It consists of Division of Biochemistry and Division of Plant Physiology. These are the largest departments in the country with a faculty strength of 13 and 18 scientists. Advanced basic and strategic research is an integral part of the students' thesis research. Students also gain knowledge in the area of genetics and molecular biology through minor courses. The students of these disciplines are equipped with skill sets used in studies related to large germplasm phenotyping for various component traits, quantification of various plant processes and stress responses using classical physiological and biochemical tools as well as omics tools, biostimulant characterization, climate change impact and mitigation studies, genetic transformation and gene function analysis with transgenic approaches, purification and characterization of useful metabolites, nutritional quality characterization, recombinant protein expression studies, allele mining, genotyping and GWAS, genome editing, computer vision aided high throughput phenotyping for precision agriculture and bioprospecting of germplasm etc. The students are well trained to suit the requirement of agro-industry and research institutions involved in development of crop varieties and crop management technologies.

Molecular basis of male sterility and fertility restoration; genetic engineering for enhanced nutritional quality in crops, delayed fruit ripening; genetic transformation: Development or regeneration in recalcitrant crop plants; rice genome sequencing; regulatory mechanism of photosynthetic efficiency; regulation of photosynthetic efficiency and assimilate partitioning under changed climatic condition in Brassica, rice and sorghum; genetic enhancement of efficient utilization of nutrients; regulatory mechanism of photosynthetic efficiency and assimilate transport in crop plants; genetic enhancement of nutrient use efficiency in crop plants; understanding the mechanism of tolerance to heat stress in wheat using nuclear techniques; development of diagnostic tools for integrated nutrient management in wheat-based cropping system; screening genotypes with improved water use efficiency; isotope signature studies in crops for water use efficiency groundwater resource assessment and pollution characterization. Following are the divisions under this school: