Microbial Enrichment of Vermicast

Enriching vermicast through the use of naturally occurring minerals and micro-organisms, ensures application of vermicast in similar quantities while maintaining higher availability of required nutrients for the plant and reducing costs by half, as compared to chemical fertilizers.

Successful experiments to enhance the available nutrients have been a driving force for promoting vermiculture use for many new applications.

On the agenda are processes for up-gradation of essential, micro, and trace nutrients aimed at improving the farm produce quality by enhancing the plant's biological processes.

To put the technique through the severest of tests, trials are also being conducted in areas with alkaline and saline soils, poor soil texture, termite infestation and contaminated water conditions. Through use of naturally occurring minerals and micro-organisms substantially enhanced nutrient contents have been achieved.

Biotechnology for Salinity-Alkalinity Management

Waterlogging and soil salinity are the soil problems known to occur since time immemorial. Many efforts have been made to reclaim barren salt affected lands through a combination of chemical amendments and crop rotations.

In Organic Agriculture, near zero tolerance to the use of chemicals has made us to look for substitutes for neutralizing high pH. Salt affected soils are grouped in two classes i.e. alkali soils and saline soils.

To develop biotech solutions for neutralizing the pH, the plants and their specific parts have been identified. The processes for extraction of these biochemical compounds have also been developed. In addition to laboratory tests, field trials are also being conducted for their efficacy and suitability of applications.

Significant achievements have been made to develop low cost biotech solutions. On the request of an international organization technology was developed for reclaiming Tsunami Affected Coastal Areas. On the request of RSMML, technology has also been developed to utilize Brackish Water from Lignite Mines for cultivation.

Spirullina Cultivation for Plant Nutrients

Spirulina is a micro algal form, which is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and several neutraceutical compounds. It is presently produced under controlled conditions for health foods and pharmaceuticals at a very high cost, thus limiting its consumption among the masses. Few efforts made for its decentralized production have been affected due to the problems of contamination. Presently, contaminated materials are just being thrown away affecting the economics of its production.

At Morarka Foundation to encourage decentralized production at lower cost, we have evolved many novel methods for Spirulina cultivation. The process has been standardized for its cultivation at household levels by farmers in rural areas. The scientific protocols and laboratory test methods have also been standardized. This has enabled us to offer Spirulina production as an income generating activity.

In addition many innovative applications of Spirulina have also been developed for waste water recycling and for enrichment of microbial cultures used in agriculture. This has further expanded the scope of its consumption at reasonable rates benefiting both producers as well as consumers.

Join hands with us to introduce Spirulina production as an income generating activity in rural areas.

Food Preservatives Derived from Plant Sources

All the food preservatives currently being used are synthetic, and they are limited in their ability to preserve food without altering its quality parameters such as flavour and aroma and in many cases even the chemical composition. Lack of high quality food grade natural preservatives is today a major handicap in organic food preservation.

Our scientists have identified many eatable plants that contain complex compounds having fungicidal and bactericidal properties, which can be extracted. One bactericidal compound of a plant has been extracted and a food grade natural preservative developed. Tests are being conducted to study its efficacy, suitability, and cost effectiveness as compared to synthetic food preservatives.

Experiments are also being conducted to extract more such biochemical compounds and test their application in food preservation.

Tissue Culture For Organic Planting Materials

The advent of tissue culture has enabled mass multiplication of plants. In the past maximum research has been directed to develop tissue culture protocols for floriculture and fruit plants. Recently, research is also being carried out to develop tissue culture protocols for medicinal plants.

At Morarka Foundation we have been working to develop tissue culture protocols for plants known for their medicinal properties under the Aruvedic system of medication. . We are also working to develop tissue culture protocols for aromatic plant species.

In addition, with our experiences in the identification and isolation of biochemical compounds extracted from plants, we are adopting tissue culture technique to produce these plants under industrialized production system. We have observed that most of the pesticidal ingredients and secondary metabolites in plants are the results of stress. We are therefore multiplying these plants under in vitro conditions and giving stress to enhance the desired contents. The plants multiplied by this novel technique will meet the requirements of usable secondary metabolites without the need to harvest these plants from their natural habitats.