HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Nov 26: Tezpur University organised an international symposium on plant-microbe interactions from November 24-25, 2023, coinciding with the visit of Prof Steven E. Lindow from the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Prof Lindow, a distinguished scientist in the field, is visiting India as the B. P. Pal Chair Professor of INSA, New Delhi. The symposium featured talks by eminent scientists from reputed institutions such as IMTECH Chandigarh, Delhi University, and CCMB Hyderabad.
In the inaugural program, Prof Sambhu Nath Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University, commended the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (MBBT) for organising the event. He expressed optimism that such academic endeavours could have a significant impact on the country’s agricultural scenario and benefit students at the beginning of their careers. Prof R. K. Dutta, Dean of the School of Sciences, and Dr R. Mukhopadhyay, Head of the Department, extended their gratitude to the faculty members and scholars for organizing the symposium.
During his lecture, Prof. Lindow discussed how bacterial populations on plant leaf surfaces can play a crucial role in plant health and diversity. The symposium delved into how plant-microbe interactions can influence the country’s crop production, particularly in the context of monoculture practices.
The event was sponsored by Tezpur University, INSA, and DST-SERB, with Prof S. K. Ray and Dr Aditya Kumar of the Department of MBBT serving as the convenor and co-convenor, respectively.