The Genetics and Plant Breeding Department has major research programs on the improvement of cereals, vegetables and grain legumes through conventional breeding, tissue culture and molecular approaches.

Dr. M. A. Khaleque Mian, Professor and Head;

Dr. Md. Golam Rasul, Associate Professor;

Mr. Umakanta Sarker, Lecturer

Mr. A. K. M. Aminul Islam, Lecturer.

Adjunct Faculty:

Dr. Lutfur Rahman, Professor, Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding, BAU;

Dr. M. A. Newaz, Professor, Dept. of Genetics and Plant Breeding, BAU;

Professor Dr. M. Anwar Hossain, Director (Res.), Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Dhaka University;

Dr. A. W. Julfiquar, CSO, Breeding Div., BRRI;

Dr. Motiur Rahman, BARI;

Dr. Harun-or-Rashid, SSO, Tuber Crop Research Center, BARI;

Dr. Ali Akbar, Ex-PSO, Oilseeds Res. Center, BARI;

Dr. Abdus Samad, PSO, Wheat Res. Center, BARI;

Dr. Md. Farid Uddin Miah, PSO, BARI.

Dr. M. Momtazul Haque, SSO, Genetic Resources Center, BARI;

Dr. Sarwar Hossain Howlader, PSO, Plant Breeding Div., BRRI;

Dr. Md. Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, Associate Professor, SBAU, Dhaka;

Dr. Khairul Bashar, PSO, Genetic Resources and Seed Div., BRRI;

Dr. Md. Jalal Uddin, SSO, Oilseeds Res. Center, BARI;

Dr. Abdul Aziz Jilani Chowdhury, SSO, Oilseeds Res. Center, BARI.

Research Supervisor:

Dr. Md. Nasir Uddin, Ex-CSO, BRRI;

Dr. A. Aziz Miah, Ex-CSO and Head, Biogenetic Engineering Div., BRRI;

Professor Dr. M. Anwar Hossain, Director (Res.), Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Dhaka University;

Dr. A. W. Julfiquar, CSO, Breeding Div., BRRI;

Dr. Motiur Rahman, BARI;

Dr. Harun-or-Rashid, SSO, Tuber Crop Research Center, BARI;

Dr. Ali Akbar, Ex-PSO, Oilseeds Res. Center, BARI;

Dr. Abdus Samad, PSO, Wheat Res. Center, BARI;

Dr. Md. Farid Uddin Miah, PSO, BARI.

Dr. M. Momtazul Haque, SSO, Genetic Resources Center, BARI;

Dr. Khairul Bashar, PSO, Genetic Resources and Seed Div., BRRI;

Dr. Abdul Aziz Jilani Chowdhury,SSO, Oilseeds Res. Center, BARI.

GPB 501 Cytogenetics (3 cr):

Historical events of cell biology and cytogenetics; structure and organization of cell organelles; cell cycle and DNA replication; cell division and its significance; chromosome- structure, organization, morphology and function; special types of chromosomes- sex chromosomes, B-chromosomes, polytene and lampbrush chromosomes; numerical changes of chromosome and its evolutionary significance and uses; structural changes of chromosomes- cytogenetics of deletion, duplication, inversion and interchange; evolution and cytogenetics of some important crops- rice, wheat, sugarcane, pulses, oilseeds, jute, maize, etc.; possible use of cytogenetic tools in crop improvement. (2 theory + 1 practical).

GPB 510 Genetics (3 cr):

Pre-Mendelian concepts of factors, Mendelian inheritance, expression and interaction of genes, multiple alleles, linkage and crossing over, extra nuclear inheritance, quantitative inheritance, genetic consequences of structural and numerical changes of chromosome, gene concept, genetic materials- replication, repair, transformation, transduction, transcription, genetic code, gene regulation and operon concept, protein synthesis, molecular basis of mutation, electrophoretic study in Genetics.

