Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute is conserving largest number of live germplasm collection of tropical plants among the Botanic gardens in Asia.

Objectives & Mandate

• To make a comprehensive survey of the economic plant wealth of Kerala.
• To conserve, preserve and sustainably utilise the plant wealth of Kerala.
• To introduce, cultivate and culture plants of India/other countries with comparable climatic condition for the economic benefit of Kerala and India.
• To carry out botanical, horticultural and chemical research for plant improvement and utilization.
• To organize germplasm collections of economic plants of interest to the state in the case of those species for which separate centers are not already in existence.
• To establish a model production center for translating the fruits of research to public advantage leading to plant-based industrial ventures.
• To engage in activities, conducive to help botanical teaching and to create public understanding of the value of plant research in general, and the need for preserving our plant wealth.
• To establish an arboretum in approximately half the area of the Garden, with representative specimens of trees of Kerala and India, and trees of economic value from other tropical areas of the world.
• To establish a garden consisting of medicinal plants, ornamental plants and various introduced plants of economic or aesthetic value.
• To establish laboratories for botanical, horticultural and chemical research, with the aim of improvement and utilization of plants of medicinal and ornamental value.
• To prepare a flora of Kerala.
• To establish tissue culture facility with special reference to the improvement of seeds/fruits/flowers and quick and easy propagation.
• To organize breeding for plant improvement and production of hybrid seeds, in the case of species for which such facilities are currently lacking or inadequate.
• To be engaged in garden planning and research.
• To serve as a source of supply of improved plants not readily available from other agencies.
• To do chemical screening of plants of potential medicinal importance.
• To work in collaboration with similar institutes in India and outside
• To promote and establish modern scientific research and development studies relating to plants of importance to India and to Kerala in particular.
  

Thus TBGRI functions for inventory, conservation and sustainable utilization of our plant wealth through appropriate R & D efforts for the welfare of the state and the country at large. Towards achieving this, the Institute had framed time-bound programmes and projects with the financial support from various national and international funding agencies. The following pages will reveal how far we have achieved and how much further to go on.

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