RONO HILLS, 3 May: The botany department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here organized a national workshop on ‘Identification and nomenclature of plants’ from 27-30 April.
MPhil and PhD scholars and faculty members of the botany department took part in it.
RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha, who inaugurated the workshop, advised the participants to “develop skills and professionalism in taxonomic research and exploration activities as Northeast India in general and Arunachal Pradesh in particular is rich in plant diversity which is still largely remains unexplored.”
He expressed appreciation for the taxonomy PhD scholars and faculty members of the botany department “for publishing new plants species every year from the Arunachal Himalayan region.”
The VC advised the participants to equip themselves with technical skills by attending such skill enhancing workshops on plant taxonomy and other bio-techniques related workshop, “so that they can be really fit to be recruited to a system where sound technical skill is truly required.”
RGU Registrar Dr NT Rikam spoke about the significance of plant taxonomy and conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources, and advised the botany faculty of RGU to “upgrade the existing RGU botanical garden with introduction of more economically significant and rare plant species; develop nursery and conservatories; and effectively utilize the large space of the garden by carrying out more botanical-related activities.”
Botany Department Associate Professor Dr Hui Tag informed that “taxonomy is the basic of biological science while India is an IUCN recognized mega diversity country and extremely rich and diverse in its flora and fauna.”
He said the “theoretical and practical dimension knowledge of taxonomy, especially to the methods of identification as well as nomenclatural practices is prerequisite for both amateur and professional plant taxonomists for successful inventory of such huge repository of phyto-diversity for effective utilization and conservation.”
Dr Tag informed that the participants will be exposed to both theory and practical sessions on the methods and approaches in plant taxonomy, theory and practical session on identification and nomenclature of plants, based on the ICN rules, “and professional methods of plant collection, description, museum collection and herbarium preparation.”
Botany Department Adjunct Professor AP Das informed the participants about the “relevance of having correct name for each species of plant kingdom.”
Botany HoD Prof Sumpam Tangjang also spoke.
Pro-VC Amitava Mitra attended the concluding function of the workshop on 30 April, and distributed participation certificates to all registered participants.
Prof Mitra informed that the “environmental economy and quantification of bioresources is important for economic planning and sustainable resource utilization.”
The workshop was organized in partnership with the NE regional centre of GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and prominent taxonomic body, the East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy.
