AgriTech News Issue 1, 01-14 April 2019

 

Feeding the world by 2050. Recent advances (also see the next item, Designing Synthetic Plants) to address hunger through agricultural research and development have indicated that crop production can be boosted by 40 percent by creating a shortcut for a glitch that plagues most food crops. Crop plants appear to have evolved with a biochemical glitch that results in capturing oxygen instead of carbon dioxide by a photosynthetic enzyme, resulting in a convoluted and energy-expensive process called photorespiration. For example, crops such as soybean and wheat waste more than 30 percent of the energy they generate from photosynthesis dealing with this glitch but modelling suggested that photorespiratory shortcuts could be engineered to help the plant conserve its energy and reinvest it into growth.

For more, go to- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190216094518.htm

 

Designing synthetic plants that can yield more and better produce: Agricultural productivity may be boosted by designing and engineering plants that directly overcome the deficits in natural photorespiration and support higher photosynthetic rate and economic yield. These specifically designed synthetic plants should be able to carry out a more efficient metabolism that bypasses photorespiration without releasing CO2. Such new pathways can be designed by combining existing or plausible enzymatic reactions, such as reactions that can potentially be catalysed by well-known enzymes or that follow a well-known mechanism. Computational power and logic from chemistry should help in the identification of the most promising synthetic pathways―short pathways with low consumption of cellular resources. Once the necessary enzymes, existing or engineered, have been recruited, the selected routes are first tested in vitro before being engineered in bacteria that support the evolution of the pathway activity, and later in simple photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria.

For more, go to- https://www.scitecheuropa.eu/boosting-agricultural-productivity/93087/ and

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=4bbfddf0-5b47-4a35-b797-80527690bef0

 

Is the diversity of crops on the increase, contrary to common belief? Evidence indicates that species-level taxonomic diversity of crops being cultivated on large-scale agricultural lands has increased linearly over the past 50 years. At the same time, owing to environmental and socio-economic differences, differential temporal changes in crop diversity can vary across regions. Using data available from 1961 to 2014, researchers have documented certain broad consistencies across nearly all regions of the world. The study suggests that environmental and socio-economic factors play a key role in shaping macro-ecological changes that can be observed in the plant diversity on agricultural lands.

 

For more, go to – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0209788

 

Future farms without farmers: A robotic revolution will allow the world to produce much more food more sustainably. In the face of the global challenge to produce more food because of population growth and changes dietary habits, radical rethinking is needed to mitigate the constraints imposed by ever-dwindling arable land and fresh water in a changing climate. Recently, there have been several breakthroughs in improving the capabilities and the costs of a range of technologies relevant to food production systems and the Internet of Things (IoT). Although it may occur only in the somewhat distant future in countries like India, many in developed countries are already becoming accustomed to the idea of autonomous machinery, like tractors and combine harvesters, navigating their way up and down a field.

For more, go to – http://robotics.sciencemag.org/content/4/27/eaaw1875.full

 

When more women make decisions, the environment wins: Previous research has shown that women tend to have a greater affinity for the environment, support conservation measures more, and are more concerned than men are about problems of inequality. Some of us would have experienced this trend during focused group discussions and gender-segregated information gathering. But because women often are at a financial disadvantage or are underrepresented in decision-making bodies, they may not have the opportunity to put those preferences into action. So, a group of researchers wanted to know what would happen if financial incentives were offered for groups to conserve and made sure at least half the members were women.

For more, go to – https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/uoca-wmw032119.php

 

 

 

Biotechnology can be Indian economy’s next success story: Beginning in 2007, the Indian biotechnology industry has grown exponentially in size from about $2 billion to over $11 billion in terms of revenue. By 2025, it is targeted to touch $100 billion. As early as 1986, the then Government of India, recognizing the potential of biotechnology in the country’s development, set up the Department of Biotechnology, making India one of the first countries in the world to have a government department solely dedicated to biotechnology. Since then, 17 Centres of Excellence at higher education institutions across the country have been set up, and 8 biotechnology parks established across different cities. However, a few challenges need to be addressed if India is to fuel the growth of the biotechnology industry and achieve its target of making it a $100 billion industry by 2025. Among these: (1) India’s R & D expenditure is quite low (0.67 % of GDP), compared to Japan and the US (about 3 %) or even China (about 2 %); (2) there are India-specific challenges with the country’s IP regime; and (3) there is a failure in the transition of innovative products and services from discovery to market, in that research funding often runs out before the product reaches the market. An increase in investment towards research and development and building human capital is most crucial.

For more, go to https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/why-biotechnology-can-be-indian-economys-next-success story/articleshow/68439433.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

 

AgroWorld as a Gateway to Global Markets and Agribusiness: The Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA), New Delhi is organizing AgroWorld 2019 during 5-8 November 2019 at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Government of India and several States, with technical support from many industry associations and international bodies. The main purpose is to introduce contemporary agriculture and allied sectors with their best management practices, and recent technologies in processing and marketing.

Experts from agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture, animal husbandry, and allied fields, including food industry experts and government officials from across the world, will share their insights on available technologies, trade and business models, and modern innovations. Indian agriculture industry and agri-businesses institutions, Central Ministries, and the State Governments will have opportunities to showcase their products and technologies, programs, and services to the national and global stake-holders to explore possibilities of investments, technical cooperation, trade, business, marketing, and partnerships opportunities.

 

Technology-driven agriculture is expected to receive special focus, with increased use of artificial intelligence and IoT, including drones, robots, optics, and other digital tools for precision agriculture. The World AgTech Congress that is slated to be organized during 7-8 November 2019 at the NASC Complex, New Delhi is expected to address these aspects.

For more, go to www.agtechworld.in