Lucknow, Feb 29 (IANS): The CSIR- National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow is working to combine floriculture with apiculture (large-scale beekeeping) to boost farmers’ income.

The institute focuses on developing lotus-based products, enhancing medicinal cannabis and opium traits, and more.

NBRI director Ajit Kumar Shasany said that the institute already supports flower growers through its floriculture mission. Now, they aim to converge floriculture with apiculture for even greater societal benefits.

He further elaborated on the institute’s focus areas which include product development from lotus, creating novel fragrances from flowers and introducing new herbal products with zero side-effects, and trait improvement in both cannabis and opium.

This involves lowering the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in cannabis for industrial use while developing varieties with high THC for medicinal purposes.

A similar roadmap exists for poppy cultivation.

“NBRI is also taking a multifaceted approach to increase cotton productivity and is focusing its research and development efforts on underutilised and non-traditional plants like algae, with the aim of extracting valuable products,” Dr Shasany said adding that the institute is investigating the use of indigenous plants to mitigate indoor pollution.