National Institute of Plant Genome Research
New Delhi

Mandate

The institute’s mandate is to serve as an important resource for material, knowledge, and technologies in the areas of functional, structural, evolutionary, and applied genomics of plants, including crop plants. It aims to utilize molecular biology, omics approaches, and genetic engineering to generate plants with improved agronomic character, pathogen/ pest/abiotic stress tolerance, and enhanced nutritional value.

Campus

NIPGR is located within the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. The total land utilized by NIPGR (15 acres) has been leased to it.

Research Focus

Research at NIPGR is in frontier areas of Plant Biology such as, Computational Biology, Genome Analysis, Molecular Mechanism of Abiotic Stress Responses, Nutritional Genomics, Plant Development and Architecture, Plant Immunity, Molecular Breeding, Transgenics for crop improvement and other emerging areas based on plant genomics.

Human Resource

The institute currently has 28 scientists and around 250 Research Fellows engaged in high quality research, supported by 29 technical staff and 20 administrative staff at the institute.

Key Scientific Achievements

Major achievements in the last 5 years (2017-22) are as follows:

• NIPGR is the designated coordinator for the plant group in the Earth Bio-genome Project "Indian Initiative on Earth Biogenome Sequencing (IIEBS).”RiceCRISPR, a gene-editing platform for crop improvement and resource building, has been developed.
• NIPGR’s First Translational Centre is being developed in partnership with Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL). In addition, the Institute is setting up a Plant Informatics and Computational Biology platform.
• NIPGR is actively engaged in the frontier areas of Plant Biotechnology, focusing both on basic science and translational work. The knowledge gained and data generated about plant processes from high-caliber plant molecular biology research has aided the discovery of markers to produce advanced crop varieties.
• Pipelines established to facilitate studies on the structure and function of genes, proteins, and metabolites as well as molecular interactions and crosstalk of bio-molecules using system approaches.
• “Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and plant immunity” is a thrust area of research. Focusing on bacterial, fungal, viral, and pest diseases and multi-host resistance has aided the discovery of potential target genes/proteins/metabolites and natural peptides. Studies have focused on the mechanism of action and utilization as markers for better plant health.
• Institute identified 20 novel genes for Plant architecture and development, 24 genes for Biotic stress tolerance, 34 genes for abiotic stress tolerance and 21 genes for better plant and human nutrition, 11 proteins for abiotic and biotic stress tolerance some of which have been patented and developed 50 open access databases.
• Development of a Pan-Genome genotyping array for accelerated crop improvement of rice and chickpea. The first-ever pan-genome-based SNP genotyping assay IndRA and IndCA has been developed to tap the huge potential of Indian crop biodiversity.
• Development of a high-yielding variety of Chickpea. Having successfully cleared an Advanced Varietal Trail 1 (AVT1) during Rabi season 2018-19, this line has been promoted for further evaluation for one more year under Advanced Varietal Trail 2 (AVT2) during rabi 2020-21.
• Development of extra-large seed size Kabuli chickpea variety, a chickpea variety that is amenable to high-density planting and mechanical harvesting; transgenic drought-tolerant chickpea with high mineral content and a high root biomass drought-tolerant chickpea line with high mineral content.
• Discovery of a novel anti-fungal peptide from bacteria that kills rice sheath blight pathogen is ready for being tested for nano-formulation and application in the field.
• Discovery of a novel plant metabolite for protecting plants against herbivory: This is now ready for large-scale field testing.
• The institute has implemented mission mode programs: “Chickpea Germplasm characterization” and “Rice Protein nutrition” linking agriculture and clinical nutrition under POSHAN Abhiyan partnering with ICAR and ICMR institutes. In addition, the Institute is partnering in three other mission mode programs on “Rice Germplasm characterization”, “Wheat Germplasm characterization” and “Minor pulses Germplasm characterization.”
• The faculty and students at NIPGR have received numerous awards and recognition for their scientific contributions, such as J.C. Bose National Fellowship, Ramalingaswami Fellowship, DBT National Bioscience Award, Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award, Dr. Abdul Kalam Gold Medal Award, NASI Scopus Young Scientist Award, NASI Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee Award, INSA Medal, Newton-Bhabha Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship etc. as well as several travel grants and best poster/presentation awards at conferences. Many researchers are members and elected Fellows of esteemed academies and societies. Several faculty members also serve on the editorial boards of prestigious international journals.
• The institute regularly organizes outreach and public engagement events such as its Open Days, study tours for school and college students, participation in India International Science Festival, Science Setu webinars, etc. The institute also invites eminent scientists for monthly public talks and lectures.

Services

The National Genomics and Genotyping Facility (NGGF) has been established to provide service to the scientific community. A first ever pan-genome based SNP genotyping array has been developed in crop plants, rice and chickpea, which would enormously help the rice and chickpea mission programs launched by DBT on germplasm characterization for trait discovery.

The newly launched NIPGR first translational centre for Speed breeding and High Throughput Phenotyping (HTP) at Bulandshahar, UP under development would soon be made successfully operational. Institute further envisaged to develop the translational center at NCR bio-cluster in Faridabad. The institute is in the process of expanding the Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) and building the Guest House under phase-III construction.