Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
ISO 9001:2008 OrganizationISSN 2394-328
Volume 24 No. 2 April-June 2018
Under natural conditions, about 10-15 g gum-arabic (acacia gum)is generally harvested from each tree of Acacia senegal.Gum-arabic is considered as best edible gum and is used inpreparation of variety of sweets, confectionery items, ice-cream,herbal medicines etc. and commands a high market price(`1,000 to 1,200/kg).
CAZRI has developed a technique by which gum productionfrom each tree can be enhanced by more than ten times.The technique is widely accepted by farmers of the region.Our assessments have shown that in the last decade, farmers inmore than 45 target villages have earned additional income ofmore than `4.32 crore through the sale of gum-arabic producedby using CAZRI technology. During the period (2016-17), 20,180 trees of A. senegal were treated by CAZRI gum inducer,resulting in production of approximately 8.72t of gum-arabic.
CAZRI gum inducer forgum production from
Acacia senegal
Promising Technologies
CAZRI gum inducer for gum production 1from Acacia senegal
Design development of photovoltaic- 2thermal (PVT) hybrid solar dryer
Characterization of Aeromonas veronii 2isolated from rohu, Labeo rohita
IIHR brings high yielding varieties of 3beans and tomatoes
New Initiatives
Captive breeding of Pethia narayani 4indigenous ornamental fish
Development with Farm Development 2Card
New Indigenous ornamental fish species 7Parasilorhynchus swaini discovered inOdisha
Natural Resource Management
Particle films for production of 8quality pomegranates
Profile
ICAR-National Research Centre on 10Camel, Bikaner
Spectrum
Huge potential for value added 18products from banana
ICAR-IISR develops speciality soybean 22
Improved variety of Cucumber - 23Pusa Seedless
Way Forward 24
Induced gum exudation from Anogeissus rotundifolia trees forenhanced income generation
9
2ICAR NEWS
PROMISING TECHNOLOGIES
A photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) hybrid solar dryer wasdesigned and fabricated in such a way that it enabledthe combined production of electric energy and thermalenergy from the photovoltaic panel and flat platecollector. The dryer consists of a collector unit, dryingchamber, DC fan, PV panel and PCM chamber forthermal storage. The PV module was provided at leftside of solar collector to operate a DC fan for forcedmode of operation. The dryer having a size 1,250mm ×850mm has been made by galvanised steel sheet(22 gauge), which consisted of four drying trays.The clear window glass (4mm thick) is provided at thetop of box. The area of collector designed for the dryeris 1.06 m2 with a DC fan of 10 watt, which will be usedfor exhausting moisture with the help of a solarpanel of 20 Wp.
The dimension of two drying trays made of stainlesssteel angle frame and stainless steel wire mesh was 0.84× 0.60m and that of two half trays was 0.40 × 0.60m.The drying material can be kept on four trays andplaced on angle iron frame in the dryer through an openable door provided on the rear side of the dryer.Six plastic pipes are fixed in the back wall of the dryerjust below the trays to introduce fresh air at the base.The maximum stagnation temperature recorded was
Design development of photovoltaic-thermal (PVT)hybrid solar dryer
70°C when the outside ambient temperature was 27°C.The PCMs used were paraffin wax (melting temperature44°C), lauric acid and capric acid which can extenddrying hours till late night.
Surendra Poonia, AK Singh and Dilip JainICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur
The technique is now being further improved toenhance gum exudation from Anogeissus rotudifolia,A. pendula, Acacia nilotica, A. tortilis to furtherenhance production of edible gum in the region.
JC Tewari, K Shiran, Archana Verma, Kamlesh Pareekand Praveen KumarICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur
PVT hybrid solar dryer installed at CAZRI solar yard
Characterization of Aeromonas veronii isolatedfrom rohu, Labeo rohita
Sanger di-deoxy sequencing. The sequenceinformation was found to be of Aeromonas veronii,and phylogenetic analysis revealed cluster withinsame species reported from elsewhere.Furthermore, in-vitro antibiotic sensitivity test wasperformed by disc diffusion assay and found thatisolated A. veronii RoG is sensitive against selectedantibiotics viz., ceftazidina (30 mcg), nitrofurantoan(300 mcg) and resistance against ciprofloxacin(5 mcg), amikacin (30 mcg), netillin (30 mcg) andnalidixic acid (30 mcg) in varied level.
A study was conducted to identify and characterizebacterial isolates from rohu, Labeo rohita,particularly from gill on the basis of biochemical andmolecular (16S rRNA) tools. Among few isolates, oneisolate was found to be, gram–negative short rods,and showed positive reaction towards oxidase,catalase and utilize citrate for growth.
Further, 16s ribosomal regions were amplified byusing universal primer in PCR. The extracted PCRproduct showed band at 1500 bp and subjected to
3 April-June 2018
PROMISING TECHNOLOGIESPhylogenetic analyses of A. veroniiisolate (A. veronii RoG) using 16s rRNApartial sequences were already availablewith our obtained sequence.
The sequences, aligned to construct theneighbour-joining phylogenetic tree byusing Molecular Evolutionary GeneticsAnalysis (MEGA) Version 6.0 Scale bar,indicated the genetic distance.
Dr SS MishraDirector, ICAR–CIFA,
Bhubaneshwar, [email protected]
IIHR brings high yielding varieties ofbeans and tomatoes
In tomato, highyielding advancedbreeding line IIHR-2892 (derivative ofInter-specific cross15SB SB xSolanumhabrochaitesLA-1777) expressedresistance to ToLCNDVunder New Delhiconditions. Onvalidation withmolecular markerslinked to ToLCVresistance, it expressedTy3 in heterozygouscondition. Seeds werecollected for furtheradvancement to gethomologous lines withTy3.
In tomato new F1 hybrids viz; H-385, H-387, H-391,H-392 and H-397 with high yield and fruit qualityattributes have been developed with resistance toToLCNDV + BWR + EBR.
Four varieties of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens var utilis)viz., Arka Shubra, Arka Charaka, Arka Shukla and
Arka Daksha were identified for release by the Varietaland Technology Identification Committee (VTIC) ofICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru, in view of high yield and highL-Dopa Mucuna attributes.
Dr MR DineshDirector, ICAR-IIHR, Bengaluru
4ICAR NEWS
Development with Farm Development CardAgriculture in South Asia is at cross-roads in terms ofachieving sustainability, mainly for reasons that theregion is finding it difficult to generate adequate incomeand employment for its vast farming population, failingto achieve environmental and energy security at thefarm level, and failing to cope with climate change.Besides, the agriculture of South Asia including Indiasuffers from dominance of disciplinary and commodityapproaches, which is not conducive or allowing for thegrowth of agriculture in the region, where small andmarginal farmers constitute major section of farmingcommunity. Sustainable development of small andmarginal farmers is only possible through systematicand holistic approach. Faced with this situation,agricultural strategies need to be explored that increaseproductivity and generate adequate or double theincome and employment for the small-holder farmers,as well as generate renewable energy on the farm, andstem the erosion of biodiversity and offset carbonemissions. The economic limitation of small-size land
operations is the main challenge to sustainable farmingin the 21st century. This calls for structural andorganizational changes in managing the farm sector inSouth Asia. The important issue is how to developinstitutional mechanisms so that farmers get higherincomes by realizing the advantages of beneficialtechnologies, aggregation of inputs and outputs, andvalue addition and marketing. A new concept has beendeveloped by considering these factors, namely the“Farm Development Card”, which addresses suchproblems simultaneously by redesigning the farmingsystem.
Farm Development Card (FDC) and its main focusFarm Development Card (FDC) is a farm plan or businessplan, which is based on holistic and system approachfor the development of a farm. FDC considers overallsituations of the farm including the resource-base,knowledge and skill possessed by the farmer, constraintsand market opportunity. FDC is based on the following
NEW INITIATIVES
Captive breeding of Pethia narayani – indigenousornamental fish
The Narayani barb, Pethia narayani was collected fromriver Sita, located in Shimoga district, Karnataka, India.The average weight recorded at the time ofprocurement was 1.0-1.25 g and length recorded was2.5-3.0 cm. After procurement, fishes wereacclimatized and stocked in quarantine tanks for aperiod of 15 days. After 4 months of rearing, the fishesshowed the secondary sexual characters (male is morecolourful and having white line at pelvic fin) and wereseparated sex-wise.
