Dr. Bhimu Patil delivered the Foundation Day Lecture at the 11th Indian Horticultural Congress, following the inaugural addresses by Dr. M.L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), and Padma Bhushan Dr. R.S. Paroda, former Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR.

In their inaugural remarks, Drs. Jat and Paroda emphasized the need for system-wide, transdisciplinary approaches to strengthen horticultural research, advance nutrient-dense and biofortified crops, enhance biodiversity utilization, and promote bio-based soil health innovations.

Building on these themes, Dr. Patil highlighted outcomes from Texas A&M University’s Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center (VFIC) and its Foods for Health initiatives. His lecture demonstrated how a “Table-to-Farm” approach enables integrated, systems-based research across multiple crops, including melons, citrus, and tomatoes, with a strong focus on consumer-driven outcomes.

Dr. Patil appreciates the engaging discussions with Dr. M.L. Jat and Dr. R.S. Paroda on advancing agriculture to better serve the needs of consumers and stakeholders, and thanks the Congress organizers including Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Dr. Suresh, Vice Chancellor of the University of Agricultural Sciences Bengaluru, Dr. Vishnuvardhan of the University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkot, Dr. S.K. Malhotra of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University Karnal, Dr. V.B. Patel, and the organizing team for their dedication in making the Congress a success.