The Division of Biotechnology was established in 2012 and has two constituent centres: the Centre of Plant Biotechnology and the Centre of Animal Biotechnology. The division's vision is for SKUAST-K to become a centre of excellence for building a knowledge-based bioeconomy in Jammu and Kashmir. The division conducts research, teaching, and extension in areas like marker-assisted selection, disease resistance, stress tolerance, reproductive technologies, genomics, and conservation of biodiversity. Current research projects focus on traits like yield, quality, abiotic stress tolerance, and disease resistance in plants and animals. The division is developing new projects on traits like milk yield and quality, pashmina fibre, and stress tolerance for external

1. Division of Biotechnology

2. Brief History
Year of Establishment: 2012
Constituent Centres: Centre of Plant Biotechnology
Centre of Animal Biotechnology
Staff: CPB: 2 scientists
CAB: 3 scientists

3. Vision and Mission
of School Biotechnology
Vision
“SKUAST-K as Centre of Excellence
for building knowledge based bioeconomy in bio-
resource rich Hill and Mountain state of J&K”
• Mission
Societal Biotechnology for sustainable production of
food, feed, fibre and energy for self sufficiency and
poverty alleviation and clean environment”

4. Mandate of the Division of Biotechnology
 Research Mandate: Basic, applied and Strategic research to
 Build excellence to get ready for the technology driven Biorevolution or Gene
Revolution
 enabling us to accelerate the genetic improvement in animals and plants through
MAS to grow and reproduce more efficiently, thus increasing productivity
 Produce plants and animals having resistance to disease, and ability to
accommodate extreme environments
 to produce biomolecules of value in human and veterinary medicine
Teaching:
 To produce skilled and trained Human Resource- competent to take up the challenges of
development of hill & mountain agriculture
 Extension: social development through biotechnology
 Trainings and on farm field demonstration of the potential technologies to
rural youth and farming community for improved profitability, and
motivation for entrepreneurship

5. Priority areas of research : Plant
Biotechnology
Area of research Collaborators
MAS for accelerated crop improvement in yield
and quality traits viz quality protein maize
• Centre for Plant Biotechnology
• Div PBG
• DARS, Budgam
• MFCRS, Sagam, Anantnag
Marker Assisted Selection / breeding disease
resistance viz. Blast Resistance in Commercial
Cultivar(S) of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
• Centre for Plant Biotechnology
• Div of PBG
• MRCFC, Khudwani
• Division of Plant Pathology
Bioprospecting of genes for stress tolerance
against drought and cold
• Centre for Plant Biotechnology
• Div of PBG
• MRCFC, Khudwani
• DARS Budgam

6. Animal Biotechnology
 Embryo biotechnology: Multiplication of elite livestock through reproductive technologies for augmenting
livestock productivity
 Functional Genomics:
 Bioprospecting 0f genes for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance.
 Milk Genomics: QTL mapping for yield and quality of milk
 Wool Biology: Map genes for pashmina yield & quality
 Marker Assisted selection in animals:
 for accelerated genetic improvement in yield and quality like: milk, meat, fibre, egg
 for disease resistance in animals like footrot, helminths & nematode, mastitis etc
 Characterization & Conservation of indigenous livestock biodiversity
 Diseases diagnosis: Development molecular diagnostic techniques
 Molecular epidemiology of micro-organisms involved in severe outbreaks of diseases in
animals in the region
 Enzyme technology for improving feed efficiency of livestock and poultry
 Value-addition of animal origin foods using biotechnological approaches.

7. Priority area of Research Project Supported
by
PI
Embryo biotechnology for
multiplication of germplasm
Value Chain on Cloning
of Pashmina Goats
ICAR Dr RA Shah
Functional Genomics for
abiotic stress in animals
Bioprospecting of genes
& Allele mining for Cold
stress Tolerance
pashmina goat and
camel in ladakh
ICAR Dr NA Ganai
Augumentation of animal
productivity
Genotype X
Environment Interaction
of Boer Goat under
temperate climate of J
& K
JKCST
(concluded)
Dr NA Ganai
Current Activities:Current Activities: ResearchResearch