The further rearing was done in separate tanks formale and female. Breeding was done in big glassaquaria (200 litre) capacity. Male and female werecollected from broodstock tanks and maturity forbreeding was ensured. The breeding tank was filledwith seasoned water and breeding hapa (speciallydesigned at ICAR-CIFA for breeding of ornamental barbfishes) was placed in the tank. Since the size of brooderwas very less (approx. 1.5 g), fishes were not inducedwith any kind of inducer. The brooders were releasedin breeding hapa in the ratio of male: female, 2: 1respectively. The confinement was ensured for bettermating of the brooder. After 36 hours the eggs were
seen at the bottom of the tank. The brooder weretaken out and released back in brooder tank afterproper treatment. Natural infusoria were allowed toproduce in the tank. Mild aeration was given for betterhatching. Hatching of eggs occurred after 48 hours.The newly hatched larvae were microscopic.The absolute fecundity was recorded in the range of380-643.
Dr SS MishraDirector
ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneshwar, [email protected]
5 April-June 2018
NEW INITIATIVESprinciples : (i) Optimization of the activities/enterprisesat the farming system level for a sustainable farmingsystem model; (ii) Optimization or optimal allocation ofthe resources available at the farming system levelfulfilling the requirement of various enterprises/activitiesoperated at the farm level; (iii) Providing farmers animproved plan of activities for achieving the objectives/goals vis-a-vis an existing plan; (iv) Fitting the moderntechnology/technologies in a compatible manner in afarming system for bringing sustainability to the system(i.e building a system out of various components).
Components of FDCFDC takes into account the following components:Ecological development, economic development, waterproductivity, soil health management, energy production,agro-biodiversity and system productivity. FDCaccommodates soil health card and soil managementaspects also.
(i) Ecological development: In the context of the farmersin eastern India, the cultivation of rice - rice has resultedin a high level of productivity, but the injudicious use ofpesticides is a problem contaminating ground-water andfood chain. Besides, by substituting rice- rice with rice –pulses may bring N economy in cereal-based systemthrough incorporation of legume residue, biological Nfixation and also economic use of water. Waterproductivity can be enhanced through involvement ofpulses. Residue burning may be checked for environmentprotection.
(ii) Economic development: Farmer’s income needs tobe enhanced, while meeting the family requirement offood, fuel and fibre for a better livelihood. In this case,the cropping pattern of the farmers needs to be changedwith involvement of remunerative field crops (pulses(green gram), rabi maize, oilseeds (groundnut,sesamum)) and high value vegetable crops (okra andbrinjal). Besides, other enterprises like fishery, dairy areto be managed properly in order to enhance the fishbiomass and production.
Energy securityEnergy has been the major driver of the farming systems.Conventional agriculture involving intensive tillage bytractor consumes a lot of diesel and energy. Besides,cooking of food for farm family members and electricconsumption for lighting the house and lifting the waterfor irrigation are the major energy consumptions athousehold level. This aspect needs to be addressed sinceenergy is the major culprit of global warming. At thefarm level, there is need to depend more on renewable
in comparison to non-renewable energy. In the farm level,there is scope of going towards conservation agriculture(zero tillage practice + crop residue recycling (avoiding)residue burning). Biogas production through introductionof dairy enterprise. In FDC, provision can be made toinclude renewable source of energy compared torenewable source of energy.
(iii) Enhancing water productivity: Farmers have theperception that water is a free item in nature. However,he does not have the idea that for 1kg production ofrough rice, he is consuming around 3,000 - 4,000 litresof water. Similarly, for production of other items farmersenjoy a subsidy for power consumption for agriculture.There is ample scope that he can partly shift his irrigationpractice towards drip system to irrigate the fruit crops.Thus, enhancing water productivity is an importantaspect, while developing the FDC.
(iv) Soil health management: Soil health management isa very vital aspects of the farm. However, farmers aremore concerned how the deteriorating soil can beimproved. For this the deficiency in the soil needs to beidentified. Farmer provides the soil for its analysis, butgetting results takes time. Besides, farmers are alsoreluctant in applying the micronutrients and chemicalfertilizers by purchasing from outside. Rather they aremore concerned for their development in traditional/indigenous way. Recycling of wastes and by-products inthe system in an integrated farming system mode canbetter address the soil degradation issues of a farmer.
(v) System productivity and sustainability: FDC takescare how the production efficiency of the system can beenhanced and profitability of the system can beincreased. System productivity in terms of enhancing totaleconomic yield of various crops, profit maximization,energy production maximization, system waterproductivity etc. are given emphasis in FDC. The guidingprinciples should be to enhance the resource use efficiencythrough recycling of farm by-products and wastes in thesystem; use of more renewable and depending less onfossil fuels and chemicals; diversification of enterprisesto minimize risks; and maintain biodiversity at the farmlevel as a mitigation strategy to climate change.
Objective of FDCTo provide a precise model for development of the smalland marginal farmers fitting to his resource-base,infrastructure available and market opportunity. DFMgoal is to develop a strong foundation of Indian agricultureby properly designing the individual farming systems. It isdifficult to establish a strong building upon a weak foundation.
6ICAR NEWS
NEW INITIATIVES
Sample of FDC
7 April-June 2018
population. For entrepreneurship development abusiness plan is the first step. Hence, FDC, which is abusiness plan can help in promoting theentrepreneurship to large population.
• Attracting Rural Youth to Agriculture: FDC willassure income and employment for the rural youthand help in making them entrepreneurs. This willcreate employment opportunity for the rural youth.
• Addressing climate change issues: FDC will help inpromoting agricultural diversification andbiodiversity, thus providing viable strategy for thefarm to mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
• Synergy and collaboration: For implementation ofFDC, a holistic and system approach will help tocollaborate, link and come together of the variousagencies/organizations working at the ground(village, block and district) level. This will bringsynergy in agricultural development programmesresulting in more output and saving money for thecountry.
Farm Development Card is a business plan for the smalland marginal farmers of South Asia including India.FDC is highly potential in doubling the farmers incomewith due consideration to farm ecology andsustainability. Implementation of FDC can help inachieving synergy among the net-work of agencies/organizations operating at the ground level, thusbringing more out to the expenses made on agriculturaldevelopment issues and save billions of rupees of thecountry.
UK BeheraIARI, New Delhi
The vision behind the FDC is to provide the farmers ofSouth Asia and other developing regions with theopportunity to have their own model of development.This takes full account of the fact that all farms are notalike. Hence, with the FDC approach, we visualizeproviding each and every farmer with a model of theirfarm for their development.
FDC is an improvement over Soil Health Card: In FDC,soil health issue is addressed. It covers the soil healthcard also. It is a holistic approach and more beneficialfor the farmers’ development. Soil health card is just asoil fertility card, which provides information on nutrientstatus of the soil of the farm/field. It is a componentapproach and does not consider the associated linksand work in isolation. It does not provide a concreterecommendation what farmers should do to enhancethe farm income, ecology and biodiversity, while FDCprovide a precise recommendation for the developmentof farmer.
Advantage of FDC• Doubling the farmers’ income: FDC is a great tool
for doubling the farmers’ income by providing aviable and acceptable business plan based on thestrength of the farm, need of the farm family, marketopportunity and resource-base of the farmers.Hence, it is sustainable.
• FDC will promote entrepreneurship: It is recognizedthat only a small section of the population (around5%) have the entrepreneurial skill and can beentrepreneurs. However, doubling farmers’ incomeis a big campaign, which needs to promoteentrepreneurship to large mass of farming
New Indigenous ornamental fish speciesParasilorhynchus swaini discovered in Odisha
The Institute has recently found a rare freshwaterornamental fish, Parasilorhynchus swaini from a streamnear Harishankar in the Mahanadi river basin. It differsfrom other species of the genus in having followingcombination of characters: elongated and slender body(depth at dorsal fin origin 16.9-18.7% SL); narrow andslender head (width 60.0-68.7% HL, height at occiput40.0-50.0% HL); narrow inter orbital space (46.6-50.0%HL); 33-34 lateral line scales; 3 simple pectoral fin rays,poorly developed callous pad behind lower lip, which isnot delimited posteriorly, pectoral fin longer than headlength, presence of tubercles on snout and a black baron the anal fin. With the description of this new species,
distributional range of the genus Parapsilorhynchus isextended further north in the Eastern Ghats to theMahanadi river drainage of Odisha. The maximumlength of the fish is 32 to 42 mm. The species spawnedin and around the Mahanadi river and its tributaries.The slender bodied fish prefers fast flowing, shallowand clear water and is found only in unpolluted areas.With discovery of this new species, it is evident that thebio-diversity of the river is rich and worth investigating.
