DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology)
Anand Agricultural University (AAU)
Anand:  388 110 (Gujarat)
Telefax: +91 2692 261134
Email: biotech@aau.in

The department was established in the year 2002 during ninth five year plan under the erstwhile Gujarat Agricultural University (GAU) at Anand, with the financial support from Government of Gujarat to initiate and strengthen research in frontier areas of immediate concern to Agriculture of the state and Post Graduate education programme in Plant, Animal and Food Biotechnology. Later, during tenth fiveyear plan, the department was upgraded to “Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology”.

The biotechnology research has been done for genetic improvement of mandate crops for specific biotic and abiotic stresses and quality traits through biotechnological interventions. The department is exploring crop wild relatives/wild species of the cultivated crops to introgress novel genes for quality and resistance enhancement through distant hybridization. The department has developed micropropagation protocols in important crops like date palm and banana. Centre has developed nanoparticles (zinc and silver) having antimicrobial activity as well as technology for neem and castor oil nanoemulsion.

MANDATES

• Development of new genotypes/varieties resistant to various stresses and improvement of productivity and quality through distant hybridization by crossing sexual incompatible species/genera.
• Identification of genes/QTLs responsible for stress resistance and quality parameters through molecular breeding and various omics tools.
• Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB) for yield improvement and quality enhancement in various field, fruit and horticultural crops.
• Genetic purity and quality testing of seeds/planting material/hybrid seeds for seed certification, uniformity testing and transgenic detection etc.
• Developments of protocol for micro-propagation and regeneration for economically important crop and fruit plants (eg. coconut, pomegranate, papaya, date palmetc).
• Clonal fidelity testing of tissue culture raised plants and Sex determination in dioecious crops (e.g. papaya, date palm, pointed gourd).
• Development of nanoparticles based pesticides, fertilizers and growth regulators for yield improvement.

Salient achievements

• In molecular biology, distant hybridization and molecular breeding, about 32 major goals achieved so far click here
• Under tissue culture domain, a total of 11 micropropagation and six regeneration protocols developed in different crops and plant species click here
• In area of nanotechnology, eight objectives achieved click here
• Total, eight technologies (scientific recommendations) developed  click here
• Total  2 patents filed click here
• One date palm genotype (ADP-1) registered with ICAR-NBPGR, N. Delhi click here
• One tissue culture technology in date palm commercialized click here
• Total seven long term schemes currently functional in centre click here
• Four adhoc projects are currently operational at this centre click here
• Total 14 projects/schemes completed successfully click here
• In last five years, around 72 research papers and eight book chapters published in national / international journals and books, respectively click here
• In last five years, 31 students have been post graduated (Master and doctorate degree) in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology click here