ICAR Sponsored Winter School on Development, Evaluation, and Biosafety Assessment of Genome Edited Crops: Hands-on Training - 20 January to 9 February 2023

ICAR sponsored 21-days Winter School training course on “Development, Evaluation, and Biosafety Assessment of Genome Edited Crops: Hands-on Training” was successfully conducted by ICAR - Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad from 20 January to 9 February 2023 in collaboration with Agri-Biotech Foundation (ABF), Hyderabad.

The program was inaugurated by Dr. Ramesh V. Sonti, Director, ICGEB, New Delhi. He stressed the importance of genome editing for developing high yielding, climate resilient, abiotic/ biotic stress tolerant, and biofortified crops for the country. Dr. P. Anand Kumar, Former Director (ICAR-NIPB and ICAR-IIRR) was the guest of honour and reiterated the applications of genome editing tools in enhancing various economical traits in crops. Dr RM Sundaram Director, ICAR-IIRR presided the inaugural program of the winter school.

A total of 25 participants were selected from across the country among ICAR Institutes and SAUs. The meticulously planned course content covered various in-vogue topics on genome editing through a series of structured modules. Expert resource persons identified from various ICAR, CSIR, DBT institutes, SAUs, Central universities, other National and International research organisations delivered lectures on various topics in genome editing coupled with hands-on training experience and field visits.

The valedictory function was organized on 9 February 2023. Congratulating the organizers and participants for timely conduct of this training in the country, Dr. T.R. Sharma, DDG (CS), ICAR, the chief guest emphasized the benefits of genome editing for developing enhanced need-based quality products in crops. He encouraged the trainees to harness the genome editing tools in their respective crops and mentioned that India has taken a pragmatic approach, regarding biosafety regulations of genome edited crops. Dr Seema Jaggi, ADG (HRD), ICAR, theguest of honor, highlighted the purpose of conducting the training course is for improving the knowledge, skills and expertise of trainees across the NARS institutes in the frontline area of genome editing.

Dr RM Sundaram Director, ICAR-IIRR served as course director of the training course along with Dr. Satendra K. Mangrauthia, while Dr. C.N. Neeraja, Dr P Muthuraman, Dr. KB Kalyani, Dr. P. Senguttuvel and Dr. S. Arun Kumar served as the course coordinators from ICAR-IIRR, while, Dr. M Gopala Krishna and Dr Anurag Uttam, served as the course coordinators from Agri-Biotech Foundation.