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Prof. Sri Hendrastuti Hidayat as a guest speaker in the Asia Pacific Seed Association Webinar

Plant diseases caused by viral infections are always a threat to plant productivity. Apart from its ability to spread very quickly, virus infections are systemic, causing difficulties in determining control strategies. Plant virologists at various international institutions often conduct in-depth studies with the aim of compiling control strategies to save crop production.

Webinar "Asian Solanaceous and Cucurbits Roundtable-Expert Talk on Crop Improvement" (24/2) held by The Asia Pacific Seed Association, Prof. Sri Hendrastuti Hidayat, Professor of IPB University from the Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture delivered material about the emergence and distribution a virus that infects plants from the Cucurbitacae family in Indonesia. This plant disease expert from IPB University also explained that field surveys carried out in recent years on cucurbit crops (including cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, oyong), especially in Java, indicate the emergence of new diseases that have never been previously reported. . "Some of the factors that play a role in this incidence are climate change and the cultivation patterns applied by farmers. Therefore, more researches on genetic diversity, methods of diagnosis, and studies on virus transmission need to be done, "said this plant virologist.

In this webinar, it was also conveyed that plant virology researchers in Indonesia continue to work together in developing comprehensive plant virus control strategies. The webinar series entitled "Evolution and Emergence of Viruses in Asia Pacific Region" also presents Dr. Christy Jeyaseelan Emmanuel from the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka who talks about Begomovirus as a production challenge in various types of vegetable crops.

This activity, which is organized by The Asia Pacific Seed Association (APSA), is attended by experts and enthusiasts of plant virology from 29 countries and a webinar with a similar theme is held every two months. (** / Zul)