Nauni’s Honeybee Center bags Best Centre Award

The All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey Bees & Pollinators (AICRP HB&P) at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry in Nauni has bagged the Best AICRP Research Centre award in its field. This prestigious recognition was presented at the Annual Group Meeting of AICRP held recently at Palampur.

The meeting, chaired by Dr. T.R. Sharma, ICAR Deputy Director General (Crop Science), and Dr. Poonam Jasrotia, Assistant Director General (Plant Protection and Biosecurity), featured presentations from all 25 AICRP centers across the country, showcasing their research work for the year 2023-24. The event was attended by Project Coordinator Dr. Sachin Suroshe from IARI New Delhi, subject experts, and scientists from all AICRP centers from across the country.

The Solan center conducted significant studies on honey bee pollination in key medicinal crops such as chamomile, linseed, tulsi, and glory lily, as well as in fruit crops like pear in Kalpa, Kinnaur. Their findings demonstrated that bee pollination significantly enhances yield and other economically important parameters. Additionally, the center explored the use of honey bees in natural farming systems, finding it effective for improving seed yield, seedling growth, and germination rates in onion and sunflower compared to conventional farming methods. The center is also engaged in selective breeding of Apis mellifera L. for increased royal jelly production and has been working on developing rearing technology for bumblebees.

Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice Chancellor congratulated the AICRP team, led by Project Investigator Dr. Kiran Rana and Co-PI Dr. Meena Thakur, along with Dr. Subhash Verma, Head of the Department of Entomology. He praised their efforts in promoting managed beekeeping in the state and advancing research in various aspects of apiculture. He emphasized the critical role of pollination in enhancing agricultural productivity and commended the center for consistently being ranked among the best centers in the country.

Director of Research Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, Dean of Horticulture Dr. Manish Sharma, and all statutory officers also extended their congratulations to the team for this remarkable achievement, further enhancing the university’s reputation.