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Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics

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Basic Information

The Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding was established in 1955. Initially, the department was named the Department of Agricultural Botany, but it was renamed Plant Breeding & Genetics in April 1995. In 2023, the Department's name was again changed to Genetics and Plant Breeding. Initially, the department offered UG courses in Agricultural Botany, and in 1961, M.Sc. (Ag.) and Ph.D. courses were started. Currently, the department offers courses to three batches of UG students in each academic year and also accommodates 10 M.Sc. (Ag.) and five Ph.D. students. A team including Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors offers various courses.

UG-level 5 courses, postgraduate level 20 courses, and Ph.D.-level 10 courses are being offered. In addition, for B.Tech. Biotechnology, seven courses, and one course for the diploma in organic agriculture are also offered. The department has well-equipped laboratory facilities, including molecular biology and plant tissue culture, for research. Besides, the department implemented several research projects with the financial support of various central and state government funding agencies, such as DBT, DST, ICAR, KSCSTE, etc..

The department has developed and released 33 varieties of various crop species.

Varieties released from the Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics

Varieties	Characteristics
Rice-Aarathy	Recombination breeding (Jaya X Ptb 33). Released during 1993.High yielding medium duration (127 days) red rice with a grain yield of 3.8 t/ha and straw yield of 6.6t/ha, suitable for wetlands as transplanted crop for delayed sowing situations.
Rice - Remya	Introduction. High yielding, medium duration (126 days) red rice with a grain yield of 4193 kg/ha and straw yield of 6775 kg/ha. Tolerant to sheath blight, sheath rot and BPH.
Chilly -JwalaSakhi	Recombination breeding (Vellanotchi X PusaJwala). Released during 1990for southern districts of Kerala. Suitable for pure crop cultivation in uplands. Fruits are large, succulent with low pungency, smooth and sulphur coloured. Yield 19.6t/ha. Duration – 125 days.
Chilly- JwalaMukhi	Recombination breeding (Vellanotchi X PusaJwala). Releasedduring 1990 for southern districts of Kerala Tolerant to partial shade. Suitable for homestead cultivation. Fruits are protracted, succulent with low pungency. Shows tolerance to little leaf and leaf spot diseases. Yield 22.5t/ha. Duration – 137 days
Okra - Kiran A.E.	Single Plant Selection form local ‘Kilichundan’. Released during 1990. Recommended for southern districts of Kerala during kharif (uplands) and summer (rice fallows). Annual erect plant which can reach up to 180 cm height with moderate branching habit. Early fruiting. Fruits are long straight and yellowish-green in colour. Variety is tolerant to Yellow Vein Mosaic disease and fruit borer. Yield 11.21 t/ha. Duration 100 days.
Okra-Anjitha	Interspecific hybridization between A. esculentus var. Kiran and A. manihot followed by mutation breeding (gamma irradiation of F1 seeds). Released during 2006. Recommended especially for Thiruvanathapuram District during summer season. Fruits are long, smooth and green with prominent ridges. Shows resistance to yellow vein mosaic disease and fruit and shoot borer. Fruit yield 14.6t/ha. Duration 94.3 days.
Okra- Manjima	Heterosis breeding. F1 hybrid from cross between Gowreesapattom local and IC 282257. Released during 2006for southern districts of Kerala for kharif season. Fruits are long and thick light green in colour. Resistant to yellow vein mosaic disease and moderately tolerant to shoot and fruit borer. Yield 16t/ha.
Vegetable Cowpea - Malika	Single Plant Selection form ‘Trivandrum local’.Released during 1992. Recommended for southern Districts of Kerala. Pods are long light green. Suitable for homestead as well as rice fallows. Pole type plant with long light green pods. Yield 9.8t/ha. Duration 100 days.