Dr SS MishraDirector, ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
NEW INITIATIVES
8ICAR NEWS
Table 4. Effect of particle films on juice content and quality of pomegranates
Treatment Juice content TSS Total phenolics Antioxidant activity(%) (%) (mg/100 ml GAE) (µmoles Trolox/ml)
Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa
Surround 58.3±6.3 62.2±8.2 13.2±1.0 15.5±1.2 118.2±8.6 136.3±9.2 18.2±1.5 22.4±1.5Raynoux 56.3±6.6 60.4±8.8 12.8±1.1 15.0±1.2 116.6±83 133.2±9.6 16.4±1.6 20.3±1.2Control 52.3±5.3 58.2±7.4 12.5±1.0 14.2±1.0 112.4±7.0 130.6±8.8 14.6±1.4 18.4± 1.0
Owing to change in the distribution pattern ofprecipitation and snowfall, and non-availability ofsufficient chilling hours, there has been a dramatic shiftfrom apple to pomegranate cultivation in lower valleysof Himachal Pradesh, India. As a result, several hectaresof apple land have been covered with pomegranateplantations. Although, pomegranate is considered asone of the most money earning fruit crop but it also hasseveral inherent production problems, which distractsgrowers from its cultivation. For instance, bacterialblight is a major issue in different parts of India, and asyet there is no concrete measure to control this dreadeddisease. Similarly, fruit borer, commonly called as
p o m e g r a n a t ebutterfly (Viracholaisocrates) is also analarming problem.In addition,pomegranate fruitsalso suffer badlyfrom the problem ofcracking, especiallyduring summer.Researchers haveattempted severalmeasures including the use of pesticides and/or severalintegrated practices to reduce these problems but nofoolproof measure/technique has yet been developed.
With increasing awareness among consumers about theharmful effects of residues of chemicals and pesticides,there has been a persistent search for some developingalternative approaches to reduce use of toxic chemicals.Development of a processed particle film technology(PFT) is one of them. It requires development of aqueousformulations from chemically inert mineral particlesspecifically formulated for fruit coating as protectivefilms. Many countries have commercialized films such as
Particle films for production ofquality pomegranates
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Table 1. Effect of particle films on colour and totalanthocyanin content in pomegranates
Particle film Hunter ‘a’ Total anthocyaninvalue content (mg/L)
Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa
Surround 46.4±2.0 49.5±1.8 132.0±5.5 146.5±8.2Raynoux 42.4±2.2 44.5±2.1 130.0±5.1 142.5±7.6Control 36.2± 1.4 30.2±1.5 112.0±4.1 130.5±6.2
Table 2. Influence of particle films on sun burn and fruitcracking in pomegranate
Treatment Sun burn (%) Fruit cracking (%)
Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa
Surround- 2.2± 0.4 2.9±0.4 2.5±0.5 2.2±0.2treated
Raynoux- 6.5± 1.2 8.4±1.0 5.5±0.4 5.8±0.6treated
Unsprayed 36.5± 2.2 18.3±1.4 15.2±0.8 15.3±0.7
Table 3. Incidence of bacterial blight and Anar butter flyafter spraying of particle films
Particle film Bacterial blight (%) Anar butterfly (%)
Kandhari Bhagwa Kandhari Bhagwa
Surround 12.6±2.4 15.5±2.2 7.2±0.6 5.2±0.5Raynoux 15.1±1.4 17.2±1.3 9.8±0.7 9.8±0.6Control 29.4 ±3.3 27.8±3.2 16.4±2.6 12.6±2.8 Pomegranate plants sprayed with particle films
Imported Particle Films
9 April-June 2018
Surround, Raynoux, Eclipse, Cocoon,Parasol, Anti-stress-500, Purshade,Screen, but there was no attemptfrom India. Thus, two films (Surroundand Raynoux) were imported, and asystematic study was done on theireffects on ‘Kandhari’ and ‘Bhagwa’pomegranates.
The technologyThree sprays each of Surround (3%)and Raynaoux (1%) were given to‘Kandhari’ and ‘Bhagwa’ trees atfortnightly interval at Bajaura,(Himachal Pradesh) starting from15 June 2015. All the routinecultural practices were followedexcept use of fungicides andinsecticides. The pomegranateswere harvested on 15 October, 2015, and observationswere regularly recorded. Results indicated that particlefilms (PFs) developed very good red colour (Hunter ‘a’values) than untreated (Control) fruits in both thevarieties (Table 1). Similarly, accumulation ofanthocyanin was higher in the particle film-treatedfruits. Interestingly, the incidence of sun burn and fruit
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
cracking was drastically reduced in PF-treatedpomegranates (Table 2). Sprays of particle films alsoinfluenced the incidence of bacterial blight and anarbutter fly, which are major problems in pomegranate(Table 3). The fruit size and quality of pomegranateswas also better in PF-treated pomegranates (Table 4).PF-treated pomegranates have higher amount of TSS,phenolics and antioxidant activity. Hence, it can beconcluded that this technology has great future andcan become an integral part of organic pomegranateproduction in India.
Advantages of particle films• These films are developed from kaolin-based material,
hence there is no risk of pesticidal residue.• It is very easy to apply such films in the field.• It is a farmer-friendly and envoronment-friendly
technology.• Use of these films brings effective control on
important insects such as anar fruit fly and diseasessuch as bacterial spot of pomegranate.
• It decreases the incidence of sun burn and fruitcracking considerably.
• It produces russet-free fruits.• It improves the fruit colour, cosmetic appeal of the
fruits and attracts consumers.• It helps in maintaining firmness of fruits and thus
increases shelf-life.• There is a significant improvement in fruit size and
quality of pomegranates.• It protects the fruits from bird damage.
RR Sharma1 and SC Datta2
ICAR-IARI, New [email protected]
A view of cracking and sun burning in pomegranates
A view of bacterial and Anar butter fly affected fruits ofpomegranates
Colour development in surround-treated and untreatedpomegranates
A view of a full bearing pomegranate orchard
10ICAR NEWS
The camel is an important animal component of thefragile desert eco-system. With its unique bio-physiological characteristics, the camel has becomean icon of adaptation to challenging ways of living inarid and semi-arid regions. The proverbial Ship ofDesert earned its epithet on account of itsindispensability as a mode of transportation anddraught power in desert but the utilities are manyand are subject to continuous social and economicchanges. The camel has played a significant role incivil law and order, defense and battles from theancient times till date. The world famous Ganga-Risala of erstwhile Bikaner State was accepted asImperial Service Troup and participated in World WarI and II. The camel helped the engineers whileconstructing the Indira Gandhi Canal in Western partof Rajasthan. Presently, the camel corps constitutesan important wing of Border Security Force of IndianPara-Military Services.
ICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, BikanerDeveloping technologies to enhance the
utility of camel – the ship of desert
Considering the importance of camel in the socio-economic development of arid and semi-arid zones,the Government of India established a ProjectDirectorate on Camel at Bikaner (India) on 5 July 1984under aegis of Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR), which was upgraded to National ResearchCenter on Camel (NRCC) on 20 September, 1995.The Centre is located in the Jorbeer area of Bikaner city.It is situated at Latitude: 28° 01’ North and Longitude:73° 11’ East with Timezone: GMT +05:30 hours. The soiltype is loose and sandy. The climate is mostly dry and hotwith annual rainfall in the range of 260-440 mm.The temperature ranges between 30-48°C in summer andbetween 4 to 28°C in winter. The Centre has about650ha of land in which administrative-cum-library,research laboratories, camel dispensary, camel corrals,farm office, camel museum, camel milk parlour,community centre, guest house and the residentialcomplex have been developed.
PROFILE
11 April-June 2018
PROFILEdiseases through surveillance, monitoring and controlmeasures; research for enhancing productivity bynutritional intervention; exploration of camel immunesystem and its applicability in the diagnosis andtherapy of human diseases; technology validation andits impact on socio-economic status of camel keepers;act as a repository of information on camel researchand development; collaboration with national andinternational resources; development of humanresource in the area of camel health and husbandry.
