DIRECTORATE OF WHEAT RESEARCH (INDIAN COUNCIL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH) AGRASAIN MARG, PO BOX 158, KARNAL-132 001 Fax: (0184) 251390 Phone: (0184) 271830, 252390 E-Mail: rpsingh@nde.vsnl.net.in, dowr@x400.nicgw. nic.in

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About

All India Co-ordinated Wheat Improvement Project(AICWIP) established in 1965 by ICAR was elevated to level of Directorate of Wheat Research (DWR) in 1978.In 1990 DWR was delinked from IARI and shifted to the present location at KARNAL, at a distance of 130 KM. North of New Delhi. Mission: Enhancing the Productivity and Profitability of Wheat and Barley on Ecologically Sustainable Basis.

The Mandate

• Evolve, organize, coordinate and monitor multi-locational research for developing and identifying superior high yielding varieties tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses under varied agro-climatic zones.
• Collect, evaluate, catalogue, maintain and share working collections with a focus on identifying suitable donors for different stresses and quality attributes
• Develop appropriate crop production procedure and technology for wheat based cropping systems to optimize resource utilization in a sustainable manner
• Monitor the rust pathogen dynamics and develop technology to mitigate crop losses due to pests
• Establish national and international linkages for strengthening wheat and barley improvement programme
• Provide off-season nursery facility for rapid generation advancement and seed multiplication
• Serve as a core facility for proper data analysis and information management
• Coordinate and organize breeder seed production and technology transfer activities

The Thrust

Crop improvement:

• Organize and monitor trials/nurseries for different production conditions
• Combine short duration, adaptation, blight resistance, heat tolerance for late planting
• Pre breeding aided with related species for yield components, quality traits, biotic and abiotic stresses
• Organize and produce breeder seed of recommended varieties Improve barley and durum for domestic and industrial usage
• Augment, maintain and evaluate germplasm to identify and catalogue genetic resources
• Marker aided selection for crop improvement
• Develop technology to exploit heterosis
• Generate new variability through transgenics

Resource management:

• Increase Productivity through optimization of resources (soil, water and inputs)
• Sustain productivity advances under intensive agriculture
• Water use efficiency and weed control

Crop protection and health:

• Identify new sources of resistance and their correct incorporations
• Management of karnal bunt, leaf blight and soil borne pathogens and diseases
• Conduct surveillance on major diseases/pests
• Map the dynamics of wheat rust virulence
• Integrated Pest Management under wheat based cropping systems

Quality and basic sciences:

• Improve the domestic quality attributes of bread wheat and durum wheat
• Incorporate the industrial quality in bread wheat
• Study the occurrence and management of yellow berry in durum

Statistics and social sciences:

• Understand the factors influencing production, marketing and trade
• Effective communication for reducing the yield gap
• Create and analyse data/information base

The Service Functions:

Regional Station, Flowerdale, Shimla:

• National facility to map rust pathogens, virulence dynamics and culture collection
• Genetics/cytogenetics of rust resistance

Summer Nursery, Lahaul and Wellington(IARI):

• National facility to advance the generation and seed multiplication
• Evaluation of elite materials against stresses

The Linkages

International: CIMMYT, ICARDA, ACIAR, USDA, IRRI, SAARC

National: NCL(CSIR), ARI-Pune(DST), DBT, APEDA, SAU's, Ministry of Agriculture, Agro industry, NGO's etc.

The Structure

In a 65 acre land, the Directorate of Wheat Research has a research complex to accommodate five specialized disciplines for supporting activities related with crop improvement, resource management, crop protection and health, quality and basis sciences, statistics and social sciences under the leadership of Project Director. The mandate crops are wheat (bread wheat, durum, khapli), barley (6 row and 2 row) and triticale. Against the cadre strength 60, presently 43 scientists are working on 13 research projects. In addition, some schemes are also run by funding through NATP, DBT and AP Cess Funds etc. The Directorate is guided and supported in its endeavor by the Management Committee. There are 30 funded centres under AICWIP and 7 under Barley Network which are operated from Karnal.

The Facilities

The research complex at the Directorate has well developed laboratories for PCR based molecular biology, quality attributes aided with NIR, tissue culture, physiology, soil biology and nematology. The genetic resource unit has a module for germplasm conservation and net houses to raise related species. A battery of glass houses(8) and polythene tunnels(7) helps in creating epiphytotics for disease analysis. The field research is aided with Wintersteiger seeders, several tillage machines and different kinds, threshers. A semi automatic seed processing plant helps in raising quality seed. A museum depicting history and development of wheat research through electronic gadgets and a hall of 140 seat capacity are part of the communication centre. The computer unit has INTERNET for rapid data analysis and information management.

Germplasm collection: The germplasm repository established for medium term storage of active collections is presently holding 4620 indigenous and 2379 exotic wheat collections.

Budget Profile

During the years of reports the DWR has incurred the money under different heads to meet the requirement of the coordination and research unit at the DWR and simultaneously of the coordinating centres to boost the production of the country and increase the productivity level in the potential zones. The values indicated during the year 1998-99 is anticipated expenditure.

Expenditure Under Different Heads during the Years 1997-98(Actual ) & 1998-99 (Anticipated) Income Generation : During the years 1997-98 DWR had generated Rs 11.34 lakhs from the sale of farm produce , books sale and interest on fixed deposits. It is expected that the income generation during the year 1998-99 will be 7.50 lakhs from various sources. The Directorate is also trying to generate money by providing consultancy to several private industries, by testing the new chemicals for the control of diseases/ insect pests and weeds, and consultancy to less developed nations for improving their human resources.

Income Generated in 1997-98 and 1998-99 (Anticipated)

Income Generation : During the years 1997-98 DWR had generated Rs 11.34 lakhs from the sale of farm produce , books sale and interest on fixed deposits. It is expected that the income generation during the year 1998-99 will be 7.50 lakhs from various sources. The Directorate is also trying to generate money by providing consultancy to several private industries, by testing the new chemicals for the control of diseases/ insect pests and weeds, and consultancy to less developed nations for improving their human resources.

Man Power

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