Research Highlights
Natural Plants & Products
The
institute has carried out extensive work on cultivation and processing
of scented rose and developed and a comprehensive agro and processing
technology package. Two varieties namely Jwala, suitable for
cultivation in plain areas and Himroz suitable for cultivation in
hilly areas have been released. Large number of planting materials were
also distributed to the framers of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab,
Haryana, UP and Uttranchal. Regulars trainings are imparted to the
farmers and entrepreneurs on rose cultivation and processing.
Similarly, agro and processing technology has also been developed for Tagetes(wild
marigold), Lavander and
geranium. Presently, the agronomists of the unit are focusing on
domestication of high altitude medicinal and aromatic plants like, Picrorhiza, Dracocephalum heterophyllum, Valeriana jatamansi, Artemesia,Ginko biloba etc. Under
mission mode programmes chemical
characterization of high value medicinal plants are underway.
The institute has developed a strong nursery base of Stevia rebaudiana.
Planting materials have been provided to farmers of several states of
India. Lab scale processing of stevioside has been standardized and
upscaling is underway in pilot plant. Green technology has been
deployed for extraction of vanillin
from vanilla pods.
The institute is working on chemical synthesis and has developed a
number of value added compounds
from plant sources like Dihydrotagetone alcohols, an analogue of
natural whisky lactone, trans-cimmamaldehyde etc. Several processes like
conversion of toxic beta asarone to pharamacologically active alpha
asarone, preparation neolignan, phenylaldehydes from phenylpropenes
etc.. Natural resources are
being explored for their use in food and textile industries.
Work has also been carried out on designing of distillation units
for processing of herbals. A mini
distillation unit capable of processing 5 to 25 kg plant
materials is in great demand.
Institute of
Himalayan Bioresource Technology,Post Box No. 6 Palampur (H.P.) 176061 INDIA Tel:
+91-1894-230742-43 Fax: +91-1894-230433
E-mail:director@ihbt.res.in