Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 12: Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI), Shimla organized one-day training programme on “Biological Control of Insect-pests and Diseases in Medicinal Plants” at State Forest Research Institute Jammu for the field staff of Forest Department.
This training was primarily focused on the insect pests and disease incidence in the medicinal plants in the Western Himalayan region and their control measures. As many as 20 forest field staff including Rangers, Foresters and Forest Guards working in high altitude forests of Chenab Valley region and other areas of Jammu region participated in this training programme.
Dr Ranjeet Singh, Organizing Secretary of Himalayan Forest Research Institute drew the attention toward the indiscriminate use of pesticides in the production forestry. He told that the presence of residues of these chemicals in the food commodities and other components of environment proved to be toxic to human, birds and other beneficial organisms of agro-forestry eco-systems and advocated the use of biological control agents in pest management.
Suresh K Gupta, Director, State Forest Research Institute, informed that there has been controlled extraction of medicinal plants from the wild in Jammu and Kashmir and limited natural population from J&K were unable to fulfill the growing trade requirement. As a result of increasing demands, many medicinal plants are potential crops for commercial cultivations in Chenab valley and other temperate areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
Roshan Jaggi, Chief Conservator of Forests Jammu expressed the views that detailed information on the pattern of insect pest complex of medicinal plants is of great importance for evolving pest management practices which are ecologically sound and economically feasible.
Dr V.P. Tiwari, Director, HFRI, Shimla in his presidential address said that due to the change in climate conditions i.e rise in temperature, receding of glacier in hills, the pest and disease outbreaks have been observed in almost all tree species in the Himalayan region causing serious damage. Taking into the present trend of climate change, these epidemics are expected to increase in the near future.
Deepak Khana, Addl PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden Jammu and Kashmir in his inaugural address emphasized upon the cultivation of medicinal plants and also to take care of them from pests and diseases.
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