Biotechnology in india

In india, biotechnology has gained momentum after 1980-85.The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New delhi has taken  initiative in fundamental and applied aspects of molecular biology and biotechnology. Tissue culture technique and micropropagation have been  adopted for producing seedlings of horticulturally tested varieties of orchids and banana. Protoplast fusion and somatic hybridization have also been applied for producing the rare hybrids of ornaments and vegetable plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New delhi and Indian Council of agricultural Research (ICAR) have taken keen interests towards fundamental studies in molecular biology (such as protoplast culture, tissue culture, organ culture, translation and transcription processes in prokaryotes, immobilization of plant cells, clonal propagation, etc.)

National Biotechnology Board(NBTB) has been set up for promoting research in biotechnology on the whole i.e., in microbial genetics, gene biotechnology, DNA sequencing, genome study, tissue culture, enzyme technology, fermentation technology, immunization technology, gene amplification and DNA finger-printing. In india DNA finger printing was first carried out Dr. Lal ji singh Director, centre for cellular and molecular  biology (CCMB), hyderabad. He was able to synthesize DNA probe by himself for carrying out DNA fingerprinting in india. This techique is applied for solving the complicated problems of murders (in absence of eye witness), rapes an dispute parentage.

United National Industrial Development organization (UNIDO) have taken initiatives in establishing an international  Centre for genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in New delhi to provide tools and techniques for establishing modern biotechnology centres at different Universities and Institutions working in biotechnology and genetic engineering in various developing nations. Lal Bahadur shastri centre for biotechnology has recently been established at IARI, New Delhi  for basic and applied researches in non-gene and gene biotechnology in india.
Advantages of tissue culture in cell culture, organ culture, micropropagation, conservation of rare and endangered germ-plasts, protoplast culture and its use in somatic hybridization and advantages of somaclonal variations have been discussed in coming article of Plant breeding and Tissue culture. They are now widely used in pharmaceutical industries or fermentation based industries.