2 day National seminar on biotechnology for pest management in PAU Ludhiana begins

   

Friday, May 4, 2012 - 17:30

By Charanjit Saluja

LUDHIANA: A two-day national seminar on 'Biotechnological approaches in pest management' organized by the PAU Department of Entomology in collaboration with the School of Agricultural Biotechnology, began at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), today.  

 

PAU Vice Chancellor, Dr. Baldev Singh Dhillon inaugurated the seminar while Dr. S.P.Bhardwaj, Vice Chancellor, Manav Bharti University, Solan (Himachal Pradesh) was the guest of honour.   In his address, Dr. Dhillon said that although country has seen an unprecedented increase in agricultural production during the last four decades, but more than one-third of crop produce is lost due to pests and pathogens.  

 

Reduction in pest associated losses is one of the potential means for augmenting food production and in this context biotechnological interventions of pest control can play an important role.  He further said that advances in molecular biology and genomics have not only opened up new avenues to develop crop varieties, resistant to major insect pests, but are also equally useful for refining other pest management options including biological control, sterile insect technique and the use of biopesticide formulations. 

 

The introduction of genetically modified (GM) plants like Bt cotton is one such spectacular example of the success of biotechnological pest management which has reduced insecticide/pesticide use by 70 %.  The wide adoption and public acceptance of GM crops are testimony of potentials of biotechnology.  Dr. Dhillon also shared the importance of recently launched 'Insect Genome Project (i5k) at ARS-USDA, Belsville' which aims to sequence the genomes of 5,000 insects and other arthropods to derive a better understandings on insect biology and transforming abilities for managing various arthropods affecting animal health and food security. 

 

Dr. Dhillon highlighted the role integrated pest management (IPM) is playing in the management of pests using the available options, reducing pollution due to the curtailed pesticide use and decreasing cost of production.  Farmers must be made aware about the new eco-friendly approaches of pest management, he said.  

 

Dr. S.S.Gosal, PAU Director of Research projected biotechnology as a powerful science to develop products and processes for human benefit.  He said that potential issues under current situations are how to use the genetic engineering to produce robust natural enemies of pests and the application of molecular tools for solving the intricate pest problems.  

 

He informed that 'InSatDb' (Insect microsatellite database) operational at 'Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad' provides an interactive interface regarding microsatellite characteristics of five fully sequenced insect genomes viz. fruit-fly, honeybee, malarial mosquito, red-flour beetle and silkworm.  The generated data will lead to better models for handling insecticide resistance, developing new pesticides, understanding transmission of disease and control of agricultural pests, he said.  

 

The Bt technology has been commercialized in 29 countries of the world, said Dr. Gosal adding that the need of pest management is to go in for non-chemical approaches or rely on green chemistry, keeping in view the bio-safety concerns.  The Guest of Honour, Dr. S.P.Bhardwaj in his remarks said that Punjab is a vibrant agricultural state that has been taking care of the national food security through nurturing green revolution in the sixties and seventies and addressing the emerging concerns thereafter.

 

Giving example of the shift from using crude tree spray oil to refined spray oil, Dr. Bhardwaj said that need-based innovations were required in agriculture, and more so in pest management.  He traced the history of development of plant protection as a science to improve agriculture.  More needs to be done, he said adding that nearly 30-50 % of crop yields are lost due to the ravages of insect pest and diseases. 

 

Two publications namely 'Souvenir' and 'Extended Abstracts' were released by the Chief Guest.  The Chief Guest, Dr. Dhillon and the Guest of Honour, Dr. Bhardwaj were presented with mementos.  The programme included two technical sessions. Dr. H.C.Sharma gave a key-note address on 'application of modern tools of biotechnology in pest management: prospects and limitation'.  

 

There were five special lectures on different topics including Bt crops (Dr. P Anandakumar), insect protective transgenic cole crops (Dr. G.T.Gujar), developing and implementing area-wide IPM of mango fruit fly (Dr. Abraham Verghese) and ten years of transgenic cotton in India (Dr. A.K.Dhawan).  The programme will continue for tomorrow with four technical sessions followed by plenary session.

 

The prominent dignitaries present on the inaugural session included: Dr. Darshan S. Brar, internationally renowned biotechnologist and adjunct Professor at PAU, Dr. Deepak Pental, Ex Vice Chancellor, Delhi University, Dr. P. Anandakumar, Project Director, NRC on Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi, Dr. H.C.Sharma, ICRISAT, and Dr. G.T.Gujjar, IARI, New Delhi.  

 

The former Heads of Entomology Department at PAU were also present. Earlier, Dr. D.S. Cheema, Dean, College of Agriculture welcomed the delegates and said that the deliberations by experts from different parts of the country will discuss application of modern tools of biotechnology in crop pest management.  Dr. Balwinder Singh, Head of the Entomology Department proposed vote of thanks.