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Nature, Organic

Growing vegetables and fruits through hydroponic farming offer great control to farmers to make sure plants get the exact nutrients required for their healthy growth.

Agriculture has undergone a tremendous technological revolution. Traditionally, it relied on natural factors including climatic conditions. However, heatwaves and unexpected rains affected the harvest, thereby hindering the supply chain. With technological advances, traditional farming witnessed advancements in irrigation, seeds engineering, growth monitoring, etc. But still, the type of conventional farming depends on uncontrollable factors and that’s how the commercial production of fresh vegetables and fruits is affected.

 

Considering the difficulties posed by the present agriculture scenario, several newer farming methods have been adopted by urban farmers. Growing vegetables and fruits through hydroponic farming offer great control to farmers to make sure plants get the exact nutrients required for their healthy growth.

 

Understanding the concept of hydroponic farming 

The idea of hydroponic farming is based on growing plants in water, instead of soil. Apart from this, it also addresses the problem of scarcity of fertile land to be used for healthy production. Hydroponic system’s ability to grow plants indoors allows farmers to monitor and have control over temperature and lighting for the plants. Additionally, the farm is set up vertically to not only utilise the space wisely but also to add planting density. It allows farmers to create a farm where soil condition is poor and space is limited. 

 

Hydroponic systems over traditional farming

With the dearth of fertile land and the introduction of new scientific techniques, hydroponic farming is coming into existence. It provides a myriad of benefits over traditional farming by addressing the major concerns including widening nutrition gaps.

 

Nutritious yield

Hydroponic systems are designed in a way that anchors plants in a slightly angled direction. It allows nutrient solution to flow properly making it reach the plants. As a result, plants do not leech the water from the soil and grow faster and larger. Considering the traditional farming methods, nutrients in the water penetrate the soil that affects the process of understanding the exact amount of nutrients necessary for plant growth. However, in the case of hydroponic farming, the exact amount of water and nutrients are monitored by the farmer and the roots of the plants remain submerged. Furthermore, the excess water flows back to the holding tank and is recycled to feed the plants, thereby reducing water wastage.

 

Less space and water

In urban cities, the scarcity of land does not allow abundant and healthy production of crops. The use of a Hydroponic system allows urban farmers to grow nutritious vegetables and fruits in less space. The new-age farming method is combined with the vertical farming method that uses up to 80-90 per cent less land than traditional farming. Unlike farming in soil, the roots of the plants are not spread out to search for nutrients and moisture. The nutrients are directly delivered to plants that reduce the requirement of big spaces. With vertical stacking, a much smaller area is needed to produce a complete new-age farm.

 

Overcomes unpredictable challenges

Traditional farming methods are based on weather conditions that are unpredictable and are controlled by nature. Unpredictable weather conditions such as floods, drought, problems from pests, etc can affect production. This also presents a ripple effect on the supply chain, causing difficulty in getting nutritious vegetables and fruits. However, in a hydroponic system, the farmer controls the amount of sunlight and manages the growth of the plant. Being an indoor farming system, hydroponic farms have negligible chances of weed or pest attacks. Apart from this, a controlled environment helps in growing crops all year round. For instance, spinach with high nutritious content is grown even during the summer season on a hydroponic farm.

 

Sustainable farming

Currently, every country is losing fertile land at an alarming rate. According to the UN – the world loses 24 billion tons of fertile land lost every year. Furthermore, traditional farming is a major contributor to soil degradation. On the contrary, hydroponic farming enables the growth of crops at the same place over and over again, without considering crop rotation practices. Since it does not require soil or extensive farming land, this technique is an excellent way to grow the healthiest greens. Apart from this, the hydroponic farming technique yields more vegetables and fruits in a shorter time as compared to the traditional farming method. As a result, it reduces carbon footprints with no use of fossil fuel power.

 

Bottomline

Hydroponic farming proves to tackle the unmet challenges of conventional farming methods. It is more economical, efficient and consistent in yielding results. This makes the hydroponic farming way of agriculture with more return on investment. It is a wise choice that is still picking up among the new-age and urban farmers. Its potential is going to have a long-term influence on the traditional agriculture sector.

