10th, March, 2023

Topic: Stunning Tulip Garden in the Heart of Himachal Pradesh’s Cultural Capital, Palampur

 

Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains are essential.

Importance for  Prelims: General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization and General science

Significance for the Mains Exam:

• PAPER-VI: GENERAL STUDIES-III: UNIT II: Latest developments in science and technology for harnessing agriculture, horticulture, medicinal and herbal resources in the country.

 

What is the news?

• After seeing such a positive response from tourists at the first Tulip Garden in Palampur, officials in Himachal Pradesh are considering building additional gardens across the state.

When it was opened?

• The CSIR-IHBT campus in Palampur, the Hill District’s first Tulip Garden, opened in February 2022, officially naming the hill city Tulip City.

 

Essential information:

• Tulip Garden Palampur is the second tulip garden in the country, and it was created by the CSIR IHBT.

 

What is its name?

• Hill city Tulip City

Astounding Advances in Tulip Agrotechnology:

• The CSIR-IHBT Palampur has been researching tulip agrotechnology since 2018, during which time it found that the cold dessert locations (>2400 metre altitude) in Lahaul (HP) and Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory) were ideal for its bulb production; the institute’s tulip garden was established using locally produced bulbs, and this year, 45,000 tulip plants of 12 varieties were grown.
• The institute was making concerted efforts to promote sustainable farming practises, empower local farmers, and reduce the country’s import burden by adopting innovative agrotechnological approaches to crops like tulips.

The Tulip Plants:

History:

• The tulip is a bulbous herb that blooms in the spring and is related to the lily family.
• There are around eighty different tulip species. After being introduced to western Europe in the sixteenth century, the tulip quickly became a popular flower. The Netherlands continue to be a major exporter of tulip bulbs.
• Commercial tulip cultivation in the United States is concentrated primarily in the states of Michigan and Washington.

 

Characteristics:

• Tulips are upright flowers with a cup-shaped, single or double flower at the very tip of the stem and long, broad, leaves with parallel veins. Flowers can be any colour from red to yellow to white.
• The aphids that transmit the virus also cause the tulips to change colours.

 

Environmental Factors Favoring Growth:

• Bulb tulips are typically planted in the northern hemisphere between September and December, just before the ground freezes.
• They’re considered annuals in temperate regions. Climate zones 2-7 are suitable for growing tulips.
• Plant tulips about three to four inches apart and at a depth equal to two times their eventual height. Bulbs of tulips can be planted in any type of soil as long as the soil drains well.
• The tulip bulb should be watered well and protected from frost by covering it with mulch or leaves if the weather turns cold.

 

In addition to being a beautiful and simple addition to any garden or flowerbed, tulips are also very low maintenance.

(Source: timesofindia)

 

Topic: The “rubber doll” of Hamirpur earns a Rs 4 lakh yoga scholarship.

 

Himachal HPAS Prelims and Mains are essential.

Importance for  Prelims: Current Events of Himachal

Significance for the Mains Exam:

• PAPER-VI: GENERAL STUDIES-III: UNIT II: Latest developments in science and technology for harnessing agriculture, horticulture, medicinal and herbal resources in the country.

 

What is the news?

• Nidhi Dogra, a 13-year-old ‘rubber doll’ whose yoga skills earned her the ‘Born to Shine’ scholarship, has brought honour to the district.

Coming from some outlying village:

• “Rubber doll” of a girl, 13 years old Nidhi Dogra, a seventh grader from the outlying village of Khiyund, is located near Chauri in the district.
• Her father, Shashi Kumar, works as a PE teacher. This year, she also took first place in the “Himachal Got Talent” competition.

(Source: The Tribune)