No. 1 for 5 Years Running...

Infrastructure & Facilities

Future Plan (Dept. of Plant Science)

• In future (next 5 years), with strengthening of infrastructure, we hope to increase our enrolment number from 30 to 40 in phase-wise manner. Further, to attract students from various corners of the country, the university has started conduction of entrance tests at number of locations. We wish to play vital role in botanical understanding and vertical and horizontal development of Western part of Uttar Pradesh, through updated and relevant curricula and innovating teaching practices.
• Research: The research activity in the department began in the year 1985. Although specialized in modern tools and techniques and different disciplines of plant sciences, due to infrastructural and financial limitations, initially, we focused our work in the area of mutation breeding, nitrogen metabolism and waste management, especially in scientific validation of the earlier works. As our department got strengthen by the 17 major research projects worth ~1.97 crores awarded from various funding agencies i.e., DST, CSIR, UGC, UPCST, UP government, SERB etc., our research work shifted to more complex problems and we are now able to focus some crucial problems of science. With the grant of Rs. 2.67 crores received from 10th, 11th and 12th five year plans we have strengthens our infrastructure by procuring various sophisticated equipment’s and developed central research lab. Currently, we have five (5) well-furnished research labs for our faculties. With increase in the facilities, depending upon the specialization and need of the area, we have categorized our research interest broadly in four thrust areas namely –
• 1) Biomonitoring: this will include research on the use of lower plants (algae, bryophyte and pteridophyte) as a biomonitoring tool for the polluted aquatic system. The group will include Dr. Lalit Kumar Pandey and Prof. J.N. Maurya.
• 2) Biodegradation: this will include research on the natural process of colonization of algae, fungal and plant spores on the available substrates, which have serious socioeconomical impacts. The group will include Dr. Alok Srivastava and Dr. Lalit Kumar Pandey.
• 3) Bioremediation: The area is naturally Arsenic contaminated thus focus will be to use bacteria, lower and higher plants to extract Arsenic from contaminated water and soil. Other metals will also be used for the same purpose. The group will include Prof. Sanjay Kumar Garg and Dr. Alok Srivastava.
• 4) Nitrogen metabolism and mitigation of oxidative stress in plants: This group will work on ecophysiology of higher plants. The group will include Prof. Sanjay Kumar Garg, Prof. J.N. Maurya and Dr. Alok Srivastava.