ICAR Sponsored Winter School on Development, Evaluation, and Biosafety Assessment of Genome Edited Crops: Hands-on Training - 20 January to 9 February 2023

ICAR sponsored 21-days Winter School training course on “Development, Evaluation, and Biosafety Assessment of Genome Edited Crops: Hands-on Training” was successfully conducted by ICAR - Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad from 20 January to 9 February 2023 in collaboration with Agri-Biotech Foundation (ABF), Hyderabad.

The program was inaugurated by Dr. Ramesh V. Sonti, Director, ICGEB, New Delhi. He stressed the importance of genome editing for developing high yielding, climate resilient, abiotic/ biotic stress tolerant, and biofortified crops for the country. Dr. P. Anand Kumar, Former Director (ICAR-NIPB and ICAR-IIRR) was the guest of honour and reiterated the applications of genome editing tools in enhancing various economical traits in crops. Dr RM Sundaram Director, ICAR-IIRR presided the inaugural program of the winter school.

A total of 25 participants were selected from across the country among ICAR Institutes and SAUs. The meticulously planned course content covered various in-vogue topics on genome editing through a series of structured modules. Expert resource persons identified from various ICAR, CSIR, DBT institutes, SAUs, Central universities, other National and International research organisations delivered lectures on various topics in genome editing coupled with hands-on training experience and field visits.

The valedictory function was organized on 9 February 2023. Congratulating the organizers and participants for timely conduct of this training in the country, Dr. T.R. Sharma, DDG (CS), ICAR, the chief guest emphasized the benefits of genome editing for developing enhanced need-based quality products in crops. He encouraged the trainees to harness the genome editing tools in their respective crops and mentioned that India has taken a pragmatic approach, regarding biosafety regulations of genome edited crops. Dr Seema Jaggi, ADG (HRD), ICAR, theguest of honor, highlighted the purpose of conducting the training course is for improving the knowledge, skills and expertise of trainees across the NARS institutes in the frontline area of genome editing.

Dr RM Sundaram Director, ICAR-IIRR served as course director of the training course along with Dr. Satendra K. Mangrauthia, while Dr. C.N. Neeraja, Dr P Muthuraman, Dr. KB Kalyani, Dr. P. Senguttuvel and Dr. S. Arun Kumar served as the course coordinators from ICAR-IIRR, while, Dr. M Gopala Krishna and Dr Anurag Uttam, served as the course coordinators from Agri-Biotech Foundation.

Vigilance awareness week (31 October-6 November, 2022) 

As per the directions of Central Vigilance commission of India, Vigilance Awareness Week was celebrated at ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad from 31^st October to 6^th November, 2022. The theme of this year Vigilance awareness week was “Corruption free India for a developed Nation”- “भ्रष्टाचार मुक्त भारत - विकसित भारत”. The main aim of Vigilance awareness week is to encourage all the stakeholders to collectively participate in preventing corruption in public life. Several awareness programs were organized during this week. It started with vigilance oath and integrity pledge on 31^st October by Dr. R. M. Sundaram, Director, ICAR-IIRR. An essay writing competition was organized on “Integrity and transparency in work place” in the Director’s committee room on 1^st November, 2022. We also organized a special awareness lecture in the Rajendranagar farm office of ICAR-IIRR for the farm labours on various aspects of office duties and responsibilities in local Telugu language and lecture was delivered by Dr. A. V. S. R. Swamy, Principal Scientist, Plant Breeding. We also received several posters (ppt presentation) which were displayed on 4^th November. In the concluding ceremony on 4^th November, 2022, Dr. G. S. Laha, Vigilance officer, ICAR-IIRR briefed about the importance of vigilance awareness week and the activities that were conducted at ICAR-IIRR. Dr. R. M. Sundaram, Director, Indian Institute of Rice Research addressed all the staff of the Institute on various aspects of office rules and responsibilities and urged all the staff to follow the path of honesty and integrity in all official matters. A special lecture (online mode) was delivered on “Duties, responsibilities and office conducts of the employees” by Mr. Saroj Kumar Singh, CAO, ICAR-IISR, Lucknow. The meeting ended with vote of thanks by Dr. G. S. Laha. 

