From PAU Ludhiana Campus

Ludhiana, December 3, 2019: VISITORS THRONG CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW AT PAU: A two-day Chrysanthemum Show kicked off at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today. Multiple varieties of chrysanthemum in different hues presented a rich feast to the eyes of the spectators. The Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, and the Estate Organization have jointly organized the show in the memory of a renowned Punjabi poet Bhai Vir Singh, who had ample love for chrysanthemums.
Inaugurating the show, the chief guest Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU, said, “Flowers are nature’s prettiest gift to the mankind. Flowers not only enrich the surroundings but also help in improving and beautifying the environment.” Paying rich tributes to Bhai Vir Singh, he appealed that like flowers, people should also spread the message of harmony and peace.
Dr Kiranjeet Kaur Dhatt, Head, Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, said chrysanthemum has a rich diversity. The department has released 20 varieties of chrysanthemum and is a leading centre of ICAR for conducting research on this flower, she added. About 3,000 pots with more than 150 varieties of chrysanthemum belonging to different categories have been displayed for the visitors, she informed.
Dr Parminder Singh, Coordinator, said a competition among 14 different classes of chrysanthemum was held during the show and there were around 300 entries. The prizes will be distributed on December 4 at 2.30 pm. “The major aim of the show is to make people aware of the beauty of chrysanthemum flowers for landscape use and commercial venture,” he stated. People can also buy the flowering pots of chrysanthemum at the show, he said.
The major participants in the show include schools such as DAV Public School, Pakhowal Road and BRS Nagar; Guru Nanak Public School, Model Town, and Birmi; Delhi Public School; Police DAV Public School; and nurseries like Bagicha Nursery, Hara Nursery, Raj Nursery (Ludhiana) and Verka Milk Plant.

PAU STUDENT GETS BEST POSTER AWARD
Ms Vishu Chaudhary, a Ph.D student of the Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, PAU, has been conferred with "AMI Best Poster Award" under sub-category food and dairy science technology and "Dr RS Rana Memorial Best Poster Award" for presenting original research work at the 60th Annual Conference of Association of Microbiologist of India and International Symposium on “Microbial Technology in Sustainable Development of Energy Environment, Agriculture and Health 2019,” held at Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh. She was awarded with a certificate and cash prize of 7,000/- along with a citation. She is currently working on Ph.D thesis entitled, "Pilot-scale production and evaluation of a food biopigment from Monascuspurpureus using broken rice." She has scaled up the production of natural food biopigment from Monascuspurpureus using broken rice by an inexpensive technique (solid-state fermentation), as an alternative to synthetic color. The natural biopigment has been evaluated for its therapeutic potential and non-toxicity. This research has been conducted under the relevance guidance of Dr (Mrs) Maninder Arora, Major Advisor of the student.
Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU and Dr GS Kocher, Head, Department of Microbiology, congratulated the student for this award.

PAU ORGANIZES ACTIVITIES FOR RURAL WOMEN AND SCHOOL CHILDRE
The All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) - CD component in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Community Science, PAU, organized activities for rural women and children. Under this project, the AICRP team in collaboration with National Service Scheme (NSS) programme organized activities for primary school children (under the theme Fit India Movement) and rural women (under the theme International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) in the operational villages of the project. Around 135 rural women aged 20 to 35 years participated and were sensitized regarding reproductive health and hygiene. About 170 primary school children participated and were made aware of signs of ‘Good touch and Bad touch.’ On this occasion, NSS volunteers performed a skit on appropriate parenting practices. Through dramatization, mothers were made aware of stimulating home environment and parenting skills.

EXPERTS DELIBERATE ON AREA ENHANCEMENT UNDER SUGARCANE
A meeting was held at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to deliberate on increasing the area under sugarcane and on sugar recovery. The senior officials of PAU, sugarcane scientists and representatives of Sugar Mills of Punjab attended the meet held under the chairmanship of Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice Chancellor, PAU.
Dr Dhillon called upon the scientists to speed up the efforts towards diversification. The need of the hour is to augment profit instead of income, he added. “There is a need to enhance the area under sugarcane by developing its improved varieties and production technologies. We must make improvements by studying Haryana and Uttar Pradesh,” he observed.
Mr Puneet Goyal, Managing Director, Sugarfed, Punjab, lauded the efforts of PAU towards diversification through focus on sugarcane. The scientists of PAU and the Sugar Mills of Punjab can collectively contribute towards the development of sugarcane. The Directors of Cooperative Sugar Mills and other officials of Punjab government were also present. The report of previous meeting was discussed during the meet.
The scientist of Regional Research Station, Kapurthala, Dr Gulzar Singh Sanghera shed light on research and training programmes, organized by PAU. He presented an overview of the area, production and yield of sugarcane during the previous years.
The experts of Regional Research Stations, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur interacted with the representatives of Sugar Mills on diverse aspects of sugarcane be its cultivation techniques, varieties, disease and insect pest management.
Dr Navtej Singh Bains, Director of Research, PAU, proposed the vote of thanks. Dr JS Mahal, Director of Extension Education; Dr KS Thind, Dr GS Manes, Dr AS Dhatt, Additional Directors of Research, and other faculty members of PAU were also present.