Made it
Enabavi, a village of 52 families, is abuzz. It is hosting farmers from the nearby Kallem village who have come here for tips on profitable …
Who is watching GM crops?
As India gets ready to unleash a vast number of genetically modified (GM) food crops, politicians have joined activists in opposing engineered …
Pest attacks on rise across India, yet no discussion on spurious pesticides
As allegedly fake pesticides prove ineffective in controlling pests, farmers resort to indiscriminate spraying
Ecologically based rodent management can help control pests in rural India
Full community engagement, reducing access to food and shelter and direct killing is the best way to manage rodent populations
Trichomes the real heroes in natural farming
These small, smooth hair protect plants from insects and stop fungal spores from germinating
Fighting parasites with parasites
Scientists are fighting the uzi fly, a parasite of the silkworm, with a wasp-like insect that can help reduce that menace of the uzi fly, a …
Genetically modified cowpea clears its first hurdle in Ghana, but there’s a long way to go
GM crops represent a potentially important tool for the country’s food security strategy
How tiny pests traverse long distance to attack mustard crops
Researchers from the Kolkata-based Bose Institute have retraced the aerial path these marauders of mustard take
Too little, too late
GRASSHOPPERS AND LOCUSTS: THE PLAGUE OF THE SAHEL Publisher: The Panos Institute, London Price: L 7.95
Locust attack: Global swarming
The increase in frequency of climate change-triggered events, like cyclones, has resulted in extended and multiple breeding seasons of locusts …
Fall Armyworm attack: 'It is the biggest pest attack ever'
The worm prefers maize, but its diet comprises up to 300 plant species, including vegetables and ornamental plants
Fall Armyworm attack: Low maize yield reduces cattle feed
While farmers say their cereal production has dropped to half, officials claim the pest’s effect on the state is minimal
'We can contain the pest'
India's temperature and atmospheric conditions are ideal for the spread of Fall Armyworm
Armyworms are wreaking havoc in southern Africa. Why it's a big deal
A combination of armyworms native to Africa and those normally found in the Americas are ravaging crops in sub-Saharan Africa
Operation Desert Swarm
Locust swarms are the bane of farmers in more than 66 countries. Small wonder then that the locust is the only insect that has a global committee …
Market without a window
The domestic market of biopesticides is the best showcase of their plight. It is virtually bereft of buyers and sellers. Moreover, the niche …
J S Banth , proprietor
M/s Banth Kheti Sewa Kender and Fertiliser store Dealers in insecticide, Pesticide sprayers, seeds and fertilisers: village Dher, district Ropar,…
Why India is vulnerable to attacks by alien species
The country has faced at least 10 major invasive pest and weed attacks in the past 15 years, with most recent being the fall armyworm that …
Gut instinct
Grasshopper gut contains DNA of plants it eats. Data on the pest’s food habits can help devise control strategies
Fall Armyworm controlled in Odisha
Timely intervention and sustained awareness programmes by state agriculture dept prevented crop loss
Coconut cracker
The eriophyid mite has a field day, while officials sleep tight. The pest attack was first reported in 2000, when a farmer from the Puri …
Quelea: Environmentalists protest Kenyan government’s move to poison millions of ‘feathered locusts’
Experts champion mechanical control of the birds & other alternative methods like monitoring their breeding & migratory patterns, …
Fall Armyworm attack: The damage done
The deadly but little understood crop pest, poses a threat to food security and livelihoods of millions as it ravages crops in Africa and …
Fall Armyworm attack: Rwanda fights it back successfully
The country couldn’t predict the pest attack owing to few resources, but it successfully minimised its impact within a year of identifying it
Are GM crops a real solution to pest attacks in Africa?
Adoption of GM crops is widely cited as a solution to combat pest resistance, but if recent developments are considered, the answer is not that simple