eChapters

Abstract
 
Rice fallows are those land which remain uncultivated during rabi after harvesting of kharif paddy. Several reason for not taking second crops such as early withdrawal of monsoon rains leading to soil moisture stress at planting time of rabi crops, water logging and excessive moisture in the months of November and December, lack of appropriate varieties of winter crops for late planting, and socio-economic problems like stray cattle, blue bulls etc. India accounts for 11.65 million ha (79%) of the total rice fallows of South Asia. The rice fallows offer good scope for area expansion of chickpea. The residual soil moisture left in the soil after rice harvest is often sufficient to grow chickpea in low to medium land soil. It is also beneficial for chickpea where short duration paddy grown which vacate fields in September-October. In long duration paddy, chickpea could be grown under Utera cultivation (relay cropping) in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Assam. Optimum plant population can only be ensuring in well levelled land, sufficient soil moisture and good seed under Paira (Utera) cropping. 

Abstract

Jute is known as golden fibre of Bengal and the most important bast fibre of the world. Jute is a natural fibre crop and is second in the world after cotton in terms of global production, consumption and availability. It is a completely biodegradable, recyclable and eco-friendly lingo-cellulose fibre. The genus Corchorus belongs to the family Tiliaceae, which is composed of approximately 100 species. Two species (Corchorus capsularis L. and Corchorus olitorius L.) are widely cultivated for natural fibre. The field experiment was conducted in Pre-Kharif season of 2014 in Mondouri Research Farm, of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. This farm is located very close to the tropic of cancer having approximately 89º E longitudes, 23 º N latitude and about 9.75 in altitude above the sea level. The experiment was in a Factorial Randomized Block Design replicated thrice with first factor variety i.e. V1-JRC 321, V2- JRC 698, V3- JRCJ 2 and V4-NDJC 2011 and Second factor fertilizers with three levels i.e. F1-60:13:25, F2-80:17.5: 33.3 and F3- 100:21.8:41.7. The plant height was not significant at the harvest stage. 

Abstract
 
The field experiment was conducted during rabi season at the Baruipur Research Farm of the Calcutta University using treatments as T1-NPK 100%, T2- Compost 100%, T3- Compost 50%+NPK 50%, T4-Vermicompost. 100%, T5- Vermicompost 50%+NPK 50%, T6-FYM 100%, T7-FYM 50%+NPK 50%, in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) replicated thrice.  The results show that the amount of available N content in soil  has been found to be increased with the progress of crop growth upto 45 days of crop growth and thereafter, the amount of the same decreased with the crop growth irrespective of treatments. The amount of P content in soil has been found to be increased with different treatments, being maintained highest amount (18.30 kg/ha) in the treatment Vermicompost 50%+ NPK50% followed by the treatment where 100% NPK and 100 % vermicompost were applied. The results show that the amount of K content in soil was increased initially and thereafter, the amount of the same decreased with the progress of crop growth.

Abstract

From very ancient time the farming was practiced organically without using any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. In the mid-19th century, the chemical farming was introduced and the adverse impact of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture is in sight with deterioration of soil quality, quality of food and so on.The indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals in different crops causes numerous health hazards as well. In this context, organic farming came into existence in 20th century due mainly to produce quality foods through the rapid change in agriculture sector. Therefore, an attempt was taken through present investigation to cultivate potato without using any synthetic agro-chemicals by employing Kufri Pukhraj cultivar during kharif season. Potato is basically rabi season crop but due to climatic advantages of the south Chhotanagpurplateau of Jharkhand it can successfully grow during kharif season too.

Abstract 

The on-farm programme on SRI was carried out in the village Narayanpur under RLI command area in Karimpur II Block of Nadia district in the year 2016 during summer season. The soil of farmland is clay loam and situated having latitude of 23°54’26.5"Nlongitude 88°30’24.1"Eat an average elevation of 9.75 m above the mean sea level. Monsoon ceases during October and cool season sets in by November. The average rainfall of this region is about 1500 mm and normal monsoon breaks in the first week of June. Though water resources in this area are generally satisfactory and 90% of these resources are tapped form the ground water source through deep and shallow tube wells. However, due to faulty crop planning and lack of scientific water management approach, a significant portion of agricultural area is identified as gray zone from hydrological point of view. Even many tube wells are becoming dry due to over exploitation of valuable water from the lower depths of confined aquifers. Rice is predominant crop during kharif season becoming less profitable because of high input costs involved. Summer rice gave satisfactory yield but also profitable proposition because of more input cost and less farm gate prices.  

