KHOROG, January 27, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Two new labs for soil analysis and the biological method of combating plant pests have bee established at the Pamir Biology Institute.
Mizrob Amirbekov, manager of the agriculture department of the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF)’s Mountain Societies Development Support Programme (MSDSP), says the labs were established in the framework of the project, Promoting Development of Cross-Border Cooperation between Afghan Badakhshan and Tajikistan’s Gorno Badakhshan.
According to him, the labs are dedicated to improve conditions for scientific researches and practical work of researchers of these countries and enhance agrarian sectors in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
The head of the soil analysis laboratory Dr. Khudodod Aqnazrov says new equipment allows them to determine more precisely useful properties of soil of irrigated lands in these regions, draw up map of use of them as well as determine rate of mineral fertilizers for cultivation of crops.
According to the statistical data from the GBAO agriculture department, pests destroy up to 30 percent of potatoes and other crops in the region every year.
Dr. Mamadsho Qadamshoyev says the laboratory for the biological method of combating plant pests will allow raising and using beneficial in combating insect pests.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has allocated US$30,000 for providing these laboratories with equipment.
The Pamir Biology Institute is one of institutes of the Biological and Medical Sciences Branch of the Tajik Academy of Sciences. It is located in Khorog, the administrative center of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The research carried out at the institute focuses on the exploration of different aspects of the flora and fauna of the high mountainous region.