Dr. Ajai Kr Sonkar develops world’s debut sustainable onshore marine pearl farming tech
Developing a land-based pearl culture system
Prayagraj: India takes a historic leap in marine biotechnology as Dr. Ajai Kumar Sonkar, Padma Shri awardee and eminent marine biologist, has unveiled a revolutionary achievement in aquaculture: onshore marine pearl farming technology, a world-first innovation that promises to transform pearl culture, sustainability, and global aquaculture practices. For decades, pearl farming was confined to offshore methods in ecologically sensitive zones such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These traditional practices were limited by challenges such as predation, biofouling, storm risks, and high maintenance costs. Dr. Sonkar’s pioneering work has shifted this horizon by successfully developing a land-based pearl culture system that replicates natural marine conditions while allowing precise control of environment, nutrition, and microbial interactions.
Key Achievements – World-first innovation: Transitioning pearl farming from sea to land through advanced biointelligent systems.
Unprecedented results: Survival rates of oysters reached 98% under semi-natural onshore systems (compared to ~55% in controlled, filtered systems).
Pearl yield: 119 pearls from 160 oysters, with nearly 60% graded as high-quality with superior lustre and nacre thickness.
Sustainability milestone: Reduced ecological impact by eliminating dependence on fragile reef ecosystems, lowering waste discharge, and enabling recycling of water and organic by-products.
Ethical and humane innovation: Introduction of magnesium sulphate anesthesia ensured minimal trauma during surgical implantation, setting new ethical standards in molluscan aquaculture.
Cost-effectiveness: Demonstrated that high-quality pearls can be produced without reliance on expensive nutrient-enriched feeds, making pearl farming accessible to small and medium-scale farmers.
A Global Paradigm Shift: This landmark achievement is more than a technical breakthrough – it is a paradigm shift in aquaculture. Dr. Sonkar’s biointelligent onshore model integrates natural microbial communities, including beneficial bacteriophages, to enhance oyster resilience, immune response, and pearl quality. This positions India at the forefront of sustainable marine biotechnology and offers a scalable model for adoption worldwide.
