable sowing time. Dr. Senthilvel Senapathy spoke about the latest technologies for managing biotic stresses in castor. Dr. V. Dinesh Kumar educated farmers on advanced technologies developed by ICAR-IIOR, including high-density planting, application of growth retardants, seed treatment with Trichoderma and the use of biopolymers. Agricultural Extension Officers (AEOs) Sri Vijay and Vyshnavi also interacted with farmers and discussed challenges faced in cultivating crops such as cowpea, chilli and tomato with the group of scientists. Scientists addressed the queries raised by both farmers and Department of Agriculture officials. The programme concluded with a field visit to the ICH-5 castor demonstration plot, where farmers closely observed the crop and engaged in detailed discussions on its varietal characteristics, overall performance, and effective pest management practices with scientists.