Trombay crop varieties released and notified for commercial cultivation

Some of the popular and recently released varieties are given below.

TPG 41 - new variety released for all India. Large      TG-37 A is released for Kharif/rabi summer season 
seed, 120 d maturity, 20 d dormancy, high oleate       with wider adaptability & seed dormancy of 15 days

TAMS 38: Early maturity (95 days)                             TMB- 37 (Trombay Mungbean): high yielding potential
Resistant:                                                                early maturity and tolerance to yellow virus disease
Pod shattering : (13 days after maturity)
Diseases: Bacterial pustule, Myrothecium leaf spot insects (moderate); stemfly, Girdle beetle.

The popular groundnut varieties are TAG-24 and TG-26. TAG24 has been identified as national check. In pulse crops, blackgram variety TAU-1 is the most popular in Maharashtra and maximum area is under cultivation of this variety.

                  TAG – 24 , TAU - 1 and TG – 26 
The entries with new traits that are being used as donors in breeding programme, include

1. TM-99-50: Resistant to powdery mildew and yellow mosaic virus diseases

2. TU – 88 -5 Resistant to yellow mosaic virus disease.

                                    Mungbean                                         Blackgram

Novel mutations which could be used in understanding the basic mechanism have been registered with National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi, India

BARC has developed linkages with agricultural universities, seed corporations and progressive farmers to assure quality seeds to farmers. The Trombay crop varieties have been popularized through various awareness programmes, exhibitions, kisan melas and farmer’s rallies.

Seed multiplication of groundnut - TAG-24   and  mungbean - TMB-37

          Seed production plots               Trombay groundnut ready to reach the
            farmer

                                          Farmer's rally

Integrated Pest Management

The red palm weevil is an important pest of coconut palm. A new “T” olfactometer was designed and fabricated for carrying out response of red palm weevil pheromone to commercially available pheromone studies and to BARC synthesized ones.

Application of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to control red palm weevil in coconut

The other research programmes based on radioisotopes include,

 Plant Molecular Markers

DNA based molecular characterization of BARC mutants was carried out using RAPD and ISSR markers.

Rice blast fungus identification

 Molecular characterization of radiation induced mutants of blackgram

 Plant Tissue Culture

Micropropagation protocols have been developed for banana, sugarcane, pineapple, potato, turmeric and ginger. Protocols for direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis have been established in banana, grapes and sugarcane.

Technology for the tissue culture production of banana has been transferred to MSSC, Akola, Maharashtra and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Govt. of Pondicherry, Pondicherry. The promising clones of sugarcane derived from tissue culture are being evaluated at Marathwada Agricultural University Parbhani.

Tissue cultured plants established at BARC  

Micropropagation protocols have been developed for banana, sugarcane, pineapple, potato, turmeric and ginger. Protocols for direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis have been established in banana, grapes and sugarcane. 
Technology for the tissue culture production of banana has been transferred to MSSC, Akola, Maharashtra and Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Govt. of Pondicherry, Pondicherry. The promising clones of sugarcane derived from tissue culture are being evaluated at Marathwada Agricultural University Parbhani.

  Genetic transformation of plants

Transgenic groundnut, potato, mothbean and banana have been developed with marker genes and useful genes for disease/pest resistance and edible vaccines using Agrobacterium mediated and other gene transfer methods.

A protocol for the preparation of juice and powder from ripe banana has been developed

Environment & Bioremediation
Bioremediation organics, radionucliedes and heavy metals using microbes and plants are being studied. Biosensor for environmental monitoring is being studied.

Biogas from kitchen waste

Biogas plant named “nisarguna” developed to process kitchen waste has been working satisfactorily. Digested slurry has good fertilizer value for crops. The biogas plant was able to process other forms of organic wastes like presoaked grass and shredded paper.

One biogas plant each of 1 tonne capacity and 5 tonne capacity were constructed at Hiranandani Estate, Thane, Maharashtra and INS Chilka, Orissa respectively .

FOOD PRESERVATION BY RADIATION PROCESSING - NEED TO PRESERVE FOOD

Food is

vital for human existence.

Conservation and preservation of food is a prerequisite for food security and

it provides economic stability & self-reliance

In comparison with heat or chemical treatment, radiation processing is more effective and appropriate technology for preserving food.

SAFETY AND NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY OF RADIATION PROCESSED FOODS

In India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, amended the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act Rules (1954) through a Gazette notification dated August 9, 1994, permitting radiation processing of onion, potato and spices for internal marketing and consumption. In 1998 and 2001 additional food items were permitted for radiation processing. The list of items approved for radiation processing under PFA Act Rules is given in Table-1.

