The objectives of the center are to
- genetically characterize coastal bioresources, in particular mangroves;
- identify, isolate and characterize novel genetic combinations from mangroves;
- provide characterized pre-breeding material; and
- develop location specific crop varieties offering resistance/ tolerance to coastal salinity.
Mangroves are salt tolerant plant communities occupying the coastal estuarine regions of the tropics. They serve as a vital link between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide livelihood and ecological security for the coastal communities. They comprise of about 60 species, ecologically adapted to the region. Despite their ecological and economic potential, no information is available on genetic composition of these species groups. MSSRF is the first institution worldwide to have undertaken modern molecular marker based analysis of mangroves. These studies have provided substantial information for developing unambiguous identification systems for individual species, elucidating nature and extent of genetic diversity at intra- and inter population level, depicting interspecies relationship and establishing phylogenetic trends in mangroves. Developing location specific conservation strategy and establishment of mangrove genetic resources centre are among the implications of the ongoing efforts on genetic mapping of the mangroves.
MSSRF was the first to propose the concept that mangroves can be invaluable donors of breeding crop genotypes adapted to coastal salinity through recombinant DNA technology. Identification and isolation of novel genetic combinations with implications to abiotic stress were undertaken from the widely distributed mangrove species, Avicennia marina and the wild rice Porteresia coarctata. Enriched gene libraries constructed from these two species are used for identification and isolation of stress tolerant genes. Many novel genetic combinations have been identified, sequenced and characterized from these libraries. Efforts for identification of unique genes in mangroves have also been undertaken using large scale genome sequencing and differential expression analysis. As many as 2000 partial gene sequences from mangroves have been deposited in World wide databases, and thrs has been the first ever bulk submission from any laboratory in India.
Developing crop varieties with resistance to coastal salinity is among the major objectives of the programme. Some of the isolated genes from mangroves were characterised and analyzed for their expression levels in varying saline conditions. Methodologies for construction of vectors for transformation and transformation systems have been established in Tobacco, Rice, Blackgram and Mustard. Transgenic crop plants in the species are in different stages of development. Their performance and safety aspects are being studied as per the stipulated biosafety guidelines and monitoring by the Institutional Biosafety and Bioethics Committee (IBSC) at MSSRF. A containment facility for safety assessment of the transgenics has been developed at the Foundation.
An integrated approach to gene isolation and development of transgenics in locally adapted cultivars and integration of pre-breeding with participatory breeding will help to strengthen the stability and sustainability of the fragile coastal ecosystem on the one hand, and the productivity and profitability of the coastal farming systems, on the other. We are grateful to the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India for their continued financial and technical support over the last 10 years. But for their sustained support, this research of great significance to shaping a better future for coastal communities world-wide would not have been possible.
