PAU REVIEW WORKSHOPS ON SUGARCANE, HOME GARDENING HELD

A Quinquinnial Review Team (QRT) of sugarcane research is meeting at Punjab Agricultural University to review the progress of research from 2004-09 in sub-tropical areas of the north zone of the country.



Dr. N.N.Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi, who chaired the meeting, in his remarks underlined the need of improving the productivity and sustainability of sugarcane. He said that improvement in soil health through carbon sequestration and conservation of natural resources especially water was the need of the day. He suggested that three time more investment would be required to sustain the already achieved productivity in different crops. The other members of the QRT are Dr. M.N.Premchandaran, Head, Division of Crop Improvement, SBI, Coimbatore, Dr. G.C.Srivastava, former scientist, IARI, New Delhi, Dr. Narayan Rishi, former Head of Plant Pathology Department at HAU, Hisar, Dr. O.P.Dubey, former ADG (PP), ICAR, New Delhi, Dr. A.K.Srivastava, Principal Scientist, IISR, Lucknow and Dr. O.K.Sinha, Project Coordinator, IISR, Lucknow. The scientists from different research stations presented the progress of research made by them in their projects highlighting constraints as well as future thrusts. After discussion, new strategies for boosting sugarcane research in the country were suggested.



Earlier, Dr. S.S.Gosal, Director of Research while welcoming the Chairman and other scientists from states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttranchal and Punjab, highlighted the role played by PAU in sugarcane improvement and production technology, that he said had a bearing on the sugarcane programme at the national level.



The Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) through its Hyderabad based Regional Center for South Asia (RCSA), has collaboration with PAU Department of Vegetable Crops and Sir Ratan Tata Trust. It organized a training workshop on home gardening wherein 23 trainees from different regions participated. Various issues concerning nutritional security through vegetable consumption were discussed. Dr. G.S.Chahal, Executive Director of Reviving Green Revolution (RGR) of SRTT appreciated the efforts being made in the workshop to promote home gardening. Dr. M.L.Chadha, Director RCSA, Hyderabad discussed the experience of AVRDC in developing and promoting home gardens in the developing countries to enhance productivity and quality of life of people. Dr. D.S.Cheema, Head, Department of Vegetable Crops presented an overview of various activities of the Department and the ongoing home garden project. Home garden module (36 sq meter area) has been standardized to ensure excess to healthy diet with macro and micro nutrients, from a range of vegetable crops for year round supply. At the concluding function certificates were awarded to the trainees.


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