Horticultural scientist G. Karunakaran, who is credited with popularising dragon fruit cultivation and identifying the Siddu jackfruit variety, was conferred on Dr. Kalayya Krishnamurthy National Award 2024 by the University of Agricultural Sciences -Bengaluru (UAS-B) on the occasion of its 60th Foundation Day, on Thursday.
Dr. Karunakaran, who is working as Principal Scientist (Horticulture) in Division of Fruit Crops at the ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, is renowned for his work in popularising fruit varieties that are not only suitable for the parched conditions, but also fetch remunerative incomes to farmers. He has also worked on the value addition aspects related to fruit crops, including the neglected crops like tamarind and jackfruit to help increase farmers’ incomes.
With over 26 years of service in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr. Karunakaran has made pioneering contributions to the improvement and commercialisation of several fruit crops, including banana, papaya, jackfruit, dragon fruit, avocado, rambutan, Coorg mandarin, and tamarind. His innovative work on fruit genetic resources, crop improvement, and value chain development has left a lasting imprint on tropical horticulture.
