Prabir Kumar Saha

 

Sr. Professor & Consultant Scientist

Division of Plant Biology

Ph.D. (Sc.)

 

 

 
   
   

 

 

Awards & Honours:

·            M.N.A.Sc.

  • M.N.A.Sc.

  • Editor, Journal Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology

  • Editor, Indian Journal of Scientific Research

  • Reviewer, African Journal of Biotechnology.

 

 

Membership of Learned Societies:

 

  • Life Member, National Academy of  Sciences

  • Life Member, The International Society of Plant Morphologist, New Delhi

  • Life Member, Botanical Society of Japan, Japan

  • Fellow, Global Academic Society of India

  • Life Member, Society for Biology and Biotechnology

  • Life Member, Indian Science Congress Association

  • Life Member, Botanical Society of Bengal, Kolkata

  • Life Member, Plant Physiology Forum,  Kolkata

  • Life Member, Centre for Science & Technology, Kolkata

  • Research Interest:  Seed Biology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology.

 

Current activities:   Genotyping of Sesamum indicum and their wild relatives.

 

Past Research Works:

 

Isolation and characterization of new naturally occurring chemical constituents from plants:

 

The new compounds are: Rhizophorine from Rhizophora mucronata, Shorbic acid from Shorea robusta, Amarinin from Luffa amara, Trewinine from Trewia nudiflora.

 

 

Seed Biology:

 

            Seed is complicated both structurally and functionally. Seeds may be dormant or non-dormant and their modes of germination are different. Non-dormant seeds are capable of germination immediately after harvest and become non-viable after a period of time. Dormant seeds are unable to germinate until the cause of dormancy is removed. The testa provides various regulatory mechanisms for promoting or inhibiting the germination process by controlling the water uptake pattern in particular. Sal (Shorea robusta) seeds are economically important to the forestry in India. The seeds remain viable only for a very short period after harvest. The non-viability was due to loss of moisture from the seed coat, the cotyledons and the embryo. Hairs present in the viable pod are shed in the non-viable ones. Absorption of water during germination and several factors were important for regulation of seed germination. Seeds can be stored for longer period, as viable ones, for plantation in larger areas. Seeds of different genera of the Family Fabaceae were studied in consideration with the testa structure, water absorption and germination process. Testa of most of the species studied was hard and recalcitrant in nature. Seed colour, size, shape and the details of hilar or micropylar structures in a seed population of a particular species were found to be different. SEM studies revealed the actual Structure of hilum, micropyle and lens (strophiole).  In Cassia, entry points of water during germination entry points of water were either fully open or partially open or closed. Similar observation was recorded with the lens (strophiole) in the seeds. The phenotypic characters of the seeds in a population were also diverse, and status of dormancy of the seeds was also different. It was possible to classify on the basis of two or more groups according to their degree of dormancy and identify the dormant and the non-dormant seeds. Initially the dormant seeds remain impermeable but they become progressively permeable over a period of time and become non-dormant. In Crotalaria striata, phenotypic differences in seeds were utilized for their classification. Seeds were different in a given seed lot. The viability status of the seeds was checked during storage. The phenotypic characters were correlated with the water absorption pattern both in the imbibition and in activation stage. It was observed that in certain seeds water imbibition was uncontrolled and those were non-viable. The process of germination was observed to be dependent on the quantity of water absorbed, and water uptake in turn was dependent on the nature of the testa ultrastructures.

 

Screening and breeding of aromatic rice suitable for West Bengal:

 

            The objective of the study was to screen and identify the aromatic rice genotypes that maintain aroma in the agroclimatic conditions of South Bengal. A total of 270 aromatic rice genotypes (188 from IRRI and 82 from the Indian collection) were tested and 83 lines were identified to retain aroma in grains in our Experimental Farm at Madhyamgram. In 46 genotypes crosses were made and seeds were obtained from 33 of these crosses. The parents involved in the crosses were characterized agronomically.   

