Dr M Bahadur Meah, Professor of the Department of Plant Pathology and chief of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Laboratory, says his machine will control seed borne pathogens of vegetable seed like tomato, brinjal and chili.

The device will ensure 100 per cent seed germination and reduce indiscriminate use of hazardous fungicides for seed treatment.

In our country, seven lakh tons of healthy seeds are required annually but only five per cent of it is provided by government agencies.

An amount of Tk 300 million will be saved annually by controlling diseases of vegetable seeds by using treating machines, he said while demonstrating his machine at the Agriculture University yesterday.

His Ph D student Md Rafiqul Islam (teacher, BAU), Md Monirul Islam (SO, BARI) and MS student Md Tafajjal Hossain Rony, were associated in the research.

Dr Bahadur has taken an initiative to distribute the plant free of cost among trained farmers in major vegetable growing areas.