Farmers in tech trap
Cotton cultivators are on a seed and pesticide treadmill that is draining them of traditional skills
Government rolls back ban on cotton exports
Commerce ministry had imposed ban on March 5 saying 9.4 million bales have already been shipped out of the country as against estimated exports …
Pink bollworm a potent threat to GM cotton
The quest to promote Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton may suffer a serious setback with scientists from the US-based University of Arizona …
Does India really need GM Mustard?
Botanists say that pests and insects may grow resistant to the transgenic crop after a decade or so, triggering the need for newer versions of …
How the planet pays for fashion
The production of a kilogram of cotton takes up around 10,000 litre to 20,000 litre of water
Neem chemical can disable cotton pest in multiple ways: Study
Research on cotton bollworm reveals that the phytotoxin acts in multiple ways to suppress growth of the pest
Dhuri: A Delhi-based fashion brand that makes clothes out of milk
In a world where pollution caused by textiles is a major threat, a brand specialising in eco-friendly fabrics claims it can be a better option …
A look at news you may have missed this week
How the world’s coffee addiction could destroy tropical forests to moose conquering newer areas in a warming Alaska—a quick look at …
Biotech is not just GM
Michael Antoniou teaches Molecular Genetics at King's College, London. In his spare time, he likes to help non-profits with information on the …
Monsanto's troublesome trait
Bayer is battling seed companies and farmers in several countries over royalty on Monsanto's GM seeds
Why are pests developing resistance to Bt cotton in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh?
Low compliance to planting refuge crops along with Bt crops and selection of refuge crops are some of the problem areas identified by a recent study
Unfair fields: Asymmetric WTO rules let US inflate cotton subsidies must be reformed
Cottton farmers in India and other Global South countries, like the Afican C-4 of benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, at peril …
Karnataka bans Bt cotton seeds following large-scale crop failures
Seed company, Mahyco, offered Rs 10 crore compensation to farmers when losses were to the tune of Rs 230 crore
Fabric of nature
Organic cotton is much in demand across the globe. But lack of support from government agencies may impede its growth
Harvesting joy or sorrow?
Global warming would decrease crop production in developing countries but increase it in the industrialised world
How turmeric became tribal south Rajasthan’s ‘saviour spice’
The success of organic turmeric cultivation in Dungarpur proves that it isn't necessary to look towards global crops like BT cotton as saviours
Early sowing can increase cotton yield: study
It was found, through simulations, that early sowing (mid May) always yielded better cotton production as compared to late sowing (June)
Farmers detained for 'incident-free' Vibrant Gujarat summit
Facing losses due to low prices of cotton and groundnut, farmers planned a rally last Sunday to catch the government’s attention
Natural cotton gets brown hue
Indian scientists develop a variety of coloured cotton, characterised by stability of lint colour, spinnable fibre quality and a fairly good yield
I know the havoc that genetically modified crops can wreak
Indians are killing the future of the coming generations by welcoming GMOs in Indian food and environment
The secret gardens of Malabar
An English translation has been made exactly 300 years after the Hortus Malabricus was written, new, sinister designs seem to lurking behind it - …
Historian Heather Goodall on indigenous people, water in Australia
Heather Goodall, a historian at the University of Technology, Sydney, has a special interest in Australia's indigenous people--especially their …
Researchers develop super-hydrophobic cotton for oil-spill cleanup
Both heavy and light oils can be effectively absorbed by a super-hydrophobic Cotton, developed by IIT-Guwahati, which is easy to prepare, cost-…
Honey traders oppose GM mustard, to observe day-long protest on Sep 28
The beekeepers across India pointed out the adverse impact that GM cotton had on bees when it was introduced in 2002
'Organic cotton production and consumption should become a mass movement'
Vivek and Juli Cariappa are Krishi Pandit awardees and dedicated organic farmers based in H D Kote taluk in Mysore. They have been practising …