World Seed Testing Congress in Hyderabad from June 26

Hyderabad: The Telangana government is gearing up to organise the 32nd International Seed Testing Association Congress-2019 here from June 26 to July 6. The ISTA-2019 is being held here for the first time in South Asia.

Considering the prestigious event taking place in the city, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has asked senior officials in the Agriculture department to make it a grand success.

Principal Secretary-Agriculture C Parthasarathi said, "800 delegates from 70 countries from across the globe will participating in the Congress."

As part of the Congress, there will be a series of technical and non-technical sessions, including sessions on the new and emerging seed technologies, face-to-face interaction with the representatives of the ISTA.

Besides, 65 national and international seed companies will be establishing their stalls during the international event. A meeting of 1,500 seed farmers is also being planned during the event.

After the opening ceremony at the HICC, the Congress will start with the 150th anniversary of Seed Testing, followed by sessions on seed symposium and seed technology and quality in a changing world and developments in viability and vigour testing, etc.

The keynote presentation on safeguarding genome integrity in germination and seed longevity by Wanda Waterworth, Leeds University, UK, will be followed by other sessions in which experts from across the world will be participating.

Reviewing the arrangements, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy asked officials to work in coordination to make all arrangements in a befitting manner at the venue, arranging transportation, food and security at the venue, besides cultural events.

The minister asked the officials to send invitations to Agriculture ministers of all the states in the country.

Commissioner of Agriculture Rahul Bojja, TS Seeds Director Keshavulu and other senior officials briefed the minister on the arrangements being made for the event.