AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH STATION, SEENLASHT, CHITRAL

Official message from Head of Department

The total reported area of the district Chitral is 99000 hectares between the latitude 35°-37° North and longitude 71°-74° East. The total cultivated area is about 23000 hectares out of this about 21000 (91.3%) is irrigated and the rest is rain-fed. Climate is dry temperate which is ideally suitable for organic temperate fruits and vegetable production. The area also has high potential in vegetable seed production and can minimize the import burden up to a great extent. Agriculture vital for decent survival of poor people of these remote areas. ARS Chitral has been making great contributions in up lifting the life standards of the farming community by increasing the per unit yield of different crops. 

Functions

Agriculture Research and development

Objectives

1. Variety development: Germplasm screening, selection of improved varieties, approval of variety / varieties, pre-basic and basic seed production of the variety / varieties and identification of desirable rootstock and bud-wood for further multiplication.
2. Production technology development: Nutrient requirement, improved agronomic practices, Integrated Pest / Crop Management (IPM & ICM), post harvest management, and storage.
3. Transmission of improved technology: Through adaptive research, training courses, workshops, seminars, field days and mass media.

Vision / future plan

1. Agriculture Research especially in view of climatic change for ensuring food security of poor people of these remote areas.
2. Further developments in ongoing research activities.

Development projects / ADP

Technological Improvement In Research And Strengthening Of Agricultural Research Stations Of KPK

Achievements

• Introduced winter wheat line NR-218 and other high yielding varieties like Pirsabak-05, Pakistan-13, Pakhtunkhwa-15, Pakistan-13, Suleman-96 etc in the area.
• Wheat germplasm collected from national and international sources tested in the area and several lines selected having potential of around 4000-5000 kg grain yield per hectare.
• Introduced improved early maturing maize and rice varieties replacing local low yielding cultivars.
• Introduced improved vegetables varieties and non conventional fruits such as Cherry.
• Twenty seven outstanding genotypes in grapes, 21 in apricot, 20 in walnut, 07 in pomegranate and 06 in pear were collected and preserved at the station.
• Introduced Lucerne for fodder purpose which gives 7-8 cuts year^-1.
• Distributed fruit samplings of major fruits among growers.
• Imparted training in post production technologies including fruit and vegetable drying and preservation as squashes, jam etc.
• Provided advisory work to visiting farmers on aspects ranging from orchard establishment / management to improved production technology and pest management in cereals, vegetables, fruits etc.
• Introduced Rhubarb (Ashpar) squash in the area. Rhubarb is a 6-8 inches plant with big leaves. Juice is extracted from stem rich in Vitamin C with good medicinal properties. Abundantly available in high lands of Garam Chashma valleys and other parts of Chitral.

Additional services

Adaptive Research Plots on farmers’ fields

Advisory Services for visiting farmers, NGOs and other departments

Supervision of BSc (Hons), MSc (Hons) and Ph.D students from various universities

Public access to government

Most demanded information services (MDIS)

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