The Rice Research Station, Vyttila is situated in a representative site in the centre of the pokkali tract. This station started functioning during the year 1958 in a leased land in Kunnara, and was shifted to the present site in 1963. The station was taken over by the KAU in 1974. Taking into account the importance of fish- prawn culture during the saline phase, a unit for fisheries research was established during the year 1976. At present the station has a total area of 8.91 ha of which 4.25 ha are wet land.

Rice in Pokkali (Saline) areas and rice-fish farming system are the lead functions.

• 
  Five saline tolerant, high yielding rice cultivars suited to the Pokkali ecosystem have been evolved. The cultivars are Vyttila - 1, Vyttila - 2, Vyttila - 3, Vyttila - 4, and Vyttila -5.

• A technology for raising prawns as a follow up crop after rice has been standardised.

• Technology for the simultaneous culture of rice and fish has also been evolved.