Environment Conservation Journal

Pattern of litterfall production and nutrient addition in soil through litterfall by different tree species: A review

Pankaj — 2023-12-15

Innutrient dynamics, an extremely valuable resource is litterfall. It is crucial to the dynamics of soil nutrients, the characteristics of soil, and the transfer of energy. In an agroforestry system, decomposition and litter fall are the two key processes that contribute to soil enrichment. In addition to affecting soil characteristics and ecology, litter fall in soil has a significant impact on carbon sequestration. The type of tree, the management methods, and the quantity and quality of litter all affect how much the soil is enriched. The complicated ecophysiological process of litterfall is influenced by both internal and external variables. Other significant causes of leaf fall include variations in weather and photoperiod as well as internal plant characteristics like age of leaf or potential endogenous rhythams. Nutrients are converted as a result of decomposition of different components of litter, and their release is influenced by the content of the litter, moisture, activity of microbes, C:N, temperature, and other variables. Litterfall therefore contributes to the long-term maintenance of nutrient levels in forest ecosystems and has been a primary research focus for a better understanding of soil fertility, site productivity, and forest services.

Methods for eliminating micropollutant from wastewater: A review

Mangesh B. Thakre — 2024-01-12

The amount of suspended solid and medicinal micropollutants, such as fungicides, personal care products, contraceptive medications, antibiotics and aromatic hydrocarbons are increasing daily and has reached an alarming level. The micropollutant present in wastewater must be treated before its release because it forms adverse effect on mortal health. Because some harmful micropollutants are incredibly difficult to remove from WWTPs because of their nonbiodegradability, poor adsorption capability, complex nature and traditional wastewater treatments are precious or insufficient for decontamination. For the micropollutant declination some of the conventional physicochemical has been used. The use of powdered activated carbon (PAC) for water purification has been proven to be effective without harming the environment. Advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs), typically applied after natural processes have recently emerged as effective tertiary treatments for the withdrawal of micropollutants at high concentrations. Various methods have been developed and studied for the removal of these micropollutants from wastewater. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the different methods employed, including physical, chemical, and biological processes, highlighting their effectiveness and limitations in micropollutant removal. As well as improving treatment efficiency, they can also remove any accumulation of dangerous byproducts produced during treatment.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications in agriculture: A Review

Bhargava Kotte — 2024-02-05

Providing food for the growing population is a challenging task, however, with historical agricultural practices, we can’t meet the food requirement of the world population. We are in the need to adopt modern technology to overcome adverse climatic and cultural challenges, which are faced by current generation, that is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is the booming technology in the agriculture, which uses different sensors and neural networks and uses resources minimally based on need and predict the coming obstacles, which causes huge loss to crop. This review explain is, various applications of AI in the sustainable agriculture for crop managemen by overcoming realtime challenges and importance of AI in agriculture by comparing with traditional methods.

Role of agroforestry systems in enrichment of soil organic carbon and nutrients: A review

Pankaj — 2023-12-15

Monocropping systems have intensively exploited natural resources in recent decades, and the indiscriminate use of inorganic fertilizers, combined with agro-chemicals, has resulted in the deterioration of natural resources such as soil and water, resulting in the loss of soil fertility. Agroforestry is an ideal scientific strategy for eco-restoration of degraded areas and sustainable resource management when compared to mono cropping systems. It is a land management and farming strategy that aims to not only produce food from marginal agricultural land, but also to significantly improve the quality of the environment and soil. When compared to regular crop removal in a solo cropping system, leaf litters and their breakdown under tree-based vegetation favour nutrients enrichment. The adoption of an agroforestry system resulted in the accumulation of soil organic carbon, increased the availability of macronutrients and micronutrients, and improved the microenvironment for plant growth. As a result, pairing suitable tree species with agricultural crops can contribute in the maintenance or enhancement of soil fertility. Based on these findings, it is advised that farmers adopt agroforestry systems since they have enormous potential to improve soil fertility, leading to increased crop output and food security.

A Comprehensive insight into the phytoconstituents and health benefits of Clematis species

Somesh Thapliyal — 2024-02-07

The genus of Clematis is a buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), recognized for its flowers and adaptable as an ornamental plant in colder climates. It contains around 300 species. Clematis has a variety of active phytoconstituents or secondary metabolites which are responsible for health benefits in human beings. Traditionally various species of the clematis genus used for centuries to treat various ailments including syphilis, bone disorders, gout, rheumatism, diuretics, wound healing, blood sugar control, blood diseases, spleen difficulties, leprosy, fevers, skin diseases. A systematic review of scientific electronic database and reference books were consulted to find all relevant literature for this work. This review discusses the ethno-medicinal usage, health advantages, phytoconstituents and bioactivities of clematis species.

Sustainable utilization of biogas technology: A promising solution to combat the energy crisis in India

Kavita S. Raipurkar — 2024-01-10

India is facing a significant energy crisis due to its rapidly growing population, which is not being met by an equivalent increase in energy supply. According to the US Energy Information Administration, India's electricity consumption is projected to grow by 3.3% annually until 2035. Biogas technology, which converts waste into clean energy, offers a promising solution to this problem and accounts for 9% of global energy consumption. Despite being introduced in 1981, biogas technology's potential in India remains largely untapped, with only 7.34 MWe of off-grid projects generated by 2020. However, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have significant potential for biogas generation. The National Biogas and Manure Management Program (NBMMP) have installed 5,056,139 biogas plants between 1981-82 and 2020-21, with Maharashtra being the top performer. India's agrarian economy provides ample raw materials for biogas generation, making it a crucial renewable resource for the country's energy crisis. Given the pressing need to address global warming, greenhouse effects, depleting fossil fuels, and pollution, biogas technology is essential for a cleaner, more sustainable future. Focusing on biogas technology can help India meet its increasing energy demands and contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future. From 2018-19 to 2020-21, the NBMMP received a total allocation of INR 1,439,249,000.

