As a part of study tour, 170 students of B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture III year, from College of Agriculture, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Maharajbag, Sitabaldi, Nagpur visited ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur on 29th August 2023. The students were accompanied by nine Associate Professor/Assistant Professors namely Dr. H. R. Sawai, Dr. P. R. Panchbhai, Dr. Harsha Mendhe, Dr. Nishigandha Mairan, Dr. R. M. Wadaskar, Dr. P. D. Raut, Dr. Vidya Dhepe, Dr. Vilas Tambe and Dr. Bhavana Wadhale. They were guided by Dr. Deepak Pawar, Scientist Agricultural Biotechnology; Dr. Dasari Sreekanth, Scientist, Plant Physiology; Sh. J. N. Sen, STO and Sh. S. K. Parey, STO.
Beginning with the conservation agriculture fields demonstrations, the students visited engineering workshop, organic farming fields, vermicomposting unit, FACE facility, OTC chambers, containment facility, lysimeter unit, and aquatic weed biocontrol tanks. The students were briefed about the importance of conservation agriculture and its role in minimizing residue burning and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, especially CH4 and N2O emissions from crop fields. The students also visited the ‘information centre-cum-museum’ of the Directorate.
An interactive session of students was also arranged where they were acquainted by Dr. P. K. Singh, Pr. Scientist, I/C PME & AKMU, who discussed about major areas of research undertaken at the Directorate, its history, and weed management practices including different cultural, mechanical, chemical and biological methods. The entire visit was interactive with many queries from the students and a wonderful study tour from their perspective to expand their knowledge of different weeds, their management practices, conservation agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, etc.
