Plant diseases caused by different biotic stresses like fungi, bacteria, virus and nematode are the severe threat to global food security including Bangladesh. To addressing plant disease problems, Plant Pathology Division, BARI has started its research activities in 1976 when BARI established. Since then up to 2007 Plant Pathology Division, BARI conducting conventional approaches to disease diagnosis and management of BARI mandate crops. In 2007, by the Government financial support of Strengthening plant pathology Laboratory, Plant Pathology Division, BARI installed modern equipment’s like Scanning Electron Microscope, Compound Microscope, PCR, qRT-PCR, gel electrophoresis, ELISA reader etc and lunched five individuals Laboratories (Mycology. Bacteriology, Nematology, Virology and Molecular Plant Pathology) for fostering plant pathological research in Bangladesh. In the well-equipped plant pathology laboratories scientists are working hard for development of cost effective disease management technologies using traditional and biotechnological intervention. To ensuring better clinical service for stakeholder especially for the export potential crops Plant Pathology Division launched a separate modern Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab (PDDL) in 2021 and the Laboratory soon to be accredited.
Dr. Md. Harunor Rashid
Chif Scientific Officer & Head
Plant Pathology Division
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur- 1701, Bangladesh