MADHYAMGRAM EXPERIMENTAL FARM

Madhyamgram Experimental Farm (MEF) caters the needs of scientists of Bose Institute for successful implementation of their research into translational reality. It not only is an integral part of the research of the plant scientists but the recent addition of a state-of-art Central Animal Facility has provided a new feather to the crown of MEF. This unique facility of international standard has several openings in future. Crop improvement is a continuous process. The plant scientists of Bose Institute work relentlessly for this direction.

The demand of the time has converted the process of crop improvement to adopt several means, viz. biotechnology, transgenic technology and marker assisted breeding. MEF fully supports this trio under one umbrella, which encompasses impeccably maintained agricultural field, advanced biotechnology laboratory and several greenhouses. A number of scientists (Prof. A. N. Lahiri Majumder, Prof. Sampa Das, Prof. D. N. Sengupta, and Dr. S Chaudhuri) are using the laboratory/field and green house facilities for development of abiotic and biotic stress tolerant rice.

Two oilseed crops, one of kharif (Sesame) and the other of ravi season (mustard) have been grown in field in connection to different research programmes. Prof P. K. Saha and Prof. S. Sikder have studied diversity population while Dr. Gaurab Gangopadhyay studied advanced recombinant population of sesame. Prof. Sampa Das, Prof. D Basu and Prof S Sikder have availed both field and green house facilities for mustard improvement programmes targeted towards biotic stress tolerance. Prof Sampa Das has also availed the field facility for growing garlic, pigeon pea and chick pea (along with Prof. D Basu) in ravi season in connection to different research progrmmes.

Prof. Amita Pal, Dr. S. Chaudhuri and Dr. A. Ghosh have used the field facility for the cultivation of Vigna, ground nut and maize respectively. For successful implementation of different molecular biological experiments with tomato and tobacco Dr. P. Kundu, Dr. S. Chaudhuri and Dr. A. Bhuina have used both field and transgenic green house facilities. Prof. Sampa Das also availed green house facility for research on pigeon pea.

In addition to experimental facilities, the Campus is used extensively for outreach programmes..