Horizon e-Publishing Group (HePG): E-Journals
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Valourizing agricultural farm waste with bioinoculants for plant growth promotion and disease management
No full textSoilborne pathogens such as Fusarium spp., Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., Verticillium spp. causes significant yield loss to various agricultural and horticultural crops. These diseases are difficult to control by chemicals which are harmful to environment and crop health. On the other hand, continuous usage of pesticides leads to the development of pesticides resistance by the pathogens. Valourizing the farm waste by microbial bioinoculants is an alternative and promising approach for controlling soilborne diseases. Farm waste releases bioactive compounds with antifungal and antibacterial properties. Farm waste utilization reduces pesticide dependence by enriching soil, enhancing microbial diversity and promotes sustainable agriculture. Microbial bioinoculants serve as alternatives to synthetic pesticides for the management of plant pathogens. Beneficial microbes like nitrogen-fixing bacteria, phosphate-solubilizing microbes and biocontrol agents play a crucial role in strengthening the plant immunity against pathogens. These beneficial organisms not only improve soil biodiversity but also ensure better plant growth and development. This review focuses on the enrichment of agricultural farm wastes such as fruits and vegetable waste, coir pith, farm yard manure, biochar and chicken manure with bioinoculants for soil borne disease management. Harnessing microbial bioinoculants for farm waste valorization presents a promising pathway toward sustainable agriculture, ensuring environmental protection and long-term soil health
Nanofertilizers: Insights and confronting challenges in sustainable crop production
No full textUse of chemical fertilizers has become significantly important for enhancing crop productivity and profitability. The chemical fertilizers, though prove very useful in improving growth and yield of crops, but exert harmful to the environment and human health. With an ever-growing demand for food production amidst environmental challenges and resource constraints, the exploration of innovative alternative solutions has become essential. Nanofertilizers are promising alternatives to traditional fertilizers. The cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, non-toxicity and increased stability make nanofertilizers more effective than chemical fertilizers. Nanofertilizers can play an important role in achieving sustainability in agriculture by precisely delivering and releasing nutrients using nanoscale active substances in a controlled manner. This also reduces the leaching of nutrients into groundwater. Additionally, nanofertilizers have the potential to improve tolerance to environmental stresses when applied in combination with microorganisms. The present review provides information related to types of nanofertilizers, mechanisms of their interaction in soil and plants, role of using nanofertilizers in improving crop productivity and nutrient management. The challenges and risks of using nanofertilizers, such as their safety for living things, impact on the environment and cost-effectiveness have been also discussed. This review aims to share knowledge about sustainable farming and provide information about benefits and challenges of using nanotechnology in crop production
Impacts of human-wild boar interactions on agricultural and natural vegetation: Challenges, management strategies and future perspectives
No full textHuman-wild boar (Sus scrofa) interactions have intensified globally due to habitat loss, increasing boar populations and human encroachment into wildlife areas. Wild boars, highly adaptable and prolific, pose significant challenges to agriculture, public safety and ecosystem balance. They cause extensive crop damage, transmit zoonotic diseases and disrupt ecological processes. Their high reproductive rate and lack of natural predators have further exacerbated interactions. Various management strategies, including culling, fencing, repellents and contraceptive methods, have been employed to mitigate human-wild boar interactions, yet challenges remain in balancing ecological conservation and economic interests. Sustainable coexistence requires a multi-faceted approach integrating modern technologies such as GPS tracking, drones and AI-driven analytics with traditional control measures. Public awareness, policy support and community engagement are crucial in developing effective mitigation strategies. This review examines the causes, impacts and management strategies of human-wild boar interactions while highlighting the need for innovative and integrated approaches to reduce conflict and ensure sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife
Antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic effects of the aqueous extract of Withania adpressa in rats
