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Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics (PMAS-AAUR)
Plant Breeding and Genetics is an important discipline in agricultural sciences. Plant breeders are considered to be the leaders of agricultural research team because they increase the potential of crop plants for desired traits by changing their genetic make up. Only after having a better genetic potential, we can increase yield and other traits through appropriate cultural practices. Credit of big increases in quantity and quality of agriculture at commodities goes mainly to this discipline.

Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics was established in the year 1982 at the Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (then Barani Agricultural College) with the initiation of B.Sc. (Hons.) program. M.Sc. (Hons.) program was started in 1996 and Ph.D in 1999. The courses regarding Plant Breeding, Evolution, Genetics, Cytogenetics, Biodiversity and Biotechnology are being taught in the department since then. Research work is being carried out on genetic, breeding and agronomic aspects of yield, quality and drought resistance and salt tolerance in cereal, oilseed and pulse crops.

Goals of the Department

 * To impart academic and research teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
 * To plan and conduct basic and applied research in cereals, oil seeds and pulse crops.
 * To suggest recommendations to farmers and breeders especially those working on arid zone crops.
 * To develop linkages with provincial and national research institutions to undertake collaborative research.

Faculty Members
At present, the following faculty members are serving in the department:

Dr. Muhammad Munir, Professor Dr. Saif Ullah Ajmal, Professor & Chairman

Mr. Nasir Mahmood Minhas, Assistant Professor

Dr. Zahid Akram, Assistant Professor

Dr. Ghulam Shabbir, Assistant Professor

Dr. Talat Mahmood, Lecturer

Mr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Lecturer (on leave)

Mr. Saad Imran Malik, Lecturer (on leave)

Research Thrust
Adequate research facilities have been established in field and laboratories. Five acre land have been allocated to the department at University Farm Koont, in which different research experiments (like crossing block, breeding material from ICARDA/CIMMYT, field evaluation of different lines/varieties) of different crops are being conducted.

Keeping in view the rapid advancement in the field of crop improvement through biotechnology and genetic engineering, the department has established appropriate facilities for in vitro culture techniques for various field crops under sterile and controlled conditions, sterile transfer and genetic transformation.

Four laboratories i.e. Genetic Transformation Lab, Biotech Lab, Cytogenetics Lab, and General PBG Lab. have been established, which are fully equipped.

Research Projects
Completed Projects

S. No.	Name of Principal/Co-Investigator	Project Title	Sponsored by 1.	Dr. Muhammad Munir (P. I.) Dr. Saif Ullah Ajmal (Co- PI)	Screening of rapeseed genotypes for drought stress and, breeding and agronomic evaluation of oilseed crops. BARD Project, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad. 2.	Dr. Muhammad Munir (P. I.)	Evaluation and breeding of drought resistant/tolerant canola varieties	Higher Education Commission (University Grants Commission)/UAAR 3.	 Mr. Mahmood-ul-Hassan (P.I.)	 Screening of local wheat (T. aestivum) lines/cultivars for their response to Double Haploid Production by anther culture techniques	 University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi 4.	 Dr. Muhammad Munir (P.I.)	 Development of High Yielding Rust Tolerant Wheat Genotypes by Using Molecular Markers	 Ministry of Science & Technology, Islamabad 5.	Dr. Muhammad Munir (P.I.)	Screening of Drought Tolerant Wheat Genotypes and Estimation of the Genetic basis. Agricultural Linkage Programme, PARC 6.	Dr. Muhammad Munir (P.I.)	Optimization of tissue culture techniques and Agrobacterium mediated transformation in wheat	National Commission on Biotechnology

Achievements
= National Workshop on Crop Improvement =

A three days (August 28-30, 2006) National Workshop was held at the campus on Crop Improvement: Conventional and Biotechnological Approaches. The workshop was organized by the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, and sponsored by the National Commission on Biotechnology and Higher Education commission Dr. Anwar Naseem, Chairman, National Commission on Biotechnology, Islamabad, was the Chief Guest on this occasion.

