Nauni varsity’s apiculture centre ‘best’ in country

Ambika Sharma

In  a significant achievement, the apiculture research centre of the Dr YS  Parmar University  of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni, has been adjudged the ‘Best  Research Centre’ (2016-18 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research  (ICAR) in the country.

The department of entomology runs this centre, which is part of the All-India Coordinated  Research Project on Honeybees and Pollinators AICRP (HB&P). They have bagged this title for the second year in a row. 

The award was given at the biennial group meeting of AICRP (HB&P)  organised by ICAR at the School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural  Development, Nagaland University, last week. 

Principal investigator of the project Dr Harish Sharma, while  elucidating about research work undertaken here, said: “The centre is  engaged in research in diversified aspects of apiculture, including  managed honeybee pollination, bee botany, bee breeding, honeybee  disease identification and their management, and standardisation of  technology for hive products. This is the only centre in the country  where bumblebee rearing and its utilisation in protected cultivation has  been standardised.” 

 Elaborating  on the work done by the entomology department, head of the department  Dr  Divender Gupta said the centre has been working for the overall uplift  of apiculture in the state with special emphasis on pollination  management. To establish bee breeders, scientists have been providing  technical backup for the production of quality queens  for increasing honey production and pollination efficiency.   Specialised training is also being provided on queen breeding and bee  breeding to beekeepers from across the country, including the  north-east. 

UHF VC Dr HC Sharma and Dean College of Horticulture Dr Rakesh Gupta congratulated the  whole team for bringing laurels to the university.  With  farming practices undergoing a drastic change, apiculture has been  encountering  several challenges in the recent years.  Elaborating about these  challenges, Dr Harish Sharma said many typical temperate species, which  were common earlier are not traceable now in their origin locality. The  increase in the temperature has transformed the  flowering pattern and the time of flowering of many plants.  Erratic  and decreased rainfall also has a direct impact on flowering and on  nectar secretion in flowers. 

 Another  main constrain in the development of beekeeping industry in the  mountainous regions  is the long winter months when the honeybees require special care and  management. This renders beekeeping on a commercial scale unprofitable  and bees migrate to the lower hills if not well-managed. 

 Dr  Sharma also dwells on the indiscriminate use of pesticides, which he  says was seriously  affecting the natural pollination, which is ultimately affecting their  breeding. This has necessitated the need to promote safe and judicious  use of pesticides in agriculture to protect bees. 

 The  decline in the number of bees and other pollinators has become a cause  for serious  concern. The rising temperature leads to less precipitation in the form  of snow, which in turn influences the discharge of water in the  pre-monsoon period. The increase in the temperature directly impacts the  nectar and pollen from the available bloom, which  affects the sustainability of apiculture in an area. 

 Despite these handicaps, the university’s centre has been training farmers to adopt apiculture,  which promises a good avenue to the unemployed youth.