ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Four gene banks have been further strengthened with
respect to collection, conservation and
characterization of more number of germplasm
accessions. A rapid and highly reproducible protocol
for in vitro propagation of Picrorhiza scrophulariflora
has been developed. High yielding lines of
Nothapodytes nimmoniana with more than 1%
camptothecin were identified from Western Ghats.
Evaluation of the performance of elite tissue culture
plantlets vis-à-vis stem cuttings of vanilla (Vanilla
planifolia) in farmers' field over an area of 20 ha in
Tripura state has been initiated. Cell-cultures of
Commiphora wightii were grown in 2-litre stirred tank
and 6-litre airlift bioreactor for guggulsterone
production. A network project on development of
standardized herbal product for bovine mastitis has
been initiated. Purified pectic polysaccharide from
Aegle marmelos have shown significant in vivo antileishmanial
activity. Root extract of Clitorea ternatea
and taraxerol showed significant inhibition of acetyl
cholinesterase activity and cognitive enhancing
property. RAPD and minisatellite profiles of the
sandalwood (Santalum album) populations of the
southern regions of India have been generated. Work
on cloning and characterization of regulatory
elements of genes involved in picrosides
biosynthesis in Picrorhiza kurrooa has been initiated.
The full-length 4,11-diene synthase gene involved in
sesquiterpene biosynthesis regulation in Artemisia
annua has been cloned. Four genes of isoquinoline
alkaloid biosynthetic pathway in Papaver somniferum
have also been cloned.
Plant Biotechnology
During the year, studies continued in the areas of
plant tissue culture, molecular characterization and
transformation for desirable traits especially post
harvest. Tissue culture protocols were standardized
for important forest trees - pine, bamboo, red sanders
etc; horticulture crops grapes rootstock, papaya,
apple root stock and citrus and plantation crops
cashew, vanilla, clove. Studies on delayed fruit
ripening and increased shelf life continued on tomato,
grapes, banana and bell pepper. Studies also
continued on molecular characterization of important
forest trees, horticulture and plantation crops for
germplasm and biodiversity characterization. Field
demonstration of Bamboo was further extended to
cover around 200 hectares in different agroclimatic
zones of the country. The activities envisaged under
the programme support on Micropropagation
Technology Plants were implemented.
Basic research was identified as an important area
where impetus has been on understanding the basic
mechanisms as to how plants develop and adopt to
various environmental conditions. Projects were
supported to address issues like how a signal when
perceived by a plant is received till a final response is
obtained, how internal machinery of a plant operates
etc. Salinity and drought tolerant genotypes of
Brassica have been identified and physiologically
characteised under laboratory conditions.
Transgenic plants with both over-expression as well
as RNAi constructs developed and are being
analysed with respect to their behaviour under
osmotic stress. The interaction between plant
pathogens and their host plants is extremely complex
and this has been identified as a priority area. Studies
were supported to study the Molecular basis of
determinants of host-pathogen specificity; Early
events in pathogenesis initiation with respect to
adhesion, penetration mechanisms, hydrolytic
enzymes etc.; Signal transduction cascade involved
in early events both in host as well as pathogen;
Gene expression profiling of plant(s) and
pathogen(s) during pathogenesis; Innate immunity /
non-host resistance; Systemic Acquired Resistance;
Induced Systemic Resistance etc. and Mechanism of
Pathogenicity
Under the international Solanaceae Genome Project
launched alongwith 10 partner countries to sequence
tomato genome, India has been assigned the
responsibility of sequencing 12 Mb region of
chromosome 5. So far 1.5 Mb region has been
sequenced. In addition to genome sequencing an
effort was made to support research in the
understanding functional genomics aspects also, the
thrust has been on disease resistance, nutritional
improvement and fruit ripening.
Molecular Taxonomy studies continued to receive
support for those taxa which could not be segregated
morphologically at family, genera, species and sub-
5 An Overview