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Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Telangana State Agricultural University creates a gene bank to preserve local wild plant varieties
Hyderabad: By redeveloping the botanical garden on the campus, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) aims to create a gene bank of local varieties of wild fruits and flowers. Officials said they are planting many local varieties, including 'jitregi' (Bombay blackwood), 'bandaru' (hop bush tree), 'somi' ('Prosopis cineraria'), 'kanuka' (Indian beech or pongamia), which are close to extinction or not easily available even in the forests of Telangana. They said the project has been taken up to ensure that all these seeds will be available at one place even after hundreds of years. 'Many of these forest plants are not easily available. Further, it is very difficult to grow these plants in nurseries. So, there is a chance that seeds of these plants, which are already close to extinction, might not be available at all in the future. To make sure that such a situation does not arise, we are creating a gene bank or germplasm bank,' Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), director (urban forestry) VSNV Prasad told TOI. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad He said that once a gene bank is created, they would be able to propagate a plant either by using its seed or through tissue culture after 10, 15 or even a 100 years down the line. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo On Monday, as part of the inaugural of Vana Mahotsavam at PJTSAU campus, 2,200 trees were planted on five acres at the botanical garden of the agriculture university. While the chief minister, who inaugurated the programme, planted a rudraksha tree, 'marri' (banyan), 'raavi' (peepul or sacred fig), 'juvvi' (white fig tree), and 'pogada' (Spanish cherry tree) among other saplings were planted on the campus. Officials said HMDA would be planting local saplings in 150 acres on the campus. The project would be carried out throughout the year. 'The varsity has already given a contract to cut down eucalyptus and subabul trees on campus, spread over 150 acres of land. As and when they hand over a parcel of land to us, we will be planting saplings. However, we have to start planting from interiors to peripheral land so that saplings are not disturbed by the movement of trucks or other vehicles once they are planted,' Prasad added. PJTSAU vice-chancellor Aldas Janaiah said that efforts were on to give a new lease of life to the botanical garden on the campus, which has been neglected in the last 10 to 15 years.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
'Cutting down existing trees to plant new ones': Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) students object to tree felling, varsity clarifies
H YDERABAD: The deployment of earthmovers at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) late on Saturday created a mild tension on the campus. Students alleged that the varsity was cutting down trees for the Vanamahotsavam programme, which is set to be inaugurated by chief minister A Revanth Reddy. They claimed that hundreds of trees, including some decades-old, were cleared overnight using 15 to 20 earthmovers on the campus for the programme. However, the university issued a clarification and stated that the state govt decided to start the Vanamahotsavam programme from PJTSAU as HMDA is already planting plants there. "In the wee hours of Saturday, we learned that trees were being cleared on about 15 acres of land on the campus. We don't understand how the university or the state govt can can justify cutting down existing trees to plant new ones," said Rajkumar Chowhan, a student. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Another student, Bhanu Chander, said they didn't understand why decades-old trees, including eucalyptus and sababul, were being cleared from the campus. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top Doctor: If You Eat Banana Every Day, This Is What Happens WellnessGuide Learn more Undo "We were preparing about three acres in the botanical garden for the programme. We received instruction only at around 4.30 pm on Saturday about the inaugural being held on our campus. Due to short notice, we couldn't inform or provide clarity to the students, leading to misinformation. We will plant 3,000 saplings of planting native timber, wild fruits, and wildflowers in the cleared area," said Aldas Janaiah, vice-chancellor of the varsity. Both officials from the forest department and the Tree Protection Committee maintained that permission is not needed as per WALTA to cut agroforestry trees. "They don't need permission but have to plant new saplings in the same area in a 1:2 ratio," said Farida Tampal. Meanwhile, Sudhakar Reddy Danda, Rangareddy district forest officer, said the varsity only cleared land for the event by removing weeds or unwanted plants.
