Ozone can clean fruits and vegetables. .
Ozone, the gas that protects the Earth from ultraviolet radiation, may soon give U.S. food shoppers better protection from harmful bacteria. Retailers could sanitize fruits and vegetables by exposing them to ozone before they go on sale, suggests Gary Rodrick, a professor with the University of Florida's Institute of...

Plants seen as unpredictable carbon sponge.
Changes in land use--especially in forests, croplands, and fallow areas--appear to play a far bigger role than anticipated in determining how much carbon growing plants will remove from the air, a new study finds. If confirmed, the new analysis could influence what measures nations will be encouraged...

You say tomato, they say tomography.
You say tomato, they say tomography Researchers at the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin are using a novel technique for performing agricultural research. They are experimenting with the use of computer-assisted tomography, or CAT scan, to look at everything from root-mass growth to apple bruises. Their work represents...

Medicinal herbs: a Carolina cash crop: growing our local farm economy.
When you think about agriculture in North Carolina, you probably don't think of fields full of echinacea, California poppy, or valerian. You might conjure up images of tobacco, soybeans, livestock, or specialty vegetables. That image may very well be changing. Medicinal herbs are poised to offer a bit of...

Valley mills linked to slavery.
Byline: Donna Boynton NORTHBRIDGE - The Blackstone Valley is known as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. However, it is also linked to another important aspect of American history - slavery. The economic ties the Blackstone Valley had to slavery were discussed Saturday night during...

Now, you can take PF grievance to consumer court: SC.
Byline: Sanjay K Singh NEW DELHI: In an important judgment that will ensure employees get pension benefits from provident fund authorities, the Supreme Court has ruled that such organisations come under the purview of the Consumer Protection Act and can be held accountable for deficiency of service....

Cotton prices surge on fall in global production.
Byline: Papiya Pattanayak RAJKOT: Raw cotton prices are witnessing a surge owing to a fall in global production by up to 5-7% this year and greater demand. According to experts, the main reason for the fall in production is a shift by major cotton producers...

Cotton ginners, weaving mills want govt to step in as prices soar.
Byline: Nidhi Nath Srinivas & Amiti Sen NEW DELHI: After food, fibre crops may be next on the government's price scanner. There are moves afoot to clamp down on large traders after Indian mills complained of a sharp spike in cotton prices due to speculative hoarding and...

Govt may trim import duty on cotton.
Byline: Nidhi Nath Srinivas & G Ganapathy Subramaniam NEW DELHI: The government is likely to snip import duty on cotton as part of a package to sew up fibre costs for local cloth mills. This package would be in addition to allowing cotton imported at zero duty...

Cuba sugar harvest up 28% over 2007.
Plague-resistant sugar cane varieties and improved cultivation have dramatically reduced the presence of cane rust and smut in Cuban sugar plantations, boosting output, according to Reuters, quoting the island's top sugar expert. "Today we are at one of our best moments in terms of cane varieties," Ignacio...