CPRI develops tech to grow seed potatoes without soil

After the success of the initial trials,the CPRI has upscaled the system to start a commercial unit under greenhouse conditions having a capacity of 3,000 plants in Modipuram in

Uttar Pradesh,The Indian Express has learnt.

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in air or moist environment in a closed or semi-closed environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium.

Giving a big fillip to productivity,seed potato production using Aeroponics ensures five to six times more production of minitubers as compared to traditional tissue culture system. With no exposure to soil,there is little danger of any soil-based disease.

With precise and timely supply of nutrients and the help of timer-controlled sprays through a nozzle system,the technology lowers the input costs.

Engineers and scientists of CPRI developed the system after conducting extensive studies on developing its components with the support of Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP),Peru,where the technology was already in use.

“With the help of our engineers and scientists,we have succeeded in giving an indigenous touch to the technology for seed potato production. We have standardised the system after successful trials at Modipuram,” said CPRI director B P Singh.

“We started the commercial unit for seed potato production on January 27 this year by planting the first lot. Apart from other benefits of Aeroponics,the seed potato can be produced twice in a year without caring for environmental conditions. But for this technology,it would not have been possible to start growing potato seeds in January in this part of the world,” engineer Sukhwinder Singh Chahal told The Indian Express.

He claimed that the technology developed by CPRI was in fact better than the one being used by CIP,Peru. “We have better automation system than CIP,Peru,” Chahal claimed,adding that the next step was to take the technology to the farmers.

“We are working on taking the technology to farmers to make them self-reliant in seed production. To begin with,it would be big farmers who would be able to use it. We are working on how we can use local materials and resources to design the system for farmers,” he said.

“The beauty of the system is that if we take a minituber out,the plant receives a message as if there was a threat to the progeny and it triggers plant to produce more minitubers,thereby resulting in more productivity,” Chahal said.

CPRI Joint Director Dr S K Kaushik said that in the potato sowing season,the seed potatoes produced using the Aeroponics system were likely to be given to states in India. “While in our (CPRI’s) fields,the trials have been successful,we would like see the field results of the seeds produced using Aeroponics,” said Dr Kaushik.

The CPRI prototype

The CPRI prototype consists of an electrical unit,two light-proof growth chambers,a nutrient solution chamber,a high pressure pump,a filter and spray nozzles. All the essential nutrient elements required for plant growth are dissolved in water in the solution chamber and solution pH is maintained at the desired level throughout the crop period. This nutrient solution is compressed through the nozzles by high pressure pump,forming a fine mist in growth chambers. At the roof of the growth chambers,in-vitro propagates and hardened plantlets are planted in 20 mm diameter holes. Pump is automatically operated for 10-30 seconds after every 10-30 minutes interval with electronic timer and conductor.

This way growth chambers are maintained at 100 per cent relative humidity by misting nutrient solution round the clock. After a week,the root system starts developing inside the growth chambers. Like in soil system,tuber formation is initiated at different intervals depending upon variety.