 

Growing vegetables and fruits through hydroponic farming

Dairy, Start ups

Launches SubhaLaxmi programme for providing entrepreneurial opportunities to women

Gurgaon-based dairy and whole-food tech startup NutriMoo by Credence Whole Foods has expanded its current offerings of milk, paneer, curd and ghee to launch daily essentials such as fresh vegetables, fruits, bread and eggs with same-day delivery. With this, NutriMoo plans to target 30,000 monthly active users (MAUs) from its current 1500 MAUs.

NutriMoo has an in-house processing facility that is well equipped to meet world standards in pasteurisation, sterilisation and homogenisation. The foremost mission is to provide good wholesome milk to ensure the safest and purest products reach the customers. NutriMoo is currently operational in Gurgaon and plans to launch its Delhi and UP operations in a phased manner.

The company started the SubhaLaxmi programme for providing entrepreneurial opportunities to women. The initiative is introduced by founders Abhishek Rao and Mayank Arora. The SubhaLaxmi programme is under the able mentorship of Somya Satsangi who is an early-stage investor along with Youdhbir Singh, an expert in warehousing solutions and cold chain logistics.

NutriMoo organised an event to recognise and felicitate the contribution of over 200 SubhaLaxmis as part of the joint program. Key dignitaries including the founders, investors and also the family of the SubhaLaxmis were present.

The company has backed up the entire setup including the supply chain with the latest use of technology. With a sense of passion to work towards social welfare, NutriMoo is working towards curating innovative “Health and Wellness” products, reaching out to a diverse community, creating a sustainable future.

Abhishek Rao, Co-founder & Director, Credence Foods said, “We look forward to serving the people and deliver one million orders per month by 31st march 2022.”

Mayank Arora, Co-Founder, & Director, Credence Foods said, “NutriMoo is not just providing the luxury of ordering daily consumables online, but also assuring the best quality products.”

Somya Satsangi, Investor said, “At NutriMoo, we deeply appreciate the important role and positive impact women have in making economic decisions, raising a family and nurturing our communities. Through the SubhaLaxmi initiative, that’s key to our supply chain, we are committed to empowering and changing the economic outlook for these women entrepreneurs.”

Launches SubhaLaxmi programme for providing entrepreneurial opportunities

Finance, Start ups, Warehousing

Arya has also expanded its warehousing footprint from 15 Lakh tonnes to 50 Lakh tonnes covering 30 Mn sq. ft. 

Arya – India’s largest post-harvest Agritech player, reports a growth in its Asset Under Management (AUM) of 125 per cent – from Rs 4200 to INR 9300 Cr on a Q-on-Q basis for the quarter ending June ‘21. The company’s success is a true testament to its platform’s robust expansion initiative that has impacted the lives of over 6 lac farmers on the platform. Given its commitment to stakeholders closer to the farmgate, the start-up has increased its FPO base from 300 to 500 over the past year. In this span, Arya has also expanded its warehousing footprint from 15 Lac tonnes to 50 Lac tonnes covering 30 Mn sq. ft.

Linked to around 5500 warehouses in 20 states at 1530 locations, 85 per cent of Arya collateral’s presence caters to India’s rural locations servicing customers such as farmers, FPOs and small aggregators. Arya’s digital platform Arya.ag also witnessed a growth of 3X in its loan portfolio disbursing over Rs 4400 Crores through its own balance sheet and in partnership with banks and financial institutions. 

 Speaking on this phenomenal growth, Prasanna Rao, CEO & Co-Founder, Arya said, “The pandemic has validated the relevance of our services. Greater adoption of technology across the agricultural value chain has ensured significantly deeper penetration of our integrated services, strengthening our position as a market leader in the agritech ecosystem. The growth in our business over the past 12 months is a reflection of the additional value created for our customers in near farm markets.”

 Arya’s integrated near farm solutions – covering aggregation, storage, finance, and market linkages -ensure better returns for its customers over 68 commodities. Addressing the issue of fragmented value chains in Indian agriculture, Arya offers a one stop solution through its integrated digital platform connecting the demand side with the supply side creating a layer of trust. The commodity marketplace on Arya’s digital platform facilitated a sale of agri-produce worth over Rs 100 crores in the last quarter. The complete visibility of quality and assurance provided by Arya guarantees peace of mind for the buyer. 

