RESEARCH

The research activities being executed at Biotechnology Centre comprise laboratories namely Tissue Culture & Transgenics, Molecular Biology and Fermentation Technology. At present 06 projects are being run at the Centre.

SL	Name of Project with objectives	Funding Agency	Duration (Years)	Budget (in Lakh)	Principle Investigator
1	Rapid conversion of normal maize inbreds to quality protein maize and further enhancement of limiting amino acid in elite inbreds through marker assisted selection Development of medium maturity and full-season QPM inbreds Deployment of the medium-maturity/full season QPM inbreds for production of QPM hybrids with higher levels of lysine and tryptophan content for different parts of India.	Network Project Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, GoI, New Delhi	5	56.39	S. Tiwari
2	Experiential Learning - Setting up of Facilities for Plant Tissue Culture To develop human resource for quality assurance To educate master for dissemination of knowledge in how -to-do-it manner	ICAR, Govt. of India, New Delhi	5	63.0	S. Tiwari
3	Biotechnology-Based Programmes for SC/ST Population and Weaker Sections on “Integrated agri-biotechnology for socio-economic upliftment of Baiga and Gond tribes of Madhya Pradesh” To provide mechanisms to rural population to improve their living standards and quality of life. Modernize and change / diversify agricultural production patterns for an appropriate positioning in the markets. To develop the capacities to adopt modern technologies including biotechnology and manage the associated risks To promote the use of sustainable agricultural technologies.	Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, GoI, New Delhi	3	168.00	S. Tiwari
4	Development of transgenic oat (Avena sativum) over-expressing fungal phytase gene” Isolation of phy gene from fungi Cloning and expression of phy gene in oat (Avena sativum) Investigation of the biochemical properties of the expressed enzyme The application of transgenic plants that produce heterologous phytases as an animal feed additive	M.P. Council of Science and Technology, Bhopal	3	7.82	S. Tiwari
5	Molecular marker evaluation of soybean cultivars for gene-based cultivar selection Assessment of resistant/resistant genes frequency in soybean populations cultivated in MP.	Japan International Cooperation Agency, New Delhi	2	14.20	S. Tiwari
6	Molecular characterization of white fly and yellow mosaic virus for soybean disease control in East Madhya Pradesh To identify MYMV- or SMV-infected soybean plants and MYMV-infected whiteflies using molecular methods in order to build better forecast and management of virus diseases. To determine the biotypes of whiteflies occurring on soybean and to know the lifecycle of whitefly to establish better control measures.	Japan International Cooperation Agency, New Delhi	2	12.20	K. Tantwai

Agriculture Biotechnology
Tissue Culture & Transgenics	Fermentation Technology	Molecular Biology

Laboratories, Facilities, Thrust Areas & Achievements
Plant Tissue Culture & Transgenics Laboratory

Well Equipped Laboratory having Gene Gun, Phase Contrast, Inverted & Stereo Microscopes, PCR machine, Shaker incubator, Low and High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuges etc.

Thrust Areas

• Conservation of endangered species of medicinal and aromatic plants using in vitro techniques
• Micro-propagation of sugar cane, potato and banana
• Molecular characterization of somaclonal variants among tissue culture plants
• Development of biotic and abiotic resistant transgenic in soybean and wheat
• Development of double haploids of rice and wheat for speedy development of varieties
• Identification and isolation of genes for drought and male sterility in wheat and rice

Salient Achievements

• Development of efficient regeneration protocol for oat (Avena sativa) and its Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
• Development of efficient regeneration protocol for soybean (Glycine max) and its Agrobacterium-mediated transformation for resistance against Yellow bean mosaic disease.
• Isolation of phy gene from soil fungi (Aspergillus spp.) and its transformation in oat.
• Development of productive micro-propagation protocols for banana, sugarcane and papaya.
• Initiated somatic embryogenesis in soybean and wheat for its further utilization in genetic transformation.
• Identification of genes responsible for male sterility and fertility restoration in wheat.
• Mass production of potato micro-tubers after disease indexing using ELISA and molecular markers.
• Established efficient protocols for mass in vitro propagation of some important medicinal and aromatic plants of Madhya Pradesh including low-cost protocols of Safed musli and Sarpgandha.

