2 months ago
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It was a travel that began connected a terrace adjacent Thiruvalla. Just a fewer pots, a fewer stems, and supra all, a fascination with the lotus. From that humble beginning, K.V. Ajitha’s passionateness has present flowered into nationalist recognition. A mates of caller lotus varieties developed by her -- Mayoori and Paneer Rose -- person present received registration from the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority of the Government of India. For a location grower-turned-plant innovator, it is simply a uncommon yet important recognition.
Mayoori is distinguished by its heavy pink, bowl-shaped blooms. Compact and elegant, it is good suited for tiny containers and ornamental ponds. Paneer Rose, by contrast, bears brushed airy pinkish flowers with aggregate layers of petals and a gentle fragrance that lingers successful the air. Together, the varieties clasp beardown commercialized imaginable successful the ornamental floriculture market.
For Ajitha, the travel has been dilatory but dependable . Over the past 7 years, she has cultivated lotus plants connected the terrace of her home, with changeless enactment from her family. Today, she maintains a postulation of astir 15 chiseled lotus varieties. “With due varietal enactment and management, flowering tin proceed for agelong periods. It offers dependable returns arsenic well. It is perfect for women entrepreneurs, terrace gardeners, younker ventures and agri startups successful ornamental horticulture,” she says.
Foray into online market
Her enactment soon extended beyond the terrace into integer spaces. A important portion of the lotus tuber trade, she notes, present happens online, portion immoderate buyers attack her directly. Social media, she says, became a span to a wider assemblage of growers, enabling her to speech tubers and experimentation with caller tropical lotus varieties.
Years ago, during 1 specified online exploration, she archetypal encountered hybrid lotus plants. At the time, they were inactive comparatively caller successful Kerala, rare, costly and overmuch sought after. That find proved pivotal. She procured a prized variety, experimented with it and wrong a fewer months began selling its tubers. The aboriginal occurrence gave her the assurance to grow further. From past on, determination was nary turning back.
Ajitha received method enactment from ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pathanamthitta, successful the process of varietal identification, documentation and registration. The morphological characterisation of the recently developed lotus varieties was carried retired nether the enactment of Sumangala, Principal Scientist, ICAR-IIHR Bengaluru, portion documentation and information postulation was coordinated by Sindhu Sadanandan, Subject Matter Specialist, ICAR-KVK Pathanamthitta.
Recognition
The connection and recommendations for registration earlier the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA) were submitted nether the guidance of V Venkitasubramanian, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Bengaluru. In designation of her achievement, Ms. Ajitha was accorded a felicitation by ICAR Deputy Director General Dr. Ranbir Singh astatine a zonal store held successful Kottayam recently.
According to C.P. Robert, Senior Scientist and Head, ICAR-KVK, Pathanamthitta, the designation of these varieties is expected to unfastened caller possibilities successful ornamental floriculture and make further income avenues for farmers. He noted that her accomplishment underscores the value of farmer-led innovation successful ornamental horticulture, portion besides encouraging aspiring floriculture entrepreneurs to research emerging opportunities successful specialised angiosperm cultivation.
