Integrated Biological Control Laboratory
15-May-2023: Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Inaugurates Integrated Biological Control Laboratory in Hyderabad
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Government of India, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Integrated Biological Control Laboratory at National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) Hyderabad today, Telangana.
After inaugurating the lab, he emphasized that the use of biocontrol for pests is necessary to overcome the adverse effects of excessive pesticide use in different crops as well as to reduce the cost of cultivation and to increase farmer’s income. He underlined the need that the technologies developed in the laboratory should be taken to the farmers who have least access to information so that they can be convinced about the benefits of these technologies. He emphasized that there should not be any pesticide residue in organically produced agricultural commodities which are being exported to foreign market to keep up with the brand image of the Country. He congratulated all the staff and officials of NIPHM on the new Integrated Biocontrol Laboratory building and expressed hope that they will rededicate themselves for the cause of taking the technology to the farmers.
On this occasion Shri Manoj Ahuja IAS, Secretary Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Shri Raghunandan Rao IAS, Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Telangana, Dr Pramod Kumar Meharda IAS, Additional Secretary DA&FW, Dr Sagar Hanuman Singh, Director General of NIPHM, Senior Officers from Central and State Government, ICAR institutes, trainee officers and students were also present.
The new Integrated Bio Control Laboratory (BC Lab) is a state of art laboratory in NIPHM, have facilities for giving hands on experience on production methodologies for Biopesticides, Biocontrol agents like predators and parasitoids, Entomopathogenic fungi, Bio fertilizers, NPV, Pheromone and Botanicals. The use of bio-control agents, bio-pesticides, and bio-fertilizers will help in reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, consequently reduce the adverse effects on the environment and human health and contribute to improved Soil and Plant Health. The BC Lab will also have an Insect Museum, weed museum, exhibition hall, Natural Farming Cell etc. to showcase the specimens of agriculturally important insects and weeds in the best preserved or live forms.
The new Integrated Biocontrol Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, and the labs are staffed with highly qualified faculty members. NIPHM promotes sustainable agricultural practices such as Agro Ecosystem Analysis (AESA) and Ecological Engineering (EE) for pest management with enhanced use of different biological agents, bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers. NIPHM is conducting regular training programs on various aspects of insect pests and diseases management in different crops. The training programmes are attended by officers working in different states, scientists / academicians from Agricultural Universities, KVKs, ICAR institutes, students, farmers, DPPQ&S and private organizations.
Earlier, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar along with Agriculture Minister of Telangana, Shri Singireddy Niranjan Reddy, Secretary, A&FW, Sh. Manoj Ahuja, APC Telangana, Sh. Raghunandan Rao IAS, Cyberabad Police Commissioner, Sh. Stephen Raveendra and other senior officials of both GoI and Govt. of Telangana reviewed the preparations for upcoming G20 Agri Ministers Meeting at Novotel Hyderabad on 15th May 2023.
Amongst several capacity building programs offered by the NIPHM, important ones pertaining to Plant Health Management are: Post Graduate Diploma in Plant Health Management (PGDPHM), Certificate Course on Plant Health Management in Organic Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for various crops, Field Diagnosis & Management of Plant Parasitic Nematodes, On-Farm production of Bio-inputs, Production protocol for Biofertilizers & Biopesticides, Production protocol for Predators &Parasitoids (natural enemies of insect pests), Production protocol of Entomopathogenic Nematodes, Locust Pest Management, Advances in Weed Management, Quality control of microbial biopesticides., etc.
The inauguration of this facility is a significant milestone in the development of chemical free sustainable agriculture in India. The facility will help the extension functionaries to promote non-chemical options of pest management in agricultural and horticultural crops. The trained officers shall further train farmers in respective areas to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and promote the use of eco-friendly practices for pest management. This facility will also help in enhancing the knowledge and skills of agriculture officers, extension officers and farmers in the field of soil health management, organic farming and natural farming in the country.
Photonic memory
12-May-2023: A new photonic memory developed with multilevel capability for optoelectronic data storage applications
A new photonic, functional memory based on tin oxide slanted nanorod arrays in which both the optical and electrical stimuli can be used to modulate switching characteristics shows potential for developing high-density and high-efficiency computing systems.
Currently, various research groups worldwide are designing and realizing non-volatile, ultrafast, reliable, functional memory systems that outperform traditional silicon-based flash memories. In this big data era, a new class of data storage devices that can overcome the physical limitations of the existing memory technologies is being pursued vigorously. One such class of memories is commonly known as memristor (an acronym for memory resistor), which can store and process data through electrical signals.
Recently, researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bangalore, an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, have designed such a functional memory based on tin oxide slanted nanorod arrays that shows great potential for the development of high-density and high-efficient computing systems. In this restive memory (non-linear passive two-terminal electrical component which changes its internal resistance between high and low resistance states), both the optical and electrical stimuli can be used to modulate the switching characteristics, including multilevel cell operation.
The CeNS team consisting of Swathi S. P., Athira M., and S. Angappane developed the photonic memory in which the tin oxide slanted nanorod arrays are used as an active layer. The tin oxide nanostructures are prepared by electron-beam evaporation through a technique called the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique.
The electron-beam evaporation is a physical vapor deposition method wherein a focussed electron beam is made to bombard the desired target material, which results in its vaporization, and, eventually, deposition of the target material onto the substrate. GLAD facilitates the preparation of complex nanostructures by manipulating the coordinates (tilt and rotation) of the substrate.
The researchers observed good switching characteristics of the memory devices, including low operating voltages, moderate ON/OFF ratio (refers to the ratio of current in the ON state (low resistance state--LRS) to the OFF state (high resistance state- HRS) of the memory device), longer endurance, and better retention with a self-compliance effect in the dark. Interestingly, an unusual negative photo response with an enlarged ON/OFF ratio of greater than 107 and a faster response time is observed under illumination ranging from ultraviolet (254 and 365 nm) to visible light (405 and 533 nm).
The negative photo response is characterized by the decrease of the current in the active layer of the device upon light illumination. They found that these devices can be electrically SET (switching the device from a high to low resistance state by applying voltage bias) to LRS and optically RESET (switching of the device from low to high resistance state upon exposure to the light) to HRS.
Remarkably, multiple low and high resistance states have been achieved by modulating the programming current and optical stimulus. Moreover, they have presented ample experimental evidence which suggests that the electric field-induced formation and light-induced dissolution of oxygen vacancies are responsible for the optically-stimulated resistance switching. In other words, multiple nanoscale conductive filaments composed of oxygen vacancies (primary defects in oxide-based memory devices) are formed on applying the electrical bias, and the photo-stimulated recombination of the surrounding oxygen ions with the vacancies results in the rupturing of the formed conductive filaments. In this manner, the local conductivity of the tin oxide nanorod array could be modified by the synergistic interplay between the electrical and optical means.
The research recently published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces can enable the design and development of photonic memories based on metal oxide nanostructures and help explore their potential applications in artificial visual memory and optoelectronics.
National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE)
11-May-2023: National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE) organises awareness programs on high-altitude remotely located villages of Uttarakhand on Mission LiFE
World Environment Day (June 5) is an occasion which brings together millions of people across the country for awareness and action for the environment. This year, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India envisages to celebrate the World Environment Day 2023 with a thrust on the Mission LiFE. The concept of LiFE, i.e., Lifestyle for Environment was introduced by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, at the World Leaders' Summit in Glasgow at the 2021 UNFCCC COP26, when he gave a clarion call to rekindle a global pursuit to adopt sustainable lifestyle and practices. Mass mobilisation across the country on LiFE are being organized in the run-up to the celebrations.