SAWIE team led by Dr. Tasneem Khaliq, took part in a crucial meeting held on August 7, 2024, at the Oilseeds Research Institute (ORI), AARI, Faisalabad, to finalize the Annual Programme of Research Work for Kharif Crops 2024-25. The meeting presided over by Dr. Sajid ur Rahman, Director of General Research at AARI, was a productive session where various research sections, including Breeding, Pathology, Entomology, and Food Science, presented their ongoing experiments and invited feedback for improvement.
SAWIE raised concerns about the current challenges faced by the sesame crop in the Layyah district, particularly the PHYLLODY disease and fruit drop due to heat stress. Other scientists echoed the need for better crop management and awareness of suitable sowing dates under varying climate stresses.
A highlight of the meeting was the discussion on evaluating about 500 lines of different oilseed crops against heat and drought for future breeding. SAWIE proposed the integration of mechanistic/computational models for more efficient screening of germplasm against abiotic stresses, offering to collaborate with ORI to optimize site-specific production technology for oilseed crops.
In response, the Director of ORI encouraged the planning of collaborative research projects with SAWIE experts and suggested organizing a workshop session to train scientists on these advanced techniques. This initiative aims to leverage time, cost, and labor-effective technologies to enhance the research output of the institute.
The meeting concluded with a group photo, marking the event as a memorable step forward in our collective efforts to improve the resilience and productivity of oilseed crops in the region.