65 million draught animals

What runs the small farming economy?

Foreign influence

Instead of designing a low-priced indigenous tractor, industry copies models used abroad

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

Checking a menace

A virus is being used to destroypests that damage the chickpea crop

Under fire

The International Rice Research Institute accused of biopiracy

Back to basics

Sans science

Ideology rules the roost in USA

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 …

Wonder crop

An edible plant that can grow in extreme temperatures holds the promise of catering to varied needs of humans

The great experimenter

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

Bytes

India invents pesticide in soild form

Disconnect

Today, it is accepted that farm mechanisation is an unavoidable imperative. For productivity must be increased. But -- given the majority of …

IIT-K scientists design mobile pesticide sprayer that runs on solar energy

The device will save labour and time for small and marginal farmers

Feather innovation

Poultry feathers can be used to manufacture products ranging from paper to high-quality feed

Split profits

Applying small quantities of fertilisers repeatedly gives a better crop yield than a single large dose

'You cannot balance an economy by unbalancing human lives'

Development economist Sir Richard Jolly has been Principal Coordinator of  UNDP's Human Development Report. He is also Chairman of the …

A plant breeder comes into his own

Awards are finally coming to K Vinod Prabhu, 54, a plant breeder, for his work on building resistance in wheat, mustard and rice through the …

Organic farming: Reaping mixed benefits

Contradictory state of affairs in two Uttaranchal villages highlights both potential and obstacles of organic farming. The paradox has cropped up …