Assessment of morphological attributes of Guava tree for design of a novel tunnel spraying system

Jagjeet Singh — 2024-02-05

The morphological attributes play a significant role in determining the level of applied insecticide by the existing spraying system. Therefore, this attempt was made to assess the various morphological attributes of guava tree such as leaf size, leaf area, leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area density (LAD). In this study, two leaf area estimation techniques (grid count method and Image processing technique based on ImageJ software) were compared and also estimate LAI and LAD for ten trees. An average leaf area was registered 29.56 cm² and R² value (0.98) for predicting leaf area by image processing technique. The LAI and LAD varied from 0.69 to 2.17 m²/m² and 0.53 to 1.89 m²/m³, respectively. In addition, minimum and maximum LAD (mean ± SD) for zone wise ranged from 0.07 ± 0.06 m²/m³ to 2.73 ± 1.43 m²/m³, respectively. The study findings provide an opportunity to deal with large volume of leafs for leaf area estimation and would also help in design of various sprayers like determining the dimensions of tunnel sprayer and allow them to test in laboratory conditions with simulated artificial tree.

Effect of weed management practices on growth dynamics and productivity of rainfed pearl millet under conservation agriculture

Munny Chinyo — 2024-02-05

An experiment was conducted on rainfed pearl millet at ICAR- IARI, New Delhi, during the kharif season of 2019, in a split-plot design with three replications. Three tillage practices, viz. Conventional tillage (CT), Zero tillage and Zero tillage + Residue@ 3t/ha (ZT+R) were evaluated in the main plot and seven weed management treatments, viz. weedy check, hand weeding (HW) at 30 and 50 days after sowing (DAS), atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha(PE) fb 2,4-D @0.75kg/ha (PoE), atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha PE, atrazine @ 0.75 kg/ha PE fb tembotrione @ 0.05kg/ha PoE, atrazine @ 0.75kg/ha PE fb tembotrione @ 0.075kg/ha PoE, atrazine @0.75 kg/ha PE fb tembotrione @ 0.10 kg/ha PoE. ZT+R 3t/ha resulted in enhanced growth attributes, and higher NPK uptake which led to increased grain yield. Among weed control treatments, hand weeding (HW) twice at 30 and 50 DAS along with the integration of pre-emergence application of atrazine 0.75kg/ha fb 2,4-D 0.75kg/ha PoE and tembotrione, 0.075 kg/ha or 0.1 kg/ha PoE resulted in better growth attributes which significantly resulted in higher grain yield under rainfed conditions of semi-arid tropics.

Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized from Wrightia tinctoria fruit extracts

Arpana Ashokrao Durge — 2024-01-10

Nanoparticles are synthesized by using various chemical methods in higher yields but they are not very environmentally friendly and have hazardous effects on living cells. This can be attributed to the overuse of hazardous chemicals involved in the process. The green approach of nanoparticle synthesis is widely gaining attention worldwide as it is considered as nontoxic, harmless and ecofriendly. Apart from this they also have multiple applications in various fields of science and technology. Nanoparticles synthesized by using various phytochemicals are also effective against a variety of microbial populations. The objective of this study is to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the fruit extracts of Wrightia tinctoria and evaluating its antimicrobial capacities against gram-positive and negative bacterial strains. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized using different solvent extracts of Wrightia tinctoria pods. The formation of silver nanoparticles was noted by detecting the change in color of the solution. The presence of nanoparticles was detected by performing UV visible spectroscopy and monitoring the spectrum from 400 nm to 800 nm. A small peak at 425 nm suggested the presence of silver nanoparticles. In a later part of the study, the inhibitory effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles on the growth of E. coli and S. aureus was monitored. The appearance of a zone of inhibition further confirmed the antimicrobial effect of the synthesized nanoparticles.

Evaluation of infiltration models in clay loam and laterite soils under field conditions

Shubham Kindo — 2024-02-05

The purpose of the investigation is to calculate soil infiltration rates with the help of infiltration models. The infiltration model helps to design and evaluate surface irrigation systems. The study calculated constant infiltration for two types of soils (clay loam soil and laterite soil) under field conditions (Unploughed and Ploughed). The double-ring infiltrometer has been implemented to experiment. The value of various constants of the models was calculated using the approach of averages counselled through a graphical technique. Fitting infiltration test data to prominent infiltration models such as Philip’s, Horton's and Kostiakov’s and The Nash- Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), coefficient of determination (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE) statistics are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the model. The results indicate that Philip's model is the most reliable, with R², NSE, and RMSE values ranging from 0.9044-0.9677, 0.294-0.957 and 1.2647-5.7129, respectively. Therefore, under identical circumstances and without any kind of infiltration information, the above model can be employed to artificially produce infiltration information.

Epidemiological study of Alternaria blight of cabbage in Jorhat district of Assam, India

Jangila Hazowary — 2024-02-02

The field experiment conducted during the period of 2021-2022 at the Department of Horticulture, AAU, Jorhat, has shown that the timing of transplantation significantly impacts the severity of Alternaria blight in cabbage. The study revealed that the timing of transplanting significantly affects disease severity. The crop transplanted in the month of December exhibited the highest disease intensity (maximum and minimum temperatures 24.76°C and 10.58°C, morning and evening relative humidity 98.41% and 57.13% respectively). The disease intensity was the lowest in October transplanted crops (maximum and minimum temperature 26.94°C and 12.22°C, relative humidity morning 96.12% and evening 55.13% respectively). The December transplanted crop had the highest AUDPC at 1317.75, followed by the February transplanted crop at 1037.85. With respect to the correlation matrix, rainfall and relative humidity showed a strong positive correlation with PDI whereas BSSH and temperature (maximum and minimum) all revealed a negative correlation. The multiple regression analysis revealed a substantial relation between disease intensity and meteorological conditions. The multiple regression equation indicated that the overall influence of all environmental parameters, namely (maximum and minimum) temperature, (morning and evening) relative humidity, rainfall, and BSSH on disease development ranged from 63.19% to 82.94%.

