Author: Syifa Djuita Putri
Jatinangor, April 25, 2026 – The Doctoral Program in Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture at Universitas Padjadjaran organized the 31st Webinar Series online via Zoom Meeting on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The webinar carried the theme “Synergy in Plant Protection: Addressing Biotic and Abiotic Stresses for Food Stability.” The event served as a strategic discussion platform to address challenges in the agricultural sector, particularly in plant protection amid global environmental changes.
The webinar was officially opened by Dr. Eliana Wulandari, S.P., M.M., Head of the Doctoral Program in Agricultural Sciences. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of strengthening skills, broadening perspectives, and preparing career readiness for both students and agricultural practitioners. She also highlighted the strong relevance of the webinar theme to efforts in maintaining national food sovereignty. “Forums like this are expected to become a space for exchanging ideas, enriching perspectives, and sharpening our understanding of today’s agricultural challenges,” she stated. The session was led by Eva Aprilia, S.Agr., M.Agr., as MC and Adam Robisalmi, S.Pi., M.Si., as moderator who in their opening remarks noted that while classical concepts in plant protection remain fundamental, they must be revisited and adapted to address increasingly complex challenges.
The webinar featured Prof. Ir. Tarkus Suganda, M.Sc., Ph.D., Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, as the keynote speaker. In his presentation, Prof. Tarkus emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in plant protection strategies. He argued that conventional approaches, which largely rely on the disease triangle concept and tend to be reactive, should be re-evaluated. Instead, he advocated for a more proactive approach that prioritizes early prevention, strengthens plant health systems, and adopts adaptive strategies in response to climate and environmental changes. “Plant protection today is no longer sufficient if it only responds to attacks after they occur, it must be built upon systems capable of early prevention and anticipation,” he explained.
In addition, the webinar brought together several speakers from diverse institutions, each contributing distinct perspectives. Satriyo Restu Adhi, S.P., M.P. from Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang discussed the dynamics of plant pathogen evolution, responses to chemical stress, and sustainable control strategies. Aditya Murtilaksono, S.Si., M.P. from Universitas Borneo Tarakan presented insights on herbicide persistence dynamics in horticultural crops under changing climatic conditions. Lusiana, S.P., M.P. from Universitas Subang highlighted technological innovations in engineering approaches to enhance plant defense systems against both biotic and abiotic stresses. The session concluded with Meivie Tivalli, S.Si., M.Agr. from Universitas Padjadjaran, who elaborated on chili cultivation strategies in response to water scarcity and environmental stress.
Through the implementation of the 31st Webinar Series, the Doctoral Program in Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran reaffirms its commitment to providing relevant, collaborative, and solution-oriented academic forums. This initiative aligns with the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). These efforts are realized through strengthening education, research, innovation, and cross-institutional collaboration to support national and global food security.
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