[Background] [Location & Physiography] [Mandates] [Infrastructure]
Vegetables play an important role in nutritional security and fitting into the traditional cropping system to make it more remunerative. India has witnessed tremendous progress in vegetable production, especially after post-green revolution period. The vegetable production in India during 2000-01 has gone up to 93.9 million tones from 23.45 million tones during the year 1961-62. Vegetables have become one of the potential agricultural commodities to earn foreign exchange. In order to sustain the growth of vegetable production and productivity in India, during 1999, ICAR approved a separate research institute on vegetable namely, Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR). Prior to this, vegetable research was started through establishment of AICRP on vegetable during 1971 at IARI, New Delhi with the responsibilities of coordinating and monitoring of vegetable research programmes of the country. To give a fillip to the research and to meet the challenges, the status of AICRP on vegetable crops was elevated to the level of Project Directorate of Vegetable Research (PDVR) during 1986 with its headquarter at IARI, New Delhi. During 1992 Dr. Gautam Kalloo joined as founder Director and the head quarter was shifted at Varanasi from IARI New Delhi. Within short span of time significant research achievements have been made and excellent infrastructure with most modern facilities for research have been created under the dynamic leadership of Founder Director, Prof. G. Kalloo. Considering the vital role of vegetables in nutritional security, emerging trends of national/international demand and higher economic return, PDVR was further upgraded to the level of national institute under ICAR system during 1999 and named “Indian Institute of Vegetable Research”.
Indian Institute of Vegetable Research is situated under the greater periphery of the Holy city Varanasi at 82.52 0E longitude and 25.10 0N latitude. It is located approximately 20 kms from the heart of the city towards south-west on Varanasi - Mohansarai - Adalpura Road. It is also connected by DLW-Chunar Road. It receive an average rainfall of 1000 mm is distributed over a period of more than 100 days with peak period between July and August. Scattered showers occur during winter months. In general, the temperatures ranges from 5 0 C to 42 0 C. The coldest month is January while the maximum temperature is observed during May and June.
To develop high yielding, good quality, disease and pest resistant varieties/hybrids of vegetable crops.
To develop advanced production and protection technologies for vegetable varieties/hybrids.
Monitoring of research programmes of vegetable crops undertaken by different centres located at the various Agricultural Universities, Institutes and other organizations.
To provide a research base at the IIVR head quarter to feed the regional centres with breeding materials, technologies and intellectual services etc.
To undertake germplasm collection, maintenance and documentation in vegetable crops.
To improve the compilation of data and analysis by provision of microprocessing facilities.
To provide technical supervision for the breeder seed production of released varieties and parental lines of vegetable crops.
To provide scientific support to ICAR on National Research Policy on vegetable crops.
The Institute has excellent laboratory building complex for conducting researches on various disciplines of vegetable science. It has 28 equiped laboratories with all modern electric equipment viz., Crop Improvement (Biotechnology, Molecular biology, Tissue Culture, Genetics, Cytogenetics and Vegetable Breeding, Genetic Resources), Crop Production (Agronomy, Soil Science, Integrated Nutrient Management, Biochemistry, Water Management, Crop Physiology, Ecology), Crop Protection (Integrated Pest Management, Environmental Pollution, Residue Analysis, Bio-Control, Disease Management), Seed Technology, Quality Control, Seed Health, Post Harvest Technology, Economics, Extension and Training. Besides, provisions have also been made for information, social sciences and coordinated research units.
Library is currently subscribing 87 journals of national and international repute. CAB and AGRIS abstracts are available from 1970 onwards. Library has more than 1300 books and encyclopedia, rich collection of annual reports and newsletters of national and international research institutes to facilitate the users.
A well managed museum is located near main entrance of building facing lobby to provide first hand information to visitors about institute background and research achievements. The activities of the institute including varieties evolved in different vegetable crops and standardized to boost up their production have been displayed with the help of photograph, charts and live specimens. The institute has magnificent well carpeted auditorium with all modern facilities of audio visual aids. It is well equipped with all required facilities with 350 seating capacity.
A well-equipped gene bank has been established with medium term conservation of precious germplasm of vegetable crops in the laboratory complex.
To undertake the research projects of various disciplines, a research farm has been developed on 150 acres of land. The farm has got three submersible tube wells, under ground irrigation systems, sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation and water harvesting tank facilities. To provide proper research facilities for conducting the field experiments at the farm, adequate draining, approach road and electricity facilities are available.
Well equipped six greenhouse and five polyhouse facilities have been generated to provide support to protected cultivation research and to multiply precious materials under full control condition. All the polyhouses are provided with temperature and humidity control devices.
To supply the seeds to farmers as well as seed producing agencies, a well equipped seed processing unit has been developed with modern equipments i.e. seed drier, air and screen cleaner, gravity separator, endented cylinder, brushing machine, seed treater, colouring and cooling machine, pouch making machine, continuous sealing machine, bag closure.
The institutes ARIS Cell is working with 6 work stations and one server. All the computers of different sections are connected to each other with Local Area Network on fiber optic backbone. internet and e-mail connectivity has been provided to all the sections through V-SAT.
