Research Organization – Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya

Research is one of the major three mandates of State Agricultural Universities apart from teaching and extension which meets the continuous growth under rapid dynamic changes in agriculture. The Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, although a new university of 10 years old but carries a long experience of further twenty years in the area of research before established as a full-fledged university. This helped the university develop a strong research base to cater the needs for development towards farming community. The organizational structure, approach, activities and accomplishment of the research directorate is delineated below:

Research Organization :

The primary goal of Research in the University is to generate technologies for increasing agriculture productivity and farm returns in consistence with the requirement of the state befitting socio-economic conditions of the farming community in a sustainable manner. For this purpose the UBKV is committed to generate technologies to provide continuous knowledge/information on improved management practices for agriculture and allied activities for accelerated growth and sustainable development in the field of agriculture sector in the state.

The University has a broad based research programme executred by the Regional Research Stations (RRS) and Sub-Stations (RRSS) spreaded over three agro-climatic zones where the scientists of various disciplines striving together to meet the research mandate.

Regional Research System of the University:

Sl. No.	Name	Location	Jurisdiction Area
1.	RRS, Terai Zone	Pundibari	Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Siliguri Sub-division of Darjeeling district and Islampure sub-division of Uttar Dinajpur district.
1.	RRSS, Terai Zone	Kharibari
2.	RRS, Hill Zone	Kalimpong	Three Hill Sub-divisions of Darjeeling district.
2.	RRSS, Hill Zone	Pedong	Three Hill Sub-divisions of Darjeeling district.
3.	RRS, Old Alluvial Zone	Majhian	Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur and Uttar Dinajpur.
3.	RRSS, Old Alluvial Zone	Manikchak	Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur and Uttar Dinajpur.

Regional Research System:

Sl. No.	Name of Agro-climatic Zone	Location	Status	Mandate	Priority Areas
1.	RRS, Hill Zone	Kalimpong	Lead Centre	Development of Hill Agriculture through use of organic, horticulture, soil water conservation, IPM, IDM etc.	Organic production system development. Structural Horticulture specially for vegetables and flowers. IPM of citrus fruit fly, citrus die back and pest management of different crops. Management of ginger rot. Farming System Development with crop and non-crop enterprises. Soil and Water Conservation, rain water harvesting.
1.	RRSS, Hill Zone	Pedong	Verification Centre	Horticulture system development	Management of Die-back of Mandarin Orange Orchids & flowers-development of multiplication technique and nutritional management. Medicinal plants-standization of cultivation practices.
2.	RRS, Terai Zone	Pundibari	Improvement of plant genetic resources for stress resistant tolerance breeding programme Development of INM, IPM, IDM modules befitting critical diversified farming system Standardization/ Development of farm fishery technology Enhancing biological processes for long term sustainability Animal nutrition and management Crop production technology for rainfed paddy, wheat, pulses. Soil-water conservation. Development of horticultural system. Farming system development with fishery and livestock.	Development of micronutrient tolerant (Bo ,Mo) varieties of wheat, cole vegetables and bacterial wilt of solanacious vegetables and bacterial blight of wheat and rice, multi-pest resistant breeding of paddy, tomato, brinjal, mustard. Formulation and validation of IPM on rice, mustard, brinjal, tomato etc. Development of technologies befitting diversified pattern of aqua-system. Conservation agriculture in rice-wheat cropping system. Multi-storied cropping system for increasing productivity and enhancing biological processes. Crop modeling based on crop- weather-pest disease complex. Nutritional aspects of milch animal and fishery in a system approach.
2.	RRSS, Terai Zone	Kharibari	Verification Centre	Rainfed farming Increasing productivity of Rice based cropping system Plantationcrop, pine apple and vegetable.	Formulation and validation of IPM on rice, mustard, brinjal, tomato etc. Multi-storied cropping system for increasing productivity and enhancing biological processes. Crop modelling based on crop- weather-pest disease. Plantationcrop development on marginally productive land. Standardization of quality pine-apple for export.
3.	RRS, Old Alluvial Zone	Majhian	Lead Centre	Evaluation of native effective strains of micro-flora as potential bio-fertilizer/bio-pesticide. Development of fishery in a system approach. Farming system development Crop improvement programme Rainfed farming Development of INM, IPM, IDM modules. Animal nutrition and health. Soil water management	Crop modeling based on crop- weather-pest disease. Paddy-cum fish culture. Development in-situ water-harvesing Technology. Soil-water conservation through engineering measure. Genetic studies of non-bamati local varieties of paddy. Developing location specific module of farming system for small and marginal farmers Animal management and pararitic control IPM & IDM of paddy, mustard and vegetables. Cultivation techniques for rainfed vegetables including potato, paddy, maize, pulses through resource conservation.
3.	RRSS, Old Alluvial Zone	Manikchak	Verification Centre	Intercropping under orchard system, sericulture, quality mango production technique, arsenic problem, post harvest technologies, pest-disease management	Varietal replacement for export potential quality mango. Introduction of BV-race of mulberry sericulture. Arsenic free crop production technique. IPM of paddy and vegetables. Rejuvenation of old mango orchard

