Dr. P. R. Sablae
Senior Scientist
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- Regional Research Station cum Off-Season Nursery, Dharwad
Regional Research Station cum Off-Season Nursery, Dharwad
University of Agricultural Sciences Campus, Dharwad – 580 005, Karnataka — serving the pulses research and extension needs of southern India.
Established 2011
Background
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur established a Regional Station cum Off-Season Nursery at Dharwad in Karnataka during 2011 to enhance pulses production and productivity in southern India. The Regional Research Station is located in the University of Agricultural Sciences campus near Yattinagudda village and is about 5 km from Dharwad city, 9 km from Dharwad railway station and 27 km from Hubli airport.
The centre started functioning from April 2012 onwards from the Sericulture building of the university. The station has a total of 22.20 acres of land, with 16.10 acres of cultivable land for research activities.
Mandate
Mandate & Thrust Areas
Mandate crops
- Pigeonpea
- Mungbean
- Urdbean
- Cowpea
- Horsegram
- Chickpea
Mandate of the station
- Cater to the research and extension needs of pulse crops such as chickpea, pigeonpea, urdbean, mungbean, cowpea and horsegram grown in southern India.
- Act as a National Off-Season Nursery for advancing breeding material of chickpea, lentil, peas and lathyrus, and during winter season for urdbean and mungbean, to hasten breeding cycles.
- Develop location-specific varieties and crop production and protection technologies for pulses.
- Contribute to capacity building of officials from the Department of Agriculture of various southern Indian states and impart need-based training to pulse growers in association with UAS, Dharwad.
Major thrust / focus areas of research
- Off-season generation advancement of pulses (chickpea, lentil, peas, lathyrus, mungbean, urdbean).
- Plant genetic resources management of pulses and their utilization.
- Genetic enhancement in cowpea and horsegram for yield and multiple stress resistance.
- Enhancing productivity in pulses and pulse-based cropping systems through improved resource and crop management practices.
- Host plant resistance in Vigna and other pulses.
- Eco-friendly management of major and emerging insect pests and diseases in pulse crops.
- Nucleus and breeder seed production of pulse crops.
- Extension needs of the pulse crops grown in southern India.
- Capacity building of state agricultural officials and other stakeholders in pulse cultivation.
Our team
Scientific & Technical Personnel
Dr. M. H. KodandaraamPrincipal ScientistAgricultural EntomologyView full profile ›
Dr. P. R. SablaeSenior ScientistPathologyView full profile ›
Dr. Revanappa BSenior Scientist(Plant Breeding)Plant BreedingView full profile ›
Dr. B. ManuScientistPlant BreedingView full profile ›
Mr. Nikhil Ramrao MohiteSenior Technical AssistantTechnicalView full profile ›
Mr. Nikhil Ramrao Mohite
Senior Technical Assistant
Human resources
| S.No. | Cadre | Sanctioned | Filled | Vacant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scientific | 5 | 05 | 0 |
| 2 | Technical | 2 | 01 | 1 |
| 3 | Administration (UDC and LDC) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Research
Ongoing Research Projects
Institute funded projects
| S.No. | Project title | PI / Co-PI | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breeding for enhanced yield and multiple stress-resistant cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for southern India | B. Manu (PI) | 2025–30 |
| 2 | Breeding for high-yielding, multiple stress-resistant and nutrient-rich urdbean cultivars for diverse agro-ecologies | B. Manu (Co-PI) | 2025–30 |
| 3 | Development of climate-resilient, high-yielding and nutrient-dense short-duration pigeonpea for wider adaptability | B. Manu (Co-PI) | 2025–30 |
| 4 | Development of high-yielding, climate-resilient horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum L.) resistant to powdery mildew and yellow mosaic disease | Revanappa (PI) | 2025–30 |
| 5 | Development of early maturing and high-yielding spring/summer mungbean with heat stress tolerance | Revanappa (Co-PI) | 2025–30 |
| 6 | Development of high-yielding and climate-resilient chickpea with improved plant types | Revanappa (Co-PI) | 2025–30 |
| 7 | Breeding for enhanced yield and multiple stress-resistant cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for southern India | Revanappa (Co-PI) | 2025–30 |
| 8 | Management of pigeonpea diseases caused by SMD and wilt complex | P. R. Sabale (PI) | 2025–30 |
| 9 | Population dynamics of emerging insect pests of Vigna pulses (cowpea, mungbean and urdbean) and their management in the northern transitional zone of Karnataka | M. H. Kodandaram (PI) | 2025–30 |
| 10 | Sustaining crop productivity for pulse-based cropping systems through integrated nutrient management in vertisols of peninsular India | Dr. S. L. Patil (PI) | 2021–22 to 2025–26 |
| 11 | Innovative extension approaches for livelihood and nutritional security through pulse production technology in India, and impact assessment | Dr. S. L. Patil (PI) | 2021–22 to 2025–26 |
Externally funded projects
| S.No. | Project title | PI / Co-PI | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Supply chain of pulses in major pulse producing states of India with focus on eastern states (Department of Consumer Affairs, Govt. of India) | M. H. Kodandaram (PI), B. Manu (Co-PI) | 2025–26 |
| 2 | Seed production and quality enhancement (ICAR funded) | Dr. Revanappa, Dr. B. Manu | — |
| 3 | Genetic enhancement of minor pulses (DBT funded) | Dr. Revanappa | — |
| 4 | Genetic mapping of fusarium wilt and SMD in pigeonpea (ICAR funded) | Dr. P. R. Sable | — |
Outreach
Seed Production, Extension & Institutional Activities
Seed production
The station is involved in breeder and quality seed production of pulse crops — mungbean, urdbean, cowpea, horsegram and chickpea varieties released for the southern zone.
