Skill Enhancement Course (SEC-II)

Packing and Packaging of Horticulture Crops

Different packaging and cushioning materials used for horticultural produce. Packaging technology for retail marketing- vacuum, shrink wrap, cling pack. Concept of active and passive packaging. Important physical parameters of different packaging materials. Determination of gas permeability and water vapour permeability of packaging materials. Designing of retail packaging boxes. Different type of damages occurring in horticultural crops during transportation. Packaging technology for domestic and export of commercial horticultural crops. Controlled and modified atmospheric packaging for shelf-life enhancement. Visit to commercial pack house. Visit to fruits and vegetables market.

Farm Machinery

Familiarization with different makes and models of agricultural tractors. Identification of various functional systems including air supply, fuel, cooling, transmission, steering and hydraulic systems. Maintenance points to be checked before starting a tractor. Familiarization with controls on a tractor. Safety rules and precautions to be observed while driving a tractor. Practice of driving a tractor and with tillage tools (Primary/Secondary tillage implements) and their adjustment in the field. Field patterns while operating a tillage implement. Hitching and de-hitching of mounted and trailed type implements to the tractor. Practice for driving of a trailed type of trolley: forward and in reverse direction. Familiarization with different types of sprayers. Operation of tractor operated boom and orchard sprayers. Calibration of a sprayer. Nozzle spacing on a boom, pressure setting of a nozzle. Use of Pick Positioner. Use of drones for spraying. Familiarization with tractor operated tree pruners.

Introduction to Forestry

Identification of important farm grown trees, tree seeds and seedlings. Site selection for tree nursery and layout of nursery. Propagation methods, plantation establishment, plantation management, pest and diseases management and harvesting for various wood-based industries. Height measurement, diameter measurement and Volume estimation in trees - Identification of wood and non - wood forest products - Visit to Agroforestry plantations. Visit to Pulp and Paper, Matchwood, Energy, plywood industries to study the production, processing and marketing.

Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Micro-irrigation System

Micro-irrigation system installation: installation of filters and fertigation equipment, installation of main and sub mains, laying of laterals, punching of laterals, and fixing of emitters, operation of micro-irrigation systems(drip/sprinkler). Maintenance of micro-irrigation system: filter cleaning, maintenance of fertigation equipment, chemical treatment, sub-main and lateral/ bi-wall flushing. Introduction to automated irrigation system in open field and greenhouse- sensors for soil moisture, temperature, light control devices, timing devices, fertigation systems, solenoid devices, remote controlled valves system.