Horizon e-Publishing Group (HePG): E-Journals
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Perception of agriculture students about virtual reality in learning: Empirical evidence from students\u27 exposure to VR module on downy mildew of grapes
Full text linkThe study examines the perception of agricultural students at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University towards a Virtual Reality (VR) module on Downy Mildew of Grapes. The aim of the study is to assess agriculture students\u27 perception and learning outcomes using a VR module on downy mildew of grapes. The research design was ex post facto. Students who have undertaken the VR module-downy mildew of grapes session were taken purposefully, because large number of students attended this VR module. In this research, 150 students were selected by simple random sampling method. The information was gathered from students by both telephonic and direct interviews using well-organised questionnaire. The research findings showed that students had a favourable and positive opinion towards the VR module. Also, it insists that previous experience among the students in VR and confidence in the students improve their understanding and opinion towards VR module, whereas prior experience in VR and self-confidence had significant positive association with students\u27 perception towards VR module. This result also contains some challenges faced by the students during VR classes, like discomfort, fear, less knowledge and technical issues. It also recommended some suggestions to improve the VR classes. This concluded that the students felt VR module was effective and efficient for their education and VR helped them in order to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills
Garden tea waste-derived carbon dots nanoformulation: A sustainable approach to alleviate cold stress in tea cultivation
Full text linkTea plantations under cold stress face severe disruption of their physiological processes, leading to reduced photosynthesis and yield. Cold resistant tea plants and efficient exogenous substances to mitigate cold stress are still lacking. Carbon Dots (CDs) are potential carbon nanomaterials that can modulate several physiological and biochemical processes to enhance plant cold tolerance. CDs with the characteristics of small size (<10 nm), excellent water solubility, biocompatibility and tunable photoluminescence properties make them a suitable candidate for a wide range of applications, including agriculture. In this investigation, carbon dots nanoformulation (CDs NF) derived from garden tea waste was foliar-sprayed on tea plants to assess their potential for enhancing cold stress tolerance. Tea plants treated with CDs NF @ 250 ppm exhibited increased photosynthetic rate (56 %), stomatal conductance (78 %) and transpiration rate (123 %), total chlorophyll content (51 %), reduced electrolyte leakage (78 %) and ultimate increase in yield (16 %) when compared to the control. Our findings demonstrated that CDs NF increases cold stress tolerance in tea plants by modulating photosynthetic processes, maintaining membrane integrity and improving plant water status, besides promoting the circular economy by effectively utilizing garden tea waste.
Hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of Garcinia mangostana L. pericarp extract in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in human hepatic HepG2 cell lines
No full textGarcinia mangostana L. belongs to the Guttiferae family prominently seen in South Asia. Its fruits were frequently acknowledged as the “queen of fruits”. The Genus Garcinia comprises 35 genera and 240 species globally, among which 6 species were reported endemic to Western Ghats. The Pericarp and seed of G. mangostana are well known for their use in traditional systems of medicine against numerous ailments. In the current investigation, the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of methanolic extract of the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L. were investigated against the acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 human liver cell lines. The qualitative analysis of methanol extract of Garcinia mangostana depicted the presence of immense phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, phenols, triterpenoids and flavonoids. It was observed that Garcinia mangostana acts as a potential hepatoprotective agent by reducing lipid peroxidation while significantly increasing the level of Glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in dose-dependent manner. The hepatoprotective property of Garcinia mangostana was confirmed by the histopathological analysis and the results revealed that extract of G. mangostana recovered the liver cell lines towards almost normal level in a dose dependant manner from the histopathological alterations such as necrosis, vacuolation, etc., produced by acetaminophen
Intercropping strategies for abiotic stress tolerance and nutrient acquisition
No full textAbiotic stresses, including drought, extreme temperatures, salinity, and nutrient deficiencies, significantly reduce global crop productivity, posing major challenges to food security, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Climate change intensifies these stresses, emphasizing the need for resilient agricultural systems. Intercropping has emerged as a sustainable strategy to mitigate these impacts by enhancing soil moisture retention, regulating root-zone temperatures, and optimizing nutrient acquisition. For instance, legume-cereal systems like maize-pigeon pea improve drought resilience, while peanut-maize intercropping enhances iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) nutrition in calcareous soils. Agroforestry practices, such as wheat intercropped with alfalfa, increase water use efficiency and reduce soil salinity. These approaches offer practical solutions for smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change while improving crop tolerance to abiotic stresses. This study evaluates various intercropping systems to identify optimal practices tailored to specific environmental conditions, supporting food security and sustainable agricultural practices. By promoting agricultural sustainability, intercropping provides a pathway to mitigate the effects of climate change and secure global food production
Molecular genetic diversity and inter-generation association parameters for yield attributes in the segregating generation of barnyard millet [Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link] crosses
No full textBarnyard millet, recognized for its high nutritional and agronomic value, has garnered significant attention in recent times. However, no short-duration varieties of barnyard millet have been released so far in Tamil Nadu. To ad- dress this gap, a study was conducted at the Agricultural College and Re- search Institute, TNAU, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, during the summer of 2020 and 2021. The study aimed to evaluate the diversity among ten barn- yard millet parents, varying in duration used in various crosses, employing 30 EST-SSR and SSR markers. Twenty of the thirty primers used demon- strated polymorphism, highlighting molecular diversity. The Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) value extended from 0.18 (BMESSR 101 and BMESSR 114) to 0.62 (BMESSR 120). Two to three alleles per locus were pro- duced by these polymorphic markers. The ten parents were grouped into four clusters, based on Jaccard’s coefficient. The parents used for different crosses in the hybridization program were chosen from the distant clusters as confirmed by the parental diversity analysis. The intergeneration herita- bility parameters, including parent-progeny correlation, regression, and narrow-sense heritability, were analyzed between the F2 and F3 generations of crosses involving extra-early parents ACM-15-343 x IEc 82 and Co (Kv) 2 x IEc 107. Regression values for yield attributes were positive and highly sig- nificant, confirming the successful inheritance of traits with minimal envi- ronmental influence. High narrow-sense heritability estimates for all yield traits indicated the potential for developing early-maturing, high-yielding genotypes. This study highlights the molecular diversity and genetic poten- tial of barnyard millet, paving the way for the development of improved cultivars
LC/MS analysis and cytotoxicity activity of oyster on different cancer cell line
No full textContinuous attempts and studies have been conducted to discover a new agent that is highly effective against cancer cell with fewer side effects. One of these important new sources is marine organisms. A promising marine resource, reported in Chinese pharmacopeia as having antitumor properties, is the oyster shell. This research was designed to evaluate the cytotoxicity effect of oyster shell extract against three different cancer cells, first a sterile, 0.22 ?M syringe filter was used to filter 1000 mg of oyster shell dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. The stock extract was stored at -80°C and then the active ingredients were identified using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS), while the anti-proliferative activity of oyster shell extract was evaluated by 3-(4, 5- dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The analysis of oyster shell extract by LC-MS confirmed the presence of many active compounds such as coumarin, unsaturated fatty acids and glycosides. The marine oyster demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against prostate cancer PC3 cells, with an IC50 value of 284 ?g/mL. It exhibited modest cytotoxic activity against lung cancer cells (A549) and Abelson murine leukemia cells in mice, respectively. The detected cytotoxicity of oyster extract against various cancer cell lines may open the door for future research on cytotoxic agents for cancer control
In-silico characterization and expression profiling of cut flower vase life-related genes of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)
No full textIn the present study, concentrations of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and salicylic acid (SA) were used to improve the vase life of tuberose cut flowers of varieties viz. Prajwal and Hyderabad Single. Three gene homologs of Arabidopsis thaliana, namely gigantea (GI) (GJVA01042594.1), UDP-glycosyl transferase superfamily protein (UGT) (GGEA01012182.1) and galactose oxidase/ kelch repeat superfamily protein (ZTL) (GGEA01001846.1), have been identified using in silico tools, that have the role in regulating vase life in tuberose flowers. These 3 gene homologs were also characterized using in silico tools. Thereafter, expression profiling of these genes along with the 2 housekeeping genes, viz., actin and ATP synthase E-subunit (ATP SE), has been performed in selected tuberose varieties under different concentration regimes of SNP and SA. Vase life-related genes GI and UGT expressed at optimum concentrations of SNP and SA in both varieties, whereas ZTL showed no expression. In our knowledge, this is the first report that may be harnessed by future researchers to enhance the vase life, including the quality of tuberose-cut flowers. The expression of these genes assumed to be activated in the presence of SNP and SA indicates their utility in the floriculture industry to enhance the vase life of cut flowers
