Group Leader:

Dr. Mehboob-ur-Rahman, Pride of Performance    

Dy Chief Scientist

Team members:

1. Mr Muhammad Mohsan (Senior Scientist)
2. Ms. Shumila Ishfaq (Res Tech)                              
3. Ms. Sana Zulfiqar (PhD Student)
4. Ms Saba Zafar (PhD student)                           

Mission: Improving the livelihood of resource poor farming community through developing resilient cotton and wheat cultivars by bridging breeding and genomic tools.

Area of interest

Plant Genomics & Molecular Breeding Group has been involved in understanding cotton and wheat genomes using different various genomic assays including conventional DNA fingerprinting approaches and non-conventional genomic assays. We successfully identified QTLs and associated DNA markers associated with various traits of interest using biparental populations as well as genomic wide association studies. Presently, we are involved in re-sequencing 250 cotton lines/cultivars/obsolete varieties for identifying SNPs and genes conferring various traits. Our grouped has also developed several germplasm resources through exposing various cotton and wheat genotypes with chemical mutagens, and successfully improved the traits in wheat—identified ‘R gene’ by sequencing the exon regions of 10 mutant wheat lines. In future, mutant of cotton and wheat will be sequenced using NGS and novel traits will be identified through the cooperation of our international research groups.

Funded Projects:

1. Mining Of Elite Genes For High Yield, Super Fiber Qualities and Heat Tolerance and their Usages in Improving Pak and China Cotton Cultivars (Approved, 7.64 million, Pak-China).
2. Identification  of  disease  and insect  resistant mutants  using  SSRs  and  NextGen  sequencing  tools  for  improved  wheat  yield  in  Pakistan (Approved, Rs. 3.7 million HEC)
3. Identification of DNA markers (Gene Mapping) linked with resistance to cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) for production of CLCuV resistant cotton (Approved)
4. Characterization of mutants derived from EMS-derived Gandum-1 for rust and drought tolerance for sustaining wheat yield in Pakistan” (CS 049) under ALP scheme (Approved 9.9 million).

Recognitions

International:

1. International Cotton Advisory Committee Cotton researcher of the Year 2014 Laureate 
2. Third World Academy of Sciences Award in Applied Science-Technology in Agriculture (under 40 in Agriculture)--2011

National

1. PAS Gold Medals in Agricultural Sciences, including Veterinary Sciences and Forestry - 2020.
2. Letter of Recognition from Seed Association of Pakistan March 18, 2017.
3. Shield from the Govt of Pakistan (Min Tex) for recognizing his services rendered for cotton research and development, June 11, 2014
4. Civil Award: Presidential Award for Pride of Performance—2012, presented by the President of Pakistan 
5. Farmer Associate of Pakistan Award in Agriculture 2012.
6. LCCI Research Scientist Award-2010 along with Rs. 0.50 million, presented by Prime Minister of Pakistan on 18 Sept 2010.
7. A Letter of Appreciation by Seed Association of Pakistan dated 31 Jan 2011
8. Outstanding Scientist: Biotechnology (1^st Position) Award-2009
9. Pakistan Atomic Energy Performance GOLD MEDAL-2009
10. Won five research productivity awards.Stood first in “Agriculture Sciences” for Research Productivity Award 2013-14 and 2017-18.
11. Presidential Young Innovator Award-HEC, 2007

List of approved varieties