LARGEST COLLECTION OF CAMEL SPECIESAT ONE PLACE
Bikaneri breed of camel, one of the major camel breedsfound in India, derives its name from the city Bikaner,and is known forbetter draughtpotential. The hometract of this breed isarid and sandy withextreme hot and coldclimates. The camelsof Bikaneri breed areheavily built and areattractive with a noblelook. The colour of the coat varies from brown to black,however in some animals reddish tinge is also found. Theyhave symmetrical body and slightly dome shaped head.The forehead has a well-marked depression above eyes,which is characteristic of this breed. Nose is long andextends up to two-third of the head. Some camels of thisbreed have a luxuriant growth of hair on their eyebrows,eyelids and ears, they are called ‘jheepra’. The chestpad is well developed and placed between angles ofelbow. The shoulders are strong, broad and well set tochest. Neck is thick, fairly erect, with a marked curvegiving a graceful carriage to the head. The udder is welldeveloped in females.
The breeding tract of Jaisalmeri breed is Jaisalmer,Barmer and part of Jodhpur district in Rajasthan, withvery poor vegetation.Sand dunes are thetypical features of thetract. The Jaisalmericamels are of activetemperament and arequite tall with longand thin legs. Theyhave small head andmouth with narrowmuzzle. The head is well carried on a thin neck and theeyes are prominent. The forehead is not dome shaped
The Centre’s camel herd consists of about 350 elitecamels of four different genetic groups namely Bikaneri,Jaisalmeri, Kachchhi and Mewari. Two species of thefamily camelidae viz., Camelus dromedarius andCamelus bactrianus are present in our country and arefocused by NRCC for basic and applied research. Thecamel production system which is in flux these daysdue to other reasons also need specific researchattention in bringing forward the issues of camel health,nutrition, breeding and management. Looking into theproduction potential and utility and also to maintaindiversity NRCC is undertaking conservation efforts of allthe regional breeds.
The work is being carried out in the concerned areas asin camel breeding and genetics, camel physiology, camelbiochemistry, camel reproduction, camel health, camelnutrition, camel management and extension, camelproducts technology, camel farming and agro-forestryand AKMU (agricultural knowledge management unit)and PME (priority setting, monitoring and evaluation)cell.
The Centre was established with the mandate ofconservation and preservation of existing breeds ofcamel and to generate baseline research data on camel.The mandate was revised from time to time taking intoconsideration the achievements done by the scientistsof the Centre and development in the field across theglobe. The Centre has now been given the newresponsibility to explore the utility of camel inecotourism for which necessary infrastructure andfacilities are being created at the Centre. This may proveto be an alternate source of income for camel farmersin near future.
MANDATE
The existing mandate is:• Basic and applied research for improvement of camel
health and production.• Information repository on camel research and
development.• Development of camel eco-tourism.
OBJECTIVE
• The mandate of the Centre is achieved by carryingout- basic and applied research on camel productionand health as influenced by different farmingpractices; base line survey of camel geneticresources in India; research on draught ability; milkproduction potential; research for improvingreproductive performance; management of camel
Bikaneri Male
Jaisalmeri
12ICAR NEWS
and is without any depression above eyes (stop). The bodycolour is predominantly light brown. The udder is mostlyround in shape. It is a medium size breed of camel.
The Kachchhi breed inhabits the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.The major breeding tract is the Kutch (also spelled asKachchh) andBanaskantha districtsof Gujarat. The camelsare generally brownto dark brown. Thebody hairs are coarse.Head is of medium sizewithout distinct“stop”. Body size ismedium. Camels ofthis breed are heavy and dull in appearance. They arestouter and little shorter. They have strong hindquarters,heavy legs, hard and thick foot pads and are well adaptedto the humid climate and marshy land of Kachchh. Theudder is well developed and mostly round in shape.
The Mewari breed of camel has derived its name fromthe Mewar area of Rajasthan and is well known for milkproduction potential.The major breedingtract of the breed isUdaipur, Chittorgarh,Rajsamand districtsand adjoiningNeemuch andMandsour districts ofMadhya Pradesh. Thecamels of this breedcan also be seen in Bhilwara, Banswara, Dundarpurdistricts and Hadoti region of Rajasthan, which can beconsidered as a minor breeding tract of the breed. Thetract consists of hills of the Aravali in Mewar area.Mewari camels are stouter and a little shorter thanBikaneri. They have strong hindquarters, heavy legs, hardand thick foot pads. Well adapted to travel and carryloads across hills. The body hairs are coarse, whichprotects them from the bites of wild honeybees andinsects. The body colour varies from light brown to darkbrown but some animals are almost white, such variationin body colour is generally not seen in other breeds ofcamel. The head is heavy, set on a thick neck. Ears arethick and short, set well apart, tail is long and thick. Themilk vein is prominent and the udder is well developed infemales.
A small population of bactrian camel exists in the Nubravalley of Ladakh (J and K). The humps are plump and
pliable. During the late winter when pastures are scanty,the humps collapse.• Skull bone is comparatively shorter and wider than
dromedary camel.• The body of the camel is short and stout.• The body color
varies from lightbrown to darkbrown.
• Long hairs growon the top of thehead, along lowerpart of the neck,hump and legs.
• The adult bodyweight varies from 450 to 550 kg. The male animalsare heavier than female.
RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS
• Hair quality attributes suggested very fine qualityfibers. Hair is used for preparation of various itemsviz. shawls, pullovers, sweaters, winter garments,coats and caps.
• The high staple length and quality of wool fiberindicated its usefulness in fiber processing for thevillage cottage industry.
• Genetic polymorphism between two species of camel(Camelus dromedarius and Camelus bactrianus) wasfound by PCR-RAPD technique.
• Comparative study on haematological and mineralprofile of dromedary and bactrian camel showedhigher concentration of haemoglobin, calcium,phosphorus, zinc, iron and copper.
• The important diseases prevalent are actinobacillosis,pneumonia, eye diseases associated with cornealopacity, hydro-pericardium and ectopic pregnancies.
• Commonly available feed/fodder plants utilized by thecamels have been evaluated for various nutritionalparameters. The highest CP content is in the leavesof Chhowk tree followed by alfa-alfa, changama andbeecho. However, CF was higher in alfa-alfa grassfollowed by longtol.
• The bactrian camels are seasonal breeders and thebreeding season extends from January to March.
• Reproductive behaviour in the males during ruttingindicated biting, active secretion form the poll glandsand frothing.
MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS
Conservation of Dromedary and Bactrian camelsThe Centre is having elite herd consisting of Bikaneri,Jaisalmeri, Mewari and Kachchhi breed of camels. Themolecular characterization of above breeds of
Kachchhi Male
Mewari Male
Double Humped Camel
PROFILE
13 April-June 2018
Study of beneficial properties of camel milk: Beneficialcompositional value of Camel milk was established torecord lower percentages of fat with high quality higherchain fatty acids, higher percentage of free calcium,protective proteins, vitamin C, and micro minerals viz.,iron, copper and zinc ascompared to the cattleand buffalo milk. The shelflife of raw camel milk was8 hours at 37° C and morethan 3 weeks at 4-6°C.Extension of shelf life ofraw camel milk can bepossible up to 20 hours byusing LP system activation.Better Immunoproteinsstatus for IgG, IgA, IgM,C3 and C4 in camel blood,colostrum and milk.Effectiveness of camelmilk in decreasingcholesterol deposition in liver & increasing cholesterolexcretion in faeces. Feeding camel milk to diabetic ratsproved its anti-diabetic effect. Hypo-glycemic potential(decrease in blood glucose and glycosylated Hb andincrease in insulin level) observed only in rats fed oncamel milk. The camel milk was found to have higheranti-oxidative potential in management of Type-1diabetes as compared to goat, cow and buffalo milk. Thecamel milk was also found beneficial in recovery of autisticand mentally retarded children. The camel milkconsumption as an adjuvant for 3 months along with otherforms of treatments indicated positive change towardsATEC scales indicating recovery in Autistic children.
CAMEL MILK PRODUCTS
Value added camel milk products developed: In pursuitsof transforming camel into a milch animal three had beencontinuous efforts in terms of selling camel milk as healthdrink, value added camel milk products like falvouredmilk, tea, coffee and kulfi. Such technologicaladvancement has commercial bearing on health and foodindustry which ultimately helps the camel owners.
The following value added camel milk products have beendeveloped, standardized and evaluated in order topromote camel milk and its products for theircommercialization.1. Camel fermented milk product (lassie) 2. Camel milk soft cheese 3. Camel flavoured milk4. Camel milk tea and coffee
dromedaries has been accomplished. The Bikaneri camelsas draught pupose, Jaisalmeri as race purpose, andMewari and Kachchhi as Milch purpose were identified.Conservation strategies were devised and for thesebreeds, breed descriptor were established. For geneticimprovement of camels in the breeding tract of variousbreeds elite 105 male camels have so far been distributedin the field to improve the field germplasm. Conservationefforts for Bactrian camels also initiated by the Centreand there is an increase in double hump camel populationfrom 57 in 2004 to above 200 in 2018.
