WINTER SCHOOLON

Novel Genomic Tools and Breeding Approaches for Sugar Crops Improvement

Indian Institute of Sugarcane ResearchRai Bareli Road, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow-226 002 U.P.

www.iisr.nic.inAn ISO 9001:2008 Certified Institute

September 09-29, 2014

Course Director

Dr. Sangeeta Srivastava

Sponsored by

ICAR, New Delhi

Background

About the Institute

Sugarcane, the main source of sugar plays a significant role in Indian economy. In India, sugarcane is the second largest agro-based industry with ~75% of the rural population associated with sugarcane agriculture. It caters to the livelihood of ~50 million farmers and related workers who are involved directly or indirectly in sugarcane agriculture and related industries. Although sugarcane is the main source of sugar, there has been a paradigm shift with the crop being a renewable source of fuel, feed and bioenergy apart from many other by- or co-products. Thus along with genetic improvement for sugar and yield traits, breeding efforts are now shifting on other aspects like biomass.

Sugarcane being a complex polyploid crop, conventional breeding efforts have seldom been directed due to the various peculiarities like high level of heterozygosity, 2n+n chromosome transmission, en masse chromosomal elimination etc. The genetic mechanism underlying many of the economically important traits are yet to be deciphered completely in this crop. Thus apart from conventional breeding and genetic techniques, effective utilization of novel tools at molecular level assumes a great significance. Cytogenetic studies have helped in understanding the chromosomal peculiarities of the crop. The pre-breeding strategies have resulted in a large number of parental lines with better quality attributes, biomass and resistance to various stresses. The high sugar, high yielding sugarcane varieties presently under cultivation have evolved from conventional breeding efforts. Despite the genetic complexities of the crop, cutting-edge technologies like molecular markers for diversity studies and gene mapping, functional genomics, expression studies have been successfully applied in this crop in the areas of genetic improvement, crop protection and stress management effectively complementing the conventional studies. The winter school will review the advances in sugarcane improvement, both at conventional and non-conventional levels including application of molecular breeding and novel genomic tools. Vast areas of the country being under low productive soils like saline-alkaline soils, the significance of sugar beet as a supplementary crop for ethanol and sugar cannot be ignored. This programme also aims to make use of the expertise of the Institute as the sole ICAR Institute working on this crop, in sugar beet production and management including seed production.

The Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR), Lucknow was established in 1952 by the erstwhile Indian Central Sugarcane Committee for conducting research on fundamental and applied aspects of sugarcane as well as to coordinate the research work on this crop in different states of the country. The Government of India took over the Institute from the Indian Central Sugarcane Committee on 1st January, 1954. On April 1, 1969, it was transferred to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi along with other central agricultural research institutes. Presently, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow conducts research on fundamental and applied aspects of sugarcane and sugarbeet crops covering production and protection techniques, developing high sugar breeding stocks of sugarcane and varieties of sugarcane/sugarbeet, especially for sub-tropical region, developing linkages with SAUs, Research Centres and other organizations for collaborative research, exchange of information and material and providing training, consultancy and advisory services to farmers, industries and other users at regional, national and international levels.

About the Winter School

Faculty

Eligibility

How to apply

Travelling Allowance

There will be a series of lectures and hands-on practical sessions on various aspects of sugarcane breeding, production practices, protection strategies, physio-biochemical interventions, mechanization, value-addition, statistical and molecular software, etc. Other sugar crops including sugar beet and sweet sorghum will also be reviewed. The well-equipped laboratories and other units in the Institute will serve as the venue for this three weeks journey into the world of sugar crops. Visits to the near-by research institutions, and sugar industry have also been planned for the participants to gain some insight into the other crops/commodities.

The highly experienced scientists and technical staff at IISR will form the major part of the faculty for the winter school. Guest speakers from all over India including those from other ICAR/CSIR institutes in Lucknow will also be invited to deliberate on their areas of expertise.

The Winter School is open for participants from ICAR Institutes/State Agricultural Universities/Central Agricultural Universities/Agriculture faculties of AMU, BHU, Vishwa Bharti and Nagaland University/Krishi Vigyan Kendras. The participants should have Master’s Degree in Agriculture and allied disciplines with working knowledge of computers. They should be employed not below the rank of Assistant Professor or equivalent rank and above in the concerned subject. Participants will be selected on the basis of their ability to benefit from the programme. The total number of participants in the Winter School will be 25 (Twenty five).

The interested candidates should apply online using CBP vortal through http://iasri.res.in/cbp or under the link Capacity Building Program at http://icar.org.in. Steps for submission of online application form are as follows: 1. To create User Id use “Create New Account” link on home page. Login using your

User Id & Password. If you have forgotten your password click on “Forgot password” link.

2. After login, choose this training under SWS category, and click on “Participate in Training” link and fill the performa. After filling the online application, fill ‘Draft/Postal’ order details and take a printout of application and get it approved by the competent authority of the organization. Upload the scanned copy of the application through CBP vortal. In addition, send the hard copy to The Course Director of the Winter School.

3. Advance copy of application can be sent by E-mail to Course Director/Course Coordinators.

4. The selected candidates will be informed by post/e-mail/fax/CBP vortal well in advance.

5. Once the candidates are intimated about their selection for winter school, they need to confirm their acceptance by last date.

All the outstation participants would be paid travel fare to and fro for journey as per their entitlement restricted to AC II tier rail fare/bus fare or any other means of transport by the shortest route. Travel by air is not permissible. Participants are requested to produce a photocopy of the train/bus ticket. In lieu of the incidental charges, DA will be reimbursed as per ICAR rule.

Boarding and Lodging

How to reach IISR

Important dates

Contact Persons

Address for correspondence

Participants will be provided rent-free accommodation in the guest house of IISR, wholesome meals and refreshments as per the normal rules of the training course. The participants are requested not to bring their family/accompanying persons with them. Local participants will be provided lunch and intersession tea only. Outstation participants are requested to reach one day prior to the first day of training programme and are requested to plan their departure on the last day of winter school after 18:00 hrs.

The Institute is located near the Base Hospital, Lucknow Cantonment about 6 km from Lucknow Railway Station on Rae Bareli road (on the way to Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences; SGPGI). Pre-paid three-wheeler autos/taxies can be availed to reach the IISR campus.

Last date for receiving application : July 15, 2014

Intimation of selection : July 31, 2014

Commencement of the winter school : September 9, 2014

Dr. Sangeeta Srivastava, Principal Scientist & Course Director,Email: sangeeta_iisr@yahoo.co.in Mob: 09415001735

Dr. M. Swapna, Senior Scientist & Course CoordinatorEmail: sarikkath@yahoo.com Mob: 09453195305

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Senior Scientist & Course CoordinatorEmail: sanjeeviivr@gmail.com Mob: 09415224064

DirectorIndian Institute of Sugarcane Research,

Rae Bareli Road, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow 226 002 U.P.Ph: 0522-2965524, 2480732-35, Fax: 0522-2480738

Principal Scientist & Course Director, Division of Crop Improvement,Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research,

Rae Bareli Road, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow 226 002 U.P.Mob: 09415001735, E-mail: sangeeta_iisr@yahoo.co.in

Dr. S. Solomon

Dr. Sangeeta Srivastava