Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor Dr. Z. P. Patel visited the Regional Horticultural Research Station (RHRS), ACH, Navsari on October 5, 2024. During the visit, he guided the scientists to accelerate fruit improvement efforts, emphasizing the use of speed breeding, gene editing for quality traits, and local selection from the Dangs, Valsad, and Navsari districts. He commended the ongoing fruit breeding activities, including the collection of heirloom genotypes, hybridization, and mutation research in mangoes, as well as crop improvement efforts in dragon fruit, rose apple, fig, guava, and other species. He stressed the importance of developing climate-resilient, high-yielding varieties as a priority to benefit farmers in South Gujarat amidst changing climate conditions. He also visited the vegetable grafting process using robotic technology and instructed the scientists to scale up grafting for brinjal and tomato.

The visit was graced by Dr. T. R. Ahlawat, Director of Research and Dean of PG Studies; Prof. J. R. Naik, Director of Students' Welfare; Dr. R. M. Naik, Dean and Principal; Dr. V. R. Naik, ADR all of whom appreciated the RHRS's research initiatives in fruit crop improvement and vegetable grafting. During the visit, Dr. D. K. Sharma, Dr. C. G. Intwala, Dr. B. M. Tandel, Dr. Y. N. Tandel, Dr. P. P. Bhalerao, and Dr. N. K. Patel provided detailed overviews and updates on the progress of their research activities.