No full textThe current study was conducted to evaluate the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic effects of Withania adpressa aqueous extract (WAAE) in 2 experimental animal models. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, daily oral administration of WAAE at a dose of 20 mg/kg for 15 days significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, improved plasma lipid profile, increased hepatic, muscle glycogen content and enhanced liver histological architecture. In another model of tyloxapol-induced hyperlipidemia, a single oral dose of WAAE at 400 mg/kg significantly reduced plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-c without affecting HDL-c levels. These results highlight the promising therapeutic potential of Withania adpressa in managing metabolic disorders such as diabetes and dyslipidemia
Nano seed priming with biogenic ZnO: Assessing the germination potential of sweet corn seeds
No full textSweet corn (Zea mays var. saccharata) is a widely cultivated crop valued for its high sugar content and nutritional profile. Seed priming is a pre-sowing technique that enhances germination and seedling vigour and nanopriming has gained prominence with the advent of nanotechnology (NPs). This study aimed to standardize the green synthesis protocol for zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Moringa oleifera (MO) leaf extract and assess their impact on sweet corn seed priming. ZnO NPs were synthesized by co-precipitation method, characterized via XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis, TEM and EDAX analyses and subsequently applied in seed priming treatments at concentrations ranging from 100–500 ppm. The laboratory experiment, conducted in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), evaluated germination parameters such as Germination Percentage (GP), Germination Rate (GR), Seedling Vigour Index (SVI), Mean Germination Time (MGT) and Coefficient of Velocity of Germination (CVG). Results revealed that ZnO NP priming significantly improved germination performance, with the 100 ppm as an ideal priming treatment exhibiting improvement in germination percentage (89.33 %), seedling length and vigour index (3873). The study suggests the potential of biogenically synthesized ZnO NPs in enhancing seed germination and seedling vigour, demonstrating their applicability as an eco-friendly priming agent These findings not only demonstrate the potential of green-synthesized ZnO NPs as an eco-friendly priming agent but also underscore their broader applicability in advancing sustainable agriculture through enhanced crop establishment and resource-efficient seed treatments.
Enhancement of productivity and nutrient content in pearl millet by agronomic fortification
No full textField level experiment was conducted at the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), India during the rabi season of 2022 and 2023. The objective was to develop a compendium technology to enhance iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content, enhance the yield in pearl millet through agronomic fortification using a Factorial Randomized Block Design. The study involved a bio-fortified hybrid (ICMH 1202) and CO 10 of TNAU variety, with three replications. The treatments included soil application of Zn in chemical and microbial forms, their combination and supplementation of Zn and Fe in chemical form through foliar with the combination of CO 10 and ICMH 1202. The results revealed that cultivation of CO 10 with ZnSO4 at 25 kg ha-1 (100 % recommended dose) applied to the soil, combined with foliar supplementation of 0.5 % of ZnSO4), 0.5 % of FeSO4 and nano-urea (@ 2 mL L-1 of water), in combination with other agronomic practices, achieved higher yield (3245 kg ha-1), net income (Rs. 42155 ha-1) and BCR of 2.18. This treatment also recorded Fe content of 119.85 ppm and Zn content of 39.29 ppm. Similarly, cultivation of ICMH 1202 under the same treatment achieved a yield of 2917 kg ha-1 and recorded higher Fe (178.11 ppm) and Zn (49.76 ppm) content in the grain. Increasing Zn and Fe application levels enhanced their total content in pearl millet grains. External application of Zn and Fe is essential for achieving optimal nutrient levels in bio-fortified hybrids, particularly under micronutrient-deficient soil conditions
Application of fulvic acid in agriculture: An overview
No full textFulvic acids, an essential fraction of soil organic matter, have emerged as influential agents in enhancing soil fertility and boosting crop productivity. This review compiles and analyzes recent scientific literature to clarify the diverse roles fulvic acids play within soil ecosystems and their subsequent effects on plant growth and agricultural yield. The methodology involved a comprehensive review of 150 relevant articles, including 100 peer-reviewed studies from databases such as Web of Science, ResearchGate, PubMed and Google Scholar. Initially, the interactions between fulvic acids and various soil components are discussed, demonstrating their ability to improve soil structure, increase nutrient retention and enhance nutrient availability across a range of soil types. The review further evaluates the outcomes of fulvic acid application on crop growth in different agricultural systems under varying environmental conditions. In addition, the potential of fulvic acids to act synergistically with other soil amendments and fertilizers is explored, offering insights into integrated strategies for sustainable agricultural management. Collectively, the findings highlight fulvic acids as multifunctional agents that improve soil quality and contribute to increased crop resilience and sustainability in modern farming systems