 

Micropropagation of cane:

 

            Investigation was carried out to overcome the factors related to standardization of micropropagation techniques in cane. The selected explant was found to proliferate in BMY3 medium. Sucrose concentration of 5.0% w/v with pH 5.6 was found to be optimum for explant proliferation. In vitro established explants were treated with different hormonal combinations to induce axillary bud proliferation. Explant establishment was dependent on their lengths as well as the plantlets from where the explants were derived. Explants of length 1.5 - 2.0 cm showed a higher rate of growth under culture conditions.

 

Improvement of oilseed Brassica: 

 

            Brassica juncea commonly known as mustard is a major oil yielding crop of India. Yellow seeded mustard, developed recently, is being cultivated in few restricted zones. In spite of having several good qualities, it cannot be utilized as seed stalk due to its aphid susceptibility. A probable approach was to develop an improved yellow seeded variety with aphid tolerance character and better yield components. Hybridization between RJ -15, a yellow seeded variety, with RLM - 198, declared tolerant black testa mustard was done. Conventional and in vitro anther culture techniques were utilized to obtain the recombinants. They were screened in F2 and A2 generation. It was possible to isolate a few genotypes, relatively aphid tolerant in yellow seeded background with higher oil content. In the cultivars RLM - 198 and RJ - 15 of mustard (B. juncea) microspores formed callus. Treatment of floral buds at 8-10oC for four days resulted in the highest percentage of microspore calli. On subculture the microspore calli produced plantlets through embryogenesis. The plant regeneration efficiency of the calli induced on 2, 4-D-supplemented medium was less that on NAA-supplemented medium; cv. RLM - 198 showed a higher per cent of callus formation and regeneration potential than did cv. RJ - 15. Rooting of shoots was induced by using Gamborg's B5 medium without vitamins but supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA. Seed meal obtained after oil extraction is used as animal feed. But glucosinolate and its hydrolysed product in seed meal produce toxic effect, when animal is fed on it. Few low glucosinolate containing lines were obtained.

Name of group members with present status: 

    

      Dr. Ramit Poddar, Technical Officer- I;

      Ms. Surnajana Sarkar, SRF

 

Important publication:

 

  1. A convenient method for analysis of momilactone. P. K. Saha, K. Hatakeda, T. Kato, S. Yamanaka and N. Takahashi.  Japanese Jour. Crop Sci. 50(3): 382-387 (1981).

  2. Amarinin: A new growth inhibitor from Luffa amara. S. Mukherjee, T. Ganguly, A. K. Shaw, S. N. Ganguly and P. K. Saha. Pl. & Cell Physiol. 27(5): 935-938 (1986).

  3. Chilling effect on seed longevity and secondary dormancy in Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. Environ. P. K. Saha and N. Takahashi. Control in Biol. 24(1): 27-32 (1986).

  4. SEM studies on morphological diversities in the seeds of Cassia tora Linn. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 20: 85-91(1992).

  5. Germination behaviour of two morphologically different types of seed of Cassia tora at different temperatures. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Weed Res. 37(2) : 87-92 (1997).

  6. Qualitative and quantitative estimation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the seeds of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. A. Bhattacharya,  B.  Das and P. K. Saha. J. of Tropical Forest Research 11(3): 528 – 536 (1999).

  7. Effect of dormancy breaking treatments on testa   ultrastructures and water uptake patterns of Albizia procera seed. B. Das and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 27(2): 615 – 625 (1999).

  8. Study of androgenesis using morphometrics and regenaration in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Czern. and Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology 5: 59-64 (2004).

  9. Ultrastructural dimorphism of micropyle determines differential germinability of Sesbania cannabina seeds. B. Das and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 34: 384-395 (2006).

  10. Effect of different plant hormones on callus induction in Gymnema sylvestris R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae). A. Roy, S. Ghose, M. Chaudhuri and P. K. Saha. African Journal of Biotech. 7: 2209-2211 (2008).

Ongoing Research Project: Improvement of Plants: Biotechnological, Genomic and Proteomic Approaches.

