FAISALABAD, Jan 2: Students of Oman have been offered training in new agricultural research techniques particularly in the discipline of biotechnology.

This was stated by Dr Muhammad Afzal, Agricultural Research director-general of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, while briefing students of Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, during their visit to the institute here on Monday.

Dr Afzal said that causes of mango malformation disease had been established and the method to control this pestilence had also been identified.

Omani students visited various research institutes and laboratories and got acquaintance with the research programmes initiated at the institute.

Students were also briefed about the objectives and working of the institute. They were also equipped with various research techniques adopted at the AARI to develop new and disease free varieties of crops, fruits, and vegetables.

The foreign students were also informed about the research achievements of the Biotechnology Research Institute.

They were also apprised that the disease free seed of potato had also been produced by using the tissue culture technique.

It may be mentioned that a delegation of 25 students belonging to Crop Sciences discipline of the Oman University was on a study tour under an internship programme.