Science Day 2015
AVRDC’s Board Members venture into the field to learn about the Center’s vegetable research and development activities.
In lively bright orange polo shirts, the Board of Directors of AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center and AVRDC staff from around the world gathered at the Center’s South Asia demonstration fields in Hyderabad, India for Science Day 2015 on 22 April.
Held before the annual board meeting, Science Day acquaints board members with regional activities and progress, and gives them the opportunity to meet staff and exchange advice and ideas.
After a delicious breakfast buffet in the field, the group enjoyed several presentations in the demonstration plots, including a discussion of traditional leafy vegetables for poverty alleviation and improved household nutrition in Jharkhand by Genebank Manager Andreas Ebert and an explanation of integrated pest management methods to control eggplant fruit and shoot borer by Entomologist Srinivasan Ramasamy. Legume Breeder Ram Nair reviewed the Center’s efforts to breed mungbean yellow mosaic resistance in mungbean, and proudly introduced ‘Swarna Vasundhara,’ a vegetable soybean variety with immense potential for India. Postharvest Specialist Jun Acedo demonstrated the use of simple solar dryers for rapid and hygienic drying of vegetables, and Greg Luther spoke about the Center’s disaster response activities in India from 2011-2014.
Legume Breeder Ram Nair (right) in the legume demonstration plots.
Many growers across India use screenhouses to produce vegetables, which reduces or eliminates the need for pesticides. AVRDC is promoting screenhouse use in Pakistan.
Postharvest Specialist Jun Acedo demonstrates easily constructed devices to store, dry and process vegetables.
Field crops up close.
