CEOs need to accelerate their action plans to safeguard the production of commodities critical to the global population and economy as heat stress and drought risk rise around the world, according to PwC's report, Climate Risks to Nine Key Commodities: Protecting People and Prosperity, published. The report, which analysed nine …
A team of crop experts from a Kenya research organization has been awarded for their input in fighting wheat rust. The three Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) experts were awarded the 2015 Borlaug Global Rust Initiative (BGRI) Gene Stewardship Award. The trio also bagged the Norman Borlaug statue …
Researchers from the University of California-Davis recently found a fourth gene that determines how wheat plants flower after experiencing a freeze. Having the key to this process, vernalization, could aid in future development of improved varieties of wheat. Barley, that grain that supplies us with both cereals and beer, had …
Australia increased its wheat production estimate after El Nino-defying rain in winter boosted the outlook for yields in key growing regions. Output may total 25.3 million metric tons in 2015-16 from 23.6 million tons forecast in June, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics & Sciences said in a …
After more than a year, the Prakash Javadekar led Environment Ministry today finally called a meeting of the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) to decide on field trials for a number of Genetically Modified (GM) crops. GEAC is the apex body in India that is authorized to approve the use …
Emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) from wheat field under various management practices was measured over two years. The experimental design consisted of two winter wheat (Triticum austivum L.) varieties with three nutritional treatments and two dates of sowing. The results revealed that soil moisture and soil temperature at different depths …
In the last decades the Euro-Mediterranean region has experienced an increase in extreme temperature events such as heat waves. These extreme weather conditions can strongly affect arable crop growth and final yields. Here, early heat waves over Italy from 1995 to 2013 are identified and characterised and their impact on …
Agriculture economist and Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Dr SS Johal, asserted that the state’s agriculture sector was under immense duress, besides crop diversification and farmers’ suicides were major challenges. Addressing a function to mark unique project of “Agents of change” initiated by Centre for International Projects Trust (CIPT), New …
Question raised in Lok Sabha on Public Distribution System, 21/07/2015. TPDS is operated under the joint responsibility of the Central and the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments wherein the operational responsibilities for implementation of TPDS within the State/UT rest with the State/UT Governments concerned. There have been complaints about irregularities including …
The state food and supplies department will take strong action against ration dealers in case they violate the National Food Security Act, Jyotipriya Mallick, the state minister for food and supplies said on Wednesday. Mallick said that if any ration dealer shorts any beneficiary of the quantity of PDS foodgrain …
New official data show that the proportion of Indian households using the Public Distribution System has nearly doubled over seven years. These households are relying more on the PDS and less on open market sources than before. The National Sample Survey Organisation’s report on the ‘Public Distribution System and Other …
With the need to increase crop production to meet the needs of a growing population, protecting the productivity of our soil resource is essential. However, conservationists are concerned that conservation practices that were effective in the past may no longer be effective in the future under projected climate change. In …
Australia has slashed forecast production levels for wheat, cotton and other agricultural commodities in 2015-16 as the El Nino weather phenomenon grips the country and dries out farmland. Meteorologists warn the current El Nino, the second in five years, will persist until the end of the year. "We should see …
The prices of major food commodities continued their downward trajectory through May as cereal prices dropped amid an increasingly favourable forecast for this year's harvests, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) confirmed today. According to the UN agency's monthly Food Price Index, the May 2015 forecast for the …
Observant aliens visiting Earth and studying its civilizations would probably be pretty obsessed with wheat. They couldn’t fail to note how staggeringly many people we feed with the crop on this planet. “Wheat is one of the main staple crops in the world and provides 20% of daily protein and …
While the Narendra Modi government has moved swiftly on a range of environmental issues— approving long-delayed projects, arguably clearing the backlog inherited from the UPA and bringing in processes to simplify green clearance— the one area where it continues to be indecisive is that of genetically modified crops. The Prakash …
Voices and Views: Why Biotech? is a collection of personal essays on individuals from all over the world who have followed the development of biotechnology and are convinced that it has a significant role to play in improving the quality of life. It is a compilation of different key stakeholders’ …
Unseasonal rain and hailstorm in March and April damaged wheat spread over 2.61 lakh acres in Haryana, while other crops, including mustard, were damaged over 13,844 acres, as per a girdawari report received by the Revenue Department. The information received from nine districts that have suffered the brunt of unseasonal …
Union Home Minister visits rain-hit Western U.P. areas With the distressed farmers who have suffered immense crop loss due to unseasonal rain and hailstorm in Uttar Pradesh getting little or no solace, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday urged the State Government to distribute immediate financial relief to them. …
Five farmers died of 'shock' in parts of Uttar Pradesh, all apparently distressed over damage to their crops due to unseasonal rains in the state. Chhotelal (60) of Sadana area and Murlidhar (68) of Musoli village from Sitapur district died yesterday on Tuesday due to 'shock' after incurring losses due …
Fresh spell of rain to reduce yield | State seeks more Central relief in wake of crop damage | Harvesting delayed Moderate to heavy rains lashed many parts of the state in the past 24 hours, dashing the hopes of farmers as they were gearing up to reap their harvest …