The Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB), Coimbatore established under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) in pursuance of the decision of the Government of India to reorganise the forestry research setup in the country in April 1988. IFGTB was formerly functioning as the Regional Research Centre, Coimbatore established in 1959 under the control of erstwhile Forest Research Institute & Colleges, Dehradun. Institute conducts national level research on the subjects of genetics and tree breeding of important forest species. It also attends to the regional forestry research problems of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

   Since 1988, the Institute has pioneered in operationalizing the tree improvement programs and precision silviculture to increase wood and forest products while addressing the concerns on climate change. The state-of-the-art infrastructure and expertise have enabled the successful application of biotechnological tools in commercially important forestry species. IFGTB takes up research in the seed science and technology, pest/pathogen documentation and management, biofertilizers and beneficial microbes. The institute has broadened its horizon to keep pace with the current requirements and conducts basic and applied research for tree improvement, resulting in high impact factor journal publications, products, patents and public private partnerships. Research projects on eco-restoration, documentation of biodiversity and RET species conservation are also executed. Effective extension strategies are in place to meet the demands of various stakeholders.

   Besides implementing National Program on Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) conservation, management and utilization, Institute conducts research in collaboration with State Forest Departments, Wood Based Industries and State Agricultural Universities and focus on various economically, socially and environmentally important tree species. Success of the tree breeding programmes also attracted many international agencies like World Bank, FAO, FORTIP, CSIRO, SIDA and Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Australia for collaboration and funding support. The research and training expertise of the Institutes is being utilized by the State Forest Departments, Paper and Pulp Industries, NGOs, farmers and various Central and State departments in their developmental programmes.

   IFGTB is affiliated to Bharathiar University, Coimbatore and the Nodal centre of Forest Research Institute (Deemed to be) University, Dehradun, offer full-time and part-time PhD degree programmes in Forestry, Forest Genetics, Forest Botany, Forest Biotechnology, Plant Biotechnology, Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Forest Ecology and Environment Forest Pathology.