The lake colony

Call them the "lakers". Some 10,000 of them. Parts of the Dal (land and water) belong to them. And when they feel the need to make a …

The hunt for benefits

India is hailed as a pioneer in implementing the third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity—fair and equitable sharing of …

Plant non-grata

Book>> Weeds, in defense of nature’s most unloved plants • by Richard Mabey • Harper Collins • US $25

Swamped in weeds

A flood-tolerant and drought-resistant weed spreads along the Cauvery delta, badly affecting agricultural production

In a first, researchers create framework to eradicate invasive weeds

Invasive species threaten our biodiversity. With this framework, scientists hope to ensure benefits for both environment and rural communities

A taste of dry death

As the Gujarat forest department persists in planting a weed that sucks dry all the water in its vicinity, the Little Rann of Kutch gets...

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

Quandary over eradicating useful lantana weed

Forest officials are confronted with the spread of a weed that stifles tree growth but is useful for making baskets.

Weed energy

Electricity can be generated from a creeper plant, as an experiment in Madhya Pradesh has demonstrated

Mesoamerican masters of biotechnology

Maize is undeniably humanity's greatest, and the first, feat of genetic engineering. But the success story cannot be attributed to modern humans. …

Pollution clogs hyacinth control

Insects introduced to curb the spread of water hyacinths are avoiding feeding on those weeds that have been contaminated by toxic metals

Carrots keep weeds at bay

They grow fast and their foliage blocks sunlight to weeds, farmers in Maharashtra have found  

Beetle's taste for sunflowers alarms experts

Scientists fear the Mexican beetle, introduced to counter the adverse effects of a weed, may destroy the sunflower crop.

Of shikaras and slums

The colony that has mushroomed upon the Dal Lake is the only slum on water in Srinagar. A byproduct of the proxy war between India and Pakistan,…

Nutritious 'weeds'

In Wayanad, Kerala, wild plants hold the key to the survival of the poorest, say n anil kumar and m k ratheesh narayanan

Weed on my plate

Tribals of central India vouch for the taste and health benefits of neglected wild vegetables

Eat it bland, eat it pickled

Stubborn weed selni was once a favourite among central India farmers for its cooling effect

Diseased fields

Dying paddy crops leave Kashmir valley farmers high and dry. The state government chips in late to combat the crisis

Weed menace

Careless dumping of genetically modified canola plants triggers an outcry in South Australia

Beetles go wild

There's a dark side to biological weed control -- as the attack on non-target plant species by the Eurasian weevil in North America shows

Invasive weed found in Haryana wheat crop

The weed, considered harmful in wheat-growing countries, can reduce the productivity of wheat crops if not controlled

Good evil

Pollen from transgenic crops is now known to have a much wider reach. This could spell disaster as the control of these resistant varieties-turned-…

Paradise under fire

The beautiful Valley of Flowers, known for its flower diversity and fecundity, is caught in a strange controversy over ban on grazing

Invasive alien species are a serious threat to the planet: 4 key messages for Africa

Constrained financial resources and the lack of legal frameworks are largely to blame for the lack of progress in the management of invasive species

Mautak will flower

In 2006-2007, a bamboo species will flower over vast swathes of Mizoram, Tripura and Assam. When bamboo flowers, it dies; usually a famine follows.…