IIT Kanpur innovates root zone heating system

A root zone heating system and vermi-bed technique for plants in high-altitude settings have been created by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur. Officials claim that the method, for which the researchers were also given a patent, was developed with the dearth of fresh produce in high-altitude regions like the Ladakh region and the absence of efficient organic waste disposal in mind.

"The high altitude areas pose some crucial problems when it comes to availability of fresh produce and organic waste management, especially for our defence forces that require a good amount of fresh produce in their daily diet. Due to the climate and weather conditions, it is difficult to avail fresh produce year-long," said Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur.

“Hence, this novel technology of root zone heating system and vermi-bed method developed by the team at our institute is a significant step towards helping especially our defence forces deployed there with fresh vegetable supply and a solution to effectively mitigate organic waste," he added.

“This raised temperature helped plants grow in a faster and healthier way than the plants grown outside at relatively low temperatures. Such a system in high altitude areas can better the cropping cycle to produce fresh vegetables even in winter conditions," said Anubha Goel, Professor at IIT Kanpur's Department of Civil Engineering.

"This technology was field-tested that provided efficient solution producing good quality of vegetables in a protected environment and results were projected for high altitude areas where the temperature goes to -15 degrees C and below," she added.