8. Current Activities: Teaching etc..
PROGRAM Activity Supported
by
PI / Coordinator
Teaching i. MSC Molecular Biology and
Biotechnology
ii. MVSc Animal Biotechnology
-
DBT
Dr M Ashraf Bhat
Dr NA Ganai
Developmental
program
i. Bioinformatics
Infrastructural Facility
ii. Star College Program
iii. e-learning in Vet. Sciences
on MOODLE Platform
iv. E-governance at FVSc thru
UMS (Fedena )
DBT
DBT
Dr NA Ganai
Dr NA Ganai
Dr NA Ganai
Dr NA Ganai

9. New Programs for SKUAST funding
Research Program Objectives
/Impact
Collaborators
Marker Assisted Selection for yield
and quality of milk (DGAT1 gene)
• Identification of animals
with favourable genotypes
for selection & breeding
• Div. of Biotechnology,
• MLRI, Mansbal,
• Div. of LPT
Pashmina fibre genomics:
Differentiation of expression in primary
and secondary follicles
•Basic understanding of the
genetics of pashmina fibre
•Identification of genes
expressing in secondary
follicles
• Div. of Biotechnology,
• Div of Vet Biochemistry
• Div LPT
• MRCS&G, Shuhama
MOETT in sheep: Multiplication
of elite germplasm
• Div. of Biotechnology,
• MRCS&G, Shuhama
• Div of ARGO
MAS for aroma: Molecular
characterization of pigmented and
scented rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm
of Kashmir
• Fingerprinting of
landraces, local
varieties
• Will help in
Protecting Plant
Breeders’ Rights and
guarantee the
authenticity of the
crop varieties
Molecular profiling for gentic purity
of promising maize (Zea mays L.) inbred
& hybrids lines
Molecular validation of effective
stripe rust resistance gene(s) in
Triticum sativum L.

10. New Programs: J & K Govt Funding
Research Program Objectives /Impact Collaborators Source of
Funding
DNA Fingerprinting
Facility for Crop Species of
Jammu & Kashmir
• Varietal identification
• Seed certification
• Identification of hybrid seed
• Assessment of genetic purity of
inbred lines and varieties
• Tagging of economically useful
traits
• Selection of parents in breeding
program
• Centre of plant
Biotechnology
• Div of PBG
• Crop specific Centres
J&K Gov
MAS for Blast Resistance
in Rice
• Marker approach for
identification and breeding
of resistant genotypes
• Centre of plant
Biotechnology
• Div of PBG
• MRCFC, Khudwani
RKVY
Multiplication and
distribution of Boer Goat
germplasm among farmers
• Goat Development
• augmentation of Meat
production
• Div. of Biotechnology,
• Div of ABG
• MRCS&G, Shuhama
RKVY
Evaluation of adaptation
and production of
Pashmina goats in High
altitude cold regions of
Kashmir valley
• Extension of pashmina
production in cold and high
altitude regions
• Div. of Biotechnology,
• MRCS&G, Shuhama
• Div of LPM
• Div of Medicine
• Div of Parasitology
RKVY

11. New Programs for external funding…..
Research Program Objectives /Impact Collaborators Source of
Funding
Marker Assisted
Introgression of
aroma into commercial
high yielding varieties of
Rice
Marker Assisted
Breeding for Quality
Protein Maize
Bioprospecting for
abiotic stress tolerance
in plants
Sustainable Apple
Production: Breeding for
Quality and biostress
tolerence

12. New Programs / Concepts under development for submission to DBT,
GoI…..
Research Program Objectives /Impact Collaborators Source of
Funding
Milk Genomics: QTL
mapping for Milk yield
and quality traits in
cattle
MAS for resistance
against
Pashmina Fibre
Genomics: Next Gen
Sequencing for
identification of genes for
yield and quality of
Pashmina fibres

13. For External Funding :
1 Milk Genomics: QTL mapping for Milk traits in cattle
2. MOETT for faster multi-plication of elite germplasm of cattle
3 Pashmina Fibre Genomics: Next Gen Sequencing for identification of genes for
yield and quality of Pashmina fibres
4 Bio fortification of Rice for improved nutrient quality
5. Sustainable Apple Production: Breeding for Quality and biostress
tolerence
6. Marker Assisted Introgression of aroma into commercial high
yielding varieties of Rice
7. Marker Assisted Breeding for Quality Protein Maize
8. Bioprospecting for abiotic stress tolerance in plants and animals
New Programs / Concepts:
Division of Biotechnology, FVSc & AH, Shuhama