A day after the world's first synthetic burger was
unveiled in London, India had its own Eureka moment of food modification. The
Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) announced Tuesday that it had developed 41
varieties of crops under its nuclear agriculture programme in Trombay. These
include 15 varieties of groundnut, three kinds of mustard, two types of
soyabean and one variety of sunflower. Eight types of moong, four kinds of
tuvar, five kinds of urad, and one variety each of chouli, rice and jute was
cultivated.
Dr Suresh G Bhagwat, head of nuclear agriculture &
biotechnology, BARC, said this at a Press Club Knowledge Series event organised
by BARC and the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI). He said, If India has
to be self-reliant in food production it is imperative to embrace nuclear
agriculture technology. More so because agricultural land is becoming scarce
and the demand for food is growing.'' Bhagwat said radiation on plants can
enhance genetic variability'' which can be harnessed for developing new
varieties of crops like cereals, pulses and oilseeds. These can be infused with
special qualities like increased yield, disease resistance, early maturity and
salinity- or water-stress tolerance. BARC has also developed elite varieties of
banana.
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