A one-day workshop on plant biotechnology for the North Eastern Hill (NEH)
region was jointly organized by the Society for Plant Biochemistry and
Biotechnology (SPBB) and the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region,
Umiam, on 18 September 2026. The workshop provided a platform for eminent
scientists, researchers, faculty members, and young scholars to deliberate on
how modern biotechnology can be translated into practical solutions for the
agricultural challenges of the region.
The programme was graced by Dr. T. R. Sharma, Former Deputy Director
General (Crop Science), ICAR and National Professor, ICAR-NIPV, New
Delhi, and Dr. Arunava Pattanayak, Former Director, ICAR-IIAB, Ranchi and
ICAR-VPKAS, Almora. Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director, ICAR Research Complex
for NEH Region, chaired the programme.
The workshop focused on the need to align emerging biotechnology tools with
the distinct production environments and field-level constraints of the NEH
region, including acidic and nutrient-poor soils, abiotic and biotic stresses,
climate- and water-related challenges, limited availability of quality seed and
planting material, and the gap between promising research outputs and their
effective field-level deployment.
Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director of the Institute, in his opening remarks, highlighted
the ongoing efforts in breeding and biotechnological applications to enhance
productivity under the variable climatic conditions prevalent across the NEH
states. He emphasized the urgent need to explore the possibilities of applying
biotechnology for the improvement of indigenous crops.
Dr. A. Pattanayak, Former Director, ICAR-IIAB, Ranchi and ICAR-VPKAS,
Almora, in his address, emphasized the utilization of tissue culture and apical
rooted cuttings (ARC) for the large-scale production and promotion of disease-
free planting material in the NEH region. He also highlighted innovative
techniques such as speed breeding for accelerated crop improvement.
Dr. T. R. Sharma, Former Deputy Director General (Crop Science), ICAR and
National Professor, ICAR-NIPV, New Delhi, in his address, highlighted the
importance of the workshop for budding professionals and scholars in
advancing their knowledge and careers in the application of biotechnology to
agriculture and allied sectors. He emphasized the importance of integrating
breeding and biotechnological approaches for the development of biofortifiedand climate-resilient crop varieties suited to the diverse agro-ecological
conditions of the NEH region of India.
The key emphasis of the deliberations was to move beyond broad discussions
and identify clear, evidence-based, and actionable biotechnology priorities for
NEH agriculture, with particular attention to the scientific interventions
required, validation needs, institutional capabilities, collaboration, and realistic
pathways towards field-level impact.
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