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The Department of Agricultural Biology is a prominent department within the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Jaffna, focusing on the study of living organisms. The department offers advanced courses in two main disciplines: Plant Protection, Breeding, and Biotechnology. Courses offered within the Plant Protection discipline include Economic Entomology, Basic Microbiology and Phytopathology, as well as Acarology and Nematology. From the Breeding and Biotechnology discipline, students can take courses in Cell Biology, Plant Physiology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Agricultural Biotechnology.
The primary objective of the department is to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Additionally, it aims to conduct basic and advanced research while disseminating acquired knowledge to the wider community. The department also focuses on creating awareness about eco-friendly management tactics for securing crops from pests and diseases.
Practical classes are a significant component of the department's curriculum. These classes are often conducted in farmer's fields to expose students to real-world agricultural situations while providing opportunities for interaction with members of the farming community.
The Department of Agricultural Biology is well-equipped with specialized laboratories, including a Plant Protection Biotechnology laboratory funded by the JICA project, as well as separate laboratories for Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Entomology and Nematology. Additionally, it has vermitechnology and mushroom technology training units that were funded by the AHEAD project.
Moreover, the department has established a Model Home Garden through funding from NTRP[NSF] to educate farmers on sustainable agricultural practices. This initiative aims to address food security concerns in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
These facilities and initiatives demonstrate the department's commitment to providing students with hands-on learning experiences and engaging with the wider agricultural community to promote sustainable practices.
Department is offering courses with practical significance to acquaint knowledge, skill and experience in Plant Protection, Biotechnology, Plant Breeding and Environment and its management. Practical component of the courses have been given prime importance to understand the threat existing in the cultivation of crops due to pests and to assist farmers in the management of insect pests and diseases. Considerable number of the practical classes are being conducted in the farmer's fields to expose the students to the real situation and also to interact with farming community. In addition, laboratory techniques are also adequately given to the students to diagnose the pest problems of farmers.
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