Promoting camel as milch animal for the aridregionThe reasons for decline in camel population from 1.0million to 0.40 million in the last 40 years led to shiftfocus of camel research from its traditional use ofdraught to finding alternate uses for camel-includingexploring its milk production potential. The followingactivities were therefore initiated to establish and acceptcamel as milch animal in the society
Establishment of elite camel herd and camel milk dairy:An elite herd of Indian camel breeds viz. Bikaneri,Jaisalmeri, Kachchhi and Mewari has been establishedfollowing continuous selection for last two decades.The Bikaneri, Kachchhi and Mewari have been found tobe good milch breeds. The camel dairy has beenestablished at NRCC.
Improvement of milk production potential: The milkproduction potential of Indian dromedary breeds wasevaluated which was found to be 7 litres/day with someof the best milkers producing more than 10 litres ofmilk/day. The peak yield was achieved in 5th month oflactation. Although camels continue giving milk up to 24months the average length of lactation was found out tobe 16 months.
PROFILE
14ICAR NEWS
5. Camel milk ice-cream (kulfi)6. Camel milk gulab jamun7. Camel milk peda8. Camel milk barfi9. Camel milk paneer10. Camel milk butter and ghee10. Camel milk mawa12. Camel milk rabri
Technologies developed for industries/researchers1. Camel milk powder
Lyophilized skim milk powder was prepared from theraw, pasteurised and boiled camel milk.
2. Camel milk skin cream
Early post parturient breedingThe long gestation period (390 days approximately)coupled with seasonality of breeding (December toMarch) makes camel reproduction less attractiveeconomically. Traditionally the female camels are bredin one season, calve in subsequent breeding season andthen remain sexually quiescent until the followingbreeding season, leading to long inter-calving period andsignificant economic losses. The research by reproductionunit of the Centre has revealed that it is possible to breedthe female camels during early post-parturient period.The breeding at 30, 50 or 70 days after parturition have
resulted in successfulconception in 20-25% of theparturient females. Theinter-calving period wasreduced by at least 300days, by less this unorthodoxway of breeding. Theadoption of this technique/practice can yield 20% morecalves from the presentadult breedable femalecamels. This technique doesnot involve costly chemicalsor inputs, and only requireexamination of females byexpert.
Efforts for propagationand dissemination ofcamel milk at milk parlor:The following infrastructurefacilities have beendeveloped which serve toeducate the camel farmersand also to promote use of
Camel milk and its products by the visitors.1. Camel Museum2. Camel Milk parlour3. Camel Dairy.
Training and extension activities: The activities ofholding extension camps, milking competitions andtraining programmes for value addition to camel milk topromote the concept of rearing camel for milk purposein the camel rearing people are regularly conducted bythe Centre. For treatment and technological advice theroutine activity of ambulatory clinic have been initiatedin the villages for the benefit of camel rearing farmers.Stakeholders meets are being organized involving peoplefrom other states like Gujarat, Haryana, J&K and UttarPradesh, government and Non-government organizationpeople to understand the major issues of camel rearingand policy requirement from the governmentdepartments. The meetings with religious heads andcamel rearing communities are held to clear social andreligious taboos from the minds of camel farmers (Raikas)leading to acceptance by people of Raika community totrade the camel milk.
Feed technology initiatives for camelComplete feeds as blocks and pellets were prepared byproportionate mixing of fodders, agricultural by-productsand concentrates for various classes of Camels like calves,
PROFILE
15 April-June 2018
lactating females and working camles. The same havebeen found useful for rearing camels under semi-intensiveand intensive feeding system.
Camel ClinicThe Centre has started Camel Ambulatory Clinic to havethe better interface with camel farmers and to give onthe spot health services. Scientists of the Centre visit thevillages thrice in a month.
A mini feed plant established at the centreA mini feed plant to prepare different fodder andconcentrate combination has been installed at theCentre. Now the researchers and camel owners havethe privilege to get the feed prepared as per theirrequirement.
agricultural operationsat the centre. Thissystem offers a viablesource of eco-friendlyenergy in the non-electrified rural areaswith camel population.
Area specific mineral mixtureDetermination of Region specific Status of trace elementsin soil, feed and blood for Arid western plain (Bikaner,Jaisalmer), irrigated northwestern region (Hanumangarh,Sri Ganganagar), transitional plain of inland drainage(Churu, Nagaur) and Transitional plain of Luni basin (Pali,Jodhpur) designated as zone I, II, III and IV. Mineral
Camel milk processing unitIn the Camel milk processing unit, Milk analyser, IceCream Making plant, Mini spray dryer were added tothe unit.
Complete feed block for camels developedThe Centre has developed complete feed blocks forcamels. These blocks are highly palatable, digestible, easyto store and transport.
Electric indicators for camel cartCentre has developed technology for generation ofelectric current using 12 volt dry battery which cangenerate current easily for 20-22 hrs with the movementof camel cart wheel and it provides 2 to 5 amp. currentwhich can be utilised easily for domestic use in villagesas well as during night transport in order prevent accidentetc. The cart can move smoothly without any additionalstress.
Electric generated through camel draughtA power generation and agro-processing unit have beenset up for studying camel draught ability and its utility in
analysis of samples revealed that Ca, P, Mg, Fe and Mnwere sufficient in soil, feed as well as blood. In soil, Cuwas deficient in all zones and Zn was deficient in zone IIand IV. In feed, Zn was deficient in straw and leaves andCu was deficient only in straw. Cu and Zn were founddeficient in blood except zone II and Co was deficient inzone III and I. Rations were formulated accordingly.Based on the above observations Area specific MineralMixture was prepared for growth and lactating camels
Optimum reproduction measuresUltra-sonography based observation of follicles in theovaries of post- parturient female camels, breeding andsuccessful conception indicated good prospects of earlypostpartum breeding for improvement of reproductiveefficiency.
The collection of semen in camel have been perfectedand the semen was successfully cryo-preserved. Artificialinsemination has been attempted using liquid semen withinitial success. Early rut in adult mature breedable male
PROFILE
16ICAR NEWS
camel can bearoused by giving aregular exposure for20 to 30 minutes infront of adult femalecamel at least fortwo to three weeksduring onset ofwinter season.
Surveillance and monitoring of camel diseasesThe Centre is conducting research on management ofcamel diseases through surveillance, sero-monitoring,prophylactic and control measures. Similarly efforts aregoing on for development of diagnostic protocols forimportant camel diseases. Research on feasibility andefficacy of contemporary alternate medicine in differentcamel diseases such as fungal skin infections, mange andtrypanosomosis is under progress. One patent applicationhas been already been filed on herbal formulation fortreatment of dermal mycoses in camels in Indian PatentOffice (App.No. 201611041317). The Centre also hascollaborative research project on exploitation of camelimmune system for diagnostic and therapeutic uses.In collaboration with BARC, Mumbai -single domainantibody of camels was used to produce antibodiesagainst Tg – a protein for diagnosis of thyroid cancer andindigenous IRMA diagnostic kit was developed and thesaid nanoantibodies are also being used to identify theprotein of Tuberculosis organism.
Awards and recognitionsICAR-National Research Centre on Camel, Bikanerawarded with Krishi Samman, Certificate of Recognitionfor contribution towards field of Animal Husbandry byZEE Krishi Awards. The Centre has also awarded with“Ganesh Shankar Krishi Patrika Puruskar” for Hindi PatrikaKarabh published annually. In addition the Centrereceived Nagar Rajbhasha Award for special work inRajbhasha Hindi. With the efforts of NRCC the camelmilk has got approval from FSSAI. The Centre wasawarded ISO Certification 9001: 2008.
CollaborationsThe Centre is having research collaborations withRAJUVAS Bikaner, SKRAU Bikaner, MGS Bikaner, AAUAnand, SDAU Dantewada, MAFSU Nagpur, Calcuttauniversity Kolkata, BITS Pilani, Vanasthali Vidyapeeth,BARC Mumbai, AIIMS New Delhi, SP Medical collegeBikaner and Ayurved University, Jodhpur.