Funding Sources :

The University draws fund from different Government, Semi-Government and also from foreign agencies for the purpose of conducting research programme upon submission of projects from State Government, ICAR, DST&DBT, Govt. of India, CSIR, Indian Meteorology Department, CYMMIT etc. However, maximum fund is obtained from State Govt. All the RRS and RRSS are completely dependent on State Government fund. In addition to above State Govt. also extends fund support for research through ad-hoc projects on targeted research.

Budgetary Expenditure towards Research

Head	Year (Rs. in lakh)
Head	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Plan	487.87	854.24	250.57	905.65	3388.38
Non Plan	63.35	63.35	109.61	349.06	455.76
Total	551.22	917.59	960.18	1254.75	3844.14

The ICAR provides 80% fund towards AICRPs and also through ad-hoc, NAIP and Mission mode projects against specific research programme.

Co-ordinated Research Project:

Only five coordinate research projects having regional relevants are being operative in the university. The lists of the projects are furnished below:

Centres in operation under AICRP

Sl. No.	Project on	Name of Centre	Mandate
1.	AINP on Jute and Allied Fibres	Cooch Behar	Varietal improvement, INM, IDM, IPM and Integrated Weed Management of Jute and Mesta.
2.	AINP on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants	Kalimpong	Conservation, multiplication and line development; Release of varieties; Domestication at lower elevation level; and Tissue and DNA finger printing of Swertia chirayita, Valeriana jatamasi & Coptiaxteeta Spp.
3.	AICRP on Spices	Cooch Behar	Variatal improvement, IDM, Nutritional aspects and quality of turmeric and ginger.
4.	AICRP on Floriculture	Kalimpong	Orchid sanctuary Collection, conservation and multiplication of germ plasms of orchids, anthuriam, carnetion, gladiolus and xerbera; Standardization of Agro-techniques of above spp.; Organic cultivation; and Post harvest technology of flowers.
5.	All India Co-ordinated Improvement Project on Wheat and Barley	Cooch Behar	Variatal improvement towards developing late sown, rainfed disease tolerant varieties of wheat.

Ad-hoc Research Project operative in the University

Sl. No.	Project	No.
1.	National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP)	2
2.	Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)	12
3.	Resource Conservation and Utilization (ICAR & Ministry of Water Resources, GOI)	2
4.	Developmental Projects (ICAR, National Medicinal Plant Board, GOI, IMD, Ministry of Agriculture)	5
5.	Mission Mode Project (ICAR)	4
6.	Important ad-hoc Projects in operation (DST, DBT, ICAR, Ministry of Agriculture & Co-operation, USAID, CIMMYT, Tea Board, IPNI, ICARDA-ICAR, Govt. of West Bengal etc.)	32

National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP):

Sl. No.	Name of the Research Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Arsenic in food chain: cause, effect and mitigation (Consortium partner)	NAIP (Component4), ICAR, five years May, 2007	2007-08 (Five years)
2.	Sustainable rural livelihood empowerment project for northern disadvantaged district of West Bengal (Lead Centre)	NAIP, (Component 3), ICAR	2008-09 (Five years)

Sl. No.

