Academic Department
AAU-Citrus and Plantation Crops Research Station, Tinsukia
Constituent Department under Directorate of Research(Agri)
The AAU-Citrus and Plantation Crops Research Station, Tinsukia, a research station under Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, is located at Gellapukhuri, about 4 km of Tinsukia Town. It is the only research station on Citrus in the entire North Eastern region of India. Citrus is one of the most prominent commercial fruits. The North-Eastern part of India stretches from 21057´N to 29028´N and from 89040´E to 97025´E is one of the 10 hotspots of biodiversity in the world and has a very rich diversity of Citrus germplasm both domesticated and in wild state. Out of the 27 species reported in India, 23 belong to NE Region of India. This region has many uncommon/unrecorded species and varieties of Citrus. Assam is one of the major Citrus producing states of North East India. Citrus fruits, particularly Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Assam lemon (Citrus limon), Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and Pummelo (Citrus grandis) are of the major commercial horticultural crops grown widely in this region.
Khasi mandarin is the most important Citrus fruit of North East India. Tinsukia district where the Citrus Research Station is located is having the highest productivity of Khasi mandarin in the country against state and national average for mandarins. It was with the inauguration of the Citrus Fruit Research Scheme at Burnihat (Now under Meghalaya) financed jointly by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Government of Assam, in 1938, a new area of citriculture began in North Eastern India. The centre was delinked eventually from Assam in 1972 due to formation of Meghalaya as separate state. The Government of India, under 4th five-year plan, however, initiated a separate research project on Inspection, Certification and Registration of virus free citrus plants at Regional Fruit Research Station (Now Horticultural Research Station) at Kahikuchi in 1974 when virus diseases were identified to be a major contributing factor leading to Citrus decline in North Eastern Region. Later on, the scheme was merged with the All India Coordinate Research Project on Tropical Fruits and shifted from Kahikuchi to Citrus Research Station (CRS), Tinsukia in 1976. The project was renamed as All India Coordinated Research Projects on Fruits in 2013 and ICAR-CCRI, Nagpur entrusted to coordinate the Citrus part of the project.
The plantation crop occupies significant cultivable land in Assam and plays a pivotal role for socio economic development. To meet the research need on plantation crops in Assam, the research component of plantation crops also entrusted to Citrus Research Station, Tinsukia. The Citrus Research Station now renamed as “AAU-Citrus and Plantation Crops Research Station (AAU-CPCRS), Tinsukia vide memo no. AAU/RG-1.11(5)/Part-III/2022-23/25601-640 dated 27/01/2023. The research programme are now conducted at AAU-CPCRS, Tinsukia with special reference to the plantation crops viz. Arecanut, Cashewnut, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Coffea, Tea and Coconut. The improved varieties of the specified crops are collected from different ICAR institute and Govt. Organisation and planted in the research station.
Department Faculty Members
6 Faculty
Department Achievements & Accolades
1 Records
CRS, Tinsukia is providing technological support for
Citriculture throughout North-East India. The scientific technology used for
production of Khasi mandarin in the North-Eastern states has its roots in the
technology developed by Citrus Research Station.
#CRS, Tinsukia has 154 numbers of citrus germplasm; both primary and secondary.
#The nursery of CRS has been accredited as III (3*) star Nursery by National Horticulture Board, GOI.
#CRS has been multiplying and supplying citrus quality planting material to various states of NE region viz., Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh including Assam.
#Tinsukia district has already been declared as orange district, in a joint effort of Citrus Research Station, AAU and District Administration, Tinsukia with a vision to increase the acreage, production & productivity of Khasi mandarin and encourage orange export with the benefit of income generation & livelihood in rural areas of the district.#Under the supervision of CRS, the Assam lemon farmers were guided and assisted and linked with IPR cell of AAU, Jorhat and Dept. of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat applying for Geographical Indication (GI) for Assam lemon and recently, GI for Assam lemon is announced for the benefits of the farmers.
Production Technology:
Ø Rejuvenation package for declining Khasi mandarin orchards: The technology generated under the Tinsukia centre of ICAR-AICRP (Fruits) have been utilized for developing a “Package of Practices for Rejuvenation of Declining Khasi mandarin orchards”; which was validated on farm and was successful in rejuvenating the declining Khasi mandarin orchards in Assam with special reference to Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone (UBVZ). This technology generated under ICAR-AICRP (Fruits) has been borrowed by other Northeastern states also.
Ø Stage wise requirement of nutrients in Khasi mandarin: Nutrient application of N: P2O5: K2O at 30:40:10, 30:35:10, 20:25:30, 10:0:25 and 10:0:25 per cent of RDF during March-April, May-June, July-August, September-October and November-December was found to be effective in improving the yield and quality of Khasi mandarin.
Ø Integrated nutrient management in Khasi mandarin: Application of 75% of Recommended Dose of Fertilizer + VAM (500 g/plant) + PSB (100 g/plant) + Azospirillum, (100 g/plant) + T. harzianum (100 g/plant) in two splits were found to be effective in improving the yield and quality of Khasi mandarin.
Ø Fertigation scheduling in Khasi mandarin: Irrigation schedule at 80-90% Evaporation Replenishment (ER) with 70-80% RDF fertigation through drip irrigation system during the flowering to fruit development in summer months (January-June) with water stress in December is recommended for better plant growth, higher yield and quality fruits.
Crop Protection Technology:
a. Pest management:
Ø Management of lemon butterfly, Papilio spp. in citrus: Foliar application of Bacillus thuringiensis (0.1%) or Beauveria bassiana @ 4 X 106cfu/ml (0.1%) at the appearance of the larvae on leaves is recommended for the management of lemon butterfly.
