ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute Research Centre, Kannur

The Research Centre at Kannur (Kerala, India) is a constituent unit of Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore. This centre houses the world collection of sugarcane germplasm. This world collection was originally established at Canal Point, Florida, U.S.A. The need for duplicating the collection in another location was felt and based on the resolution of International Society of Sugarcane Technologists (ISSCT) in 1956, the Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore was recognized as another centre for world collection of sugarcane germplasm. The seed material of the entire world collection at Canal Point was airlifted during 1957-58 to Coimbatore and were initially maintained at the Agricultural Research Station, Thaliparamba in Cannore District, Kerala. In 1961, a research centre was established at Kannur (also known as Cannanore) as the West Coast Regional Centre of Sugarcane Breeding Institute and the collection maintained at Thaliparamba was shifted to Kannur. At present the centre houses the largest collection of Saccharumspecies germplasm and is an IPGRI designated field gene bank of sugarcane.

The germplasm assembly at SBI Research Centre, Kannur now consists of 1806 accessions under international collection and 1562 under Indian collection.

The International collection comprises of S.officinarum (759), S. barberi (42), S. sinense (30), S. robustum (145), S. spontaneum (67), foreign hybrids (611) and allied genera (152). The allied genera include a large number of Erinathus arundinaceusclones from New Guinea and Indonesia collected during 1976 and 1977.

The Indian collection comprises Indian hybrids (1027), allied genera and others (88), S.spontaneum (317) and IA clones (130).The Indian hybrids consists of mainly Co canes developed at the main Institute at Coimbatore and clones released by other research centres in the country. The IA clones are hybrids between American commercial hybrids and Indian S. spontaneum clones. Large number of S.spontaneum, Erianthus and related species collected through expeditions in north-eastern region of the country from 1981 to 1990 are maintained as Indian collections.

→Maintenance of world collection of sugarcane germplasm free of major pests and diseases

→Developing varieties resistant to waterlogging

→Utilization of germplasm resources for developing new genetic stocks

The activities under the mandate was further extended to disease and pest control through biocontrol agents, in vitro conservation of germplasm, molecular characterization and value addition in sugarcane.

Office-Incharge  of The Regional Centre:

Dr. M.Nisha

Senior Scientist (Plant Breeding)

Office In-Charge, Research Center (Kannur )

E_mail Id:  Nisha.M@icar.gov.in

Address of Research Centre-Kannur: 

ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute Research Centre,Kannur

Sugarcane Breeding Institute Research Centre,

Civil Station Post,

Kannur – 670 002,

Kerala.

Tel.No. 0497-2705054.