Name of the Research Project

Funding Agency

Duration

Arsenic in food chain: cause, effect and mitigation (Consortium partner)

NAIP (Component4), ICAR, five years May, 2007

2007-08

(Five years)

Sustainable rural livelihood empowerment project for northern disadvantaged district of West Bengal (Lead Centre)

NAIP, (Component 3), ICAR

2008-09

(Five years)

Rashitriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):

Sl. No.	Name of the Research Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Studies on coconut based high density multispecies cropping system in terai zone of West Bengal	Govt. of West Bengal	2008-09 (3 years)
2.	Integrated Pest Management in rice vegetable cropping system in northern region of West Bengal		2009-10 (3 years)
3.	Promotion and conservation agriculture as a new enterprise for sustainability of production system and resource conservation	Govt. of West Bengal	2009-10 (3 years)
4.	Development of common minimum programme for production of bio primed vegetable seedlings in Northern region of West Bengal	Govt. of West Bengal	2009-10 (3 years)
5.	Agri Research Station on Environment and climate change and its impact on crop production	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
6.	Development of bioresource complex: a single window for service and training	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
7.	Search for natural pesticides with IPM and organic farming from the plant biodiversity of northern region of West Bengal	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
8.	Spatial crop dynamics and yield gap across different farming situations in North Bengal	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
9.	Development of hill agriculture through low cost protective cultivation of horticultural crops under organic system of production	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
10.	On farm plant protection advisory service	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (1 year)
11.	Integrated farming system approach demonstration cum training centre for agriculture and allied sectors	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)
12.	Site specific nutrient management in lead cropping system in North Bengal districts of West Bengal	Govt. of West Bengal	2010-11 (3 years)

Resource Conservation and Utilization:

Sl. No.	Name of the Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Scaling up of water productivity in Agriculture for livelihoods through teaching cum demonstration, training of trainers and farmers	ICAR	2008-09 (5 years)
2.	Farmers’ Participatory Action Research (FPAR) Programme on conservation agriculture	Ministry of Water Resource, Govt. of India	2008-09 (5 years)

Sl. No.

Name of the Project

Funding Agency

Duration

Scaling up of water productivity in Agriculture for livelihoods through teaching cum demonstration, training of trainers and farmers

ICAR

2008-09

(5 years)

Farmers’ Participatory Action Research (FPAR) Programme on conservation agriculture

Ministry of Water Resource, Govt. of India

2008-09

(5 years)

Developmental Projects:

Sl. No.	Name of the Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Organization of Front Line Demonstration under macro management scheme on Jute	ICAR	2002-03
2.	Researches on Medicinal Plants	National Medicinal Plant Board, GOI	2002-03
3.	Agro-met project	IMD	2003
4.	Front Line Demonstration on Oilseeds	ICAR	2000
5.	National Horticultural Mission: Programmes for development of Spicdes	Ministry of Agriculture, GOI	2006

Mission Mode Projects:

Sl. No.	Name of the Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Evaluation and Selection of improved jute variety for finer quality fibre (MM 1.2)	ICAR	2007-08 (5 years)
2.	Improved management and degumming technology of ramie fibre for higher productivity and better quality (MM 1.3)	ICAR	2006-07 (5 years)
3.	Control of yellow vein mosaic disease of Hibiscus canabinus (MM 1.6)	ICAR	2007-08 (5 years)
4.	Improvement of fibre quality through microbial, enzymatic and chemical treatment in jute (MM 1.7)	ICAR	2007-08 (5 years)

Important ad-hoc Projects in operation:

