Silchar, July 9 : An Indian patent entitled “System and method for the development of Kluyverasp. based bioinoculant/bioformulation of black rice”(Patent no.437464) has been awarded to the research group of Prof. Piyush Pandey, Head, Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar for the development of a bacteria-based bioinoculant for black-rice.
In a release, Prof Pandey informed that this bioformulation enhances growth, yield and antioxidant activity of black rice plant, without the use of any chemical fertilizer. This research has been undertaken under the DBT-funded project and part of PhD research of K. Malabika Singha, one of his research scholars. The group has recently published their results in highly reputed international journals, where they have established through experiments that the bacteria residing inside the black rice plant tissues have a significant role in the growth and antioxidant activities of black rice plants. The technology based on this research is highly useful for the chemical-free cultivation of black rice and also provides value addition for commercialization.
The release also mentioned that the Department of Microbiology has been a prominent center for research at the University, where Prof Pandey has another two other patents published and in the final stage of grant, while two other patents have been granted to Dr. Amitabh Bhattacharjee, also a faculty of the department recently. Dr. Bhattacharjee was granted Patent no. 421073, – Methods for detection of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria and compositions thereof, and Patent no. 421640 – Methods for detection of carbapenem resistance in pathogenic bacteria and compositions thereof.
Prof Rajive Mohan Pant, vice chancellor of the university, and Registrar Dr Pradosh Kiran Nath have congratulated the department for the research accomplishments.