Assessing the bioefficacy of Cyantraniliprole 10.26% OD against fruit borer and thrips on chilli under field condition

Amit Layek — 2024-02-02

During the rabi season of 2020, a trial was performed to estimate the efficacy of Cyantraniliprole 10.26 % OD at different doses (30, 60, 90, and 120 g a.i./ha respectively) together with Imidacloprid 17.8% SL (20 g a.i./ha) and Spinosad 45% SC (73 g a.i./ha) to evaluate their efficacy against the fruit borer and thrips infesting chilli (variety SHP-4884). The trial was performed in randomized block design containing three replications. The results showed that Cyantraniliprole 10.6% OD @ 120 g a.i./ha was the most efficient insecticide among the others and recorded the maximum reduction (84.13 % in larval population of fruit borer and 78.03 % in thrips population) in both the pest populations over the untreated check. However, Cyantraniliprole 10.6% OD @ 90 g a.i./ha was noted as the next best insecticide.

In-vitro evaluation of fungicides against Alternaria burnsii (Uppal, Patel and Kamat) causing blight of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

Sunaina Varma — 2023-12-15

The present investigation aimed to determine the per cent growth inhibition of different fungicides against Alternaria burnsii, the causal agent of cumin blight. The study was conducted during 2020-21 at the Experiential Unit of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, SKRAU, Bikaner. Using the poisoned food technique, eleven fungicides were tested at varying concentrations (100, 200, 300, and 500 ppm). After seven days of incubation, the radial growth and per cent growth inhibition of A. burnsii were measured. The results revealed that increasing the fungicide concentration led to greater inhibition of mycelium growth. Among the tested fungicides, Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 20% WG exhibited the highest mean inhibition (76.94%), followed by Tebuconazole 2DS (65.09%) and Pyraclostrobin 13.30% + Epoxiconazole 5% SE (58.75%). Notably, Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 20% WG at concentrations of 300 ppm and 500 ppm, as well as Tebuconazole 2DS at 500 ppm, demonstrated the highest effectiveness with cent per cent growth inhibition. On the other hand, Chlorothalonil showed the least mean growth inhibition (22.96%). The results demonstrated that as the fungicide concentration increased, there was a corresponding increase in the inhibition of A. burnsii growth. These findings highlight the potential effectiveness of selected fungicides, particularly Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 20% WG and Tebuconazole 2DS for managing cumin blight caused by A. burnsii.

Study of heterosis for grain yield and its components in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.)

Rubina Khan — 2023-12-15

The extent of wheat heterosis was determined by synthesizing 45 hybrids in a 10×10 diallel method, eliminating reciprocals, to determine how widespread it is. The 57 entries that made up the experimental material—10 parents, 45 crosses and 2 checks (HD 3086 and UP 2628), were assessed over the course of rabi 2018–19 using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, and observations were made for 12 characters. For yield and its component traits, analyses of heterosis over mid parent, better parent and two standard checks were conducted. ANOVA exposed that there was a high significance existed among all the genotypes for all the characters studied. Yield and its contributing traits have been evaluated for their maximum heterotic range. One cross i.e., CAL/NH//H567.71/3/SER1/4/CAL/NH//H567.71/5/2* KAU2/6/...×PBW 692 showed positive significance for relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis over both checks for grain yield per plant. In terms of the number of productive tillers per plant and the number of grains per spike, UP 2901×QLD 73 was found to be a superior heterotic F₁. By displaying a negative significant standard heterosis over both checks, the cross between CAL/NH//H567.71/3/SER1/4/CAL/NH//H567.71/5/2*KAU2/6/...×UP 2901 demonstrated its earliness. The desired significant relative heterosis, heterobeltiosis and standard heterosis for spike length were present in HD 3234×UP 2762. The finest heterotic cross combinations for harvest index were determined to be CAL/NH//H567.71/3/SER1/4/CAL /NH//H567.71/5/2* KAU2/6/...×UP 2762 and VORB/SOKOLL×QLD 73. Higher heterotic crossings may be used to identify transgressive segregants that will increase bread wheat production and yield-contributing characteristics.

Comparative analysis of phytoplankton dynamics and water quality assessment in selected lentic water bodies of Haryana, India

Pooja Devi — 2023-12-15

The study was designed to assess the water quality based on physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton communities of eight lentic water bodies of Haryana which are famous for mass bathing and religious rituals taking place here. To evaluate comparative analysis of composition, diversity and distribution of Phytoplankton and physico-chemical factors, water samples were collected seasonally viz., summer, monsoon, post monsoon and in winters from all the eight sites in triplicate. Total 118 phytoplankton taxa were observed at all sites. Among these cyanophyceae group was found most dominant at sites 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 whereas cholorophyceae at site 6, bacillariophyceae at site 1,3,4,7 whereas xanthophyceae was in abundance at site 5. Population density (nos. L^-1) wise phytoplankton trend was Cyanophyceae > Chlorophyceae > Bacillariophyceae >Desmidiaceae and Species diversity wise phytoplankton trend observed was Chlorophyceae > Bacillariophyceae > Cyanophyceae >Desmidiaceae. Correlation of different phytoplankton groups with physicochemical factors revealed a significant negative correlation of Cyanophyceae with pH, whereas a significant positive correlation of ortho-phosphate with Desmids and bacillariophyceae wheareas CO₂showed a positive correlation with Xanthophyceae. Appearance of pollution tolerant taxa of phytoplankton Microcystis aeruginosa, Phormidium sp., Scenedesmus spp., Pediastrum spp., Mougeotia sp., Synedra sp., Pediastrum spp. at most of the sites indicated the sign of the more organic pollution and degradation in the water quality of the selected sites due to religious immersion, mass bathing and by other anthropogenic activities. Suitable remedial actions should be adopted by regulatory bodies and policy makers to maintain the water quality of these aquatic systems.