Vegetable Cowpea - Sharika (Selection 108)	Single Plant Selection form ‘Valiyavila local’. Released during 1993. Recommended for southern Districts of Kerala. Suitable for kharif upland, homesteads and summer rice fallows. Pole type variety with long pod and purple beak. Yield, kharif 12.84 t/ha, summer -10.6t/ha. Duration 90-110 days.
Vegetable Cowpea - Githika	High yielding variety recommended for Kerala condition. Have resistance to mosaic diseases. Pod length 53.4 cm. Yield -27.6 t/ ha.
Grain Cowpea- V.26	Introduction. Released during 1988. Non to shy trailing type with a productivity of 490 kg/ha and a duration of 66 days, suitable for open uplands as companion crop for tapioca
Grain Cowpea- Chharodi– 1 (G.C.2)	Introduction from Gujarat. Released during 1982.Compact plant type with synchronous pod maturity producing a seed yield of 351 kg/ha in 76 days. Suitable for cultivation in uplands – as floor crop in coconut gardens during kharif.
Grain Cowpea- Shubhra	Recombination breeding (IC 38956 X Chharodi I). Released during 2002. Recommended for Trivandrum District during summer season in rice fallows. An erect, slightly trailing plant with moderate branching with synchronous flowering. Pods are upright. Grains are white in colour with a brown patch at hilum. Yield 988kg/ha. Duration 67 days
Amaranthus-Arun ACV7	Mass selection from ‘Palapur Local’. Released during 1992. Recommended for southern districts of Kerala. suitable for uplands, rice fallows and in homesteads. Photo-insensitive, purple coloured variety suitable for multicut. Yield 20.1/ha/cutting. Duration 54-140 days
Sweet potato- Kanjangad SPC 18	Clonal selection from ‘Kanjangad local’.Released during 1992. Spreading type, green vines, dark brown young leaves, medium sized spindle shaped, purple coloured tuber with yellow flesh. Low weevil incidence and tolerant to partial shade. Suitable for uplands. Yield 12t/ha. Duration 115 days
Black gram- TAU - 2	Introduction. Suitable for uplands as floor crop in coconut garden. Tolerant to moisture stress. Yield 372 kg/ha in 75 days
Black gram - Sumanjana	Released during 2001. Moderately branching with synchronous pod maturity, produces seed yield of 927 kg/ha in 75 days
Sesame- Soma (ACV-1)	Pureline selection from Type No. 38. Released during 1985. Multiloculed capsule with white bold seeds with a yield of 713 kg/ha and suitable for summer fallows. Duration 83 days
Sesame- Surya (ACV-2)	Pureline selection from Type No. 42. Released during 1985. Multiloculed capsule with a yield of 355 kg/ha and suitable for upland during Rabi and rice fallows during summer. Duration 87 days
Sesame- Thilak	Pureline selection from ‘North Kerala Local’. Released during 1993. Branching plant type and produces a yield of 648 kg/ha. Suitable for summer fallows. Duration 84 days
Groundnut T.G 3	Mutation breeding from Spanish improved. Recommended for central and southern parts of Kerala. Released during 1985. Rainfed crop in uplands and rainfed/ irrigated crop in wetlands during kharif and summer seasons respectively. An early bunch type variety suitable for sole crop as well as intercrop in coconut and tapioca with a duration of 108 days. Yield – Kharif – 2880kg/ha, summer 2745kh/ha
Groundnut T.G 14	Recombination mutant from Spanish improved. Released during 1972.Recommended for central and southern parts of Kerala. Rainfed crop in uplands and rainfed/ irrigated crop in wetlands during kharif and summer seasons respectively. An early bunch type with shallow pod burial with duration of 111 days. Suitable for intercrop with tapioca. Yield – Kharif – 3136kg/ha, summer -2472kg/ha.
Groundnut Spanish Improved	Introduction. Released during 1985. Recommended for central and southern parts of Kerala as a rainfed crop during kharif. An early bunch type with shallow pod burial. Suitable for intercrop with tapioca and kharif uplands. Yield – 2873kg/ha. Duration- 105 days
Groundnut Sneha	Combination breeding (IE 883 X JL24). Released during 2000. Recommended for Trivandrum District of Kerala as an upland crop during kharif season. An early bunch type and semi tall. Pods are medium sized with prominent beak and mostly have two seeds per pod. Yield – 2400kg/ha. Duration – 86 days
Groundnut Snigdha	Combination breeding [Dh(E)32 X JL24). Recommended for Trivandrum District of Kerala as a upland crop during kharif season. Pods are medium sized with prominent beak and mostly have two seeds per pod. Early maturing with duration of 87 days. Yield – 2458 kg/ha