Proceedings of IIRR Industry Meet 2022

Industry Meet 2022 - Presentations

Dr. Hari prasad

Dr. L V Subba Rao

IIRR - Industry Meet 2022 was organized in our Institute on 10.11.2022 with a theme of ‘Display of IIRR Technologies & Services’, to display the ICAR-IIRR technologies which are in the take off stage for commercialization, to discuss the essential abiding steps of MOA and MTA and the services that IIRR can offer to the private sector to support their R&D activities. Around 50 representatives of 20 private seed companies participated in the display of ICAR-IIRR technologies (varieties/hybrids/genetic stocks/pesticide formulations/soil testing kits/value added products/farm machinery etc.) In the interactive meeting, Dr R.M. Sundaram. the Director, ICAR-IIR, Hyderabad highlighted the Institute’s achievements viz., developing multiple resistant varieties for major biotic stresses, biofortified varieties with high iron and zinc, varieties with low nutrient requirement, hybrid for aerobic ecology etc.  Three experts from private seed industry viz., Drs Paresh Verma, Bioseed Research India, B.C. Viraktamath, Ankur Seeds, and Dr V. Ramanathan, Rallis India Ltd shared their views on industry expectations in furthering the rice research in the country, they were emphasizing on the sharing of promising genetic stocks with valued added traits like biotic resistance/ abiotic tolerance that will help in developing high yielding genotypes. Dr D K Yadava, ADG (Seeds), ICAR, New Delhi addressed the participants (through virtual mode) and highlighted the Council’s initiative for further strengthening the public-private partnerships in strengthening the research activities which will lead to the development of high yielding genotypes with value added trails. Dr L.V. Subba Rao, Principal Scientist & PI, AICRIP (Plant Breeding) presented the details of ‘Varieties & Hybrids released by ICAR-IIRR’ and their unique features and Dr. A.S. Hari Prasad, Principal Scientist (Hybrid Rice) and Chairman, ITMU presented ‘Non-varietal Technologies & Services from ICAR-IIRR’ for the benefit of the participants. An interactive session with the participants was also organized to seek the requirement of participants for their research programs. 

ICAR-IIRR organized ICT based training programs on Improved Rice Production Technology

            An off-campus training program on ‘Improved rice production technology’ was organized at Cheruvu Jammulapalem, Bapatla Mandal, Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh on 10/10/2022. Dr.B.Sailaja, PS(Computer Applns.) explained about the use of ‘Rice mobile app’ developed by ICAR-IIRR. The app was installed on the mobile phones of the farmers. Several applications of the app were discussed with the farmers. Diagnosis of the pests and diseases using the app, was narrated by Dr.D.Krishnaveni, PS(Pathology), ICAR-IIRR. Awareness on the possible solutions after diagnosis by using the app was also created among the farmers. Dr.B.Nirmala, Senior Scientist(Agricultural Economics),ICAR-IIRR elaborated upon the importance of the app in helping to take up timely crop protection measures and for profitable rice production. On 11/10/2022, under ICAR-IIRR-SCSP a similar training program was organized at Etheru village of Bapatla mandal of Andhra Pradesh.  The farmers reported leaf folder incidence in rice. Dr.D.Krishnaveni suggested solutions for the control/management of the leaf folder and IPM strategies. Dr.B.Nirmala emphasized upon the importance of Integrated nutrient management in rice and demonstrated the use of Leaf Color Charts developed by ICAR-IIRR. The LCCs were distributed to the farmers.About 25 farmers attended the program. These ICT based training programs were coordinated by Drs.B.Sailaja, B.Nirmala and D.Krishnaveni.