New research from India reveals that, contrary to long-held scientific beliefs, feeding on trees and shrubs does not provide Asian elephants with more protein than grazing on grass.
Analysing data from 1975 to 2014, a study examining changes through three waves over 40 years by researchers at IIT Bombay and the University of Hyderabad found that productivity in India's semi-arid tropics depends less on farm size and more on access to inputs, credit, and markets.
Researchers combine weather forecasts, satellite soil moisture data, and a computer simulation for efficient irrigation water management at district and sub-district scales.
New research examined how a specific type of AI, known as ANFIS, could help predict the yield of several important crops grown in the Nashik region of Maharashtra, India.
Study of plastic-lined farm ponds in orchard farming and its impact on society
Scientists survey rural areas of Maharashtra for the most suitable agricultural strategies in the face of climate change
A study by a team of international researchers has suggested that diversifying crop production in India to include cereals like millets and sorghum could be a sustainable way forward.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati have developed a genetically modified variety of cowpea resistant to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic India Virus. Since the legume grain is one of the major sources of protein for a section of the country’s population, this discovery is important to ensure that the yield of the crops is not affected.
Chillies are an indispensable part of the Indian platter and contribute heavily to our economy since India is a leading producer of chillies. A threat facing the chilli farmers is the fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum truncatum that affects the yield of the crop. In a new study, scientists have explored the mechanism behind the fungal disease, how the fungus actually attacks the plant and fruits and have also studied the genotype of the causative agents. This study, the researchers believe, can help develop mitigation plans and save farmers from an impending crop loss.
It was in the 1970s that the term ‘climate change’ was coined. Agriculture is one sector that both contributes to and affected by climate change, and research around the world is now advancing towards ‘climate-smart’ agriculture. Carbon or carbon dioxide is one of the culprits for the rising temperature across the globe. Agricultural operations such as tillage, fertilization, irrigation, crop protection and so on are responsible for release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases from agricultural landscape to atmosphere.
Most methods that farmers follow today to control pests and save their crop are mostly reactive, which is done ‘after’ the damage has started. In addition, these methods either destroy other crops, or cause harm to animals that feed on them, or pollute the soil or air. Researchers have now found a ‘green’ and ‘clean’ way to detect crop pests before they start the damage. They have built a highly sensitive sensor that detects pheromones or chemicals released by insects for mating, which signal the presence of pests and thus prompt the farmers to take remedial measures.