ICAR-CIRCOT Signs five MoUs with Industry Partners for ‘Seed Cotton Collection & Storage Bag with Anti-microbial Finish’ and ‘Nano-Zn Suspension Production’ Technologies

The ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, has entered into four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading industry partners to address challenges in cotton seed collection and storage. The agreements were signed by Dr. S. K. Shukla, Director of ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai with M/s. Farmtek Solutions, Nashik, M/s. Micro Sales India, Nashik, M/s. United Cotton Extract Pvt. Ltd., Malegaon, and M/s. Prakash Agro Plast, Nashik. The event was attended by technology innovators, Dr. A.K. Bharimalla, Dr. N. Vigneshwaran, Dr. A. Arputharaj, Dr. Manoj Kumar Mahawar, Dr. Kirti Jalgaonkar, Dr. Sharmila Patil, Dr. Sheshrao Kautkar, and Dr. Jyoti Dhakane-Lad.

This collaboration aims to commercialize the ‘Seed Cotton Collection & Storage Bag with Anti-microbial Finish’ technology to reduce contamination and trash in cotton during collection and storage. This initiative addresses the significant variation in trash content in cotton, which ranges from 1% in high-quality cotton to 15% in lower-quality varieties.

In a separate development, ICAR-CIRCOT signed another MoU with M/s. Relegare Agro Life Bio Science Pvt. Ltd., Ahmednagar, for the ‘Nano-Zinc Suspension Production Technology’. This partnership seeks to improve agricultural practices by utilizing the Nano-Zn suspension formulation to enhance plant growth in the field. The MoU was signed in the presence of technology innovators, Dr. N. Vigneshwaran, Dr. A.K. Bharimalla and Dr. A. Arputharaj.

Senior researchers, including Dr. Sujata Saxena (Head of CBPD), Dr. D.M. Kadam (Head of ETTD), and Dr. N. Shanmugam (Head of MPD), also attended the event.