Abstract

In view of the fast depletion of ground water reserves, uncertainty of rains and growing food demands due to human population explosion, efficient use of water available for crops has become highly relevant. In recent years, the use of superabsorbent polymers (saps) has been viewed as an innovative tool to improve water use efficiency in agricultural operations. Pusa Hydrogel, an indigenous superabsorbent hydrogel technology, has been developed for improving water use efficiency of agricultural and horticultural crops. They can absorb a minimum of 400 times of their dry weight of pure water and gradually release it according to the needs of the crop plant. So, it is used as soil moisture conservator and reduces number of irrigation. Because of their neutral ph, they do not affect nutrient availability, soil chemical composition, action of other agro chemicals, viz. fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc. Pusa hydrogels are found to improve the physical properties of soils. Increase in porosity results in improvement in seed germination and rate of seedling emergence, root growth and density, and reduced soil erosion due to reduction in soil compaction. It also increases biological/microbial activities in the soil, which increase oxygen/air and nutrient availability in root zone of the plant. So, ultimately it is helpful for increasing crop productivity. 

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in an aericendoaquept (pH, 6.67; organic carbon,  CEC,) to study the relative efficiency of different organic manures on the changes in some selected soil properties growing rape (cv. B-9) in a randomised block design replicated thrice using different combinations of organic and inorganic chemical fertilizers (T1- NPK 100%, T2- Compost 100%, T3- Compost 50% + NPK 50%, T4- Vermicompost 100%, T5- Vermicompost 50% + NPK 50%, T6- FYM 100% and T7- FYM 50% + NPK 50%). However, the objectives of the study was to assess the relative efficiency of organic manures with respect to availability of nutrients in relation to yield of rape affected by combined application of organic manures and chemical fertilizers. The results show that the amount of available N, organic carbon content, CEC and K contents were found highest in the treatment T5 where Vermicompost 50% + NPK 50% was applied combinedly.

Abstract 

A field investigation entitled, “Studies on growth and yield of aerobic rice in summer season under various moisture regimes and planting techniques in upland condition” was carried out at Regional Research Station, Gayeshpur, Nadia, West Bengal of Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya. The field experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications. The treatment consisted of three irrigation regimes in main plots viz., IW/CPE =1.0, IW/CPE =1.5 and IW/CPE = 2.0 and four treatments on planting techniques in sub plots viz., P1: Sprouted seeds, P2: Non-sprouted seed, P3: Soaking seeds overnight (12 hrs), P4: Soaking seeds overnight (12 hrs) followed by shade drying.

Abstract

Chhotanagpur plateau is well-known for its quality vegetable production, however, indiscriminate uses of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in different vegetables lead to more yields but of their inferior quality of produces. The over uses of agro-chemicals also drastically affect the soil bio-physico-chemical properties. In this context, an alternative approach was taken into account through present study in order to address such problems. For the purpose, cabbage cv. Golden Acre was grown in organic experimental plots of the university by using ‘Sasyagavya liquid organic formulation’ to observe its effects over the crop and soil bio-chemical properties of the experimental site.Theexperiment was designed after CRBDby adoptingseven treatments i.e.T1: 1% Sasyagavya; T2: 5% Sasyagavya; T3: 10% Sasyagavya; T4: 15% Sasyagavya; T5: 20% Sasyagavya; T6: 25% Sasyagavya and T7: Absolute Control withtheir three replications. Different growth, yield and quality attributes of the crop and soil bio-chemical properties of the experimental soils were studied. 

