![CDRI playing vital role in ensuring food security](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2016/08/_2/740x404/pic_1472038367_1.jpg)
CDRI Playing Vital Role In Ensuring Food Security
Faizan Hashmi Published August 24, 2016 | 04:32 PM
![CDRI playing vital role in ensuring food security](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2016/08/_2/740x404/pic_1472038367_1.jpg)
MURREE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -24th Augst,2016) : The Crop Disease Research Institute (CDRI) has been playing vital role in ensuring food security in the country by timely detecting wheat crop diseases through its state-of-the-art laboratory established here since 1960. The institute is a unique and first research facility in the country which had played a key role in 1960s to bringing green revolution in Pakistan and it became first country in the world where green revolution took place.
"The institute releases two to three new wheat varieties every year and so far over 100 wheat varieties has been released to increase disease resistance in the wheat crop which ultimately helps in enhancing wheat production with a minimum input cost", Dr.
Javed Iqbal Mirza, Principal Scientific Officer and Incharge of the Institute told a group of media persons who visited the laboratory here on Wednesday. He said the institute had helped in protecting wheat diseases, contributing to ensure food security, sharing rust data, curtailing Ug99, collecting and testing wheat diseases samples, genetic stock analysis to identify gene having resistance.
He claimed that the institute was the only facility of its kind in the whole South Asian region which shares its research outcomes not only within the country but also with all agriculture scientists around the world which helps in curtailing the diseases in time and producing new disease resistant varieties. "Not only Pakistani breeders and pathologists visit the institute in a bid to get training and to avail the state-of-the-art lab facility but also numerous international pathologists and scientists visit the institute and stay here for as long as they wish. He said these were the efforts of this institute that Pakistan had become self sufficient in wheat and the wheat growers were also taking benefit by utilizing the new varieties of wheat seed produced by the institute.
Dr Javed informed that the work had been started even before partition of Pakistan and India for the set up of this program.
In 1958 it was started as cereal diseases research station at Karachi and considering the hot climatic conditions of Karachi and following the example of Indian rust lab in Shimla, the station was moved to Murree Hills in 1960, he added.
Earlier the group of journalists whose visit was arranged by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) also visited Rawal Watershed Field Station at Satrameel. During visit to PARC Rawal Watershed Field Station at Satrameel, the media persons witnessed various research and development activities at the station.
Dr. Ghani Akbar, Senior Engineer and Project Incharge of the Station briefed them that the Station was one of the field sites of PARC that stretched over over an area of 47 acres of land with 42 acres covered with forest trees and five acres covered with high value agriculture.
Various soil and water conservation practices including biological measures (forest, land cover), engineering measures (loose rock check dams, rainwater harvesting ponds, gabion netted structures, groundwater recharge through dug wells, solar and gravity driven high efficiency irrigation systems), livelihood improvement interventions (fruit plants, off-season vegetables using tunnel farming, nursery raising, cereal crops) have been demonstrated at this site.
The station is frequently used for capacity building training, visits and field days.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
![Cricket: England v West Indies 3rd Test scoreboard](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019914.jpg)
Cricket: England v West Indies 3rd Test scoreboard
![Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on refor ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019922.jpg)
Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on reform agenda, engagement with IMF
![Finland says Russian vessel violated its territori ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019912.jpg)
Finland says Russian vessel violated its territorial waters
![Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019266.jpg)
Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
![West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019264.jpg)
West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
![Ukraine court orders detention of suspect in murde ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019262.jpg)
Ukraine court orders detention of suspect in murder of nationalist ex-MP
![Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris ope ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019015.jpg)
Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
![Rana Sanaullah Khan joins Paris 2024 Olympics inau ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019638.jpg)
Rana Sanaullah Khan joins Paris 2024 Olympics inauguration reception
![Glowing tributes mark 69th birthday of President Z ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019637.jpg)
Glowing tributes mark 69th birthday of President Zardari at Governor's House
![Players unaware of spying scandal as Canada Olympi ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019635.jpg)
Players unaware of spying scandal as Canada Olympic coach sent home: official
![Naqvi hails Pak women cricketers for going down fi ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019013.jpg)
Naqvi hails Pak women cricketers for going down fighting against SL
!['Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: ..](https://photo-cdn.urdupoint.com/media/2024/07/_1/235x155/pic_1722019634.jpg)
'Sabotage' on French rail network before Olympics: What we know
More Stories From Business
-
Finance minister briefs Chinese officials on reform agenda, engagement with IMF
6 hours ago -
Chinese support for CPEC, development projects show deep love with Pakistan: Mushahid
6 hours ago -
G20 seeks common ground on taxing super-rich
6 hours ago -
Stocks rise as inflation data boosts rate cut hopes
7 hours ago -
Land of PSM to be used for establishment of SEZs: NA body told
9 hours ago -
European medicines watchdog rejects new Alzheimer's drug
9 hours ago
-
FBR committed to resolve taxpayer issues in KP, Chairman FBR assures Governor KP
11 hours ago -
Tanveer emphasizes role of SEZs in attracting investment
11 hours ago -
Russian central bank hikes key rate to fight inflation
11 hours ago -
SBP injects Rs9.545 trillion into market
11 hours ago -
PSX stays bearish, loses 439 points
11 hours ago -
US Fed's favored inflation measure cools further in June
12 hours ago