**Executive Summary**
The document, dated December 17, 2025, reports on the advancements made by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in utilizing nuclear science for agriculture and food preservation. BARC has developed improved crop varieties and radiation-based food preservation technologies. These efforts aim to improve crop yields, extend shelf life, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance India's agricultural competitiveness.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Crop Improvement:**
* BARC has developed 72 improved crop varieties through radiation-induced mutagenesis and cross-breeding, including oilseeds, pulses, rice, jute, and banana.
* These varieties have desirable traits like high yield, early maturity, and stress tolerance.
* In the last five years (2020-2025), DAE has developed and released 23 varieties, including rice, mustard, black gram, sorghum, groundnut, mung bean, sesame, and banana.
* 1680 quintals of breeder seeds of Trombay crop varieties were produced for distribution in the last 5 years.
* **Food Preservation Technology:**
* BARC developed radiation-based food preservation technologies, including irradiation and cold storage, for extending the shelf life of perishable agricultural produce and reducing post-harvest losses.
* Irradiation eliminates insects and microbes from grains and spices and can be a chemical-free preservation method.
* The technology facilitates the export of agricultural products and extends the shelf life of spices, grains, vegetables, fruits, onions, potatoes, and processed food products.
* 41 food irradiation and medical product sterilization facilities are commissioned in private/State Government sectors.
* BARC also helps India meet international quarantine requirements, facilitating access to high-value markets.
* **Implementation and Collaboration:**
* DAE uses radiations and radioisotopes in agriculture through R&D programs.
* Development and field trials are implemented in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities and research institutes under ICAR.
* BARC is developing Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) for agricultural produce irradiation.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* Government initiatives include R&D collaborations, establishment of irradiation infrastructure, and promotion of export-oriented radiation processing.
**Impact Analysis**
* **Farmers:**
* **Impact:** Benefit from improved crop varieties with higher yields and increased stress tolerance. Will have access to markets previously limited by spoilage.
* **Action Required:** Adopt new crop varieties and cultivation practices.
* **Traders:**
* **Impact:** Benefit from the export of agricultural produce to international markets using radiation as a phytosanitary treatment.
* **Action Required:** Participate in export-oriented value chains and strengthen ties with farmers to supply high quality agricultural produce.
* **Consumers:**
* **Impact:** Access to food products with extended shelf life and reduced spoilage.
* **Action Required:** None specified.
* **Government:**
* **Impact:** Strengthen national food security, reduce wastage, improve farmer incomes, and enhance India's competitiveness in global agri-trade.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support R&D, establish irradiation infrastructure, and promote export-oriented radiation processing.
* **Private and State Government Sectors**
* **Impact:** Profit from providing radiation processing services to agricultural businesses on demand basis.
* **Action Required:** Maintain facilities to be able to provide radiation processing services on demand basis.
Key Entities Referenced
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC): A research center that has developed crop varieties and radiation-based food preservation technologies.
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE): The central government department under which BARC operates, overseeing nuclear science and technology including applications in agriculture.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), involved in collaborative research with DAE to improve crops using radiation.
State Agricultural Universities: Local academic institutions partnered with DAE for field trials of radiation-induced improved crops.
Radiation-based food-preservation technologies: Technologies developed by BARC involving irradiation and cold storage to extend shelf life, reduce post-harvest losses, and facilitate export.
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR SCIENCE
FOR AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRESERVATION
प्रव तथ: 17 DEC 2025 2:00PM by PIB Delhi
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) a Constituent Unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) by
using radiation induced mutagenesis along with cross breeding, has developed 72 improved crop varieties
in oilseeds (groundnut, mustard, soybean and sunflower), pulses (urdbean, mungbean, pigeonpea and
cowpea), rice, jute and banana, which have been released and notified for commercial cultivation. These
crop varieties have desirable traits such as high yield, early maturity, resistant to lodging, biotic & abiotic
stress tolerance etc. and thus benefiting farmers in the country.
In the last five (5) years (i.e. from 2020-2025), by employing radiation-induced mutagenesis, DAE has
developed and released a total of 23 varieties for cultivation by farmers. These include (a) 7 rice varieties,
(b) 5 mustard varieties, (c) 3 black gram (urad) varieties, (d) 3 sorghum (jowar) varieties, (e) 2 groundnut
varieties, (f) one mung bean variety, (g) one sesamum (til) variety and (h) one banana variety.
In the last five (5) years, a total 1680 quintals of breeder seeds of Trombay crop varieties, including
groundnut, mungbean, rice and mustard varieties, were produced for distribution to seed
corporations/companies and farmers for multiplication for cultivation by farmers.
The estimated quantity of seeds available to farmers for cultivation is around 18,05,300 quintals. These
estimates are based on the expected multiplication ratios observed during production of foundation seeds
from breeder seeds and subsequently, certified seeds from foundation seeds.
Radiation-based food-preservation technologies involving irradiation, and subsequent cold storage,
developed by BARC are being employed for extending the shelf life of perishable agriculture produce,
mitigate post-harvest and storage losses of agriculture produce. Irradiation of grains and spices eliminates
insects and microbes and is a useful method of chemical free preservation. The technology is being
deployed to facilitate;
i. Export of agriculture produce such as mangoes, pomegranates to countries like United States
of America (USA), Australia etc., through sea route in an economical manner.
ii. Shelf-life extension of spices, grains, vegetables, fruits, onions and potatoes.
iii. Shelf-life extension processed food products.
Forty-one (41) food irradiation and medical product sterilization facilities have already been
commissioned in private/State Government sectors in the country and they are providing radiation
processing services on demand basis.
DAE has been involved in the use of radiations and radioisotopes in agriculture through continuous R&D
programmes. In field of nuclear agriculture, development and field trials of radiation induced improved
crops are implemented in collaboration with various State Agricultural Universities, as well as research
institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).BARC developed radiation technologies not only extend shelf life and prevent post harvesting losses, but
also helps India meet international quarantine requirements for perishable commodities, enabling access to
high-value markets. India has been exporting mangoes and pomegranate to the USA, Australia, South
Africa and Malaysia using irradiation as a mandatory phytosanitary treatment. These measures strengthen
export-oriented value chains and boost incomes of farmers and traders.
BARC is involved in developing comprehensive Standard Operating Protocols (SOPs) for the irradiation
of agricultural produce to achieve shelf-life extension, reduction of post-harvest losses, and improvement
in marketability.
Overall, the Government's initiatives, including R&D collaborations, establishment of irradiation
infrastructure, and promotion of export-oriented radiation processing, are helping to strengthen national
food security, reduce wastage, improve farmer incomes, and enhance India’s competitiveness in global
agri-trade.
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