The Department, Genetics and Plant Breeding, is rendering quality education and research on the area of crop improvement since inception of the University. Department is generating new knowledge and understanding about the genetics and breeding of crops, and the roles diversity and the environment play in the promotion of a sustainable and economically sound agricultural system and ecosystem of the state. Department is tetra-partitioned into Genetics, Plant Breeding, Plant Physiology and Seed Science & Technology in 1998 but two departments, Genetics and Plant Breeding again amalgamated into a single department, Genetics and Plant Breeding on 2013. It is operating under the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and spread over two floors above the department, Agronomy. All the faculty members of this discipline, including Burdwan and Bankura campus are the member of the ‘Board of Study’ where Head of the department functions as the chairman along with two external (other than BCKV) members.
The department integrate traditional plant breeding approaches with emerging technologies and strategies in genomics and biotechnology. We educate the next generation of plant breeders to be well-qualified geneticists with training in statistics, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, molecular genetics, genomics and bioinformatics. Alumni of the department are discharging responsibilities not only in state agriculture administration and research but also as scientist and administration in almost all agricultural universities and research station across the country. Major research areas are given below:
- Cereals: Rice; High yielding rice lines suitable for the replacement of existing varieties like Swarna, Satabdi, GB1, GB3 etc. Pyramiding of multiple stress tolerances like drought, P-deficiency, arsenic. Wheat: High yielding disease resistance varieties suitable for short winter spell. Maize: High yielding quality maize hybrid suitable for multiple cropping sequences.
- Pulse: Lentil; Highy yielding extra-early small seeded variety with collar rot and stemphyllium resistance suitable for rice fallow. Genomic analysis of terminal heat and drought tolerance, nodulation, viability, earliness etc. Greengram; Bruchid and YMIV tolerance, high yielding and small seeded. Chickpea; resistance against seedling diseases, high yielding terminal heat tolerance, P-deficiency tolerance etc. Lathyrus; Low ODAP containing, small seeded high yielding lines suitable for both food and feed.
- Oilseeds:High yielding juncea and campestris lines resistance against aphid, black spot etc suitable for rice based cropping sequence.
- Jute and other crops: Jute: High yielding lines with finer fibre quality, Refinement of seed production strategies of jute. YVM resistance okra, high yielding dual purpose rice bean etc. Breeding of flowers and ornamental plants suitable for short season environment of the state.
- The genetic basis of photosynthesis productivity and efficiency under fluctuating light is under investigation along with allele mining of high yielding genesfor breaking the yield barrier of rice.
- Repository of huge genetic materials for large number of crops including rice (500), wheat (200), lentil (250), chickpea (150), mungbean (150), and different flowers (chrysanthemum, tropical orchids, gerbera, tuberose, anthurium, gladiolus,etc.) are the main stay of research on both crop improvement and management.
Master Degree
Course No. | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
1st Semester | ||
GPB 501 | PRINCIPLES OF GENETICS | 2+1 |
GPB 502 | PRINCIPLES OF PLANT BREEDING | 2+1 |
GPB 503 | PRINCIPLES OF CYTOGENETICS | 2+1 |
GPB 504 | MUTAGENESIS AND MUTATION BREEDING | 1+1 |
2nd Semester | ||
GPB 551 | PLANT GENETIC RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | 2+1 |
GPB 552 | PRINCIPLES OF QUANITATIVE GENETICS | 2+1 |
GPB 553 | BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR CROP IMPROVEMENT | 2+2 |
GPB 554 | BREEDING FOR IMPORTANT FIELD CROPS | 3+1 |
3rd Semester | ||
GPB 601 | CELL BIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR GENETICS | 2+1 |
GPB 602 | BREEDING FOR BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESS RESISTANCE | 2+1 |
GPB 603 | POPULATION GENETICS | 1+1 |
GPB 604 | HETEROSIS BREEDING | 2+0 |
GPB 649 | SEMINAR I | 1+0 |
4th Semester | ||
GPB 651 | BREEDING FOR QUALITY TRAITS | 1+1 |
GPB 652 | VARIETY RELEASE AND SEED PRODUCTION | 1+1 |
GPB 699 | SEMINAR II | 1+0 |
GPB 700 | MASTER’S RESEARCH | 0+20 |
Doctoral Degree
Course No. | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
1st Semester | ||
GPB 701 | GENOMICS AND CROP IMPROVEMENT | 1+2 |
GPB 702 | ADVANCED PLANT BREEDING SYSTEMS | 2+0 |
GPB 703 | ADVANCED BREEDING OF MAJOR FIELD CROPS | 2+0 |
2nd Semester | ||
GPB 751 | BREEDING DESIGNER CROPS | 2+0 |
GPB 552 | PRINCIPLES OF QUANITATIVE GENETICS | 2+1 |
GPB 752 | BIODIVERSITY AND PLANT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | 2+0 |
GPB 799 | DOCTORAL SEMINAR - I | 1+0 |
3rd Semester | ||
GPB 849 | DOCTORAL SEMINAR- II | 1+0 |
4th Semester | ||
NIL | ||
5th Semester | ||
NIL | ||
GPB 999 | DOCTORAL SEMINAR- III | 1+0 |
GPB 1000 | DOCTORAL RESEARCH | 0+45 |
Sl.No. | Name of Laboratory/ Facility | List of major equipment and facilities |
---|---|---|
1 | PG-Lab: Marker and Genome analysis lab | Protein and Nucleic acid electrophoresis apparatus with a power pack, Thermocycler, Gel documentation system, Real-time PCR. Microwave, -200C Freezer, Balance, Microcentrifuge, Cooling centrifuge, Lamina-hood |
2 | PG-Lab: Abiotic Stress Lab | Spectrophotometer, PAR analyzer, Refrigerated water bath, Hot-air oven, Chlorophyll-fluorescent analyzer. EC & pH meter, Weighing machine, Refrigerator, Western Blotting apparatus, Incubator-shaker |
3 | PG-Lab (Ph D) | Compound microscopes, Spectrophotometer, Camera lucida, Stage micrometer, Ocular, Pointer, Infrared Thermometer, Seed Dryer, Seed Germinator, Seed Analyzer, Grain analyzer, Weighing machine |
4 | Plant Tissue Culture laboratory | Lamina-hood, Autoclave, Weighing machine, Tissue culture rack with temperature and time controlling devise, Nucleic acid electrophoresis apparatus with power pack, Thermocycler, Gel documentation system, Microwave, -200C Freezer, Microscope with attached camera and software, Plant growth chamber |
5 | Fiber Quality analysis Lab | Dry air oven, Flame photometer, N-analyzer, Spectrophotomter, Refregerater, Balance, pH meter, Microsecope, |
6 | Floriculture Laboratory | Spectrophotomter, Cold centrifuge, -200C Freezer, Electrophoresis aaparatus with power pack, Plant growth chamber, BOD incubator, Balance, Autoclave, pH meter |
7 | Wheat Breeding Lab | Simple and compound Microsecope, Spectrophotometer, Dryer, seed grinder, Geldoc system. |
8 | Quantitative Genetics Lab | Computers and a few analyses software |
9 | Instructional Farm | Shade-net house, Rainout shelter |