Category: Agriculture

** Tech company offers farmers alternative to burning stubble

Disposing stubble after a yield is necessary to facilitate the next crop cycle, but constributes to air pollution

A Bengaluru-based firm is offering a microbial bioenzyme developed by Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) to help farmers across India dispose stubble (crop residue) on their farms responsibly.

Stubble decomposes within 25 days of spraying the bioenzyme, named Pusa Decomposer, and gets converted into manure, thereby improving the quality of soil, claims the company, which is also offering a free spraying service.

Dhruv Sawhney, COO and Business Head, nurture.farm

** NIT-K develops e-bike for forest surveillance, commute

Its battery can be charged by solar power and the headlight doubles up as a torch

The National Institute of Technology-Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, has designed and developed an e-bike to ensure that commuting in the forests is eco-friendly in its true sense.

A unique feature of this bike is that its battery can be charged using solar power and it has a removable headlight which doubles up as a torch for using during night surveillance.

** Efforts on to get heritage status for jackfruit tree

Aged around 250, it is said to be Karnataka’s oldest of this variety.

A jackfruit tree, aged around 250, located 40 km from Bengaluru, is believed to be State’s oldest tree of this variety and one of the oldest in the country. The tree at Janagere village in Magadi taluk is now in the limelight as agricultural and horticultural scientists are striving to get “heritage tree” status for it.

Ravish J.R., owner of the tree, has fenced it for protection. Villagers say that he is the 10th generation owner of the tree that has been protected not only by the family of owners, but also by the community.

** Mandya farmer’s quest to preserve agrarian heritage

Bore Gowda has won the Plant Genome Saviour Award

A farmer from Mandya has bagged the Plant Genome Saviour Award in recognition of his efforts to conserve the indigenous variety of paddy and agrarian heritage.

Meet S. Bore Gowda, a farmer from Shivalli in Mandya district, whose journey from a farmer engaged in farming practices that focused on use of chemical fertilizers to that of a rice conservator and seed saver, has won him a fan following.

** CFTRI Scientist Develops New Beverage From Coffee Leaves

As coffee leaves are constantly being produced, growers can harvest them in the off-season if there is demand, according to Pushpa S. Murthy, Principal Scientist (Spice and Flavour Science Department) of CFTRI.

** Mangaluru: Retired principal makes water to flow even when pump is off

People are aware of the pump sets which pump out water when the switch of the pump is on. A pump in Guruvayanakere has been able to pump out water when the pump, once it is set in ON position and then switched off. The water continues to pour out without stopping. This has been happening for the last 12 years.

Retired principal, Govind Bhat Kadappu, residing in Vidyanagar, Guruvayanakere, is the man behind this rare feat. He has been able to transfer water from an open well to his bore well through the siphon method at very low cost continuously. Under the siphon system, water which is started to pump once, continues to pump even when the engine is off. That too, recharging of bore well through this method is very rare.

** Engineer’s experiment with Boer goat

T.S. Umesh crosses the Boer with the native Talcher breed and they fetch a good price

T.S. Umesh, 47-year-old from Tarabenahalli of Tumakuru district, chose agriculture instead of office soon after completing his engineering degree in 1990.

People laughed at him then for returning to the village to take up farming. Undeterred by this, Mr. Umesh charted his own course in farming on his 7.5 acres of land and used his engineering aptitude and outlook to better practices

** Bengaluru’s wet waste to turn manure for urban gardens

KCDC launches compost, vermicompost for gardeners

Urban gardeners can now get quality manure as the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation Ltd. (KCDC), which hitherto sold compost only to bulk buyers like farmers, has now entered the urban market segment. Interestingly, KCDC uses Bengaluru city’s wet waste to make compost and vermicompost for gardening enthusiasts.

KCDC showcased these products for the first time at the ongoing Krishi Mela of the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru.

** Using drones to help the farming sector

They are being developed for efficient spraying of pesticides

Can aeronautical engineering benefit agriculture? Visit the ongoing Krishi Mela to know how drones can come handy for spraying pesticides on agricultural and horticultural crops. As the spraying of pesticides can be a health hazard, scientists are now looking at drone technology for pesticide application without the involvement of people. Manual spraying is also a costly and time-consuming process.

University of Agricultural Sciences-Raichur has taken up a project to develop a drone which helps in spraying of pesticides.