ICAR-IASRI Annual Report 2018-19

Abstract

ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (ICAR-IASRI),is an ISO 9001:2015 certified Institute with glorious tradition of carrying out research, teaching and training in the area of Agricultural Statistics and Informatics. This report highlights the research achievements made, new methodologies developed, consultancy services provided, significant methodological and computational support, dissemination of knowledge acquired and human resource development. The scientists, technical personnel, administrative, finance and other staff have put in their best efforts in fulfilling the mandate of the Institute. During the year, research was carried out under 86 research projects (32 Institute funded, 03 Collaborative, 51 externally funded), one National Fellow Scheme and 07 Consultancy Projects in various thrust areas. A landmark for the Institute this year is that under FAO funded consultancy mode, three separate sampling methodologies for estimating post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables), livestock (meat and milk) and fish (capture and culture fisheries) have been developed. Guidelines for estimating post-harvest losses of horticultural crops (fruits and vegetables) and livestock products (meat and milk) were field tested in Mexico and Zambia respectively. A modified sampling methodology for estimation of area and production of horticultural crops was developed which is efficient, simple, less time consuming and cost effective. In order to strengthen the existing system of generation of Agricultural Statistics, a pilot study for developing state level estimates of crop area and production on the basis of sample sizes recommended by Professor Vaidyanathan Committee report was completed. An innovative methodology for small area estimation of proportions or counts under an area level spatial version of the generalized linear mixed model that incorporates the sampling information of complex survey design used in survey data has been developed. The Indian NARS Statistical Computing Portal is being extensively used throughout NARES and helped the researchers in analyzing their data in an effective manner. In ICAR Research Data Repository for Knowledge Management i.e. KRISHI (Knowledge based Resources Information System Hub for Innovations in Agriculture), via ICAR Geo-Portal, visualization of paddy residue burning places in Punjab, Haryana and UP using Satellite Remote Sensing during 01-10-2018-30.11.2018 was made available on daily basis. A series of generalized row-column (GRC) designs for crop and animal experiments balanced for spatial indirect effects have been developed. Construction and analysis of incomplete split-plot designs have also been done. Crop yield forecasting under Forecasting Agricultural output using Space Agro meteorology and Land based observation (FASAL) scheme has been done for obtaining wheat crop yield forecasts at different growth stages for Delhi region. Technology forecasting of future scenario of Bt technology in Indian agriculture has been done. A new Von- Bertalanffy stochastic differential equation model has been proposed under decreasing stochasticity with respect to unequal carrying capacity in drift and diffusion terms and exact solution has been obtained. Algorithm for combination of Wavelet-Regression and Wavelet-ANN model has been proposed in order to forecast the time series observations. In the area of statistical genetics, sire and error components following different combinations of distributions viz., normal, beta, Cauchy and t-distribution by four different methods i.e. ANOVA,ML, REML and MIVQUE methods with different parametric values of heritability have been obtained. A statistical approach, based on a composite measure of maximum relevance and minimum redundancy, which is both statistically sound and biologically relevant for informative gene selection has been proposed. Moreover, an innovative statistical approach called Gene Set Analysis with QTLs (GSAQ) for interpreting gene expression data in context of gene sets with traits has been proposed. Development of model web-server and Mobile App for wheat crop variety identification using throughput SNP genotyping data has been done. This is the world’s first of its kind model web server for crop variety identification using >350 Indian wheat varieties and Axiom 35 K SNP chip data. Uncovering genomic regions associated with 36 agro-morphological traits in Indian spring wheat using genome-wide association study (GWAS) was also done. For exploring the epigenetic control of heat stress responses in wheat for characterizing the regulatory networks associated with thermo-tolerance, construction of Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) of heat responsive genes using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and identification of hub genes in subnetworks have been done. A comprehensive database called RiceMetaSysB of rice blast and bacterial leaf blight disease responsive genes in rice has been developed. Genomic data analysis to elucidate the regulatory network and candidate genes underlying cytoplasmic male sterility in pigeonpea has been done. For computational and analytical solutions for high-throughput biological data, the SNP genotyping data of 1762 swamp buffaloes for three traits: fat, protein and milk yield from NBAGR, Karnal has been received and GWAS was performed. High throughput Phenomics-Data Analysis Platform (HtP-DAP) has been designed and developed to support the analysis of large-scale image data sets of crop plants captured by different camera systems. In order to elucidate the mechanism of Pashmina fibre development via an OMICS approach, the binary alignment map (bam) files of the Pashmina goat transcriptome were analyzed. Mango (Amrapali) genome assembly has been completed and completeness of mango genome assembly was evaluated using BUSCO (Benchmarking Universal Single Copy Orthologous) approach and its result revealed 91.4% completeness of assembly. Development of non-linear model for multi-trait genomic selection has been done using multi-variate least absolute shrinkage and selection (MLASSO) technique along with kernel technique. In addition, development of a software named Genomic Selection Tool (GST) has been developed for web platform for single-trait and multi-trait genomic selection. A platform on integrated genomics warehouse has been developed using open source software tools. ICAR-Data Centre (DC) at our institute is consistently stepping up with industry standard practice with ISO:27001 & ISO:20000 certification and is serving ICAR institutes to enrich Digital India initiative. Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh launched online Training Management Information System (TMIS) and Foreign Visit Management System (FVMS) during the VCs and Directors’ Conference on 31st of January 2019. Krishi Vigyan Kendra Knowledge Network or KVK Portal and KVK Mobile App have been developed to disseminate knowledge and information from KVKs to farmers. Farmer FIRST Programme (FFP) Portal has been developed which provides basic and detailed information of all projects under this programme. The ICAR-ERP system (http://icarerp.iasri.res.in) has been customized with new functionalities and reports. During the year, 14 training programmes (Five under Centre of Advanced Faculty Training, one Winter School, three training programmes under HRM and five other training programmes) were organized in which 234 participants were imparted training. During the year, a total of 18 students [3 Ph.D. (Agricultural Statistics), 7 M.Sc. (Agricultural Statistics), 4 M.Sc. (Computer Application), 1 Ph.D. (Bioinformatics) and 3 M.Sc. (Bioinformatics)] got their respective degrees. During 2018-19, the Institute has published 155 research papers in National and International refereed Journals along with more than 100 other publications.