Introduction : Need to Change

During the era of Green Revolution, India remarkably achieved self-sufficiency in food production with the introduction of high-yielding varieties, extension in the irrigated cultivable land, high use of chemical fertilizer such as Urea and other sources of NPK fertilizers and increase in cropping intensity.During these processes, relative contribution of organic manures as a source of plant nutrients declined substantially. Due to heavy application of chemical pesticides an increase in resistance of insect pests has also been noticed for most of the regular used plant protection chemicals. Health hazards associated with intensive modern agriculture, such as pesticides residues in food products and groundwater contamination are matter of concern. In the progress of green revolution technologies and chemical dependent nutrient management has declined the overall productive capacity of the soil due to no judicious fertilizer use. Such concerns and problems faced by modern-day agriculture gave birth to new concepts in farming, such as organic farming, natural farming, biodynamic agriculture, donothing agriculture, eco-farming, etc. The essential feature of such farming practices imply, i.e., back to nature.

Abstract

Organic farming is a method of crop and livestock production that involves much more than choosing not to use pesticides, fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics and growth hormones. Organic fruit production essentially excludes the use of many inputs associated with modern farming, most notably synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Organic agriculture, the innovative farming system can build-on and enhance the traditional knowledge and practices of local and indigenous communities. Indigenous Knowledge can be broadly defined as the knowledge that anindigenous (local) community accumulates over generations of living in a particular environment. ITK in fruit production is important for reducing the cost of cultivation, reducing the pollution and also the natural resource base. It is very important to understand these age old practices to address the local problems and to document it before is vanished away.

Introduction

India is bestowed with wide range of climate and physic-geographical conditions and as such is most suitable for growing various kinds of horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, spices and plantation crops (coconut, cashewnut and cocoa). Its horticulture production has increased significantly over the last two decades and as per the final estimates, by 2013-14, it has increased to about three times (2.87) since 1991-92 and to about twice (1.90) compared to the production in 2001-02. This has placed India among the foremost countries in horticulture production, just next to China. As per National Horticulture Database 2014, during 2013-14, India’s contribution in the world production of fruits & vegetables was 13.6% & 14%, respectively. Total production of fruits during 2013-14 was about 89 million tonnes while that of vegetables was 163 million tonnes.

Abstract

Importance of organic sources of nutrients was recognized in current scenario in order to get higher yield without disturbing soil health. In this context integrated use of inorganic and organic sources of nutrients in crop production is becoming very crucial for assurance of food security on sustainable basis, which in turn not only improve the soil fertility for sustained crop productivity but also to reduce the cost of inorganic fertilizers. Among the various organic sources humic acid plays a major role in the sustainable production of vegetables. Humic acid is a natural bio-stimulant that is derived from leonardite and is among the most concentrated organic material available today. Humic acid is an organic chemical produced by decaying plants and animals residues by a process called Humification. Humic acid is not only increases the yield but also improves the soil fertility, soil productivity, soil structure and texture, promoting plant growth and resistance against various pests, diseases. In this context use of humic acid as organic sources of nutrients in crop production is becoming very crucial for assurance of food security, sustainability and improving soil health.

Abstract

India is primarily agrarian country and this sector provides livelihood to a major part of the population. The indiscriminate use of agro chemicals since green revolution resulted in adverse effect on the soil fertility; crop productivity; quality of produce and more specifically on the environment system. Organic cultivation is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost, and biofertilizers which helps to maintain soil productivity. Organic farming excludes or strictly limits the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides (herbicide, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, antibiotics and genetically modified organisms. Thus, the importance of organic sources of nutrients was recognized in current scenario in order to get higher yield without disturbing soil health. In this context integrated use of inorganic and organic sources of nutrients in crop production is becoming very crucial for assurance of food security on sustainable basis, which in turn not only improve the soil fertility for sustained crop productivity but also to reduce the cost of inorganic fertilizers.

Introduction

Earth was a beautiful landscape but man has ruthlessly exploited for his greed specially, in the last century. With rapid industrialization and random urbanization environmental pollution has become a serious problem. Over exploitation of open spaces, ever-increasing number of automobiles and demographic pressure has further aggravated the problem.
 
According to The Hindu, on December 1, 2015 a blanket of smog surrounded Beijing, China, later this smog covered one tenth of China’s area. This situation was recently seen in Delhi, after diwali. It was reported that suspended particulate matter (SPM) content in the air was 14-16 times higher than the permissible limits. So, one of the ways to mitigate this pollution is plating of trees and shrubs as green corridors for abatement of pollution and improvement of environment is an effective way.

