AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION AHMAD WALA KARAK

Introduction

Agricultural Research Station Ahmad Wala Karak was first established as a substation in 1976 which was then upgraded to the level of full-fledged Agricultural Research Station in 1992. This station was established to conduct Research & Development (R & D) for dry southern zones having sandy and sandy loam soils.

The total area of the station is 54.25 acres. About 8 acres of land is under infrastructure which includes offices & laboratory block, stores, machinery sheds, a Threshing floor, a residential colony and roads, while the rest of 40 acres is available for cultivation and new handed over 6.25 acres needs to bring under cultivation as the said land was barren for several years. Cultivation is rainfed and under situations of severe and prolong drought artificial irrigation for raouni and lifesaving irrigation is being done through water tankers from outside.

Details of Sections/Labs

ARS Ahmad Wala Karak main station & Chemistry lab at FMS Karak city.

Official Message from The Director

Our and station main aim is to serve farmers of southern dry sandy areas with respect to pulses crops like gram, mungbean and groundnut etc. Yields are very low and the crops are prone to insects attack, diseases and environmental stresses. Our Scientists team is doing full efforts to increase socio socio-economic status of farmers by providing them high-yielding, drought-tolerant, disease-resistant varieties of pulses by obtaining higher yields and I request the farming community to contact us for valuable information and recommendations regarding pulses crops.

Brief History

Agricultural Research Station Ahmad Wala Karak was first established as Substation in 1976 which was then up graded to level of full fledge Agricultural Research Station in 1992. This station was established to conduct Research & Development (R & D) for dry southern zones having sandy and sandy loam soils.

Objectives

• To serve as a Provincial Research Station to improve the genetic potential for grain yield and nutritional quality of Gram, Lentil, Mungbean, Mashbean, Wheat and Groundnut for the rain-fed areas of the province. This includes;

1. Collection and introduction of pulses germplasm adapted to the different agro-ecological conditions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
2. Development of early maturing and high-yielding varieties resistant to disease and insect pests and tolerant to cold, heat and moisture stresses.
3. Screening and identification of effective rhizobium strains and assessment of suitable inoculation techniques.
4. Development and standardization of production technology of pulses to increase and stabilize the yield through better use of natural and human resources in the dry and tube well-irrigated lands of the province. This includes; date of sowing, seeding rates, row spacing, planting depths, intercropping, seed treatments and safe storage.
5. Transfer the production technologies of pulses, wheat and groundnut to the farming community, CBOs and extension workers through adaptive research trials on farmers’ fields, field days, print and electronic media.
6. Identification of differences among the lines in adaptation regionally and internationally.

• To identify socio economic and other constraints to agricultural development in the semiarid tropics and to evaluate alternative means of alleviating them through technological and institutional changes.
• Production of pre-basic seed of pulses leading varieties.
• Strengthen linkages with the line departments in the district Govt. and NGOs.

• To strengthen and apply scientific knowledge of pulses with a view to increase their potential for production and ensuring its sound management.
• To assist national and regional research programs through cooperation and to contribute further by conferences, operating training programs and assisting extension activities.

Functions

Pulses promotion should be made in the areas where other crops have less productivity as well as in the areas having high pulses production potential like Mash and chickpea

1. To develop & evaluate improved varieties of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris) in rabi season while in Kharif season mungbean (Vigna radiata), mashbean (Vigna munga L.) and Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) through breeding and selection for:
2. High yielding, stable and disease resistant varieties best suited to the area.
3. Early and synchronous maturing cultivars suitable for various cropping systems of the area.
4. Resistance to diseases like Ascochyta blight, Rust, Fusarium wlit, Root rot complex in chickpea and lentil and Yellow mosaic virus in Mungbean.
5. Development of the genetic material, responsive to drought, cold and high inputs e.g. moisture, nutrients and Rhizobium inoculation.
6. Enhancement of genetic variation in pulses germplasm.
7. Improving the economic status of the growers through adoption of advanced production technology.

