Brief Information about the Department
High Altitude Plant Physiology Research Centre (HAPPRC) was established in July 1979 by the University of Garhwal under section 4 of the U.P. State University Act 1973 at the initiative of its Founding Director Prof. A.N. Purohit. The Centre has an Alpine Research Station at Tungnath (3600m a.s.l.) and analytical laboratory at Srinagar (550m a.s.l.). In addition to the Alpine Research Station, Centre has established Germplasm conservation site (1.0 ha.) at Baniyakund (2460 m a.s.l.) Chopta, herbal garden (0.2 h) at Pothibasa (2200 m a.s.l.) and Model nursery at Lamkundi; Kulsari (1200 m a.s.l.).
Based on the quality of work done at the Centre and the progress made within a decade of its establishment HAPPRC was conferred with autonomous status within the University by the Executive Council of the University on 23.04.1990 following the recommendations of the Committee of experts constituted for the purpose. After assessing the performance of the Centre, time to time the autonomy was further extended by the Executive Council of the University.
The Centre was established to cover development oriented research, training and teaching on survival, adaptation and productivity of mountain plants. Thus the activities of the Centre are organized under the following groups.
Research
- Tree growth and biomass production.
- Seed biology and reproductive physiology.
- Physiology and Biochemistry of High Altitude Plants.
- Multiplication, cultivation and conservation of high altitude medicinal plants.
Education
- Ph.D. programme in the identified areas of research
- M.Phil. programme in Environmental Plant Biology
- M.Sc. programme in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
- Short-term orientation courses in nursery practices, plant form and functions and conservation.
Extension
- Organization of training/awareness programmes.
- Setting up of demonstration units for cultivation and conservation.
- Diffusion of scientific information through capacity building programmes.
- Distribution of quality planting material.
Infra-structural facilities
The Main Building of the Centre at Srinagar Garhwal houses laboratories, conference hall, committee room, glass houses, net house, polyhouse, nursery and a Biotechnology Block. A tree germplasm collection having 60 mountain tree species planted over an approximate area of 5 hectare land is being maintained by the Centre at Srinagar. The Alpine Research Station of the Centre in 10 acres land is situated at Tungnath (3600 m a.s.l.). The Garden at this Station has about 50 alpine plant species, many of these under various threat categories, and more are added on regular basis. The germplasm conservation unit at Baniyakund also serves as Nature Interpretation Site The sub-station at Pothibasa and field nursery at Lumkundi serve as demonstration units as well as propagatory for these plants to ensure availability of quality planting material.
In addition to the normal laboratory equipments, the Centre has some precision equipments to conduct study on plant physiology and biochemistry, seed physiology, plant biotechnology and plant growth and development. For climate change studies the Centre has installed Open Top Chambers at the Alpine Research Station, Tungnath.