Hyderabad November 15
The Plant Protection Association of India organized a Four-day International Conference on Plant Health Management – Innovations and Sustainability at PJTSAU Hyderabad, inaugurated by M. Raghunandan Rao, APC & Secretary, Dept. of Agriculture and Cooperation, Govt. of Telangana. Rao emphasized the importance of food safety, urging collaboration between agricultural scientists and industry for the next 50 crucial years in plant health management. Precision agriculture and empowering farmers with technology were highlighted to ensure sustainable crop production.
Dr. Sarada Jayalakshmi Devi, Vice Chancellor, ANGRAU, emphasized the need to identify resistant genes for pests and diseases, advocating for a shift toward bio-control agents and eco-friendly applications. Dr. S.C. Dubey, ADG Plant Protection and Biosafety, ICAR, GOI, called for the development of new agricultural technologies to minimize chemical usage. RC Agarwal, Chairman, Dhanuka group, stressed the need to increase Indian crop yields and judiciously use pesticides.
KRK Reddy, CEO, Sri Bio Aesthetics pvt. Ltd., emphasized reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide usage for sustainable food production. Dr. B. Sharat Babu, President PPAI, and Chairman of the International Conference on Plant Health Management, highlighted PPAI’s historical journey since 1972 and its golden jubilee celebration. Awards were presented to scientists for outstanding contributions, including a Lifetime Contribution award to Dr. DV Raghava Reddy and Dr. KSRK Murthy. Dr. B. Sharat Babu, Dr. Julius Diwakar, Dr. TB Gaur, Dr. Anitha, and Dr. Chalapathi Rao received awards in various categories. The event featured the release of a special postal cover, a souvenir, and edited abstracts of research articles.
