Applied Botany and Biotechnology

Prof. S. R. Niranjana
Designation: Chairman
Email id:  srniranjana@hotmail.com
Phone No: +91-821-2419880

Brief History of Department

The University of Mysore established Department of Studies in Applied Botany and Seed Pathology (DAB) by integrating the ICAR supported Downy Mildew Research Laboratory (DMRL), UGC-SAP-DRS programme on Seed Pathology and M.Phil in Seed Pathology programme which were formerly housed in the Department of Studies in Botany.  DAB introduced M.Sc in Biotechnology in 1992, which was recognized under DBT-HRD programme of Government of India in 1998.  The Department proved its potential as a premier training and research center by attracting grants from various national funding agencies like UGC, ICAR, DBT, and DST, and international agencies like DANIDA, EEC etc.  In the last 15 years, the department has generated INR 20 crores (US$ 4 million).

M.Phil. programme in Seed Pathology (now Seed Technology) was initiated by the efforts of Dr. Paul Neergaard and Dr. S. B. Mathur, Director of DGISP in the year 1980.  Dr. Paul Neergaard visited the department as Visiting Professor under Sir M. Visweswaraiah Chair and started the M.Phil. course.  With the support of DANIDA and DSHC the department is now recognized as Asian Seed Health Center to coordinate the training and research activities in seed health for the Asian region.

The DOS in Applied Botany & Seed Pathology was renamed as DOS in Biotechnology in 2009 by integrating all the courses and research activities and the faculty resources

Departmental research activities

Thrust Areas of Research

  • Molecular Plant Pathology
  • Downy mildew of pearl millet: Field screening, host-pathogen interactions, molecular variability of the pathogen, resistance gene characterization, systemic acquired resistance
  • Seed Health: Testing for seed-borne pathogens, molecular characterization and sequence database, molecular diagnostics
  • Biopesticides: Identification and characterization of biocontrol agents, mass culturing formulations, field applications.
  • Mycotoxins: Molecular characterization of toxigenic fungi, analysis, biocontrol
  • Molecular Diversity and development of molecular markers for medicinal plants, genome characterization
  • Bioprospecting of Medicinal Plants/ endophytes
  • Molecular oncology: Drug discovery and validation for anticancer and antiinflammatory therapy
  • Glycobiology: Glyconjugates from colostrum for treatment of diseases

Status of the Department (FIST/SAP/DRS)

Sl. No. Status Phase Thrust Area
1 UGC-SAP-DSA I Phase
2007-2012
  • Molecular Plant Pathology
  • Bioprospecting of medicinal plants and microbes
2 DST-FIST I Phase 2003-2008  

Awards/Honors received by individual Teachers

Prof. H. S. Prakash

  • Team leader – Terminal evaluation of UNDP-FAO-GOI Programme on quarantine facilities
  • Member of Committee for State Seed Certification facility strengthening
  • Member of ISTA- World Group of Virologists
  • Member of National Project Steering Committee for International Project on Coffee Leaf Rust funded by International Coffee Organization (ICO) and Common Funds for Commodity (CFC)
  • Chairman of Technical Session on “Systematic – Virus”, American Phytopathological Society meeting held at Raleigh, USA, July 28-Aug 1, 2009
  • Advisory committee member of Institute of Biotechnology & Allied Sciences Training & Research Institute, Sikar, Rajasthan

Prof. Bharathi P. Salimath

  • Young Scientist Award, 1995 Karnataka State for Advancement of Science, Karnataka.
  • Dr. Veerendra B. Kamath Award, 1996, Indian Association For Cancer Research.
  • Kalpana Chawla Young Women Scientist Award - 2004 instituted by Karnataka Council for S & T
  • Member, PAC, (Health Sciences), DST (2005-08);
  • Member, PAC (Life Sciences), DST (2003-05; 05-07)
  • Member NAAC, UGC, 2007-08

  • Member, Project Review & Monitoring Committee (PRMC) for the Project on “Information Support System in Science and Mathematics for Rural Higher Secondary Schools”. 2008-2010

  • Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, Overseas Fellowship- 2008

Prof. S. R. Niranjana

  • PP Singhal memorial Pesticides India Award-2007 instituted by ISMPP
  • V.P. Bhide Memorial Lecture Award- 2004 instituted by ISMPP
  • Fellow of Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology
  • Zonal president, Indian Phytopathological Society- 2006-07
  • Indian Phytopathological Society Best paper Award – 2007
  • Seed Health in Agricultural Development Best paper Award – 2008
  • P.R. Verma memorial Award – 2008
  • Member NAAC, UGC, 2009-10

