Evening Session on Plant Health Clinic - ICPP 2008, Turin (Italy)
Professor MP Srivastava organized the plant health clinic session which was aimed at bringing awareness on the role and need of plant clinics in keeping diseases and pests at bay. Out of 11 listed speakers, 9 of them presented their papers. The session began with the presentation by Prof. Srivastava, who gave an overview of plant health clinics across the globe. In his introductory remarks, he emphasized that although plant clinics are operating in India, the USA, Canada, the UK and Afro-Asian countries, we don’t yet have organized plant clinics like the ones for humans and animals.
He suggested models for the infrastructure and resources required for such clinics and appealed that the charging of diagnostic fees should be avoided. He also noted that the clinics must keep a vigil on bioterrorism. The lecture was applauded by one and all and was followed by presentations by other speakers, which included Melodie Putman (USA), Prof. Naresh Mehta, (India), Solveig Danielesen (Denmark), Mark Sabrouin, (Canada), Pamela Roberts from Florida, Dr. Krishna Mohan (Idaho, USA), Natalie Goldberg, New Mexico State University, La Cruces and Jim Stack from Kansas (USA). Unfortunately Eric Boa, Head of the Global Plant Clinic, CABI could not turn-up, though Prof. Srivastava earlier in his lecture highlighted the importance of the global plant clinic. Most of the speakers gave the current status of plant clinics/ mobile clinics operating in their country/state, challenges faced and highlighted proposed revamping. Each presentation was followed by brief question-answer session.
The session was very lively and interactive and the following recommendations emerged from it: Plant health clinics should be created in most of the countries; The governments must provide adequate funding to support plant health clinics; Diagnostic fees should be abolished or subsidized; As well as rendering diagnostic and advisory services, plant health clinics should organize plant heath awareness, issue pest alerts, and train and produce fleets of plant doctors An International Working Group headed by Prof. M. P. Srivastava from India as Chairman, Dr. Eric Boa, from CABI, UK as Co-Chairman and Dr. Melodie Putman, Dr. Naresh Mehta, Dr. U.S. Singh, Dr. Solveig Danielsen, Dr. Mark Sabrouin, Dr. Jim Stack, Dr. Pamella D. Roberts, Dr. Krishna Mohan, Dr. Natalie Goldberg as other Members has been constituted.
Prof. M.P. Srivastava, FNAS, Former President, Indian Society of Plant Pathologists, Haryana Agricultural University, Gurgaon, India
