AAU-Zonal Research Station, Diphu

The research station was initially under the Regional & District Research Station of Govt. of Assam which was handed over to Assam agricultural university in the year 1973 and came under the administrative control of AAU, Jorhat. Thereafter, in 1983 a sub project under NARP (National Agricultural research programme was sanctioned to strengthen this station. In the year 2022 November, Regional Agricultural Research Station has been renamed as AAU-Zonal Research Station, Diphu which has been catering to the agricultural research and development following the needs of people of the three hills district of Assam viz., Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao in many different aspects of agriculture within the district. The station is located 3.5 Km north of Diphu town and lies 25⁰52.080’N latitude and 93⁰36.686’E longitude.

AAU-ZRS has two campuses, one is old office campus presently known as KVK, Karbi Anglong campus with a land area of 5.5 hectares. The other campus is new office campus with an area of 6.83 hectares. A horticulture sub-station at Natun Laikul near Haflong, Dima Hasao was established for conducting for researches on high altitude areas for horticultural crops. The total area of Natun Laikul farm is 13.4 ha.

OUR MISSION

To conduct applied research for the improvement of crops and cropping systems, cropping practices, farming systems, improvement of shifting cultivation, soil and water conservation, etc. this includes development, testing and verification of new technologies on rice, maize, toria, sesame, fruit crops, vegetables, spices, plantation crops, mushroom, millets, honey bee cultivation, local garlic, broom grass and indigenous underutilized horticultural crops.

GENESIS OF AAU-ZRS DIPHU

AAU-ZRS, Diphu is headed by the Chief Scientist, who is the Drawing and Disbursing Authority of the station. Presently research is being undertaken in six disciplines viz., Agronomy, Agricultural Economics, Entomology, Horticulture, Plant Pathology and Soil Science. A team of 7 scientists with the support from 2 field assistant and 1 laboratory assistant is working hard to evolve and test new varieties of crops, their production technology, profitability and acceptability of new technologies and marketing, etc.

Due to wide variation in topography, the entire hill zone experiences different climate in the different parts. There is a wide range of disparity in distribution of rainfall from place to place. Kheroni area of West Karbi Anglong district and Dhansiri area of Diphu sub division Karbi Anglong district are known as rain shadow area. Similarly, Dyangmukh area of Dima Hasao district falls under dry belt. The people of the hill zone grow diverse crops. The major crops are Rice, Maize, Sesame, Ginger and turmeric. The climate of these zones is favourable for some of the horticultural crops like pineapple, banana, arecanut, coconut, mandarin, citrus and passion fruit.

The station has so far developed six rice varieties, one sesame variety and two chilli varieties through its breeding programme. Rice variety Haccha occupies a considerable area as ahu rice while other varieties like Inglongkiri, Rongkhang and Dehangi due to their drought resistance ability are gaining popularity as direct seeded ahu. For sali season (Wet land) two new rice varieties that can grow under organic condition are namely Langpi and Diyung recommended for hill zone. Sesame variety AST-1 was developed for commercial oil production. The variety with high yield and oil content found suitable for hill cultivation upto 30% slope. Bireek-1 and Bireek-2 are the two chilli varieties developed at this station, suitable for jhum land situation. A number of rice varieties were identified and recommended for this zone.