National Facility for Virus Diagnosis and Quality Control (NFVD & QC) was established by the Department of Bio-technology, Government of India. It carries out research studies in the production of virus-free plants through tissue culture process. NFVD & QC also conducts virus diagnosis and quality testing of raised plants.
The facility has been set up in a network mode, with the main center at IARI, New Delhi and five satellite centers at NCL, Pune; TERI, New Delhi; IHBT, Palampur; IIHR, Bangalore and SPIC, Chennai. The centers concentrate on virus diagnosis of horticultural and plantation crops, mainly spices.
For quality testing, tissue culture raised plants are tested for clonal facility. DNA isolation techniques are being standardized for diverse species such as trees, horticultural and ornamental species. Studies were also taken up for characterizing the genetic profiles at various cycles of subculture.
The centers under the facility are continuing their work on developing diagnostic kits and standardizing quality testing parameters/markers for the identified plants. Based on the users needs, some new crops have also been identified.