 

Arya has also expanded its warehousing footprint

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agrotech, Environment

The purpose of the trial is to assess the agronomic performance of commercially available ammonium bicarbonate as a nitrogen source for cannabis development

Bion Environmental Technologies, a developer of advanced livestock waste treatment technology that dramatically reduces environmental impacts while recovering high-value coproducts, announced that its cannabis trials are starting at Southern Illinois University, using commercial ammonium bicarbonate as a nitrogen fertiliser.

The purpose of the trial is to assess the agronomic performance of commercially available ammonium bicarbonate (AB) as a nitrogen source for cannabis development, compared to more traditional nitrogen fertilizer. If the results of this trial are positive, as expected, additional trials will be conducted using Bion’s AD Nitrogen when it becomes available in sufficient quantities in 2022. The results of subsequent AD Nitrogen trials, if warranted, would be expected to mirror the results demonstrated by the commercial AB product. Planning, design, and preparation for the study will commence this week. The trial will continue through September, followed by lab analysis, with a report expected in February 2022.  

SIU’s School of Agricultural Sciences will conduct the trial for Bion, to determine the effect of ammonium bicarbonate (AB) fertiliser on cannabinoid and terpene development in three different cultivars of the cannabis plant: BAOX, Cherry Citrus, and Super CBD. There will be three experimental treatments: 1) ammonium bicarbonate, 2) standard 12-12-12 fertiliser product, and 3) no additional treatment beyond Scotts Miracle-Gro Osmocote, following transplant like the others, as a control group.

The trial will include 27 plants in total. Following the predetermined growth cycle, analysis conducted will include cannabinoids (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and 19 different terpenes, which determine flavour, aroma and other consumer-related characteristics. 

The purpose of the trial is to

Machinery – Post-harvesting, Transportation

The newly launched MF 7235 DI offers modern technology, advanced features, best-in-class power, high fuel efficiency etc

Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) has launched the 35 hp Massey Ferguson 7235 DI Haulage Special tractor for trolley and commercial applications in Uttar Pradesh. The newly launched MF 7235 DI offers modern technology, advanced features, best-in-class power, high fuel efficiency, globally renowned MF hydraulics, low maintenance, maximum safety and operator comfort, at a special introductory price.

The MF 7235’s dynamic performance makes it the ideal tractor for rural entrepreneurs, fleet owners, contractors and drivers, for use in commercial and haulage segments like sugarcane haulage, brick kilns, sand mines, stone mines, water tanker, construction material transportation, infrastructure and development work.

TAFE has also put together attractive offers and great benefits for the MF 7235 and these include free maintenance for two years, estimated yearly savings up to Rs 60,000 on fuel cost and a low booking amount of Rs 35,000 and easy finance options, addressing key customer concerns of high capital investment and operating cost. Top-notch features like 35 hp powerful and fuel-efficient Simpson engine, portal bull gear system, Maxx oil-immersed brakes, diaphragm clutch, higher ground clearance, longer wheelbase, factory fitted bumper, power steering, flat platform, 8×2 side shift gearbox, 1200 kgf lift capacity and superior MF hydraulics with 25 lpm hydraulic pump, make it truly unmatched.

The new MF 7235 also provides high backup torque at low operating rpm, resulting in better power delivery and lower fuel consumption, enabling the customers to complete more trips in less time with the added benefit of enhanced safety, comfort and ease of operation. The portal type bull gear reduction system used in the MF 7235 provides higher traction and better load pulling capacity, similar to the reduction system often used in military vehicles.
 

The newly launched MF 7235 DI offers

Agrotech, Seeds

PowerPollen’s Pollination-on-Demand technology will give farmers greater flexibility by allowing them to optimise the timing of pollinations

PowerPollen has announced a commercial license agreement with Bayer. The move will help corn seed production growers increase their yields. PowerPollen’s Pollination-on-Demand technology gives farmers greater flexibility by allowing them to optimise the timing of pollinations. Bayer will be providing farmers with the prescriptive expertise they need to increase their seeds’ yield and purity.

“Pollen preservation and handling technologies offer new and efficient ways to produce a crop. We are excited to partner with Bayer for commercial use of our technology,” said DrmTodd Krone, co-founder and CEO, PowerPollen.