Effect of agricultural waste on nutritional composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus)

Riddhi Akola — 2023-12-15

The oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) was cultivated on diverse substrates, encompassing wheat straw (T₁), paddy straw (T₂), groundnut leaves and straw (T₃), sugarcane bagasses (T₄), cotton stalk (T₅), coconut husk (T₆), pigeon pea straw (T₇), and banana pseudostem (T₈). The study comprised of the estimation of proximate composition, antioxidants, and mineral content of the sun-dried mushrooms during the initial two harvests. The average values of nutritional parameters were as follows: moisture (90.93 to 85.18 %), ash (7.62 to 4.86%), carbohydrates (37.57 to 20.10%), crude protein (45.45 to 23.10%), crude fiber (29.08 to 19.29%), crude fat (2.68 to 1.63%), total phenol (14.23 to 9.12 mg/g) and ascorbic acid (11.58 to 8.72 mg/100g). The average mineral content exhibited the trend K>P>Mg>Ca>Zn>Fe>Cu. Upon consideration of average values from both harvests, the groundnut leaves and straw had the highest crude protein (45.45 %), total phenol (14.23 mg/g), ascorbic acid (11.58 mg/100g), phosphorous (0.43 %), iron (7.12 mg/100g) and zinc (12.43 mg/100g). The paddy straw resulted in the highest crude fiber (29.08 %) and crude fat (2.68 %), while the wheat straw resulted in the highest potassium (1.52 %) and calcium (179.65 mg/100g). The various substrates had an impact on nutritional parameters as seen by either an increase or decrease in various parameters which can be reflected in turn by the composition of the substrates itself. In conclusion, groundnut leaves and straw (T₃) along with paddy straw (T₂) and wheat straw (T₁) resulted in significant improvement of nutritional composition compared to other treatments. This study underscores the environmentally friendly utilization of nutrients from agricultural waste for mushroom production.

Single vs dual source surface energy balance model based actual evapotranspiration estimation

Richa pandey — 2024-01-19

The current study aims to inter-compare the performance efficiency of the single and the dual source surface energy balance modeling approaches, namely EEFlux and SETMI, respectively for real time catchment scale - crop water demand estimations. For this, the afore-stated two surface energy balance modelling approaches were applied on the Narmada Canal Project, Sanchore, Rajasthan, India for estimating catchment scale actual evapotranspiration (ETa) values for the Rabi cropping seasons of the years 2013-14 and 2018-19, after incorporating the basic satellite data derived inputs viz. Land use, Land surface temperature and Gridded weather data. Due to the non-availability of the catchment scale ground based daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo) values for the study area, the Global Land Data Assimilation System based gridded meteorological data product was utilized, as a substitute for obtaining observed actual evapotranspiration (ETa) values for the investigated Rabi seasons of the study area. These actual evapotranspiration values were compared with those estimated through the single source, EEFlux and the dual source, SETMI modelling approaches to ascertain their comparative performance efficiency through the use of the five statistical indices viz. Mean Absolute Error, Root Mean Square Error, Mean Bias Error, Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency and the Index of Agreement. The investigations revealed almost at par performance of the two modelling approaches. However, it was concluded that in contrast to the more detailed dual source approach i.e., SETMI, the simple single source approach i.e., EEFlux seemed to be more promising due to its user-friendly implementation and input data automation.

Evaluation of the toxicological effects of uranium on human health in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, with reference to the water quality index

Pooja B. Matte — 2024-01-16

Groundwater is an important resource and approximate 80% of the world’s population depends solely on it to satisfy their needs. In the present investigation groundwater quality was assessed using WQI. For the same parameters viz, temperature, pH, conductivity, DO, alkalinity, TDS, sulphate, fluoride, bicarbonate, chloride, uranium, total hardness, calcium and magnesium hardness were assessed during post monsoon period in November 2021 in the Chandrapur region. For conducting this research total 116 groundwater samples were collected from different hydrological stations for the assessment of WQI. WQI is an important tool to assess quality of water for drinking and is classified as excellent to unsafe, i.e., 0-100 score. In this investigation WQI was found to be in the range between 27.63-674.56 exceeding both minimum and maximum score. The results of the present investigation showed that only 5.17% of water is safe for drinking,18% of water indicated poor water quality, 15% of water has very poor water quality and 77% of water is unsuitable for drinking purpose and proper treatment is required before use. During this investigation uranium in groundwater was also assessed considering its chemotoxical and radiological effects on human health. The chemotoxical and radiological effects were analyzed adopting standard equations given by USEPA. The radiological risk of mortality and morbidity was found to be 1.37E-05-1.47E-05, respectively. Thus, presence of uranium was noted and radiological risk was found to be below the permissible limit of AERB standard. The chemical toxicity of average value of Lifetime Average Daily Dose (LADD) and Hazard Quotient (HQ) was observed 0.315 and 0.00571, respectively and chemical toxicity of LADD was found to be in 8.62% sample population and above the permissible limits which can affect human health and can have kidney toxicity, bone and lung toxicity.

