Global
PLANT DISCOVERY TO BOOST AGRICULTURE
A team of Korean scientists, led by Professor Nam
Honggil of Pohang University of Science and Technology have discovered
a plant gene that controls light signals. Referring to their discovery
of type five protein phosphatase (PAPP5) as 'pupil' of a plant, the
scientists added that it ensures optical photo-responses in plants
through tightly controlling phytochrome proteins and flux of light
signals. Phytochrome is a kind of plant chemical in charge of absorbing
light, which in turn regulates the plant’s growth and development.
This discovery is expected to help countries struggling to achieve
harvests during winter. Likewise, Korean farmers could now cultivate
tropical crops in their homeland, though they would need to meet the
temperature conditions, the amount of sunlight could no longer be
a problem.
CUBA BOOSTS ECO AGRICULTURE
As part of an ongoing effort
to promote the development of ecological and sustainable agriculture,
the Cuban Association of Agriculture and Forestry Technicians has
invested nearly 2,80,000 dollars in the past four years in Cuba's
eastern province of Las Tunas by holding several projects on urban
agriculture, education of professionals and producers, as well as
the training of farmers in the application of ecological agriculture
techniques and diversification of production. Also among the achievements
of the Las Tunas branch of the association were the opening of a farm
for the production of medicinal plants and the installation of irrigation
equipment and electrification of several agricultural areas.
FARMERS CONDEMN BUSH’S
SUBSIDY CUT
The recent proposal of the
Bush government to limit crop subsidies has created anguish among
small farmers in the country. Though, the government's idea behind
this proposal is to stop big corporate farming companies from eating
up most of the government's payments, these farmers say they would
be the most hurt in this process. As part of his budget for the next
Financial year, Bush had proposed dropping payment ceilings from $360,000
to $250,000 and had also called for an across-theboard cut of five
per cent for all farm payments. This move, if implemented is likely
to affect the Southerners more, as their crops of rice and cotton
cost more to grow and get higher subsidies. Also, growers of other
commodities such as wheat, corn and soyabean claim that they are not
in a position to withstand cuts of any kind, now that prices for many
of their crops are falling.
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