IIIM, Field Station, Chatha, Jammu

Overview

IIIM, Farm, Chatha is one of the oldest research Farm. This Farm is situated at Chatha (nearer to SKUAST, Jammu) which is 11 KMs from CSIR-IIIM, Jammu headquarters towards South near the Jammu airport. The farm was established in the year 1956 by Col. Sir. R. N. Chopra. This Farm having big infrastructure of Polyhouses, Glasshouses, Green house, Net house, Kisan training centre, Processing/ Distillation units of MAPs etc. The total area of the Farm is around the 50 acres. All experimental trials related to varietal development and agro-technology development on medicinal and aromatic plants are carried out at this Farm. More than 300 genetic resources/ genotypes of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) have been conserved. The large scale multiplication/ generation of quality planting material of medicinal and aromatic plants are also carried at this Farm. In context of lab to land programme the varieties of MAPs developed/ released by the scientist is explore on mass scale propagation and supply of quality planting material to the growers/ Farmers and enhancing the entrepreneurship through the extension progrmme.

IIIM Jammu has about 50 acres of experimental farm at Chatha (nearer to SKUAST, Jammu) which is situated about 11 kms from CSIR-IIIM, Jammu headquarter towards South after Jammu airport. The farm was established in the year 1956 by Col. Sir. R. N. Chopra. The farm is divided into 3 sub parts:

Genetic Resources / Bio resources centre in the form of Medicinal garden

Under this programme, collection, identification and maintainance of different medicinal and aromatic plants in the area of more than 3 acres are carried out. More than 150 species are maintained which includes medicinal, aromatic, floriculture and other economical plants.

Experimentation Block

In this experimental block, trials are conducting on the improvement and developing agrotechnological practices, packaging, processing, value addition and marketability and conducting of Training programme.

Commercial cultivation and supply of quality planting material

In this programme, a large scale demonstration trial of newly developed, released varieties, their mass scale propagation and supply of quality planting material to the growers and processing including value addition are carried out. Till now a large quantity of planting material across the country right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, NGOs, Govt. agencies are supplied.

Vision and Mission

Vision

Agro-technology development of high value Medicinal and Aromatic plants.

Mission

Conservation, addition of new accessions, maintenance and standardization of bio-resource pool at Farm. Generation of good quality planting material (QPM) and extension of CSIR agro-technology among farmers/ entrepreneur/ industries in different agro-climatic zone in the country for rural prosperity /for societal development.

Facilities at Farm

Gene bank/ herbal garden: IIIM Chatha, Farm gene bank/ herbal garden having living plant collections of different varieties of plants, including the ornamental, medicinal and aromatic plants, wild and cultivated of economic importance of various geographical regions. They are of value not only to medicinal but also to botanist and foresters. More than 300 genetic resources have been conserved from the different agro-ecological regions across the country. Thus the gene bank gardens play a very crucial role as centres for recovery and rehabilitation of rare, endangered and extinct prone species of Medicinal and Aromatic plants and other valuable plant genetic resources. Besides, also play important role in education and as a centre of training in areas such as Agricultural, gardening, ex-situ conservation.

Green/poly house/Net house/Glass house: Building designed for the protection of tender or out-of-season plants against excessive cold or heat. Greenhouses are structures that are covered with glass or plastic mulch film, transparent and translucent respectively, in order to grow plants. The green house work in two ways, one is a fully controlled environment and the other being a partially controlled one, depending on the kind of plants that we want to grow. This technology of using greenhouses to grow plants is of significant importance, especially in areas where the climatic conditions are always on the extreme side and regions of high rainfall, extreme cold and hot condition.

Processing/ Distillation units: After harvesting of the Aromatic crop distillation is done in order to obtain essential oil. Distillation can be done in various ways. Hydro-steam distillation or steam distillation. Different capacity like 5 quintals, 10 quintals and 15 quintals distillation unit is available at our Farm, which is both mobile and fixed form.

Experimental research: Experimental trials on agro-technology development, soil science and varietal development practices, packaging and processing carried out at Farm.

Kisan Training Centre (KTC): IIIM, Farm having the facility of Kisan training centre (KTC). The main aims of this centre is generation of improved technical knowhow and imparting training for farmers/growers/ entrepreneurers. The Institute organizes both institutional and peripatetic training programmes. In this connection we facilitate many training-cum-Skill development programmes of medicinal and aromatic plants, farmer’s fairs and flower show for farmers/growers/entrepreneurs.