GPB 521 Plant Breeding (3 cr):

Introduction of plant breeding, crop plant origin, distribution and domestication under natural selection, mode of reproduction and their significance in plant breeding, genetic basis of plant breeding, germplasm - collection, evaluation, maintenance and utilization, plant breeding methods- introduction, selection and hybridization, handling of the segregating population, exploitation of male sterility, self-incompatibility and floral biology for hybrid seed production, mutation, polyploid, apomictic breeding.

GPB 531 Quantitative Genetics (3 cr):

Introduction to population genetics, concept of gene and genotype frequencies, Hardy-Wienberg law, inbreeding, assortive mating, Genetic gain and loss of genetic variation (mutation, migration, selection and genetic drift). Introduction to quantitative genetics, statistical concepts and procedures, gene effects and variances, estimation of genetic parameters, non-genetic components of phenotypic variance and heritability, artificial selection. (Prerequisite GPB 510, GPB 521)

GPB 541 Breeding Field Crops (3 cr):

Breeding techniques for rice, wheat, maize, jute, sugarcane, potato, oil crops and pulses. (Prerequisite GPB 521)

GPB 545 Breeding Horticultural Crops (3 cr):

Breeding techniques of vegetable crops- tomato, eggplant, country bean, pea, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, radish, cucumber, sweet gourd, ash gourd, knolkhol, bittergourd, onion, garlic, sweet potato, ladies finger, spinach. Breeding techniques of fruits- banana, papaya, pineapple, melons, mango, jackfruit, litchi and ornamental crops. (Prerequisite GPB 521)

GPB 550: Molecular Genetics (3 cr):

Fine structure of gene. Transcriptional regulations- promoters, enhancers, initiation, elongation and termination factors. Capping, splicing and polyadenylation. Restriction endonuclease, restriction mapping, DNA probe, southern and northern blot. cDNA and genomic library. Gene cloning- insertion of genes into vectors (cutting and joining), selection of transformants. DNA sequencing and gene synthesis. Ribosomal RNA gene, RNA polymerase, foot printing. Agrobacterium (nature's genetic engineer)- Ti-plasmid, Ri-plasmid, t-DNA transfer mechanism, gene transfer via Ti-plasmid. Chloroplast gene structure and regulation. Mitochondrial genomes- structure and gene content. Transport of nuclearly encoded products into organelles. Transposable elements. (Prerequisite GPB 510).

GPB 596 Reading and Conference (Credits arranged but not more than 3 cr):

Special study assigned by the Major Professor on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee and/or interest of the student.

Investigation of special problems in genetics & breeding.

Discussion of Genetics and Plant Breeding topics.

Original thesis research.

GPB 601 Advanced Cytogenetics (3 cr):

Scope of cytogenetic methods as tools in plant breeding, methods and mapping genes- use of deficiency, interchange, inversion and trisomics, relative effectiveness of different methods of cytogenetic tool as direct aid in plant breeding- methods of producing duplication and interchange stocks, methods of transfer of desirable genes, tertiary trisomics, polyploids- autopolyploids, allopolyploids, aneuploids, bridging species- new characters from interspecific hybrids, alien chromosome addition and substitution, cytogenetical basis of self-incompatibility and male sterility with their application in plant breeding. (Prerequisite GPB 501).

GPB 610 Breeding for Disease Resistance (3 cr):

Introduction; genetics of disease causing organism; kinds of resistance- defense mechanism, vertical and horizontal resistance; inheritance of monogenic and polygenic disease resistance; genetics of host-parasite relationships; race identification; epidemics, population and genetic base- boom and bust cycle and vertifolia effect of Van Der Plank; breeding disease resistance varieties- strategy and methods. (Prerequisite GPB 521)

GPB 615 Plant Genetic Resources (3 cr):

Evolution of crop plants, center of origin and diversity, genetic erosion; importance of germplasm in plant breeding; systematic approaches of exploration, collection storage, characterization, evaluation and utilization of germplasm; genetic resources, quarantine regulation for exchanging plant genetic resources, cryopreservation, evaluation and characterization of germplasm, documentation, utilization of germplasm, encapsulation for transportation of germplasm; seed laws, seed production, processing, marketing and quality control.

