HAU scientist and student appreciated for their papers

By Haryananewswire 

CHANDIGARH, MARCH 15

 A weed scientist, Dr. Samunder Singh of Ch  Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU),Hisar and Mr. Kuldeep Singh, a Ph.D. student of the Department of Agronomy  got so much appreciation for their papers at an International conference on global herbicide resistance challenge held at Perth, Western Australia recently that the organizers waived off their registration fee of $1100 and $600 respectively.

While stating this today, spokesman of CCSHAU said that  Dr. Samunder Singh had presented  a paper on 'Detection of ACCase herbicide resistance in weed, Phalaris minor and its management in India'. 

Over 300 scientists from 30 countries took part in the conference.        

Dr. Singh's paper was path breaking as he highlighted the technology to detect resistance to these commonly used wheat herbicides developed in the Department of Agronomy of the university. He said that an early detection of resistance to these herbicides could help farmers to select another herbicide that could kill the resistant Phalaris. This would help to lower the cost of weed control, increase in wheat yield and income of the farmers.  His paper was highly appreciated at the conference as it also addressed the issue of soil seed bank of Phalaris and its management strategies depending upon the level of resistance to different herbicides. Impressed with the presentation, the organizers waived off his registration fee of $1100, he added.

          He said that Phalaris minor, commonly called kanki, gullidanda, mandusi or baluri is a major weed of wheat that has been taking serious proportions in Haryana.  Even ACCase inhibiting herbicides like fenoxaprop, clodinafop and pinoxaden have been failing to control the weed in farmer's fields even at double application rates.  This is the first weed in India which has the tendency to evolve resistance against herbicides, thus threatening wheat production in the state as well as the country.  Earlier, in 1992, many farmers had to plough up wheat fields or harvest it as fodder when this weed evolved resistance against the weedicide Isoproturon, he added.

          He said that in the conference, Mr. Kuldeep Singh, a Ph.D. student of the Department of Agronomy also presented a poster paper along with Dr. Samunder Singh on the rapid herbicides resistance detection method for different herbicides used against Phalaris minor in India.  The organizers also refunded his registration fee of $600, he added.