Tourist attractionNRCC has been identified as one of the important tourist
places of Bikaner and is one of the tourist preferenceplaces. The tourist can see hundreds of camels ofdifferent breeds and their behaviour. A camel museumshowing developmental and research aspects of thecamel in the desert ecosystem is an attraction forviewers. Facilities of camel riding, safari and video/photography are available for the visitors. Camel milkparlour is a special attraction where unique value addedcamel milk products like ice-cream, hot and coldbeverages are available. Every year thousands of foreignand Indian tourists visit the centre and enjoy theexperience.
DirectorICAR-National Research Centre on Camel
Post Box- 07, Jorbeer, Bikaner (Rajasthan) 334 [email protected]
Ovarian Sonograph Follicle
PROFILE
17 April-June 2018
SPECTRUM
Huge potential for value added productsfrom banana
The ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana hasdeveloped many value added products such as fig, juice,bar, jam, jelly and sweet chutney from pulp of ripebanana; flour, baby food, health drink, soup mix, pazhampori mix, sauce, pickle and chips from pulp of unripebanana; pickle from flower (male bud) of banana, candyand pickle from centre core stem of banana, picklesfrom matured green fruits and its peels and fibre frompseudostem sheath of banana. Most of these processesdo not require heavy investment and can be set up incottages to small scale sector. Other parts like flowerand true stem are also used traditionally for cooking insouth and east India. Its leaves are used as hygienic bio-plates and pseudostem for making threads and fibres.Banana fibre and fibre-based products are graduallybecoming popular.
Sugar content of fully ripe banana is so high that itmakes an ideal substrate for wine making. Bananacontains considerable amount of resistant starch (non-digestible starch) and non-starch polysaccharides, whichhave low glycemic index and this property makes it anappropriate ingredient for different functional andconvenience foods like cookies, bread, cake, extrudedfoods and chips, etc. The ripe fruit made into fine pulp(puree) is utilized for the preparation of jam and sweetchutney. Enzymatic clarified banana juice was producedfrom banana pulp using pectinase enzyme and thisclarified juice was found to be highly appropriate forthe production of banana juice based beverages (ready-to-drink, cordial, squash, crush and syrup) and bananajuice based jelly. The ripe pulp contains 0.7 to 1.2 percent pectin and gel forming pectin is widely used asadditives in jams, jellies and marmalade and also usedas thickeners, texturizer, emulsifiers and fat or sugarreplacer. Fully ripe bananas are used for production ofdehydrated banana fig. Banana is highly nutritious fruitand pulp (edible portion) of ripe fruit is rich in vitaminA, B-complex (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pentothenicacid, pyridoxine and folic acid), ascorbic acid and micro(iron, copper and zinc) and macro minerals (potassium,calcium, phosphorus and magnesium). The banana ismade into powder and can be used in preparation ofbaby foods and healthy drinks.
Various value added products developed from differentparts of banana plant can be divided into three
categories (i) Plantain (raw)-based value added products,(ii) Banana-based value added products and (iii) Productsfrom other parts of the plant. In addition, bananapseudostem outer sheath fibre based handicrafts werealso developed.
Plantain based value added products – Banana Chips:Chips is the only processed banana product widelymanufactured oncommercial scale inIndia and Philippines.‘Nendran’ banana iswidely used forpreparation ofbanana chips.Cooking varieties like‘Monthan’ are alsoused in for chips making. Varieties like ‘Zanzibar’ or‘Mindoli’ or ‘Popoulu’ can also be used. Banana chipsmanufacturing have developed into a cottage industryin Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Banana flour: Banana flour/powder can be made fromboth ripe as well as unripe fruits of banana and plantain.Even immature fruitsof banana can beconverted into flourthat would form rawmaterial for productslike baby food, healthdrink and soup mix.‘Nendran’ is the bestvariety suitable forflour preparation.Banana flour is prepared from mature green bananaswith high starch content, which can also be blended withother cereal flours for making bread, unleavenedchapattis and rotis. Banana flour is an intermediaryproduct used in preparation of several products likebiscuits, cakes, bread, custard, chapattis, papads, babyfood, health drink, soup-mix, ‘pazham pori’ ready to mix,snack foods, extruded products, etc.
Banana for babies: Excess banana can be converted intoflour that would form raw material for products like babyfood which could fetch a premium price in the market.A highly nutritious baby food formula has been developed
18ICAR NEWS
this product. The high starch, fibre and mineral contentof banana flour make the biscuits wholesome. They arean alternative source for maida-based biscuits andprovide employment to rural and urban sectors and canbe adopted by small scale industries.
Banana healthy products: Extrusion is one of the mostenergy efficient and eco-friendly processes to producepre-cooked, ready-to-eat products. The extrudedproducts will give more energy to our body with reducedcooking time. Pasta istraditional and itsconsumption hasincreased due to itsease of transportationand cooking. Low insodium and lipid, it hasno cholesterol and is arich source of complexcarbohydrates. Banana flour based pasta products werestandardized with banana flour and maida in the ratio of30:70. Banana flour based extruded products such aspasta enriched with carrot and beet root juices (70 to100% each) were standardized and developed. Lowglycemic and slow calorie release bread and cookies wereprepared with various mixtures of wheat: banana flourand resistant starch. Addition of banana flour andresistant starch increased the antioxidant capacity andmineral content. The bread prepared with 15%replacement with banana flour and 10% with modifiedstarch better than other combinations.
Banana based value added products – Banana fig(dehydrated ripe banana): Banana fig is a dehydratedfruit prepared immature or mature unmarketable ripefruits of banana. Figs are prepared by peeling, disinfectionand dehydration in hot air oven or solar dryer. Dried/dehydrated bananas can also be prepared by dipping in
by supplementingbanana flour withsuitable naturalsources of proteins,minerals, fats andvitamins. Bananaflour from mature fruitis fortified with milk,green gram and sugar for baby food preparation. Theproducts can be stored upto six months. It is highlyenergetic and nutritious (rich in carbohydrate, vitamins,minerals and dietary fibre) and are cheaper than existingbaby foods.
Banana health drink: This is suitable for growing childrenwhile the health drink and soup mix is suitable for all agegroups. Highly nutritious health drink formula has beendeveloped by fortifying banana flour with suitable naturalsources of proteins, minerals, fats and vitamins. It has ashelf life of six months and is suitable for all. It providesnecessary energy required on a day to day basis similarother popular health drinks. Highly energetic andnutritious drink, much cheaper than existing health drinksin the market. Availability of raw materials is at a cheapercost all through the year. It helps in generating additionalincome to farmers over the existing system of selling rawfruits as such. Farmers can earn more profit by startinga cottage industry or by selling the produce to theentrepreneurs.
Banana soup mix: Banana flour is used as main rawmaterials for making soup mix by mixing with otheringredients. Flour based soup-mix involves mixing ofbanana flour, cornflour, dried vegetablesand spices in variousproportions. It can beprepared easily andmarketed and is highlysuitable for rurale n t e r p r i s e s .It can be adopted by food processing industries forcommercial manufacture of banana soup. It is tasty andstable for a period of six months.
Banana biscuits: Flourmade from unripegreen bananas is usedas major ingredientalong with otheringredients in makingbiscuits. ‘Nendran’ ishighly suitable making
SPECTRUM
19 April-June 2018
temperature. Banana wine is much cheaper thanother fruit wines.
Products from flower, peel and centre core stem –Banana flower pickle: The banana male bud is a wastematerial produced during crop production with lesseconomic value. It is converted into a high value addedproduct by makingpickle (thokku). Theprocess involvesremoval of pistil,blanching, grindingand addition of spicesand oil. The recipe ofthokku from flowerwas standardized. It is delicious, rich in dietary fibre andstable for a year at room temperature. The technologycan be adopted in all banana growing regions of thecountry.
Banana peel pickle and fruit (raw) pickle: Banana peelpickle is made from the green peel of bananas underwealth generationfrom waste. Nearly25% of the green fruitis constituted by peel,which is utilized assource of rawmaterials forproducing peel pickleby adding spices andpreservatives. The peel is packed with nutrients andantioxidants. The peel of culinary purpose varieties like‘Nendran’, ‘Monthan’, ‘Saba’ can be utilized for makingthis product. It has good taste, is rich in dietary fibre,helps in digestion and is stable for one year at roomtemperature.
Banana stem pickle: About 25-30 tonnes of pseudostemwaste is produced after harvest of the crop, of whichabout 5-7 tonnes ofcentral core can beextracted from onehectare dependingupon the variety.Banana stem is awaste materialproduced duringcrop production withless economic value.It can be converted into a high value added product bymaking central core stem pickle. The product is tastyand stable for one year at room temperature.
honey. The product istasty, nutritious andstable. Figs are highlynutritious and help inproviding nutritionalsecurity by supplyingall the nutrients ofbanana in aconcentrated form. It can be adopted by small andmedium scale entrepreneurs/industries. ‘Udhayam’ and‘Karpuravalli’ are best varieties suited for fig-makingalthough other sweet varieties like ‘NeyPoovan’,‘Rasthali’ and ‘Poovan’ can also be utilized. This readymade energy food is suitable for children, sports persons,army personnel and mountaineers. The Ecuador is theleading producer of fig in the world. It can beincorporated in many recipes such as cakes, biscuits,payasam, kesari and ice creams as a substitute for raisin.The product can be recommended particularly for schooland adolescent children and can provide employment torural youth.
Ready-to-Serve (RTS) Clarified Juice: Banana is a pulpyfruit with high pectin content and is difficult to convertinto a clear beverage.During the marketglut, the excessproduction of bananacan be converted intovalue added product.A process wasstandardized forconversion of bananapulp into a clarified juice through enzyme liquefactionand protocol for different beverages. It can be adoptedby food processing industries for commercial manufactureof banana beverage. It is good source of employment tofarmers. The RTS has greater nutritive value than thatof synthetic / aerated products available in the market,which is having option of blending with other fruit juicessuch as jamun, litchi, tomato, etc.
Beverages: Banana based alcoholic beverages likewine and beer are delicious beverages with low alcoholcontent. Banana wineis a delicious beveragewith low alcoholcontent (12-14%).It is obtained byfermenting clarifiedjuice with wine yeastfor a period of 2 - 3weeks at controlled
SPECTRUM
20ICAR NEWS
Banana juice: The juice is extracted from the centralcore stem either manually or mechanically. The stem isrich in fibre and potassium. It has a property of dissolvingkidney stone. About 80-95% juice could be recoveredfrom central core stem of commercial banana varieties.The process involves extraction of central core frompseudostem, slicing and cutting into small pieces, removalof fiber, extraction of juice, pasteurization, packing,sterilization and storage. It should be served as a chilleddrink. Banana central core (stem) juice based syrup andsquash were developed by blending stem juice with sugarand citric acid.
Banana candy: About 5-7 tons of central cores can beextracted from one hectare. Central core (true stem), isrich in dietary fibreand believed to havethe properties todissolve kidney stones.Banana central corestem based gingercandy can beprepared by mixingsyrup and ginger in certain ratios. Central core stemslices are soaked in syrup-ginger extract mixture and driedin hot air oven overnight after draining excess syrup.
Banana handicrafts: Fibre is a non-edible productobtained from the sheath of pseudostem of banana plant,which yields high quality banana fibre. Banana fibre isextracted from the sheath of banana pseudostem byhand or machine or microbial retting. The freshpseudostem yields about 1-1.5% of fibre. While coarsefibre is used for tying garlands, the fine fibre is used for
Post-harvest Technologies commercialized
Sl. Product Name No. ofNo. MoUs
1. Banana flower pickle 82. Banana fig 203. Banana flour based baby food 74. Banana flour 65. Stem thokku 36. Banana pulp based RTS beverage 27. Flour based biscuit 28. Post-harvest handling, packing, storage and 2
ripening of banana for domestic and exportmarkets
9. Post harvest handling, packing and storage of 2banana central core stem
10. Banana flour based health drink 411. Banana central core (stem) juice. 112. Soup mix 113. Banana peel pickle 114. Banana chips 115. Banana fibre products 1
Total 61
making handicraft items and textile fabric. Both chemicalretting (NaOH) and machine extraction were proved tobe better for yield and quality (based on biochemicalconstituents) of fibre obtained from pseudostem sheathof banana.
The natural fibre has multifaceted uses in preparing manyvalue added products such as handicraft items (table-mat, bag, wall hangings and other fancy articles, etc.),ropes, craft paper, etc. Other uses of banana fibre aremaking products like marine cordages, high qualitycurrency papers, cardboards, tea bags, string threadsand fabric material.
Banana business: In banana and plantain, value additionthrough processing have resulted in development of variousproducts such as fig, RTS beverage/juice, bar/leather, jam,jelly and sweet chutneyfrom pulp of ripebanana; flour, flourbased baby food,health drink, soup mixand extruded/pastaproducts, sauce, pickleand chips from pulp ofunripe banana; picklefrom flower (male bud) of banana; candy, pickle, RTSbeverage and jelly from the central core stem of banana;coarse and fine fibre from the pseudo-stem sheath of bananaand fibre based handicrafts by ICAR-NRCB. These processesdo not require heavy investment in machinery. It can be setup in micro, small and medium enterprises. Several productshave been commercialized to various stakeholders throughlicensing of technical know-how. 15 value added productsof banana have been commercialized to 60 clients.
P Suresh Kumar*, KN Shiva, M Mayil Vaganan and S UmaICAR-NRCB, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu 620 102.
SPECTRUM
21 April-June 2018
ICAR-IISR develops speciality soybeanSoybean was introduced in India with the expectationthat the crop being one of the most economical sourcesof protein (approximately 40%) would combat rampantprotein malnutritionamong masses.However, soybean didnot gain popularity as aprotein source despitethe declining per capitaavailability of pulses, thestaple source of proteinin Indian diet. Presenceof anti-nutritionalfactor, namely, kunitztrypsin inhibitor and off-flavour generatinglipoxygenases insoybean grains constraintheir utilization in fooduses. Kunitz trypsininhibitor present insoybean seeds affectsthe digestibility ofproteins and if leftactive in the soyproducts may causepancreatic hypertrophy.Lipoxygenase is the off-flavour generatingenzyme which exists in3 isozymic forms,namely, lipoxygenase 1,lipoxygenase 2 andlipoxygenase 3 insoybean seed.
These isozymes act upon polyunsaturated fatty acids,when the seeds are crushed to process soy foodproducts, thereby releasing aldehyde and ketonecompounds. Of these 3 isozymes, lipoxygenase 2 is theprincipal contributor to the off-flavour. Though bothkunitz trypsin inhibitor and lipoxygenase 2 are heatlabile but the heat treatment incurs extra cost andaffects the solubility of proteins. Genetic eliminationof these two formidable undesirable components fromsoybean seeds is the dire need of soy food industry.
ICAR-IISR has already developed and commercializedKunitz trypsin inhibitor free soybean genotypes,
namely, NRC 101 and NRC 102. The institute hasdeveloped NRC 127, which is free from Kunitz trypsininhibitor and identified for release to farmers of
Central zone. Theinstitute has alsodeveloped andc o m m e r c i a l i z e dlipoxygenase 2 freesoybean, namely,NRC109 to soy foodindustries. However,soy food industries aredemanding soybeangenotypes free fromKunitz trypsin inhibitoras well as lipoxygenase2.
To cater to this need ofsoy food industries,NRC 142 wasdeveloped from atriple cross JS 97-52 xPI 596540 x PI 542044,through markerassisted forwardbreeding. PI542044and PI 596540 werethe donors for nullalleles of kunitz trypsininhibitor and islipoxygenase 2,respectively.
The plant of thisgenotype produces white flowers in 40 days, attainsheight of 75 cm, and reaches harvest maturity in 98days. The seeds are of light-yellow colour with blackhilum, and weight of 100 mature seeds (10% moisture)is 14.4 g. The yield potential of this genotype is 3.2tonnes/ha. The genotype would serve as excellent rawmaterial for soy food industry, and more importantly,being high yielding with additional quality traits canfetch better prices to farmers.
Dr Anita Rani and Dr Vineet Kumar*ICAR-IISR, Indore
Close view of seeds of NRC 142
Field view of NRC 142
SPECTRUM
22ICAR NEWS
Two improved varieties of cucumberCUCUMBER-6
Pusa Seedless Cucumber-6 is developed fromcommercial hybrid through reverse breeding. Theimproved line of parthenocarpic gynoeciouscucumber is suitable for cultivation in protectedcondition for North Indian plains. Its average fruityield is 126.0 t/ha (1,260 kg/ 100 m2) during winter(off-season, November-March) under low costpolyhouse which is 32.2%, 29.8% and 21.5 % and issuperior over Pant Parthenocarpic Cucumber-2,Aviva (F1) and Asma (F1), respectively. Its fruitsbecome ready for first harvesting in 40-45 daysafter sowing during winter (off-season, November-March) under low cost polyhouse. The fruits havedesirable marketable attributes and are attractive,uniform, dark green, glossy, cylindrical, straight,slightly ribbed, non-hairy, non-warty, slightly striped
(average ` 5-10 per seed). There is no F1 hybriddeveloped by indigenous seed industry. Theproposed variety can be utilized as parent by theindigenous seed industries and also can be sold asan open pollinated variety which leads toavailability of seeds to the farmers at much cheaperrate.
