Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow: Envisioning improved sugarcane production technology for high yields and high sugar recovery in India

Abstract

The Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) is a leading crop science research institute of India conducting research on fundamental and applied aspects of sugarcane cultivation as well as to coordinate the research work on sugarcane in different states of the country. Established on February 16, 1952, the Institute has expanded considerably in terms of infrastructure. The Institute has 5 full-fledged Divisions and carried out pioneering research work on crop improvement, crop production, crop protection, crop mechanization and crop quality management aspects of the sugarcane crop. The Institute has all requisite modern facilities and is all set to share its research facilities and professional manpower with other agencies/institutions working on the cause of sugarcane development in India. To impart a still bigger role, the institute is thinking of a need for a key shift from sugarcane research systems to sugarcane innovation systems that need to have a guiding agenda ‘developmental’ rather than ‘scientific’, relations involved ‘diverse and consultative’ rather than ‘narrow and hierarchical’, and the partners in various combinations of scientists, entrepreneurs, farmers, developments workers and policy actors from the public and private sectors rather than scientists in other public agencies.