Introduction

Any kind of garden established on the roof top of building is known as roof garden, which provides the opportunity to cultivate the quality vegetables, fruits and flowers in home. In this system plants and grasses are grown on a nutrition medium placed above a waterproof membrane. Roof gardening is mostly adopted in urban areas. It uses for decorative benefit, roof plantings make available food, manage temperature, hydrological remuneration, architectural improvement, habitats  for wildlife, frivolous opportunities, and in large scale it may even have ecological benefits (Louise, 2009). This considerably increases human health as adding organic cultivation.

Abstract

Beekeeping is an agro-based activity which is being undertaken by farmers/landless labours in rural area as an integrated framing practice. It supplements income & employment generation and nutritional intake. Honeybees have been offering services to the society through ensured pollination in crops and providing honey and a variety of other bee hive products viz.; royal jelly, pollen, propolis, bee wax, bee venom, etc. Honey Bees have their vital role in sustaining plants bio-diversity resulting in environmental stability. Mainly five species of honeybees viz.; Apis cerana, A. mellifera, A. florea, A. dorsata, Stingless bees are in used in India.  Beekeeping industry has quadruple benefits: 1) providing self employment to rural and forest based population; 2) production of honey, pollen and beeswax, venom, royal jelly, etc., 3) providing employment to rural educated youths in collecting, processing and marketing of bee/beehive-products; and 4) cross-pollination of various agricultural and horticultural crops and improving their quality and increasing yields.

Introduction

Farming and agriculture are respectively defined as the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock and the production of agricultural goods through the growing of plants and the raising of domesticated animals. In the developing countries frantic efforts have been made through research and enlightenment campaigns to encourage farming and thus ensure significant increases in agricultural production in order to feed and sustain the population that is increasing at geometric proportion. At present, the farmers concentrate mainly on crop production which is subjected to a high degree of uncertainty in income and employment to the farmers. In this context, it is imperative to evolve suitable strategy for augmenting the income of a farm.

RECTAL EXAMINATION

It provides practically all the information required.

It is the simplest, accurate and reliable method with no cost involved.

Things Required

A full arm rubber sleeve with attached glove or disposable plastic glove.
A rubber or plastic apron.
Non-irritant soap or lubricant.

Accurate early diagnosis of pregnancy is essential for successful breeding programme.

Ability is required for successful practice.

Skill is to be developed to indicate the duration within weeks in early and months in late pregnancy.

TRUE ANESTRUS IN A HEIFER OR POST PARTUM COW / BUFFALO

The animal has both ovaries small and inactive

No palpable structures in the ovaries

Animal does not exhibiting estrus signs

CONTRACEPTION DUE TO MISALLIANCE AND TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY IN BITCHES

It is obvious that breeders maintain varieties of breeds but mismating do occur within their own premises and sometimes by unwarranted stray animal.

Misalliance complicates too many other problems.

Incidence of mismating is 15 to 20 percent in canine breeding.

1.1. Characteristics and categories
                
1.2. Litter
    Patterns of accumulation
    Successional trends
    Seasonal variations
    Fluctuations in accumulation

1.3. Dissolved organic matter
    Sources of DOM
    Fluxes of DOM

1.4. Woody detritus

1.5. Soil organic matter

2.1. The Physical environment
    Light
    Soil temperature
    Water dynamics

2.2. Chemical environment
    Production of phytotoxins

2.3. Biological environment
    Trophic dynamics
    Community structure
    Biodiversity

3.1.Processes
                    
    Leaching                    
    Fragmentation/Comminution
    Catabolism                    
    Decomposition models
                
3.2. Patterns
                    
    Litter decomposition
    Root decomposition                    
    Limit values for decomposition            
    Decomposition pattern in ecosystems

4.1. Substrate quality
    Litter quality
    Soil organic matter (SOM) quality

4.2. Decomposer community
    Soil animals
    Soil microorganisms
    Terrestrial fungi
    Actinomycetes    
    Bacteria

5.1. Nature and role of soil enzymes
    General account
    Role in terrestrial ecosystems
    Role in aquatic ecosystems

5.2. Environmental conditions and microbial enzyme activity

Introduction

High density planting in fruit trees was first introduced in case of apple in Europe during the nineteen sixties, with the development of Malling and Malling - Merton rootstocks. Subsequently, this was experimented in other temperate fruit crops like peach, plum, pear and sweet cherry. Today, majority of new orchards of apple and to some extent that of other fruit crops in Europe, New Zealand, USA and Australia use this intensive system of fruit production profitably Iyer and Kurian (2006). The successful management of trees in any high-density planting system depends on maintaining a balance between vegetative growth and fruiting.

