Field trip to RARS
Date- 21st March, 2024
Faculty
Coordinators- Dr P. Mary Anupama, Head, Dept of Biochemistry and Dr Mousami Shankar Addala , Assistant
Professor, Department of Biochemistry
Target group: 3rd BBC and 2nd BBC
REPORT
The
Regional Agricultural Research Station is located on Anakapalli – Chodavaram
road 40 Km from Visakhapatnam. It has a total of 103 acres land. This Research
station does contribute to sugarcane cultivation, sun hemp (green manure),
Biofertilizers, Biopesticides and soil analysis. The field trip started with
introduction to the cultivation methods adopted at RARS, and how the crops are
maintained. As it was a harvest time for sugarcane, the scientist took the team
to sugarcane crushers. Sun hemp was cultivated and it was also in its harvest
time. In general, the sun hemp after it is grown to certain height it is
crushed into soil as it is green manure. At RARS, it is grown and seeds are
harvested for distribution.
Then
visited biofertilizer manufacturing unit. They grow Rhizobium, Anabaena and
Azotobacter species. The equipment shown were autoclaves, laminar airflow and
Bioreactors of upto 1000L capacity. Biopesticides introduction was given to the
students and emphasis was on encouraging natural pesticides.
Jaggery
manufacturing process was shown to the students. Crushing and pans used for
concentrating cane juice and moulds were exhibited. Advanced automated machines
were shown and another boiler which runs by gas was also shown.
In
the soil testing unit various equipment used for soil analysis like Flame
photometer, calorimeter, water distillation units, Atomic Absorption
spectrophotometer etc were shown.
Total
duration of stay was from 10.15am to 2.0 PM.
The
students were later were taken to a tourist spot Bojjannakonda which has Buddha
status carved on stones for 30 minutes and the team returned back to college
campus by 4.30 PM.