“PowerPollen’s technology allows us to mitigate risk in the pollination process and explore several production schemes globally,” said Shannon Hauf, Senior Vice President and Head of Seed Production Innovation, Bayer Crop Sciences.

“That further enables our company to provide top genetics and technology in the highest quality seeds to our customers.”
PowerPollen’s patented technology includes collection, preservation and application of pollen in seed production fields using custom-designed tools, and pollen preservation and handling methods built to scale for commercial operations.

PowerPollen’s Pollination-on-Demand technology will give farmers greater

Finance, Machinery – Post-harvesting

Total tractor sales (Domestic + Exports) during July 2021 were at 27229 units, as against 25402 units for the same period last year. 

 

 

  Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES), part of the Mahindra Group, today announced its tractor sales numbers for July 2021. Domestic sales in July 2021 were at 25769 units, as against 24463 units during July 2020.Total tractor sales (Domestic + Exports) during July 2021 were at 27229 units, as against 25402 units for the same period last year. Exports for the month stood at 1460 units.

Commenting on the performance, Hemant Sikka, President – Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “We have sold 25769 tractors in the domestic market during July 2021 with a growth of 5 per cent over last year. Demand remained buoyant in July as crop sowing operations gained traction with monsoon picking up pace across all the regions. Easing of COVID curbs & robust farm incomes on account of record Rabi crop procurement has bode well for the rural economy. We continue to stay bullish on tractor demand in the coming months owing to revival of monsoon, hike in MSP of key Kharif crops & upcoming festival season. In the exports market, we have sold 1460 tractors with a growth of 55 per cent”.

Total tractor sales (Domestic + Exports) during

Agrotech, Interaction

The 100 delegates representing over 40 countries will meet in November 2021 for a virtual global forum / Delegates will also work with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) 

100 delegates from more than 40 different countries will make up Bayer’s 2021 Youth Ag Summit cohort this November. The global forum and biennially organized conference selected young leaders between the ages of 18 and 25 with a passion for sustainable global agriculture for the opportunity to learn and collaborate with others on solutions to issues challenging food security. This year’s delegates come from more than 2,000 applicants representing nearly 100 countries.

“This is an opportunity to empower the next generation of agricultural change-makers,” said conservation student and grower Ndavisabye Rukundo Christian from Rwanda. “I am a farmer in the village where I live, and agriculture is my passion. This summit fits completely with my goal of doing sustainable agriculture by conserving the environment as well.”

To be selected, this year’s delegates presented project ideas and examples of previous advocacy work based on the summit’s overall theme “Feeding a Hungry Planet

 “The Youth Ag Summit has always been a great opportunity for me to connect with the next generation of ag. These young people provide the passion needed to make a real difference in tackling food security challenges,” said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division.

This year’s 5th biennial Youth Ag Summit will be the company’s first virtual YAS event and its first with a virtual idea incubator called YAS University. Within the YAS University program, delegates will continue to develop their business and communications skills, receive coaching from mentors, and complete weekly assignments that help them hone their own project concepts for 10 weeks following the summit, beginning in January 2022. At the end of YAS University, the delegates will have the opportunity to pitch their project ideas to a panel of experts to compete for prizes. Bayer’s partnerships for this year’s forum with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the tech company Babele make the unique experience of YAS University possible.

The 100 delegates representing over 40 countries

Agro chems – Pesticides, Finance

The product is estimated to help Best Agrolife achieve revenue grow by 40 per cent

Best Agrolife has received a patent valid for 20 years for the three-way insecticidal combination in India that will effectively control the entire sucking pest complex, including whitefly, jassids, aphids, and thrips together in various crops in just one spray alone. The company has applied for a product trademark- RONFEN, and the product will be out in the market with the onset of the next Kharif season.
 
“We are expecting a minimum sale volume of 1500 KL, worth Rs 410 crore of this novel combination in FY 22-23. With its wonderful control on the entire sucking pest complex in one spray alone, we have decided to introduce it in PAN-India on multiple crops with a focus on the North, South, & West regions,” says Vimal Alawadhi, MD – Best Agrolife.

The insecticidal combination is titled ‘A synergistic insecticidal composition comprising a bioactive amount of Diafenthiuron and Pyriproxyfen’, and the patent covers the composition of Pyriproxyfen, Diafenthiuron, and Dinotefuran in a unique suspension concentrate formulation.
 
