about us
ACTING HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: DR. MRS O. A ONAWUM
Bioscience department comprise of two sections namely Soils & Tree Nutrition and Biotechnology. The department was carved out of the Sustainable Forest Management Department in the year 2015
Mandate
Soils & Tree Nutrition
Biotechnology
SECTION MANDATE
SOILS AND TREE NUTRITION SECTION
Biotechnology section
The section over the years has been able to develop protocols for the micro-propagation of various tree species exotic and indigenous after carrying out several trials, these include Nauclea diderrichii, Khaya senegalensis, Khaya. ivorensis, Parkia sp., Mansonia altissima, Treculia africana,Garcinia kola, Terminalia ivorensis, T. superba among others. It has also been able to carry out the tissue culture of some medicinal and ornamental species like Ficus carpensis, Acacia nilolitica, Eucalyptus calmadulensis, Piliostigma thoningii Albizia lebbeck, Jatropha curcas, etc.
Protocol development for the in vitro and mass propagation of indigenous and exotic tree species
Solving challenges associated with seed dormancy, propagation difficulties towards reforestation/afforestation efforts.
Raising pest- and disease-free seedlings.
Molecular characterization /genetic improvement of forest tree species of economic importance.
Germplasm conservation of threatened and near extinct forest tree species.
Regular training of IT students from different institutions. Students from different institutes in the past have benefited from the Section by paying to carry out their bench work in our laboratories.
An Acclimatization chamber was provided for the purpose of transferring the plantlets to the field. Efforts are on-going at acclimatizing plantlets raised in-vitro prior to their being established in the nursery. I. On-going activities.
Efforts are being made to characterize various tree species for the purposes of improving their genetic make-up hence develop improved species or novel plants.
Efforts are on-going to improve on our micro-propagation activities.
Protoplast fusion: Protoplasts are the cells of which cell walls are removed and cytoplasmic membrane is the outermost layer in such cells. Protoplast fusion is a physical phenomenon, during fusion two or more protoplasts come in contact and adhere with one another either spontaneously or in presence of fusion inducing agents. By protoplast fusion it is possible to transfer some useful genes such as disease resistance, nitrogen-fixation, rapid growth rate, more product formation rate, protein quality, frost hardiness, drought resistance, herbicide resistance, heat and cold resistance from one species to another. Protoplast fusion has been used to combine genes from different organisms to create strains with desired properties. We have not been able to carry this out due to some constraints.
Genetic modification/engineering: this is for the purpose of solving most of the challenges faced through the conventional methods of propagation