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Time of India
01-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Experts urge collaboration for climate resilient agriculture in India
Nagpur: Experts called for higher collaboration between govt institutions, the private sector, and farmers to deal with climate changes. The policy silos need to be dismantled to ensure a climate-resilient agriculture ecosystem for the country, they said while speaking at a seminar regional policy dialogue on climate and agriculture — organised by a voluntary organisation, Sustainability Matters. These participants included farm activists, scientists, and even farmers. The former Director of the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), CD Mayee, said climate change is a reality that needs to be responded to. He called for technology adaptation on a large scale. CICR's current Director, WN Wahmare, said Vidarbha is already experiencing a shift in rainfall patterns. Over 1,000 mm of precipitation has been recorded in areas where the average is 700 to 800 mm. The former vice-chancellor of the Panjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth, Sharad Nimbalkar, said soil health should be central to any strategy on dealing with climate change. "We are losing organic content at an alarming rate, and it is directly impacting the yields," he said. "Universities and research institutions must lead in developing watershed-based models to generate soil sustainability." The district superitendent (agriculture) Ravindra Manohare said Maharasthra's project on climate resilient agriculture (POCRA) project covers of 7,000 villages and is supported by a world bank fund of Rs6,000 crore. The seminar was part of the national series said a press note. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
CICR developing genome editing technique for higher cotton yield
1 2 Nagpur: The Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) is now working on a technique to tweak the DNA of cotton plants to ensure higher yield. This method, called genome editing, is among the latest techniques adopted for agricultural research in the country. Genome editing is different from the more complex genetic engineering technology, which involves introducing an additional gene. Cotton farmers are currently using Bt cotton, a genetically engineered variety with an additional gene that provides resistance to the bollworm pest. Speaking to TOI on the sidelines of a seminar on climate-resilient farming, CICR director VN Waghmare said that genetic editing involves changes in DNA sequencing. The aim is to develop compact cotton plants with higher boll formation. It may take another two or three years to achieve the results, he said. Former director of CICR, CD Mayee, said that the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) is also encouraging the use of genome editing. Recently, new varieties of paddy were released, which can help in developing varieties suitable for dry conditions. Regarding the reports on rampant use of illegal herbicide-tolerant (HT) seeds in the region, Waghmare said it may not be a prudent idea. This is because farmers here adopt the practice of inter-cropping, where no single crop is grown on a stretch. This means that even if farmers use HT seeds, they won't be able to use weed killers due to the presence of other plants. Waghmare noted that areas in predominantly paddy belts have also started growing cotton. For example, the trend has begun in Gadchiroli too. Farmers are adopting it because of the rugged nature of the crop. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Illegal HT cotton seeds make deep inroads into agriculture markets, hits legal traders
Nagpur: The prohibited herbicide-tolerant (HT) seeds — genetically engineered to survive toxic weed killers — have made deep inroads into the market, and it may end up leaving a major dent in the legal trade of BG2 cotton seeds this sowing season, say dealers in agricultural inputs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Farmers are buying the HT seed at nearly double the price at which the legitimate BG2 cotton is available, said sources. Farmers told TOI that HT seeds are being sold for as much as Rs1,200 to 1,500 a packet, whereas the permitted BG2 seeds are being sold for Rs850. Rates of the latter are fixed by the govt. CD Mayee, former director of Central Institute of Cotton Research, said at least 30% of the area under cotton is expected to have HT cotton. HT seeds were developed by multinational agriculture giant Monsanto in alliance with the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco). It has an additional gene that can survive even if weed-killers (herbicides) are used. It does away with the need for manually clearing farms of weeds before and after sowing. Just spraying glyphosate-based herbicide helps, as the weeds are killed and the HT cotton survives. The BG2 cotton is only resistant to the bollworm pest. However, the variety could not get formal approval from the govt as the trials were stopped midway by the Mahyco-Monsanto combine. Yet, as the seeds were pilfered, Gujarat emerged as the hub for illegal cultivation, said sources. Pankaj Bothra, a dealer in Yavatmal, said traders have to book their quota of cotton seeds by paying in advance. There are chances that many may not be able to even recover their costs due to the rampant sale of HT seeds. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There are chances that some may even ask for a refund from seed companies due to substantial stock remaining unsold. Sharad Chandak of Nagpur Agro Dealers Association also acknowledged that HT seeds are hitting their business. Farmers are preferring the HT seeds, which the peddlers claim have dual protection covering both pests and herbicides. In fact, the grey market dealers start operations much before the official sales are allowed. The govt does not allow the sale of cotton seeds before June 15, a source said. Sources said the packets are transported in passenger buses from Gujarat, with dealers bringing small quantities to avoid detection. In a recent trend, loose seeds are brought to Vidarbha and then packed by local agents. So far, the agriculture department has seized 1,800 packets and over 1.7 tonnes of loose HT seeds in Nagpur division. Farmers say this is just the tip of the iceberg. The real action must happen in Gujarat — where the source lies. Meanwhile, even as BG2 seeds sales are down, dealers are also stocking glyphosate-based weed killers anticipating demand due to the HT seeds. Legally, glyphosate cannot be used in cropped areas but it is easily available in stores, said sources.