Abstract

Plant architecture, plays a crucial role in gathering multiple resources from the environment. As a plant grows, they change its architecture with the surrounding environment for altering available resources. The architecture of the plant is modified through the distribution of assimilate, which conclude the growth rates of different organs. Plant roots expand to acquire soil water and nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus) from different soil layers by adjusting their direction in order to growth which transported and allocated to whole plant for maintenance and expansion of plant organs. All plants gradually develop their architecture according to source–sink activities and endogenous signals. This adaptation can result in complex structures. This chapter deals with the importance, different method for changing the architecture   of vegetable crops for improving their yield and quality.

Canopy management is the manipulation of tree canopies to optimize the production of quality and quantity fruits. The canopy management, particularly its components like tree training and pruning, affects the quantity of sunlight intercepted by trees, as tree shape determines incoming radiation. Light is critical for growth and development of trees and their fruits. The green leaves harvest the sunlight to produce carbohydrates and sugars which are transported to the sites where they are needed – buds, flowers and fruits. Better light penetration into the tree canopy improves tree growth, productivity, yield and fruit quality. The density and orientation of planting also impact light penetration in an orchard (Proietti et al., 2000). Generally, in close planting, quicker shading becomes a problem. An east-west row orientation results in more shading as compared to the western and southern orientation of trees. The problem of a fruit grower is initially to build up a strong and balanced framework of the trees, then equips them with appropriate fruiting.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most important tropical fruits of the world and is commonly known as the ‘King of fruits’ for its high quality fruits which are very popular among the Indians (Sharma et al., 2008). It is an oldest and extensively cultivated fruit crop in India having high socio-economic significance. India is the home of about more than 1000 mango varieties, which originated in the Indo-Burma region (Mukherjee, 1958). India is the largest producer of mango, grown in about 2.3 million hectares with an annual production of 15.02 million tonnes. However, its productivity is only 6.5 tonnes ha against 30 tonnes per ha in Israel. Improvement of productivity in mango continues to be the foremost issue in mango production (Sauco, 1993). Of late, all the mango importing countries are considering the India as a source of quality mangoes due to its varietal wealth and availability. Hence, it is imperative to improve the productivity and quality of Indian mangoes to meet the global need (Balamohan and Gopu, 2014).

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the one of the most important fruit crop of tropics and subtropics. Mango belong to group of plant in which there is an antagonism between vegetative vigour and flowering intensity. Therefore, any factor that reduces vegetative vigour without altering the metabolic activity and favors flowering which can be possible by the use of growth regulator. Growth retardant that has been widely used in mango crop is paclobutrazol (PBZ) or cultar. Paclobutrazol is N-containing heterocyclic, trizole compound which stimulate flowering by inhibiting gibberellic acid pathway by inhibiting oxidation of ent-kaurene to ent-kaurenoic acid by blocking cytochrome P450 dependent monooxygenase enzyme. It is applied at the rate 2-5g/m of canopy diameter 3-4 months prior to desired date of flowering either by foliar spray, soil drench or trunk application. However, soil application is found more efficient on mango quality production than other. Paclobutrazol has pleiotropic response on mango cultivars. It has been found that application of paclobutrazol is effective in enhancing the protein mobilisation, starch, carotenoid, lycopene, phenol and cytokinin, abscisic acid and enzyme content in treated plant that induce flowering. It has been found that paclobutrazol is capable to reduce mango malformation and make plant tolerant in stress condition.