Best Agrolife has a turnover of Rs 912.74 crore and the company says that as of March 2021 figures, the product is estimated to help Best Agrolife revenue grow by 40 per cent; overall it will contribute around 25 per cent of the total revenue in the coming year.
 
Ailawadhi, says, “On a global scale, sucking pests are one of the most serious threats to agricultural crop productivity, as they cause both quantitative and qualitative losses. These losses are estimated to harm 18–20 per cent of annual crop productivity. Most of the loss happens in the fields before harvest, and losses have been worst in developing countries. Except for cotton and rice, global agricultural losses due to insect pests have increased significantly in the post-green revolution age.”
 
The company also plans to own Subsidiary Companies in Africa, the EU, and the US markets.

The product is estimated to help Best

Environment, Finance, Start ups

The proceeds of $4.6 million in local currency equivalent will be fully allocated towards climate-smart agriculture

Symbiotics, a leading market access platform for impact investing, with Samunnati Financial Intermediation & Services has launched Green Bond whereby the proceeds of $4.6 million in local currency equivalent are fully allocated towards climate-smart agriculture. 

 

Anilkumar SG, Founder and CEO, Samunnati said, “Samunnati is working with FPOs on the supply side and Agri Enterprises on the demand side across 22 states in India. We are delighted to partner with Symbiotics on our first Green Bond. This will help us further offer customised financial solutions to entities interested in adopting climate-smart and green solutions, using social and trade capital, to FPOs and SMEs, enabling the Agri value chain to operate at a higher equilibrium. The Green Bond will enable Samunnati to strengthen the climate resilience across agri-sector, including that of small and marginal farmers in India.”

 

The bond is issued via Symbiotics sponsored bond issuance platform under its sustainability, social and green bond framework, which was certified in December 2019 by DNV GL. The Green Bond will be listed on the Luxembourg Green Exchange within the Green Bond section. The proceeds are to be fully used towards a three-year tenor, senior, local currency loan facility to Samunnati.

 

 

The proceeds of $4.6 million in local

AgroPolicy, Trade

For the first time, Agri Exporters from the remote districts of India connected to the international buyers from USA, the UAE, and Japan 

 Under the Districts as Export Hubs initiative, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Department of Commerce in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Invest India conducted a 2 Day Virtual Outreach Event connecting exporters from the Districts to the buyers outside India. Following the opening ceremony, a virtual trade fair was held where 197 exhibitors participated from the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The event provided a platform to small sellers from areas earlier not known for exports, apart from large exporters from India. 28 stalls from Jammu and Kashmir and 5 from Ladakh were highlighted in the exhibition.

The virtual outreach event saw a footfall of over 300 visitors and importers from domestic and international buyers inclusive of the USA, the UAE, and Japan. Putting a spotlight on agricultural products under five categories namely spices and tea, food grains and agro-products, fruits and vegetables, dry fruits, and processed food, three buyer-seller interactive sessions were held with the support of Indian Embassies from the USA, the UAE, and Japan. Few leading supermarkets such as Spinney, Walmart, and Lulu also participated during the interactive sessions and showed keen interest in India’s agricultural products.

The event marked the beginning of a series of events to be held to boost India’s exports and commemorate 75 years of India Independence under the Districts as Export Hubs initiative.

For the first time, Agri Exporters from

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Environment

Foundation stone of retractable roof polyhouse laid at Ludhiana

Dr (Prof) Harish Hirani, Director, CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur inaugurated a naturally ventilated polyhouse facility and laid the foundation stone of retractable roof polyhouse at Ludhiana in Punjab. 

 

Briefing about the technology, Dr Hirani said that the farmers face a number of problems such as excessive or insufficient cold, heat, rain, wind, and other factors associated with insufficient transpiration, and also crop losses in India due to insect pests is about 15 per cent at present and this loss may increase as climate change lowers the plant defence system against insects & pests. To some extent, these problems can be overcome by conventional polyhouse. Conventional polyhouse has a stationary roof to reduce the effect of weather anomalies and pests. However, there are still disadvantages due to roof covering which sometimes lead to excessive heat, and insufficient light (early morning). Besides this, they are also prone to insufficient levels of CO2, transpiration and water stress. A combination of open field conditions and conventional polyhouse conditions is a more robust way to deal with climate change and associates problems in the future. 

