Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science
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Environmental and human factors affecting Indian major carps' spawning in Halda River, Bangladesh
No full textThe spawning success of Indian major carps (IMCs) in the Halda River is intricately linked to favorable environmental and hydrological conditions, which have shown significant variability in recent years. This research aimed to investigate the environmental and anthropogenic factors driving to decline in IMC spawning and propose sustainable management strategies. Field investigations were conducted across four key spawning sites, analyzing hydrological parameters, climatic trends, and anthropogenic influences. Results revealed a sharp decline in IMC spawning success in the year 2021, with egg production dropping to 8,580 kg and fry yield to 105.73 kg which reductions of 66% and 73.3%, respectively, compared to 2020. Key environmental stressors included rising temperatures (contributing 90% of observed variation), reduced rainfall (86%), decreased hill water runoff (84%), and saline intrusion (76%). Anthropogenic disturbances, such as pollution (76%), river bend cutting (80%), rubber dams’ installation (78%), and abandoned sluice gates (84%), intensified these challenges. This study reveals climatic and anthropogenic impacts on IMC spawning decline in the Halda River, stressing the need for ecosystem-based conservation. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted mitigation measures, including minimizing anthropogenic disturbances and restoring natural river dynamics, to enhance the resilience of IMC spawning habitats and ensure sustainable fisheries in the Halda River
Interplay of plant pathogens and host defenses: Unveiling the mechanisms and strategies for crop protection
No full textPlant pathogens, encompassing a diverse array of microbes including fungi, nematodes, protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, represent a significant threat to agricultural stability by compromising plant health. These microorganisms engage in a complex battle against plant immune systems, leading to diseases that can drastically diminish crop yields, degrade product quality, and in extreme cases, cause total crop failure. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant infection, the specific pathogens involved, and the strategy for effective prevention is crucial for agricultural sustainability. This review paper provides a detailed examination of the multifaceted interactions between plant pathogens and their hosts, focusing on the entry mechanisms, symptom development, and prevention strategies against plant diseases. Major findings reveal the intricate ways pathogens interact with plant immune responses, the critical role of environmental factors in disease outbreaks, and the effectiveness of integrated disease management approaches. The paper concludes with a novel perspective, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable, science-based strategies to enhance plant resistance, safeguard food security, and mitigate the economic consequences of plant pathogenic diseases. This synthesis not only advances our understanding of plant pathology but also sets a framework for future research directions in plant disease management
Dominance of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel on Ceratitis cosyra Walker (Diptera: Tephritidae) in orchards in Bujumbura, Burundi
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the population fluctuations of Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis cosyra in mango, citrus, and mixed orchards in Bujumbura city. Data was collected from six sites from December 2018 and December 2019 using trapping methodology. Two attractants (methyeugenol and terpinyl acetate), insecticide (dichlorvos DDVP 70%) and tephri traps were employed to attract and kill flies. The results indicate that B. dorsalis was more abundant in all sites (97.91%) than C. cosyra (2.09%). Fluctuation peaks for B. dorsalis were observed in April, October and December. A significant difference was noted in the monthly catches of both species (p<0.05). For C. cosyra, significant differences were observed in catches across all sites (p<0.05), whereas for B. dorsalis no such differences were found (p>0.05). The population fluctuations of B. dorsalis were observed during the maturation of mango and citrus fruits. B. dorsalis dominated in all sites
Combined hot water extract of lentil and grass pea increase weed control efficiency and yield of boro rice
No full textThe agriculture sector is continuously adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable methods to reduce the harmful effects of herbicides on crop production. In this context, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory (AFL), Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh, from December 2021 to May 2022, to investigate the effect of combined hot water extracts of lentil and grass peas (ELG) on weed control efficiency and yield performance of boro rice. The experiment involved four varieties of boro rice (BAU dhan3, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan81, and BRRI dhan96) and four treatments of crop residues. For most weed species, varieties and crop residue extracts significantly impacted weed population (WP) and weed dry weight (DW). The highest numbers of effective tillers (NET) hill-1, numbers of spikelets panicle-1 (NSP), 1000-grain weight (TGW), grain yield (GY), and straw yield (SY) were observed in the three-times hand weeding treatment. This was followed by the combination of hot water ELG applied as a pre-emergence treatment three days after transplanting and post-emergence ten days after transplanting, with the lowest values found in the no-extract treatment. Considering interaction effects, the highest GY (7.07 t ha-1) and SY (8.23 t ha-1) were observed with hand weeding combined with the variety BAU dhan3. The results of this study indicated that hand weeding, followed by the combined application ELG crop residue, showed potential activity to suppress WP and significantly affected the yield of boro rice