Dr. S. Umesha

  • Prof. K. S. Jagadeeshchandra Young Scientist Award for Plant Sciences, 2001-2002
  • Zonal Councillor, Indian Phytopathological Society- 2006-07
  • DBT Overseas Associateship 2006-07
  • Elected, Plant Sciences - Sectional Committee Member, for south zone of Indian Science Congress Association - 2009-10, Kolkata, India.
  • Fellow Member, International Society of Biotechnology, India

Dr. K. Ramachandra Kini

  • Young Scientist Award in 86th Indian Science Congress, 1999
  • BOYSCAST Fellowship 2006-07
  • Best Poster Award at SHAD-2008

Prof. H. Shekar Shetty

  • OM PRAKASH BHASIN AWARD for Science and Technology, 1997-1998
  • Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences in 1997, Fellow of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 1998, Fellow of National Academy of Sciences in 2002
  • Member, PAC, Plant Sciences, DST (2001-2003), GM crop Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, DBT
  • Member of the Crop Science Panel, ICAR, 1999-2002, Crop Variety Releasing Committee
  • Chaudhury Devi Lal Best Coordinated Research Project Award to AICPMIP (2004)

Individual teachers on-going research projects:

Sl. No. Title of the Project Names of the Principal Investigator and other Investigators Sponsoring Agency Amount (Rs. in Lakhs) (Duration)
1  Strengthening of M. Sc. Biotechnology Programme Prof. H. S. Prakash   DBT   65 1999- XI Plan period
2 Funds for Improvement of S & T Infrastructure in Universities (FIST) Prof. H. S. Prakash DST 55 2003-2008
3 Asian Centre for Training and Research in Seed Health Testing and Seed-Borne Disease Management Prof. H. S. Prakash (PI) Prof. H. S. Shetty (CoPI) Prof. S. R. Niranjana (CoPI) Dr. S. Umesha (CoPI) Dr. K. R. Kini (CoPI) DANIDA Denmark 450 2001-2009
4 UGC-SAP-DSA Prof. H. S. Prakash (Coordinator) Prof. B. P. Salimath (Dy.Coordinator) Prof. S. R. Niranjana (Dy.Coordinator) UGC 71.2 2007-2012
5 All India Coordinated Pearl Millet Improvement Project – Mysore Centre Prof. H. S. Shetty ICAR   60 2002-2012
6 A novel strain of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria as biopesticide for the improving plant health in vegetables Prof. S. R. Niranjana UGC 6 2006-2009
7 Isolation and mechanism based validation of novel antiangiogenic molecules from medicinal plants: Role in cancer therapy Prof. Salimath, B. P. DAE 20.8 2007-2010
8 Characterization of buffcalo colostrums glycoconjugate to determine their biological activity to use as neonatal food additive. Dr. H. S. Aparna UGC 9.42 2007-2010
9 DST-WOS A: Bioprospecting of Medicinal plants fro Antiangiogenic activity using promoter reporter gene analysis targeting angiogenic genes Ms. Sheela M. L. DST

 

 11.6 2007-2009
10 Biological control of Mycotoxins Dr. S. R. Niranjana DBT 42.5 2008-2011
11 MAP Kinases in pearl millet defense response against downy mildew Dr. K. Ramachandra Kini UGC 10.6 2009-2012
12 Development of PCR-SSCP technique for the specific detection of Bacterial spot and wilt pathogens in tomato Dr. S. Umesha UGC 11.29 2009-2012

Other Information:

Infrastructural Facilities available

Major Equipments

  • Electron Microscope
  • Phosphor Image Analyser for fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection
  • Ultra centrifuge
  • Spectramax Plate reader
  • Image analysis system
  • Realtime PCR machine
  • Microscopes
    • Epifluorescence, phase contrast, stereo binocular with digital imaging
    • Inverted Trinocular with CCD Camera
  • Pulse field gel electrophoresis system
  • Deep freezers (-80oC
  • HPLC System
  • UV-Visible Spectrophotometers
  • High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge (Sorvall)
  • Microplate Luminometer (Orion)
  • CO2 incubators

Other infrastructural facilities

  • Well equipped Molecular Biology Laboratories
  • Radioisotope laboratory
  • Cold room, climate controlled rooms
  • International Seed Health Training Center
  • Computational and networking facilities
  • Departmental Library
  • Back-up power generator facilities
  • Green House and Screen House facilities
  • Plant Tissue Culture and animal cell culture facilities
  • Sick-plot to screen the cultivars of pearl millet, sorghum, maize and sunflower for downy mildew disease
  • International Guest House sponsored by DANIDA
  • Vehicles: Toyota Qualis- 1 and Canter (18 seater)- 1