Agharkar Research Institute

10/04/2026

Exposure Visit of Geography Students to Weather Station at ARI’s Experimental Research Farm, Hol Farm

Geography students of Mugutrao Sahebrao Kakade College, Someshwarnagar (affiliated with Savitribai Phule Pune University) visited the Automatic Weather Station (AWS) at Agharkar Research Institute’s (ARI) Experimental Research Farm, Hol Farm on 8th April 2026 as part of their practical learning experience.

This interactive session deepened their understanding of agro-meteorological applications, highlighting how weather science supports farmers through forecasting services and agro-advisories. The exposure visit successfully connected classroom learning with real-world agricultural research and practices.
Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Vijendra Baviskar

10/04/2026

The parliamentary committee on Empowerment of women led by Dr. D. Purandeswari interacted with the official of Agharkar Research Institute at Mumbai on the subject “Implementation of POSH Act 2013 & Other Welfare measures for Women.”

# Empowerment of Women

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Jyutika Rajwade Bharat Bhushan Rahman Ab

02/04/2026

ARI Research in Media

Scientists at ARI, Pune have decoded the genetic basis of seedlessness in grapes. The breakthrough identifies key genes responsible for seedless fruit formation, paving the way for developing better grape varieties with improved quality and export potential.

Read more:
https://dst.gov.in/scientists-decode-genetic-basis-seed-lessness-grapes

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2247707®=3&lang=2

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar

Scientists have uncovered key genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying seed-lessness in grapes, a trait highly valued by consumers and the grape industry worldwide. Grapes are among the most important horticultural crops globally, with a large share of production consumed as fresh fruit or dr...

02/04/2026

Ms. Florence Mary Kisulu, Head, Coastal Microbiology Laboratory, Kenya Bureau of Standards, visited the MACS Collection of Microorganisms (MCM) for a 2-week training (16–27 March 2026) on preparation, preservation & maintenance of microbial cultures.

During the program, she gained hands-on experience in MALDI-TOF MS, rRNA gene-based authentication, anaerobic cultivation, and bacterial lyophilization—strengthening global collaboration in microbial resource management.

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Kamlesh Jangid

01/04/2026

On , the spotlight is on food waste. Nearly 1 billion tonnes of edible food is wasted every year, with households accounting for almost 60%.

Small actions like mindful consumption, better storage and food recovery can help build a more circular and sustainable future.



Dr Jitendra Singh
Abhay Karandikar
Department of Biotechnology, India CSIR, India Ministry of Earth Sciences Government of India United Nations

27/03/2026

New Research Publication from ARI!

Discovery of a New Drug-Resistant Bacterium from Silkworms Using Modern Genome-Based Naming

Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.syapm.2026.126699
Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Kamlesh Jangid

26/03/2026

महत्वपूर्ण उपलब्धि!
आघारकर अनुसंधान संस्थान (ARI), पुणे को पर्यावरण, वन एवं जलवायु परिवर्तन मंत्रालय (MoEFCC), भारत सरकार द्वारा जैव विविधता अधिनियम, 2002 के अंतर्गत डिज़िग्नेटेड नेशनल रिपॉजिटरी (DNR) का दर्जा प्रदान किया गया है।
MACS सूक्ष्मजीव संग्रह (MCM), 1981 में स्थापित एक अवायवीय एवं चरमजीवी सूक्ष्मजीवों का एक प्रमुख भंडार है, जो WFCC से संबद्ध तथा WDCM (No. 561) में पंजीकृत है। नेशनल फंगल कल्चर कलेक्शन ऑफ इंडिया (NFCCI), 2008 में स्थापित, एक विशिष्ट जर्मप्लाज्म भंडार है, जो WFCC से संबद्ध तथा WDCM (No. 932) में पंजीकृत है।
ARI में स्थित MCM और NFCCI अब एनारोबिक एवं एक्स्ट्रीमॉफिलिक सूक्ष्मजीवों तथा स्वदेशी फंगल विविधता के संरक्षण एवं प्रबंधन हेतु राष्ट्रीय रिपॉजिटरी के रूप में कार्य करेंगे।
MCM वेबसाइट: https://mcm.aripune.res.in
NFCCI वेबसाइट: https://nfcci.aripune.org

