Nauni varsity’s scientists bag Top Honours at National Symposium

October 24, 2026

Vice Chancellor lauds the Department of Plant Pathology for setting a benchmark of excellence

In a resounding endorsement of its scientific calibre, the Department of Plant Pathology of Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has carried away the top honours in both the poster and oral presentation categories at the National Symposium on ‘Next-Generation Plant Health Strategies for Climate Resilience, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture’, held on 22-23 October 2026 at the ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla.

The two-day national symposium assembled eminent scientists, academicians, students, farmers, industry representatives and policymakers from across the country to deliberate upon emerging plant health challenges and to chart innovative strategies for climate-resilient agriculture, food security and sustainable crop protection. The symposium was jointly organised by the Indian Phytopathological Society, the Indian Potato Association, Indian Society of Plant Pathologists and the Himalayan Phytopathological Society, in association with the ICAR-IARI Regional Station, Shimla.

Upon return to the university, Vice Chancellor Prof. HS Baweja, met the prize-winning scientists and congratulated them on their achievement. He specially commended Dr. Anil Handa, Professor and Head, Department of Plant Pathology, and his team of scientists, who presented high-quality scientific work before a distinguished national audience and thereby brought great honour and distinction to the University. Prof Baweja emphasised that these achievements have not only underscored the high standard of research being carried out in the Department of Plant Pathology, but have also set an inspiring example for other departments of the University to emulate, as they strive to make their mark on national and international platforms.

Among the winners, Dr Aman Chauhan secured the First Prize in the Poster Presentation category for his research on a LAMP-based assay for rapid detection of phytoplasma infection in cherry and plum trees, co-authored with Dr Anil Handa, Dr Bhupesh Gupta and Dr Ajay Brakta. The technique enables rapid and specific detection of phytoplasma infection within an hour, underscoring its considerable potential for field-level disease diagnosis and large-scale disease monitoring in horticultural crops.

In the Oral Presentation category, the team comprising Dr Shalini Verma, Nikita Negi, Dr Satish Kumar Sharma, Dr Gopal Singh and Ananya Benal bagged the Second Prize for the study titled ‘Unravelling the Etiology of Emerging Persimmon Leaf Blight’. The investigation identified Pestalotiopsisclavispora and P. microspora as the pathogens associated with this disease in Himachal Pradesh.

The Third Prize in the Oral Presentation category was awarded to Dr Meenu Gupta, Muskan Thakur, Dr Bhupesh Gupta and Dr Anupama Singh for their work on ‘Cultural, Morphological and Pathogenic Variability among Different Isolates of Alternaria spp. Causing Purple Blotch of Garlic (Allium sativum L.)’. The study sheds light on the variability among the pathogens responsible for a major disease affecting garlic, an economically important crop.

These distinctions reaffirm the University’s significant contribution to plant disease diagnosis, pathogen research and the development of science-based strategies for safeguarding horticultural and agricultural crops.