Revolutionary potatoes

Recently developed hybrid true potato seeds are ideally suited to subtropical climates and are highly disease-resistant

Creating a family tree for rice

Scientists at the National Chemical Laboratory are working on rice biotechnology in order to develop more nutritious varieties of the cereal.

Gene transfer yields pest-resisting rice strain

Darshan S Brar, who has been working for years on rice hybrids at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, talks about gene …

A lot of gas

An Indian scientists has challenged the estimates of methane -- a greenhouse gas -- produced from paddy fields

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 …

The revival of indigo

A school principal in Bihar revives the cultivation of the crop that symbolised the independence struggle

Will an amended Seeds Act make industry accountable?

The Union ministry of agriculture has moved an amendment to the Seeds Act, 1966, and also proposes to create a National Seeds Grid. While the aim …

Research is not magic solutions take a long time

S K SINHA, former director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), is currently a National Professor at the Water Technology …

One person's weed, another's medicinal plant

Rajasthan ignores seed advice

It distributed Monsanto’s hybrid maize seeds that were not recommended for the state

Bitter gets better

Lesser known gourds to be commonly available

Rajasthan probes GM mustard trial

Crop trial centres say steps were taken to avoid contamination

Imported insects

Gene theft

Disease-resistant coconut

Under fire

The International Rice Research Institute accused of biopiracy

Sans science

Ideology rules the roost in USA

Less efforts, more gains

Scientists develop device to help farmers from developing nations

Instant rice

A rice variety saves fuel, holds hope for Orissa

Abscisic acids stressful tactics

Scientists figure out how to make plants drought-resistant

The world of french fries and potato salad

The potato, native to South America, invaded England in 1588, the year Elizabeth I's devil-may-care sea-dogs vanquished the Spanish Armada. It …

Neem gains honour as India's wonder tree

Known in ancient India as a tree with many wondrous properties, the neem tree is slowly drawing the attention of the country's scientific and …

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 …

The great experimenter

For ages, Indian farmers have practised ecofriendly farming by using local resources to improve soil fertility and control pests and diseases. …

Fungus food saver