Ensure strict adherence to plant quarantine measures

Nauni (Solan), November 13, 2021: Quarantine is the first line of defence to check the spread of invasive species in the agriculture-horticulture field and prevent the losses. If we invest a small amount of money in the beginning for detection of the invasive pests  with strict enforcement of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) we can avoid huge losses in our crops in future.  Noted national experts and scientists discussed the importance of quarantine measures in the import of planting material during the one-day awareness workshop organised by the Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni, Solan.
The workshop was organised under the World Bank-funded Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project(HP HDP). Besides scientists of the university, officers from the line departments involved in Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) and progressive growers engaged in the sale of imported planting material attended the event.
In his welcome address, Dr. HR Gautam, HOD Department of Plant Pathology said that in the last 4-5 years there has been a heightened interest among various stakeholders in the import of planting material and this has brought the focus on the topic of quarantine.   He said that the awareness camp was an aim to make all the stakeholders aware of the importance of PEQ.
Dr. BS Negi, DGM NMS said that under HP HDP, around 30 lakh plants have been imported by the state and the focus has been on importing hardy and disease-resistant varieties which can help to improve the quality and productivity. He informed that over 50 PEQ sites have been established in the state.
UHF Vice-Chancellor Dr. Parvinder Kaushal who was the Chief Guest on the occasion said that the Coronavirus pandemic has explained the importance of quarantine to everyone. 
Urging the officials to ensure strict adherence to plant quarantine guidelines, Dr. Kaushal said, “There was a need to import newer varieties to bring the productivity of our orchards on par with international norms. So there is no place for emotions when it comes to the quarantine of planting material as a small mistake can lead to the entry of viruses and pose a serious risk to the livelihood avenues and adversely affect the economy of the state.” 
He said that the university is working towards strict enforcement of the rules as the university is entrusted by the government of India to look into checking plant quarantine in the state. Dr. Kaushal informed the gathering that the university has attained productivity of 42 MT in high-density apple. He added that in the near future, the university will also be in a position to meet the clonal rootstock demand of the farmers.
Dr. Ravinder Sharma, Director Research and Nodal Officer of the HDP HDP in the university talked about the various activities carried out by the university under the project. Dr. Sharma said that the university has also made package of practice and irrigation and fertigation schedules of apple for HDP and also established gene banks and bud wood banks at the university and outstations. 
Dr. Celia Chalam, Head, Plant Quarantine Division ICAR NBPGR spoke on ‘Importance of Quarantine procedures in the import of planting material’. She gave a detailed presentation on the various norms to be followed while importing plants. She said that it was important to closely monitor which pests were being frequently reported from which countries and the commodities that tend to be infected. She exhorted all the importers to follow the norms with precision to avoid severe losses to our crops in future. Dr. V K Baranwal, Principal Scientist of Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, ICAR- IARI also delivered a talk on ‘Diagnostics of viruses for certification of Quality planting material of clonally propagated temperate fruit crops’. He emphasized the need for the establishment of 'virus certification system' as in other countries for apple to contain the spread of viruses and virus-like organisms in this important crop. The Government and private nurseries should be brought in the ambit of such a system and there should be a mandatory protocol for virus free mother stock of plants for multiplication. He further said with early detection of viruses we can get 400 times more benefits in terms of productivity. 
In the discussion session Dr. Anil Handa, organizing secretary of the workshop stressed on the need to have a good certification programme and a network of diagnostics labs in the country. Dr. HR Gautam  emphasized the need for the bar coding of the imported plants on import to track their monitoring and movement to check their unauthorized exit from the quarantine facilities. Deepak Singha, a progressive farmer representing the Plum Growers Forum said that a mechanism needed to be put in place where farmers are compensated in case their infected orchards need to be destroyed. Harish Chauhan took up the issue of certification and the need to educate farmers about the quarantine process. Early warning systems, rapid response teams, regional working group on biosecurity for plant pests, and development of roster of experts on plant protection and biosecurity in the region along with the development of National Plant pest Diagnostic Network were some of the other topics which were discussed during the workshop. A publication on plant quarantine was also released on the occasion on the SOPs  and other information for the benefit of the importers and farmers.