 

Past students completed Ph.D.:  5

 

Reports / Monographs/ Books:

 

  1. Management of Minor Forest Products for Sustainability (Eds. M. P. Shiva and R. B. Mathur). A. Roy, P. K. Saha, B. B. Mukherjee and S. Gupta. In: In vitro propagation of cane (Calamus rotang Linn.); Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi, pp. 160-163 (1996).
  2. Effect of physical and chemical treatments on testa of Cassia tora L (Eds. M. Mahdevappa and V.C. Patil; Vishwakala Printers, Bangalore). P. K. Saha, A. Bhattacharya, M.B. Chetti, S.M. Hiremath and C.M. Nawalagatti. First International Conference on Parthenium (Vol. II), pp. 65 – 69 (1997).
  3. Water uptake patterns in Cassia tora L. as influenced by different seed types. B. Das, A. Bhattacharya, P. K. Saha, M.B. Chetti and S.M. Hiremath. Ibid. pp. 70 – 73 (1997).
  4. Enhancement of storage longevity of safflower seeds by some plant extracts under adverse storage environment. S. K. Das, C. K. Pati, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. Proceedings of the National Conference, 2003 ‘Recent environmental changes-impact on health, agriculture and ecosystem’ pp. 30-35 (2005) World View, Kolkata.
  5. Naturally occurring phytochemicals and germination in Shorea robusta Garertn. f. seeds. S. Sarkar (nee:Roy), R. Poddar and P. K. Saha. Advances in Plant Biology. Eds. S. Mandal and S. Bhattacharya. pp. 187-194 (2009).
  6. Physiology and biochemistry of seed deterioration and techniques of seed invigoration. A. Bhattacharya, U. K. Knap and P. K. Saha. Ibid. pp. 461-481(2009).

 

Full Publication:

