Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 27: Dr. Ajit Arun Waman, Senior Scientist, ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, has been inducted as the Associate Fellow of the Society for Promotion of Horticulture (SPH), Bengaluru during the Annual General Meeting of the society. SPH is a nationally acclaimed society of horticultural researchers, academicians and professionals having headquarters at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. In order to recognize the contribution of researchers in the development of Horticultural Science in the country, the society gives various awards and fellowships.
Dr. Ajit joined the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) during 2014 with first posting at the ICAR-CIARI, Sri Vijaya Puram. Since then, he has been dedicatedly working on the conservation and sustainable utilization of native horticultural species in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has reported Piper pendulispicum as a new species for the country from the islands and a collection of which has been registered with ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi. He developed the country’s first improved variety of Indian Bay Leaf and co-developed two varieties of Malabar Tamarind, in addition to identifying superior cinnamon germplasm. He has identified superior varieties of spices suitable for the island ecosystem such as black pepper, cinnamon, lemongrass, long pepper etc. apart from developing arecanut and coconut based cropping system models, urban horticulture models etc.
He has been granted three Industrial Design registrations by the Indian Patent Office, filed one more, and successfully commercialized two technologies to the island entrepreneurs. His bioprospecting efforts highlighted the potential of native species like woody pepper, Curcuma mangga and Garcinia dhanikhariensis as novel crops for the humid tropics. He played pivotal role in establishing agro-eco-tourism models, a commercial horticultural nursery, and the Islands’ first commercial Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory. He has standardized propagation protocols for several endemic species of these islands and the planting material of potential species is being made available to the island stakeholders. He has also played a crucial role in extending practical hands on trainings, capacity building programmes and other scientific trainings to the island stakeholders including farmers, youth, women, tribal masses and officials of various departments under UT Administration.
He has led research projects funded by various ministries under Government of India including Ministry of Science and Technology, Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, AYUSH etc. and has published several peer reviewed articles, books and popular publications with national and international publishers. He has organized three national conferences as an Organizing Secretary in the islands thereby contributing to the development of island horticulture.
Dr. Jai Sunder, Director (A), ICAR-CIARI expressed his happiness for this prestigious national recognition which contributed in bringing fame not only to the Institute but to the islands as well. The event was attended by the life members of the SPH from various parts of the country.