Raichur Farm was started on 2nd January 1932 on a 115 acre land close to Raichur town in between Askihal and Rampur villages. It was the main experimental farm established to find out crops and varieties suited to Hyderabad-Karnataka region with emphasis on Kumpta cotton. Fruits and Vegetables besides grain crops. From 1935, it was converted into Dry Farming Research Station by ICAR in collaboration with the then Hyderabad Government. New Dry Farming technologies like scooping, compartment bonding, use of low seed rate, multiple inter-culturing, application of FYM and use of draught tolerant varieties were advocated on basic soil conservation principles of contour bunding. Many useful dryland techniques were released for the benefit of the dryland farmers.

 Concurrently crop improvement programme with emphasis on Kumpta cotton and American Cotton was taken up. Varieties like Western-1, Jaydhar and Laxmi cotton varieties were tested and adopted. An Oilseed substation was also established in 1951 to evolve improved varieties in oilseed crops like groundnut, safflower, sesame, linseed, castor and niger. In fact, a firm base was laid for further research on groundnut and castor during this period. Simultaneously pulse research was also initiated during 1944-54 and pigeonpea varieties. C-11 and C-28 pigeonpea varieties were tested and adopted. Horticulture garden was established with fruit crops like mango, pumello, chikku, lime etc., during 1935-56.

 After the reorganization of states during 1956 the research station at Raichur came under the control of Agricultural Department of the then Mysore State and later Karnataka Government. Main emphasis of this station however remaind crop improvement of oilseeds, pulses and millets. In oilseed crops S-206 and S-230 in groundnut, RC-7, RC-8 and RC-11 in castor, S-144, S-142 in safflower,    S-148 in linseed were developed at this station. Suitable agronomic and plant protection methods were also developed to suit the new varieties.

 The Agricultural Research Station came under the control of University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru in 1965. During this period 1965-1986 varieties like R-51 and DB-3-12 in cotton, E-8 in sesame, RSH-1 in Rabi sorghum, S-230, S-206, KRG-1, JL-24 in groundnut and No-71 in niger were released. Later during 1986 UAS, Dharwad was established, during this period from 1986-2008, RAS-299-1, RAMPBS-155, HB-244, DHB-105, DHH-11, DDhc-11, RAhs-14 and DHH-543 in cotton, ICGS-11, R-8808, R-9251, K-134, TAG-24 and R-2001-3 in groundnut, S-31, TS-3, ICPL-87119 and WRP-1 in pigeonpea, ICCV-10 and GBS-964 in Bengalgram, RCR-18 in niger, 48-1 in castor, SSV-74, Nandini, Samruddhi, Annapurna and DHN-6 in fodder crops, ICTP-8203 in Bajra, DS-1 in sesame, Khader, Neeleshan, Panchadara Kalasa in Mango varieties/hybrids were released.

 After the establishment of University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur during 2009 the Regional Research Station is redesignated as the Main Agricultural Research Station. Research work is concentrated on Cereals, Oilseeds, Pulses, Cotton, Chilli, Sugarcane, Millets, Horticultural crops, Fisheries, Forestry, Animal science etc., in developing various technologies. During this period, RSFH-1, RSFV-901, RSFH-130 and RSFH-1887 in sunflower, Kadiri-9 in groundnut (adoption),  TS-3R and GRG-811 in pigeonpea, NL-115 in linseed, GGV-05-01 (Gangavathi sona), IET-19251 and Siri-1253 in paddy, BGS-9 in greengram, SIA-2644 in foxtailmillet and SCS-793 in cotton were released. Apart from developing varieties/hybrids intensive research on crop production, crop protection, soil and  water conservation practices and post harvest technologies, food processing  is carrying out in the university.  

Dr. Channabasavanna, A.S. The Associate Director of Research  Phone : 08532-220193 Fax : 08532-220193 E-mail: adr@uasraichur.edu.in  website : www.uasraichur.edu.in