Fatty acid profiling of enterococcal isolates by Fames analysis with reference to antibiotic resistance from clinical samples collected in the Chandrapur region

Ashwini S. Muttawar — 2024-01-10

FAME Analysis is a simple and rapid technique based on Gas Chromatography analysis of bacterial cell membrane. Biochemical lipid profiling of bacterial cell membrane helps to identify bacterial isolates using MIDI Sherlock system. The main objective of present study is rapid and accurate identification of multidrug resistant Enterococcal isolates and to study their clinical profile for complicated nosocomial infection from the clinical samples collected at tertiary care center in Chandrapur region. It is essential to identify the causative organism for proper diagnosis and treatment of diseases as enterococcus is fastly emerging pathogen responsible for life threating nosocomial infection and other health hazards.

Ethnobotanical significance of several seasonal medicinal plants associated with Amravati suburban habitats

Kirtidhvaj Jagdeep Gawai — 2024-01-12

Medicinal plants are integral part of Indian tradition. This traditional practice helped people of India to sustain successfully in this pandemic situation. According to the WHO, approximately 80% of the world’s population relies on plant-based preparations for their primary health care needs. The present work was carried to identify the medicinal plants and their ethno botanical use. The area under study is the Amarawati region of state Maharashtra, India. The study was carried out for six months and Ethno botanical data was acquired by conducting interviews using specially designed techniques for collecting ethno pharmacological information. The study reveals the presence of 45 plant species belonging to 22 angiosperm families, which were commonly used for medicinal purposes. Most of time urban developmental activities cause damage to such flora. Whereas the community which is familiar with potential of such species try to utilize them on different alignments in over extend.

Studies on major insect pests of cotton and farmer perceptions in the Ghugus area of District Chandrapur, Maharashtra, India

Sushma Kameshwar Prajapati — 2024-01-12

A crucial crop in the world, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), is frequently harmed by pests and illnesses. Chemical pesticides are frequently effective, but repeated use of these chemicals often results in pests developing greater insecticide resistance, fewer natural enemies, less natural control, and a deteriorated ecosystem. It has been widely used to implement the integrated pest management (IPM) strategy, which heavily emphasizes biological control. The present piece of work was carried out from January 2022 to December 2022 at different sites in the vicinity of the Ghugus area in Chandrapur district. In all, 10 species of insect pests of cotton from 9 families and 3 orders were recorded. The knowledge, perceptions and practices of farmers growing cotton under different pest management regimes were analyzed. The methods used were open and semistructured interviews using questionnaire with groups and individuals. In general, farmers had a poor understanding of the key concepts underlying alternative pest control systems. Pest damage was considered important and farmers were eager to share their knowledge, perceptions and practices in pest management. This study provides the foundation for the creation of a learning platform for future.

Response of gamma irradiation on germination and seedling growth of green gram var. GAM 8

Amarjeet Singh Thounaojam — 2024-02-02

Being a pulse crop, green gram has huge scope in crop improvement in terms of productivity and other yield related parameters. Genetic variability is a preferable option for breeders in breeding programme for varietal development programme and others crop improvement aspect. The present investigation was framed to create the variability in mung bean var. GAM 8 during the seedling period through gamma (γ) irradiation. The significant variation was observed in germination percentage and it was found that dose dependent relationship between the germination rate and dose. Significantly minimum germination percentage (22.38 %) was observed in 700 Gy but optimal lethal dose (LD50) calculated through Probit analysis based on germination percentage was revealed at 540.26 Gy. Data revealed that γ irradiation had significantly reduced the seedling growth parameters such as shoot length (10.05 cm), shoot dry weight (19.68 mg), seedling length (13.90 cm), vigour index I (311.01) and II (509.01) was registered in 700 Gy while minimum root length (3.83 cm) was occurred in 600 Gy γ irradiation. Growth reduction (GR) 50 and 30 with respect to the seedling length was occurred respectively at 1093.79 and 1469.74 Gy. Therefore, this finding as the source of genetic variability would be used in future breeding and crop improvement programme like enhancement of yield potentiality and stress management in mung bean var. GAM 8.

Ambient air quality monitoring of Chandrapur District, Central India

Swapnil Kisanrao Gudadhe — 2024-01-12

Declining air quality is highly ignored and very common form of degradation of the environment in nations that are both developed and developing. There are several contaminants in the air that have been identified in various studies on air pollution. The crucial parameters of all air pollutants are gaseous and particle pollution. The present study was undertaken to estimate the quality of ambient air in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra state of India. In this paper, an effort has been made to study the standing and trend of Sulphur dioxide (SO₂), Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone (O₃), Ammonia (NH₃), Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter i.e.; PM₁₀, PM_2.5, toxic pollutants i.e.; lead, arsenic, nickel, benzo [a] pyarene and benzene and hydrocarbons. The results clearly show that, all parameters of ambient air quality monitoring values were some shown slightly below permissible limit. The ambient air quality monitoring data show that the Chandrapur district has substantial air pollution concerns in terms of SO₂, NO_x, PM, and other air pollutants. However, after comparing these values with NAAQS levels, the yearly averages of these air pollutants have been found to be below than the NAAQS levels. However, without effective mitigation measures, the concentrations of these pollutants will rise at quite alarming rate.

Effect of calcium and magnesium nutrition on vegetative growth and tuber yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Navdeep Singh — 2024-02-02

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate on the growth and tuber yield in potato (Solanum tuberosum L). Experiment was carried out in split-plot design comprising of nine calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate treatments i.e.T₁- Ca(NO₃)₂@ 0.5%, T₂- Ca(NO₃)₂ @ 1%, T₃- Ca(NO₃)₂@ 2%, T₄- MgSO₄@ 0.5%, T₅- MgSO₄ @ 1%, T₆- MgSO₄@ 2%, T₇- Ca(NO₃)₂@ 1% + MgSO₄ @ 1%, T₈- Ca(NO₃)₂@ 2% + MgSO₄ @ 2%, T₉- Control on two potato varieties i.e. Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi. Data collected on different parameters were analyzed using CPCS1 software. Among all the calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate treatments, application of Ca(NO₃)₂@ 2% + MgSO₄ @ 2% was found to be the best for most of the parameters studied and between the varieties Kufri Jyoti was found highly significant for the different parameters under study. Hence it can be concluded that commercial cultivation of potato in the central region of Punjab can be successfully supplemented with application of Ca (NO₃)₂+ MgSO₄ and variety Kufri Jyoti.

