Information for DBT website 1. Name of the area/division : Agriculture Biotechnology 2. Programmes covered : Crop Biotechnology 3.

Overview : Advances in gene discovery and genomics have led to the identification of several novel genes that provide excellent opportunities for effectively tackling problems of biotic/abiotic stresses, for enhancement of crop productivity, and for improvement of their nutritional quality. These scientific advances can facilitate us in accelerating pre-breeding germplasm enhancement for eventual crop improvement through effective molecular breeding. Along with pursuing basic research, genome sequencing and genomic studies for identification of useful genes, QTLs & validation of their function; developing transgenic crops and crop improvement through marker aided selection for various abiotic and biotic stress, quality trait are high priority in the Crop Biotechnology programme. 4. Significant achievements during the 11th Plan period (2007-12): Major projects were implemented on (i) Generation of salt-tolerant rice plants: A translational programme sanctioned at Bose institute, Kolkata (ii) Crop biofortification of groundnut and pigeon pea for alleviating vitamin A sanctioned at ICRISAT, Patencheru (iii) A network project sanctioned at NRCPB, New Delhi on Puccinia triticina genomics network on De Novo genome sequencing, fitness, variation and pathogenicity and (iv) Identification of candidate genes for enhanced water use efficiency in rice through activation tagging was sanctioned at UoH, Hyderabad and (v) India joined International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium for Physical mapping and sequencing of wheat chromosome No. 2A in Jan 2011. In addition three programmes have been undertaken viz. (i) From QTL to Variety- Marker Assisted Breeding of Rice with Major QTLs for Drought, Flooding and Salt Tolerance (ii) Next Generation Challenge Programme on Chickpea Genomics and (iii) Establishment of a National Plant Gene Repository Yield related QTLs have been identified and introgressed from wild relative species and land races of rice and are in the process of characterization. Development of precision markers for the known resistance genes has led

to gene pyramiding through marker assisted selection and backcross breeding culminating in release of two new rice varieties, Improved Pusa Basmati and Improved Samba Mahsuri. A novel blast resistance gene Pikh has been cloned, for the first time, and functionally validated through transgenesis. Marker assisted selection (MAS) gene pyramiding for durable blast resistance is in progress while two genes for gall midge resistance, Gm1 and Gm4 have been now fine mapped. QPM VIVEK 9 Hybrid maize was developed and released for all India. In wheat Biofortification programme, towards genetics and molecular localization of genomic regions governing high Fe and Zn content in grains, homeologous chromosomes 1, 2 and 7 of Ae kotschyi have been implicated in controlling the accumulation of iron and zinc in the grain. Introgression of transgenes with Ferritin has been undertaken into local varieties of indica rice varieties. The BC5F1 seeds are being raised and are being screened for the presence of transgene, and twelve rice cultivars were selected for the gene expression studies. The Use of constitutive viral promoter: DD- 7, derived from Rice tungro bacilliform virus for constitutive gene expression in plants a technology developed at UDSC New Delhi has been transferred to a Pvt. industry. Programme support was extended to four State Agricultural Universities. achievements are as follows: Highlights of their

In wheat, using complimentary parents in crosses and for double haploid (DH) production using wheat x maize system, ~ 600 DH plants were produced and DH plants from crosses DBW 16/WS466 and DBW 16/WS 663 were demonstrated to have tolerance to heat and high grain filling efficiency attributed to stay green habit & chlorophyll retention. For wide hybridization for developing heat tolerant wheat germplasm, Aegilops speltoids accessions evaluated extensively and observed to posses very high level tolerance to heat with no effect of increasing temperature on plant growth and maturity. ~ 300 BC2F4 Triticum durum Ae .speltoids progenies evaluated for heat tolerance components and morphological traits. Introgression profiling of T. durum A. speltoids progenies is in progress. Twenty five putative transgenic hill banana plant lines exhibiting resistance against Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) have been developed and 8 of these plants exhibited high degree of resistance against BBTV and they remained free from bunchy top symptom at the end of 6th month. Phytase gene encoding cloned from Aspergillus niger is being used for developing micronutrient rich transgenic maize lines for use in poultry feed, and 12 such putative transgenic lines have been developed.

