The award was given for innovation in jute retting technology through microbial consortium CRIJAF SONA for high-quality fibre
A multidisciplinary team of scientists of ICAR – Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore has bagged the National Societal Innovation Award – 2020 founded by National Research Development Corporation under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt of India, New Delhi for its contribution in the development of, ’Innovation in jute retting technology through microbial consortium CRIJAF SONA for high-quality fibre.’
The bio-degradable, eco-friendly jute fibre provides livelihood support to approximately 5 million farm families directly or indirectly. The yield and quality of jute fibre are dependent on the post-harvest, water-steeped extraction process called ’retting’ which is a microbe dependent process. Therefore, the efficiency of the retting process is crucially dependent on the efficiency and abundance of microbes present in the retting water. The present innovation is related to the development of the first commercial talc-based microbial formulation called ’CRIJAF SONA’ for faster retting of jute and mesta.
The novel microbial strains of this microbial formulation possess unique pectin and hemicellulose degrading properties without any breakdown of cellulose. This microbial formulation ’CRIJAF SONA’ reduces the jute retting duration by six to seven days, improves fibre yield by 8 to 10 per cent and fibre quality by two to three grades, reduces labour and water requirements by about 35 per cent and increases farmers’ income by Rs. 12000-15000 per hectare.
The CRIJAF SONA technology has been commercialised and adopted by 5.5 lakh farmers in the past six years. The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India also adopted the technology on large scale in all the jute and mesta growing states of the country. Thus, this indigenously developed technology can boost the economy of jute farmers in India and other jute growing countries by providing high-quality jute fibre which can be used to produce jute based diversified products.
