LUDHIANA,
Farm experts highlighted the importance of medicinal, aromatic and spice crops in the present scenario of agriculture during the two-day training course on the “Scope of Aromatic, Medicinal and Spice Crops,” which concluded at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today. The course was held under the guidance of Dr J.S. Mahal, Director of Extension Education, PAU.

The PAU experts imparted theoretical as well as practical knowledge on the cultivation of mentha and turmeric; cultivation of seed spices; medicinal, aromatic and spice crops based cropping system; crop intensification through medicinal, aromatic and spice crops; cultivation of Cymbopogon sp. (Lemon Grass, Palma Rosa and Citronella); and weed, insect-pest and disease control in medicinal, aromatic and spice crops. Besides, they dwelt on other aspects of medicinal, aromatic and spice crops with thrust on their organic cultivation, quality parameters, processing and agri-business model. Prospects of aloe-vera and chicory cultivation in Punjab were also discussed during the training.

Earlier, Dr T.S. Riar, Coordinator of the course, welcomed the farmers, farm women and the resource persons while later, Dr Rupinder Kaur, Course Coordinator, proposed the vote of thanks.The experts were from the Departments of Agronomy, Chemistry, Entomology, Processing and Food Engineering, Business Studies and School of Organic Farming.