The Diamond Jubilee Block at the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), where the Advanced Centre for Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (ACMBB) is going to function, was recently inaugurated by Rita Teaotia, the secretary of the Department of Commerce in the country’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
The second phase of the International Hevea Clone Museum of RRII was also opened with Teaotia’s planting of a root trainer plant. The international natural rubber clone museum is a repository of advanced genetic resources from across the world. It has imported 44 high-yielding and disease-resistant rubber clones from 10 different countries, which are at advanced stages of field trials.
Interacting with the scientists, Teaotia asked them to forget the non-technical reasons for the prevailing condition in the rubber sector and strive to overcome the challenges redoubling their efforts.
Teaotia said that India has become a net importer of rubber from being a leading exporter of the commodity during the past years. She stressed the need to keep up with the competitiveness many of the other countries had achieved in natural rubber productivity.
The Commerce Secretary also stressed the need to overcome the present inordinate lag in translating the research objectives into ground reality.It is not only in the interests of the rubber industry but also for the benefit of farmers, the large majority of whom were marginal farmers, and as such an issue of livelihood, she said.
She wanted the Commerce Department, Rubber Board, and other related agencies to work together to meet this end.
Ajith Kumar, chairman and executive director of Rubber Board welcomed the gathering.
Speaking on the occasion, RRII Director James Jacob said that the results of studies at ACMBB would make developing a new high-yielding climate resilient and disease tolerant clone faster.
The ACMBB conducts research on the molecular basis of genetic improvement of natural rubber trees and biotechnological interventions for developing Genetically Modified (GM) rubber using different genes of commercial importance.
Presently, it takes about 23 years of extensive field trials before a clone was released for planting. The new facility would reduce the lag by at least 10 years, he said.
Dammu Ravi and Sanjay Chadha, (both joint secretaries); B. Praveen, director of Ministry of Commerce; and N. Rajagopal, Rubber Board secretary were also present at the inauguration.