By Fr S Ignacimuthu, SJ

Palayamkottai, April 19, 2020: From initial days of my research pursuit, I have always wanted to concentrate on issues related to people.

So, during My PhD research I worked on developing new varieties of urad and mung beans with high protein content using mutation genetics under the guidance of my supervisor. We succeeded in getting two good varieties which we handed over to agricultural universities to develop them further and release as new varieties.

Later, along with my students at St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirapalli, we assessed the nutritional status of many wild pulses for utilizing them in our diets. We also identified many useful microbes to promote growth and productivity of crop plants. We identified some harmful chemicals which affect the genetic structure of plants and took initiatives to promote greater awareness to avoid the uses of such harmful chemicals.

Later with my team at Entomology Research Institute, (ERI), Loyola College, Chennai, we were engaged in people-oriented research for many years. One of the first things we did was to alleviate the suffering of the farmers by encouraging the use of natural plant-based botanical biopesticides in place of synthetic chemical pesticides, to control insect pests, thus helping them also to promote organic farming and sustainable agriculture.

This was initiated to overcome the ill-effects of chemical pesticides on the environment, animals and humans. With the involvement of our research students and scientists we developed a new botanical pesticide named Ponneem, after many years of research and collaborated with a company NIMBION ORGANICS in Chennai to manufacture and supply these to the farmers.

Millions of farmers are benefiting by using this product. We have also taught the farmers to prepare it by themselves so that they need not depend on the company every time.

We have tested thousands of plants from various parts of our country for their insect control efficacy and recommended some of them to be used by farmers in preparing homemade formulations to be sprayed in the fields. Many plants have also been screened as protectants against stored grain pests to safeguard pulses and grains.

We have also developed few natural bioproducts to overcome mosquito menace. Moswav, a mosquito ovicide, larvicide and pupicide can be spread in water bodies to control mosquito population. Flyoff, a natural mosquito repellent bioproduct is useful as spray, incense stick and coil to keep mosquitoes away. Mosaway, a biocream, can be used as a repellent.

All these products are manufactured and marketed by Neophylls Agroscience Company, Chennai. One product is also manufactured and marketed by a Singapore company.

We have identified many natural biomolecules from plants and microbes which can be used to control insect pests and microbial pathogens. Some of these are very useful for farmers in their fields. Apart from these, we have carried out extensive research in medicinal plants used by people to isolate biomolecules which are useful as medicines to treat cancer, diabetes, inflammation, tuberculosis and obesity. Some of these are also very useful to control pathogenic microbes.

We have identified many antibiotic producing microbes. One edible biscuit has been developed to control fat accumulation in the body. One mixed powder has been developed to alleviate diabetes. We have taken efforts to promote traditional varieties of foods for better health benefits through some companies.

We have also contributed much in conservation of endangered medicinal plants and pollinating insects. We have documented the biodiversity of insects, plants and fungi. They are preserved in our Institute for future reference by scientists and others. Through our research we have multiplied many endangered medicinal plants employing tissue culture and planted them in natural habitats.

We have also supplied the saplings to many Ayurvedic and Siddha healers to cultivate them in their herbal gardens. We have validated many traditional claims of tribal healers who use medicinal plants to treat diseases. We have also documented their claims and published books. We have mass reared pollinating moths and butterflies and released them in the fields.

Using molecular techniques we have developed new varieties of finger millet which can grow well and yield more in phosphorus and zinc deficient soils, thus helping the poor farmers who cannot spend much money for fertilizers. We have also developed new varieties of crops with insect pest resistant properties both in the field and storage.

We have given many environmental awareness programs and sustainable agriculture trainings to thousands of men and women farmers, self-help groups and students on various aspects related to biopesticides production, vermicompost preparation, mushroom cultivation, medicinal plant gardens and organic farming. Because of our training efforts, many have volunteered to serve as agents of environmental protection.

Our research outputs have reached scientific community and the public through innumerable publications by way of books (75), research articles (700), patents (20) and popular writings (50). Many of our books are used as text books in Universities and Colleges. Many scientists have cited our research (15,000 times so far) in their publications.

(Jesuit Father Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu is the current director of the Xavier Research Foundation attached to St. Xavier’s College in Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu. The 71-year-old Jesuit scientist had earlier served as the vice chancellor of Coimbatore-based Bharathiar University, (2000-2002) and vice chancellor of University of Madras, Chennai (2002-2003). He has done specialist studies in Germany, United state, Switzerland and Japan, besides India.)