biotech

1. Saroj Panthi
Msc.Ag (AGBIOT),1st Semester

2. Background
 Use of Biotechnology to alter plants products for many
centuries:
Fermented vegetable products
Brewery technology
Source: http://ecs.com.np
Source: https://darjeeling2016.wordpress.com

3. Background Cont.….
 In the last decade of the 20th century, Nepal witnessed
several biotechnology-derived products in the market:
Source: http://tasteofnepal.blogspot.com Source: https://gringosabroad.com

4. Agriculture Biotechnology in History
• National Herbarium and Plant Research Laboratory(1976)
• Research Laboratory for Agriculture Biotechnology and
Biochemistry (1986)
• Biotechnology Unit under Nepal Agriculture Research
Council (1998 )
• Molecular Biotechnology Unit of Nepal Academy of Science
and Technology (2002)

5. Biotechnology in Academia
• Biotechnology has been brought up in Nepal in terms of
academia from Kathmandu University (2003)
• Tribhuvan University (TU) established Central
Department of Biotechnology (2008)
• Center for Biotechnology, Agriculture and Forestry
University (2015)

6. Major Stakeholders

7. Major Stakeholders Cont.……

8. Major Achievements
Nepal Agriculture Research Council :
• In vitro embryo culture of Buckwheat
• Production of double haploid lines in rice
• Best stage for anther culture in wheat and rice determined
• Developed isozymes and DNA profile of different crop
species

9. NARC Cont.….
• Assessment of genetic diversity of various crops using
different isozymes:
 Barley(POX, EST, MDH, IDH and 6PGD) and 92
SSR markers
Tite buckwheat (POX, ADH, MDH) and 11 RAPD
prime
Citrus species (C. limon and C. reticulate) (POX,
MDH, SKD and ME)
Wild and cultivated rice using 4 isozymes (ACP, EST,
MDH, POX)

10. Nepal Academy of Science and Technology
• Molecular characterization and DNA Barcoding of
high value Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs)
• Industrially important enzymes from hot spring
Thermophiles
Source: https://fineartamerica.com

11. NAST Cont.….
• Himalayan seed bank (HSB)
• Integrated management of Alian Invasive Species
(AIS)
• Shoot Tip Grafting (STG) technique

12. Centre of Biotechnology ,AFU
• SSRs fingerprinting
• Genetic diversity analysis of Nepalese rice landraces using
SSR markers.
• Identification of RhtB1b and RhtD1b reduced height genes
• Promotion of biochar for Soil-Health improvement &
sustainable crop yield.

13. Central Department Of Biotechnology,TU
• Morphogenic and Genotoxic effects of Insecticides
(Parathion-methyl and Di-methoate) on Vicia faba and
Allium cepa
• Flavonoid content, antioxidant property and anti-
cancerous investigation
• Production of virus free pre-basic seed tubers from
meristem culture of two potato cultivars

14. National Herbarium and Plant Research
Laboratory
• It has preserved 160,000 specimens, 84 Type
Specimens and more than 700 museum specimens
• Tissue culture section of this institute has developed
protocol of over 116 species.

15. Private Sector Initiations
Research Laboratory for Agricultural
Biotechnology and Biochemistry (RLABB)
• Developed many biochemical techniques to create
cold tolerant rice plant
• Deals with micro propagation and anther culture

16. Private Sector Initiations Cont.…
Green Research And Technology (GREAT):
• Virus testing and elimination facilities
• Modest screen-house facility for indexing against
citrus greening disease
• Cleaned two potato cultivars of Bangladesh
(Petronese and Multa )
• Cleaned three leading cultivars of large cardamom
(Ramshahi, Golshahi, and Dambarshahi )

17. Private Sector Initiations Cont.….
 Botanical Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
 Nepal Biotech Nursery
 Microplants Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
 Himalayan Botanical Research Centre
(HIMBORCE)

18. Recent Events on Biotechnology
• International Conference on Bioscience and
Biotechnology(February 17th-20th, 2018)
• International South Asian Biotechnology
Conference- 2017 ( March 16-18, 2017)
• National Conference on Biotechnology: Policies and
Applications (28-29 June, 2017)

19. Way forward …
 We are experiencing slow but study rise in the sector
 Important tool for human to open up with new
approaches beneficial to mankind
 Key component of sustainable agriculture
 More practices, research must be done to get deep
into it.

20. Way forward cont.….
 Multi disciplinary coordination in research and
extension (Ex: Forestry and Agriculture)
 Find out the ways for the reduction of the
environmental risk issues of transgenic crops
 Proper biotechnology policies and their biosafety
legislation is of major essence

21. Thank You