The first step of sexual reproduction (Flowering) is of paramount importance in agriculture, horticulture and plant breeding. The change from the vegetative state to the reproductive state is one of the most dramatic events. Flowering leads to an exciting succession of events like anthesis, fruit set, fruit development, maturation and ripening. It provides for the propagation of the species and assists in crop improvement through genetic recombination. Plant growth regulators have remained an important component in horticulture, agriculture from time immemorial, because they were effective means of quantitative as well as qualititative improvement in growth and development of crops. Plant growth and development as well as the responses to environmental factors, are highly regulated by complex and coordinated action of the endogenous hormones (Reddy and Bhagwan, 2014).

Introduction

Crop regulation is also known as flowering/ fruiting cycle management. It can also be termed as management of vegetative-reproductive balance. Some of the fruit crops bloom throughout the year without any resting period and produces two or three crops (bahar) in a year but yield and quality is not so good in all crop harvest. It is very essential to understand the flowering and fruiting behavior of crops and which bahar will give good crop with considering all the factors associated with a particular bahar. It is important for the available time to be partitioned to give an appropriate balance between the making of sources of resources which capture and utilized resources efficiently in generating harvestable yield and the filling of sinks for resources; and sink must mature in desired time for harvest. Apart from their importance in the determination of crop yield

Introduction

The demand for agriculture commodity is growing world over and meets the ever increasing targets as per the demand, productivity needs to be raised further. This can be realized in two ways- by increasing area of cultivation and/or through increased efficiency of inputs (both natural and manmade). The scope for the farmer is very limited worldwide and for the latter, the primary input is the solar energy which is most abundant except in few cases like colder regions. In the coming future, the availability of land for cultivation will be a major impendent due to rapid urbanization, hydroelectric projects, dams and rivers, highway roads and also there is a degradation of fertile land due to soil erosion (120.72 million ha), soil salinity and water logging (8.4 million ha) Nath et al., 2007 and Hegde et al. (2015).  Under this situation, multi-storied cropping system will be a viable option to provide food, nutrition and income security to people Awasthi et al., (2008). The available arable land could be effectively utilized for production of field and horticultural crops to achieve nutritional security for the growing population and sustainable income for the farming community. Increasing food production with limited natural resource is a great challenge to the scientific community. Thus, production per unit area of land, time and inputs can be increased by improving efficiency of the rate and extent to which solar energy is harvested for conversion to economic produced.

Abstract

In the recent past we have seen a great upsurge in the production and productivity of food grains as well as horticultural produce which is sufficient to feed our burgeoning population. This way we are self-sufficient to feed our population, but now the major challenge before us is to ensure the nutritional security of each and every individual of the country. Moreover, meeting nutritional security through conventional or molecular breeding demands long time. However, this could be achieved in much shorter period of time i.e., within 2-3 weeks by growing microgreens.Microgreens can be easily characterised by having a central stem with two fully developed cotyledon leaves and mostly one pair of small true leaves.In comparison to their mature counterparts, microgreens of a variety of vegetables and herbs have been reported to be more nutritious. They are rich in ascorbic acids, carotenoids, phylloquinone and tocopherols, which is responsible for its antioxidant properties and also plays a vital role in weight gain modulation, cholesterol metabolism. It may also protects from cardiovascular diseases by preventing hypercholesterolemia. Main problem associated with microgreens are their high price and high perishability and lack of awareness among people about its cultivation practices and health benefits. It demands great attention from the scientific community, to address these problems and make it available in each and every household to ensure the nutritional security of the nation.

Abstract
 

Ensure enough food and water to the growing world population and preserve the biodiversity of our planet are among the major challenges of our immediate future. These challenges are essentially addressed to the agricultural world, which is constantly evolving to satisfy the most basic needs of the humankind. The approaches and the possible answers to these big challenges are many and, even if partial, each sustainable solution or innovation can contribute to improve the quality of our life. To overcome the barriers for food and nutritional security microgreens is one of the possible innovative approach in this 21st century. A microgreen is a young vegetable green that is used both as a visual and flavor component or ingredient primarily in fine dining restaurants. Fine dining chefs use microgreens to enhance the attractiveness and taste of their dishes with their delicate textures and distinctive flavors. Smaller than “baby greens,” and harvested later than sprouts, microgreens can provide a variety of leaf flavors, such as sweet and spicy. They are also known for their various colors and textures. Among upscale markets, they are now considered a specialty genre of greens that are good for garnishing salads, soups, plates, and sandwiches.

