ISSN (Print) : 0971-7730 Asian Agri-History, Vol 22(3), 2018 DOI: 10.18311/aah/2018/20000 Drumavichitrīkaranam - The Ancient Approach to Plant Mutagenesis Nithya Ranganathan C-220, Golden Corner Apartment, Sarjapur Road, Bellandur Gate, Bangalore – 560103, Karnataka, India; [email protected] Abstract Sustainable agriculture has come to the fore in recent times. Today agricultural scientists are in a race against time to maintain global resource sustainability and foremost on their agenda is food production. As populations increase exponentially and arable land is usurped for urbanization, the available arable land for agriculture is diminishing rapidly. Plant biotechnology can help in developing improved crop varieties, butVriksh it is notyurveda entirely without its perils. The long-term negative effects of Genetically Modified (GM) crops are still unclear. In the Indian context, Drumavichitra much safer technologykaranam may already be within our reach, locked in such ancient treatises as the ādrumavichitrīkaranam. In tune with the current trends in organic agriculture, there also exists an organic methodology of plant mutagenesis- termed ī - in the ancient Indian treatises.drumavichitr The present karanamstudy analyses the various aspects of , such as the nature of the mutagenesis carried out, the type of mutagenic agents used, the the comparative study of the treatises, and presents possibleKeywords: applications Biotechnology, of Drumavichitrikaranamī . , Genetically Modified Crops, Mutagenesis, Sustainable Farming (Received: 07 October 2017, Accepted: 26 March 2018) 1. Introduction crops on humans, animals and the environment. Given that countries worldwide are increasingly Moden plant biotechnology owes its origin to focusing on sustainable farming, it would be desirable the extensive research done by scientists such as to more closely examine India’s ancient agricultural Matthias Schleiden, Theodor Schwann, and Fredrick practices where sustainability was the core principle. Griffith. In recent decades, plant mutagenesis has emerged one of the primary techniques in this field It is very surprising that the concept of plant of crop improvement. Many corporate entities have mutagenesis was fully understood even in established their individual research units, and are ancient India. A number of ancient treatises have quick to claim that Genetically Modified (GM) crops dealt with this topic under the Sanskrit term are the saviours of this hunger-stricken world in “drumavichitrīkaranam”. Here druma means a tree which arable land is diminishing rapidly. However, and vichitrīkaranam means ‘to make (it) appear questions continue to be raised over the unknown extraordinary’. Hence the term means ‘to make a long-term effects of widespread adaption of GM tree appear extraordinary’11. In other words, the Nithya Ranganathan term implies that there would be an alteration 2. Chavundarāya’s Lokopakāra (1025 CE) in the natural trait of the tree. Thus, the term 3. Someśvaradeva’s Mānasollāsa (1131 CE) ‘drumavichitrīkaranam’ can be said to be akin to 4. Śārngadhara’s Upavanavinoda (1300 CE) plant mutagenesis. It can be differentiated from the 5. Chakrapāni Miśra’s Viśvavallabhavrkśāyurveda term sankarajātyotpatti, which means hybridisation (1580 CE) (Figures 1 and 2). 6. Basavarāja’s Śivatattvaratnākara (1694-1714 CE) Parent Plant Parent Plant X 3. Content Analysis (Trait A) (Trait B) Hybridisation Artificial pollination This study carried out content analysis with its focus on the kind of extraordinary traits with two objectives: a. Hybrid Plant to compare the treatises to determine their objectives over a period of time; and b. to examine the relevance (Traits A and B) of each of these objectives in the present-day context. Figure 1. Sankarajātyotpatti (Hybridisation) India’s ancient agriculturists aimed to introduce Parent Plant 1. UV or ionizing radiations several extraordinary traits into plants and trees Mutagenesis 2. Chemical agents such as: (i) to produce fruits and flowers throughout 3. Viruses the year, as well as out of season, (ii) to produce and alter the fragrance of flowers, (iii) to alter the taste of Somatic Germline fruits, (iv) to alter the colours of fruits and flowers, Mutations Mutations (v) to produce flowers and fruits on other species of plants and trees, (vi) to induce flowers on non- Mutant Plant flowering trees and creepers, (vii) to transform trees Figure 2. Drumavichitrīkaranam into creepers and vice-versa, (viii) to dwarf the trees, (ix) to produce multiple kinds of fruits/flowers on 2. History a single plant/tree/creeper, (x) to selectively ripen fruits as well as to delay or accelerate fruit dropping, The pioneer of drumavichitrīkaranam is said to (xi) to destroy the trees, (xii) to enhance sprouting