Agricultural research: Workshop on abiotic stress tolerance in plants at NIAB
Experts to discuss crop varieties resistant to drought, salinity and more.
“We can develop high yielding stress tolerant crop cultivators using physiological, biochemical, carbon isotope discrimination (CID) and biotechnological techniques,” says Ashraf. PHOTO: FILE
FAISALABAD:
The Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) is organising a four-day training workshop on Modern Techniques in Research on Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants from March 26 to 29.
Dr Yasin Ashraf, the workshop coordinator, told The Express Tribune that the centre had well-equipped laboratories including a cobalt-60 irradiation source, radiation measuring instruments, ultraviolet and infrared spectrophotometers, atomic absorption spectrophotometers, a pressure chamber, an osmometer, gas chromatographs, an amino acid analyser, high-speed electrophoresis, a photosynthesis measuring system, capillary electrophoresis, DNA sequencers, controlled temperature ultra-centrifuges, freeze dryers, a cryobank, stereo and light microscopes, biological oxidisers and Elisa readers.
He said the centre was researching development of a new gene pool and varieties of crops; pest management and disease control; fertiliser and water management for major crops and abiotic stress management.
Abiotic stress is caused by drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and exposure to heavy metals and radiation. It is a limiting factor of plant productivity, Ashraf said. Stress tolerant crop varieties need to be developed to maintain crop productivity, he said.
Ashraf said that NIAB scientists had developed certain technologies that could be used to identify stress tolerant germplasm in plants at seedling or mature stages. “We can develop high yielding stress tolerant crop cultivators using physiological, biochemical, carbon isotope discrimination (CID) and biotechnological techniques,” he said. Shotgun approaches could also be developed to boost tolerance levels in crops, he said.
Teachers and researchers involved in plant breeding for stress tolerance can participate in the workshop, he said.
Ashraf said the programme would include discussions Screening on drought tolerance: cell membrane stability and other physiological indices; Salt tolerance: germination, plant height, root and biomass stress tolerance indices and potassium/sodium ratio criteria; High temperature or heat stress tolerance: cell membrane thermo-stability and physiological attributes; Screening for high water use efficiency using C-13 isotope discrimination technique; Stress physiology and biology on determination of water relations through relative water contents, excised water loss, water potential by pressure chamber, osmotic potential using osmometer and turgor potential; Temperature changes through infrared thermometer and its relation with plant canopy processes; Molecular basis of stress tolerance; Marker-assisted breeding for stress tolerance; field training on demonstration and practical for screening in pots, lysimeter tanks, field conditions; Seed testing (viability and germinability dormancy, and seed treatments for breaking dormancy and improved germination percentage and rate); Nursery raising: methodology from seed to seedlings ready for field planting; Planting techniques: land preparation and sowing methods (for crops), and ditches or ridges (for trees and shrubs); Water-use efficiency through techniques for soil moisture determination (neutron moisture probe); Irrigation methods (flood, drip, sprinkler); Transpiration measurements: single leaf and whole plant (heat pulse technique). There would also be a field Visit to the Biosaline Research Station, Pakka Anna.
Lectures would be delivered by Forman Christian College University’s Dr Kauser Abdulla Malik, University of Agriculture’s Dr Muhammad Ashraf and NIAB Director Dr Javed Akhter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2013.
The Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) is organising a four-day training workshop on Modern Techniques in Research on Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants from March 26 to 29.
Dr Yasin Ashraf, the workshop coordinator, told The Express Tribune that the centre had well-equipped laboratories including a cobalt-60 irradiation source, radiation measuring instruments, ultraviolet and infrared spectrophotometers, atomic absorption spectrophotometers, a pressure chamber, an osmometer, gas chromatographs, an amino acid analyser, high-speed electrophoresis, a photosynthesis measuring system, capillary electrophoresis, DNA sequencers, controlled temperature ultra-centrifuges, freeze dryers, a cryobank, stereo and light microscopes, biological oxidisers and Elisa readers.
He said the centre was researching development of a new gene pool and varieties of crops; pest management and disease control; fertiliser and water management for major crops and abiotic stress management.
Abiotic stress is caused by drought, salinity, extreme temperatures and exposure to heavy metals and radiation. It is a limiting factor of plant productivity, Ashraf said. Stress tolerant crop varieties need to be developed to maintain crop productivity, he said.
Ashraf said that NIAB scientists had developed certain technologies that could be used to identify stress tolerant germplasm in plants at seedling or mature stages. “We can develop high yielding stress tolerant crop cultivators using physiological, biochemical, carbon isotope discrimination (CID) and biotechnological techniques,” he said. Shotgun approaches could also be developed to boost tolerance levels in crops, he said.
Teachers and researchers involved in plant breeding for stress tolerance can participate in the workshop, he said.
Ashraf said the programme would include discussions Screening on drought tolerance: cell membrane stability and other physiological indices; Salt tolerance: germination, plant height, root and biomass stress tolerance indices and potassium/sodium ratio criteria; High temperature or heat stress tolerance: cell membrane thermo-stability and physiological attributes; Screening for high water use efficiency using C-13 isotope discrimination technique; Stress physiology and biology on determination of water relations through relative water contents, excised water loss, water potential by pressure chamber, osmotic potential using osmometer and turgor potential; Temperature changes through infrared thermometer and its relation with plant canopy processes; Molecular basis of stress tolerance; Marker-assisted breeding for stress tolerance; field training on demonstration and practical for screening in pots, lysimeter tanks, field conditions; Seed testing (viability and germinability dormancy, and seed treatments for breaking dormancy and improved germination percentage and rate); Nursery raising: methodology from seed to seedlings ready for field planting; Planting techniques: land preparation and sowing methods (for crops), and ditches or ridges (for trees and shrubs); Water-use efficiency through techniques for soil moisture determination (neutron moisture probe); Irrigation methods (flood, drip, sprinkler); Transpiration measurements: single leaf and whole plant (heat pulse technique). There would also be a field Visit to the Biosaline Research Station, Pakka Anna.
Lectures would be delivered by Forman Christian College University’s Dr Kauser Abdulla Malik, University of Agriculture’s Dr Muhammad Ashraf and NIAB Director Dr Javed Akhter.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2013.