1972: Regional Research Station, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute established at Manasbal, Bandipora (then Distt. Baramulla), Jammu & Kashmir. The Directorate of Animal Husbandry, J& K Govt. provided 20 acres of land in their farm. Subsequently, the entire Manasbal Farm was handed over to SKUAST, Kashmir.
1988: Under MOU between SKUAST-K and ICAR, research activities of the station were shifted from Manasbal to K D Farm, Old Air Field, Rangreth, Srinagar on an area of 20 acres provided by the university. On July 9, 1988, foundation stone of the regional centre of IGFRI at K D Farm was laid by Dr N S Randhawa, Secretary DARE & Director General, ICAR in presence of Dr Punjab Singh, Director, IGFRI and Dr Bimal Misri, OIC, IGFRI, Regional Centre (J & K).
1996: IGFRI Regional Centre temporarily shifted to Palampur, Himachal Pradesh on account of unfavourable conditions in the valley of Kashmir.
2011: IGFRI, RRS Srinagar reopened. Mr. Suheel Ahmad, Scientist (Agroforestry) transferred to RRS Srinagar for commencing research activities at the station.
Mandate
Collection, Evaluation, Introduction and Documentation of temperate and sub-temperate forage germplasm.
Evaluation of high yielding and nutritive forage crop varieties.
Developing technologies for improving the grassland agro-resource management practices to sustain livelihood and Himalayan environment.
Thrust Area
Pasture Improvement in Himalayan region.
Enhance fodder resource availability through alternate land use systems.
Amelioration of grazing lands and alpine pasturelands for livelihood support to pastoral communities.
Research Highlights
Grassland inventory of Jammu and Kashmir using GIS and Remote sensing Socio-economic survey of pastoral communities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Introduction of range grasses and legumes in the cold desert of Ladakh Establishment of a pastoraleum/live museum of temperate range grasses and legumes.
Multiplication and transplanting of local grasses and legumes namely Dactylis, Phalaris, Bromus, Tall fescue, Timothy, lolium, Lupin and sainfoin.
Research Activities initiated at RRS, Srinagar
Several grass species namely Dactylis, Phalaris, Bromus and Tall fescue, timothy, lolium and some legumes (Lupin, white clover, red clover and sainfoin) have been sown at farm for evaluation and multiplication.
From SKUAST, Srinagar, oat varieties SKO-90, SKO-20, SKO-167, SKO-147 have been procured and sown at the research farm for further multiplication. "
An inter-institutional project with CITH entitled, "Augmenting Forage Resource Availability through Development of Hortipastoral systems" has been approved by the CA of IGFRI and CITH.
