Introduction
Directorate of Agriculture Research was initially established as “Doti Agriculture Farm” in 1961 for overall development of the agriculture for mid and high-hill of far western province of Nepal. Later on, this “Doti Agriculture Farm” was transformed into Agriculture Research Station under the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) in 1991. After that, this research station has been carrying out various research activities for sustainable development of agriculture. Previously research and production program was only focused on agronomical crops (cereal, legume and oilseed) by the station. But now station has been executing various research studies on vegetable production and management, cropping system, research and development, weed and nutrient management, germplasm collection and maintenance and promotion of forage and pasture crops considering agriculture problems of mid and high-hill districts of far western province.
Geography, Soil types and Climate
This directorate is located at altitude of 610 m above mean sea level on 290 15′ north latitude and 800 55′ east longitudes. This directorate has nearly 6 ha cultivated land. The soil is light texture, low organic matter (1-2 %) and acidic in nature containing pH 6.
Vision
Improved livelihood of far western hills and mountain people through increasing productivity of cereals, grain legumes, vegetables, forage and ornamentals plants.
Strategy (2068-2072)
- Establish multi-commodity research programs (crops, horticulture, forage and pasture) and laboratory facilities for impacting research’s result in wider scale.
- Implement intensive research on crop management and improvement regarding cereals and grain legumes to increase present productivity.
- Provide good quality seeds (foundation and improved) to farmers through promoting community based seed production (CBSP) program.
- Identify high yielding genotypes of forage and pasture, suitable for far western hill and mountain districts.
- Initiate to integrate new research programs on vegetables, ornamental plants and agro-forestry in research station.
- Improve the local cropping system of farmers regarding mixed and intercropping in order to increase cropping intensity and diversity around command areas.
- Establish research infrastructures such as irrigation, research plots & farm roads for multidisciplinary research program.
- Collection and conservation of indigenous cultivars of cereals and grain legumes at mid and high hill district of far western region.
- Study the possibilities of olive cultivation in far western hills and mountain district.
- Establish strong linkages with other stakeholders for establishing agro-park in the bank of Seti River.
Major Research Activities
Varietal improvement of Core Research
- Develop viable cropping system to recommended domain of mid and high-hill districts of far western province for profitable net economic return.
- Manage and promote research studies on nutrient management for improving soil fertility of the command area
- Research on various drought tolerant varieties/genotypes of rice for rain fed condition of mid-hill districts of command area.
- Study on stress tolerant varieties of maize and wheat for rain fed condition of mid and high-hill region.
Source Seed Production
- Produce foundation seed of various crops as per demand.
- Provide source (foundation) seed to groups, cooperatives, and government farms and offices for the improved seed production.
- Facilitate community based seed producing group (CBSP) for quality seed production by providing technical knowledge and skill through training and orientation.
Germplasm Collection and Maintenance
- Collect and characterize significant landraces of various crops for future improvement and utilization around the command districts.
- Study of genetic diversity and combining ability among of the Nepalese maize varieties and landraces.
Research Achievements
Crop: Rice
- NR 548-B-22-2-1 (3350 kg/ha), NR 10591-B-B-1-1 (3250 kg/ha) and NR 10490-59-3-2-1 (3225 kg/ha) identified as promising genotypes of normal rice for mid hill agro-environment of far western province.
- RR 443-2 genotypes of upland rice identified as promising for grain yield (3444 kg/ha) for rain-fed river basin agro-environment of far western province.
- Sunaulo, an indigenous cultivar of upland rice, has shown encouraging results and its’ screening work is continue.
Crop: Maize
- RPOP-4 (2215 kg/ha), RPOP-3 (2157 kg/ha) and RPOP-2 (2109 kg/ha) identified as promising genotypes maize for river basin agro-environment of far western region.
- Maize genotypes S97TLYGH (3) terai and Arun-1E early was found better in terms of grain yield (3646 and 3020 kg/ha) at tar/foot hills and mid-hill, respectively.
Crop: Wheat
- WK-1716 (3467 kg/ha) and WK 1719 (3210 kg/ha) were found superior genotypes of wheat for rain-fed mid hill agro-environment of far western province.
- 3EBWYT-513 (3359 kg/ha) and 3EBWYT-515 (3109 kg/ha) identified as superior lines of wheat for rain-fed river basin agro-environment.
- NL 1054 (4138 kg/ha) and NL 1053 (4132 kg/ha) genotypes of wheat identified as superior cultivars for irrigated river basin agro-environment of far western province.
Crop: Chickpea
- ICCX840508-32 (778 kg/ha) and ICCX840508-21 (748 kg/ha) were found promising genotypes of chickpea for far western river basin agro-environment.
Cropping System
- Cropping intensity and diversity increased through introduction of early maturing crop varieties and improvement of the appropriate farming system (Upland rice + Maize, Maize + Soybean, Wheat + Mustard, Wheat + Lentil) around command districts of far western development province.
Researchers
- Mr. Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Senior Scientist/Director
Contact Address
Nepal Agricultural Research Council
Directorate of Agriculture Research
Far Western Province, Dipayal, Doti
Phone: 977-094-440162
Fax: 977-094-440162
E-mail: arsdoti@narc.gov.np
Website: www.narc.gov.np