Fermentation Technology

Well Equipped Laboratory having Automatic Fermenter, Laminar Flow, Rotary Vacuum Evaporator, Deep Freezer, High Speed Centrifuge, Lyophilizer, Incubator shaker etc.

Thrust Area

• Low cost microbial pigment production technology
• Industrial enzyme production and immobilization
• Amino acid production using recombinant strains
• Single cell protein production from waste carbon sources
• Isolation and characterization of enzymes in edible and non edible mushrooms
• phy gene cloning and expression for recombinant phytase

Salient Achievements

• Screening of Isolates for phy gene producing bacteria from soil and identified as phy producing bacteria through 16s gene amplification and sequencing
• Molecular cloning of phy gene of Bacillus sp. has been done.
• Sixteen sequences are published in NCBI.
• The low cost material waste potatoes were used for conversion of starch present into bio-ethanol using different species of bacteria, fungi and yeast.
• The combination of bacteria and fungi resulted into best yield of bio-ethanol under a set of fermentation condition.

Molecular Biology

Well Equipped Laboratory having PCR machine, DNA Electrophoresis system, DNA Sequencer, Laminar Flow, DNA Hybridizer, Macro and Micro Shaker Bath, Gel Documentation System, UV Spectrophotometer, Ice Flaker, Real Time PCR, Orbital Shaker, BOD Incubator etc.

Thrust Areas

• Genetic diversity analysis of important crop plants
• Molecular mapping of QTL(s)/ gene(s) for biotic, abiotic stress, quality and agronomically important characteristics.

Salient Achievements

• Molecular characterization of six important medicinal plant species (Withania somnifera, Lapidium sativum, Chlorophytum borivilianum, Aloe barbadensis, Bacopa monnieri and Coleus forskohlii).
• Molecular diversity analysis among soybean cultivars and mutants against Root rot and Yellow Mosaic Virus Disease.
• Development of RAPD markers linked to leaf rust resistance and to screen F2 population for leaf rust resistant/susceptible traits in wheat through bulk segregant analysis.
• The identification of molecular markers linked to drought tolerant trait in wheat.
• Identification of genetic relationship among chickpea genotype using ascochyta blight resistance linked SSRs markers.
• Analysis of SSR markers linked to Fusarium wilt resistance loci in Desi type chickpea genotypes.
• Molecular linkage studies for flag leaf width and leaf hair traits in rice using recombinant inbred lines derived from cross JNPT X IR 64 using SSR markers.
• Characterization and diversity analysis of Macrophomina phaseolina isolates of soybean.
• Diversity Analysis of Fertility Restorer Genes in indica and japonica subspecies of Rice.
• Molecular screening of disease resistance in Soybean.
• Development of Quality Protein Maize lines and hybrids.
• Morphological and Molecular characterization of water chestnut germplasm collected from different parts of Madhya Pradesh

Curriculum Research
2011-12

Kachare, Satish. Characterization of genetic diversity of water chestnut (Trapa natans) germplasms of Madhya Pradesh using morphological and molecular markers. (S. Tiwari)
Karade, Shrikant. The phy gene amplification and sequence of a phytase from bacterial isolates. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Sasidharan, Shaily. Studies on Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation in Oat (Avena sativa L.) (Dissertation work of M.Sc. Biotechnology student from Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeeth, Amritapuri) (S. Tiwari)

