ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

source of income to surrounding local people. Based
on the standard design practice and laboratory
studies, an effluent treatment plant and a fish pond
were constructed. Experimental protocol was
standardized on fish culture and a low-cost extruder
based fish feed production unit fabricated. Fortified
fish feed pellets with essential minerals and vitamins
have been tested on fish and performance of
standardized fish feed formulation was studied.
Training programmes on feed preparation was
organized. The demonstration of technology was
undertaken for selected youths belonging to SC/ST
weaker sections to train them in wastewater
aquaculture and value addition of by-products from a
typical parboil rice mill industry.
Animal Husbandry
Project was undertaken to train farmers on various
aspects of brooding, hatching, production and
reproduction using locally available materials in
Mizoram. Quail farming has been popularized
among the tribal community and school children of
Mizoram, as it is easy for them to rear and earn.
Trained beneficiaries started rearing Quails through
adoption of technology packages through erection of
bamboo housing and maintaining sex ratio. Pig
rearing is also very common in Mizoram and some
farmers are rearing both quails and pig together to
earn extra income.
Organic Farming
Aspects on organic farming through dissemination of
Quail farming by tribal folk in Mizoram
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know-how for on farm fertility management,
vermiculture and it's enrichment was undertaken in
Rajastan through training programs conducted using
agriculture waste, crop residues & cow dung. Around
6000 farmers were trained on various bio-dynamic
preparations and composting. Linkage established
with the exporters to enable direct market of cotton,
banana, turmeric and pulses. Farmers fetches
around 20-25% additional revenue for their organic
certified produce. In Tirupati district of Andhra
Pradesh, SHGs formed are creating awareness on
productive use of agricultural waste for
vermicomposting and mushroom cultivation and its
advantages in income generation, employment,
enhancing food nutritive value and pollution
abatement. Training programmes on compost
production were undertaken at Kerala benefiting
around 400 farmers. A vermi-mela was organized for
technology dissemination to the farmers at Aligarh for
two days, which was attended by farmers and district
agriculture extension officials.
Biocontrol Agents
Popularization programme on use of Trichoderma
spp. was undertaken at National Botanical Research
Institute, Lucknow to educate and train farmers using
cheap agricultural wastes. Mass multiplication of
Trichoderma was undertaken using locally available
raw material, protecting high value crops against
several soil-borne diseases. Packets of mother
culture of potential strain of Trichoderma were
distributed to the farmers along with the extension
material.
Mushroom Cultivation
The activity was promoted as an alternate income
generation source in Tamil Nadu utilizing locally
available agriculture residues, coir pith, mat, banana
dried leaves, handloom waste and paddy straw
available at the villages. Various aspects on
mushroom cultivation such as spawn preparation,
selection of raw materials, bed preparation,
harvesting, processing and sale of mushroom were
demonstrated. Around 500 beneficiaries were
benefited through cultivation of mushrooms, product
preparation, commercialization and marketing etc.
The training programmes on oyster mushroom
cultivation were undertaken for SC/ST and Weaker