The Department of Microbiology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), organized an interactive guest lecture on “Soil Microbiome for Sustainable Agriculture in the UK” in association with the Department of Soil Science. Dr Mary Eliza, University of Sheffield, UK, delivered the talk which was attended by Heads, faculty members and postgraduate students of both the departments.
Dr Eliza, while sharing the results of her doctorate study, emphasized the role of rhizobial interactions with temperate phages in the laboratory as well as in the plant root and nearby substrate environment. The research output, however, was not limited to participants' perceptions, but also practices and various soil assessment techniques that are used by the farming community, she said.
Dr Urmila Gupta, Head, Department of Microbiology, elaborated the importance of biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture and gave an overview of the biofertilizers produced by PAU. She further added that the University is producing biofertilizers for 18 different crops which are sold to the farmers on subsidized rate. Apart from biofertilizers, she also focused on other organic farming practices which have the potential to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers.
Dr Dhanwinder Singh, Head, Department of Soil Science, highlighted the sustainable agriculture practices adopted by the Punjab farmers. He appreciated the work carried out by the young researcher Dr Eliza.
Dr Pratibha Vyas, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, while welcoming the speaker, informed that Dr Eliza is specialized in Sustainable Agriculture and Evolutionary Microbiology. Her study mainly focused on interaction of temperate phages with Rhizobium leguminosarumin clover, she told. Later, she proposed a vote of thanks.
Dr Eliza also visited the research laboratories of the Department of Soil Science, and interacted with the faculty members and students of the Department of Microbiology and Department of Soil Sciences. |
