Aroma Mission III

Activities Proposed

• To optimize the distillation period (time), running temperature, required pressure, etc. in the distillation process for maximizing oil yield in aromatic crops.Utilizing renewable energy resources for distillation to reduce dependency on non-renewable resources and development of Microwave-assisted essential oil extraction system.
• To develop tools and methods for quicker estimation of major aroma chemicals in important essential oils like menthol mint, lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender, citronella, wild marigold, etc.
• To develop techniques including artificial intelligent enabled multi-sensory fusion platform for the detection of adulterants, including synthetics, in important essential oils like menthol mint, lemongrass, palmarosa, lavender, citronella, wild marigold, etc.

Deliverables 

• Design and development of efficient distillation units primarily dependent on energy from renewable resources.
• Efficient and low-cost tools and techniques for determining the major aroma chemicals and detection of adulterants in the essential oils.

Activities proposed

• Valorisation of deoiled herb for high-value molecules.Exploring the use of hydrosols and wastewater for flavour and fragrances.
• Essential oils/aroma chemicals-based value-added products focusing on human and veterinary use with safety and toxicity details.
• Value-addition of essential oils/ aroma chemicals through transformations.
• Value-addition to essential oils through fractional distillation techniques.

 Deliverables

• High-value molecules from deoiled herb.
• Safe essential oil-based products for human and veterinary use.
• High value aroma chemicals through transformations.
• Techniques of fractionation of essential oils for value addition.

Activities Proposed

• Genomic resources generation.Certified aroma reference materials and database.
• Precise knowledge on resource use and improved agri-techniques.
• High-yielding/resource-efficient and climate-resilient varieties.

 Deliverables

• Genomic resources data for important crops which could be exploited for developing improved genotypes/varieties.
• Molecular markers for authentication and identification of improved varieties.
• Library/database of pure reference materials of aroma molecules.
• Technologies for higher productivity with maximum resource use efficiency.
• Resource-efficient and climate-resilient varieties.

Activities Proposed

• Information dissemination – trainings, skill development, pamphlets, videos and mobile apps.
• Promoting entrepreneurship in aroma crops-based business, right from planting material production, processing facility and value-added products.
• Establishing market linkages – direct or through apps, interactive portal, IP support for market intelligence, etc.

Deliverables

• Trained human resources skilled in aroma crops cultivation, processing and value addition.
• Entrepreneurs/start-ups in aroma sector.
• Short videos, mobile apps, interactive portals.
• Patentability reports, demand and supply reports, etc.

Activities Proposed

• Sustaining the productivity of the crops brought under cultivation during Aroma Mission Phase I and II.
• Popularizing cultivation of aroma crops helpful in reducing imports or having great export potential.

Deliverables

• Cultivation of crops providing higher benefits to the farmers.
• Reducing dependence of several essential oils from other countries and promoting exports of some.
• Increasing the area under cultivation of selected aromatic crops by another 16,000 hectares in the next three years and 50,000 hectares in total for Phase I, II and III.