Institutional activities
Organizing institutional activities and programmes such as Parthenium Awareness Week, Vigilance Awareness Week, World Pulses Day, World Environment Day, Swachhata Pakhwada, Van Mahotsav and field days under the SCSP programme, both at the research farm and in farmers’ fields.
Extension activities
- Front-line demonstration of improved crop cultivars and improved pulses technologies in farmers’ fields (FLDs).
- Farmers’ field visits to create awareness of improved pulses technologies in the Deccan Plateau region.
- Capacity building and training programmes on improved pulse and low-cost technologies for farmers, NGOs and state agriculture department staff, and participation in Krishi Melas.
- Teaching and guiding graduate and post-graduate students of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.
- Farmer–scientist interface meetings.
- Organizing farmers’ field days.
- Implementation of the SCSP programme in Karnataka state.
Facilities
Infrastructure Available
Infrastructure
- New laboratory-cum-office building
- National Nursery building
- Seed storage building cum threshing floor (2 nos.)
- Pigeonpea sterility mosaic disease nursery
- Rainout shelters (3 nos.)
- Hi-tech greenhouse (2 nos.) with temperature and RH control
- Insect-proof net house (1 no.)
- Pre-breeding nursery
- Cemented ring pots (108 nos.)
- Diesel generator set of 63 KV capacity with shed
- Farm workers’ shed with toilet
Laboratory equipment
| S.No. | Name of equipment | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vertical autoclave | 01 |
| 2 | Hot air oven | 02 |
| 3 | Laminar air flow cabinet | 01 |
| 4 | Digital pH meter | 02 |
| 5 | BOD incubator | 01 |
| 6 | Display kiosk | 01 |
| 7 | Double distillation unit | 02 |
| 8 | Orbital shaking incubator | 01 |
| 9 | Micro centrifuge | 01 |
| 10 | Hot water bath | 01 |
| 11 | Electronic balance | 01 |
| 12 | Weighing balances | 02 |
| 13 | GPS satellite model | 01 |
| 14 | Moisture meter | 01 |
| 15 | Humidity temperature meter | 01 |
| 16 | Stereo zoom microscope with image analyser | 01 |
| 17 | Refrigerator | 04 |
| 18 | Sewing machine (hand held) | 01 |
| 19 | Portable water purification system | 01 |
| 20 | Trinocular research microscope | 01 |
| 21 | Podium | 01 |
| 22 | Interactive board | 01 |
| 23 | Sony camera | 01 |
Office vehicle and farm implements
| S.No. | Name of equipment | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeep (Tata Sumo) | 01 |
| 2 | Farm tractor | 01 |
| 3 | Four-wheel drive power-operated mini tractor | 01 |
| 4 | Motor bike | 01 |
| 5 | Portable power sprayer | 01 |
| 6 | Tractor with hydraulic trolley | 01 |
| 7 | Brush cutter machine | 02 |
| 8 | Disc harrow | 01 |
| 9 | Rotavator | 01 |
| 10 | Tractor mounted bund former | 01 |
| 11 | Seed cum fertilizer drill | 01 |
| 12 | Raised bed planter | 01 |
| 13 | Multipurpose thresher | 01 |
| 14 | Seed grader | 01 |
| 15 | Lawn mower | 01 |
| 16 | Double reversible mould board plough | 01 |
| 17 | Mini dall mill | 01 |
| 18 | Manual operated tractor trolley | 01 |
| 19 | Water tanker | 01 |
| 20 | Single mould board plough | 01 |
| 21 | Land leveller | 01 |
| 22 | Cultivator | 01 |
| 23 | Bund maker | 01 |
| 24 | Blade harrow | 01 |
| 25 | Manual seed drill | 01 |
| 26 | Sprinkler set | 01 |
| 27 | Battery operated sprayer | 01 |
| 28 | Micro oven | 01 |
| 29 | Seed counter | 01 |
Gallery
Station Facilities in Pictures
Collaboration
Linkages with Other Organizations
- Signed MoU with the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad for undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and research.
- Co-ordination with the pulse scientists of AICRP on Kharif Pulses, UAS Dharwad, for research and extension needs of pulse-cultivating farmers.
- Liaison with officials of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and the Karnataka State Agriculture Department for activities related to pulse crops.
- Collaboration with KVKs — KVK Dharwad, KVK Hulkoti, KVK Belgavi-II, Extension Unit Gadag (UAS Dharwad) and Extension Unit Hadagali (UAS Raichur) — for dissemination of IIPR technologies.