Banana plants hold key to hidden treasure, literally

If everything goes well, it could be a jackpot for the research scientists at Navsari Agricultural University (NAU), who are engaged into making high-quality paper from banana plant that can meet the specific standards used to make currency notes in India.  The research scientists have already prepared specimen and sent it to the Research and Development wing of the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai, which has been in touch with the university authorities for the last few days to make the research viable on a large scale. At present, RBI uses imported pulp to make currency notes.  Banana plantation is high in Gujarat and farmers reap handsome profits. Research scientists from the NAU have been working for years to find ways to make use of wastes of banana plants.  The pseudostem of banana plant is stocked as waste by farmers, who find it difficult to dispose it. The NAU team carrying out research on pseudostems have found these useful in making edible candy, high-quality paper, yarn, organic manure and its medicinal properties.   Besides scientists from the NAU, the 12-member team of researchers also included scientists from J K Paper mill at Songadh in Surat, Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Mumbai and Mantra, a Surat-based private organisation engaged in research into man-made textiles and textile education. R G Patil, who is heading the team, said: “We are working hard to make high-quality paper used to make currency notes, cheque books and other important government stationery. We have taken this project on a pilot basis and have sent our findings to RBI a few days ago. We hope an RBI team will visit NAU soon.  If our project is approved, we expect that the cost of making currency notes will be cut.”  Patil said the high-grade paper that they have made from pseudostems of banana plants could be stored for hundreds of years.   From one pseudostem of banana plant, 1.5 per cent of its fibre content can be extracted in a mechanised way while remaining waste can be used in liquid fertilisers and organic manure, he added.  “Even farmers will get good returns by selling wastes of banana plant,” Patil said.