Screening and evaluation of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes for salinity stress tolerance: A biochemical, physiological and yield assessment
No full textChickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), an important legume crop extensively cultivated across India, is adversely affected by a range of biotic and abiotic stresses, with soil salinity being a major factor that significantly reduces its productivity. Among several alternatives available for salinity management developing tolerant cultivars is the judicious and sustainable approach. The present investigation was undertaken to screen 20 chickpea genotypes in pots, under controlled conditions by treating with 60 mM & 120 mM NaCl concentration in split doses at sowing and 15 days to sowing (DAS). Observation on various physiological, biochemical and alternation in yield contributing parameters were recorded during the pod initiation stage and used for statistical analysis i.e. correlation and path analysis. All the traits show significant variation at both 1 % and 5 % level of significance. Results revealed that there was a significant decrease in total chlorophyll and relative water content in susceptible genotypes (ICC 249 & ICC 247) while salt tolerant genotypes (ICC 5439 & GNG 1581) showed significantly lower reduction in these traits. A significant increase was observed in lipid peroxidation and proline content while non- significant increase in protein content in tolerant genotypes as compared to sensitive genotypes. The results showed that the total proline content increased due to the production of stress-related proteins during salinity stress. Based on the results of the study, ICC5439 and GNG 1581 are highly tolerant chickpea genotypes under salinity stress conditions. ICC 6050, ICC 251, ICC 252 and ICC 262 are medium- tolerant genotypes, while ICC253, ICC 247 and ICC 249 are highly susceptible genotypes. The remaining are minimum tolerant and sensitive genotypes. The study further revealed significant direct associations among traits, emphasizing the feasibility of effective selection for improving chickpea characteristics. The findings offer valuable insights into the tolerant genotypes, guiding future breeding and selection programs
Influence of pre-harvest application of calcium and putrescine on fruit quality of peach during storage
No full textA study was aimed at analyzing the effect of pre-harvest sprays of calcium and putrescine on extending the shelf life and improving the fruit quality attributes of peach cv. Pratap was undertaken at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. Peach fruit is generally characterized by high perishability and short storage potential as fruits ripen quickly, shrivel by losing water and can be destroyed by fruit rotting microorganisms, thus rendering them unmarketable. For this, fifteen-year-old peach trees were sprayed with putrescine and calcium sprays and their combination treatments 10 days before harvesting. Fruit quality assessment such as fruit weight, physiological loss in weight (PLW), fruit shrinkage, fruit firmness, fruit decay, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content and total sugars were analyzed at harvest and after every 6 days up to 30 days of storage at controlled conditions of 4±1?C and 85± 3% relative humidity (RH). All other pre-harvest foliar sprays showed better fruit quality and storage outcomes than the control. The findings of the present investigation revealed that foliar spray of calcium nitrate at the rate of 1.0% along with the application of putrescine at the rate of 100 ppm followed by calcium nitrate at the rate of 1.0% along with the application of putrescine at the rate of 200 ppm improved the quality and storability of peach cv. Pratap. The combined treatment of putrescine and calcium enhanced firmness, TSS and total sugars and reduced weight loss, shrinkage and fruit decay percentage
Postharvest handling and value added products of tomato to enhance the profitability of farmers
No full textEffective postharvest handling and value addition of tomatoes are crucial for enhancing farmers’ profitability. Tomatoes, as a highly perishable crop, often experience significant losses during postharvest stages due to insufficient storage and handling practices. Postharvest losses of horticultural crops, ranging from 20% to 40%, create a substantial gap in market potential. This study explores various postharvest handling techniques and value addition strategies to reduce losses and enhance economic outcomes for tomato growers. The review highlights key postharvest practices, including optimal storage conditions, efficient sorting and grading and advanced preservation methods, which collectively extend the shelf life of tomatoes and reduce spoilage. Additionally, the study underscores the potential of value added products, such as tomato sauces, powders and canned goods, to enhance the market value of tomatoes. Transforming raw tomatoes into high demand products enable farmers to access new revenue streams and decrease reliance on fresh market sales. The findings indicate that adopting improved postharvest handling methods and leveraging value addition opportunities can significantly boost farmers’ profitability. These practices not only reduce waste but also provide economic benefits through higher value products and improved market positioning. Overall, the study highlights the importance of innovative postharvest management and product development approaches for achieving sustainable economic growth in the tomato farming sector