2010-11

Chauhan, D.S. Genetic diversity analysis using RAPD markers in geographically distinct germplasm of Bacopa monnieri. (N. Saini)
Deshmukh, Dhanshree. Characterization of phytase producing fungi from soil. (S.Tiwari)
Dhaneliya, N.S. Biosynthesis of microbial pigments using co-culture of Monascus purpureus and Monascus rubber. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Katroliya, S.S. Characterization of phytase producing bacteria from soil. (K.Tantwai)
Sharma, Pawan. Polymorphism analysis in advanced mutant population of oat. (N. Saini)
Sharma, Ritu. Introgression of quality protein opaque 2 gene into maize using marker assisted selection. (S. Tiwari)
Varandani, Sapna. Studies on in vitro regeneration of oat (Avena sativa). (S.Tiwari)

2009-10

Dhote, Laxmi. Studies on in vitro embryogenesis in teak. (S. Tiwari)
Bhade, Pralhad. Production of microbial pigments using Monascus ruber. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Dwivedi, S. Studies on somaclonal variation in sugarcane using RAPD markers. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. Biotechnology student from APS University, Rewa) (S. Tiwari)
Kelatkar, Sonali. Cloning and sequencing of phy gene from pseudomonas syringae. (Kirti Tantwai)
Khandal, Harish. Studies on polymorphism of markers linked with Fusarium wilt resistance loci in chickpea. (N. Saini)
Kori, Swati. Sonication assisted Agrobacterium mediated transformation in soybean. (S. Tiwari)
Pandey, Aparna Studies on phenotypic and molecular polymorphism in rice bean (Vigna umbellata). (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)
Parihar, R. S. Low Cost Production Technology of Microbial Pigments for Incorporation in Food Products. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Patnaik, Kamal. Studies on in vitro morphogenesis in chickpea Studies on in vitro Embryogenesis in Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) (S. Tiwari)
Prakash, Vijay. Molecular analysis of cytoplasmic male sterility in wheat. (S. Tiwari)
Rai, Sudhir. Prodcution of bioethanol from waste potatoes. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Sapre, Swapnil. Studies on Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation in tobacco. (S. Tiwari)
Sethiya, Sunil. Polymorphism studies of markers linked for Ascochyta blight resistance in chickpea germplasm. (N. Saini)
Verma, Pratima. Studies on genetic diversity in rice bean (Vigna umbellata) for morphological and physiological traits related to drought tolerance. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)

2008-09

Dubey, Ravi. Molecular diversity analysis among Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) goid isolates causing charcoal rot of soybean. (N. Saini).
Khan, M.M. Biosynthesis of monascus pigments using agro industrial byproducts. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Khan, Mushir. Production and utilization of microbial Pigments in processed food. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Pathak, Nidhi. Genetic transformation studies for yellow mosaic virus resistance in soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill), (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)
Sharma S. In vitro regeneration studies in Withania somnifera. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. Biotechnology student from Department of Life Science, Career College, Barkatullah University, Bhopal) (S. Tiwari)

2007-08

Deshmukh Reena. Identification of suitable markers for drought tolerance in wheat molecular gene cloning of a novel phyase from Bacillus subtilis. (N.S. Tomar)
Gupta, Amandeep. Production of Microbial Pigments (Monascus sp.) using agro byproducts as substrate. (L.P.S. Rajput).
Hora, Manpreet. Molecular detection of viruses in micropropagated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants and quality micro-tuber production. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)
Varma, Anuradha. Micropropagation of virus free potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants for micro tuber production. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)
Yadav, Sunil. Molecular Gene Cloning of a Novel Phyase from Bacillus subtilis. (Kirti Tantwai)

