The Distributed Information Sub Centre (Sub-DIC) under the Biotechnology Information System Network (BTISnet) programme of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi, was established at CPCRI in December 2000. The Bioinformatics Centre, CPCRI has taken up creation of databases on biotechnological aspects of coconut, cocoa and arecanut and provide information retrieval services in Biotechnology topics.

Objectives

• Provide up to date information in the field of biotechnology to plantation crops research workers.

• Make available latest software’s and databases in the field of biotechnology.

• Conduct training on topics related to computer application in Biotechnology and   information retrieval.

• Establish linkages with other organizations working on similar topics and make arrangements for  sharing of  information and resources.

• Develop bibliographical databases, gene data banks and molecular data banks related to plantation crops.

• Develop a putative gene database for coconut, cocoa and oilpalm and functional genomics.

Mandate

• Collection, collation and dissemination of information on coconut,  arecanut and cocoa.

• Developing Bioinformatics databases for the need of scientific community.

• Act as a Centre of biotechnology & bioinformatics related information for these Crops.

• Act as national training centre for varoius softwares related to Bioinformatics & Biotechnology.

Achievements

This Centre has developed the following database/ Protocols and conducted 15 training programme for the year 2001 to 2010.

Developed Databases

• Coconut Cultivar Identification (web based).
• Coconut Disease Database (web based).
• Vegetable Oil Database (web based)
• Microbial Information Systems on Plantations crops.
• Pest Control Management System
• Coconut Microsatellite Database.
• Mining EST Libraries for Molecular Markers in Cocoa & Oil Palm (MEMCO)
• Phytoplasma database.
• Palm Database
• Copgene Database
• Stress Gene Database
• Coconut Germplasm Database.
• Arecanut Germplasm Database
• Cocoa Germplasm Database
• CORPK Database
• Dspace - Full text Literature Database.

Web based protocols for coconut tissue culture studies and molecular markers    studies.

Bioinformatics Webpage

Bioinformatics web page is accessible at the site http://bioinfcpcri.org where necessary links are available to access various services offered by the Bioinformatics centre. *