Jammu varsity organises event on climate resilience

The Department of Botany at the University of Jammu organised a one-day training programme on “Plant Root Architecture Analysis for Climate Resilience” under the DST-Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) project, led by Dr Sikander Pal, Principal Investigator.

The event, conducted as part of the Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) initiative of the Government of India, aimed to provide research training to faculty and scholars from the region, fostering expertise in climate resilience studies within plant sciences.

The programme commenced with an invited lecture by Prof Gurdev Chand, Head of the Plant Physiology Division at SKUAST-Jammu, followed by an interactive session on trait identification for conventional versus molecular breeding. Prof Neelu Rohmetra, dean of Research Studies at the University of Jammu, was the chief guest. In her address, Prof Rohmetra emphasised the importance of such training programmes in strengthening research capabilities, particularly in understanding crop system responses to climate change.

Prof Namrata Sharma, ean of the Faculty of Life Sciences, encouraged participants to embrace advanced research methodologies in their respective fields.

The practical sessions were led by Dr Sikander Pal, along with a team of Plant Physiology Lab scholars—Prakriti, Bhuvneshwari, Rehana and Shamli. Participants were trained in advanced root analysis techniques using specialised software, including ImageJ, Rhizo Vision Explorer, RootScan, WinRhizo and RooSOFT.

A spokesperson noted, “The programme successfully enriched the knowledge of 40 participants, comprising faculty and scholars from various universities and colleges across Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. The event was attended by Prof Pankaj Kumar, Prof Jyoti Wakhlu, Dr Amit Gupta, Dr Rakesh, Dr Skarma Nonzom, and Dr Ripudaman, who engaged in discussions on the relevance of root architecture research in modern agriculture.”