Studies on diversity of aquatic insects in Tamasi lake, Tahsil- Bhadravati, Dist- Chandrapur (M.S) India

Rita S. Tekade — 2024-01-12

Aquatic insects are found abundantly and exhibits high diversity in fresh water aquatic ecosystems. They serve as food item for the vertebrate and invertebrate predators and thus play a significant role in aquatic ecosystem. Insects responded well to a wide range of environmental disturbances and thus often are employed as proxies for water quality. The present study was carried out at Tamasi Lake, situated in Bhadravati Taluka of Chandrapur district, Maharashtra which comes under Tribal area. The year round investigation was carried out to evaluate the diversity of aquatic insects for a period of one year from June 2022 to May 2023. The present investigation shows the presence of total 28 species of aquatic insects from 5 orders and 18 families. The rich and varied diversity of aquatic insects indicate the moderate environmental condition of freshwater ecosystem under study and functioning properly.

Evaluation of different China aster (Callistephus chinensis L. Nees) genotypes in the Terai region of West Bengal

Chetan Fhakirappa Mughali — 2024-02-02

The experiment was laid out in Randomized Completely Block Design with three replications. Sixteen genotypes namely, Arka Poornima, Arka Archana, Arka Aadya, Arka Kamini, Arka Shashank, Phule Ganesh White, Phule Ganesh Pink, Phule Ganesh Purple, Phule Ganesh Light pink, Pink Cushion, Arabhavi Aster Collection-1 (AAC-1), Namadhari Pink, Selected line (L-76), Selected line (L-179), Selected line (L-179/1) and Selected line (L-56) have been collected from IIHR, Hessaraghata Lake, Bengaluru, Karnataka for the trial.The different morphological, phenological as well as floral traits have been collected during the crop period which showed significant variation among the evaluated China aster genotypes. The maximum number of flowers per plant was recorded in ‘Arka Aadya’ (71.40) and ‘Arka Shashank’ (66.27) statistically at par with ‘Arka Aadya’ and the highest vase life as cut flower was noticed in Arka Shashank (11.67 days). Flower diameter was maximum in Phule Ganesh White (8.29 cm) which was at par with Arka Poornima (6.92 cm) and Phule Ganesh Purple (6.53 cm). Among the all genotypes, the maximum weight of ten fresh flowers were observed in Arka Poornima (54.17 g) which was statistically at par with Phule Ganesh White (53.61 g). These characters are considered to be very important with respect to commercial value of the variety for fulfil the consumers demand. The genotypes Arka Poornima, Phule Ganesh White, Arka Shashank, Arka Kamini and Arka Aadya may be recommended for commercial cultivation as loose flowers as well as cut flowers in the Terai region of West Bengal.

Water quality parameters and population of aquatic insect larvae in Pardi Lake, Gadchiroli District (M.S.) of India

Rajendra Narayanrao Chavhan — 2024-01-10

The present research deals with the study on some physicochemical parameters and the population of aquatic insect and insect larvae of Pardi lake, Gadchiroli which was carried out from February 2016 to January 2017. Total 10 genera of aquatic insect larvae recorded during the present piece of investigation, among which Order Diptera is represented by 07 genera and Coleoptera by 03 genera. The Dipteran species are found to be dominant in the lake. The high density of pollution indicator species like Chironomus, Eristalis and Trichoptera larvae indicates the polluted nature of the lake. Thus, keeping in view the importance of the study, the necessary steps should be taken for the conservation and maintenance of lake.

Evaluating thermotolerant sunflower genotypes with temperature induction response (TIR) technique

Aparna V — 2024-02-05

High temperature affects various physiological processes of the plant. Delayed sowing and changing climate both subject the crop to increasing temperatures during the crop growth period. There is a need to take on a technique to screen the wide number of genotypes for high-temperature tolerance. In the present study, a screening protocol was followed based on the principle of “acquired tolerance” in which 47 sunflower seedlings were exposed to sub-lethal heat stress to induce tolerance before subjecting to subsequent lethal stress and the second set were directly exposed to lethal stress. Significant variation was observed for the traits - survival percentage, total seedling length, and seedling weight. Tolerant inbreds were identified using Z distribution and PCA. Results suggested that TIR is a rapid and powerful technique that can be used to screen large number of germplasms to identify thermotolerant lines.

Studies on floral morphology and fruit diversity in wild melon (Cucumis melo L.ssp. agrestis (Naudin) Pangalo var. agrestis Naudin)

Kalyan Chakravarthi G. — 2024-02-07

Floral morphology and fruit diversity are two essential attributes of a plant to establish mutualistic association with pollinators. Pollinators will have a direct influence on fruit setting and yield. The present paper represents the floral morphology and fruit diversity of six wild melon genotypes (Cucumis melo ssp. agrestis). The staminate and pistillate flowers were analysed for their size, sepal and petal colour and pedicel length. It was observed that female flowers of wild genotypes were longer than male flowers, however male flowers possessed larger diameter, longer pedicel length and corolla length over female flowers. Among the six genotypes studied, HUB-13 produced maximum male flowers per vine (156.75), longest female flower (5.33 cm), longest pedicel and corolla and largest ovary (6.11 mm diameter). Genotype HUB-4 produced maximum female flowers per vine (39.50) with lower male to female sex ratio (2.65:1) and recorded longest male flower length (4.43 cm). Genotype, HUB-2 recorded lowest flower length (2.40 cm, 2.85 cm) and diameter, smallest corolla length (1.25 cm, 1.13 cm) and pedicel length (1.05 cm and 0.50 cm) for male and female flowers respectively. The sepals and petals were green and yellow in colour respectively with varied intensity. The genotype, HUB-9 recorded maximum ovary length (1.83 cm), fruit weight (86.03 g), fruit yield per vine (1.98 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (9.48 t/ha).