In sorghum, three stable charcoal rot resistance QTLs were successfully introgressed from E36-1 into M35-1 and SPV86 varieties. Its BC3F3 progenies carrying various QTLs combination are being field evaluated. Based on multi-season and location phenotypic data, QTLs for stay-green, water use efficiency (deltaC) and yield related traits were mapped. Three stable QTLs for stay-green and one for deltaC were introgressed into M351, SPV86 and SPV570. Their BC3F2 plants are being genotyped. Four superior RILs including the one tolerant to shoot fly (30% incidence) have been identified. Three Fusarium wilt resistant superior lines have entered multi-location trial and 16 other resistant lines are in station trial.

A fusion gene trehalose-6-phosphate synthase phosphatase (TPSP) has been overexpressed in a salt sensitive rice variety, IR64 to develop salt and drought tolerant rice plants. Some independent transgenic events that are Southern positive have been found to be promising in terms of early vigour, spikelet fertility and overall yield than the control non-transformed IR64 in saline and sodic conditions. Over hundred putative transgenic events of popular groundnut cultivars were generated for developing resistance to the groundnut stem necrosis disease caused by the tobacco streak virus (TSV). The T1 progenies from 88 transgenic events were evaluated for resistance to TSV under P 2 containment greenhouse conditions and progenies from 18 events that either did not display any systemic symptoms or showed delayed symptoms were selected and advanced to subsequent generations (T3) in the containment greenhouse. A National Plant Gene Repository has been set up for proper cataloging, documentation, storage, maintenance and distribution of novel and important plant genes and promoters being cloned in our various institutes. The repository would facilitate our scientists in undertaking programmes in functional and application genomics areas. 5. Impact of the programmes during 11th plan period (e.g. Knowledge generation, Socio-economic benefits; Promotion of S&T capacity in terms of HR, expertise developed; relation to national priorites such as food security, health care and nutrition): 210 research papers have been published in SCI Journals. Out of which 32 papers have been published in the Impact Factor 4 and above. 3 international and 10 national patent applications have been filed in the R&D

programmes supported in the area. Under SAUs Support Programme , 80 research papers have been published by various universities. DBT SAUs Programme Support has also resulted in setting up a separate School of Agricultural Biotechnology at PAU and it started 3 teaching programme viz. B.Sc. Biotech Hons. (4 years/50 seats), M.Sc. Biotech. (12 seat) and Ph.D. Biotechnology (5 seats), which have been highly sought after programme of the University. Under this programme, 42 Ph.Ds are awarded or registered, and 35 students completed/pursuing thesis work for their M.Sc. degree. Following scientific leads have been developed: BLB resistant Pusa Basmati & Samba Masuri released Flanking markers for Gm1, Gm4 and Gm8 genes developed Advanced breeding lines developed for Pusa Basmati 1121 and Pusa 1401 Generated mutants in the background of N22 Developed advanced breeding lines with Saltol in background of Pusa Basmati Validated donor stocks for rust resistance One new method for rice and ragi germplasm screening Technology for selectable marker elimination in transgenic plant Role of plant volatiles and waxes in imparting resistance to sorghum shoot fly Identified anther/pollen-specific promoters of rice for production of transgenic male sterile lines/hybrids QPM trait is transferred in four inbred lines of maize Transgenic rice plant generated through RNAi approach against Rice Tungro Bacilliform virus and are being diversified into popular varieties. Rice BC5F1 lines with Ferritin gene developed and being tested. 6. Proposed programmes: A. Continuation of programmes: Wheat Genome Sequencing programme. Rice Functional Genomics.

