As a part of a study tour, 120 students of class 10 and 11 from PM Shri Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Narsinghpur visited ICAR-Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur on 22nd November, 2024. The students, accompanied by seven teachers (Smt. Sameeksha Kushwah, Smt. Shiwani Dixit, Smt. Kshamata, Sh. Vikas Dubey, Sh. Abhishek Pandit, Sh. Ashutosh Vyas and Sh. Sandeep Gujare). The students were guided by Dr. Deepak Pawar, Dr. Dasari Sreekanth, Dr. Jamaludheen A and Mr. SK Parey.

The students were shown the conservation agriculture trials, engineering workshop, organic farming fields, composting unit, FACE facility, OTC chambers, containment facility, lysimeter unit and aquatic weed tanks. For being from the Science discipline, the students were fascinated to visit the biotechnology laboratory where they were briefed about various instruments like PCR machine, spectrophotometer, gel documentation system, IRGA photosynthesis system, laminar air flow, etc., their principles and applications. The students also visited the ‘Information Centre’ of the Directorate, where the students were briefed about the major areas of research undertaken at the Directorate, its history, and weed management practices including different cultural, mechanical, chemical and biological methods. They were detailed about the phytoremediation unit’s working principle and how different weeds can effectively be utilized for treatment of polluted water. The students were briefed about the importance of conservation agriculture and its role in minimizing residue burning and emission of greenhouse gases like CH4 and N2O from crop fields. They were also taken to the composting unit and were explained about its working and advantages.

An interactive session of students was also organized, wherein The Director, In charge, ICAR-DWR, Jabalpur, Dr. P. K. Singh, Pr. Scientist interacted with students on various aspects of weed management. The entire visit was interactive with many queries from the students and the students expressed their satisfaction as this helped them in expanding their knowledge about weeds, their management practices, conservation agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, instrumentations, etc.