Member - BharatRohan Airborne Innovations Private Limited

How does it work? Our technology is based on Hyperspectral Imaging which determines minuscule colour changes occurring in the plants due to physiological and phenological changes. For example: When a disease like bacterial blight infects a pomegranate plant, it is caused by a pathogen called Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. punicae. This pathogen releases a number of effector proteins including TAL effectors into the plant through their secretion system. This effector protein causes some biochemical change in the plants and leaves. With human eyes, these changes become visible only when the water absorbing red-brown spots become visible on leaves. But with Hyperspectral imaging, we are able to identify the color changes occurring in the leaves due to these biochemical changes - even at just the onset of the infestation which helps us in providing early predictions and forecasts to the growers so that losses can be prevented. We diagnose the problems of the farmer field with a non-destructive method of Hyperspectral Imaging and create prescription maps. These prescription maps are then converted into recommendations reports in vernacular language of the farmers. The recommendations are provided by the agronomists/pathologist/entomologists of partner ICAR & State Agriculture Institutes. We have very strong partnerships with them through a-IDEA, technology business incubator of ICAR-National Academy of Agriculture Research Management, Hyderabad where we are incubated and being supported extensively. The incubator is supported by ICAR and Department of Science and Technology of Government of India. What has been done and future projects? In the past, Pomegranate growers in Rajasthan and Sugarcane Growers in Maharashtra. We have several paying farmers & cooperatives involved in large-scale Sugarcane, pomegranate in Maharashtra. We are also planning to launch our services for some tea growers in Alipurduar, West Bengal and in the process of commercializing our services for Mentha Cropping System in Barabanki District of Uttar Pradesh. We are creating a separate R&D wing which will simultaneously work in creating service packages for other crops by collecting reflactance data of crops in various phenological and physiological stages of the crop growth. We have strategic partnerships with institutes like ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseed Research, Hyderabad and CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow for the R&D and development of our services for oilseed crops like castor, groundnut, sunflower, mustard and mentha.