A close look at India’s unique shade grown coffee forest’s reveal’s a very interesting story. These Coffee forests are home to a heterogeneous tree population. A hectare of coffee can easily accommodate around two hundred to two hundred and fifty trees with differential root system. Studying the ecology of the region helps one understand that […]
The Azolla anabaena symbiosis
Azolla partners a blue green algae inside its lobes and is capable of harvesting atmospheric nitrogen. Due to this invisible partnership the fern multiplies very fast. The symbiotic association of the algae aids in the creation of a huge amount of biomass on the surface of the water. It is then harvested, dried and used […]
Value of Trees
“To be poor and be without trees, is to be the most starved human being in the world. To be poor and have trees, is to be completely rich in ways that money can never buy.” Clarissa Pinkola Estés Cradled by the verdant Western Ghats, recognized world over as one among the 8 mega hot spots […]
Eco-friendly Coffee Ant Symbiosis
Coffee Forests in India partner many types of visible and invisible biological hosts that has a marked influence on the Coffee ecosystem. One such partner, namely, ant species are known to form a symbiotic relationship benefiting both coffee and the forest. Right from the seed stage to the fully grown coffee bush, ants are associated […]
Vibrant Colors and Wing Patterns in Butterflies
The Ecofriendly Coffee forests are blessed with hundreds of species of butterflies. Some species are endemic and are only found in a specific region. In our earlier studies, we have documented the ecological role played by Butterflies in the coffee ecosystem. This paper probes the vibrant colors and patterns or the lack of it in […]
Biological Nitrogen Fixation and its Importance in Coffee
In recent years, the Plantation Community is experimenting with new ideas and the prime reason for this transformation is the active interest of the younger generation who have dug in their heels head on into the Plantation. This indeed is a positive sign because it will enable the coffee sector to be vibrant with newfound […]