Aromatic & Medicinal Plants Research Station, Odakkali

The Station was established on 15th March, 1951 as "Lemongrass Breeding Station" under the Department of Industries of the erstwhile Travancore - Cochin Government.   It was renamed as "Lemongrass Research Station" and brought under the State Department of Agriculture on 1st August, 1954. With the inception of Kerala Agricultural University in 1972, the station became a constituent research station of the University. In 1982, it was renamed as Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station (A.M.P.R.S.) and research emphasis was diversified to cover all tropical aromatic and medicinal plants.

       Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station, Odakkali occupies an area of 12.5 ha of  garden land  which lies between 10 o5'40'' and 10o6'0'' north latitude and between 76 o32'35'' and  76 o32'55'' east  longitude in Asamannoor village of Kunnathunadu  taluk  in  Ernakulam  district of Kerala.  The station is located 27  km east of  Aluva (nearest  railway station) on the Aluva-Munnar road. It is only 24 km  away from Cochin  International Air port, Nedumbassery and 50 km from the Cochin harbour, the main centre of essential oil  trade in   the country. The municipal towns of Perumbavoor and  Kothamangalam  are less than 10 km apart on the westerly  and easterly direction,  respectively.

Mandate

The lead function of the centre is research on essential oil yielding plants and the verification function is on medicinal plants.