Genetics & Plant Breeding

About the department/Section

• Crop breeding work in the State was initiated as early as in 1904 with the appointment of an Economic Botanist for Rabi Cereals at Kanpur. For strengthening the crop breeding work, three more posts of Economic Botanists were created at Kanpur for conducting the research on Oilseeds, Legumes and Vegetables. Teaching in Agricultural Botany at undergraduate and post-graduate level was started in 1932 and 1944, respectively. The Division of Plant Breeding and Genetics was created in 1971 in erstwhile U.P. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kanpur. With the establishment of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur on March 1, 1975, the division of Plant Breeding and Genetics was renamed as the “Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding.”
• Presently, the department of Genetics and Breeding includes the Sections of Rabi Cereals, Oilseeds, Legumes and other crop units (Cotton, Maize, Sorghum, Tobacco and Forages) at Kanpur. These unites are doing their jobs separately and have developed and released a good number of high yielding varieties in these crops particularly in Wheat, Barley, Oilseeds and Pulses. The department and ultimately the University has taken lead in the country in these areas of research. Most of the varieties released from this department in various crops have been recognized as National Varieties.
• Department has the distinction of producing renowned National and International level scientists from the very beginning. The recipient of “World Food Prize” Dr. S.K. Vasal has been the student of this department who received his M.Sc. (Ag) degree in 1959. His work on “Quality Protein Maize (QPM)” is globally recognized. Renowned personality “Padam Bhushan” Dr. R.B. Singh has also been the student of this department during 1958-60. He held the key positions of ADG, FAO; Director, IARI, New Delhi and Chairman, ASRB.