  1. Abscisic acid in the leaf of Cryptomaria japonica. P. K. Sircar, T. Ganguly, P. K. Saha, S. N. Ganguly and S. M. Sircar. Pl. Biochem. Jour. 1: 1-4 (1974).
  2. Chemical examination of viable and non-viable rice seeds. A. Chatterjee. P. K. Saha, P. Dasgupta, S. N. Ganguly and S. M. Sircar. Physiol. Plant. 38: 307-308 (1976).
  3. Rhizophorine, a new indole acid plant growth inhibitor from Rhizophora mucronata. P. K. Saha, T. Ganguly, S. N. Ganguly and S. M. Sircar. Pl. Biochem. Jour. 5: 65-68 (1978).
  4. Chemical examination of the leaves of Sonneratia apetala Ham. A. Sarker, P. K. Saha, and S. N. Ganguly. Trans. Bose Res. Inst. 42: 13-14 (1978).
  5. Shorbic acid, a new phenolic acid from the seeds of Shorea robusta. P. K. Saha and S. N. Ganguly. Fitoterapia 50: 7-9 (1979).
  6. Seed dormancy and water uptake in Crotalaria sericea Retz. P. K. Saha and N. Takahashi. Ann. Bot. 47: 423-425 (1981).
  7. Trewinine, a new cucurbitacin from Trewia nudiflora. P. K. Saha, S. Mukherjee, A. K. Shaw, T. Ganguly and S. N. Ganguly. Fitoterapia 52: 231-233 (1981).
  8. A convenient method for analysis of momilactone. P. K. Saha, K. Hatakeda, T. Kato, S. Yamanaka and N. Takahashi. Japanese Jour. Crop Sci. 50: 382-387 (1981).
  9. Effect of fatty acids and growth regulators on germination of Shorea robusta seeds. P. K. Saha and S. N. Ganguly. Trans Bose Res. Inst. 47: 143-136 (1984).
  10. Amarinin: A new growth inhibitor from Luffa amara. 10. S. Mukherjee, T. Ganguly, A. K. Shaw, S. N. Ganguly and P. K. Saha. Pl. & Cell Physiol. 27: 935-938 (1986).
  11. Gibberellin from anther of Cassia tora. P. K. Saha, T. Ganguly and S. N. Ganguly. Trans. Bose Inst. 49: 29-32 (1986).
  12. Chiling effect on seed longevity and secondary dormancy in Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. Environ. P. K. Saha and N. Takahashi. Control in Biol. 24: 27-32 (1986).
  13. Spectrofluorometric determination of endogenous level of GA3 in the seeds of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Trans. Bose Res. Inst. 52: 101-103 (1989).
  14. Ultrastructure of seed coat and water uptake pattern of seeds during germination in Cassia sp. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 18: 97-103 (1990).
  15. Chemical examination of the whole plant of Coix lacryma-jobi L. 15. S. Biswas, A. R. Bal and P. K. Saha. Trans Bose Res. Inst. 54: 1-2 (1991).
  16. Ultrastructure of seed coat and seed viability in Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Phytomorphology 41: 1-5 (1991).
  17. n-tricontanol from the seeds of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. A. Bhattacharya, P. K. Saha and S. N. Ganguly; 1992. Adv. in Pl. Sci. 5: 225-227 (1992).
  18. Problem with regard to loss of viability of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. P. K. Saha, A. Bhattacharya and S. N. Ganguly. Indian Forester 118: 70-76 (1992).
  19. SEM studies on morphological diversities in the seeds of Cassia tora Linn. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 20: 85-91 (1992).
  20. SEM studies on seed coat morphology and water uptake patterns in the seeds of Crotalaria striata Linn. S. Biswas and P. K. Saha. Trans Bose Res. Inst. 56: 43-50 (1993).
  21. Screening and breeding of aromatic rice suitable for South Bengal (West Bengal). J. Sen, R. Poddar, J. S. Murthy, C. Roy, P. K. Saha and T. K. Ghose.. Rice Biotech Quart. 21: 15-16 (1994).
  22. Studies on breakage of dormancy in the classified seeds of Cassia tora L. A. Bhattacharya, B. Das and P. K. Saha. Trans. Bose Res. Inst. 57: 1-4 (1994).
  23. Salinity induced changes on some cultivars of rice. J. Natn. A. Roy, R. Poddar and P. K. Saha. Bot. Soc. 49: 21-25 (1995).
  24. Studies on seed viability of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. P. K. Saha, S. Biswas, B. Das and S. N. Ganguly. J. of Non Timber Forest Product 2: 61-62 (1995).
  25. Regeneration from cultured floral parts from two cultivars of Brassica juncea (Czern. and Coss.). A. Roy, R. Poddar and P. K. Saha. Environ. & Ecol. 15: 1-3 (1997).
  26. Germination behaviour of two morphologically different types of seed of Cassia tora at different temperatures. A. Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. Weed Res. 37: 87-92 (1997).
  27. Induction and plant regeneration from microspore callus in two Indian cultivars of mustard (B. juncea Czern. & Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. Proc. Indian Natn. Sci. Acad. B 63: 89-98 (1997).
  28. Factors involved during in vitro culture of Calamus rotang. A. Roy and P. K. Saha. J. of Tropical Forest Science 10: 225-232 (1997).
  29. Dormancy status as influenced by hilum in phenotypically characterised seeds of Pachyrhizus angulatus Rich. Ex. Dc. and breaking of dormancy. S. Biswas, B. Das and P. K. Saha. J. Natn. Bot. Soc. 51: 53 – 60 (1997).
  30. Qualitative and quantitative estimation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in the seeds of Shorea robusta Gaertn. f. A. Bhattacharya, B. Das and P. K. Saha. J. of Tropical Forest Research 11: 528 – 536 (1999).
  31. B. Das and P. K. Saha. Effect of dormancy breaking treatments on testa ultrastructures and water uptake patterns of Albizia procera seed. Seed Sci. & Technol. 27: 615 – 625 (1999).
  32. Altered segregation ratio in microspore derived plant progenies generated from F1 hybrids in Brassica juncea (Czern. & Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. Pl. Cell Biotech. & Mol. Biol. 1: 115 – 122 (2000).
  33. Surface morphology of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaves. K.K. Mukherjee, M. Roy, P. K. Saha and S.N. Ganguly. Phytomorpholgy 50: 125 – 131 (2000).
  34. Development of low glucosinolate containing genotype in Brassica juncea (Czern. & Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. J. Natn. Bot. Soc. 55: 49 – 54 (2001).
  35. Determination of optimal bud size for higher frequency of microspore derived callus induction and regeneration in two cultivars of mustard (Brassica juncea). P. K. Saha and A. Roy. Plant Tissue Culture 11: 127 – 132 (2001).
  36. Viability extension of Indian bean seeds by herbal methods. S. K. Das, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. J. Natn. Bot. Soc. 56: 17 – 26 (2002).
  37. S. K. Das, S. Biswas, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. SEM studies and water uptake patterns in the seeds of Bauhinia variegata Linn. Environ. & Ecol. 21: 317 – 320 (2003).
  38. Effect of some plant extracts on maintenance on viability of Indian bean seeds under artificial stress storage environment. S. K. Das, C. K. Pati, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. Environ. & Ecol. 21: 780 – 786 (2003).
  39. S. K. Das, C. K. Pati, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. Invigoration of deteriorating Indian bean seeds by some plant extracts. Sci. & Cult. 70: 167 – 168 (2004).
    Enhancement of potential status of mung bean and gram seeds by herbal method. J. Bhar, R. K. Das, P. K. Saha and A. Bhattacharjee. Environ. & Ecol. 22 (3): 696 – 700 (2004).
  40. Study of androgenesis using morphometrics and regeneration in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Czern. and Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology 5: 59-64 (2004).
  41. Successful storage of mung bean and gram seeds by herbal method. J. Bhar, R.K. Das, P. K. Saha and A. Bhattacharjee. J. Botan. Soc. of Bengal 59: 63-66 (2005).
  42. Isolation of low erucic acid-containing genotype of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea Czern. and Coss.). A. Roy and P. K. Saha. African Journal of Biotechnology 5: 2092-2096 (2006).
  43. Testa ultrastructures, water uptake pattern and seed germination of some medicinally important plants of Fabaceae. B. Das, S. Roy, G. Gangopadhyay, R. Poddar and P. K. Saha. J. Botan. Soc. of Bengal 60: 50-64 (2006).
  44. Ultrastructural dimorphism of micropyle determines differential germinability of Sesbania cannabina seeds.B. Das and P. K. Saha. Seed Sci. & Technol. 34: 384-395 (2006).

