Proceedings of the DAE-BRNS life sciences symposium: frontiers in sustainable agriculture - abstracts

Climate change and the associated phenomena have made agriculture a lot more risky than what it used to be, particularly for the traditional farmers, who form the majority of our farming community. Added to this, there are problems associated with decline in soil fertility. In this backdrop, it is very important to find ways and means to make agriculture sustainable, so that agricultural practices not only protect farmer's income but also preserve their soil and water resources. The goal of scientists engaged in agricultural research is to provide sustainable solutions to meet the ever-increasing demand for food and eradication of 'hidden hunger'. BARC has been at the forefront of these efforts and has been a source of technologies that help farmers engage in their profession in a cost-effective manner. This symposium holds a special significance, since nuclear applications in combination with modern biotechnological techniques/interventions play a significant role in enhancing food security and food safety. At Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, R and D in agriculture and food sciences constitutes one of the major non-power mandates to harness radiation technology for societal benefits. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately