Maize Mania
Maize has become the queen of cereals, courted by state governments, seed companies, farmers and the feedstock and starch industries as the crop …
The many ways of GM contamination
Doug Gurian-Sherman, a senior scientist in the food and environment programme at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), is among the most …
Dealing with crop stresses and scandals
Subbanna Ayyappan has made history in the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (IACR) by becoming the first non-crop scientist to head this …
Organic thread
Even as Bt cotton invaded Indian fields in the past few years, some farmer groups kept pushing for organic cotton. In 2009-10, production in …
Organic Universe
Organic is all the rage. Organic food, cosmetics, clothes and even organic medicines. But mostly it is food. There are speciality stores that …
Genesis
Over thirty years of continuous research later, scientists report the outcome of a hybrid wheat, which is billed to substitute the available …
Rice bowls shall brim
A new and healthier version of rice promises to produce and provide more for Asia's teeming millions
Soiled future
At a time when agricultural topsoil continues to be eroded, researchers make efforts to put an end to the crisis
A whiff of death
Researchers are now trying to develop natural weapons to scare off pests by studying the olfactory mechanism of plants that emit odours when …
Never say die
Farmers and agricultural scientists in Australia are having a tough time battling a weed that has suddenly developed resistance to a herbicide
Shoot to protect
With the creation of a new variety of rice plant which is resistant to bacterial leaf blight, genetic engineering has once again made one of …
Bacteria that reduces fertilser use
indian scientists have discovered a novel microorganism in salty marshlands, which has the potential to absorb nitrogen -- an essential plant …
CACP recommends Centre to bring urea under NBS regime to check overuse
Disproportionate use of urea in agriculture over the years has been one of the primary reasons for worsening plant nutrient imbalance
The roots of knowledge
BEYOND FARMER FIRST: RURAL PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE, AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PRACTICE Edited by Ian Scoones & John Thompson …
6 reasons why India has failed to solve the riddle of agriculture marketing
A parliamentary panel report recently submitted in the Lok Sabha has outlined the reasons
13 new agricultural heritage landscapes designated by FAO
The new sites are in China, Japan, Egypt, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and Sri Lanka
‘Rationalising subsidies, improving infrastructure could revive agri-sector’
For every million rupees spent on agricultural research, 328 people are pulled out of poverty. In contrast, the same amount spent on power …
Now an app to help farmers practice precision agriculture
By determining health of the crops using hyperspectral imaging of crop leaves, the app could help in rational use of fertilisers
Mushroom magic
In a recent breakthrough, an Indian mushroom has been found to be extremely effective in controlling heavy metal pollution
Boom time for lab bloomers
India hopes to earn Rs 200 crore every year exporting flowers mass produced in laboratories
Neem-coated growth
The Union government's decision to produce neem-coated urea will not only improve soil health and agriculture, but also halt its illegal …
To reduce environmental impact, change the way we produce food: study
The biggest hurdle is finding uniform production processes across diverse geographies and climatic conditions
Competing with wheat
Human-made triticale is nutritionally superior to wheat and could become a major foodcrop in the lower Himalayan region
Tissue-culture technology facilitates to hike yeild of tasty coconut
The tasty, popular coconut species of Thailand, kati, could not be produced in large scale because it is infertile. But scientists have now found …
Polly can't get at this wheat
Some wheat hybrids developed in India's agricultural universities are exceptionally good at keeping birds away