Crop biofortification and quality improvement programe. A National Plant Gene Repository at NIPGR, New Delhi. Next Generation Challenge Programme on Chickpea Genomics. Network project - From QTL to Variety- Marker Assisted Breeding of Rice with Major QTLs for Drought, Flooding and Salt Tolerance Programme support for State Agricultural Universities. Accelerated Crop Improvement Programme to bring important traits into high yielding varieties of Rice, Wheat, Chick pea, soybean, cotton, mustard and Maize. B. New programmes proposed: Centers for developing pre-breeding materials making use of genomic information, interfaces with wide hybridization and molecular mapping; and also centres for abiotic stresses will be initiated. Besides it, initiatives will be taken to start R&D programme in the following aspects: Improved reproductive efficiency with regard to yield convertibility Protection of yield loss due to stress/climate change Introgression and pyramiding useful genetic loci in diverse germplasm. Development of molecular markers for monitoring agronomically important traits. Enhancement of nutritional value of important crops. Phenomics and Genomics of Ragi (Elusine coracana). Progrramme on biotechnological approaches for improving agricultural productivity of coastal regions. A new program on association mapping for the improvements of crops and also metabolic pathway engineering to enhance the important metabolites of economic importance Network projects to bring important traits for abiotic and biotic resistance in rice, wheat, maize, cotton, chickpea, mustard, soybean, mungbean, cotton, bajra, jowar where robust markers are available in public domain through marker aided breeding. 7. Task Force - Crop Biotechnology Task Force has following composition: Dr. S. Nagarajan Former Chairperson, PVP&FRA, New Delhi 110 012 Prof. H.S. Dhaliwal Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Distt. Sirmour, H.P. Prof. G.K. Garg, Krishidhan Seeds Limited, Jalna - Chairman - Co-Chairman - Member

Prof. Akhilesh Tyagi, Director, NIPGR, New Delhi Dr. R.K. Tuli, Director, NABI & BPU, MOHALI Prof. P. Balasubramanian, TNAU, Coimbatore Prof. Akshay Pradhan, UDSC, New Delhi Dr. V.G. Malathi, Division of Plant Pathology, IARI, New Delhi

- Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member

Prof. Kuldeep Singh, School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana Dr. S.R. Bhatt, NRCPB, New Delhi Dr. K.V. Prabhu, Division of Genetics, IARI, New Delhi Prof. B.M. Khadi, UAS, Dharwad Dr. K.R. Kranthi, Director, CICR, Nagpur Dr. Ramesh Aggarwal, CCMB, Hyderabad Dr. A.K. Singh, Division. of Genetics, IARI, New Delhi Dr. Paresh Verma, Director Research, Sri Ram Bio-seed, Hyderabad Dr. R.R. Sinha, Adviser, DBT, New Delhi Dr. K.S. Charak, Adviser, DBT, DBT, New Delhi Dr. Onkar Tiwari, Scientist C, DBT, New Delhi - Member - Member

- Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member

- Member Secretary

8. Contact address:

Divisional Head

Programme Officer

Sub-programmes Legumes, Oil seeds & Cash crops. Ongoing networks on wheat & Sorghum. Biotic stress. Accelerated product development through molecular markers. Cereals (Rice & Wheat), Millets., International Wheat Genome Sequencing Programme, CPMB programmes, Functional Genomics of Rice, Crop Biofortification Chickpea Genomics, DBT-IRRI Rice Network Programme, Programme support to SAUs.

Dr. R.R. Sinha, Scientist `G/ Adviser (Telephone: 24369613; Email: rrsinha.dbt@nic.in) Dr. K. S. Charak Scientist `G/ Adviser (Telephone: 01124369614; Email: charak.dbt@nic.in) Dr. Onkar N. Tiwari, Scientist C / Sr. Scientific Officer-I (Telephone: 011-49166740; Email: onkar.dbt@nic.in)