Professor Hans-Werner Koyro from Geissen University, Germany, has said that global climate changes are leading to disasters such as flooding, drought and Stalinization. He was speaking at a workshop titled `Sustainable Development and Environment Protection' organized by Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilisation, University of Karachi, an official of the institution said here on Sunday.
Professor Koyro further stated that these environmental changes are threatening to cause major food crises for the growing world population. In many countries such as Germany and Brazil there is increasing tendency to use food crops like maize and sugar cane to produce bio-fuel.
However, the food versus fuel dilemma has to be addressed in order to ensure food security for growing world population, Professor Koyro said adding that in order to meet these changes and there is a need to find biological solutions.
The 2-day workshop was organized in collaboration with Pakistan Academy of Science and University of Karachi.
Students and young faculty members from various departments such as Botany, Geography, CEMB, and ISHU as well as from Lasbela University of Water, Agriculture and Marine Sciences attended the hands on workshop and seminar sessions during this event.
The aim of the workshop was to create awareness about global environment changes which are threatening our health and food security.
International experts in the field of Eco-physiology and agricultural sciences conducted the presentation and training sessions.
Faculty members of ISHU conducted practical training under the guidance of Professor Hans-Werner Koyro in various groups to work on monitoring ionic, osmotic, oxidative and photosynthetic mechanisms on different types of stress tolerant plants as tools to evaluate responses to environmental stresses.
The discussion sessions and work plans were coordinated by prof. Dr Benno, Professor M. Ajmal Khan and Professor Bilquees Gul. Dr Koyro, elaborated on the various types of salt tolerant plants as well as their biochemical, anatomical and physiological sub-types and the remarkable ways that these plants have evolved to deal with naturally harsh conditions such as high temperature, light, salinity, drought and flooding.