Main Oilseeds Research Station                 
Junagadh Agricultural University                 
Junagadh- 362 001 (Gujarat)                 
(Year of Establishment : 1956)

INTRODUCTION :

     Gujarat plays a prominent role in oilseed production in the country with a share of 11.0% and 15.0 % in area and production, respectively towards oilseed crops of the country. Among the oilseeds, groundnut is the most important crop produced in Gujarat. The state is the largest producer of the groundnut in the country with a share of 32 % in area and 37 % in the production of groundnut in India. Out of the total area under oilseeds in Gujarat groundnut predominates and covers 63.4 % area and contributes 64.3% of the production of the oilseed crops.

HISTORY OF THE STATION :

     The Main Oilseeds Research Station was established at Junagadh during the year 1956 in the state with the objectives to breed and develop high yielding, disease and pest resistant and better quality varieties of different oilseed crops like groundnut, castor, sesame, sunflower, soybean and mustard. Currently, the centre is actively engaged in groundnut research works in the main areas like,                 
1. Plant Breeding& Genetics - Crop improvement                 
2. Agronomy- Crop production                 
3. Plant Protection : (a) Agril. Entomology, (b) Plant Pathology                 
4. Plant Physiology                 
     In addition to these, the station is also working as a testing center for Mustard, Sunflower and Sesame crops. The center also contributes the groundnut varieties and castor varieties / hybrids for National level research programme and it is one of the centre for the All India Coordinated Research Projects on Groundnut, National Seed Project, RKVY Seed Project and aflatoxin project.

Establishment of the Centre: 1956

     The research work on oilseed crops started initially since 1956 and further integrated and strengthened at the Main Oilseeds Research Station at Junagadh with wide network of regional research station at Amreli, Jamnagar and Umrala (Saurashtra region), Talod, Vijapur and Manund (North Gujarat) and testing centers at Derol (Middle Gujarat ), Bhachhau (Kutch region), and Navsari ( South Gujarat ).

Establishment of AICRP Centre: 1968

     Research schemes at that time consisted of the Integrated Oilseeds Research Scheme financed by State Government. The All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Oilseeds financed by the ICAR, New Delhi was established during the year 1968 for groundnut at Junagadh, castor at Vijapur and sesame breeding at Umrala.                 
    Groundnut was introduced in India somewhere during 19th century and spread throughout country within a short period of five to six decades. Since then, this center has released 13 spanish bunch, 04 semi-spreading and 11 spreading type high yielding varieties of groundnut for Gujarat and other parts of the country, which has resulted in the increased in production and productivity of groundnut.

MANDATES OF RESEARCH :

1. To develop early maturing groundnut varieties with high yield potential, better quality and high oil content.                 
2. To develop disease, pest, drought and aflatoxin resistant groundnut varieties with good export potential.                 
3. Development early maturing runner varieties of groundnut.                  
4. To evolve production technologies for newly developed and improved varieties.                 
5. To provide breeder seed of groundnut varieties to the agencies of Gujarat and India.                 
6. To disseminate information generated through research to farmers through front line demonstrations.                 
7. To solve problems regarding groundnut production through radio, TV programmes, popular articles, hand outs, personal discussion, night discussion and by organizing farmers' day and week end training programmes etc.

OBJECTIVES :

1. Development of high yielding varieties tolerance to drought major diseases and pests                 
2. Incorporation of earliness especially in Virginia runner groundnut.                 
3. Development of HPS and confectionery groundnut varieties and development of appropriate production technology of groundnut                 
4. To evolve varieties of groundnut crop with high yield potential, better quality, with fresh seed dormancy (in Spanish bunch group) and drought, disease and pest resistance.                 
5. To develop agro technology and plant protection measures for newly released groundnut variety.                 
6. To produce breeder seeds of groundnut varieties as per state and national indents.                 
7. Preparation of database of aflatoxin in groundnut for Saurashtra region.                 
8. Farmers participatory research through on farm front line demostrations of groundnut                 
9. Scaling up of Rapid generation advancement (RGA) facilities to fast-track development of groundnut cultivars with industry- preferred traits                 
10. Identify the QTL(s) for industry-preferred traits in groundnut and develop cost-effective QTL(s) associated markers

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES :

I. Breeding                 
A. Groundnut                 
1. Crop Improvement                 
2. Testing of breeding materials                 
3. Fresh crosses to generate breeding materials.                 
4. Germplasm evaluation                 
5. Seed multiplication of promising lines                 
6. Seed production of groundnut varieties                 
7. Production of nucleus and breeder seed of groundnut as per the DAC indent received from Government of India and Govt. of Gujarat                 
8. Experimental works in State and AICRP trials of summer and kharif seasons                 
B. Sesamum: Varietal evaluation under state and national programme                 
C. Soyabean: Varietal evaluation under state and national programme                 
D. Mustard: Varietal evaluation under state and national programme                 
II. Agronomy                 
1. Water, nutrient and weed management in groundnut                  
2. Intercropping studies on groundnut                  
3. Survey of agronomic practices in the area of summer andkharif groundnut cultivation                 
4. Intercropping system of groundnut with castor, pearl millet, cotton and pigeon pea.                 
5. Agronomic practices for AVT (bunch, semi spreading, spreading) entries and new trials as per AICRP technical programme                 
III Entomology                 
1. Screening of groundnut entries / lines from PET, SSVT, LSVT, IVT and AVT for resistance to insect-pests in kharif and summer groundnut, Sesame and mustard                 
2. Monitoring of Spodoptera litura using pheromone trap, pest incidence in kharif groundnut.                 
3. Testing the bio-efficacy of certain insecticides and biorationals in Groundnut,Sesame and Mustard                 
IV. Plant Pathology                 
1. Survey and Monitoring of various diseases of oilseed crops to find out the intensity and disease situation in Saurashtra region of Gujarat.                 
2. Screening of Promising genotypes of oilseed crops against major diseases.                 
3. Integrated and ecofriendly management of major diseases of groundnut.                 
V. Plant Physiology                 
1. Physiological parameters studies on different groundnut entries in early maturity, greater partitioning of dry matter to pods during pod filling phase, presence of short term dormancy (7-15 days) in SB groundnut and drought tolerance.

INFORMATION OF UNIT HEAD :