Sl. No.	Name of the Research Project	Funding Agency	Duration
1.	Micro-propagation for conservation of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennel: an endangered Medicinal plant of Eastern Himalayas.	DST, GOI	2006-07 (3 years)
2.	Survey, identification and micro-propagation of elite clones of two high-valued endangered medicinal plants of Eastern Himalayas	DST, GOI	2005-06 (3 years)
3.	Strengthening of tissue culture laboratory under horticulture mission mode	Ministry of Agriculture & Coop., N. Delhi	2005-06 (3 years)
4.	Productivity improvement of Mungbean (Vigna radiate) with biofertilizer package and its impact on rice based cropping system with particular reference to soil health under Tarai agro climatic zone of West Bengal	DBT, New Delhi	2004-05 (4 years)
5.	Establishment of need based agro-forestry system in private, community and institutional land in Terai Zone of West Bengal	Min. of R.D., GOI	2003-04 (5 years)
6.	Effect of Pathogenic variability of bacterial blight of rice on host-biochemical response and its utilization to aid resistances breeding programme	DST, GOI	2006-07
7.	Collection, identification and evaluation of locally available germplasm of medicinal importance in Terai region of West Bengal to use as dietary supplement against clastogenic effects of Arsenic	Deptt. of SC. & Technology	2006-07 (2 years)
8.	National Horticultural Mission – the development programme on spices	Min. of Agriculture	2005-06 (3 years)
9.	Optimization of production system and production of quality and certified planting material under the Terai agro-climatic situation of North Bengal	Govt. of W.B.	2005-06 (3 years)
10.	Survey and surveillance of pests Nematodes and their natural enemies of bhindi and tomato in jute based cropping system under Tarai zone of West Bengal	Govt. of W.B.	2005-06 (3 years)
11.	Extension of Muga culture in Terai region of West Bengal	Dept. of SC. & Technology	2005-06 (3 years)
12.	Survey of micronutrient studies	Govt. of W.B.	2005-06 (3 years)
13.	Characterisation and low cost management of acid soils of the terai region of West Bengal for increasing productivity	Govt. of W.B.	2005-06 (3 years)
14.	Maximizing productivity, farmer profit and nutrient use efficiency in rice-based cropping systems in soils of Terai Agro ecological region of West Bengal	International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), USA	2005-06 (3 years)
15.	Comparative effectiveness of inorganic and organic inputs in rice under a tea growing soil of West Bengal	DBT sponsored project (Govt. of India)	2006-07
16.	INM of commercially important plantation crops (Tea)	DBT, GOI	2008-09 (3 years)
17.	Revitalization of Rice-Wheat cropping systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Adptation and adoption of research conserving technologies in India, Bangladesh	USAID-Rice-Wheat Consortium	2006-07 (3 years)
18.	Fund for improvement of S&T infrastructure in Universities and higher educational Institutions (FIST)	DST, GOI (SERC Division)	2003-04 (5 years)
19.	Central scheme for Development of Medicinal Plants	National Medicinal Plants Board, GOI
20.	Micropropagation for conservation of Picrorhiza scrophularizflosa Pennel: an endangered medicinal plant of Eastern Himalays	DST-New Delhi	2009-10
21.	Survey, Identification of elite clone of two endangered medicinal plants	DBT, New Delhi	2008-09
22.	Development of need based agroforestry system in private, community and institutional lands in Terai zone of West Bengal	MoRD, Govt. of India	2007-08
23.	ICFRE Infrastructural project for strengthening department of forestry	ICFRE, Dehra Dun	2007-08
24.	Centrally sponsored scheme – National Horticulture Mission: Development programmes on spices	Directorate of Arecanut and Spices, Development, GOI	2005-06
25.	Introduction and evaluation of Jatropha curcas in terai, hill and old alluvial zone of West Bengal	DBT, GOI	2007-08 (3 years)
26.	Collection, Characterization and Selection of Superior Plant type for mass multiplication and development of HYV/Hybrid variety of Jatropha curcas for better yield and oil content for North Bengal and Assam	National Oilseeds and Vegetable Oils Development Board (NOVOD Board), Govt. of India	2008-09 (3 years)
27.	Identifying diverse sources of resitance to spot blotch and molecular markers linked to resistance to wheat under CSISA	CIMMYT	2009-10 (3 years)
28.	Development of Phosphate Solubilizing Biofertilizer for Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Acid soils of North Bengal	Tea Board, GOI	2008-09 (3 years)
29.	Nitrogen Mineralization of organic matter in acid soils of Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) in Northern Districts of West Bengal	Tea Board, GOI	2008-09 (3 years)
30.	Establishment of a model nursery for public sector on medicinal plants	National Mission on Medicinal Plants	2008-09
31.	Detoxification of pesticides by sensitized photochemical degradation and toxicity study of their photoproducts	CSIR, New Delhi	2009-10 (3 years)