Onion and garlic are the world famous spice commodities used for flavouring the dishes.  Besides culinary purposes, these are considered as valuable medicinal plants.  The fungicidal and insecticidal properties of garlic are well established.  Dehydrated powder & flakes and paste prepared out of onion and garlic provide rich agro-industrial base for these commodities.

Realizing the importance  of  onion and garlic  in  the country,  ICAR established  National Research Centre for Onion and Garlic in VIII Plan with its headquarter at Nasik in 1994.  However, due to some working constraints, the Centre was shifted to Rajgurunagar on 16 June 1998. Over the years, the centre has created good facilities for field and laboratory work.  The centre has been upgraded to Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research since December 2008. Besides this, an All India Network Project on Onion & Garlic with 28 participating centres all over the country has been established. 

LATEST EVENTS

The 86^th Foundation Day of ICAR was celebrated by the Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research at Rajgurunagar, Pune on 16^th July 2014.  Mr. Suryakant Palande, RAC & IMC Member, DOGR and Ex-MLA, Tal. Shirur, Pune was the Chief Guest.  Mr. P.W. Khandebharad, RAC & IMC Member, DOGR and Mr. M.M. Shitole, Principal, Mahatma Gandhi Vidyalaya, Rajgurunagar, Pune were the guests of honour.  The function was attended by about 100 participants including farmers, state agriculture officials and students.  A presentation on brief history of Agriculture in India and achievements of ICAR was made by Dr. Jai Gopal, Director, DOGR, Pune.  Interaction was held with the farmers and state officials regarding management of prevalent drought situation due to delayed monsoon.  Advisory on strategies to be followed for minimizing the losses in kharif onion was issued.  Chief guests and other dignitaries gave their remarks and appreciated the progress made under the leadership of ICAR in all fields of agriculture including research, teaching and extension.  Students and farmers were also taken around the farm and exhibition hall to explain the various R&D activities of DOGR.

Patur is a small village in Akola district of Maharashtra. This village comes under the rainfed Vidarbha region. Shri Namdeorao Adhau, a farmer from Patur village used to cultivate traditional varieties of onion in his 1.25 acre land, but the production was far below the expectations.

Research of DOGR Changed the Scenario

White Onion is preferred over red onion in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research (DOGR) developed a high yielding white onion variety ‘Bhima Shubhra’. This variety was recommended in the workshop of All India Network Research Project on Onion and Garlic at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Kalyani during 18-19th April 2013 for cultivation in kharif and late kharif seasons. This variety matures in about 110-115 days after transplanting during kharif and 120-130 days after transplanting in late kharif.

Shri Namdeorao Adhau purchased 5 kg seed of ‘Bhima Shubhra’ from DOGR and sowed onion crop on 1.25 acre area on raised bed as per recommended technology of DOGR. He obtained a record marketable yield of 21 tons/acre of good quality bulbs with uniform size and without doubles and bolters.

Enhanced Production Increased the Profitability

Shri Adhau earned a net profit of Rs. 2.5 lakhs by marketing the production of ‘Bhima Shubhra’.  Impressed by the performance of this variety, he decided to disseminate the technology to the farmers in his vicinity. Shri Adhau formed a group of about 300 farmers from twelve villages of the region. Now this group is promoting the cultivation of ‘Bhima Shubhra’ in an area of more than 750 acres in these villages. Most of the members of this group are often earning a net profit of more than Rs. 1.0 lakh/acre.

Appreciation by the Hon’ble President of India

Shri Adhau displayed the bulbs of ‘Bhima Shubhra’ in various agriculture exhibitions including at ‘KRISHI VASANT’ - a National Agriculture Exhibition held at Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), Nagpur during 9-13th February, 2014. Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble President of India was very much impressed by the quality of bulbs of onion variety ‘Bhima Shubhra’ being displayed by Shri Adhau. Shri Mukherjee remarked ‘Bhima Shubhra’ as the King of Onion.

Shri Adhau received the ‘Late Vasantrao Naik Krishi Gaurav Award’ for his pragmatic achievements in onion cultivation. He gave full credit of his success to scientists of DOGR.

The 17^th Foundation Day was celebrated by the Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research, Rajgurunagar, Pune on 16^th June 2014.  Dr. Y.S. Nerkar, Ex. Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri was the Chief Guest.  Dr. P.S. Minhas, Director, NIASM, Baramati and Dr. S.D. Sawant, Director, NRCG, Pune were the guests of honour.  Scientists of the Pune based institutes, KVK representatives, DOGR staff and more than 35 farmers attended the function. Dr. Jai Gopal, Director, DOGR welcomed the participants and presented a review of DOGR development and the status of onion and garlic in the country.  Dr. V. Mahajan, Pr. Scientist (Hort.), DOGR presented the achievements of the DOGR.  The foundation day address was delivered by the Chief Guest.  Other dignitaries also expressed their views and congratulated DOGR for the significant contributions.  Mr. Namdeorao Yadavrao Adhau, Progressive farmer was honoured for his contributions to the popularization of DOGR technologies.  Two ex-employees of DOGR were also facilitated on this occasion for their services.  A publication “Improved cultivation practices for the Onion” was also released.

A Memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by the Director, DOGR with M/s. R.K. Engineering works, Rajgurunagar on 15^th April, 2014 at DOGR, Rajgurunagar for onion grader developed by DOGR. The MoU has been formulated as per the ICAR guidelines. As per MoU, DOGR extended a non-exclusive license to M/s. R.K. Engineering works, Thigal Sthal, Rajgurunagar, Pune for manufacturing of motorized onion grader. M/s. R.K. Engineering works is a small scale industry which is involved in the manufacturing of agricultural implements. Motorised onion grader works with the 1HP motor and grades the onion into four grades.  DOGR is confident that the said MoU will promote the widespread adoption of this onion grader in India and ensure the availability of grader to the end users.