be the Vedic sage Kaśyapa. It is described in the of seeds and hasten production of fruits, (xiii) to Harivamśapurāna that, pleased by the services increase the size of fruits and flowers as well as to rendered by Aditi, sage Kaśyapa transformed a alter the shape of fruits, (xiv) to produce seedless Mandāra tree (Erythrina variegata) into a Kovidāra tree fruits, (xv) to cure barren-ness (or improve fertility), (Bauhinia variegata)6. Many encyclopaedic treatises (xvi) to increase production, quality and to cause describe some procedures of drumavichitrīkaranam trees to bear fruits/flowers in bunches, (xvii) to get under the general chapter of agriculture. However, jack-fruits at the ground level, (xviii) to hasten the certain treatises do contain a separate chapter on flowering of jasmine, and (xix) to avert/delay the drumavichitrīkaranam. Six such treatises were chosen fading of Barleria cristata flowers. for study as follows: Thus the above two objectives are relevant even in the 1. Sūrapāla’s Vrikshāyurveda (1000 CE) present times and could provide suitable solutions to Vol 22 (3) | 2018 | www.informaticsjournals.com/index.php/aah/index Asian Agri-History 219 Drumavichitrīkaranam - The Ancient Approach to Plant Mutagenesis the current needs. Information available in ancient flavonoids (the molecules responsible for colour) literature on materials and methods to transform are known to have therapeutic value and aid in various traits are provided below. increasing immunity. 1. To produce fruits and flowers throughout the The raw materials vary as per the required colour. year as well as out of season: Sūrapāla has described methods for production Among the raw materials required to induce of black, red, green and golden coloured fruits. this trait, two are worthy of special mention: Conversion of flowers into white, red and golden (a) Kunapajala - a liquid organic manure with colours was also reported10. In the modern fermented ingredients enables easy uptake of context, the possible commercial application of nutrients8, and (b) Moonlight — as the moisture alteration of colours is the production of coloured content of the soil is known to increase with cotton. This would help to circumvent the process greater gravitational force of the moon, hence of chemical dyeing which is hazardous to health sprouting is accelerated3. and the environment. 2. To produce and alter the fragrance of flowers: 5. To produce flowers and fruits on other species Fragrance is an important trait in flowers, especially of plants and trees: for the perfume industry. The terpene pathway is The term drumavichītrikaranam obtains its required to be activated. Cyperus rotundus (nut true meaning in the literal sense through this grass), Anogeissus latifolia (button tree), Vetiver objective. Some of them are described in the zizanioides (vetiver), etc., are included in the Upavanavinoda of Sārngadhara, as given below: manure as raw materials as they contain a higher i. To grow Michelia champaca (Champak) percentage of terpenes. It is claimed that even flowers onMimosops elengi (Spanish cherry). non-fragrant flowers can be made fragrant by ii. To grow Nelumbo nucifera (Indian lotus) following the prescribed techniques10. from seeds of Nypmphaea caerula (blue 3. To alter tastes of fruits: water lily). As fruits are generally eaten raw, the combination iii. To grow Nymphaea sp. (lilies) from seeds of of various flavours, including sweetness, is required Cordia dichotoma (Indian cherry) – this is for complete culinary enjoyment. However, flavour a transformation of a terrestrial tree into an is a complex interplay of many traits. Many of the aquatic herb. treatises have elaborately described procedures to iv. To grow Hemionitis cordifolia (heart fern) convert sour, bitter, and pungent fruits into sweet from fruit of Nymphaea sp. (lily). – this is ones. Similarly, a method has been prescribed by a transformation of an aquatic herb into a Sūrapāla to make fruits more pungent as may be terrestrial fern. required for chillies10. v. To grow Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruits on Musa paradisiaca (plantain tree). 4. To alter the colour of flowers and fruits: 6. To grow Mangifera indica (mango) fruits on Apart from adding to the visual appeal of a flower, Musa paradisiaca (plantain tree). colours have an important role in attracting vii. To grow Momordica charantia (bitter gourd) pollinators, and warding off pests. Moreover, fruits on Ricinus communis (castor plant). 220 Vol 22 (3) | 2018 | www.informaticsjournals.com/index.php/aah/index Asian Agri-History Nithya Ranganathan 8. To grow Solanum melongena (brinjal) fruits 300 varieties of mangoes of different shapes, sizes from seeds of Azadirachta indica (neem tree). and hues on a single