Table-1:Food items approved for radiation preservation by under PFA Act Rules

Low Dose Applications

Sprout inhibition in bulbs and tubers	0.03 - 0.15 kGy
Delay in ripening and senescence	0.25 - 0.75 kGy
Insect disinfestation including quarantine treatment and elimination of food borne parasites	0.25 - 1 kGy

  Medium Dose Applications  

Reduction of spoilage microbes to improve shelf- life of meat, poultry and seafoods under refrigeration	1.5 - 3 kGy
Elimination of pathogenic microbes in fresh and frozen meat, poultry and seafoods	3 - 7  kGy
Reducing number of microorganisms in spices to improve hygienic quality	10 kGy

High Dose Applications

Radiation processing extended the shelf life of pre-packed whole as well as cut French beans by 12 days at 10 ºC. Similarly, encouraging results were obtained with pre-packed cut ash gourd. A combination treatment of hot water dip and radiation was found to extend the shelf-life of papaya by 12 days without affecting the quality with no significant differences in the vitamin content.

No other method of food processing has been subjected to such a thorough assessment of safety as the radiation processing. The various aspects of wholesomeness and safety of radiation- processed foods have been studied in great detail. Irradiated or radiation processed foods are those that have been exposed to radiation to bring about the desired effect in food. Radioactive foods, on the other hand, are those that become contaminated with radionuclides, for example during a radioactive fall out as exemplified by Chernobyl butter. This type of contamination never occurs during radiation processing of food. Irradiation produces very little chemical changes in food. None of the chemical changes found to occur in food have been found to be harmful. Highly sensitive scientific tests carried out during the past 40 years have failed to detect any harmful chemical products in radiation processed foods. In fact, the chemical differences between radiation processed foods and non-irradiated foods are too small to be detected easily. In comparison to other food processing and preservation methods the nutritional value is least affected by irradiation. In fact, astronauts and cosmonauts have been taking radiation processed food as part of their ration on the various space flights from Apollo to space shuttle.

As in many other food processing procedures only food of good hygienic quality should be irradiated. It is very important that foods intended for processing are of good quality and handled and prepared according to good manufacturing practice (GMP) established by national and international standards . Like any other food treatment irradiation cannot reverse the spoilage process and make bad food good. A food that looks, smells and tastes bad, cannot be saved by any treatment including irradiation.

CONSUMER RESPONSES

A number of surveys have been conducted nationally and internationally to study the response of consumers to radiation processed food. To evaluate the public perception on radiation processed foods in India, a questionnaire was prepared. Response to tasting of irradiated foods conducted in Mumbai at several seminars organized by professional bodies, and seminars for specific target groups like University Students, University and School teachers, officers and staff of Army Supply Depot, Mumbai and consumer and food industry groups have shown overwhelming positive response to eating snack items made from irradiated onions, potatoes and spices. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have conducted `Ahar Utsavs' with irradiated foods among Defence personnel at several locations in the country with great success. In view of the advantages of radiation processing technology for spices, Annapurna Mahila Mandal, a women’s cooperative, launched the sale of radiation processed spices under the trade name ‘Purnanna’ at their outlet SHRADDHA. The radiation processed spice kept for sale at the counter by Annapurna Mahila Mandal, had good consumer response.

International Approval

The Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosnitary (SPS) Practices and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) under the World Trade Organization (WTO) has provided a distinct incentive to the adoption of irradiation as an SPS measure in international trade under the principle of equivalence. Thus, irradiation can be applied to overcome quarantine barriers, and to hygienize products for international trade.

Commercial prospects

The estimated cost of setting up a commercial radiation processing facility is in the range of Rs.5-7 crores.. Many variables affect food costs, and one of them is cost of processing. Any processing will add to the cost of food. But processing also brings many hidden benefits to consumers in terms of increased availability, storage life, distribution, and improved hygiene of food. It can have a stabilizing effect on market price of commodities by reducing storage losses resulting in increased availability of produce. These factors should therefore be taken in to account while considering the economics. Generally speaking, irradiation costs may range from Rs.0.25 to 0.50 / kg for a low dose application such as sprout inhibition of potato and onion and insect disinfestation in cereals and pulses to Rs.1-3/kg for high dose applications such as treatment of spices for microbial decontamination. The costs could be brought down in a multipurpose facility treating a variety of products round the year.

Technology Demonstration Units

The Department of Atomic Energy has set up two technology demonstration units in India. The Radiation Processing Plant at Vashi, Navi Mumbai, is a 30- ton per day capacity unit capable of delivering medium and high doses. The plant is being operated by the Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT) since January 2000. Another unit KRUSHAK (Krushi Utpadan Sanrakshan Kendra) at Lasalgaon near Nashik, is primarily a low dose irradiator capable of delivering doses less than 1 kGy to agricultural commodities. The unit is a 10- ton per hour capacity plant built and operated by BARC. Already, more than a dozen MoUs have been signed with BARC/BRIT by the entrepreneurs interested in setting up radiation processing units.

KNOW-HOW AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Expertise and know-how for designing, fabrication and commissioning of irradiators is available in the country with the Department of Atomic Energy.