Cytology

Cytology Section

The cytological section in Botanical Survey of India came into existence on April, 13, 1954 on the recommendation of Dr. E.K. Janaki Ammal, the Officer-on- Special Duty for reorganization of the Botanical Survey of India.   She took active interest and initiated a programme of preparing ‘Chromosome Atlas for the Flora of India’. She also made extensive cytotaxonomical studies of Rouvolofia and aquatic genus like  Nymphea. Till late nineties, the cytology section under Central Botanical Laboratory was actively engaged in the Chromosomal Survey of Indian flora and in other applied aspects of cyto-chemical investigations.  Later on, due to the superannuation of official staff, this section became nonfiction. The work of this section has led to determination of more than 1100 chromosome number of which more than 120 reports are recorded for the first time. More than 100 scientific papers on cytotaxonomy, cytoecology, cytochemistry, and others have been published from this section.  As per recommendation of constituted committee Headed by Prof. H.Y. Mohan Ram & Prof. C.R. Babu as member and efforts of Director, Botanical Survey of India this section was restarted in 2015 at Central Botanical Laboratory, Howrah. Till now 03 scientific projects were successfully completed.  At present this section is functional at CBL, BSI, Howrah; BSI, CRC, Allahabad, BSI, NRC, Dehradun and BSI, WRC, Pune.

Presently following Scientific staffs are involved in Cytological studies:

1.      Dr. Puneet Kumar, Scientist-C,   BSI, NRC, Dehradun.

2.      Dr. Ashutosh Kumar  Verma, Scientist-C,   BSI, CRC, Allahabad

3.      Dr. Monika Mishra, Botanical Assistant, CBL, BSI, Howrah

4.      Mrs. A.M. Neelima, Botanical Assistant, BSI,WRC, Pune.

 Completed Projects:

1.      Cytolgical investigations of some selected Angiosperms of AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah.

2.      Cyto-taxonomical studies of selected taxa of Indian subtribe Cassiinae Irwin & Barneby.

3.      Exploration and evaluation of cytomorphological diversity in the grasses of cold deserts of Pangi Valley.

Ongoing Projects:

1.      Seed morphology and cytotaxonomy of some selected Orchids of Northern Western Ghats.

2.      Chromosome count in genus  Impatiens  of Sikkim/Darjeeling.