Plant Sciences and Agrotechnology Division (PSA)

Due to the diverse range of geographic and climatic conditions, the Union Territory of Jammu and and Kashmir and the UT of Ladakh is rich storehouse of medicinal, aromatic and other economic plants. For their environmental interactions, this unique flora produce an array of small organic molecules with diverse structures known as  secondary metabolites. Many of these natural products display interesting pharmacological activities and therefore find use as phytomedicines and nutraceuticals. The Plant Sciences division is carrying out research studies of basic and applied value on these medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) by using tools of different disciplines of biology including taxonomy, genetics, ecology, ethonobotany, biochemistry, physiology, molecular biology and computational biology. The division has a unique amalgamation of expertise of diverse areas of plant and agricultural sciences. The department has a rich history of conservation of genetic resources from different ecological regions, and development of elite germplasm through conventional and modern biotechnological approaches. Some of the developed varieties of MAPs are grown widely throughout different parts of the country yielding economic returns.

  • Vision
    • To become a centre of excellence for carrying out cutting edge research of basic and applied value on medicinal and aromatic plants.
    • Potentiating the rural bio-economy by technological interventions in medicinal and aromatic plant sector.
  • Mission
    • Eco-geographical bioresource documentation of Western Himalayan flora
    • In situ and Ex situ conservation of selected MAPs
    • Promoting cultivation of MAPs for enhancing rural bio-economy.
    • Development of elite germplasm using conventional and biotechnological means.
    • Pathway elucidation for modulation of secondary metabolite content.
    • Finding the role of secondary metabolites in environmental interactions using physiological, biochemical, molecular and chemical ecology approaches.
    • Climate change studies for future resilient plants.
  • Surveys, mapping, identification and collection of floral and benthic communities.
  • Resourcing of quality raw materials (plants) for natural products and other bioactive molecules.
  • Development of agro technologies for extension of high value medicinal and aromatic plants in different agro-climatic zones.
  • Breeding strategies for development of new high yielding varieties of MAPs.
  • Farm planning and Management
  • Taxonomic identification and validation of plants and crude drugs.
  • In situ and Ex situ conservation strategies for endangered plants.
  • In vitro micropropagation and other techniques of plant tissue culture.
  • Plant physiology tools for plant functioning.
  • Molecular biology tools like cloning (conventional cloning, Gateway Cloning, Golden Gate assembly), plant expression construct preparation, homologous and heteologous expression of genes in plants, recombinant protein expression in plants and microbes, enzyme activity assays, over-expression and suppression of genes in plants, genome editing, genetic transformation of model systems (Arabidopsisand N. tabacum).
  • Tools of bioinformatics and computational biology such as analysis of next-generation sequencing data of transcriptome and genome, gene network analysis and ecological modeling
  • Soil science and agricultural chemistry
  • Janaki Ammal Herbariumhouses more than 24200 specimens representing 3265 species. This facility is used by scientists from academia, research scholars & herbal drug Industry as a ready reference for the authentication of plants. It is recognized internationally and is registered in Index herbarium at New York, U.S.A under the acronym RRLH.
  • Herbal Drug Repository contains more than 4200 crude drug samples of authenticated parts of the plants, used in Indian traditional system of medicine. This referral facility is accessible to pharmaceutical industry, traders, medicinal practitioners, natural product chemists, students and academics and provides ready material for laboratory scale experiments.
  • Kisan Training Centre: The main aims of this centre is to imparting technical knowhow and training for farmers/growers/ entrepreneurers. The Institute organizes both institutional and peripatetic training programmes..
  • Experimental farm: CSIRIIIM Jammu has 50 acres well managed experimental farm of Medicinal and Aromatic plants situated at Chatha which was established in the year 1956 by Col. Sir. R. N. Chopra
  • Modern well equipped for conducting research on different aspects of plants.
  • Plant tissue culture facility
  • Glass houses, poly house and net houses
  • Walk-in Plant growth chamber for growing plants in controlled environment

Dr. Prashant Misra
Principal Scientist

Dr. Srinivas Kota
Scientist

Other Staff:

Mr. Chandra Pal Singh Technical Officer
Mr. Yadunandan Sen Technical Assistant
Mr. Madan Lal Technician
Ms. Shabnam Khan Technician
Ms. Kiran Koul Technician

Multitasking/ Farm Staff

Sewa Ram, MTS

Sodagar Lal, MTS

Ashok Kumar, Lab. Adtt.

Bachan Lal, MTS

Nagar Lal, Lab. Adtt.

Sodagar Lal, MTS

Kuldip Kumar, Lab. Adtt.

Ajit Ram, MTS

Karnel Chand, MTS

Surinder Kumar, MTS

Mr. Ashok Kumar, MTS

  • Collection of plant resources from selected ecological niches for novel bioactivities (CSIR)
  • Plant endophytes for enhancing secondary metabolite production and plant productivity in Glycyrrhiza glabra and Coleus forskohlii (CSIR)
  • Development of functional genomics platform in Cannabis (CSIR)
  • Demonstration of Cultivation, Processing and Value Addition of Selected Aromatic Crops in Bundelkhand region (DBT)
  • CSIR Aroma Mission (CSIR)
  • Glycoengineering of Nicotiana tabacum using CRISPR Cas based genome editing: Glyco-optimization for humanized therapeutic protein production in plants (DBT)
  • Advance Phase of industry-sponsored CIPA Herbal Dengue product project (Industry)
  • Development and Standardization of Bio-resource pool at IIIM Experimental Farm, Chatha, Jammu (CSIR).