 

Dr Hirani also revealed that CMERI Extension centre, Ludhiana is installing a retractable roof polyhouse technology. The all-weather structure will have an automatic retractable roof which will be operated based on weather conditions and crop requirements from the conditional database using PLC software. The ongoing development will help farmers to cultivate both seasonal and off-season crops which can fetch higher yield, firmer and high shelf-life produce by creating optimal indoor micro-climate conditions compared to conventional open field tunnels and naturally ventilated poly houses, and also it is a viable technology for organic cultivation.

 

Jagdish Manikrao, Senior Scientist, who is leading the research team on the development of this technology explained that the retractable roof will be used to manipulate sunlight quantity, quality and duration, water stress, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and crop and soil temperatures. 

 

Dr Pradeep Rajan, Sr Principal Scientist, Head, Farm Machinery and Precision Agriculture further elaborated that this structure is being developed in collaboration with CSIR-IHBT, Palampur and in the process of integrating Artificial Intelligence in automating the polyhouse based on the crop and weather requirements and providing an IoT-enabled farmer-friendly user interface.

 

The director also briefed that as the scientific experimental data on the advantages of the new polyhouse system are lacking, therefore horticultural crops will be cultivated in both naturally ventilated polyhouse and retractable roof poly house for comparing the crop production and product quality. With the installation of naturally ventilated polyhouse and retractable roof polyhouse side by side, we can get the required scientific data and by analysing the results we can enhance productivity. The developed facility will be used as a demonstration farm for the farmers.

Foundation stone of retractable roof polyhouse laid

AgroPolicy, Agrotech

Piyush Goyal was speaking at the 2nd Indo-US Services Summit organised by Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC)

Addressing the ‘2nd Indo-US Services Summit’, organised by Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal observed that India and the US are working towards peace and stability across the world.  Goyal said that the services sector holds a lot of promise in aiding economic recovery during the post covid period.


The Minister further said that India is also rapidly progressing to become one of the world’s largest digital markets. Agritech, hospitality, fintech,  entertainment, accountancy, law, cybersecurity, healthcare and tourism etc. are some of the areas where India and the US can cooperate with mutual benefits.

Goyal said the services trade will play an important role in the two countries ever-expanding relations. “India & US are two natural partners and our relationship has stood the test of times due to our shared values of equality, liberty and democracy” he added.

Goyal recalled the Y2K challenge two decades back and how the Indian talent helped the US deal with it and how the world started noticing India’s skills, capabilities and commitment like never before. “It changed the perception of India,” he remarked.

The Minister said India is now moving beyond a ‘low-cost service provider’ to a ‘high value add partner’ and added that the back offices in India are evolving into brain offices. Giving examples of the 57 startup unicorns, Goyal said the entrepreneurial spirit of young Indians will place the country at the forefront.

The Minister informed that the total services exports from India to the world was $17 billion in 2001-02 and has now leapfrogged to $205 billion in 2020-21, registering a 12-fold increase.

“When we talk of India-US partnership, we each have areas of strengths where we excel. The US is the hub of innovation, technology, research and quality education. India has skilled and intelligent manpower at a competitive cost. Uniting our strengths will create an unbeatable combination,” Goyal remarked.

Goyal applauded the good work of service industry stakeholders and said that India has met all its service commitments that it had across the world without failure throughout the last 15-16 months. “Our services exports are back to 97 per cent level of the previous year,” he said.
Goyal appreciated the efforts taken by the IACC for choosing such a relevant topic at such crucial times when the world is fighting the Pandemic. “The IACC who has always been at the forefront of strengthening the Indo US relations has initiated this dialogue at a very critical time,” he said.

Piyush Goyal was speaking at the 2nd

Agrotech, R&D

A first-of-its-kind field experiment laid out over 300 acres in 4 clusters of cotton field in Waroda and Adasa villages in Kalmeshwar Taluka in Nagpur District of Maharashtra 

 

 

 The South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Jodhpur in collaboration with Agrovision Foundation, Nagpur has laid out the country’s largest field experiment of an innovative mating disruption or mating confusion technology spread over 300 acres in 4 clusters to ward off Pest Pink bollworm (PBW) in cotton in Waroda and Adasa villages in Kalmeshwar Taluka in Nagpur District of Maharashtra.

