INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SUGARCANE RESEARCH (ICAR)

The Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) is an autonomous institute of higher learning under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), functioning under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, for advanced research in sugarcane agriculture. Located on Raibareli Road, Dilkusha, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, the institute originated from recommendations of the Indian Central Sugarcane Committee, with its foundation stone laid on 16 February 1952. It came under direct Government of India control in 1954 and was later placed under ICAR on 1 April 1969. IISR is ISO 9001 accredited and maintains three regional stations, including a Regional Centre at Motipur, Muzaffarpur, Bihar, and a Sugarbeet Research and Development unit in Lucknow, along with a Biological Control Centre at Pravaranagar, Maharashtra. The institute comprises several divisions: Crop Improvement, which develops improved sugarcane varieties and conducts biotechnological research; Crop Production, focusing on agronomy, soil science, and microbiology; Crop Protection, addressing pest and disease management; Physiology and Biochemistry, studying plant growth and sucrose enhancement; and Agricultural Engineering, which evolved from a workshop established in 1952. Together, these divisions support nationwide research coordination, variety development, and technological advancement in sugarcane and sugarbeet cultivation.