2006-07

Bhardwaj, B.K. Tagging of leaf rust resistance gene(s) in wheat using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. (N.S. Tomar)
Bimal, S.S. Molecular characterization and diversity analysis of soybean verities against soybean Rhizoctonia aerial blight resistance. (N. Saini)
Goyal, B.S. Molecular diversity analysis among soybean cultivars and mutant against yellow mosaic virus (YMV) disease. (N. Saini)
Patel G.S. In vitro regeneration and detection of somaclonal variations in Rauwolfia serpentine (L.) using molecular markers. (S. Tiwari)
Rathore, S. Study on in vitro morphogenesis for efficient genetic transformation in Jatropha curcas. (S. Tiwari)
Soni, Yuvraj. Biochemical characterization of phytase produced by soil borne microorganism. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Tomar, Jyoti. Molecular diversity analysis among soybean cultivars and mutant against root rot Disease. (N. Saini)
Vishnoi, Sweta. Micropropagation of brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L. Pennell) and detection of somaclonal variations using RAPD analysis. (S. Tiwari)
Wankhede Abhijit R. Optimization of phytase production with mixed substrate fermentation by Aspergillus ficuum using waste agri-materials. (L.P.S. Rajput)

2005-06

Gupta, Kapil. Effect of fermentation variables on the recovery and quality of Aspergillus phytase from waste agri-materials. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Mahroliya, Naveen. Molecular diversity analysis of jatropha germplasm. (N. Saini)
Nag, N.K. Study on in vitro propagation of Jatropha curcas. (Dissertation work of M.Sc. (Agril) student from Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, JNKVV, Jabalpur) (S. Tiwari)
Pandey, Vikash. Molecular analysis of leaf hair trait in recombinant inbred lines of rice (Oryza sativa L.). (N.S. Tomar)
Rai, Vinita. Identification and cloning of heat induced gene transcripts of wheat. (N.S. Tomar)
Sengar P.K. In vitro regeneration and genetic transformation studies in mahua (Maduca indica). (S. Tiwari)
Singh, Amarjit. Molecular mapping of leaf hair and flag leaf width trait in RILs derived from cross JNPT 89 and IR 64. (N. Saini)
Verma, Namrata. Production, purification and characterization of phyatse from Bacillus subtilis. (L.P.S. Rajput)

2004-05

Baghel R.S. Genetic transformation studies in teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) using mature cotyledon cultures. (S. Tiwari)
Danelia, M. K. Microbial protein production from waste carbon sources. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Gajbhiye Preeti. Phytase production from waste carbon source. (K. Tantwai)
Jatav D.S. Studies on DNA instability induced from tissue culture in Chlorophytum borivilianum by RAPD analysis. (S. Tiwari)
Nema, Darsana. Lysine production from waste carbon sources. (L.P.S. Rajput)
Pandey, A.K. Mutation for Thermo-Resistance in Rhizobium japonicum and Characterization for Kinetics of Growth and Diazotrophy. (N.G. Mitra)
Singh, Sangeeta. DNA fingerprinting of different cultivars of wheat using RAPD markers. (N.S. Tomar)
Sinha, Pratima. Molecular characterization of chickpea cultivars through RAPD markers. (N.S. Tomar)

2003-04

Khan, I.N. Cloning of cDNA of a partial cytochrome P450 gene of Withania somnifera L. (N.S. Tomar)
Maheshwari, C.K. Molecular markers for fiber quality traits in cotton (N.S. Tomar)
Sawant, R.R. Characterization of genetic diversity in cultivated cotton by DNA fingerprinting (S. Tiwari)
Shukla, Devendra. Identification of DNA markers for multifoliate character of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.). In collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, India. (S. Tiwari)
Yogranjan. Studies on in vitro regeneration and genetic transformation in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Millisp.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.). In collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay. (S. Tiwari)

World Food Prize Winner Professor Gurdev Singh Khush from University of California, Davis, USA visited the Centre on 24.06.2010	Professor H.S. Gupta, Director Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi on 28.11.2010
Alcorn State University (USA) delegates visited the Centre along with Hon'ble Vice-Chancellor Professor Gautam Kalloo on14.06.10	Training of Technical Persons at Biotechnology Centre
Training of M.P. State Agriculture Department persons at Biotechnology Centre on 05.06.2010	Visit of farmers at Biotechnology Centre on 12.02.2010
Visit of Dr Sharad Tiwari to the tribal areas of Dindori, M.P. under DBT Project on 01.02.2011