PBKnot is an innovative mating disruption technology, approved recently by CIBRC of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfares of the Govt of India is an ideal approach for effective PBW management and a best fit in IPM of bollworm management in cotton. Moreover, PBKnot technology is easy in application, safe to beneficial insects and eco-friendly.

A first-of-its-kind field experiment laid out over 300 acres in 4 clusters in GPS coordinated cotton fields with the structured tagging of PBKnot thread by trained local volunteers under the guidance of experts from South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Agrovision Foundation and ICAR-CICR will be studied for pest insect population dynamics, insect ecology and damage as part of an integrated pest management approach (IPM) of pink bollworm.   

“We have laid out the country’s largest field experiment by tagging cotton plants with PBKnot in such a way that PBKnot charges the surrounding air with Gossyplure, a pheromone scent that confuses the male adults preventing them for finding and mating with female adults and reduces the number of eggs laid and PBW population in subsequent generations. Interestingly, PBKnot releases the same scent that female PBW releases to attract males for mating,” explained Dr CD Mayee, President of the SABC, Jodhpur.

“Mating confusion – a disruptive pheromone-based technique, is now available in the form of the solid metric dispenser rope known as PBKnot and can be easily applied to the cotton plant at the pin head square stage over the minimum area of 60 to 64 acres in contiguous basis. The PBKnot can protect cotton plant for 90 days in the crucial time of flowering, boll formation up to boll maturity and hence reduce boll damage, improve quality and increase cotton yield”, said Bhagirath Choudhary, Director of SABC, Jodhpur.  

Project Bandhan is supported jointly by PI Foundation and Rasi Seeds Pvt Ltd and is being implemented across Vidarbha, Maharashtra, in partnership with cotton and textile value chain partners. The project aims at demonstrating mating disruption technology, promoting integrated pest management (IPM) based package of practices (POP) developed by ICAR-CICR, intensifying skill development and training programs and amplifying effective PBW control measures to farmers across the Vidarbha region. Project Bandhan enrolled hundreds of farmers in 4 clusters, were given free Bt cotton hybrid seeds & IPM based POP brochures and were engaged in tagging PBKnot thread dispenser in their field on 30th and 31st July 2021.

 “Project Bandhan is an exemplary initiative toa promote pheromone based IPM production system of cotton. The novel PB Knot pheromone technology is easy to use, affordable and environmental friendly innovation to manage the devastating pest such as Pink Bollworm,” noted Mr. Prashant Hegde, CEO (Agri Business) at PI Industries Ltd.

“Rasi Seeds Pvt Ltd has been supporting the Pink Bollworm campaign in Vidarbha for the last two years, implemented jointly by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre and Agrovision Foundation. Our joint efforts have resulted in the management of Pink Bollworm, particularly in Vidarbha. We reinforce our commitment to support the innovative technology and programs to improve the cotton production and farmers’ realization. Project Bandhan is a unique program dedicated to showcase the utility, efficacy of novel mating disruption technology and IPM based production system,” stated Dr Ramasami, Chairman of Rasi Seeds Pvt Ltd.

“We have successfully implemented awareness and training programs on pink bollworm in collaboration with South Asia Biotechnology Centre across Vidarbha in the last 3-4 years. Implementing mating disruption technology will help growers to effectively manage pink bollworm in Vidarbha, Maharashtra while outreach program continues to spread right messages about IPM based management of pink bollworm,” stated Ravi Boratkar, President, Agrovision Foundation, Nagpur.

The implementation of PBKnot under the technical guidance of ICAR-Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) was attended by experts including Dr Rama Krishna, Agronomist and Dr Shailash Gawande, Plant Pathologist of ICAR-CICR, Ravi Boratkar, Ramesh Mankar,  Rahul,  Akash and  Akshay of Agrovision Foundation; Dr Sandip Agale of South Asia Biotechnology Centre and elected representatives and hundreds of cotton farmers of Waroda and Adasa villages in Kalmeshwar Taluka in Nagpur District of Maharashtra.

A first-of-its-kind field experiment laid out over