Around 120 plant breeders and horticulturalists from across India are gathering to discuss issues related to the development of disease-resistant varieties of fruits, among other things, at a symposium on ‘Fruit breeding in tropics and sub-tropics: an Indian perspective’ from April 27 to 29.
To promote organic cultivation of fruits, plant breeders are now focusing on developing disease-resistant fruit varieties which can be grown without using pesticides.
Even as efforts are on to develop various cultivation practices to reduce pest attacks, scientists now feel that developing varieties which are resistant to major diseases will go a long way in promoting organic cultivation.
IIHR Director M.R. Dinesh told The Hindu that organic fruits were not just healthier, but would also fetch additional income for farmers, especially in the export market.
Reducing time
The symposium will also focus on reducing the time required for the development of new and improved fruit varieties to the range of 6 to 8 years from the present level of 15 to 20 years through use of innovative technologies. It will also look at the ways and means of conservation of indigenous fruit varieties, he noted. In addition to this, value addition possibilities for each of the fruit varieties will also be promoted among farmers, he said.
Source: thehindu.com
