The department of Botany, Immanuel College, with a sponsorship from the state government, organised a one-day national seminar on the topic ‘Plant diversity and human welfare: North-East India,’ on Monday.
The college in an update stated that professor of department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, Hui Tag, in his keynote address gave a brief on the rich biodiversity of the plant species in North- East India, calling the region the ‘global diversity hotspot.’
Tag stated that out of 45000 plant species in India, around 8000 plant species are found in North-East India, which hosts a diversity of plant species because of its location in high altitudes in the Himalayas.
In the technical sessions, scholars and researchers presented various papers of their own interests based on their findings of diversified plants and the benefits they holds as medicine and food sources.
The first session saw papers presented by Asst. Prof. Toshinungla Ao of St John College, Dimapur: entrepreneur and founder of Fruit Takes, Mikato Shohe; Asst. Prof. Utpal Chowdhury of PG and Research Dept. of Botany, B Borooah College, and director of Longer Agritech, Dimapur, Imsusosang Longkumer. They presented papers on diversified types of mushrooms, piper and food processing methods.
The second session comprised of information on exploring medicinal plants, traditional methods of using ethno botanical plants, rhododendron, various edible plants and more insights on contamination of agricultural soil through metals, and analysis on techniques of industrial organic waste.
Out of the 11 papers presented from various colleges and universities, Tridip Boruah from Madhab Choudhury College, Barpeta, Assam, was declared the best presenter.
Earlier, vice principal of Immanuel College, T Imchanochetla Changkija, delivered the welcome address.