Vision:

• Center of Excellence: Strive to become a beacon of excellence in both basic and applied research on medicinal and aromatic plants, pushing the boundaries of scientific exploration.
• Rural Bio-Economy Empowerment: Empower rural communities through technological interventions in the medicinal and aromatic plant sector, fostering sustainable economic growth and prosperity.

Mission:

• • Eco-Geographical Bioresource Documentation: Document the rich biodiversity of the Western Himalayan flora, preserving invaluable genetic resources for future generations.
  • Conservation Initiatives: Implement comprehensive strategies for both in situ and ex situ conservation of selected Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), safeguarding their genetic diversity and ecological significance.
  • Promoting Cultivation: Encourage the cultivation of MAPs among rural communities, creating pathways for economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.
  • Germplasm Development: Utilize conventional and cutting-edge biotechnological approaches to develop elite germplasm, enhancing the genetic potential of MAPs for future generations.
  • Secondary Metabolite Pathway Elucidation: Unravel the intricate pathways involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, unlocking the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants.
  • Environmental Interaction Exploration: Investigate the role of secondary metabolites in environmental interactions using a multidisciplinary approach encompassing physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and chemical ecology.
  • Climate Change Resilience: Conduct studies on climate change resilience, identifying and cultivating plants with the potential to thrive in future environmental conditions, ensuring the sustainability of our natural resources.
  • Aquatic Invertebrate Community Database: Establish a comprehensive inventory of the aquatic invertebrate communities in the marine and nearby freshwater regions of Jammu and Kashmir, unlocking the mysteries of these diverse ecosystems.
  • Bioprospection Ventures: Dive into the depths of marine and freshwater realms to bioprospect for novel compounds and genetic resources, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals

Competencies:

1. 1. Surveys and Mapping: Conduct comprehensive surveys to map and identify plant resources in different ecological zones. Recently, mapping of benthic invertebrate fauna has been included.
   2. Resource Identification: Identify and collect quality raw materials, particularly plants, for the extraction of natural products and bioactive molecules, fostering sustainable practices.
   3. Agro Technologies Development: Develop innovative agro technologies to extend the cultivation of high-value medicinal and aromatic plants across diverse agro-climatic zones.
   4. Breeding Strategies: Implement strategic breeding methods to develop new, high-yielding varieties of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs), enhancing agricultural productivity.
   5. Farm Planning and Management: Plan and manage farms meticulously, ensuring optimal utilization of resources and sustainable agricultural practices.
   6. Taxonomic Identification: Conduct taxonomic identification and validation of plants and crude drugs, preserving botanical diversity and ensuring accuracy in research. In addition to that characterisation of benthic invertebrate community from freshwater and marine region.
   7. Conservation Strategies: Implement in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to protect endangered plants, safeguarding biodiversity for future generations.
   8. Plant Tissue Culture Techniques: Utilize advanced techniques such as in vitro micropropagation for the propagation and conservation of plant species.
   9. Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology Tools: Employ plant physiology and molecular biology tools for understanding plant functioning and genetic manipulation, advancing research in gene expression and genome editing.
   10. Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Utilize bioinformatics and computational biology tools for analyzing next-generation sequencing data, unraveling gene networks, and ecological modelling.
   11. Genome Mining of benthic invertebrates: Uncover genetically encoded metabolites within benthic invertebrate communities through genome mining.
   12. Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry: Apply knowledge of soil science and agricultural chemistry to optimize soil health and agricultural productivity, ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.

Facility Janaki Ammal Herbarium:

• Rich Botanical Legacy: Home to over 24,200 specimens representing 3,265 species, the Janaki Ammal Herbarium serves as a cornerstone for botanical research.
• International Recognition: Recognized internationally and registered in the Index Herbarium at New York, USA, under the acronym RRLH, it is a trusted resource for plant authentication.

Herbal Drug Repository:

• Treasure Trove of Traditional Wisdom: With over 4,200 authenticated crude drug samples, this repository is a beacon of traditional herbal knowledge, accessible to practitioners, researchers, and industry alike.

Kisan Training Centre:

• Empowering Agriculture: Our training center imparts technical know-how to farmers, growers, and entrepreneurs, nurturing a skilled workforce for sustainable agricultural practices.

Experimental Farm:

• Plant source: Spanning 50 acres, our experimental farm at Chatha is a testament to our commitment to research and development in medicinal and aromatic plants.

Modern Research Facilities:

• • Equipped for Innovation: Our well-equipped facilities provide a fertile ground for groundbreaking research on various aspects of plants, from tissue culture to controlled environment studies.
  • Plant Tissue Culture Facility: To understand the potential of plant biotechnology, our tissue culture facility fosters the propagation and preservation of valuable plant species.
  • Protected Growth Environments: From glass houses to poly houses and net houses, we provide optimal environments for plant growth and experimentation, ensuring the success of our research endeavors.
  • Walk-in Plant Growth Chamber: Step into the future of plant research with our controlled environment chamber, where plants thrive under precisely regulated conditions, paving the way for scientific breakthroughs.
  • Computational Lab Facility:Within our division, we are boasting the state-of-the-art computational resources dedicated to conducting intricate bioinformatic analyses of data generated from both plant and aquatic invertebrate research. With the advanced computational tools, we are paving the way to harness modern computation and machine learning techniques to understand the genomic mysteries concealed within the rich diversity of both plant and aquatic invertebrate organisms.

Mission Projects and CSIR Funded Projects

Externally Funded Projects