Latest news with #TamilNaduAgriculturalUniversity
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
BIS to organise stakeholders meeting on July 30 on neem-based pesticide
The Coimbatore branch of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will conduct a stakeholders meeting called 'Manak Manthan' on July 30 at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University on the BIS standard for need-based emulsifiable concentrate(EC) containing Azadirachtin (neem-based pesticide). G. Bhavani, Senior Director and Head of the Coimbatore branch of the BIS, said policymakers, industry experts, academia, consumer organisations, and farmers will come together from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. to brainstorm on the draft of the first revision of the Indian Standard for neem-based EC containing Azadirachtin (IS 14300). About 10 companies in the country have the BIS licence to make the pesticide, including one in Coimbatore. The standard has seen three amendments in the last 30 years and is going to be revised soon. The neem-based pesticide is used largely by farmers who are into organic farming. Every branch of the BIS conducts one 'Manak Manthan' programme a month and will soon organise two meetings a month, she said.
The Hindu
22-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
TNAU awarded patent titled ‘Nano Emulsion Based Botanical Herbicide and Preparation Method Thereof'
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has been awarded a patent on Nano herbicide by the Controller of Patents, Patent Office, Government of India. The patent titled 'Nano Emulsion Based Botanical Herbicide and Preparation Method Thereof' was the outcome of research work carried out at the Centre for Agricultural Nanotechnology for the development of a novel form of herbicide using naturally-produced allelopathic chemicals derived from Eucalyptus citriodora. According to the inventors N. Swathika, K. S. Subramanian and S. Marimuthu, eucalyptus plants produce volatile metabolites that inhibit the neighbouring plants in the natural ecosystem. The fallen leaves surrounding the trees release a wide array of terpenoids especially eucalyptol and citronellal. Since these compounds are highly volatile in nature, efforts were undertaken to develop nano-system to encapsulate them in a micelle with a guar gum as a biopolymer. The product was developed using two-step process involving high pressure homogenisation and ultra sonication. This bio-nano-herbicide has both pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicidal action against a notorious grassy weed Echinochloa crusgalli. There was a pre-emergence control of weed seeds at 1000 ppm (parts per million) while highest post-emergence toxicity was observed at 1% spray of nano-emulsion, the researchers explained.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Horti Utsav 2025 celebration at TNAU highlights blend of traditional and modern techniques for productivity
Display of innovative horticultural models, covering a spectrum of topics like integrated vertical farming systems, hydroponics setups, rooftop kitchen gardens, innovative post-harvest technologies, processing units for value addition, and sustainable irrigation modules constituted the major highlight of Horti Utsav 2025 hosted by the Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, on Thursday. The exhibition with the tagline 'Cultivating Dreams, Harvesting Success' reflected the students' understanding of the blend of traditional and modern techniques aimed to improve farm productivity, reduction of environmental pollution, minimising wastage and to open avenues for entrepreneurial ventures, K. Venkatesan, Dean (Horticulture) said. The Utsav was a celebration to express the potential of horticultural innovation in modern livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and sustainable horticulture under the dynamic theme 'Farm to Fortune', acting Vice-Chancellor and Registrar R. Tamizhvendan said in his inaugural address. He emphasised the importance of nurturing young minds and fostering platforms where traditional practices harmoniously coexist with technological advancements, positioning horticulture as a key contributor to future-ready agriculture and enterprise. Presiding over the event, B. Augustine Gerard, Project Coordinator, ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) - All India Coordinated Research Project (Palms), Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod, Kerala, the chief guest, said Horticulture was playing a pivotal role in sustaining agriculture and empowering national economy. A one-day cultural extravaganza featured 21 events reflecting the versatility and vibrancy of horticulture-inspired expression. They included nine onstage performances such as Choreo Clash, Classical Solo, and Horti Quiz. The 12 offstage events included Fallen Flora, Art of a Slice, Horti Invents, and Horti Sabha.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Avinashi Road elevated corridor will be opened by Sept'
Coimbatore: The Avinashi Road elevated corridor would be opened to the public by September, said Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Estimate Committee chairman S Gandhirajan who inspected the ongoing work on Thursday. Besides the elevated corridor, the team inspected the Coimbatore Central Prison, Marudhamalai temple and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The team interacted with prisoners and received their grievances regarding the facilities available on the premises. Gandhirajan said, 'The prisoners have requested quick health assistance, especially for patients with heart ailments. Although 24/7 assistance is already available for prisoners, we have taken note of their requests. We also interacted with those working at the petrol bunks as part of the rehabilitation programme and gathered information about their wages.' The MLA said, 'The forest department has requested more focus on human-animal conflict, particularly concerning elephants in this region. Another issue highlighted by the public was the wild boar invasion, where the compensation provided was insufficient. We have assured them that a consultation meeting will be convened to discuss increasing the compensation amount from Rs 23,000 per acre.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo He mentioned that grievances from coconut farmers had also been recorded, with the whitefly pest being the predominant crisis. Advanced machinery which is tall enough to reach the treetop for cutting coconuts and removing coconut shells is available at TNAU, supporting minimal manpower requirements. He noted that measures were in progress to make this machinery available for public use.
