Date:07/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/07/stories/2008080759460600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Rs.40 lakh sanctioned

Staff Reporter

Dr. A. Ganapathi

TIRUCHI: The Department of Biotechnology, Union Ministry of Science and Technology, has sanctioned Rs. 40 lakh grant to A. Ganapathi, Professor of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, to improve the nutritional quality (vitamin E) of Soyabean.

Soyabean seed has less than seven per cent alpha tocopherol (vitamin E). The project aims to develop transgenic technology to produce soyabean with more alpha tocopherol.

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has sanctioned Rs. 20 lakh to Dr. Ganapathy to develop the methodology for mass cultivation of withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) roots through tissue culture. It is an important medicinal plant but rapidly depleting from natural habitat due to indiscriminate collection.

This plant, known as Indian ginseng, has great health promoting efficiency.