A report on the international conference on environmental mutagenesis in relation to human health held during the annual meeting of the Environmental Mutagen Society of India, January 29-31, 2026.
Ganguly BB
Medicinal Plants
Farmers in chemically intensive regions are already turning to plants that naturally suppress pests and repair damaged soil—and this conference mapped out exactly which approaches work, giving backyard growers and community gardeners a science-backed case for ditching synthetic inputs.
A large international science meeting brought together over 141 talks on how pollution from plastics, dust, and industrial chemicals is harming both people and farming systems. Researchers highlighted that certain plants have built-in properties that can block DNA-damaging compounds, and that swapping synthetic pesticides for plant-derived alternatives protects both farm workers and the food they grow. The conference pushed for agriculture that works with nature rather than against it, supporting farming communities that depend heavily on their annual harvest.
Key Findings
Microplastics, airborne particulate matter, nanotoxicology, and prenatal arsenic exposure were identified as significant and measurable threats to human health across 141 presentations from 9 countries
Plants with antimutagenic potential and bio-pesticides/bio-fertilizers were presented as cost-effective, viable replacements for synthetic agricultural chemicals in regions heavily dependent on crop yields
Transgenerational plant protection strategies and agricultural eco-toxicology were highlighted as critical frameworks for shielding both farmers and the food supply from the cumulative effects of chemical overuse
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers from nine countries convened in India to share findings on how environmental pollutants—microplastics, airborne particles, and arsenic—damage human health and agriculture, while also spotlighting plant-based bio-pesticides, antimutagenic plants, and sustainable farming as practical remedies.
Abstract Preview
The 48th Annual Meeting and International Conference of the Environmental Mutagen Society of India (EMSI) on 'Environmental Mutagenesis & Epigenomics in Relation to Human Health' was held at Jamshe...
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