Pakistan, Oman, Brazil and South Africa are facing similar problem of severe crop losses due to mango sudden death syndrome disease which needs collective and constant efforts to examine and identify the genetically resistant germplasm as in Pakistan it is grown on an area of 164,000 hectare with a production of 1.80 million tones.
The disease had wiped thousands of mango trees in all the above mentioned countries causing reduction in production and threatened ancient valuable mango germplasm. This was stated by Professor Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture Faisalabad while addressing the participants of international workshop on "Recent advances in Aetiology and Management of Mango Sudden Death Syndrome".
The conference was organised by Department of Plant Pathology in collaboration with USDA Endowment Fund Secretariat in New Senate Hall here on Thursday. Dr Khan said that he had worked on the disease of mango sudden death syndrome at Oman and Pakistan. He acknowledged the efforts of Punjab Agricultural Research Board for taking a lead by funding a collaborative mango project of University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Bahuddin Zakariya University Multan and Sultan Qaboos University Oman to characterise the indigenous mango germplasm for MSDS resistance and other potential economic traits.
Dr Khan said that changes in land use in Pakistan over many decades has caused detrimental effect on the indigenous mango varieties, however, large potential genetic material is still awaiting for its recognition, exploitation, preservation and commercialisation, in various mango growing pockets of Pakistan such as Punjab and Southern AJK with special reference to MSDS. Dr Khan revealed that UAF is going to offer an independent degree programme in Microbiology so as to explore new avenues and identify various problems of fruit and vegetables by examining the crop at micro level.
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