INTRODUCTION
Plant Breeding and Genetics Division (PB&GD) at Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA), Tandojam, was established since the inception of the institute in 1963. The aim of the division is to contribute towards national food security through sustainable crop production, strategic, fundamental and applied crop sciences research. Keeping in view these objectives, the division has been pursuing goal-oriented R & D efforts like conventional and mutation breeding to evolve crop varieties. Major research efforts of Plant Breeding & Genetics Division have been focused to ensure the food security through evolution of improved high yielding, widely adapted crop varieties endowed with tolerance to biotic & abiotic factors and better quality. Crop yields are highly affected due to biotic (diseases & pests) and environmental stresses (heat, drought and salinity). The climatic changes have been addressed at global level and Pakistan ranked among top 10 countries of the world vulnerable to climate change. It is estimated that the developing countries will suffer 70-80% losses in agriculture sector due to climate change scenario. Therefore, there is urgent need to develop high yielding; disease resistant and stress-tolerant crop varieties which can produce sustainable yields under harsh environments. Keeping in view these objectives, Plant Breeding & Genetics Division of NIA has evolved 38 varieties of different crops (wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, pulses and canola). The farming community has been getting economic benefits by cultivating these varieties at their farm lands. These PAEC crop varieties are being cultivated successfully over significant area in Sindh province and have significant impact on the economy of the country.
The division consists of five main research groups working on Wheat, Rice, Cotton, Sugarcane, oilseed and Pulses crops. Recently, three new breeding projects have been initiated on olive, chilli, and onion crop. The scientists of these groups are actively engaged in the genetic improvement of respective crops to cope up the increasing food needs of the province and country.
The PB&GD has been successful in evolving and releasing 38 crop varieties for general cultivation in Sindh including 16 of wheat, 07 of rice, 07 of cotton, 05 of sugarcane, 02 of legumes, and 01 of oilseed.
Figure: List of crop varieties released by PBG division
The R&D endeavors of PB&G Division are summarized below :
- To keep continuity in the genetic improvement of wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, brassica, mung bean, lentil, chilies, onion and olive crops.
- To create, identify and select genotypes resistant to biotic and abiotic factors
- To produce pre-basic/basic seed of released crop varieties of NIA and to disseminate among growers, public and private seed companies.
- To increase the status of technical, know-why, know-what and know-how of scientific and technical personnel’s specifically and other all stakeholders in general.
- To sustain the role of NIA in the total agricultural productivity of the Sindh as well as Pakistan.
Breeding approaches :
- Conventional breeding (hybridization, selection, introduction)
- Mutation breeding (Radiation-induced mutations and chemical mutagenesis)
- In-Vitro culture techniques
OUR COLLABORATIONS:
PBG division of NIA has very close coordination both with world renowned international and national organization and institutes for research collaboration and technical and financial assistance including nationals (Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, University of Karachi, Agriculture Research Sindh, Wheat Research Institute, Sakrand, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan Central Cotton Committee, Multan, Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department, Islamabad, National Institute of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Drainage Research Institute of Pakistan (DRIP), Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) and internationals (IAEA, CIMMYT, USDA, CAAS, ICARDA, IRRI Philippines)
RESEARCH PROJECT COMPLETED
PBG division of NIA has successfully completed different national and international funded project.
RESEARCH PROJECT ONGOING PROJECTS: 03
PUBLICATIONS, ACADEMICS & AWARDS
| Publication (National and International) | Academic Activities | Award | |||
| PhD | MPhil/M.Sc. | Civil Awards | IAEA | Others | |
| 486 | 17 | 109 | 3 | – | 2 |
Details of scientists and their expertise and research interests serving in PB&G division
| S/No. | Name of Scientists | Designation | Qualification | Breeder/Crop |
| Dr. Mahboob Ali Sial (PoP) | CS/Director | Ph.D. | Wheat | |
| Dr. Saifullah Abro | Pr. Sci./Head | Ph.D. | Cotton | |
| Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Deho | Pr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Cotton | |
| Dr. Shafquat Yasmeen | Pr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Sugar cane | |
| Dr. Iftikhar Ali Odhano | Pr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Rice | |
| Dr. Khalil Ahmed, | Pr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Wheat | |
| Dr. Saima Mir | Pr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Wheat | |
| Mr. Shahid Akbar Khalil | Pr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Oil and Pulses | |
| Dr. Muhammad Faheem | Sr. Scientist | Ph.D. | Wheat | |
| Mr. Muhammad Rizwan | Sr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Cotton | |
| Mr. M. Mehran Aslam | Jr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Oil and Pulses | |
| Mr. Talha Azhar | Jr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Rice | |
| Mr. Ghulam Ullah | Jr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Wheat | |
| Mr. M. Abu Bakar Jaffar | Jr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Sugar cane | |
| Mr. Muhammad Ali | Jr. Scientist | M.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. | Oil and Pulses |