In a significant boost to indigenous innovation in agricultural technology, the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong has successfully developed a unique semiconductor chip designed to repel the red spider mite, a major pest plaguing tea plantations across India.
A Tech-Driven Answer to a Persistent Agricultural Problem
The red spider mite is notorious for causing severe damage to tea crops, leading to substantial yield losses and a marked deterioration in the quality of the final product. This has long been a critical challenge for the tea industry, particularly in the northeast and other prime tea-growing regions of the country. The newly unveiled chip from NEHU promises a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional chemical pesticides, aiming to protect both crop health and the ecological balance of plantation ecosystems.
The innovative chip was formally handed over on November 28 by the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, marking a key achievement for the university within the national semiconductor landscape. While the conceptualization, design, and development were entirely carried out by a dedicated team at NEHU's department of electronics and communication engineering, the physical fabrication of the chip was undertaken at the government's premier Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali.
Collaborative Effort for National Self-Reliance
The research was driven by the collaborative efforts of Pankaj Sarkar, Sushanta Kabir Dutta, Sangeeta Das, and Bhaiswajyoti Lahon. This project exemplifies a powerful synergy between academic research and national-level technical facilities. In an official statement, NEHU highlighted that this collaboration reinforces the vision of technological self-reliance championed by the India Semiconductor Mission.
University officials emphasized that this breakthrough aligns closely with the national "Make in India" initiative and demonstrates a commitment to solving region-specific agricultural problems through cutting-edge scientific research. "This achievement highlights NEHU’s growing contribution to advanced electronics research with direct applications in agriculture," the university stated.
Future Steps and Broader Impact
Before widespread adoption, the chip will undergo further field-level testing and validation to assess its practical effectiveness and deployment logistics in real-world tea garden conditions. The development is being hailed as a landmark example of how homegrown semiconductor technology can be leveraged to support a vital agricultural sector, strengthen the rural economy, and position India's northeastern region as an active contributor to the nation's scientific and technological progress.
"This initiative stands as a landmark example of how indigenous semiconductor technology can be leveraged to support agriculture, strengthen the rural economy, and position the northeast as an active contributor to India’s technological and scientific advancement," NEHU further highlighted in its announcement.
