Biodiversity and Applied Botany Division was established
in year 2000 with an objective of exploring the rich plant
bioresource. It undertakes studies on high altitude biology
addressing botanical curiosities for sustainable utilization
of critically endangered medicinal plants with focus on
genetic diversity studies, genepool characterization and
development of new elite varieties. Conservation of gene
pool is one of the major activities of our division, which
we carry out by several means like establishing seed banks
and use of micropropogation techniques. We are also interested
to understand the effect of climate change and other environmental
stress on various medicinal plants.
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Quality control and standardization
of herbal drugs/products is the key for their global
acceptability. So one of the missions is to adopt
the GSP (Good Sourcing Practices); GAP (Good Agricultural
Practices); GMP (Good manufacturing Practices) and
Bio-safety protocols. |
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To study climate change and adaptation
of species complexes in ESAs (Ecological Sensitive
Areas) of the country with focus on Adaptive /stress
biology. |
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Functional genomic approaches to engineer
pathways in high altitude medicinal plants. Identification
of genes and regulatory mechanisms that affect adaptation
and characterizing the mechanisms that underlie
these effects (Relevant tools of genome/ proteome/
metabolome analysis will be employed wherever required).
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Elite genotype designing in focused
medicinal plants using conventional/molecular breeding
approaches. |
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Bioprospecting plant and microbial
biodiversity with state-of-the-art chemical/biotechnological
tools for developing technologies of quality bioproducts
and bioprocesses. |
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Expertise in conservation biology
like ex-situ conservation, response to habitat change,
genotype characterization and reproductive biology.
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Production technology unit involved
in crop biology/varietal development. |
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Developing crop management strategies
for quality & quantitative analysis using environmental
factors/energy indices |
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Studying physiological and biochemical
pathways like photosynthesis, anti-oxidative responses,
C and N metabolism. |
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Tissue culture/plant biotechnology
unit involved in micropropogation, bioproduction
of value added secondary metabolism, simulating
climate change conditions to assess adaptive physiological
responses, development of bioreactor cultivation
and development of genetically transformed hairy
root culture. |
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Expeditions of untapped high altitude
areas, identification of novel & elite genotypes,
and development of production technology & conservation
strategies for identified genotypes. |
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To study species response along altitudinal
transects as species adaptive response and explore
biochemical and physiological factors responsible
for adaptability to changed temperature and photoperiods.
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To understand reproductive behavior
in relation to climate change |
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In vitro approaches for biomolecule
bioprospecting and bioconversion |
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Combinational approach to bioprospecting
plant and microbial diversity. |
Tissue Culture Facility:
Well equipped tissue culture facility consists of inoculation
room, media room, one incubation room and two small shakers.
We also have a small manually operated 10 L glass bioreactor.
Seed Bank Module:
Group has a seed bank module for conservation of seeds
at low temperature. This is useful for conservation of
germplasm against habitat destruction.
Hardening Unit/ Green Houses/Glass Houses
Group has a hardening unit and a green house for conservation
of elite germ plasm and hardening of in vitro raised plants.
Hardening unit is presently being manually operated and
would soon be upgraded to a computerized system. We also
have two net houses- one at IIIM, Jammu and other at Chatta
Farm and three glass houses.
Plant Growth Chamber
A plant growth chamber system has been procured and would
be installed soon. This would be used for controlled experiments
and other research activites.
Field Gene Banks
| Withania somnifera germ plasm
collection |
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about 4,000 sq m |
| Ginger germ plasm collection |
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about 1,000 sq m |
| Germ plasm maintenance /experimental
field |
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about 6,000 sq m (at two locations) |
| Germplasm propagation area |
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about 1,000 sq m |
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An integrated breeding programme for
novel chemotype designing through induction & exploitation
of variability for developing commercial cultivars
in value added products |
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Multiplication of elite clones through
conventional and biotechnological approaches |
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Identification of key enzymes involved
in biosynthetic pathway. Expression, accumulation
and modulation of desired bioactive molecules using
biochemical approaches |
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Genetic transformations for developing
hairy root cultures for production of metabolites.
Design and development of bioreactors for organ
and cell suspension cultures for production of bioactive
compounds |
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Functional dynamics of MAP’S under
simulated stress conditions of temperature, photoperiod
& varied CO2 & O3 levels. Physiological and biochemical
pathways like photosynthesis, respiration, anti-oxidative,
C and N metabolism at different altitudes for target
plant species |
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Crop modeling of commercially important
aromatic crops & prediction model for quality and
quantity of the produce using climatic variables.
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Exploratory studies on climate change
and adaptation of species complexes (CSIR) |
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Facilitation centre IIIM, JAMMU: MAP
Crop Clinic (NMPB) |
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Bioresource Biomolecule (IN HOUSE) |
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