The symposium was aimed at advanced biotechnological applications, including CRISPR/Cas based Genome Editing Technology for developing agricultural and horticultural crops
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Ranchi, Jharkhand in association with the prestigious Plant Tissue Culture Association (India) virtually organised an International Symposium on ’Advances in Plant Biotechnology and Genome Editing (APBGE – 2021)’ from April 8 to 10, 2021.
The Symposium was aimed at advanced biotechnological applications, including CRISPR/Cas based Genome Editing Technology for developing agricultural and horticultural crops with improved abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and higher yield and quality.
In his address, the Chief Guest, Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) encouraged the researchers for understanding the limiting processes of plant sciences using a system biology approach. Accentuating on the importance of hardy plant species, the DG urged to utilize them for identifying the novel genes for various traits. Dr Mohapatra stressed on continuing the support to Centres of Excellence and capacity building in traditional and advanced Biotechnological approaches.
The Guest of Honour, Padma Shri, Prof. Sudhir K. Sopory, Former Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi urged for harnessing the biotechnological advances to provide unorthodox solutions to the lingering agricultural problems.
In his Inaugural Plenary Lecture, Dr. Tilak Raj Sharma, Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR outlined the importance of various biotechnological approaches in ensuring food and nutritional security of India.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Dr. Arunava Pattanayak, Director & Chair APBGE – 2021 opined that mobilization of ready biotechnological tools for improved agriculture and strategic use of new advances such as genome editing are the open challenges to the researchers and policy planners alike for achieving the ambitious target of doubling the farmers’ income.
Padma Shri, Prof. Pramod Tandon, Secretary PTCA (I) also marked his presence during the Symposium. The three-day Symposium registered participation by more than 450 Delegates from 11 countries.
