17-Jan-2021: INSPIRE Faculty fellow’s engineering to produce heat-tolerant wheat varieties resulting in improved grain yield
We may soon have a wheat variety that does not lose its productivity under heat stress.
Heat stress causes a dramatic reduction in yield and quality loss of wheat, the food crop that nurtures more than one-third of the world population.
In order to address this challenge, Dr. Vijay Gahlaut, an Inspire Faculty Fellow of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is exploring the epigenetic route to modify gene expression in a manner that is stably transmitted but do not involve differences in the underlying DNA sequence, so that the heritable genes do not buckle under heat stress and non-stress conditions during different grain filling stages.
Dr. Vijay who is faculty at the Biotechnology division at the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, will identify the role of DNA methylation (a biological process by which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule) patterns of heat stress-tolerant and heat stress-sensitive wheat genotypes during different grain filling stages. He proposes to carry this out through a process called epigenomic mapping, which will also help in the identification of natural epigenetic variation.
His recent publication in the journal ‘Genomics’ has shown that differential expression pattern of C5-MTase genes under heat stress suggesting their role in stress response in wheat. This could give a major clue to producing heat-tolerant productive wheat varieties.
The utilization of identical genes that differ in the extent of methylation known asepialleles identified through his research could be one of the most promising solutions to improving wheat productivity by engineering elite wheat varieties with enhanced heat stress tolerance and increase grain yield.
5-Feb-2021: Research and Development (R&D) in Agriculture Sector
Government of India supports R&D efforts towards developing and promoting remunerative farming systems in the country. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under All India Coordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) has developed 63 farming systems with the participation of farmers in 18 States.
The IFS models developed by Agricultural Research System offer scope for better and sustainable use of natural resources including soil and water, higher profit and employment besides contributing towards household food and nutritional security. Complementary technologies such as bio-intensive cropping systems, multi-storied cropping and land configuration-based farming systems with location specific components help to make small land holdings more viable. Most of the IFS models have the demonstrated potential of increasing the farmers income by 2-3 times or more and have been included in State Plans by Government of Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir and Tamil Nadu for up-scaling. Thirty-one bankable projects suitable for 22 states have also been prepared by ICAR for supporting through medium and short-term credit for scaling up through schemes of States and Central Government.
The steps taken during the last 3 years are as follows.
- Eighteen IFS models, 14 bankable projects on IFS and organic farming packages for 22 cropping systems were developed during last 3 years. Prototypes of different region-specific IFS models have been established at several Agricultural Universities and ICAR institutes for training and capacity building of extension agencies besides demonstrating business model to attract rural youth.
- ICAR has developed 765 field crop varieties of which 578 varieties are climate resilient, 98 drought/moisture stress tolerant; 41 short duration varieties and 47 biofortified varieties suitable for development of alternative and remunerative cropping system during last 3 years.
- Through the countrywide network of 722 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 43.39 lakh farmers were trained on new technologies including resource conservation technologies. KVKs also executed 7.02 lakh frontline demonstrations on various crops, livestock, fish and other enterprises and organized 27.94 lakh extension activities for the benefit of 470.83 lakh farmers during the period.
16-May-2018: Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP Nani launched
The Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Suresh Prabhu launched the Intellectual Property (IP) mascot – IP Nani – at the conference on National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in New Delhi. An anti-piracy video featuring Mr. Amitabh Bachchan was also launched by the Minister at the event.
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights is critical for building a knowledge based society. Mere legal provisions are not sufficient for protection of Intellectual Property Rights but their strict implementation is equally required. Piracy is a serious crime which should not go unpunished. Minister also called for creating awareness against stealing Intellectual Property Rights and stressed on the need for participation of society in the effort.
Mascot IP Nani is a tech-savvy grandmother who helps the government and enforcement agencies in combating IP crimes with the help of her grandson “Chhotu” aka Aditya. The IP mascot will spread awareness about the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) among people, especially children, in an interesting manner.
This character is also in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) campaign for the World IP Day which celebrates the brilliance, ingenuity, curiosity and courage of the women who are driving change in our world and shaping our common future. It also highlighted that how a strong IP system can support innovative and creative women and indeed everyone in their quest to bring their amazing ideas to the market.
lPRs are increasingly becoming crucial drivers of social and economic growth by encouraging creativity and innovation. Realizing the importance of IPRs, the National IPR Policy was approved by the Union Cabinet on 12th May 2016. The first and foremost objective of the Policy is “IPR Awareness: Outreach and Promotion”. Under this objective, one of the key focus areas is awareness on IPR for school children, as it is essential to nurture creativity and the ability to innovate starting out from a young age.
In this context, the Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), a professional body under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) collaborated with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EU-IPO) to produce a series of animated videos on IPRs for children with IP Nani as their central character.
CIPAM has been conducting IPR awareness workshops for school students since April 2017. Till date CIPAM has reached out to over 100 schools sensitizing over 8,000 students on IPRs. Additionally, CIPAM also engaged with the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) to curate content on IPRs. As a result, for the first time ever IPRs have been exclusively included in the NCERT textbook for Class 12 school syllabus. These efforts are aimed at inspiring the next generation of creators and innovators to become proud IP owners.