Horticulture is a science and technique of production, processing and marketing of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, plantations, medicinal and aromatic plants. In the Malda district, scope of horticulture depends on incentive it has for the farmers, adaptability of the crops, necessity and facilities for future growth through inputs availability and infrastructure for the distribution of produce/marketing etc. Malda district is mainly orchard based. Mango and litchi are the main crop. Mango crop cultivation area about 32000 hectare and litchi cultivation area 1200 ha. Now most of the vegetables and spices crop are cultivated in the orchard as inter cropping and mixed cropping.

Training

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For the benefit and aware of the farmers Horticulture section of Malda KVK organized so many training programmes on Improved crop cultivation aspect, soil health management, integrated nutrient management soil water conservation practices, organic crop cultivation practice, nursery management, propagation technique and entrepreneurs development also. The framers are aware about different indigenous and new technology so that they can reduce the cost of cultivation and benefited more. Training and awareness programme helps more income and employment generation among the farmers and rural youth.

On Farm Trial

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Horticulture section of Mlada KVK organized different on farm trial or research about different new technology or practices to know which technology or practices appropriate for farmers field.

1) Huge economic loss of litchi was identified as a problem in Malda district of West Bengal. The loss of litchi is due to mainly litchi flower and fruit drops as well as litchi fruit cracking and scorching also. This problem occurs due to lack of plant growth regulators or absence of micronutrients which are responsible for flowering and fruiting such as naphthalene acetic acid, (NAA), triacontanol. Fruit cracking and scorching occurred is due to lack of different micro nutrients like zinc, and boron. So keeping all the point in mind, the technology was carried out for increase the productivity of litchi by using various plant growth regulators and micro nutrients also. Different plant growth regulators like Triacontanol @ 0.30 ppm or Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) @ 20 ppm use for spraying of litchi plant to increase the production by enhancing the female flower in the panicle and reducing the fruit drop. PGRs were sprayed 3 times between October and December at monthly interval because this is the critical time for flower bud initiation. The spraying was done in early in the morning within at 7-9 am by thoroughly wetting upper and lower surface of leaves and whole plant. After fruit setting use of boron in the form of boric powder containing 20% of boron @1g/lit + zinc ethylene diamin tetra acetic acid (zinc EDTA containing 12% zn) at 1.5 g/L of water reduce fruit cracking and scorching. The spraying of micro nutrients was done after fruit setting at 15 days interval upto 15 days before harvesting of litchi fruits. The spraying of micro nutrients also improved the quality of fruits.

2) Tomato fruit breaking and blossom end rot controlled by application of boron and calcium mixture solution @ 3ml/ lit

3) Cauliflower by controlling physiological disorder like Whiptail application of Molybdenum 1g/ lit. It is recommended for the micro level situation that foliar application of Molybdenum can increase cauliflower yield over 72.8% than the traditional method of cultivation with B:C ratio of 2.41 against 1.92 of traditional method.

4) Varietal evaluation of different vegetable crops so that we can know which variety will give highest productivity at different situation at Malda district under the guidance of Malda krishi vigyan Kendra

5) Farmers generally cultivate seasonal crops. Hence, after a certain time they have no scope to earn more. Vagaries of weather many times spoil that scope of earning which aggravates their poverty. When farmers are planted single climber crop in bower system made by bamboo structure there most of the land remain unutilized. The nutrient of different soil layer remains unused. Farmers lack of technical knowledge of different cropping systems. In this situation Multi- tier cropping system opens a new door to earn from round the year as well as there is less risk of complete crop failure. Multitier cropping systems are dynamic interactive practices that better use of the production components such as soil, water, air space, solar radiation and all other inputs on sustainable basis to take full advantage of limited land resources. Minimizes risks of crop yield loss.

Front Line Demonstration

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After getting good result from on farm research trial the improved practices or technology brought to farmers for demonstration so that other framers can easily accept and adopted it immediately. Horticulture division of Malda KVK developed so many front line demonstrations on improved technology and practices of different crops.