Growth and instability analysis of area, production and yield of groundnut in selected states of India

Bhoomi Suthar — 2024-02-07

India is the largest producer of oilseeds in the world as oilseed sector occupies an important position in the agricultural economy of the country. The study was based on the secondary data from 2002-03 to 2019-20. Major five groundnut producing states were selected based on highest production last triennium average production. The growth rate and instability were computed by using Compound Annual Growth Rate and Cuddy-Della Valle Index. The growth pattern of groundnut witnessed a downward trend with respect to area except Rajasthan state (7.667%). Growth pattern of groundnut indicated a downward trend in respect to production in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu state. Growth rate in yield (4.442 %)of groundnut was observed highest in Gujarat state. The instability index showed that the fluctuation in production of groundnut was found to be higher in Andhra Pradesh (44.453%) and Gujarat (41.660%). Low rate of instability was observed in area under groundnut crop in Gujarat (9.690%), Karnataka (10.495%) and Tamil Nadu (11.802%).

Effect of seed priming on germination parameters of Bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.) under laboratory conditions

Govind — 2024-02-07

The current experiment was conducted during 2020-21 at the Microbiology Laboratory, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station Bawal to examine the impact of bio-inoculants and chemicals seed priming on bael seed germination. There were 15 seed priming treatments i.e., control, IBA @ 100 ppm and 50 ppm for 24 hours, NAA @ 50 and 100 ppm for 24 hours, GA₃@ 50 and 100 ppm for 24 hours, KNO₃ @ 1 per cent for 24 hours, Azotobacter (HT 54) for 30 minutes, Trichoderma viride for 30 minutes, Rhizobium (CK 16) for 30 minutes, PSB (P 36) for 30 minutes, hot water for 30 minutes, nitric acid for 3 minutes, sulphuric acid for 3 minutes. Among different seed priming treatments, shortest germination time (12.7 days) was recorded with sulphuric acid for 3 minutes in agar medium at 28 ⁰C under laboratory conditions and the highest germination percentage (83.3 %), dry weight per seedling (153.2 mg), seedling length (12.2 cm) and vigour index I (976) and II (12256) were observed when bael seeds primed with GA₃ @ 100 ppm for 24 hours under laboratory conditions.

Effect of Xanthan gum seed coating on seed germination and seedling vigour of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.)

V. Vijayalakshmi — 2024-02-07

Six Hydrophilic polymers Xanthan Gum, Iota Carrageenan, Kappa Carrageenan, Agar Agar, Food grade Agar and Gellan Gum were studied for polymerization potential and water holding capacities. Among the six polymers, Xanthan gum and Iota Carageenan recorded the maximum values for water holding capacities of 38.27 ml/g and 34.17 ml/g and were forwarded for the Seed coating experiment. Coating experiments consist of twodosages of polymer powders (10g, and 20g /kg) and two concentrations of sticking agent (water 5ml and 10 ml). Coated seeds exposed to seed germination studies against untreated seeds. Results revealed that Finger millet seeds coated with 20 g Xanthan gum + 10 ml water as sticker recorded the maximum values for seed germination (87%), seedling length (26.23cm), dry matter production (12.47mg 10 seedlings^-1)and Vigour Index I (2282) and II (1084).The % increase over the control was 7 for seed germination, 56 for seedling length (cm), 21 for dry matter production (mg) ,69 for seedling vigour index I and 31for seedling vigour index II. From the studies it could be concluded that Finger millet seeds coated with the Xanthangum @20 g can be recommended as pre sowing seed treatment for improving the Seed Germination and seedling vigour.

Indigenous livestock care practices in Kamlah, Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh: A preserving heritage

Shavnam Thakur — 2024-02-10

Cattle production has been an important source of livelihood for the rural communities. Current study aimed to documenting the indigenous traditional knowledge and practices related to livestock health care system among the people of Kamlah region of Sandhol tehsil of district Mandi (Himachal Pradesh). Reconnaissance surveys were conducted in this region from 2021 to 2022. A total of 65 informants (35 males & 30 females) were interviewed. Ethnoveterinary data was collected through semi-structured interviews and group discussions with elderly people, women, farmers and local herbal healers. In this study, 28 plant species belonging to 23 families were identified; in which herb (57%) were the maximum used life forms and leaves (43%) were the commonly used plant parts. The highest number of species recorded in families were Asparagaceae and Fabaceae (3 species each). A wide range of diseases or disorders of cattle such as bone fracture, eye infection, fever, heat stroke, insect bite, prolapsed uterus, skin disorders and stomach disorders are treated by the people of study area with the help of indigenous medicinal plants. The data was analysed using three ethnobotanical indices i.e., use value (UV), fidelity level (FL) and informant consensus factor (ICF). According to quantitative analysis, plant species with high UV values for curing live stock were Mentha spicata L. (0.92), Cassia fistula L. (0.77) and Stephania rotunda Lour. (0.77). FL% values ranged from 25 to 100% and ICF values ranged between 0.97 to 1.00. These findings were at primary level and provide basic information to the researchers for carrying out phytochemical and pharmacological investigations, to create more effective veterinary drugs.

