21-day training on stress-tolerant crop breeding at PAU
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has launched a 21-day ICAR-sponsored Centre of Advanced Faculty Training (CAFT) programme on ‘Advanced Breeding Strategies for Developing Stress Tolerance in Plants’ at its Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics. The programme is being attended by 23 participants from 12 states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Kerala.
Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, was the chief guest at the inaugural session, which was also attended by Dr CS Aulakh, Dean of the College of Agriculture.
In his address, Dr Gosal highlighted the significance of the training, pointing out both biotic and abiotic stresses, compounded by changing climatic conditions, severely affect crop yields. He cited examples such as heatwaves impacting wheat production and the SRBSDV attack on rice in Punjab, stressing the importance of utilising advanced breeding tools to tackle such challenges.
Dr Gosal lauded PAU’s leadership in plant breeding and genetics, mentioning the development of over 900 crop varieties and the establishment of a state-of-the-art Speed Breeding facility. He urged participants to explore interdisciplinary collaborations with PAU to further crop improvement efforts.
The programme began with welcoming remarks from Dr VS Sohu, Director of CAFT and Head of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics. Dr Sohu emphasised the vital role of CAFT programmes in facilitating knowledge exchange and provided an overview of the department’s research initiatives. He expressed confidence that the training would offer participants a platform for adopting the latest breeding technologies to address plant stresses.
Dr CS Aulakh reiterated the urgency of understanding plant responses to environmental stresses and incorporating this knowledge into breeding programmes to ensure sustainable crop yields amid rapid climate change. He expressed hope the programme would significantly enhance the research capabilities of the participants.
Dr Satwinder Kaur Dhillon, in charge of the Teaching Section of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, concluded the session by thanking ICAR for its sponsorship, PAU’s administration for their support, and the participants for their enthusiasm. She emphasised the transformative potential of the training in equipping scientists with practical knowledge and skills for crop improvement.
The three-week training would feature expert lectures, hands-on sessions, interactive discussions and field and laboratory visits. These activities aim to equip participants with the tools and techniques needed to develop stress-tolerant crop varieties for a sustainable future.