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
AI traps offer real-time defence against pest, reviving hopes for Punjab's cotton farmers
A cutting edge technological intervention offering real time surveillance on the pink bollworm (PBW) in the cotton crop may give a new lease of life to the conventional cash crop of Punjab. Developed by the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), AI (artificial intelligence) pheromone traps will be stationed at eight different locations in the cotton growing districts of Bathinda, Mansa and Muktsar for the second consecutive kharif season to audit its efficacy. Principal entomologist of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Vijay Kumar said the digital intervention gives hourly crop updates of the pest via a mobile phone. Alerted by the moth data, farmers can promptly use insecticides to curb the PBW attack on the cotton crop. 'In the new generation AI trap, a camera is fixed in the pheromone trap that takes regular pictures of the moths that stick to the trap due to the pheromones' lure. These images are then transmitted in real time to a remote server in the cloud and to the farmer,' said Kumar. The expert said that images of pests are analysed using a machine learning algorithm that has been trained to identify and count PBWs caught in traps. Kumar, who is monitoring the CICR project in Punjab, said that the technology was introduced last year and its results of two consecutive seasons will be analysed before recommending it for wider use. Since 2022, the cotton crop acreage in Punjab has witnessed a sharp downfall after PBW infestation. Experts said that even the genetically modified pest-resistant variety of Bt Cotton (Bollgard II seed) has been falling prey to the pest it was created to resist, farmers are staying away from its cultivation due to economic losses. Punjab state agriculture department's deputy director (cotton) Charanjeet Singh said that the innovative approach may have the potential to significantly reduce economic losses for farmers grappling with PBW infestations. 'Practice of installing pheromone traps is prevalent in various parts of the cotton-growing region. But it was observed that counting and monitoring pests caught in traps has manpower challenges. But the smart monitoring system enables timely pest management advice to cotton growers, ensuring efficient control and keeping damage below economic threshold levels,' he added. A progressive farmer from Khiali Chailanwali in Mansa, Jagdev Singh, talks about the effectiveness of the AI trap installed at his one-acre cotton field last year for testing by the authorities. 'Experts say that the AI trap costs ₹35,000 - ₹40,000 and it would be a major challenge in acceptability. But the technology may be supported as the results were highly impressive. An AI-powered pest detection system can alert a farmer to incoming pest infestations in real-time, enabling them to take swift action and effectively save their crop. I witnessed that the system can help a farmer solve the pest problem better than traditional measures often driven by guesswork,' he added.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cotton MSP hiked by 589, taking rates to 7,710-8,110/q
Nagpur: The govt has increased the minimum support price (MSP) for cotton, the major crop of the region, by Rs589. This takes the rates for long staple cotton to Rs8,110 a quintal and Rs7,710 per quintal for the medium staple grade. A section of farmers and activists said it was expected that MSP will be taken to at least Rs8,500 a quintal. According to govt calculations, cost of cultivation per quintal of cotton comes to Rs5,140. Against this, MSP of Rs8,110 leaves margin of Rs2,970 on each quintal of long staple cotton. Charudutta Mayee, ex-director of Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), said, "MSP should have been fixed at Rs8,500 a quintal to leave a decent profit for farmers." MSP for soyabean, the second major crop, has been increased by Rs436 to Rs5,328 a quintal. Rates of tur have been hiked by Rs450, taking it to Rs8,000 a quintal. The MSP for paddy has been hiked by Rs69, taking it to Rs2,369 a quintal.
