Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur Infrastructure: Library, Labs, Auditorium, Cafeteria & Other Facilities

Ayesha Taneem

Infrastructure and Research Focus :-

Plant Biology

The Institute has state-of -the art lab for carrying out studies in the area of proteomics, genomics and metabolomics. The facility includes Pac Bio RSII third Generation Sequencing System, Illumina Genome Analyzer II, UPLC, aminoacid analyzer, protein spot cutter & digester, LC-MS-MS, MALDI ToF, 2-D electrophoresis system, Confocal microscope, imaging systems etc. Cutting edge research is being carried out to unravel the genes involved in important biosynthetic pathway in plants for production of secondary metabolites like picroside, shikonin, catechin, stevioside etc. Several stress related genes have been isolated, cloned and their expression analyses are underway in target plants. Studies are being carried out in the area of gene silencing, epigenetics, understanding signaling and deciphering mechanism of plant adaptation under stress and changing environment. Extensive work is being carried out for identification genome wide molecular markers and high throughput genotyping for dissection of complex traits, plant diversity evaluation and genome mapping in tea, bamboo, rose, stevia and targeted plant species of north western Himalayan region. The functional facility like biolistic gun, containment facility strongly supports the transgenic work. The plant cell and tissue culture facility has exclusive media preparation area, bioreactor, culture rooms, cold culture rooms, acclimatization chamber and polyhouses. Institute has initiated studies on adaptation biology of plants in response to climate change and unique facility like FACE, tunnel and FATI along with metrological tower has been installed.

Nanotechnology

Studies have also been initiated in the area of nanobiology and infrastructure is being strengthened by installing multimode scanning probe microscope, transmission electron microscope, Atomic force etc. The focus is to develop nanocatalysts, multimodal imaging systems for diagnostics and increasing bioavailability of existing drugs.

Bioinformatics

The bioinformatics facility is equipped with range of high end servers, work stations, etc. It has access to the next generation sequencing facility, Illumina Genome Analyzer II, through a Linux cluster with 10 TB disk space and 140 GB physical memory. The focus is to develop novel algorithms and tools for analysis of large and complex plant genomes.

Microbiology

The microbiology lab is well equipped with different type of high-end microscopes, shakers incubators, bioreactor, FAME analysis etc. Intensive work is underway for bioprospection of microbes, genes and proteins from niche locations particularly from the cold desert area of the Himalayan zone.

Food Processing

IHBT has established the food and nutraceutical laboratory equipped with NIR composition analyzer, mixolab, cutting mill, single screw extruder, planetary mixer, deep fryer, vacuum packing machine, lyophilizer, colour index meter and water activity meter to lead functional foods and nutraceuticals research for health and nutrition management.

Biodiversity

The Bioresource development unit of the Institute has GIS facility, computational facility for inventorization, database development and mapping of plant resources and assessing landscape element types and land use pattern. The unit also maintains and updates the internationally recognized referral herbarium. A fernery has been developed which houses rare and economically important pteridophytes of Himalayan region. Farms and the range of polyhouses support domestication and development of agrotechnology of economically important medicinal and aromatic plants.

Chemical Sciences

The Natural Plant Product Unit focuses research on chemical characterization of active constituents from plant sources, essential oil, total synthesis of biologically active compounds, molecular modification for value added compounds, natural colours and dyes. The labs are equipped with 300Mz and 600 Mz NMR, preparatory and analytical HPLC, GC, GC-MS, microwave synthesizer, Super Critical Extraction Unit with head space, spray dryer, industrial scale rotavapour, distillation units of 10Q, 4 Q and 15 Kg capacity for processing of herbals.

Tea sciences

TTea is one of the mandate crops of the institute and research is focused on germplasm and chemical characterization, improving processing parameters for flavor enhancement and to develop value added tea products. For promoting organic practices work is underway to develop biopesticides and Bioformulation for plant health management and improving plant productivity. To facilitate tea research, institute has a tea garden, tea factory, tea quality testing lab equipped with HPLC, GC and other routine biochemical equipment.

Floriculture

A floriculture field with greenhouse exist to undertake agrotechnological studies of ornamentals under open field and polyhouse conditions. Work is also being carried out to develop hybrids and mutants through conventional and non- conventional breeding programmes. The unit has a cold chamber for storing quality planting materials for further use.

Farmer Support

IHBT has played an instrumental role in popularizing floriculture in the state of Himachal Pradesh. For the first time IHBT introduced commercial scale lilium cultivation in the Lahul area. Package of practices have been standardized of commercially important cut flowers like rose, carnation, gladiolus, alstromeria, bird of paradise, gerbera and liliums. Good quality disease free planting materials are also provided to farmers at affordable rates. Trainings on agortechnology and postharvest technology are rendered to farmers from time to time. Regular advisory services are also extended.

IHBT has domesticated and standardized agrotechnologies of several commercially important medicinal and aromatic plants like aromatic rose, lavender, tagetes, Valeriana jatamansi, Hedychium spicatum, Curcuma aromatica etc. High quality planting materials are provided to farmers. Institute has also developed processing technologies for aromatics and herbals and training in this area are provided to farmers.

IHBT has good germplasm collection of bamboo and has developed technology for converting bamboo into charcoal. Large scale planting materials are provided to planters, foresters and entrepreneurs.

Farmers are welcome to post their specific queries with respect to agrotechnologies of ornamentals, medicinal and aromatic plants, tea, bamboo, stevia etc. and processing of aromatics and herbals.