Organisation
CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute
Theme of the Organization: “Where Plant Based Research Touches Life Through Innovation”
The CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) - is amongst one of the constituent research institutes of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. Originally set up as the National Botanic Gardens (NBG) by the State Government of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), it was taken over by the CSIR in 1953. Though, initially engaged in research in the classical botanical disciplines, the NBG went on laying an increasing emphasis, in keeping with the national needs and priorities in the field of plant sciences, on its applied and developmental research activities. A time came when it was felt that the name NBG no longer projected the correct nature and extent of its aims and objectives, functions and R & D activities. Consequently, the NBG was renamed as the NBRI, i.e., The National Botanical Research Institute in 1978. This name has since correctly reflected the distinctive character and the R & D activities of this applied botanical institution only of its type in the country.
Areas of R&D
The aims and objectives of the Institute are pursued through various projects distributed among the following five broad areas of R & D supported by S&T support services for their respective activities:
- Botanic Garden and Distant Research Centers.
- Plant Diversity, Systematics and Herbarium.
- Plant Ecology & Environmental Sciences.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology.
- Plant Microbe Interaction & Pharmacognosy.
- S&T Support Services.
Mandate of the Organization
- Basic and applied research on plant diversity and prospection, plant-environment interaction and biotechnological approches for plant improvement.
- Development of technologies for new plant and microbial sources of commercial importance.
- Building up germplasm repository of plants of indigenous and exotic origin, including rare, endangered and threatened species.
- Providing expertise and assistance for identification, supply and exchange of plants and propagules, garden layout and landscaping.
- Dissemination of scientific knowledge and technologies on plants and microbial resources through publications, training, capacity building and extension activities.