This passionate farmer grows 170 varieties of plantain
The Hindu
He pays attention to conservation and production of fruits
The 3.45 acres owned by M.K. Nishant, a farmer at Peruvaka near Mananthavady in Wayanad district, is literally a treasure trove of bananas, as he has been nurturing as many as 178 cultivars of plantains collected from across the country.
Plantain varieties such as ‘Kadhali’, ‘Chenkadhali’, ‘Matti’, and cultivars of the commonly cultivated varieties of ‘Nendran’ such as ‘Chengalikodan’, ‘Swarnamukhi’, and ‘Nedunendran’ are luxuriously growing in his farm.
A rare variety called ‘Mancharikullan’, which flowers in the sixth month, is also kept in his collection along with medicinal bananas such as ‘Adukkan’, ‘Kunnan’, and ‘Karinkadhali’. ‘Peyan’, a variety with an exclusive use for curry purpose, is also being conserved in the garden.
Everyone talks about the Airport Metro, but one look at the pillars and completion seems nowhere in sight. Meanwhile, a faster, cheaper, roomier alternative called the Suburban Rail Airport Corridor is finally getting off the drawing board. This dedicated corridor with its specialised coaches will link the airport to vast stretches of Bengaluru, where the metro connection is still years away.