Physicochemical characteristics and antibiotic resistance patterns of enteric bacteria isolated from harvested rainwater (HRW) in Oraukwu, Anambra State, Nigeria
No full textinfections temperature, colour, turbidity, DO, TDS, TSS, alkalinity, hardness, chloride, and some heavy metals of the water samples were examined using APHA method. Bacteriological analyses were performed using the membrane filtration technique. Colonies formed were counted and expressed in CFU/100mL. Enteric bacteria were enumerated and characterized by their morphological characteristics and biochemical tests. Axenic cultures of the isolates were further subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, based on the guidelines by CLSI. Results revealed that physicochemical parameters and some heavy metals were within acceptable limits, except for Fe (0.01-0.72 mg/L) and Pb (0.01-0.25 mg/L). Total bacterial counts ranged from 1.2×104 to 6.8×104 CFU/100mL, indicating high contamination. Morphological characteristics revealed twelve (12) isolates of enteric bacteria, comprising Escherichia coli (41.67%), Salmonella sp. (33.33%) and Shigella sp. (25%). All the isolates exhibited 100% resistant to augmentin and tetracycline, but showed varying degrees of susceptibilities; E. coli to levofloxacin (60%), Salmonella sp. to ertapenem, imipenem, levofloxacin and nalidixic acid (100%), and Shigella sp. to ceftriaxone and ertapenem (100%). ‘First flush’ diverters are recommended to be installed within the water collecting system, in order to divert runoff from the rooftop after a period of no rainfall. Antibiotics which the isolates were susceptible to are recommended for the treatment of infections caused by these pathogens
Impact and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): A review
No full textWheat is one of the major cereal crops preferred by world’s population. About 55% of world’s population depend on wheat to meet their 20% calorie requirement. Wheat being a winter crop grows best in 15-25 degree Celsius of temperature range. But due to increasing global warming climatic requirement of wheat is not fulfilled and suffer different abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, salinity, cold, excess water etc. Among which heat stress is one of the major abiotic stresses faced by wheat. It has different morphological, biochemical and physiological consequences on wheat for instance poor grain quality, decreased grain number and weight, decreased photosynthesis due to disruption in chlorophyll structure and function, reduced starch content due to poor efficiency of enzyme required in biosynthesis. To cope up with all these impacts of heat stress wheat has developed various tolerance mechanisms such as release of heat shock protein, antioxidant defense mechanism, membrane thermostability, stay green, omics approaches etc. Heat shock protein helps to prevent death of cell, accumulation of denatured protein, refolding of protein, transmission of heat shock responses etc. While omics approaches help in gene profiling, protein identification etc. knowledge about both the effect and tolerance mechanism of heat stress in wheat helps to develop heat tolerant varieties with collaborative effort of plant breeder, physiologist etc. that helps to maintain food security
Effects of feeding regime on growth, production, and economics of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in earthen ponds of Bangladesh
No full textThe experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding frequency on the growth, production, and economic aspects of Oreochromine cichlids (Oreochromis mossambicus) in nine earthen ponds for 120 days. Three different feeding regimes (T1, T2, and T3) with three replications each were used. The stocking density was uniform across all treatments at 25,000 fish per hectare. The fish were fed a commercially available pelleted feed with the same feeding rate in all treatments, but the feeding frequency varied. The feeding rate was 10%, 8%, 7%, 6 %, 5%, and 4% which was consecutively adjusted after each fortnightly sampling and 3% for the last 4 weeks of the study period. Feeding frequencies were once a day for T1, twice a day for T2, and three times a day for T3. The average weight gain of Oreochromine cichlids in T3 (295±5 gm) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T2 (240.67±6.66 gm) and T1 (217.17±7.64 gm). The survival rates were 95.20%, 96.99%, and 97.33% for T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The net production of fish in T3 (2882.00±62.00 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in T2 (2413.00± kg/ha) and T1 (2223±30.55). Furthermore, the highest net return (USD 1163/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.42) was achieved from T3, followed by T2 (USD 527/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.19) and T1 (USD 270/ha with a cost-benefit ratio of 1.09). The results demonstrated that increasing the feeding frequency has positive effects on the growth and production of Oreochromine cichlids. 