The workshop brought together the conventional plant breeders and biotechnologists working in different research institutes so that the two groups can benefit from experiences of each other. The workshop also provided an opportunity for young scientist/researchers to benefit from the experiences of the senior researchers and to acquaint themselves with conventional and biotechnological tools used in crop breeding.

Academic Progress
Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics has excelled in the academic pursuit by producing students not only at undergraduate level but also at postgraduate levels including Ph.D. students. This department has become the leading department in the Faculty of Crop and Food Sciences by producing four Ph.Ds in a row. The department has produced 206 B.Sc. (Hons), 40 M.Sc. (Hons) and 5 Ph.D scholars since its inception.

The department has so far produced six Ph. Ds since start of Ph. D program. Title of the dissertation of Dr. Muhammad Akram (1st Ph. D from the department also first from the university) was Inheritance of Seed and Seedling Vigor in Rice”. Dr. Muhammad Munir supervised his thesis research. The study was useful in evaluating different rice genotypes and recommended that IR50, IR25924-92-1-3, TNAU (AD) 103 and IR 31779-19-3-3-2-2 were better general combiners for rate of germination index. Based on these findings, further strategies can be chalked out for improving yield in rice.

Dr. Muhammad Zubair was the 2nd Ph.D produced by the department (also 2nd from the university). He conducted his thesis research under the supervision of Dr. Saif Ullah Ajmal. His thesis title was Genetic Diversity and Gene Action in Mungbean for various Agro-morphological Traits. His study for gene action recommended that crosses involving the parental lines, NM-121-25, NM-51, VC-3902 and VC-4152 should be given special consideration for improvement of grain yield in mungbean. The presence of partial dominance in the characters like plant height, days to maturity, pod length and 1000 grain weight provide the basis for selection in early generation for improvement in these parameters.

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad was the 3rd Ph. D scholar who was awarded the doctorate degree. He completed his studies during 2004. Dr. Muhammad Munir was his major supervisor.His thesis title was "Genetic Diversity for Agro-Morphological and High Molecular Weight Glutenin Sub-units in Wheat Land Races". During this study, six accessions (Pak 17647, Pak 17336, Pak 16200, Pak 17620, Pak 17627 and Pak 16082) were identified possessing 5+10 alleles (known source for good bread making quality). The variation exhibited by the accessions can successfully be used in the varietal development program.

Dr. Zahid Akram was the 4th recipient of Ph. D degree from the department during 2004. He is the first faculty member to score Ph.D. degree from the University. Dr. Saif Ullah Ajmal supervised his thesis research. His research title was "Genetic Implication of Quality and Yield Contributing Characteristics in Wheat". His study involved evaluation of 25 wheat genotypes for different yield and quality parameters. The genotypes Pothowar 93, Shahkar 95 and Kohistan 97 carried maximum dominant genes for important yield and quality traits, and therefore were recommended to be used in further hybridization program for developing quality wheat genotypes.

Dr. Zaheer Ahmad was awarded the Ph.D. degree in the discipline of Plant Breeding and Genetics during 2005. He worked on certain quantitative, quantitative and biochemical attributes in Barley under the supervision of Dr. Saif Ullah Ajmal. On the basis of his results, it was noticed that accessions from Northern Areas possessed early heading, more grain filling period, short plant height, broader leaves, more number of grains for spike and high seed protein. The accessions from Baluchistan had long peduncle length, whereas NWFP entries had higher harvest index and 100 grain weight.

The results obtained from these research experiments can be used by the researchers in their breeding program and ultimately it will be beneficial for the farmers.

Dr. Muhammad Ayub Khan successfully completed his doctorate program and was awarded Ph. D degree during 2008. He worked on estimation of genetic variation in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) germplasm using RAPD markers. Dr. Khan conducted his thesis research under the guidance of Professor Dr. Muhammad Munir.Page text.