The Centre of Excellence for Cut Flowers in Thally, established under the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project, serves as a model hub for demonstrating advanced floriculture practices. The centre showcases protected and open-field cultivation of a wide variety of cut flowers including Rose, Gerbera, Carnation, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, Gladiolus, and Bird of Paradise. Demonstration plots under poly greenhouses and shadenet houses are used to educate farmers and entrepreneurs on modern techniques such as drip irrigation, fertigation, fogging systems, and the use of weed control mats. These plots also feature high-value filler crops like Gypsophila and Limonium, and cut foliages including Dracaena, Cordyline, and Song of India. Through structured demonstrations, the centre promotes efficient cultivation practices, improved quality, and post-harvest handling of cut flowers, aiming to enhance farmer productivity and income.

At the Centre of Excellence for Cut Flowers, Thally, cut-foliage crops are cultivated and demonstrated primarily under shade net structures and in open fields to showcase advanced floricultural practices. The demonstration includes species such as Song of India, Song of Jamaica, Cordyline Mahatma, Ginger lily, Dracaena massangeana, Palms, Xanadu, Asparagus, Daisy, Golden rod, and Limonium. These plots are designed to demonstrate best practices in cultivation, including the use of shade nets for optimal microclimate control, weed control mats for reducing weed growth and conserving soil moisture, and drip fertigation systems for efficient water and nutrient delivery. Technologies imported from Israel are actively employed, including automated fertigation, mulching, and the use of tensiometers to determine plant water needs. The demonstration serves dual purposes—training farmers, entrepreneurs, and students in modern horticultural techniques, and promoting commercial cut-foliage cultivation as a profitable venture.

The Ornamental Plants Nursery at the Centre of Excellence for Cut Flowers, Thally, is a specialized unit developed under the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) for the propagation and demonstration of diverse ornamental species. The nursery cultivates a wide range of foliage and flowering plants under shade nets and open fields, incorporating Israeli technologies like drip irrigation, fertigation, and weed control mats to ensure optimal growth conditions. The nursery hosts decorative foliage plants such as Coleus, Bougainvillea, Syngonium, Money Plants, Succulents, Hibiscus, Peperomia, and Golden Cypress, along with vibrant flowering varieties like Philodendron, Crotons, Peace Lily, Portulaca, Begonia, Marigold, Petunia, Rose, Eranthemum, Aglaonema, Poinsettia, and Dracaena. These plants are cultivated not only for sale but also to serve as training and demonstration material for farmers, entrepreneurs, and visiting institutions. With a focus on protected cultivation and soil-less media trials, the nursery plays a pivotal role in enhancing the ornamental plant sector in Tamil Nadu. The use of modern infrastructure like shade net houses, tissue culture units, and automated fertigation systems strengthens its position as a model center for ornamental horticulture.

Tissue Culture is a modern propagation technology adopted at the Centre of Excellence for Cut Flowers, Thally, to produce high-quality, disease-free, and uniform planting materials on a large scale. A dedicated Tissue Culture Unit has been established under this Indo-Israel collaborative initiative to enhance plant multiplication through micropropagation techniques. At present, Tissue Culture Banana Plants are being successfully produced and demonstrated at the Centre. These plants are known for their superior quality, early vigor, and higher yield potential. The Centre leverages controlled lab conditions to ensure contamination-free growth, from explant preparation to rooting and hardening stages. This innovation supports the horticulture sector by ensuring the availability of genetically pure and healthy planting materials. The Tissue Culture Unit also serves as a platform for training farmers, researchers, and entrepreneurs in advanced propagation methods.

Planting materials production at the Centre of Excellence (CoE), Thally, is a major activity focused on generating and supplying high-quality planting material to farmers and nurseries. Since its inception, the CoE has produced a total of 2.29 crore quality planting materials, including protray seedlings, with consistent outputs year after year. The production includes a wide range of floriculture and ornamental crops suited for protected and open-field cultivation. These materials are raised under scientific protocols using modern infrastructure such as poly greenhouses, shade net houses, and a dedicated tissue culture unit. By ensuring mass multiplication of elite varieties and distributing them to stakeholders, the centre significantly contributes to the availability of disease-free and high-performing planting stock across Tamil Nadu and beyond.

Bio-inputs production is a key activity at the Centre of Excellence for Cut Flowers, Thally, aimed at promoting sustainable and eco-friendly horticultural practices. The centre has established a Bio-fertilizer and Bio-control laboratory along with vermicomposting units, enabling the in-house production of essential biological inputs. These bio-inputs include organic fertilizers, microbial cultures, and pest control agents that support healthier plant growth without relying on chemical alternatives. The production and distribution of bio-inputs not only enhance soil fertility and plant immunity but also provide farmers with cost-effective, environment-friendly solutions. These inputs are also made available for sale as part of the centre's revenue-generating model, encouraging widespread adoption of natural farming techniques in the region.

Soil and water analysis is a crucial process in agricultural and environmental sciences that involves the examination of soil and water samples to determine their physical, chemical, and biological properties. This analysis provides essential information on nutrient levels, pH, salinity, organic matter, and contaminant presence, helping to assess soil fertility and water quality. The results guide effective land management practices, optimize crop production, and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.