Assam Agricultural University and BARC conduct national training on mutation breeding for crop innovation

A ten-day national training programme on “Recent Advances in Mutation Breeding for Crop Improvement” concluded successfully at Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Jorhat, on Wednesday. The short-term hands-on training, held from November 10 to 19, was jointly organised by AAU Jorhat and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, bringing together around 30 scientists, assistant professors, and research scholars from various agricultural universities and research institutions across India.

The programme highlighted the growing importance of mutation breeding in developing high-yielding, stress-tolerant, and climate-resilient crop varieties, a key requirement for sustainable agriculture in the face of global climatic challenges.

The inaugural session on November 10 was attended by Dr. P.A. Hassan, Associate Director, Bioscience Group, BARC, who graced the event as the Chief Guest. In his address, Dr. Hassan underscored the pivotal role of mutation breeding in improving crop productivity and enhancing tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. He emphasised that mutation breeding is becoming increasingly relevant for achieving sustainable agricultural development and reducing input dependency.

The ceremony was also attended by Dr. A.K. Das, Director of Post Graduate Studies, AAU, as Guest of Honour, along with distinguished dignitaries including Dr. Sanjay Kr. Chetia, Director of Research, AAU; Dr. A.D. Ballal, Head, NA&BTD, BARC; Dr. B.K. Das, Head, Cereal Improvement Section, BARC; and Dr. K.K. Sharma, Head, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, AAU.

Over the course of ten days, participants engaged in 35 theory sessions and nine hands-on laboratory practicals, complemented by field visits. Eminent resource persons from BARC conducted the sessions, covering a range of topics from the fundamentals of mutation breeding to advanced mutation induction techniques, along with related biotechnological and bioinformatics applications.

The valedictory session, held on November 19, was chaired by Dr P. Pathak, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, AAU. He commended the organisers and participants for the successful conduct of the programme and expressed hope that continued collaboration between AAU and BARC would further strengthen research in mutation breeding and contribute to agricultural advancement for the benefit of farming communities.