Major Milestone!
The Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune has been accorded the status of a Designated National Repository (DNR) by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, under the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The MACS Collection of Microorganisms (MCM), established in 1981, is a leading repository of anaerobic and extremophilic microorganisms, affiliated with WFCC and registered with WDCM (No. 561). The National Fungal Culture Collection of India (NFCCI), established in 2008, is an exclusive germplasm repository, affiliated with WFCC and registered with WDCM (No. 932).
Together, MCM and NFCCI at ARI will serve as national repositories for the conservation and management of anaerobic and extremophilic microorganisms and indigenous fungal diversity.
MCM website: https://mcm.aripune.res.in
NFCCI website: https://nfcci.aripune.org

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Kamlesh Jangid

25/03/2026

एआरआई में हिंदी कार्यशाला का आयोजन

दिनांक 24 मार्च 2026 को आघारकर अनुसंधान संस्थान, पुणे में तिमाही हिंदी कार्यशाला का सफलतापूर्वक आयोजन किया गया। यह कार्यशाला भारत सरकार, गृह मंत्रालय के राजभाषा विभाग द्वारा निर्धारित लक्ष्यों के अनुरूप आयोजित की गई।

इस अवसर पर श्री मनीष धनंजय रामटेके, सहायक निदेशक (राजभाषा), महानिदेशक लेखापरीक्षा (रक्षा सेवाएं), पुणे ने विशेषज्ञ वक्ता के रूप में अपने विचार साझा किए।

कार्यशाला का विषय था:
“संसदीय राजभाषा समिति के निरीक्षण से संबंधित निरीक्षण प्रश्नावली”

कार्यक्रम में प्रतिभागियों ने सक्रिय रूप से भाग लिया तथा राजभाषा कार्यान्वयन से जुड़े महत्वपूर्ण पहलुओं पर विस्तृत चर्चा हुई।
Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar

24/03/2026

Agharkar Research Institute, under the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, has collaborated with the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of AYUSH, through its Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Pune, to undertake an intramural collaborative research study.

The project focuses on exploring Ayurvedic formulations as adjunct therapy to Amphotericin B for the management of experimental models of Aspergillosis.

The study will be led by Dr. Shrirang Jamadagni (PI, CCRAS-HQ) with Dr. Anurag Kumar (Co-PI). From ARI, Dr. Vandana Ghormade (Co-PI) and Dr. Virendra Gajbhiye (Co-PI) are key contributors. The CCRAS team further includes Dr. M. Srinivasan, Dr. Rasika Kolhe, and Dr. B. S. Sharma.

This collaboration integrates modern biomedical research with traditional Ayurvedic knowledge to advance innovative therapeutic approaches.
Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Virendra Gajbhiye Vandana Ghormade

24/03/2026

ARI Research in News: AI for Early Wheat Yield Prediction

An AI-based model can now predict wheat yield early and accurately using field sensor data like NDVI and canopy temperature.

Read more
https://hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/ai-model-enables-early-wheat-yield-prediction-aiding-farm-decisions-101774118609708-amp.html

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Sudhir Nawathye

23/03/2026

New Research Publication from ARI!

Soybean salinity tolerance study found 66 SNPs (20 stable loci). A key SNP, rs.Gm03.39710939 near GmSALT3, controls traits like chlorophyll, scorch, and survival. With 953 epistatic interactions, salinity tolerance is stage-specific. A validated KASP marker enables efficient breeding of salt-tolerant soybean varieties.

Read the full study:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-026-03779-9

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India Dr Jitendra Singh Prashant Dhakephalkar Abhinandan Patil

20/03/2026

New Research Publication from ARI!

The GA-DNN model, integrating NDVI, canopy temperature, and plant height, significantly outperformed traditional models in predicting wheat yield. It demonstrates strong potential for early yield prediction and efficient genotype selection in breeding programs.

Read the full study: doi.org/10.1007/s00122-026-05166-0