The Regional Agricultural Research Station for the Southern Zone has been functioning at Vellayani since February 1982. Apart from continuing the research activities under NARP Phase I and Phase II , the station implemented 30 externally aided research projects comprising of five AICRPs, five ICAR ad hoc schemes, eight STED projects, one CDS project, one KAU-RRII project, one NWDPRA project, one Food processing project funded by Ministry of Food Processing Industry, three DST projects, two DBT projects, two PPIC projects and one RSMM project.

Lead functions are research under partially shaded conditions and export-oriented vegetables and cut flower production. The Centre has verification functions on rice, fruits, homestead farming, coconut, tuber crops, vegetabeles, farm machinery for garden lands, AICRPs on forage crops, nematodes, oil seeds and pesticide residues are functioning here.

The following crop cultivars were released for cultivation

• The following crop cultivars were identified as suitable for growing in the partial shaded conditions of coconut gardens.

  Guinea grass : Haritha, Marathakom

  Horse gram : HPK-2, Cul. NBPGR-539

  Groundnut : TG-3, TG-14 Spanish improved, TMV-2 & TMV-7

  Grain cowpea : Chharodi-1

  Blackgram : TAU-2

  Tapioca : Sreevisakom

• Optimum plant population for tapioca to be grown in coconut gardens has been standardised as 8000 per ha.

• For Sreevisakom (grown as intercrop in coconut gardens0, the fertilizer dose of NPK @ 50-50-100 kg/ha has been found to be the best.

• For the seed treatment in blackgram, two Rhizobium cultures (KAU BG-2 and KAU BG-12) have been identified.

• For seed treatment in groundnut, onerhizobium culture KAU GN-1 has been recommended.

• For the control of pests of vegetables (bhindi & brinjal) in the homesteads, application of Carbofuran @ 0.5 kg ai/ha or Phorate @ 1.0 kg ai/ha at seeding, followed by need-based application of foliar insecticides has been found to be good.

• Waiting periods of insecticides to be applied on bittergaurd, bhindi and cowpea have been found out. For rice, waiting periods for Quinalphose, Fenthion and Mercaptothion were worked out as 7 days, 7 days and 3 days, respectively.

• For the control of sheath blight of rice, application of 50% more potash than the recommended dose in splits has been recommended.

• For control of rhinoceros beetle, filling the manure pits to a height of 15 cm. From the floor with soil treated with HCH @ 0.2 kg ai/m3 or Aldrin @ 0.1 kg ai/m3 has been recommended.

• Cultivation techniques for oyster mushroom Plearotus sajor caju have recommended.