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Biotic And Abiotic Stress Management Of Crops Plants

Molecular Biology tools along with modern Omics technologies for potential targets particularly stress tolerant genes/proteins for development of stress tolerance.

There have been demonstrated defensive role like MAP kinases, hsr 203J and defensin genes during pathogensis of Alternaria blight disease which otherwise causes significant yield losses in mustard crop.

De novo genome sequencing of Karnal bunt pathogen and Identification of pathogenecity factors of Karnal bunt which is a disease of quarantine importance

Finger millet, a stress resilient crop plant, has also been exposed to posses key abiotic stress tolerant genes such as Ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and Myb genes which are being assessed in modified finger millet crop plants near development of Abiotic stress tolerance.

Additionally, nanobiotechnological approaches are also progressing to overcome Biotic and Abiotic stress with the help of various kind of nanoparticles.

Nutritional Quality Improvement

Finger millet, an ethynic crop of Uttarakhand which is rich in nutritionally important proteins and minerals is being utilized to isolate nutritionally important genes and proteins by using transcriptomics and Genotype by Sequencing approaches. These genes/proteins can be utilized for Biofortification of staple food crops and development of value added products. We have isolated the gene encoding prolamin protein and it’s promoter from Finger millet for which a patent has been filed. We have also filed a patent for development of a nanodelivery vehicle using finger millet prolamin for slow and sustained release of fat soluble vitamins so as to increase their bioavailability. Fertilization and Nanotechnological approaches are being utilized to improve these crops in terms of mineral contents. It has been found that nano zinc and nano iron seed priming enhances zinc and iron content in Finger millet seeds and that application of 40 Kg/ha Nitrogen enhances protein quality in terms of essential amino acids.

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Present Research Activities:

1. Development of Nanomaterials for various applications
2. Energy Storage materials
3. Nuclear reactor materials
4. High Energy Materials