A one-day workshop on plant biotechnology for the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region was organized jointly by the Society for Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (SPBB) and the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, on 18th September 2026. The workshop gave 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 region’s agricultural challenges.
        The programme was graced by Dr. T R Sharma, former DDG crop science, ICAR & National professor ICAR NIPV, New Delhi Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, chaired the programme, and Dr. Arunava Pattanayak, former Director, ICAR-IIAB, Ranchi and ICAR-VPKAS, Almora,
        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, quality seed and planting-material availability, and the gap between promising research outputs and their effective field deployment.
        Dr. G. Kadirvel, Director of the institute in his opening remarks highlighted the ongoing effort on breeding and biotechnological applications for the enhancing productivity under variable climatic conditions prevalent in NEH states. There is an urgent need for exploring possibilities of biotechnological application for improvement of the indigenous crops.
        Dr. A Pattanayak former Director, ICAR-IIAB, Ranchi & ICAR-VPKAS, Almora in his address, emphasized the utilization of tissue culture and apical rooted cuttings (ARC) for promotion of disease free planting materials on larger scale in the NEH. Emphasis was also given on innovative techniques like speed breeding for crop improvement.
        Dr. T R Sharma, former DDG crop science, ICAR & National professor ICAR NIPV, New Delhi in his address, highlighted the importance of workshop for the budding professionals and scholars for their journey with biotechnological applications in agriculture and allied sector. He highlighted the importance of breeding and biotechnological approaches in development of bio fortified and climate resilient crop varieties suitable for diverse ecosystem of 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 attention to the scientific intervention required, validation needs, institutional capability, collaboration and realistic pathways towards field-level impact.