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PublishDate：
2006-08-14 13:39:00
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Application of biotechnology to improve silk production
KP Gopinathan of the Indian Institute of Science has delivered a lecture at the Centre for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) entitled "The Silky Path to Biotechnology" on the application of Biotechnology for the improvement and modernisation of silk production. KP Gopinathan was chief guest at the function which was organised as a part to celebrate CIMAP Day at Lucknow.
In his lecture Prof. Gopinathan said that, the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori has been exploited by man for more than 2000 years for the production of the proteinaceous silk fiber, unmatched in beauty and elegance by any other synthetic fibers. Nearly 6 million people in India make use of Sericulture, the cultivation of the silkworms for the production of silk as their livelihood.
Although technology in agricultural and medical fields has advanced so much in recent years, sericulture has remained traditional over the years. Application of Biotechnology for the improvement in silk production is therefore, of great interest to India, since our country is the second largest producer of silk in the world, Prof. Gopinathan said. In India, besides the mulberry silkworms, other Species of insects are also utilized to produce the Tasar, Eri and Muga silks.
Sericulture being an agro- based cottage industry, can be located in the country sides and is less power intensive, making it an ideal candidate for Biotechnology in India. Since the agriculture pest insects which compete with human for food and therefore, treated as "The Man's Worst Enemy", efforts have always been directed by plant-and agriculture scientist on controlling the insect populations. Unlike these insect pests, the lepidopteron insects such as the silk moth and butterfly are highly useful to man.
The silkworm has also served as a model organism for basic studies in Gene _Expression and Development Dr. Gopinathan added. These informations are of vital importance to the advancement of Sericulture. Recently the complete genome of the mulberry silkworm has been sequenced Dr. Gopinathan said. He highlighted how this system can be used through genetic engineering for therapeutic proteins, vaccines and drugs of tomorrow.
CIMAP, the public-private partnership centre is an agricultural model where bio-villages translate technology from science for the benefit of industry.
