Photo : BSS

MYMENSINGH, Nov 29, 2025 (BSS) - The Fourth National Conference of the Bangladesh Society of Plant Science and Technology (BSPS&T) has begun at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). 

The event was inaugurated today by the university’s Vice-Chancellor Professor A. K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan.

The two-day conference, taking place from Saturday (29 November) to Sunday, brings together researchers, teachers, and students from various universities and research institutions across the country. 

This year’s theme is “Plant Science for Climate Resilience and Sustainable Agriculture.” The main session of the conference was held at noon at the Syed Nazrul Islam Conference Hall of the university.

The conference was chaired by BSPS&T President and former Vice-Chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Professor Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed. The keynote speech was delivered by retired BAU Professor of Crop Botany, Dr. Md. Solaiman Ali Fakir.

In his presentation, Dr. Fakir noted that climate change is intensifying challenges in agriculture, including salinity, drought, waterlogging, and high temperatures. To ensure sustainable agriculture under these conditions, he emphasized the need to conserve plant genetic diversity and promote the use of local and underutilized crops.

He highlighted that many indigenous plant species grown across Bangladesh have adapted to their native environments and developed unique traits—such as salt tolerance in coastal crops and water-conservation capacity in drought-prone varieties. These characteristics could open new possibilities for developing climate-resilient crop varieties.

Dr. Fakir also mentioned several underutilized crops such as cassava, pigeon pea, and roselle, which can be grown with minimal resources and are rich in nutrients. These crops, he said, have significant potential to contribute to future food security.

Vice-Chancellor Professor A. K. Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan said, “Plant diversity is one of our strongest tools for combating climate change. If we can preserve the traits of indigenous plants found across different regions of the country, our sustainable agricultural systems will become more resilient. We must understand the science within plants and strengthen research efforts.”

General Secretary of BSPS&T and Professor at Gazipur Agricultural University, Dr. Md. Abdul Baset Mia, informed that a total of 127 research papers will be presented at the conference—57 oral presentations and 70 poster presentations—covering 10 thematic areas including plant science, physiology, anatomy, climate resilience, food security, and contemporary agricultural innovations.

The first day will conclude with an oral presentation session in the afternoon. Tomorrow, both poster and oral sessions will continue throughout the day. The best presenters from each session will be awarded.