GPB 631 Plant Biotechnology (3 cr):

Introduction. Cell Engineering and Genetic Engineering. Usefulness of plant cell, Plant tissue culture, protoplast isolation, plant regeneration, totipotenccy, rapid clonal propagation, somaclonal variation, somatic cell hybridization. Construction of plasmid vectors for gene transfer- basic structure and techniques; selection of promoters, markers and 3' noncoding sequences. DNA transfer methods- Agrobacterium mediated transformation, microinjection, electroporation, gene gun (particle bombardment) and others. Plant regeneration from transformed cell. Detection of inserted gene- protein, mRNA, and DNA assay. Stability and inheritance of foreign genes. Transformation of organelle genomes- chloroplast transformation, targeting of gene products. Application of plant biotechnology in crop improvement- insect, disease and herbicide resistance; inhibition of gene expression by antisense RNA; molecular marker assisted selection- use of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in backcross breeding, heterosis and QTL (quantitative trait loci) analysis; isozyme, allozyme and RAPD (Random amplified polymorphic DNA) marker. Problems and perspectives. (Prerequisite GPB 550).

GPB 640 Advanced Plant Breeding (3 cr):

Population improvement-bulk population and inter genotypic competition, methods of utilizing populations, early generation selection and frequency of favorable alleles, allocation of resources for breeding scheme; development and evaluation of parental materials for use in inbred, synthetic and composites- types of parental material and methods of evaluation; prediction of hybrid, synthetics, and composite- parent hybrid correlation; breeding for physiological traits, nutritional quality, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation; breeding techniques applicable for the future- conversion of C3 into C4 plants, breeding nutritionally balanced variety. Participatory plant breeding; intellectual property right. Released of variety, seed production and maintenance of crop variety. (Prerequisite GPB 521).

GPB 645 Breeding for Environmental Stresses (2 cr):

Breeding for adaptation- multi-environmental trial, multiple cropping; drought; water logging; salinity and other stresses. (Prerequisite GPB 521).

GPB 650 Advanced Biometrical Genetics (3 cr):

Introduction, Review of some statistical concepts of biometrical genetics; Gene effects and variances; Estimation of genetic parameters - generation mean analysis, diallel analysis, biparental progenies, design I, II and III; Selection, Genotype X environment interaction. (Prerequisite GPB 531).

GPB 655 Heterosis Breeding (3 cr):

Heterosis- an introduction; history of heterosis breeding; heterosis and inbreeding depression; basis of heterosis, genetic diversity, combining ability and heterosis; estimation of the extert of heterosis; mode of pollination and methods of reproduction in crop plants in relation to hybrid breeding; factor influencing hybrid seed production; use of self-incompatibility and male sterility for hybrid seed production; synthetic and composite varieties- a way of partial utilization of heterosis; population improvement in hybrid varieties; exploitation of heterosis in cereals, vegetables, fruits and ornamentals; heterosis breeding- present and future. (Prerequisite GPB 521).

GPB 660 Population Genetics (3 cr):

Genetic constitution of a population, genetic gain and loss of genetic variation, mutation, migration, selection, joint effect of mutation and selection, genetic drift; genetic variance and correlation, multiple alleles, selfing, sib-mating, small population, selection- the response and its predictions, the results of experiments, information from relatives; inbreeding and cross breeding (Prerequisite GPB 521, GPB 531).

GPB 696 Reading and Conference (Credits to be arranged but not more than 3 cr):

Special study assigned by the Major Professor on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee and/or interest of the student.

GPB 697 Special Problem (Credits to be arranged but not more than 3 cr):

Investigation of special problems not related to a thesis problem.

GPB 698 Seminar (2 cr not more than 1 cr per Term):

Discussion of assigned topics on genetics and plant breeding.

GPB 699 Research (Credits to be arranged but not less than 30):

Original dissertation research.

2  Approved by the Student's Advisory Committee.

Major Courses

Minor Courses

Seminar

2

1

Thesis Research

30

2  Approved by the Student's Advisory Committee.