PATHANAMTHITTA: In the quaint surroundings of Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district, a terrace garden filled with blooming lotus flowers has brought national recognition to floriculture enthusiast K V Ajitha.
Two indigenous lotus varieties developed and conserved by her – ‘Mayoori’ and ‘Panineer’ – recently received registration from the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA). The registrations came into effect on April 6. The recognition protects the intellectual property rights of plant breeders while safeguarding the traditional rights of farmers under the PPV&FRA Act.
For Ajitha, the honour is the culmination of nearly seven years of dedicated work in cultivating and conserving lotus varieties on her terrace with the support of her family, specifically her husband Pradeep Kumar and son Prajith. What began as a passion evolved into a specialised floriculture venture. Today, she maintains nearly 15 distinct lotus varieties, attracting the attention of ornamental plant growers and gardening enthusiasts alike.
“Lotus cultivation began purely out of personal interest. Farming had always been my passion, though I had no academic background in agriculture or floriculture. I completed BCom and worked as a GST consultant. Everything I know about lotus cultivation today was learnt from the internet, YouTube and continuous experimentation,” Ajitha says.
Ajitha’s lotus varieties stand out for their ornamental appeal and commercial potential. ‘Mayoori’ is characterised by deep pink bowl-shaped flowers and a compact growth habit suitable for small ponds and containers. ‘Panineer’, or ‘Panineer Rose’, is noted for its multiple soft pink petals and pleasant fragrance, making it ideal for ornamental water gardens and decorative landscapes.
Helping hands
Ajitha received technical support from ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pathanamthitta, during the process of varietal identification, documentation and registration. The characterisation studies for the registered varieties were carried out under the guidance of Sumangala, principal scientist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. Documentation and data compilation were coordinated by Sindhu Sadanandan, subject matter specialist, ICAR-KVK Pathanamthitta.
The proposal and recommendations before the PPV&FRA were submitted under the guidance of V Venkitasubramanian, director, ICAR-ATARI Bengaluru. According to C P Robert, senior scientist and head of ICAR-KVK Pathanamthitta, the recognition is expected to open new opportunities in aquatic ornamental floriculture.
Ajitha was honoured during the ICAR annual zonal workshop of Krishi Vigyan Kendras held in Kottayam from April 26 to 28.
