IISR research is guided by science with a human touch.By giving a human touch to agriscience, IISR dedicates its work to the farmers and spice industry of the nation. The research programs of the institute (both institute and externally funded) are carried out under various projects, which are time bound, and with specific objectives.
 
- Collection, conservation, evaluation and cataloging of germplasm.
- Development of varieties of high yield, quality and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses through conventional and biotechnological approaches.
- Standardizing propagation methods to ensure large scale production and distribution of high yielding genotypes
- Development of agrotechniques for increasing production and productivity.
- Integrated pest and disease management.
- Post harvest technology
- Socio-economic aspects of cultivation, marketing and information dissemination in spices.
- Investigation on nutraceuticals and pharmacokinetics aspects of spices.