  45. Maintenance of seed vigour and viability of sunflower by some plant extracts under stressful storage environment. S. Das, A. Bhattacharjee and P. K. Saha. J. Botan. Soc. of Bengal 61: 187-191 (2007).

  46. Hardening - an essential step for tissue culture-raised plants.  A. Roy and P. K. Saha. The Special Issue of Acharya J. C. Bose on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary. Sci. & Cult. 74: 473-475 (2008).

  47. Influence of sodium dikegulac on growth, metabolism and yield of safed musli. J. Bhar, U. K. Knap, A. Bhattacharya, K. Dey and P. K. Saha. Indian J. Plant Physiol. 34: 400 – 404 (2008).

  48. Effect of different plant hormones on callus induction in Gymnema sylvestris R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae). A. Roy, S. Ghose, M. Chaudhuri and P. K. Saha. African Journal of Biotech. 7: 2209-2211 (2008).

  49. SEM studies and atatus of micropyle for germination in the seeds of Bauhinia acuminata Linn. S. Biswas, S. Sarkar (Nee Roy), A. Saha, R. Poddar and P. K. Saha. J. Botan. Soc. Bengal 63(2): 105-110 (2009).

  50. Mass in vitro propagation of Rosa hybrida cv. King’s Ransom through enhanced axillary shoot formation. A. Roy, J. Dutta, A.Bhattacharya and P. K. Saha. The Icfai Univ. J. of Life Sci. 3: 38-42 (2009).

 

Contact information

   

    Email Id                 : pksbi3333@yahoo.co.in 

                                     pksaha@bosemain.boseinst.ac.in

    Telephone No.       : 033-23031126

    Mobile No. :       9433139089