• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager
• Smartbuy

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth
• Events 2007

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Our Bureau

Coimbatore, May 18 The annual research meet on forestry, organised by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) recently, highlighted the need to continue research on bio-fuel crops and the scope for raising trees as farm enterprise like in coconut farming. The meet urged researchers to identify suitable tree species and develop appropriate technologies that will contribute for income generation.

Presiding over the research meet held, the TNAU Vice-Chancellor, Dr C. Ramasamy, pointed out that research on trees, a neglected area, needs to be strengthened in the light of issues such as global warming, soil and water conservation and the need for biofuels. He also emphasised the need to pursue research for developing elite biofuel crop varieties for varied agro climatic zones.

Growing trees in farms will assume greater importance in future in view of large agricultural lands lying fallow either as a temporary phenomenon or as permanent fallows and according to Dr Ramasamy, Tamil Nadu alone accounts for about 2 million hectares of fallow land whose potential remained underutilised on account of scarcity of water, labour or capital. Farm management, through mulching for soil moisture retention and microbial application to enhance tree growth, are priority research areas, he felt.

The meet, in which about 50 TNAU scientists involved in forestry research attended, was held to assess current status of research and finalise the action plan for the forthcoming year.

Some of the thrust areas of research proposed for the current year are micro propagation technique for development of elite jatropha, to identify tree species to be tried in effluent affected areas for bio-drainage of effluents, to fabricate machinery for bamboo harvest to overcome labour scarcity and developing elite planting material for biofuels.

More Stories on : Events | Non-conventional Energy | Tamil Nadu

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Wheat, rice procurement may hit record high

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line