About Department

The Department was established in 2013 under M. S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture at Centurion University of Technology and Management. In addition, the department is entrusted to laboratory work, research, extension and allied activities.

Functions

  • To impart teaching in Genetics and Plant Breeding for B. Sc. (Ag.) under-graduate degree students.
  • To conduct research and to improve the plant breeding technologies, the advanced methods and techniques are included in the academics.
  • To identify and select plants exhibiting desirable traits based on natural genetic variation.
  • Analysing and scientifically assessing crop improvement through plant breeding techniques in laboratory and field conditions.
  • Establishment of techniques like artificial hybridization in the process of selfing and crossing in different plants would facilitate students to approach advancement in developing new strains with desired traits including resistant varieties, high-yielding varieties, etc.

The department impart democratic methods in educating the students which facilitates in educating the farmers as well as tribal people. The department adopts new innovative technologies in order to help farmers and prepare them for future challenges in the field of agriculture that in turn, addresses several rural problems. The department play a major role in improvement of student’s communicational skills with farmers vernacular languages to reach them.

Achievements

Publications
406 Journal Articles (2016-2020)
The department has publications more than 100 and faculty members are continued to work for research for further progress.

Research

The research programme are undertaken in different aspects:

  • To conduct research to achieve a specific breeding outcome which include developing elite types of plants or producing seeds.
  • To cross-pollinate plants within the same gene pool or mutate plants and crops to develop cultivation schemes or modify existing research methods to achieve desired results.
  • To conduct research on plant species to improve the resistance against pests and diseases. Many attempts are underway to improve the species resistant to extreme conditions.

Seminars & Workshops

Teaching

The faculty members of the department are engaged in teaching to under-graduate students under the semester system. The faculties are guiding and committed to equip students with sound knowledge in the subject and impart practical knowledge in achieving the objective of the course.

Subjects offered in the Graduate Studies

  1. Principles of Genetics
  2. Principles of Plant Breeding
  3. Cytogenetics and crop improvement
  4. Breeding of Field and Horticulture crops

Extension

Developing a new strain to create a new variety can be time consuming and may take several years. Faculties are on their hardship to visit to various national organizations to collect the elite starting cultures. The most promising cultures would be purified further and multiplied at field level.

Infrastructure

Infrastructural facilities

The department is well-equipped with facilities required for students to undertake molecular breeding techniques and to examine the cytological samples. The facilities include compound microscope, stereoscopic microscopes and breeder’s kit for all breeding activities at the department. The breeding accessories required for field work execution are available.