AMU’s scholar conferred Outstanding Scientist Award

Aligarh, May 1:

Dr Mujeebur Rahman Khan, Department of Plant Protection, Aligarh Muslim University was recently conferred with the prestigious Society of Plant Protection Sciences (SPPS) Outstanding Scientist Award-2015 at the 11th National Symposium on ‘Dynamics of Crop Protection: Challenges in Agri-horticultural Ecosystems Facing Climate Change.’

He has received the biannual award conferred by SPPS, Agricultural Research Institute and the National Centre for Integrated Pest Management (ICAR-NCIPM), New Delhi. The award is given to Indian scientists for outstanding research contribution in the field of Crop Protection.

Prof O P Gill (Vice Chancellor, MPUAT), Dr C Chattopadhyay (Director, NCIPM) and the Mayor of Udaipur at the inaugural function of the National Symposium presented carrying a cash amount, memento and a certificate, the award to Dr Khan.

SPPS, Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR, New Delhi) and the National Centre organized the Symposium for Integrated Pest Management (NCIPM, New Delhi) at the Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture & Technology (MPUAT), Udaipur.

During his address at the event, Dr Khan described the recent natural disasters such as floods in Uttrakhand and J&K, and current rains (Mach-April) as an apparent effect of climate change.

“Increase in the ambient concentrations of greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc) and exploitation/misuse of natural resources is a major cause of climate change,” said Dr Khan who added that due to these factors, the global temperature of the earth is likely to increase by 1-5 C by the end of the present century.

He said: “However, the effects of climate change have already been felt throughout the world in the form of excessive rains and floods, or draughts. The national climate data shows that the average temperature in India since 1901 has increased by 0.51oC with a current rate 0.2oC/10 years.”

Dr Khan Informed that he impact of climate change in Indian environment has already been noticed in devastating rains and floods in the states of J&K and Uttrakhand, draughts in other states, change in the monsoon rainfall patterns etc.

While warning that the climate change is likely to influence the crop productivity, pest attack and plant diseases, Dr Khan said that the areas experiencing greater rainfall, the soil borne and foliar nematode diseases as well as the fungal blights are likely to become more severe.

“The draughts may aggravate the specific disease problems in agricultural crops,” said Dr Khan.

“However, the overall impact of climate change is highly unpredictable,” he said adding that mitigating measures to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions may prove highly effective in avoiding violent fluctuations in the climate.

While concluding the lecture, Dr Khan said that the situation does necessitate the need of immediate enactment and strict enforcement of a legislation to minimize the domestic as well as industrial combustion of coal and wood, and to increase the national vegetation cover.

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