Maize workshop concludes at PAU; be innovative and resourceful: Dr Dhillon tells scientists

Ludhiana, April 6, 2015: Recommendations, emerging out of the “58th Annual Workshop of All India Coordinated Research Project on Maize,” were discussed and finalized during the plenary session of the workshop at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today. The three-day workshop saw deliberations on ICAR-CIMMYT (Indian Council of Agricultural Research-International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre) collaborative research; breeder seed production, front line demonstrations and training programmes; and germpalsm exchange, registration and seed issues.

Chairing the concluding session, Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU called upon the maize scientists to be innovative and resourceful. He emphasised on overcoming the issues, arising during maize research, and stressed on delivering best. “Holding scientific discussions and handling daily data are essential for fruitful agricultural research,” he added.

Dr I.S. Solanki, Additional Director General (food and fodder crops), ICAR, while co-chairing the session, suggested Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR) to organize more lectures and go for more interactions on current issues pertaining to maize cultivation. “Although there are issues regarding funding and human resources, yet the work must go on,” he said. Dr Solanki underlined the need to identify few Centres of Excellence for generating material and coming up with varieties for specific conditions.

Dr S.K. Vassal, former CIMMYT scientist, appreciated the work done by maize groups. He exhorted the scientists to work more efficiently and do something new by developing a new pattern.

Dr O.P. Yadav, Director, IIMR presented the recommendations emerging out of variety identification meet. He highlighted characteristics of various maize hybrids proposed for different zones.

Dr J.S. Chawla, Organising Secretary, coordinated the programme and proposed the vote of thanks.

On the occasion, Drs Chikkappa G.K., Ashok Kumar, J.S. Sekhar and Dr Meena Shekhar read out the recommendations, made by the experts, on plant breeding, agronomy, entomology, plant pathology and nematology. In agronomy, emphasis was laid on bringing out the publications from the experiments that have completed three cycles. The weather data on daily basis must be supplied with crop data, observed the experts. In plant pathology, thrust was on strengthening of farmer-friendly integrated pest management strategies. Besides, the technical programme for Kharif 2015 and Rabi 2015-16 was finalised.