Coconut Komadan	Introduction- Local cultivar. Improved variety evolved from local cultivar through farmers selection. Yield 163 nuts/palm/year with bronze nuts. Weight of husked nut 551 g, copra content per nut 177 g and oil content 65.2 %
Orchid (Dendrobium - Pink Cascade	Interspecific hybridization followed by selection D. Nagoya Pink X D. [Candy Stripe X Tomie Drake] Released during 2009. Suitable for semicontrolled environment throughout Kerala. Perform best under 25-30% shade net, with misting twice daily in summer weather. Inflorescence is long arching with 8-10 flowers, which are large light pink with prominent dark pink stripes throughout. Petals very broad and overlapping the sepals
Orchid (Dendrobium - Deep Blush	Interspecific hybridization followed by selection D. Nagoya Pink X D. [Candy Stripe X Tomie Drake]. Released during 2009. Suitable for cultivating in semi controlled environment throughout Kerala. Perform best under 25-30% shade net, with misting twice daily in summer weather. Long inflorescence with 9-10 flowers which are magenta coloured, double shaded and striped with full appearance
Orchid (Dendrobium - Master Delight	Interspecific hybridization followed by selection D. Sonia-16 X D. [Candy Stripe X Tomie Drake] Released during 2009. Suitable for cultivating in semi controlled environment throughout Kerala. Perform best under 25-30% shade net, with misting twice daily in summer weather. Long inflorescence, arching with 10-12 flowers. Flowers are dark purple with white sepal tips giving a stellar appearance
Orchid (Dendrobium - Velvet Soft	Interspecific hybridization followed by selection D.RungnapaX D. [Candy Stripe X Tomie Drake] Released during 2009. Suitable for cultivating in semi controlled environment throughout Kerala. Perform best under 25-30% shade net, with misting twice daily in summer weather. Arching inflorescence with 10-12 flowers which are large purplish magenta in colour and striped with white operculum and full appearance.
Orchid (Dendrobium - Lemon Glow	Interspecific hybridization followed by selection D. Chiangmai Pink X D. [Candy Stripe X Tomie Drake] Released during 2009. Suitable for cultivating in semi controlled environment throughout Kerala. Perform best under 25-30% shade net, with misting twice daily in summer weather. Arching inflorescence with 9-10 flowers, light pink with greenish white centre and dark pink stripes, medium large, flat with a squarish appearance.
Guinea Grass - Haritha	Mutation breeding from F.R. 600. Released during 1990. Shy flowering type, semi perennial grass with glabrous leaves. Suitable for partial shade in uplands, tolerant to leaf spot, sheath blight and summer drought. Yield – 1.74t/ha/cutting.
Guinea Grass - Marathakam	Mutation breeding from F.R. 600. Released during 1993. Semi-perennial type with free flowering nature. Leaves are hairy and green. High fodder yield and better fodder quality. Suitable in uplands throughout the year. Tolerant to partial shade. Yield; 9.05t/ha/cutting
Guinea Grass - Harithasree	Clonal selection from JHGG-96-3. Released during 2006. High tillering variety with dark green leaves (smooth lower and rough upper surface). High fodder yield with 8%crude protein and 28% crude fibre. Yield: 66.1t/ha
Bajra-Napier hybrid -- Supriya	Interspecific hybridization and clonal selection TNSC 4 X FD 471. Released during 2006. High tillering variety, pale green leaf sheath, small hairs on both upper and lower surface of leaf lamina. High fodder yield with 9% crude protein and 26% crude fibre. Yield 272.7t/ha
Bajra-Napier hybrid -- Suguna	Interspecific hybridization and clonal selection composite 9 X FD 431. Released during 2006. Profuse tillering, long and broad leaf lamina, pale green leaf sheath with purplish pigmentation. High fodder yield with 9.4% crude protein and 24% crude fibre. Yield: 283t/ha
Bajra-Napier hybrid -- Susthira	Suited for upland and homestead gardens of Kerala

Teachers

Teachers / Scientists Attached to the Department
Photo	Name
	Dr. Seeja G. Professor & Head Genetics and Plant Breeding
	Dr. Beena Thomas Assistant Professor
	Dr. Lovely B. Assistant Professor
	Ninitha Nath C. Assistant Professor
	Adheena Ram A. Assistant Professor