The ICAR-Indian Soybean Research Institute has organized an Online Seminar on "Bio-fortification-Nationwide Campaign" on Thursday jointly in association with Regional Wheat Research Centre, Indore; Solidaridad, Bhopal and ITC Limited, Madhya Pradesh under "AzadiKaAmritMahotsav".
The seminar was organized virtually using zoom app and the YouTube channel of the ICAR-IISR. More than 650 soya farmers associated with Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Solidaridad, Bhopal and ITC limited participated in this farmers' seminar.
At the outset, BU Dupare, Principal Scientist of ICAR-IISR briefed about various activities being undertaken throughout the country especially the efforts related to development of nutrient rich crops varieties enabling the food uses. He said that the health of people especially those living below the poverty line are affected due to the deficiency of protein and other nutrients. Therefore, we need to develop and promote such varieties which are able to integrate in our daily diet.
The programme was also addressed by Bhuvnesh, of ITC Limited Madhya Pradesh as well as Shri HimanshuBais, Solidaridad, Bhopal who informed about the collaborative programs being carried out promotion of technologies developed by ICAR-IISR and its adoption among the farming community.
During the seminar, KC Sharma, Head of Indore based Wheat Research Center of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, a center popular for development of durum wheat informed that the varieties like HI 1636 (PusaBakula) and HI 8877 (PusaPrabhat) developed by this center have already been dedicated to the nation by Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sharma also briefed about the development other bio-fortified variety HI-8777having more zinc and iron content along with yellow pigments. The variety is capable of giving more yield with application of just 4 irrigations.
In another lecture "Bio-fortification in Soybean by Agronomic Techniques", Dr. RaghavendraMadar and Dr. Rakesh Kumar Verma of Indian Institute of Soybean Research have discussed about the use of zinc and iron element for increasing theavailability of micronutrients in soybean crop. For realizing higher yield levels in soybean, it was recommended to apply 25 kg zinc sulphate and 50 kg Iron sulphate/ haat the time of sowing of soybean or foliar spray of 0.5% zinc sulphate and 1% iron sulphate3 times in soybean before flowering till the pod formation stage.
On this occasion, BU Dupare, Principal Scientist of ICAR-IISR discussed about the "nutritional properties of soybeans, soy based foods, processing technology suitable bio-fortified soybean varieties" for promotion in the form of soy food on regular basis in rural areas enabling the poor people for supplementation of cheapest protein source.
According to him, soy protein is one of the most economical sources among the various protein sources, which should be included in the Indian diet in the form of various food items.
He said that the scientists of ICAR-Indian Institure of Soybean Research, Indore has succeeded in removing "anti-nutritional KTI" as well as lypoxygenase acid, an enzyme associated with beany/odd flavor, two major constraintsfor behind utilization of soy food uses. He mentioned that the scientist of ICAR-IISR have developed the country's first Kunitz trypsin inhibitor free soybean variety "NRC 127" already notified for its cultivation in Central India. Similarly another variety "NRC 142" free from Kunitz trypsin inhibitors as well as lipoxygenaseacid. He also mentioned about the development of another soybean variety NRC 147 having high content of oleic acid. On this occasion, Dr. Duparealso discussed about the facility recently established at ICAR-IISR for training on entrepreneurship development / start up program of soya based food items being made by the Agri Business Incubation Center for the upcoming entrepreneurs.