Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 26: The Department of Botany, University of Jammu, organised a one-day training program on “Plant Root Architecture Analysis for Climate Resilience” under the DST-Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) project of Dr Sikander Pal, Principal Investigator.
The program, organized as part of the Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) initiative of the Government of India, aimed to provide research training to faculty and scholars from the region, promoting expertise in climate resilience studies within plant sciences.
The event commenced with an invited lecture by Prof Gurdev Chand, Head of the Plant Physiology Division, SKUAST-Jammu, followed by an interactive session on trait identification for conventional versus molecular breeding.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by Prof Neelu Rohmetra, Dean Research Studies, University of Jammu, as the chief guest. She emphasized the significance of such training programs in enhancing research capabilities, particularly in understanding climate change responses in crop systems.
Earlier, Prof Susheel Verma, Head, Department of Botany, highlighted the importance of plant root trait analysis in agricultural research.
Prof Namrata Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, who attended as the guest of honor, encouraged the participants to adopt advanced research methodologies in their respective domains.
The practical sessions were led by Dr Sikander Pal alongside a team of Plant Physiology Lab scholars—Prakriti, Bhuvneshwari, Rehana, and Shamli. Participants were trained in advanced root analysis techniques using specialized software, including ImageJ, Rhizo Vision Explorer, RootScan, WinRhizo, and RooSOFT.
The program enriched the knowledge of 40 participants, comprising faculty and scholars from various universities and colleges across the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. The event was attended by Prof Pankaj Kumar, Prof Jyoti Wakhlu, Dr Amit Gupta, Dr Rakesh, Dr Skarma Nonzom, and Dr Ripudaman, who engaged in discussions on the relevance of root architecture research in modern agriculture.
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