Two IAN Fellows felicitated in September 2011

The CSIR Technology Award for Life Sciences (2011) awarded to CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat for ‘Developing Terminalia chebula based bioformulation (Muga Heal) as an anti-flacherie agent and a silk fibre enhancer’ The technology was developed by a team headed by Dr. BG Unni, Chief Scientist & area Coordinator (/Biological Sciences), Dr. PG Rao (Director) CSIR NEIST and Dr. SB Wann (Scientist). The award was presented to the team by Hon’ble Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences & Vice President CSIR Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh in the presence of Dr. Ashwani Kumar Minister of State for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Planning, Dr. RA Mashelkar Former Director General CSIR, National Research Professor, and Prof. Samir K. Brahmachari, Director General, CSIR and other dignitaries at the CSIR Foundation day celebration held on 26th September 2011 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

CSIR-NEIST Jorhat has developed a novel technology based on the fruits of Terminalia chebula against the muga silkworm disease (Flacherie) and to enhance the silk production. Muga silkworms are associated with a pathogenic bacterium which causes flacherie disease. As a result it effects larger population of silkworms resulting in the decrease of their silk producing capacity. It is an infectious disease among muga silkworms. Hence it effects the silk industry. In this context, research work carried out in CSIR - NEIST laboratory by utilizing the dry fruits of Terminalia chebula, locally called “Helica”. The application of Terminalia chebula fruit based bioformulation resulted in controlling the flacherie disease and at the same time enhance cocoon production with uniform shape, size, improved quality of silk having more reeling filament of unbreakable length. The preparation of the bioformulation is simple and can be easily adopted by sericulture farmers. The bioformulation is an ecofriendly extract, non toxic to muga silkworm (Antheraea assamensis) or the host plants. The bioformulation can be used and applied in all seasons in muga sericulture and it is now being tried on other silkworm as well. The use of Terminalia chebula based bioformulation by sericulture farmers in large scale would uplift the economic status of the weaker section.