REPORT ON THE TRAINING COURSE ON
HERBARIUM TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGY
One-day training course on herbarium techniques and methodology was organized by the ENVIS Centre on Floral Diversity, Botanical Survey of India (BSI) at Central National Herbarium (CNH), Howrah on April 2, 2016. The primary objective of this training course was to practically impart the techniques and methodology involved in herbarium preparation to post graduate students and research scholars from various universities. The inaugural session was commenced with a welcome address by Dr. P.V. Prasanna, Scientist ‘F’ & Head of Office, Central National Herbarium, BSI, followed by the introductory remark on the training course by Dr. Paramjit Singh, Director, BSI, and key note address by Dr. Subir Bandyopadhay, Scientist ‘B’, BSI. On this occasion, Prof. Shobhan Kumar Mukherjee, Kalyani University, West Bengal (W.B.) and Dr. M.U. Sharief, Scientist ‘E’ & Curator, AJC Bose Indian Botanical Garden, BSI, Howrah also expressed their views about the training course. This session was attended by scientists and scientific officials from various units of BSI, Howrah, professors from three universities in West Bengal and 34 students from Calcutta University, Kolkata, Burdwan University, W.B., Kalyani university, W.B., Vidyasagar University, W.B., Visva-Bharati University, W.B., West Bengal State University and T.N.B. College, Bhagalpur, Bihar.
After the inaugural session, the trainee students were taken out for a field visit by the experts of BSI to different sections of AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden (AJCBIBG) and explained the method of collection and identification of plants in the field. In the afternoon session, the students were divided in to four groups to provide practical demonstration on four plant groups on rotation basis. The drying, disinfecting and mounting of flowering plant specimens were practically demonstrated by Mr. K.L. Maity, former Scientist, CNH, BSI; Mr. Gopal Krishna, Mr. Anant Kumar and Mr. Shyam Biswa, Botanical Assistants, CNH, BSI. The practical demonstration of preservation and identification of algae was demonstrated by Dr. R.K. Gupta, Scientist ‘D’ and Dr. Sudipta Das, AJCBPDF; on Macrofungi/mushroom by Dr. Kanad Das, Scientist ‘D’ and Mr. Aravind Parihar, Botanical Assistant, Cryptogamic Unit, BSI, and on bryophytes by Dr. Monalisa Dey, Scientist ‘B’, BSI, Hqrs. Each group was given 15–20 minutes demonstration by the experts. After this, Ms. Monika Mishra, Botanical Assistant, Central Botanical Laboratory (CBL), BSI delivered a power point presentation on ‘Ethnobotanical Collections’ housed at Economic Botany Section. For the trainees, the course material on ‘Herbarium Techniques and Methodology’, prepared by the Scientists of BSI were also provided.
The trainee students were also taken to type section of dicotyledons in which, Dr. T.K. Paul, former Scientist, CNH, BSI and Mr. Sourav Sachan, Botanical Assistant, BSI and to monocotyledons type section, where Dr. K. Karthigeyan, Scientist ‘D’, CNH, BSI and Dr. Avishek Bhattacharjee, Scientist ‘B’, CNH, BSI, explained about different kinds of type specimens and significance of type specimens in plant taxonomic research. The students were also shown and explained about the archival botanical paintings/illustrations (made by Indian artists using natural dyes), descriptions, colonial botanists correspondences, catalogues and collections made by Dr. William Roxburgh and Dr. Nathaniel Wallich. Finally, all the students were taken to the Digital Herbarium Unit and were explained about the ongoing process of digitizing the herbarium holdings of CAL by Dr. Avinash Bharati, Scientist ‘B’, CNH, BSI.
During the valedictory session, Dr. P.V. Prasanna, Scientist ‘F’ & Head of Office, CNH, BSI, Dr. A. Pramanik, Scientist ‘E’ & Head of Office, AJCBIBG, BSI, Dr. Harish Singh, Scientist ‘D’ & Head of Office, CBL, BSI and Prof. Sobhan Kr. Mukherjee, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, shared their views on the training course and commended the ENVIS Centre on Floral Diversity, BSI and its staff for organizing the training programme. The students also expressed their views and also gave written feedback on the training course. The participation certificates were issued to the students by the senior scientists of BSI.
The session ended with vote of thanks by Dr. V. Sampath Kumar, Scientist ‘D’ & Coordinator of the ENVIS Centre.