Mandate

• To produce quality seed of leading varieties of pulses
• To evolve high yielding, disease resistant and drought tolerant varieties of pulses.
• To evaluate varieties resistant to diseases of chickpea with satisfactory yield through selection Kabuli and Desi introgression.
• Value addition to the quality of chickpea by hybridization of kabuli and desi varieties in barani as well as in irrigated areas.
• To introduce and collect chickpea genotypes from international centers and their subsequent use in hybridization for development of superior gram variety for the area.
• To evolve high yielding and disease resistant varieties of Gram, Lentil, Wheat, Mungbean and Groundnut for the barani areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• To develop, standardize & transfer the production technology of these crops to boost up per acre yield the dry land farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to increase the yield in the respective areas.
• To provide research based information and technologies to farmers, CBOs and extension Workers that will sustain agricultural production through implementation of good soil conservation, water management, pest management and fertility management practices. These information will be provided through

1. Adaptive research trials on the farmer’s field.
2. Field days.
3. Print (publications, leaflets and brushers) and electronic media.

Achievements

1. Varietal Development:

Since its establishment the scientists of the station have a well-established research program to increase farm yields of important crops grown in the region. As main objective of the station is to develop new varieties of target crops which are high yielding, disease resistant, stress tolerant and have acceptable nutritional quality. Following is the list of new varieties which are released by this station and duly approved by Provincial Technical Committee, Provincial Seed Council and Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department.

1. Seed Production:

Second important task of the station is to produce and ensure availability of Pre Basic seed of new released varieties so that it may be distributed to farmers for replacing old indigenous varieties. Usually in favorable weather circumstances, about more than 08 tons of pre-basic seed of chickpea is produced every year to meet the demand of extension wing and farming community

1. Development of Production Technology:

Third important activity of the station is to conduct various trials for development of Production technology in order to get maximum benefit of the available resources and to protect the crops from various biotic and abiotic hazards. These trials are conducted each year in order to standardized production technologies with respect to climatic change.

1. Technology Transfer:

Next important activity is to educate and train the farmers to replace their old varieties with new improved one and use of recommended cultural practices for various crops. In this way the goals of the successful R&D conducted in the station can be obtained. This is regularly done through underline outreach tools:

• Adaptive research trials
• Farmers’ training
• Print media (Posters and Pamphlets)
• Radio talks
• Personnel visits and advisory services.

1. Coordination:

Development of linkages and coordination with various national and international organizations is an important aspect of any research organization. ARS Ahmad Wala Karak is playing its due role to successfully implement this activity through following means:

1. Specialized Training sessions are arranged for extension staff/ trainee field assistants and others, which are conducted on farmers oriented problems.
2. Students of agricultural universities of various levels are supervised for their research and thesis conducted on pulses.
3. Collaborative research trials are conducted for various national and international organizations for generating data at local environmental conditions and then sent to these organizations.

Breeding materials and seed of improved varieties are provided to breeders/scientists for conducting their research programs.

Vision/Future Plan

1. Diversity is key to crop improvement. Germplasm acquisition is an integral part of crop improvement. Unfortunately, the flow of diversified Germplasm/ICARDA Nurseries from the National Coordinator Pulses has stopped since 2017-18. Flow of Germplasm/Nurseries to ARS Karak (for Chickpea, Lentil and Mungbean) from national and international sources may be reinstated to boost our crop improvement endeavors.
2. Development of climate resilient varieties to drought and temperature
3. Re- extremities at reproductive stages of Pulses crops.
4. Crop Rotation Research in Rainfed areas.
5. Develop economically viable labour saving technologies for pulses crops.
6. Popularization of pulses in Rice-Wheat system for sustaining productivity of the system.
7. Develop suitable, economically viable and socially acceptable machines for mechanical weed management and harvesting of pulses crops, as no machinery is available for such operations.

List of Officers with their designations and qualifications

Organogram