National Biotechnology Research Centre

Introduction

Since early 1990s biotechnological tools have been using to improve the research works particularly to improve the efficiency and precision of breeding works in different divisions and stations of NARC. National Biotechnology Research Centre was established in 1998 (27.9.1998) at Khumaltar starting micropropagation and tissue culture in rice, wheat, sugarcane and buckwheat. Later it started the research on isozyme and molecular sectors in different crops. Biotechnology has the potential to address problems not solved by conventional agricultural research to speed up the research processes. Development of biotechnology in global scenario and richness of diversity in plant genetic resources in Nepal indicate the great potentiality of biotechnology as tools for increasing food production and promoting sustainable agriculture. This centre is concentrated on molecular marker technology and tissue culture. Molecular markers are particularly useful for accelerating the breeding works with desirable traits. Diversity assessing, construction of linkage maps, gene tagging and QTL mapping using DNA markers are the very important preliminary works for marker assisted selection and gene pyramiding. Tissue culture is adopting to produce double haploid lines through the anther culture reducing breeding cycles of cultivars and to overcome incompatibility barriers and to produce interspecific and intergeneric hybrids through embryo culture.

Objectives

  • Research and development in identified areas of modern biology and biotechnology
  • Demonstration and transfer of technology activities
  • Human resource development
  • Creation of infrastructure facilities
  • Industrial biotechnology (agriculture, environment, animal medicine/vaccine)
  • Support to other autonomous research institutions
  • International collaboration
  • Provide facilities for research work to professionals/students of the educational institutions

Major achievements

  • Assessment of genetic diversity in barley using 5 isozymes (POX, EST, MDH, IDH and 6PGD) and 92 SSR markers. Different populations’ parameters were estimated.
  • Culture media and plate tested for in vitro embryo culture of mithe and tite buckwheat
  • Investigated genetic diversity of tite buckwheat using 3 isozymes (POX, ADH, MDH) and 11 RAPD primers
  • Assessment of genetic diversity and monitoring genetic variations over the years in wild buckwheat using 10 RAPD primers
  • Diversity assessment of citrus species (C. limon and C. reticulate) using 4 isozymes (POX, MDH, SKD and ME)
  • Assessment of genetic diversity of mango using 3 isozymes (MDH, ADH and POX)
  • Assessment of genetic variation and populations genetic structure study in pigeon pea using 4 isozymes (ADH, IDH, MDH and POX)
  • Production of double haploid lines in rice generating F1 from inter and intra species crosses
  • Classification of rice genotypes into 3 varietal types and populations genetic structure study in varietal type and geographical populations using 8 isozymes (ADH, ACP, EST, IDH, MDH, ME, POX and SDH)
  • Genetic diversity of aromatic rice studied by 5 isozyme systems (ADH, EST, GOT, PGD and POX)
  • Genetic variation within and among landraces, varieties and PPB bulks and parental contribution to their progenies studied in rice using 25 SSR markers
  • Diversity assessed in wild and cultivated rice using 4 isozymes (ACP, EST, MDH, POX)
  • Genetic diversity assessed in taro and swertia using 6 isozymes (6PGD, IDH, EST, MDH, ACP, POX) and 4 isozymes (POC, MDH, ACP, EST) respectively
  • High responsive to anther culture and best stage for anther culture in wheat and rice determined.
  • Developed isozymes and DNA profile of different crop species

Researchers

  • Mr. Resham Babu Amgai, Senior Scientist (S-4)/Chief
  • Dr. Sabitri Adhikari, Scientist (S-2)
  • Mr. Ramesh Acharya, Scientist (S-2)
  • Mrs. Manu Maya Magar, Scientist
  • Mr. Shreejan Pokhrel, Scientist
  • Ms. Namita Bhattarai, Scientist

Contact address

National Biotechnology Research Centre
Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC)
Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal
P.O. Box: *121, Lalitpur*
Tel.: +977 1 5539658, *5533031*, Fax: *+977 1 5533031*
E-mail: *narc.biotechdiv@gmail.com <narc.biotechdiv@gmail.com>*
Website: www.narc.gov.np