Caitlin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2004
- Messages
- 8,502
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200604301210.htm
IN "The Hindu"
Scientists on new pearl culture techniques to compete with China
Panaji, April 30. (UNI): Indian scientists are working hard to evolve new techniques for culturing pearls with "boosted yield in a short period" to spurn off stiff competition from China, which has captured the Rs 100 crore market with cheaper but quality produce.
"We are exploring all means, including tissue culture technique, besides applying different grafting methods using an array of substances like metal ions, enzymes, steroids and harmones as growth factors for higher yields and reduced time taken for pearl formation in mussels," according to Dr N Sarangi, Director of Bhubhaneswar-based Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA).
The scientists are in fact planning to import 'Hyriopsis' species of high-yielding mussels from Vietnam shortly for culturing pearls in an Indian environment to offset the Chinese dumping of the precious pearls that adorn even ordinary women folk, Dr Sarangi said.
The import is, however, subject to approval of the Centre ensuring observation of all quarantine regulations to avoid possible weed menace as the Tilapia fish and Water Hyacinth imports created in South Africa and India, he told UNI recently.
Indian scientists are still baffled by the Chinese technique of grafting that has been yielding 30 to 40 pearls per mussel in a short span of time as against one or two in at least 18 months period in our pond environment, he added.
Even school going kids, as part-timers, have become grafting experts in China, implanting as many as 15 nuclei at a time with ease in a mussel before culturing pearls, whereas we have only 150 trained personnel in India, leave alone the tough marketing aspect of the products, Dr Sarangi said.
"Our scientists had however succeeded to a certain extent in tissue culture technology for pearls. We were able to get minute crystals of the pearls, but not able to bind these shining crystals into pearls," says senior scientist Dr J K Jena who, till recently, had been in charge of the prestigious pearl culture wing of the CIFA.
They are studying the missing links/factors including proteins, if any, responsible for such binding of these crystals besides reducing the time factor for nacre secretion of the crystal material in mussels.
Undeterred by these factors beyond their control, the scientists at the CIFA, which pioneered pearl culture in fresh water ponds for the first time in the country since 1988-89, has perfected techniques to culture a design pearl providing value addition.
IN "The Hindu"
Scientists on new pearl culture techniques to compete with China
Panaji, April 30. (UNI): Indian scientists are working hard to evolve new techniques for culturing pearls with "boosted yield in a short period" to spurn off stiff competition from China, which has captured the Rs 100 crore market with cheaper but quality produce.
"We are exploring all means, including tissue culture technique, besides applying different grafting methods using an array of substances like metal ions, enzymes, steroids and harmones as growth factors for higher yields and reduced time taken for pearl formation in mussels," according to Dr N Sarangi, Director of Bhubhaneswar-based Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA).
The scientists are in fact planning to import 'Hyriopsis' species of high-yielding mussels from Vietnam shortly for culturing pearls in an Indian environment to offset the Chinese dumping of the precious pearls that adorn even ordinary women folk, Dr Sarangi said.
The import is, however, subject to approval of the Centre ensuring observation of all quarantine regulations to avoid possible weed menace as the Tilapia fish and Water Hyacinth imports created in South Africa and India, he told UNI recently.
Indian scientists are still baffled by the Chinese technique of grafting that has been yielding 30 to 40 pearls per mussel in a short span of time as against one or two in at least 18 months period in our pond environment, he added.
Even school going kids, as part-timers, have become grafting experts in China, implanting as many as 15 nuclei at a time with ease in a mussel before culturing pearls, whereas we have only 150 trained personnel in India, leave alone the tough marketing aspect of the products, Dr Sarangi said.
"Our scientists had however succeeded to a certain extent in tissue culture technology for pearls. We were able to get minute crystals of the pearls, but not able to bind these shining crystals into pearls," says senior scientist Dr J K Jena who, till recently, had been in charge of the prestigious pearl culture wing of the CIFA.
They are studying the missing links/factors including proteins, if any, responsible for such binding of these crystals besides reducing the time factor for nacre secretion of the crystal material in mussels.
Undeterred by these factors beyond their control, the scientists at the CIFA, which pioneered pearl culture in fresh water ponds for the first time in the country since 1988-89, has perfected techniques to culture a design pearl providing value addition.
