Collaboration & Linkages
The Institute has developed a 6- pronged strategy to strengthen its liaison and collaboration activities. As a part of strategy, collaboration, with
(i) International research organizations,
(ii) National research organizations like ICAR/CSIR institutes, Central Line Departments,
(iii) Collaboration with state - level research organizations such as, SAUs, state Line Departments and federations etc,
(iv) Collaboration with private sector such as sugar mills etc.,
(v) Collaboration with local institutes/ organizations at Lucknow have been strengthened. Under its multi-pronged strategy, IISR has developed linkages with various agencies at National and International level as detailed below.
Collaboration with International Research Institutions
The Institute has tried to explore areas of common interest in sugarcane research with Japan and Australia and visits have been undertaken towards this objective in Brazil, Australia, China, Sri Lanka etc. Efforts were also made to establish institutional linkages exist with International Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and International Society of Sugarcane Technologists to participate in the sugarcane genetic resources programme, and with different foreign universities and Governments dealing with sugarcane like, USA, Brazil, Cuba, China, Sri Lanka, Bangla Desh, Vietnam and Australia.
Collaboration with National Research Institutions
The institute has developed linkages with National level research organisations such as SBI, Coimbatore. Under this collaboration, effecting matings/hybridization (crossing) involving proposed parents and supply of viable fluff for raising sufficient seedling populations; and the supply of germplasm for evaluation is carried out. The facility of National Hybridization Garden at Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore is being used by Institute’s Scientists. Every year, the Institute scientists (breeders) under different research projects attempts crossings at National Hybridization Garden, ICAR-SBI, Coimbatore.
The Fluff Supply Programme is also carried out in the institute under the auspices of the AICRP on Sugarcane. The programme deals with the development of sugarcane varieties for subtropical region from the fluff of zonal crosses sent from Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore. At present, the work done under this programme involves the identification of promising genotypes in different clonal generations and not from the seedling population.
IISR has also established linkages with IVRI, Mukteswar as institute’s sugarbeet breeding outpost which is active in producing seed of IISR bred sugarbeet varieties and supplying the seed to the end users. About 50 kg costly seed is produced every year and supplied to different growers/factories for local evaluation/feasibility trials.
The Institute has also strengthened its linkages with national research organization like CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow; CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow; CSIR-CIMAP Lucknow and NSI, Kanpur. Collaboration with national/ state level sugarcane research organizations in the country has also been made through inviting the scientists/officers in the seminar/ brain storming sessions organized at the institute.
Collaboration with Central Line Departments
The Director of the institute represents various policy planning and decision making bodies/organizations/committees working for the development of sugarcane in India. The Director also represents some organizations in their apex-level management/decision making committees. The Directorate of Sugarcane Development, Lucknow sponsored short-term trainings during the year to the Institute. The Institute provides technical information which are disseminated through Directorate of Sugarcane Development. In the past, the Institute had one collaborative project with Space Application Centre (ISRO), Govt. of India. Number of collaborative research projects have been funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi in the past. Even at present, there are ongoing DBT sponsored research projects at the Institute.
Collaboration with State Agencies/state research organizations
The ICAR-IISR, Lucknow has linkages with Sugarcane Research Stations and State Agricultural Universities for testing of technologies developed by the Institute and quick dissemination of viable technologies to the farmers. The institute also liaises with State Sugar Departments and sugar factories for testing and verification of research results of the Institute.
The AICRP on Sugarcane has its co-ordinating unit located at the Institute and is coordinating the sugarcane research development through its 22 different co-operating centres located in different states in the country as shown below, In this way, the Institute its strengthening is linkages with SAUs/other general Universities through AICRP cooperative centres.