Production of Disease Free Varieties Tuber Crops

Tuber Crops are contributing significantly to human and animal food apart from finding use in various industrial applications. In view of the same, Central Tuber Crops Research Institute held the three-day coordinated research project in their 19th Annual Group Meeting. The ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram from 13^th to 15^th June 2019.

Dr. T. Janakiram, Assistant Director-General (Horticultural Sciences - 1), ICAR, New Delhi in his inaugural address, accentuated on the importance to develop technologies for doubling the farmers’ income, farm mechanization, micro-irrigation and focus on the production of disease-free quality planting material, nutrient use efficient varieties of tuber crops, etc. Dr. Janakiram also urged to explore the use of artificial intelligence, ICT, drones and sensor technologies wherever it is possible.

The meeting was presided over by Dr. Archana Mukherjee, Director, ICAR-CTCRI and Project Coordinator; AICRPTC. The AICRP Centre functioning at the Navsari Agricultural University (NAU), Gujarat was bestowed with the Best Centre Award for the Year - 2018-19.

A CD on 50 Years achievements by the AICRP Centre at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (DRPCAU) and various other publications were also released on the occasion.

The three-day event reviewed the progress made by the centres on variety improvement, agro-techniques, pests and disease management and technology dissemination related to tuber crops. The Scientists from 21 AICRPTC Centres from 18 States and One Union Territory (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) of the country registered their participation in the meeting.