US tech to save exotic, other plants facing extinction

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, October 20

Aerophonic and Hydrophonic plant development facility was now available at the Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (IHBT), a CISR institute, at Palampur. Scientists at the IHBT institute said that Aerophonic and Hydrophonic technology was developed by US space agency NASA. The technology has been imported with an idea to help develop exotic and medicinal plants nearing extinction.

The scientists said in Aerophonic technology the roots of the plants are treated with nutrients and light sprays of water. The roots of the plants remain in air and are sprayed with water at periodic intervals. In Hydrophonic technology the roots of the plants are kept dipped in water and are provided nutrients. The nutrients that are provided to develop the plants under the said technologies are also imported.

Sources here said the IHBT had spent Rs 50 lakh for setting up the Aerophonic and Hydrophonic plant development facility. Asked how it would benefit the farmers of Himachal for which the technology has been brought, the scientists working on the project said that they were working on reducing the cost of technology so that it can be transferred to the state farmers.

They said that the IHBT had been working on a project to introduce Saffron plantation in cold deserts of Himachal.

The IHBT director Sanjay Kumar said this was future technology and would become more and more relevant as the land under agriculture was decreasing and climate change was having an adverse impact on the cropping circles.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the aerophonic and hydrophonic technology facility. Sanjay Kumar director of the IHBT briefed the minister about various projects being under taken by the institute.