ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

Operational guidelines for collection,
characterization and production of quality planting
material have been brought out. All accessions
collected are being finger printed and superior
accessions are being conserved at NBPGR, New
Delhi. This is the first scientific documentation of
superior germplasm. Work has also been initiated on
multi-locational trials of the superior accessions
collected in terms of increased yield and oil quality.
R&D programmes are being initiated for
improvement of Jatropha; studies include marker
assisted selection, prospecting of genes associated
with oil production pathway, metabolic pathway
engineering etc.
Programmes have also been supported for testing
the potential of other tree borne oil seeds
standardizing plant production technologies and
transesterification. Seeds of Heynea trijuga, Sapium
sebiferum, Aleurites moluccana, Mesua ferrea and
Pongamia pinnata were collected, processed to
separate the kernels and oil extracted and estimated
from seeds / kernels. Physico-chemical properties of
the oils were determined. The methyl esters
prepared from the oils were analysed by GLC to
determine the fatty acids composition. Heynea
trijuga oil has been evaluated at IIP for biofuel
properties and has shown encouraging results.
Trans-esterification of curcas oil on a pilot scale (10
kg batch) has been carried out at IIP, Dehradun. Use
of Pongamia, Salvadora and Madhuca as a raw
material for biodiesel has been studied at NBRI,
Lucknow. Agrotechnology package for cultivation
has been worked out.
In a study supported at CFTRI, Mysore, indigenous
Botryococcus braunii strains were isolated from
fresh water samples collected from Kodaikanal,
Chennai, Mamallapuram and purified and identified
them as A race based on their hydrocarbon profiles.
All the strains were established in autotrophic
medium and growth profiles were studied. All the
indigenous strains produced long chain
hydrocarbons of C to C chain length as major ones
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and higher than C at low proportion. Cultivation of
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B.braunii strain was scaled up to 100 L level in both
circular and race way ponds and further to 1000L and
3000L in raceway ponds under out door conditions,
which is a major achievement. B.braunii growth and
hydrocarbon production in outdoor ponds was
evaluated in different seasons and maximum
biomass (2 gL-1) was obtained during Oct-Dec and
Feb-Apr. Hydrocarbon production correlated with
biomass yields and maximum hydrocarbon content
28% (w/w) was observed during winter season (Nov-
Dec) using three-phase partitioning system.
Conditions for lipase production from Pseudomonas
cepasia strain have been optimized. Reusability of P.
cepasia lipase immobilized on celite in the laboratory
has also been studied at IIT, New Delhi. It was found
that same could be used four times without loss in
activity. P. cepasia was found to give high
transesterification activity. 97-99% conversion of
Jatropha oil by celite immobilized P. cepasia lipase
towards biodiesel production.
Since Biofuels is one of the identified priority areas, it
becomes imperative to have improved Jatropha
plantation which provides raw material for biodiesel
production. A brain storming session was held in the
department to identify priorities in biodiesel and
bioethanol. Under biodiesel, the focus is on : An
integrated breeding programme for developing
mapping populations including polyploidy and
induced mutation for genetic improvement, marker
assisted selection, development of micro-satellite
markers for fingerprinting of elite genotypes and
markers for yield and oil content and quality. Gene
based association mapping study will also be taken
up with an emphasis on oil content and quality.
Besides, prospecting of genes associated with oil
production pathway; metabolic pathway engineering
for improved oil production will also be looked into.
Bioethanol
Various projects have been supported to produce
ethanol using alternate feed stocks as a raw material.
Sweet sorghum, lignocellulosic wastes, fruit &