Geographical potentialProtected cultivation of gynoecious parthenocarpiccucumber has become very popular in rural and peri-urban areas of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,Rajasthan, parts of Madhya Pradesh and plain areasof Himachal Pradesh. Being cheaper with superiorhorticultural traits and prolific bearer this line willexpect to cover large areas of the country. It isrecommended for growing in winter underpolyhouse and during spring summer under insect-proof net house.
DGC-102
Most of the gynoecious lines utilized by private seedcomapnies for development of F1 hybrids are exotic
Pusa Seedless Cucumber-6
at blossom end and have tender skin and crispyflesh, which is highly acceptable to the growers.The shape of peduncle end and blossom end of fruitis obtuse. The average fruit length is 14.24 cm andwidth 3.45 cm and average fruit weight is 105 g.
Commercial potentialIn the seed market, only F1 hybrids of gynoeciousparthenocarpic cucumber, imported by private seedcompanies are available at a very high price
SPECTRUM
23 April-June 2018Published by Dr Satendra Kumar Singh, Project Director, Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, Indian Council of AgriculturalResearch, New Delhi 110 012. Phone: 011-25842787; Fax: 011-25843285; e-mail: [email protected]. Lasertypeset by M/s Print-O-World,Shadipur, New Delhi 110 008, and printed in India at M/s Royal Offset Printers, A-89/1, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi 110 028.
Editing : Seema Burman Design & Production : Dr VK Bharti and Punit Bhasin
EDITORIAL BOARD
ChairmanDr T Mohapatra
Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR
MembersDr K Alagusundaram, DDG
(Agric. Engg. and Natural Resource Management)
Dr JK Jena, DDG(Fisheries Science and Animal Science)
Dr NS Rathore, DDG(Agric Edu)
Dr AK Singh, DDG(Agric. Ext)
Dr AK Singh, DDG(Horticultural Science and Crop Science)
Member-SecretaryDr Satendra Kumar Singh, Project Director (DKMA)
in nature, temperate in origin,dark green in colourwith spines and their stability breaks down if daytemperature exceeds 35°C. The hybrids developedby utilizing the lines lack tenderness, crispiness andflavour and are least preferred by the consumer.The proposed line is an indigenous type having lightgreen skin colour with greenish white stripes,cylindrical (12-15 cm) smooth skin and tender andcrispy flesh. This line is highly stable at hightemperature and show true gynoecious expressioneven at the temperature of 40-45°C.
Commercial potentialMost of the gynoecious hybrids marketed by theprivate seed companies are imported one. They aredark in colour with spines having mucilaginous flesh,lack crispiness and are not preferred by theconsumer. The proposed gynoecious line is preferredby the seed industry since it is highly stable underhigh temperature, indigenous type and light greencolour with tender and crispy flesh. The line willfacilitate development of gynoecious hybrids andtheir hybrid seed production, easy and economically.The hybrid seed developed by utilizing the
gynoecious line can be produced under sub-tropical/tropical climate and farmers can get the hybridseeds at much cheaper rate. Since, gynoecioustraits in cucmber is governed by single dominantgene, the hybrids developed by utilising this line willbe predominantely gynoecious prolific bearing innature and early in maturity.
Geographical potentialBeing tropical and gynoecious in nature, the F1hybrid developed by utilizing this line will be havingheat tolerance capacity and can be successfully
grown under tropical and subtropical region of thecountry.
Dr AD Munshi, Dr TK Behera,Dr AK Sureja, Dr Balraj Singh,Dr AK Singh and Dr BS Tomar
IARI, Pusa, New [email protected],
SPECTRUM
24ICAR NEWS
WAY FORWARD
Agriculture is the single largest employer in theworld, providing livelihoods for 40% of global population,500 m small hold farmers worldwide, mostly rainfed,providing up to 80% of food in the developing world. Indiabeing one of the largest agriculture economy, has nowachieved highest ever foodgrain production of over 259mt, 262 mt of horticulture produce, 132 mt of milk, 6 mtmeat and 90 mt fish. Indian agriculture is the saga ofmillions of farmers in most diverse agro-ecologicalconditions, sustaining a billion plus human and half a billionlivestock population. Studies on estimations of fooddemand by 2020 indicate that our national requirementwould be about 280 million tonnes (MT) for food grainsincluding 22 MT pulses, 35 MT oilseeds, 96 MT fruits, 152MT for milk and milk products, and 87 billion eggs.
The natural resources in some of the most productiveregions of the country are under immense pressure. In 110out of 142 blocks of the Punjab, groundwater pumping ismuch more than its rechargeable capacity and the watertable is receding fast. The water table has depleted to morethan 10 m in 97 % of its cultivated area endangeringsustained production of not only rice but even thetraditional crop of the region – wheat. Similar is thesituation in Haryana, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and TamilNadu, etc. A balance needs to be maintained betweenwithdrawal and recharge of ground water resources.Enactment of ‘Sub-soil Water Preservation Act’, in Punjabwhich bans rice planting before 10th of June every year isan example of a welcome decision to check excessive useof groundwater. Promotion of resource conservationtechnologies well supported by precision farming like laserland leveling, direct seeding of rice, etc. saves water andenergy costs by more than 25%. These technologies alsohelp farmers to minimize the adverse impact of climatechange induced weather aberrations especiallytemperature variations that are likely to be more severelyfelt in North Western Region of the country.
Another important aspect of intensive cultivation relatesto deteriorating soil health. For instance, the partial factorproductivity of NPK for foodgrain production in Punjab hasdeclined from 81 kg grain per kg of NPK in 1966-67 to 15kg in 2009-10. Though the cropping pattern and use offertilizers changed entirely over the period of time, thedecline in factor productivity largely happened due toimbalanced use of nutrient and depleting soil organiccarbon. The deficiency of multiple micronutrients such asZn, Mn and Fe has become rampant and has furtheraggravated the situation. Today’s Soil Health Card Schemehas been a boon for farmers for optimized nutrientmanagement.
India has been a mega biodiversity centre and rearing ofdomesticated animals. There are about 140 welldocumented and defined domestic breeds. The IndianCouncil of Agricultural Research at the helm of thenation’s agro-initiative technology generation has theformidable task by 2025 to feed the estimated livestockpopulation of about 600 million-comprising crossbred
cattle (14%), indigenous cattle (27%), buffalo (20%),sheep (12%), goat (24%) in carbon constraint economy.The livestock sector accounts for over 25% of theagricultural GDP and is crucial for livelihood security ofrural households, especially for the small or landlessfarmers in the rainfed areas. The country remains to bethe highest milk producers in the world, second in fishand fifth in egg production. Research efforts on breedimprovement, health and nutrition have beeninstrumental in improving productivity of livestock andfisheries. India has earned the distinction of beingfree from dreaded animal diseases namely rinderpest,African horse sickness and bovine pleuropneumonia. Theupcoming poultry sector received a setback on accountof avian influenza that affected birds in epidemic form.
In fisheries sector, developing culture and breedingprotocol of golden mahseer and rainbow trout, compositecarp culture technology based on exotic carps for midaltitude, multiple breeding of Indian major carps are beingdeveloped for easy and round the year availability of qualityseeds. Further, sea cage farming of seabass; breeding ofcobia; technique for off season spawning of carps are alsobeing strengthened for integrated fish farming in thecountry.
Besides, food security and nutritional security is also ofparamount interest as anaemia is increasingly engulfingrural India owing to iron deficiency. Vitamin A and zincdeficiency are becoming common in India. This scenariohas provided us with a lot of opportunity for cropdiversification and integrated farming systems totranslate the mundane agriculture into remunerativeagriculture; to embark on secondary agriculture tominimize production losses through effective post-harvesttechnology and also to do good agri-business. To feedIndia’s swelling population, heavy investments fordeveloping requisite infrastructure and other areas ofagriculture are essentially required to have linkages from‘seed to market’ and efficient ‘lab to land’ transfers tomeet the ends of the recently enacted National FoodSecurity Act 2013.
(T Mohapatra)e-mail: [email protected]
Dr T Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) and Director General (ICAR)