The Hindu
12-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
In novel initiative, coconut farmers in Pollachi deploy climate sensors to explore alternative crops
In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Tamil Nadu, a cohort of coconut farmers from the Pollachi region in Coimbatore district has deployed a technology-based field monitoring system to record climatic conditions and assess crop suitability. Their urgency is the growing threat of Root Wilt Disease affecting their crop. While not a direct intervention against the disease, the initiative is aimed at generating consistent weather data to explore alternatives to coconut cultivation, which farmers fear may not be viable in the future. Farmers from the Anamalai block, as well as the Pollachi South and North blocks, have come together to install real-time climate monitoring systems that track temperature, humidity, rainfall, and solar radiation. The systems are expected to provide location-specific data to guide cropping patterns and land-use decisions in the future. One lakh trees removed According to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in Coimbatore, the three blocks collectively have an estimated 75 lakh coconut trees. Of them, 10 lakh are affected by Root Wilt Disease, 3.5 lakh are severely affected, and nearly 1 lakh trees have been removed. M. Raveendran, Director of Research, TNAU, said Root Wilt Disease has no known cure, and the only effective management strategy is the removal of infected trees to limit its spread. The disease is caused by a phytoplasma — a wall-less, bacteria-like micro-organism that lives in the phloem tissue of plants and is transmitted by vectors such as leafhoppers and whiteflies. It was present for long, but its spread has accelerated in recent years owing to changing climatic conditions that favour vector survival and transmission. Once infected, a tree suffers progressive root dysfunction, leading to reduced water and nutrient absorption, yellowing and narrowing of leaflets, stunted canopy development, and declining nut yield. If not removed, infected trees pose a threat to surrounding healthy ones through root contact and vector activity. Farmers have expressed concern that, if unchecked, the disease may make coconut cultivation unviable. M.K. Gokulakrishnan, who manages a 60-acre coconut farm in Pollachi, said, 'I've had to remove around 150 trees. If this continues, it will seriously affect livelihood. Coconut is the principal crop here, and the consequences could be severe.' 'To sustain the livelihood of farmers, alternative crops must be identified and introduced before the situation worsens,' said M.P. Vijayakumar, Vice-Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education, and a retired IAS officer, who is also a farmer. He is spearheading the effort to ensure that Pollachi does not remain dependent only on coconut. 'The broader aim is to promote crop diversification and establish Pollachi as a zone for fruits and spices. For this, continuous tracking of temperature, humidity, sunshine, and rainfall is considered essential for assessing crop suitability across micro-climatic zones,' he added. 'Without any government support, we initiated this effort to generate field-level climate data to guide crop planning,' Mr. Vijayakumar said. Low-cost sensors The system, developed by Bengaluru-based Phytec, uses low-cost, solar-powered, sub-gigahertz sensors placed at one-kilometre intervals. These units record environmental parameters and transmit the data through a network to a central gateway, which uploads them on cloud servers. The network operates independently of the mobile phone network and is being piloted in farms in Kottur village. TNAU has agreed to analyse the collected data to assess the impact of climatic conditions on crops and recommend alternatives. Mr. Raveendran said the university is supporting the initiative as farmers have played a proactive role. The coconut-growing area in the three blocks exceeds 50,000 hectares, with distinct climatic variations. Accurate, location-specific data, he said, would help targeted interventions. He added that protecting the existing trees is the immediate priority, given the scale of the coconut-based value chain, including coir and allied sectors. TNAU is evaluating Cococon, an injectable formulation on field trial, testing new chemical treatments to improve productivity, and supplying wilt-resistant varieties. It is also assessing the suitability of fruit and spice crops to support long-term diversification in the region. Mr. Raveendran said 16 farmers in the Anamalai block have come forward to install the devices and added that further adoption would be supported with government intervention.
