International Workshop on Seed Physiology, Production and Management

Although, the number of seed companies is increasing in the country but the quality of seed is a matter of concerns that must be addressed, said Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC & RD) Director General Syed Nasir Shah. Keeping in view, the FSC&RD in collaboration with UNIDO is setting up Seed Testing Lab to ensure the quality of the seed at par with international standard, he added. He addressed the inaugural session of International Workshop titled Seed Physiology, Production and Management arranged by Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad at New Senate Hall. The session was chaired by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while Department Chairman Dr Shahzad Basra and Dr Irfan Afzal also spoke on the occasion. Nasir Shah said that the lab will focus on germinations and health of the seed that will help in increasing productivity and earn foreign exchange by exporting it. He said the sector demands more resources to make it strengthened which is a base for the green revolution. He lauded the University for producing valuable researches and producing trained manpower and said the university is used to organize seminars of the international standards to provide a platform for formulating a strategy to face the challenges of the sector, he added. Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that quality of seed is a real challenge. He said that the University in collaboration with other institutions was mulling establishing National Seed Lab at the campus. The lab will help in conducting valuables researches and will work on other mechanism for the quality of seed. He also announced that the University would start a programme in Seed Technology to train manpower in the said discipline. He quoted a survey that only seven out of 52 BT Cotton seed samples are meeting the criteria of pureness. He stressed the need to develop seed supply mechanism to ensure the quality. He also called for public awareness regarding balanced of resources such as water, fertilizer etc. Prof Dr Shahzad Basra stressed the need of collaborated efforts in the field. He said that the workshop will help in devising a roadmap to strengthen the seed sector. Dr Irfan Afzal said that around 700 seed companies are operating in the country.