Impact of traditional community tanks rejuvenation on groundwater recharge and crop productivity in Yadgir district of Kalyan Karnataka Region, India

Barikara Umessh — 2024-02-10

Yadgir district is identified as most backward ditrict by NITI ayoga on account of their “lowest composite indicators in terms of health and nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion, skill development and basic infrastructure. Traditional community tanks (TCT’s) are classic examples of common pool resources that have been traditionally managed by local communities for irrigating their crops since age old and they are a living example that illustrates the capability of a man-made tank ecosystem evolved in harmony with nature to withstand natural disasters like drought, floods, and cyclones. These tanks not only protect and conserve the environment, but also contribute to livelihood security to rural farmers. These tanks have contributed significantly in agricultural production through supplementary irrigation and are declined recent decades in Yadgir district which is susceptible to drought compared to other district in the states. Such 13 TCT’s were rejuvenated for enhancing water storage capacity in the district under “Jal Samvardhane -District-wide Water Conservation Project” by Bharatiya Jain Sangh (BJS) In colloboration with Dept. of Agriculture, Yadgir. The study proved that, the average water storage capacity was raised by 24.80 percent in selected rejunuvented TCT’s. The average GWL increased for all selected tanks from 1.62 m to 3.81 m during the post-monsoon seasons of 2019 and 2020, respectively, compared to 1.31 metres before tank disiltation in Rabi 2018. Pigeonpea yield was increased by 4.13 percent (6.56 q/ha) to 20.57 percent (7.62 q/ha) with an average of 11.80 percent across all TCTs. Similarly, cotton prices increased by 4.85 percent (7.13 q/ha) to 21.53 percent (7.45 q/ha) throughout the growing season, with an average of 13.44 percent across all TCTs. Tank irrigation development activities have a substantial impact on groundwater recharge, access to groundwater, and in turn on the extension of irrigated water area. Tank irrigation development efforts have been shown to alter crop patterns, increase crop yields, and diversify crops, resulting in increased employment and farm income of small & marginal farmers of the Yadgir district.

The short-horned grasshoppers (Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae: Orthoptera) of Karnataka, India: A checklist and distribution data

Loka Mounika — 2024-02-10

Short-horned grasshoppers’ checklist is presented here. In the present study, the inventory was created using data from a survey conducted in various districts of Karnataka between 2019-2021, including Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Hassan, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Udupi, Uttar Kannada and orthopteran collections at the Insect Systematics Laboratory, Department of Entomology, KSNUAHS, Shivamogga and literature published to date from various parts of Karnataka. A total of 101 species/subspecies belonging to 66 genera, 15 subfamilies and two families i.e., Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae were reported. Several species were recorded for the first time from the districts investigated, including 9 in Chikkamagaluru, 4 in Dakshina Kannada, 1 each in Hassan and Kodagu, 3 in Shivamogga, 9 in Udupi and 1 in Uttar Kannada. This is the first-ever checklist featuring distribution records for short-horned grasshoppers in Karnataka and is updated with the Orthoptera species file online. The index may help for future taxonomic diversity studies of grasshoppers of Karnataka

Gene actions and combining ability effects on grain yield and its constituent traits in inbred lines of quality protein maize

Arjun Kumar Agarwal — 2024-02-10

In the present study twenty-eight hybrid combinations resulting from the half-diallel mating of eight quality protein maize (QPM) inbred lines were chosen in order to examine the potential to combine and gene activity for ten yield and component attributes. As part of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on maize during the kharif-2020 season, the experiment was done at the research farm of college of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) Bhubaneswar, using a randomized complete block design replicated thrice. Every observation recorded was subjected to statistical evaluation and it was revealed that the mean squares derived from the general combining ability (gca) and specific combining ability (sca) were highly significant (p ≥0.01). Estimates of sca effects were greater than that of gca effects for all of the variables used in the study, suggesting to the predominance of dominant gene action. The inbred lines Q4-DQL 2221-1-1(833.792), Q2-DQL 2099 (517.658) and Q3- DQL 2159 (350.325) shows high gca effects for yield and its attributing traits due to more additive gene action thus identified as good general combiners for yield. Twelve of the twenty-eight crosses showed significant (p ≥0.01 and 0.05) positive sca effect on grain yield. The best experimental crosses for grain yield based on per se performance and sca effects were Q2 x Q8 (2106.748), Q1 x Q6 (2053.048), Q3 x Q7 (2027.082), and Q3 x Q6 (1719.884).

Estimating crop water requirement in Madhya Pradesh's agro-climatic regions: A CROPWAT and CLIMWAT software case study

Venkatesh Gaddikeri — 2024-01-19

Estimating actual crop evapotranspiration is vital in water-scarce environment affected by climate change, particularly for optimizing irrigation and enhancing crop yield. This research focuses on assessing crop water and irrigation requirement for major crops across six districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, spanning diverse agro-climatic regions. Employing CLIMWAT 2.0 and CROPWAT 8.0 software, calculated crop evapotranspiration and devised irrigation strategies tailored to local climatic conditions. The FAO-Penman-Montieth (FAO-PM) equation for reference evapotranspiration (ET₀), aiding in crop water requirement computation and irrigation planning. Our findings reveal substantial variations in crop water requirements across crops and districts. For instance, soybean in Indore requires the highest water input at 380 mm, while in Guna, was least at 303 mm. Wheat, on the other hand, register the highest water needs in Khandwa at 510.6 mm and the lowest in the Neemuch district at 370.8 mm, particularly during the rabi season. Besides that, this study underscores the need for district-specific considerations, taking into account climate and soil characteristics when formulating water management strategies. Employing efficient irrigation practices and techniques to manage water stress becomes imperative for optimizing crop yield and achieving economic returns. Implementing customized approaches to enhance water use efficiency and promote sustainability in agricultural production is crucial. These research outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers, agricultural practitioners, and water resource managers to develop context-specific water management strategies.