The field investigations were carried out on sandy loam soil at the research farm, Department of Agricultural Meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi 2006-07 and 2007-08. Wheat is the premier cereal crop during rabi season in Punjab. In 2008-09, it was grown on 35.26 lac tonnes and per hectare yield of 44.62 quintals. Wheat needs cool climate during early part of its growth and warm temperature at this stage is unfavourable for tillering and promotes several diseases.

Rothamsted's genetically engineered wheat should be allowed to grow. (Editorial)

Bt-maize is a transgenic variety of maize expressing the Cry toxin from Bacillus turingiensis. The potential accumulation of the relative effect of the transgenic modification and the cry toxin on the rhizobacterial communities of Bt-maize has been monitored over a period of four years.

In the present study an indigenous biopesticide formulation (BPF) comprising easily accessible botanicals along with cow urine, was evaluated for its efficacy against insect pests of tomato crop under field. BPF gave promising results in controlling tomato fruit borers and afforded substantial yield of the produce. The BPF treatment could control 70–80% of fruit borers compared to check plots, resulting in enhanced fruit yield of 35 tonnes/ha as compared to 15 tonnes/ha
in the check plots. The main aim of this study was to reduce the load of synthetic chemical pesticides and

Improvement in post-rainy sorghum grain yield has been a challenge with M 35-1, a landrace selection released in 1937 dominating the post-rainy (rabi) tracts. It led to stagnation of post-rainy sorghum yields until the importance of specific adaptation was realized in lieu of highly variable soil and climatic conditions of post-rainy growing regions. As a result, Phule Maulee and of late Phule Chitra were released for regions of Maharashtra with medium soil depth.

There is a need to break yield barriers through multidimensional approch to achieve food security on a sustainable basis for the people of this country. Cooperatives can play an important role in this direction due to their proximity to farmers. The Indian Farmers' Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), since over the last four decades, is providing services to farmers and cooperatives through various programmes, besides ensuring fertilizers availability.

India's economic success has been remarkable; India's agricultural success will follow. Rural India still needs nurturing, not necessarily by just extra funding, but with vision and leadership addressing issues, with down to earth, workable solutions.