Botany Research Facilities - Govt. Victoria College

0491-2576773
victoriapkd@gmail.com
Kerala, India 678 001

Department of Botany

Infrastructure

Library

The Department of Botany is having an excellent computerized library facility with more than 3500 reference books in 30 different disciplines and currently the department subscribes 10 indexed journals of national reputation. In addition to this, the department provides more than 150 e-book resources for the easy reference of updated information in modern branches of Biology. Moreover internet facility is freely provided for students to keep them updated on the recent developments in the research field. The department is having an excellent reading facility with sufficient furniture and effective display of books and journals. The computerization of the library stock has effected easy location of the books in the library. Internet and photocopy facility are also available.

Research Lab

The Department of Botany has already been recognized as the Research Department under the University of Calicut and carry out PhD programme in Plant Systematics Phytochemistry , Microbiology & Plant Pathology. The equipment available at the department are sufficient for carrying out research programmes in Floristic studies of Cryptogams as well as Phanerogams, Reproductive Botany, Palynology, Cytology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Ethno botany, Ethno pharmacology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology.

Museum

The Department of Botany have a well displayed Museum with preserved (pickled and dried) plant specimens of all groups of plants ranging from Algae to Angiosperms and the specimens are QR coded.

Herbarium

For the effective studies on floristic surveys an excellent collection of preserved plant specimens are available in the existing herbarium of the department.

Germplasm maintenance facility Shade house

Department is having a Shade house for the maintenance of germplasm of the rare plants as well as the variability collected from different floristic regions. The house also hosts several herbaceous plant specimens that are particularly of academic interests.

ICT Enabled Classrooms and Labs

All the classrooms of the department is having modern audio -visual facilities and the classes are ICT enabled.

Botanical Garden

As botanical specimens are integral part of the study of Botany, a botanical garden with all the necessary specimens is essential. Department of Botany is maintaining a Botanical garden with QR coded plant specimens. The botanical garden is under its direct care and advertence. The prime attraction of the garden is a Gandhi statue, which makes the garden widely be called by the students as “The Gandhi Garden”. The entrance to the garden is adorned by the two majestic Cassuarina equisetifolia. Some of the major plants in the garden are Calophyllum inophyllum , Kleinhovia hospita , Tectona grandis , Polyalthia longifolia , Cycas circinalis , Azadirachta indica , Techoma stans , Hamelia patens , Beucarnea recurvata and some species of Heliconia and Alpinia .The pride of the garden is Pilea victoriae , a small herb of the family Urticaceae which was discovered by the initiative of the faculty of the department. The plant was validly published in the year 2017 and the type location of the plant is the campus of the Government Victoria College, Palakkad.

Research Equipment

The department has been recognized as a research centre in Botany under the University of Calicut in 2013. Since then, the faculty has taken prodigious efforts to produce quality research in the fields of Plant Taxonomy, Microbiology, Phytochemistry and Plant Pathology.

Phytochemistry Lab

Electronic Analytical Balance Shimadzu model ATX -224
Eutech pH meter with single junction combined Electrode Model Cyberscan pH510 (ECPH510425)
Photoelectric colorimeter -Systronics (8 Filters)
Laboratory centrifuge LABTOP Laboratory centrifuge (LLC-5)
Rotary Vacuum Evaporator Lab Tech; Model EV 311 PLUS
Rotek Magnetic Stirrer with Hot Plate Model RMS-5H
Soxhlet extraction unit model RHMS-4L+ glass extraction assembly clamp & tubing
Hot air oven model RHO -18 DF –SS (Stainless steel inner chamber, 2 shelves, 45x45x45cms, air circulation fan and digital temperature controller)
Laboratory shaker LABTOP
Serological water bath Rotek RSW -03 (30x25x17.5cms, 14Litre, 300C to 1100C imported thermostat, Stainless steel interior, with pyramid lid and thermometer)
Borosil all glass Distillation unit cat No. 3362041 (2.5 L /hour) with power supply (DAPS)
Mini Centrifuge (LMC-10)
Kemi high speed table top centrifuge
UV Vis Spectrophotometer
Clevenger apparatus
Refrigerator
Mixer Grinder with 3 jars

Molecular Biology Lab

UV Transilluminator
PCR machine
Gel documentation unit
UV VIS spectrophotometer
Bench top microfuge
Digital balance
Refrigerated centrifuge
RT centrifuge
Water bath
Shaking incubator
Laboratory oven
BOD incubator
Double distillation unit

Microbiology Lab

Laminar air flow horizontal
Laminar air flow vertical KEMI
Hot air oven
Autoclave vertical
UV Vis spectrophotometer
PH Meter
Samsung 273v Microwave
BOD cooling incubator
Labline Shaker Incubator
Uni Bloc ATx224 Lab balance
Leica DM1000 Microscope with Camera MC170HD
Refrigerator
Emtek cooling high-speed centrifuge
Magnetic Stirrer
Double distillation unit with cut off
Microbiological shaker
Water bath
Mini Centrifuge Fixed Speed
Leica DM750 compound microscope

Angiosperm Taxonomy Lab

Stereo Zoom Microscope Leica S8 APO Stereo Zoom with Leica MC170HD Microscope Camera
Labomed Stereo zoom Microscopes 4D and 4Z
Herbarium Dryer
Refrigerator
Camera Nikon 810 with Zoom and Macro lenses