LAHORE: The Government College University on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Punjab Agriculture and Research Board (PARB) for research collaboration in the agriculture sector.

GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah and PARB Chief Executive Officer Dr Noorul Islam Khan signed the 17-point MoU at a ceremony organised by Directorate of Academic Planning and External Links (AP&EL) at the Syndicate Committee Room of the varsity.

PARB Executive Member Dr Muhammad Younas and GCU Registrar Mr Saboor Khan were also present.

Dr Noorul Islam stressing the need for applied research said the government had increased the budget for agricultural research from Rs200 million to Rs700m to enhance sustainable productivity of crops.

He said PARB had adequate funding available, and was keen to launch projects to enhance sustainable productivity of high-value crops, reduce poverty and ensure food security.

He said framers needed to shun ‘four crops (wheat, cotton, rice and sugarcane) syndrome’, and promote the high-value crops like Pista and Zafran.

He said the researchers should come up with bio-pesticides projects because organic pesticides would soon become redundant due to resistance in the soil against them.

The CEO said PARB had sought collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), so that no researcher could get double funding for the same project.

He said Pakistan should also work on value addition of its crops, adding that more than 4,500 products could be developed from corn alone.

GCU VC thanked PARB for awarding Rs21.9 million research project to environmental sciences department for bringing cost-effective improvement in nutritive value of rice and wheat crops through nano-particles in saline-sodic soils.

He said the GCU was actively strengthening research and academic ties with foreign and national varsities for research collaboration, training of faculty members and exchange of students at postgraduate level.

Earlier, GCU AP&EL Director Ms Fouzia Shaheen briefed the delegation about the scope of the accord and other active research collaborations of the varsity. She said GCU and PARB would also hold joint conferences, training workshops and seminars.

GCU Faculty of Science and Technology Dean Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan and Engineering Dean Prof Dr Riaz Ahmed also addressed the ceremony.

WORKSHOP: An international workshop on DNA Barcoding tilted ‘Barcode of life data systems’ was held here on Tuesday at the GCU by its botany and zoology departments, University of Guelph Canada and Punjab Agriculture and Research Board (PARB).

Students from different varsities attended the workshop which was aimed at spreading the idea of DNA barcoding and its applications in various fields to improve the practical knowledge of participants.

VC Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah, Prof Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik and PARB Executive Member Dr Muhammad Younas also addressed the one-day workshop.

On the occasion, zoology department Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir said DNA barcoding was a powerful tool for differentiating cryptic species, testing food authenticity, identifying parasites, vectors, insect pests, predators, monitoring illegal trade of animals, plants, their products and collecting forensic evidences.

Botany department head Dr Safdar Ali Mirza said DNA barcoding would also help mark invasive species at earlier stages which could upset ecosystem balance in the area.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2017