19/01/2016
Prestigious collaboration between Prof. Dr. Shagufta Naz, LCWU( Editor of JIS) and Pak-US Science &Technology Cooperation Program, with Rs 41.7 Million funding by HEC and USAID
Under the Pak-US Science &Technology Cooperation Program, Prof. Dr.Shagufta Naz, Visited the Foundation Plant Services in the Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, as a visiting Professor and project collaborator for training and research in the project entitled “Application of Molecular methods for the development of a pathogen-free certification program for grapevine” in Nov.-Dec.2015.The project was funded by HEC and USAID and the funding amount is 41.7 Million Rs.
The projects was involved training in the areas of modern molecular technologies used for the detection of viruses in grapes (like PCR and qPCR) and technologies used for molecular characterization of viruses (e.g., Next Generation Sequencing Technology). This is the first ever project in the field of grapes. So far no comprehensive research on this area is being conducted. Pakistan does not have the highly technical tools that could vastly improve the national harvest of perennial crops -- from vineyards and orchards. Microbial diseases greatly decrease the yields and quality of those harvests. This project proposes to bring that expertise in plant disease detection and management from the U. S. to Pakistan. The first step, during the three years of this proposal, will be the establishment of a pilot program in the disease-free certification of grapevines for commercial production. The next step will be the expansion of that program across the nation. Final steps will involve the inclusion of other orchard crops in certification programs. The result will be improvement in crop productivity. A more productive vineyard and orchard industry would provide lower cost, non-imported, healthy food to the people, as well as economic benefit to the growers and to the commercial agricultural sector
