Nauni’s AICRP on Honey Bees & Pollinators Wins Best Research Centre Award

The All India Coordinated Research Project on Honey Bees & Pollinators (AICRP HB&P) at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has been honored with the prestigious Best AICRP Research Centre award. This accolade was presented at the Annual Group Meeting of AICRP, recently held in Palampur. The meeting presided over by Dr. T.R. Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Science) of ICAR, and Dr. Poonam Jasrotia, Assistant Director General (Plant Protection and Biosecurity), included presentations from 25 AICRP centers nationwide.

The centers shared their research work for the year 2023-24. The event also saw the participation of Project Coordinator Dr. Sachin Suroshe from IARI New Delhi, along with numerous subject experts and scientists. The Solan center's research efforts stood out, especially in honey bee pollination studies for medicinal crops such as chamomile, linseed, tulsi, and glory lily, as well as fruit crops like pear in Kalpa, Kinnaur. Their studies revealed that bee pollination significantly boosts yield and other key economic factors.

The center's exploration of honey bees in natural farming systems further demonstrated that pollination enhances seed yield, seedling growth, and germination in crops like onion and sunflower, compared to conventional farming methods. In addition, they are working on selective breeding of Apis mellifera L. to increase royal jelly production and develop bumblebee-rearing technologies.

Vice Chancellor, Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, congratulated the AICRP team, led by Project Investigator Dr. Kiran Rana, Co-PI Dr. Meena Thakur, and Department of Entomology Head, Dr. Subhash Verma. He praised their commitment to advancing beekeeping and pollination research, emphasizing the importance of pollinators in enhancing agricultural productivity. The Nauni center continues to excel, consistently ranking among the best research centers in India.

In addition, Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, Director of Research, Dr. Manish Sharma, Dean of Horticulture, and other university officials extended their heartfelt congratulations, further solidifying the center's reputation for excellence in apiculture research.