Deep learning for cotton price prediction: Unveiling the impact of weather variables
No full textAccurate forecasting of cotton prices is crucial for farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector to optimize crop selection, improve profitability and mitigate market risks. This study had developed a novel weather-based deep learning model to predict cotton prices in two major cotton-growing districts of Tamil Nadu, Perambalur and Salem. Despite the non-linear relationship between weather variables and price, advanced deep learning techniques were employed to uncover hidden patterns and enhance predictive accuracy. Since the price series was non-stationary, Seasonal-Trend-Residual decomposition using Loess decomposition was done to separate trend, seasonality and residual components and distinct models were fitted to each component. Four weather parameters-maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity and rainfall-were considered as exogenous variables. Feature selection was performed based on the mutual information score. Various deep learning architectures like STL-ANN, STL-TDNN, STL-GRU and STL-LSTM were explored to assess their effectiveness in forecasting prices for each decomposed component and finally ensembled together. The results demonstrated the potential of incorporating weather data into predictive models for cotton price forecasting, with the LSTM model outperforming other three models with MAPE of 3.68 % and 4.07 % in Salem and Perambalur districts respectively. The study highlights the potential of LSTM-based models in supporting informed decision-making and improved crop planning for cotton farmers in these regions
Mapping of mango cropping area using machine learning techniques in Tamil Nadu
No full textMango area mapping is crucial for forecasting production prior to harvest and developing policies that ensure food and nutritional security. This study focuses on the integration of remote sensing and machine learning algorithms for real time prediction of mango cropped area in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts of Tamil Nadu state in India. The cloud free images of Sentinel 2 were acquired corresponding to the fruit setting stage of the crop during the main crop season (January to June 2024) and pre-processed in ArcGIS 10.8 software. Supervised classification was carried out using eCognition Developer 10.3 software by combining object-based image analysis (OBIA) and Random Forest algorithm. Based on the analysis, the area under mango cultivation in Krishnagiri district was 31824.22 hectares, showing a 1.5 % deviation from the Department of Economics and Statistics data. The overall classification accuracy was 0.85, with a kappa index of 0.70. In Dharmapuri district, the mango area was slightly overestimated (14950.24 ha) compared to the government data (14589 ha), with a percent deviation of -2.5 %. The overall classification accuracy was 0.88, with a kappa index was 0.76. Accurate mango area mapping supports precision agriculture, efficient resource management and yield optimization, thereby aiding farmers, scholars and policymakers in informed decision-making
Stability assessment of Maligcong rice terraces: Linking soil properties and geometry to factor of safety
No full textRice terraces, renowned for their agricultural and cultural significance, are found across Southeast Asia, South America and Africa. Despite their resilience, these landscapes face threats from climate change, land-use changes and declining traditional knowledge. In the Philippines, the Cordillera rice terraces, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage site, suffer from land abandonment, pest infestations and insufficient government support yet technical stability assessments remain limited. The Maligcong rice terraces, like many traditional systems, experience instability, but comprehensive studies on their structural integrity are scarce. This study investigates the stability of these terraces by linking soil properties, terrace geometry and the factor of safety (FoS). Soil characterization revealed predominantly sandy compositions with varying moisture content and hydraulic conductivity across layers. Non-invasive techniques, including portable in-situ soil testing and geophysical methods (geo resistivity), effectively captured soil properties. Drone surveys integrated with Agisoft Metashape and Civil 3D provided accurate geometric modeling. While geometric parameters such as height and width influence terrace design, statistical analysis showed they had minimal impact on FoS. Instead, groundwater fluctuations, particularly water table rise during rainfall, significantly affected stability by increasing pore water pressure and reducing effective stress. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that the most critical stability parameters-cohesion, friction angle and unit weight are concentrated in the surface layer. This study highlights the vulnerability of rice terraces due to soil strength limitations and hydrogeological factors. The findings emphasize the necessity of integrating soil and water assessments into conservation strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of these culturally and agriculturally valuable landscapes