ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management (NIASM), Baramati, Pune, Maharashtra in collaboration with Indian Society for Plant Physiology (ISPP), New Delhi organized a National Conference of Plant Physiology with the theme “Frontiers of Plant Physiology for Climate-smart Agriculture” during December 9-11, 2021 at ICAR-NIASM, Baramati, India.

The Conference was inaugurated by Chief Guest Dr. A. K. Singh, Director, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Chairman Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director, ICAR-NIASM along with Dr. V. Chinnuswamy, Hon. Secretary, ISPP, New Delhi; Dr. Madan Pal, Treasurer, ISPP, New Delhi; Dr. SR Gadakh, Directorate of Research, MPKV, Rahuri; and Dr. DP Waskar, Directorate of Research, VNMKV, Parbhani were present to grace the occasion.

The scientists, students, research scholars, private companies, progressive farmers from all over the country participated in this event. A total of 450 candidates were registered for the conference and among them 100 participated physically. In addition, private industries and nearby ICAR institutes exhibited their products and technologies in the conference.

The Conference addressed the important issues pertaining to climate change and came out with new directions for researchers for tailoring productive plant types, developing plant bio-stimulants, climate resilient varieties with biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to help in breaking the yield barrier and thereby ensuring sustained food and nutrition security.

Compendium of research work presented in the conference was released on the first day of the conference by dignitaries. Dr A.K. Singh, Director, IARI, called for greater intervention of plant physiology discipline in improvement of crop productivity in general and specifically for development of abiotic stress tolerance. While emphasizing the importance of plant physiology, he mentioned that the yield improvement in crop plants had physiological basis in the past. He suggested the trait-based crop improvement for fulfilling food, fuel and fodder demand.

In the three days conference, six plenary sessions, one key note address, three award lectures and 12 lead lectures were delivered by renowned scientists. During plenary session lectures experts highlighted the advances in genetics, genomics and breeding of oilseed Mustard and heat stress tolerance in canola and provided insights into regulatory network of small molecules and their role in plant growth and development. In addition, speakers also highlighted the potential applications of high-throughput phenotyping for developing climate resilient crops and climate smart agricultural practices to enhance productivity, nutrition and resilience of agri-food systems. In addition, young scientists presented on basics and applied plant physiology aspects and best presentation awards were given in basic and applied research categories.