Hyderabad Hosts Training Program for Agricultural Scientists on Biotech Tools for Crop Improvement

Hyderabad is abuzz with significant developments as the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) at Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) collaborates with the Telangana State Council of Science and Technology. Together, they are organizing a specialized two-week training program tailored for scientists engaged in the fields of agriculture and horticulture. This distinctive initiative seeks to furnish researchers with cutting-edge biotechnological tools to enhance the productivity and resilience of the crops. 

From February 1st to 10th, scientists from agricultural and horticultural universities, ICAR, and CSIR research institutes across Telangana will delve into this training program.

Led by IBT Director C.V. Sameer Kumar, the program promises a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Sameer Kumar outlined the objectives of the training program. He emphasized its dual focus on providing hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge encompassing various biotechnological techniques such as molecular markers, gene editing, tissue culture, and bioinformatics. Eminent scientists and experts from IBT and other renowned institutions will contribute through engaging lectures, enriching the learning experience for participants.

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Sean Mayes, the Global Research Programme Director for Accelerated Crop Improvement at ICRISAT, shared insights on the seamless integration of biotechnology with conventional breeding methods to develop novel crop varieties with improved traits.

Director of Research (PJTSAU) P. Raghu Rami Reddy emphasized the importance of hands-on sessions. He believes the program should focus on showing participants how these biotechnologies can be used practically to create disease-resistant crops, improve nutritional value, and boost yields. Reddy encouraged participants to concentrate on leveraging biotechnological tools to create innovative crop varieties.

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The ultimate goal, as Principal Scientist, Groundnut Genomics-ICRISAT, Manish Pandey highlighted, is to empower participants to develop new and improved crop varieties using these powerful tools.

Malla Reddy, Associate Director of Research at Palem-RARS of PJTSAU, emphasized the necessity of combining conventional breeding with molecular breeding strategies. This holistic approach aims to expedite the development of new crop varieties, especially in response to the challenges posed by climate change.

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