Production economics and marketing of Himalayan Yew in Mahankal rural municipality of Lalitpur District, Nepal
No full textThis study delves into the dynamic landscape of Himalayan yew cultivation in the Mahankal Rural Municipality of Lalitpur district, offering a comprehensive analysis of the socio-demographic factors influencing growers' practices. By examining variables such as gender, age, education, landholding, income, ethnicity, access to irrigation facilities, and marketing strategies, we present a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved. Agriculture emerges as the cornerstone of respondents' income, with Himalayan yew cultivation consistently proving to be financially lucrative, yielding revenues and gross margins that significantly bolster local farmers' economic well-being. The calculated Benefit-Cost Ratio underscores the profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation in Mahankal, advocating for its sustained expansion. Despite favorable climatic conditions, challenges persist in marketing and production domains. Limited primary marketing channels signify untapped potential, necessitating initiatives to foster growth and enhance efficiency. Technical obstacles highlight the need for innovative solutions and technical support to bolster the sustainability of Himalayan yew cultivation. In conclusion, this research underscores the promising prospects and profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation while emphasizing the imperative to address existing challenges. Strategic interventions and collaborative efforts are essential to empower local farmers and ensure the enduring success of this valuable industry. This study serves as a clarion call for concerted action to propel Himalayan yew cultivation to new heights in Mahankal and beyond
Evaluation of different spring rice genotypes for seedling stage growth at Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal
No full textRice is the fundamental staple crop of Nepal. For food security, the production rate of main season rice is insufficient; nevertheless, spring rice can be a possibility. Spring rice is short duration crop as compared to the main season crop as, it can be best utilized through its cultivation. An experiment on spring rice (Oryza sativa) was performed to examine ten different elite rice genotypes in irrigated seedling stage at Campus of Live Sciences, Tulsipur, Dang from April to May 2023 with an objective to assess the response of different genotypes of seedling stage under controlled environment condition and to compare seedling stage growth and development of different spring rice variety The study was conducted with three replications on a completely randomized design (CRD). Data on the seedlings' growth was gathered at intervals of ten days. The outcome showed that there were statistical differences in morphological features between various genotypes. In comparison to other plants, IR09R270 had the highest average plant height (12.9 cm), IR17A106 had the greatest amount of leaves (2.44), IR09R270 had the greatest length of leaves (6.59 cm), Svin080 had the widest leaves (0.18 cm), IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA had the longest shoots length (16.46 cm), and IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA had the longest roots length (9.30 cm). The sample with the highest percentage of germination (85.65%) was IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA. The majority of genotypes were found to have heritability more than 60%, indicating a greater contribution from genetic factors than environmental conditions. It was discovered that the phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) was marginally larger than the genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV), suggesting that the environment had little effect on how characters are expressed. The study's conclusions demonstrated that the rice genotypes IR09R270 and IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA were preferable to other elite genotypes found in the Terai region. In conclusion under irrigated conditions, rice genotypes IR09R270 and IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA performed well
A review on abiotic stress vulnerability of wheat and its management in Terai, Nepal
No full textWheat being one of the most important crops of Nepal after rice and maize is prone to abiotic stresses like heat and drought stress. Climate change, increasing temperature and decreasing precipitation is found to be the major cause of drought and heat stress, especially making developing countries like Nepal to be most vulnerable to the negative impacts on productivity and sustainability. Abiotic stress imposes devastating changes on morphology, biochemistry and physiological processes of wheat. Loss in seed vigor, decrease in germination rate, poor crop stand and abnormal embryo are common impact seen due to combined Abiotic stress. Though many trial has been performed on effect of heat and drought, there is a need for trial imposing wheat to combined stress environment. This review especially deals with the impacts of Abiotic stress along with management including tolerant varieties such as Bhrikuti, NL1420, BL4669, NL1350 and NL1368 and agronomic techniques like mulching, use of early varieties, early sowing and incorporation of Biochar