Thrust Areas / Future Research Priorities

 

Future thrusts
A. Crop Improvement
 Breeding for early maturity, high yield with resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses in crops
 Increasing the sustainability in crop yield through development of improved verities by efficient utilization of genetic resources
 Safeguarding the available biodiversity
 Enhancement in application of biotechnological tools and products
 Maintenance breeding of seed chain crop varieties and breeder seed production
 Collection, evaluation, characterization, documentation and conservation of spices diversity and their utilization for improvement in seed yield
 Improvement in medicinal and aromatic plants
 Application of biotechnological tools for genetic enhancement in crops

B. Crop production
 Strengthening of research on conservation agriculture to protect soil, water and environment pollution
 Standardization of integrated crop production and protection techniques for changing/emerging cropping systems
 Standardization and promotion of integrated farming approach for better livelihood security
 Technique standardization for mechanization in agriculture
 Molecular characterization and development of crop specific new strains of Rhizobium & PSB and promotion of PGPR
 Soil health management and bio-farming
 Identification of IPNM, IWM and IPM techniques for spices and vegetables
 Standardization of production and protection techniques for grape and other dry land fruits
 Identification of production techniques for medicinal and aromatic plants
 Fodder production and conservation techniques

C. Crop protection
 Development of forecasting modules for incidence of diseases and pests in changing climatic scenario
 Molecular identification of races/ variants of major diseases and pests of crops and standardization of IPM techniques
 Host plant resistance- mechanism and sources

D. Value addition and marketing
 Establishment of production units for bee keeping, vermin compost, bio-fertilizers and bio-agents with standardization of techniques for maximum production
 High-tech horticulture
 Quality seed and seedling production of vegetables and spices
 Development of pre and post harvest technologies for value addition
 Standardization and promotion of low cost poultry and animal feed
 Standardization and promotion of collective marketing and linkage strengthening
 Export promotion

Agro-climatic zone based research priorities

Agro-climatic zone	Features		Priority crops and cropping pattern
Gird zone	Soil	Alluvial	 Rapeseed & Mustard, Pearl millet, Sorghum, Wheat, Chickpea and Sesame  Emerging- Vegetables & Fruit & Fodder crops  Fallow – Mustard & Pearl millet – wheat/ Chickpea
	Rainfall	566 – 977 mm
	Altitude	52-529 msl
Malwa Plateau	Soil	Deep black soil; Vertisol	 Soybean, Chickpea, Wheat, Maize and Sorghum  Emerging- Vegetables, Flowers, Fruits, Spices & Fodder crops  Soybean – Wheat/ Chickpea
	Rainfall	800-1200 mm
	Altitude	450-675 msl
Nimar valley	Soil	Deep black soil : Vertisol	Soil  Cotton, Maize, Sorghum, Chickpea, Wheat and Pigeonpea  Emerging- Chillies & Tomato  Cotton - Sorghum
	Rainfall	600 – 800 mm
	Altitude	450 – 700 msl
Jhabua hils	Soil	Skeleton gravely	 Maize, Sorghum, black gram, Wheat & Chickpea  Emerging- Vegetables & spices  Mono – cropping
	Rainfall	600 – 800 mm
	Altitude	450 – 700 msl
Vindhyan plateau	Soil	black soil : Vertisol Medium	 Soybean, Wheat, Chickpea, Lentil, Pea, Pigeonpea, Black gram  Emerging- Vegetables, Flowers & Fruits  Soybean–Wheat/Chickpea/Lentil
	Rainfall	1000–1200 mm
	Altitude	350 – 600 msls
Bundelkhand zone	Soil	Clay loam	 Wheat, Chickpea, Sorghum, Sesame, Barley, Vegetable and Spices  Soybean–Wheat/Chickpea
	Rainfall	750 – 1200 mm
	Altitude	266 – 560 msl
	Altitude	52-529 msl