Following three years of research, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) has identified core genes which would help in development of new varieties of wheat, rice and vegetables which would withstand climatic variations.

These varieties, identified from the four lakh accessions held with NBPGR or the national gene bank, would help deal with variations in temperatures, rainfall and alternations in climate conditions witnessed during the last few years.

New Delhi : With wide variations in climatic conditions becoming a frequent phenomenon, the agriculture ministry has projected a decline in yield of crops such as rice, wheat, maize and sorghum.

Vikhe Patil wanted a public hearing to be held before clearing the trials

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan overruled reservations expressed by the State’s Agriculture Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in clearing no objection certificates (NOC) for “confined” field trials of genetically modified crops in the state, The Hindu has learnt.

“India has to feed a large number of people. We can’t ignore the potentials of GM crops. We, no doubt, need to be careful, and have proper controls and effective regulations.”

He noted that varieties of wheat, rice and other crops that are cultivated today were developed over the centuries from the wild varieties through various man-made techniques of selection. “Genetic modification is just another tool for selection [developed scientifically].”

The Punjab Seed Council has approved 39 new verities of different crops for general cultivation.

PANJIM: The government is likely to implement the restructured mid-day meal scheme from the New Year onwards with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar saying that the government is ready to pour in more

The wheat crop will be cultivated over 8,893 thousand hectares of land during current Rabbi season (2013-14) to fulfil the domestic requirements as well as to export.

REWARI (HARYANA): Eight peacocks died and as many were found unconscious today after they reportedly consumed pesticide-sprinkled wheat at Nimoth village in the district.

The projects will collectively augment the storage capacity of FCI by about 1,25,060 metric tonnes (MT), out of which 53,000 MT is likely to be completed by March 2014

Food Corporation of India (FCI) is in the process of augmenting its infrastructure in North-East to implement the National Food Security Act.