During its foundation day and Kisan Mela celebrations, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB) introduced its novel vision for integrating Artificial Intelligence into banana production and marketing technologies. This event took place in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. Acknowledged for excellence, NRCB earned the Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award in 2020. The institution’s core mission is to elevate banana and plantain production and productivity via strategic research approaches.
Speaking at the event, Dr. R Selvarajan, Director of NRCB, highlighted its position as a global leader in banana research and owner of Asia’s largest gene bank for the fruit. Over the past year, the center developed 60 technologies, introduced six new banana varieties, and contributed over 1,000 research articles. Additionally, NRCB exported bananas to nations including Italy and Europe.
Beyond its research achievements, NRCB plays an active role in on-field demonstrations in regions like Karnataka and Kerala. The institution secured patents for AI-based disease detection and Basil seed suspension. NRCB’s work extends to gene editing against fusarium wilt, a viral disease impacting bananas. The institution conducted 146 capacity-building programs, benefiting farmers, entrepreneurs, and students. It also introduced the Kavery Microbial Consortium technology to the farming community.
Dr. V. Palanimuthu, Director of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management, discussed the interest of entrepreneurs from Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu in banana marketing. He stressed best agricultural practices, controlled atmospheric storage for exports, and emerging tech like automated irrigation and agricultural drones.
Dr. V. Venkatasubramanian, Director of ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Bengaluru, emphasized quantity, quality, continuity, and cost-effectiveness in agriculture. He highlighted ICAR-NRCB’s role in aiding banana cultivation in Lakshadweep.
The event recognized 14 award categories, including Best Banana Farmers, Technology Dissemination, and Entrepreneurs. Farmers who adopted NRCB technologies shared their success stories. Dr. C. Karpagam, Principal Scientist at ICAR-NRCB, gave the welcome address, while Dr. M. Mayilvaganan, Principal Scientist at ICAR-NRCB, conveyed the vote of thanks.
