Mohali: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, on Monday inaugurated the first-of-its-kind “Green Forge” complex at the National Agri-Food and Biomanufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI) here, describing it as a milestone in the genetically modified crop revolution.
Addressing the national conclave on BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) at BRIC-National Agri Food Biomanufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI), he said the newly inaugurated facility, with its controlled simulation chambers, will enable the cultivation and experimentation of genetically modified crops under varied environmental conditions, helping researchers assess their suitability for different locations.
Explaining the rationale for the facility, the Union Minister said that Green Forge “provides simulation chambers in which the quantity and quality of light, humidity and temperature can be varied to create an optimum environment for growing and experimenting with genetically modified crops”.
He said this capability would help researchers understand how a particular crop performs under different environmental conditions and accordingly assess the locations where it may be suitable for cultivation. The minister said when a new genetically modified variety is developed, an important challenge is to determine where it can be cultivated most effectively.
“Green Forge can help address this by recreating different environmental conditions in a controlled setting, allowing researchers to study the response of crops before taking them to appropriate cultivation locations.” Jitendra Singh highlighted the ability of the facility to recreate specific parameters that may otherwise be difficult to reproduce naturally.
He said the simulation of light quality and quantity, humidity and temperature, and the possibility of integrating advanced technologies including AI, can provide researchers with greater flexibility in conducting experiments. The minister described Green Forge as a novel facility with particular relevance for serious research in agriculture and medical sciences.
He emphasised that such facilities reflected the growing convergence of biotechnology, advanced simulation and artificial intelligence (AI), creating new possibilities for research and experimentation.
Jitendra Singh said that integrating AI with the capabilities of Green Forge could make research processes significantly easier and open up new avenues for advanced experimentation.
(IANS)
