International Conference on Millets: Breeding, Physiology, Genomics, Biotechnology, and Nutraceuticals-2023 (ICM-BPGBN-2023)

About the Conference

Climate-resilient cereals are crucial for increasing food in the future due to the increasing population and global climate change. Millets are considered a climate-resilient cereal globally. Millets are one of the primary sources of food and fodder crops, particularly in Asia and Africa. Millets provide essential nutrients and energy to humans. They also help to reduce various diseases, particularly obesity and cardiovascular diseases. However, compared to other major cereals, modern genetic and genomic research is lagging for millets although they possess excellent agronomical and nutrient-supplementation traits. Hence, the United Nations has declared 2023 the “International Year of Millets (#IYOM2023), considering their key role in promoting climate-resilient agriculture and nutrient supplementation among the rural population. The conference’s main aim is to bring together diverse millet researchers to deliberate on the current status of millet research and discuss the way forward. This conference covers diverse studies on understanding and improving millets through biotechnological molecular-assisted breeding, functional genomics, and genome editing approaches. This conference also covers the millet products, processing, nutritional importance and health benefits of millet foods. Overall, this conference aims to provide an avenue for millet researchers to exchange knowledge on millet research and develop collaborative networks.

Subjected areas

• Breeding and Crop Improvement: Genetic diversity, Genotyping, Phenotyping, MAS & MAB, QTL, GWAS, SNP, etc

• Functional Genomics: Genome sequencing, Candidate gene validation, RNAseq, Bioinformatics, Proteomics, etc

• Genetic Transformation & Genome Editing: Millet tissue culture, Millet transformation (Agrobacterium, Biolistic, & protoplast-mediated), Transgenic, Genome editing, etc.

• Physiology & Abiotic stress: Plant physiology, Stress physiology (Drought, heat, metal, cold, etc.)

• Nutrients and Nutraceuticals: Millet nutrients, Millet food, Millet healing effects, millet health benefits, millet nutraceuticals, etc

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Webinar on ‘Disease Control by Mosquito Reduction around Homes and Neighborhoods’: 30^th September 2022

Department of Biosciences & IQAC y jointly organized a free webinar on “Disease Control by Mosquito reduction around homes and Neighborhoods” on 30^th September 2022. The resource person for the workshop was Dr. A. Daniel Reegan, Assistant Director (Entomology), National Centre for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Bangalore. He has explained the significance and various aspects of reducing mosquitoes around homes. A total of 48 participants, including students, research scholars, and faculty members from various Government/aided/self-financing colleges of Ernakulam, have actively participated in the Webinar. An e-copy of the “Mosquito Control Handbook” was provided to the participants.

IPR Workshop: 20th July 2022

Department of Biosciences and IQAC in association with Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Intellectual Property Management (RGNIIPM), Government of India, Nagpur organized an online workshop on ‘Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) & Patents and Design Filing’ on 20th July 2022, under National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM). Dr. Bharat N. Suryawanshi, Assistant Controller of Patents & Designs, RGNIIPM, Nagpur, the resource person of the programme explained the significance and various aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and various processes involved in patent and design filing.

Rajagiri Research Day-2022: 29^th March, 2022

            Rajagiri Research Day 2022  was jointly organized by the IQAC and the Department of Biosciences on 29.03.2022. The Research Day speech was delivered by the chief guest, Fr. Dr. S. Ignacimuthu S.J. (Former Vice Chancellor, University of Madras and Bharathiar University, Coimbatore; Former Principal, Loyola College Chennai; Director, Xavier Research Foundation, St. Xavier’s College, Tirunelveli), on the topic ‘Research Approaches. Fr. Dr. S. Ignacimuthu S.J., distributed the Rajagiri Research Awards – 2022 to the research scholars for their excellent performance in publishing research articles in Scopus/Web of Science indexed research journals and securing national fellowships.

National Science Day-2022: 28^th February 2022

The Department of Bioscience has organized a virtual National Science Day-2022 celebration on 28^th February 2022 in association with the IQAC. Dr. Ajay K. Pandey, Scientist F, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (DBT, Ministry of Science and Technology, GoI), Punjab, has delivered a special lecture on “Functional analysis of genes: a historical update”.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED FOR INTER-DEPENDENT MICRO-ENTREPRENEURIAL CLUSTERS AS PART OF ICSSR-IMPRESS PROJECT

• Number of skill development training programmes conducted                     : 5
• Number of beneficiaries                                                                                  : 120
• Skill development Training Programmes were conducted and imparted training to 60 beneficiaries from Ernakulam District, Kerala on the production of innovative coconut value-added products.

Number of skill development training programmes conducted          : 3

Number of beneficiaries                                                                      : 60

Skill development Training Programmes were conducted and imparted training to 60 beneficiaries from Ernakulam District, Kerala on the production of innovative coconut value-added products.

(Grama Panchayats and Municipalities of Thrissur District, Kerala)

Number of skill development training programmes conducted          : 2

Number of beneficiaries                                                                      : 60

Skill development Training Programmes were conducted and imparted training to 60 beneficiaries from Madakkathara Grama Panchayat (21.03.2021) and Wadakkanchery Municipality (28.03.2021) of Thrissur District, Kerala., on the production of innovative coconut value-added products.

TRAINING PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED ON MUSHROOM CULTIVATION TO SELF-HELP GROUPS

Number of training programmes conducted                           : 19

Number of beneficiaries                                                          : 307

22.03.2021 to 25.03.2021

Number of training programmes conducted               : 4

Number of beneficiaries                                              : 63

MUSHROOM FEST- 2000

• MUSHROOM FEST- 2000 was conducted on 28^th January 2020 by the Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery, to promote mushroom cultivation by understanding its importance and benefits. It was jointly organized by Rajagiri College of Social Sciences and District Kudumbashree Mission, Ernakulam.
• A magazine was released on the importance, nature and scope of mushroom cultivation ‘Mushroom Vigyan’ by Mr. Geevarghese, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Ernakulum.
• Dr. N.S. Pradeep, Senior Scientist, Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Science delivered a lecture on “The opportunities and challenges in mushroom cultivation” by.
• Ms. Tany Thomas, Assistant director Department of Agriculture, Muvattupuzha, delivered a lecture on “Mushroom Cultivation: A Quick Livelihood option for Women Entrepreneurs”.
• An exhibition was also arranged for Mushroom Fest 2020. Five women entrepreneurs had food stalls selling various mushrooms value-added products.
• A total number of 135 beneficiaries attended the programme.