Ø Bio-rational management of Citrus psylla, Diaphorina citrii: Foliar application of abamectin 1.9 EC @0.007% or novaluran 10EC @ 0.005% twice at 15 days interval during flushing period, with the appearance of nymphs on twigs, is recommended against citrus psylla.
Ø IPM module for Citrus Insect Pest Management: Trunk Borer and Bark eating caterpillars - Smearing of tree trunk up to 1m of height from the base with 50 ml Dimethoate + 2 kg lime/ 10 liters of water during March. For Citrus butterfly, aphids and citrus psylla and other crawling insect pests - Spray with 2% Petroleum oil and tie with paddy straw at a height of one meter around the tree trunk during April have been recommended.
Ø Spray schedules against leaf miner in Citrus (Nursery/young orchards): Foliar application of neem formulation 10000 ppm @ 5 ml/l followed by spinosad (0.015%) or thiamethoxam (0.008%) at 7 days interval during the new flushing period effectively manage citrus leaf miner up to 14 days after spraying.
Ø New acaricides for mites’ management in Citrus: The application of Propargite 57 EC @ 1 ml/l or Spiromesfen 240 SC @ 0.39 ml/l at 15 days interval starting from 15 days after fruit initiation (two sprays during May- June or August-September) reduces mite damage on leaves and fruits as well as enhances number of marketable fruits in citrus.
Ø Use of repellents against fruit sucking moth in Citrus: The application of neem oil 1% @ 10 ml/l at color breaking stage reduced the damage of fruit sucking moth and enhance the number of marketable fruits in citrus.
b. Disease management:
Ø Management of fruit drop due to Pre harvest stem end rot of Khasi mandarin: Four sprays of Trifloxystrobin 0.1% (1 g in 1 ltr of water) at monthly intervals from May i.e. after fruit set to control fruit drop due to preharvest stem end rot.
Ø Twig blight of Khasi mandarin: Twig blight or wither tip or dry-up twigs can be effectively managed by pruning in the month of January/February followed by two sprays of Azoxystrobin 23% SC @ 0.1% and there after 2 sprays of Copper oxychloride 0.3% (3g in 1 ltr of water) at monthly interval.
Ø Integrated management of Phytophthora root rot of Mandarin: Application of Bordeaux paste on trunk with soil application of Trichoderma harzianum (100 g/plant) + Trichoderma viride (100g/plant) Pseudomonas fluorescens (100g/plant) followed by Fosetyl (Aliette 0.2 %) spraying was the most effective for management of Phytophthora root rot of Khasi mandarin.
Ø Management of Citrus canker bacteria: Five numbers of foliar spray of copper oxychloride 50%WP (0.3% i.e., 3 g/ltr) + Streptocycline100 ppm (i.e., 1 g/10 ltr) and NSKE 5% at 30 days interval starting from 2nd fortnight of June is effective in management of Citrus canker of Assam lemon.
Ø Eco-friendly management of Phytophthora root rot and gummosis in mandarin: Application of Bordeaux paste (1:1:10) on tree trunk as pre-monsoon (in the month of May) and post monsoon (in October) with foliar spray (two sprays- pre-monsoon and post monsoon) of Potassium phosphonate @ 0.3% is recommended for integrated management of Phytophthora root rot and gummosis of mandarin.
Ø Integrated Management of Citrus Greening Disease: Soil application of 50% more than recommended dose of Phosphorus (along with recommended dose of nitrogen and potash), two sprays of Tetracycline hydrochloride @ 6 g/ 10 lit of water at an interval of 45 days during the month of October to December and 15 days later ZnSO4 (200 g/plant) is effective for management of greening disease of Citrus.
Research & Extension Projects
19 Total Projects
Ongoing Projects (17)
Oil palm cultivation and its future prospects in Assam (Module III)
AICRP-Cashew_NEH Schme "Cashew Awareness Campaigns, Area Expansion programmes and distribution of small inputs to farmers
Establishment of Polyclonal seed garden of Cocoa and Scion Bank of Cashew
lntercropping studies in young oil palm plantation for sustainability and livelihood security of marginal farmers in Assam
Establishment of Polyclonal Seed Garden of Cocoa and Cashewnut, Farmers Training Programme on Cashew and District level seminar on Cashew
Establishment of Natural farming and Organic Agriculture under R & D
Mega Project on rapeseed-Mustard Value Chain Development Through Promotion of Scientific Cultivation in Assam
Establishment of Plantation crops viz. Arecanut, Coconut, Coffee, Cocoa, Cashewnut & Cinnamon at AAU-CPCRS, Tinsukia
Reclamation of the contaminated agricultural lands due to coal mining activities in Assam
Network Project for Establishment of disease free elite Khasi mandarin and Sweet Orange genetic stocks through shoot tip grafting (STG) and mass production of quality planting material for Northeastern states of India.
Phytochemical characterization and nutrient profiling of germplasm diversity of Citrus species existing in North East Region
Development of Citrus Diagnostics and Certification Centre in NER
Exploiting chemical ecology for IPM: Deciphering the phyto-semiochemicals involved in insect-plant interactions of major crop pests of NER-India
Collection, Conservation, and morpho-phenological characterization of Citrus germplasm of North East region. (As CoPI)
Production of healthy planting materials of orange, Citrus retuculata and Assam lemon, Citrus lemon through budwood certification programme and its distribution to growers' in Assam and other northeaster sattes
AICRP on Fruits (CRS, Tinsukia)
ICAR-AICRP (Fruits)
Completed Projects (2)
Genetic improvement of taro through radiation technology
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Bijit Kr. Saud)
Jhum Cultivation in North East Region under Climate Change Scenario: A Critical Analysis
(PI/Co-PI/Associated Scientist : Dr. Nilim Kalita)
Department Photo Gallery
1 Photos