The Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBPGR) organized the fourth training on Biosecurity and Biosafety: Diagnostics, Phytosanitary Treatments and Issues from August 19–28, 2025.
Conducted virtually under the Department of Biotechnology–funded project National Programme for Quarantine and GM Diagnostics of Genetically Engineered Plant Material, the course brought together 93 participants from across India.
Attendees included officials from the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (DPPQ&S), scientists from ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), private industry representatives, and members of organizations such as the Central Silk Board, Coffee Board, and ICARDA–India.
Training structure
The program combined expert lectures with practical demonstrations via video, covering a wide range of topics:
- Principles of biosecurity and biosafety, including international frameworks.
- National plant quarantine systems for bulk imports and germplasm exchange, including transgenic material.
- Detection and identification of quarantine pests such as insects, mites, fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasma, nematodes, and weeds.
- Phytosanitary treatments for disinfestation and disinfection.
- Post-entry quarantine regulations and pest risk analysis methodologies.
- Biosafety regulations for genetically engineered (GE) plants and updates on emerging technologies like CRISPR.
- Case studies on gene editing in rice and banana, as well as management practices for containment facilities and greenhouses.
Virtual visits to key facilities—including the National Containment/Quarantine Facility for Transgenic Planting Material and GM Detection Research Facility at ICAR-NBPGR, and the National Phytotron Facility at ICAR-IARI—provided participants with practical exposure.
Faculty and contributors
The course drew on the expertise of 18 in-house faculty members from ICAR-NBPGR and 14 guest faculty from DPPQ&S, DBT, BCIL, CFTRI/FSSAI, ICAR institutes, private industry, and international partners. Collectively, they delivered detailed sessions on diagnostics, biosafety frameworks, phytosanitary practices, and industry perspectives.
Outcomes
Pre- and post-training evaluations showed significant knowledge gains among participants. In the valedictory session, Dr. R. K. Gautam, Head of the Division of Germplasm Evaluation at ICAR-NBPGR, stressed the importance of such trainings in raising awareness and building capacity among stakeholders. Certificates were awarded to participants, and feedback highlighted the program’s value in equipping professionals with both theoretical and practical insights.
Dr. V. Celia Chalam, the Course Director, concluded the session by emphasizing the training’s role in strengthening India’s biosecurity and biosafety systems.
By Dr. V. Celia Chalam is the Head, Division of Plant Quarantine, ICAR-NBPGR
