The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), Kottayam, will host an international training programme, organised by the Specialist Group on Physiology of International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB), from October 15-28. The theme of the training is ‘Physiological and Molecular Basis of Breeding for Tolerance to Biotic and Abiotic stresses in Hevea’. Representatives from 13 natural rubber producing countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam will attend this two-week training programme. Dr James Jacob, RRII Director (Research) and IRRDB Vice-Chairman, will be the course director of the programme which precedes the International Rubber Conference (IRC) scheduled to be conducted at Kovalam from October 29-31. — Aravindan