Institute Technology Management Unit (ITMU) (Database Search)

 

Grafting and microbudding in citrus requires excellent quality root stock material. It has been shown that Jambhiri and Rangpur lime provide the quality root stock seedlings. However, Galgal is not advised for various reasons including its susceptibility to diseases. However, it becomes difficult to identify deliberate as well as inadvertant mixture of galgal plants in the nursery. This impediment may lead to great economic loss in the citrus orchards eventually. Commissionarate of Agriculture, Maharashtra State approached the Bureau to help develop a DNA based technology that is simple and can be used on a commercial scale to distinguish among the three common root stock plants viz. Jambhiri, Galgal and Rangpur lime. Thus, a technology package “Distinction among Citrus root stocks namely Galgal, Jambheri and Rangpur using DNA based markers” was developed. The technology was developed by using the reference material of Galgal, Jambhiri and Rangpur lime as supplied and authenticated by the Director of Horticulture, Commissionarate of Agriculture Maharashtra State, Pune. Galgal, Rangpur lime and Jambihri were fingerprinted at 25 STMS loci to develop technology for citrus root stock identification. The protocol was optimized for DNA isolated from leaf tissue and includes results based on PCR and electrophoresis.

2. Technology for differentiation of two major commercially cultivated Bt cotton events, Bollgard I® (MON531) and Bollgard II® (MON15985)
The GM detection laboratory has developed technologies for screening and detection of GM crops for regulatory compliance, to address consumers’ concerns and to solve legal disputes, if arise. The developed PCR based diagnostic assays would benefit a broad range of stakeholders, including consumers, regulatory bodies and the agri-biotech industry as it would help to ensure public confidence in both the technology and the ability to regulate it effectively. PCR-based diagnostic kits developed are reliable, sensitive and efficient, as more than one target sequences can be detected in a single assay, the sensitivity of the kits is up to 0.1%.

Bt cotton is the only commercialized crop in India that is planted on an area of 10.5 million hectares. MON531 and MON15985 are the two major events being widely cultivated. The market price of Bollgard II is comparatively higher as compared to Bollgard-I as Bollgard-II is a better resistance-management tool due to stacked genes. It is difficult to differentiate the seeds of two events, so there are chances of adulteration or mixing of the events by the traders to earn profits. Hence, distinguishing these two events of Bt cotton is very important so that the farmers may get the authentic seed. The decaplex PCR assay has been developed to differentiate these two major events of Bt cotton, i.e., MON531 and MON15985.