The Department of Plant Biotechnology was established in 1996 considering the need for trained human resources in the use of biotechnological tools for improvement of food/feed/fodder/ bio-energy crops.

The Department is located in a new building called the ‘Advanced Centre for Plant Biotechnology’, with an area of 3380 sq.mts. The building consists of research and teaching laboratories, class rooms, computer room, seminar room, auditorium and library. The department has both wired and wireless internet connection. The department has equipped with advanced equipment’s required for molecular biology & biotechnology research such as HPLC, GC-MS, Lyophiliser, Micro Plate Reader, DNA Fragment Analyzer, Tissue Lyzer, Macro Molecule Analyzer, Deep Freezers, Advance Microscope, Co2 Incubatoretc.

The department offers M.Sc. (Agri.) in Plant Biotechnology with an intake capacity of 30 seats through all India level Entrance Exam (ICAR, and DBT HRD-GAT B). The Department also offers Ph.D. (Agri.) in Plant Biotechnology from 2003 with an intake capacity of six.

The University has had a M.Sc. (Agri) degree in Plant Biochemistry since 1976. The Department of Biochemistry was merged with the Department of Plant Biotechnology in 2005 and since then the M.Sc. (Agri.) in Plant Biochemistry is being offered from the Department. The Department also caters to several inter-departmental Biochemistry courses at GKVK. The Department also offers Ph.D. (Agri.) in Biochemistry from 2022-23.

The Department of Plant Biotechnology has recently started M.Sc. (Agri.) in Bioinformatics from 2020-21 with an intake capacity of six. Besides this, ICAR students & international students are also admitted to the post-graduate degree programmes in the department.

There are about ten faculty members, who are actively involved in teaching PG and UG courses of Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics. The faculty has diversified background in various subjects such as Plant Biotechnology, Plant Biochemistry, Microbiology, Horticulture, Genetics & Plant Breeding, and Sericulture. They are specialized in areas such as Biochemistry, Plant Genetic Engineering, Plant Tissue culture, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Molecular markers, Enzyme kinetics, Metabolite purification, Biofuel, Biocontrol, Biofertilizers, Immunology, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology andPlant cell Signalling.

Number of research projects are carried out in the department with financial support from in-house and from external funding agencies viz., DBT, DST, SERB, ICAR, and BIONEST, BIRAC, GOI. The faculties are actively involved in research and good number of publications in national & international journals have been published from the department.

The Major Research achievements and research areas of Department of Plant Biotechnology, UASB, GKVK Campus, Bangalore-560 065.

• High throughput detection method developed forCardamom Mosaic Virus (CdMV) Diagnosis.
• Biosensor developed for detection of Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) infecting Papaya.
• Compost tea (CT) foliar spray technology developed for enhanced Biomass, Yield and Late Blight management in Potato crop
• Compost tea application for yield enhancement in groundnut, Marigold, Rice and other crops
• Early bearing and high yielding Jack fruit varietiessuch as , Lalbagh Madura, Swarna and Byrachandra, have been released, and are bearing fruits in 4 years.
• Elite Jackfruit genotypes and varieties are multiplied for commercial purpose, with an annual revenue of Rs.8 to 9 lakhs
• A large number of genomic resources developed in Ragi and Chickpea
• Development of mapping populations and fine mapping of wilt resistance in Chickpea
• Heat tolerant inbred lines developed in Maize and promising hybrids produced
• Efficient strains of Microalgae for biofuel production identified
• Multigene approach for the development of transgenic maize against Turcicum leaf blight is under progress.
• Cloning and molecular characterization of antiviral proteins against BmNPV in mulberry plants (transient mode) is attempted.
• Photosynthesis of nanoparticles, and application in Agriculture
• DST-FIST funded, Department and Presently FIST- Level II is under operation

Dr. Shyamalamma S
Professor & Head
Department of Biotechnology,
UAS, GKVK, Bangalore - 560065