Farmers in Chitradurga have adopted LED technology for their chrysanthemum cultivation, installing approximately 300 LED bulbs per acre to maintain steady production throughout the year. This approach helps protect plants during winter, while creating a spectacular display that attracts visitors.
Chrysanthemum cultivation in the district spans several villages, including Kyadigere, Chikkenahalli, Doddasiddavvanahalli, Kusuvanahalli, Hunasekatti, Kallahalli in Chitradurga taluk, and Nelagattanahalli and others in Challakere taluk.
Previously, farmers harvested chrysanthemums only during Deepavali and Dasara festivals, limiting them to a single crop. Now, Chitradurga farmers cultivating the Cent Yellow breed of chrysanthemum achieve three harvests annually, although they face challenges in protecting their crops during the winter months.
The Cent Yellow chrysanthemum variety flowers throughout the year, providing farmers with a steady income. "Farmers are required to set up LED bulbs to produce light and heat for the plants to avoid diseases and grow in short duration to get a better yield. The LED light works like medicine and generates heat for the plants," asserted an officer from the department of horticulture.
Read more at Times of India