US Delegation On A Three-Day Visit To PAU
Author(s): City Air NewsLudhiana, December 7, 2015: A six-member delegation from Purdue University, USA is on a three-day visit to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to deliberate on the establishment of “PAU-Purdue University Joint...
cityairnews
Dec 7, 2015 12:30
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Ludhiana, December 7, 2015: A six-member delegation from Purdue University, USA is on a three-day visit to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to deliberate on the establishment of “PAU-Purdue University Joint Research Centre,” initiated with the agreement signed between PAU and College of Agriculture, Purdue University, USA in August 2014. The delegation from Purdue University, USA comprises Dr K.G.Raghothama, Associate Director, International Programmes in Agriculture; Dr G.S.Johal, Professor, Botany and Plant Pathology; Dr Mitch Tuinstra, Professor of Agronomy and three Ph.D students namely Dr Megan Fenton, Dr Brad Thada and Dr R.S.Khangura.
The delegation interacted with Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, and deans, directors, faculty and students of PAU.
Dr Dhillon said it is important to share experiences and have exposure through international collaborations. This mutual cooperation will lay thrust on education, research, training and participation of students, he added. Seeing the growing importance of agricultural biotechnology, he suggested deliberations on this particular area.
Dr Raghothama said this agreement is very different and aims at strengthening the collaboration between the two institutions. He further said, “We have come here to discuss and make PAU-Purdue University Joint Research Centre functional.”
Dr D.S. Brar, Adjunct Professor, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU said both the Universities have good agriculture knowledge and experience. The two sides should work together and come up with the useful project, he added.
Earlier, Dr Balwinder Singh, Director of Research, PAU welcomed the visiting delegation, senior officers, faculty and students of agricultural biotechnology, PAU. He said the focus of Joint Research Centre, to be established on PAU campus, is on the development of climate resilient crops. Besides, the agreement also intends to support faculty commitment for conducting research; and organize and host research symposium/workshops once every two years on rotation basis at PAU and Purdue University, respectively, he added.
Dr R.K. Gumber, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement), proposed the vote of thanks.
Later, delegation members gave presentations. Dr Johal dwelt on “Emerging Concepts in Plant Immunity and their Implications in Resistance Breeding” and “Inducing Genetics Variation by NextGEM- Breeding Implications.” Dr Tuinstra spoke on “Breeding in the Omics Era.” Dr Fenton delivered a presentation on “Evolution of Genetics Markers and their Role in Narrowing the Divide between Mendelian and Quantitative Genetics.” Besides, Dr Thada, Dr Khangura and Ph.D students of Plant Breeding and Genetics, and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU conducted a workshop on “QTL Mapping and Association Mapping.”
Date:
Monday, December 7, 2015
