Botanical Survey of India gets patent for bamboo based reusable straw
- September 7, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Botanical Survey of India gets patent for bamboo based reusable straw
Subject: Environment
Section: Species in news
Context:
- The patent office of Government of India has granted a patent to Botanical Survey of India for ‘reusable straw and its manufacturing’.
Details of Bamboo straw:
- The reusable straw is developed from a species of endemic bamboo plant.
- Bamboo species: Schizostachyum andamanicum
- Found in the Andamans and Nicobar Islands, three decades ago.
- Work on the bamboo straw started at Dhanikhari Experimental Garden-cum-Arboretum, at the BSI Regional Centre in 2011.
- Patent has been granted in 2023.
What makes this bamboo species suitable for making straw?
- This species of bamboo is characterized by a thin large hollow erect culm (stem) with long internodes and has potential for developing into a straw.
- The morpho-anatomical structure of culm internodes of the endemic bamboo were identical to modern synthetic drinking straws which led to the idea for this novel invention.
- The germplasm of the bamboo species is only found in some forested areas of Andamans and large-scale production of the straw will be dependent on commercial cultivation of the species.
Benefit:
- It will boost the economic potential of these bamboo plants.
- Replace plastic straws with an organic alternative.
- Enhance the economy of farmers and bamboo growers of the island.
- Helps in curbing the plastic pollution.
Botanical Survey of India (BSI):
- Botanical Survey of India (BSI) located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
- It was founded on 13 February 1890, is Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s organization for survey, research and conservation of plant wealth of India, flora and endangered species of India, including by collecting and maintaining germplasm and gene bank of endangered, patent and vulnerable plant species.