“Managing Plant Microbe Interactions for the Management of Soil-borne Plant Pathogens”

Plants are constantly exposed to a wide range of fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens and globally, enormous losses of the crops are caused by plant diseases. While no overall estimation of the loss caused by soil borne plant diseases in India has been made, it must be considerable and varying from crop to crop. The future of sustainable agriculture in India will increasingly rely on the integration of biotechnology with traditional agricultural practices. Although genetic engineering promises enhanced yields and disease resistance, it is also important to recognize that plants exist in intimate associations with microorganisms, some of which cause plant disease while others protect against disease. Understanding plant microbe interactions, identifying and utilizing microorganisms or microbial products to control plant disease and enhance crop production are integral parts of sustainable agriculture. In view of above, the 21 day training under Center of Advanced Faculty Training in Plant Pathology was designed to give an updated information/knowledge on “Managing Plant Microbe Interactions for the Management of Soil-borne Plant pathogens ” to the participants, so that they can deal with the opportunity and applicability of emerging technologies for enhancing the agricultural productivity. Excellent response was received from all over India for participation in this training. Twenty five participants representing twelve states, who actively participated in the programme, were exposed to the recent advances mad