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.