Jammu, 30 March (H.S.): In a mesmerizing showcase of agricultural diversification, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, threw open the CSIR Tulip Fest–2026 to the public at its Field Station Bonera in Pulwama.Geographic Reference

The station, known for pursuing breakthrough research and technologies in medicinal and aromatic crops, has introduced a new facet to its research and technology deployment endeavours under the flagship CSIR Floriculture Mission, launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology to strengthen the commercial floriculture landscape in the region.

Under a dedicated vertical of the Mission for producing indigenous, high-quality germplasm for commercial floricultural cultivars, the institute has made significant progress over the past five years, particularly in the indigenization of tulip bulb production.

Scientists and researchers associated with the Mission have developed robust production and management protocols aimed at creating sustainable and scalable models for the multiplication of indigenous tulip bulbs.

Leveraging the favourable agro-climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Kashmir Valley, the Field Station currently hosts around 1.3 lakh blooming tulips, attracting thousands of visitors. These include school and college students, social media influencers, environmentalists, and local residents from across the Valley.

The initiative marks a major milestone under the CSIR Floriculture Mission and builds upon a successful pilot experiment initiated at the station four years ago. Preliminary research on tulip bulb germination and multiplication has yielded promising results, laying the groundwork for large-scale local production.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar