ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

In a project to identify, map and transfer desirable
alleles at QTLs for yield and yield components and
stability and also to generate QTL near isogenic lines
of rice, agronomic evaluation of BC2F4 Near
Isogenic Introgressions lines (NIILs) as many as 200
BC2F5 progenies were evaluated for the second
consecutive year during summer 2006 in multilocation
trials. A new triticale line involving Himalayan
rye and indigenous wheat genotypes has been
synthesized to be further utilized as a diverse source
for obtaining certain important wheat-rye
translocations. In project on functional genomics of
rice aiming at discovery and functional validation of
genes, novel genes conferring bacterial blight (BLB)
resistance have been discovered in accessions of
wild species like O. longistaminata, O. nivara, O.
glaberrima and O. barthii; land race accession
Ac32753 and few mutant lines of IR64. Gall midge
resistance genes Gm1 and Gm4 are being fine
mapped to within 10cM of 2 MB region of the
genome. In the network project on programme on
development of Salinity and dehydration stress
tolerance in rice, a gene encoding fructose 1,6
bisphosphate was cloned to full length from Portresia
(PCFR) and this enzyme was found to be active in the
presence of NaCl. In the project on multi-site
Evaluation of Transgenic Mustard (DMH-11) based
on barnase - barstar system, the National Research
Centre of Rapeseed-Mustard, Bharatpur conducted
the trials along with four checks, viz.CMS based
hybrid (DMH-1), National Checks (Varuna and
Kranti) and a zonal check, at 10 locations during the
year 2006 Higher yield of DMH-11 over the best
check variety was recorded in 6 out of 9 locations. In
the project on development of Transgenics Cotton
for Resistance to Insect Pests, around 300
independent transgenics lines in cotton (Coker
310FR) carrying the cry1Ac gene for attaining
resistance to Helicoverpa armigera developed. In
most of the transgenics, the cry1Ac gene is under the
control of the double enhancer CaMV 35S promoter.
Improvements have also been made in the
transformation protocol of cotton which allows the
use of Imidazolinone as a selection agent instead of
kanamycin by using a double mutant acetolactate
synthase gene as marker.
Biofertilisers
With growing environmental concerns, the sole
dependence on chemical inputs based agriculture is
being replaced by integrated approach involving
conjunctive use of both organic and inorganic
sources. In this context, biofertilizers have been well
accepted as economical, cost effective, renewable
and safe organic source of plant nutrients to sustain
crop productivity. Moreover, with recent focus on
organic/bio-dynamic farming, the demand of
biofertilizers is likely to grow at a much faster rate
than before. At this juncture, it is realized that
microbial inoculants are 'ecological inputs' whose
effects are 'subtle and not dramatic' like chemical
inputs. Hence, inoculation with good quality
inoculants is a must and should be treated as an
insurance against failure of nodulation. The shelf life
both in the storage and transit needs to be improved
with due consideration to various 'abiotic' stresses.
The quality oriented production and marketing
network will certainly make biofertilizers a viable
enterprise for ultimate customer satisfaction.
Keeping these in view, programmes on development
of liquid biofertilizers and biofertilizers based
Integrated Nutrient management packages for
plantation crops and medicinal plants have been
generated. In addition biofertilizers strains developed
through transgenosis will be evaluated in contained
conditions.
Biopesticides and Crop Management
Integrated pest management system has become
much more sophisticated through biotechnological
interventions. A number of potent and cost effective
methods of biological pest control have been
successfully developed. Genetic improvement of
various species of entomopathogenic nematodes for
enhanced efficacy and tolerance to environment e.g.
temperature etc. has been achieved and found to be
effective against insect pests of pigeon pea, rice stem
borer, gram pod borer cardamom root grub, sucking
pests of cotton etc. Conservation and augmentation
of two predators viz. Dipha aphidivora and Microuns
igorotus have been achieved, which suppressed
sugarcane wolly aphid populations. Pheromones
were found to be quite effective against various
3 An Overview