The gene bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa will benefit farmers with the facilities for germplasm

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the world’s second-largest refurbished state-of-the-art National Gene Bank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa, New Delhi. 

Appreciating the services of visionary experts like Prof BP Pal, Prof MS Swaminathan and Prof Harbhajan Singh, Tomar said that they had laid a strong foundation for the conservation of the diversity of indigenous crops in the country. 

The National Gene Bank established in the year 1996 to preserve the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations can preserve about one million germplasm in the form of seeds. Presently it is protecting 4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm and the rest have been imported from other countries. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources is meeting the need of in-situ and ex-situ germplasm conservation through Delhi Headquarters and 10 regional stations in the country.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Kailash Choudhary said that agri-farmers would be greatly benefited by the new gene bank with state-of-the-art facilities for germplasm.

Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, while delivering the welcome address, explained the activities and progress of the Bureau. On this occasion, Tomar released some publications of the Bureau and launched PGR Map App. The services of Kuldeep Singh, the recently retired Director of the Bureau, for the modernisation of the gene bank, was appreciated.