The world’s population is estimated to reach 9.6 billion by 2050, more food and more nutritious food will be needed, making crop plants even more important to feed a hungry world. Plant Breeding is a critical tool to feed the fast-growing global population and to ensure food security in the era of climate change. Plant Breeding and Genetics at Gomal University is a home to many distinguished scientists performing extraordinary in different domains all over Pakistan.

The department provides excellent teaching and research facilities to students and scholars through conventional and non-conventional advance techniques. The faculty and staff are devoted to excellence in education. The department’s goal is to provide state of the art techniques to students and scholars. In addition, the department trains work force to tackle the low production of crop yield i.e. qualitatively and quantitatively to overcome the main problem of food deficiency in the country.

The Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics is currently offering B.Sc. (Hons) 4 years (since 1982), M.Sc. (Hons) 2 years (since 1988) and Ph.D programs (since 1995). During B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. (Hons) students are taught courses and research methodologies related to crop improvement, cytology, cytogenetics, biometry, quantitative genetics, molecular genetics and tissue culture. After completing this degree, students have gained fundamental knowledge in Plant Breeding that can be applied to a range of crops including annual and perennial horticultural crops, agronomic food and feed crops and forestry products. The Department offers advanced courses and research guidance to Ph.D scholars. At present, the department has more than 50 enrolled students (undergraduate and post-graduate). In PBG Department, you will find the teaching and research environment friendly and student centered.

Mission

• Training of human resources, in the field of plant breeding and genetics skilled with conventional and innovative techniques, so that they can deliver emphatically in research and development.
• Capacity building in plant breeding and genetics through Under- and Post-graduate degree programs.
• Up gradation of teaching and research facilities to the international standards for developing human capital to address crop production issues.
• Development/strengthening of linkages with industry sister organizations and foreign scientists / Institutions.
• Development and standardization of breeding and plant genetic methods/procedures in various crop plants.

Objective

• To impart academic and research teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• To plan and conduct basic and applied research in cereals, fiber crops, oil seeds and pulse crops.
• To suggest recommendations to farmers and breeders especially those working on semi-arid zone crops.
• To develop linkages with provincial and national research institutions to undertake collaborative research.
• To produce skilled work force to tackle the food security problems and be able to produce crops with better yield, drought tolerance and high disease resistance.