Abstract

Roselle, or Jamaica sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) is a popular vegetable in many tropical regions, cultivated for its leaves, seeds, stems and calyces of which, the dried calyces are used to prepare tea, syrup, jams, jellies and beverages. It is an annual herbaceous shrub belongs to family Malvaceae originated in old world tropics. The fresh calyces and young leaves are used as a vegetable in various cuisines and the plant also yield industrial bio fibre. It also has nutraceutical potential, high pigment content, and nutritional and medicinal properties. Roselle is a drought tolerant crop and cultivated throughout the tropics and subtropics during hot and rainy seasons. China and Thailand are the largest producers and control much of the world supply, where as the best quality roselle comes from Sudan. Many medicinal applications of this plant have been developed around the world. It is used to treat hypertension, pyrexia, dyspepsia, and leukaemia hepato protective, due to its high content of protocatechuic acid. Leaves are emollient and sedative and also show antihypersensitive, antihyperlipidimic, diuretic and anti oxidant properties. Hence, it is an ideal candidate crop for low input multi-cropping system for the food and nutritional security for developing countries.

Abstract

We studied the mathematic model of “predator-prey” and„ pest-parasite”. Under the circumstances when these two specious coexist in particular conditions. In that case the components of the system continuously change. We describe the system by two differential equations which conclude into numeral equation by integrators and variables. According these equations we calculate some numeral formulations essential to these changeable populations.
  
We produce the prevalence of predator-prey systems by using analytic and quantitatic methods for massive rage of data. This process as usual is described by the differential equation consisting assembling point. The constructed phase portrait which we need to solve the problem is found by Runge-Kuta method. So the article speaks about the conformity with a law which we receive by permanent change of parameters’ menaings and temporal changes of biological systems’ conditions.

When there is no positive steady state both prey and predator can become extinct. In one particular case both species become extinct regardless on the initial data. In the second, both species will die out only if initial prey/predator ratio is too low. Otherwise, only the predator goes extinct, while prey tends to carrying capacity.

Introduction

Pests and diseases are very serious issues in vegetable crops and account for nearly 25-30% damage to the expected yields across different crops inspite of high amount of chemical use. Excessive reliance on chemicals has created problems of pest resistance to pesticides, decimated useful fauna and flora as well as imperilled the delicate ecological balance. In addition, pesticide treadmill lures the farmers for ever increasing use of pesticide dosages, thereby encouraging a vicious cycle of environmental pollution. Vegetable crops are one of the major groups of crops that contribute heavily in this regard, being the third major consumers of pesticides after cotton and rice in our country. Insect pests and diseases inflict the horticultural crops especially vegetable crops more than others because of their supple nature, intensive cultivation under high moisture and input regimes, short duration and denser canopy of the crops.

Introduction

The fruit crop acreage in Kashmir is rapidly increasing and is developing into perennial stretches of monocropping systems. The area of apple in Kashmir 143790 ha. Parallely this has led to increased pests and use of chemical pesticides. As a result, pest resurgence, pesticide residue in fruits, deleterious effect on biological agents and resistance build-up in insects have all complicated pest management (Smith, 1970).In view of the rising export potential of residue free fruits and the crisis situation created by indiscriminate use of pesticides, fruit crops need much more attention in terms of IPM input than what is getting now. It is therefore, necessary to develop and follow a rational approach with greater reliance on IPM to promote sustainability and to reduce the number of application of hazardous chemicals. Integrated pest management requires thorough preplanning even before establishing the fruit orchard which includes selection of suitable site,siol type, improved and pest free scion varieties, resistant rootstock compatible with scion, regular pest and weather monitoring in the orchard, balanced use of fertilizers, water management, proper training and pruning, improved cultural practices,augementation and conservation of parasitoids and predators and need based application of selective insecticides.The various strategies for successful management of economically important pests of temperate fruits are thoroughly discussed.

Introduction

India is gifted with varied agro-climatic conditions for growing an array of vegetable crops to combat the present ill-balanced diet. The brinjal belongs to the family Solanaceous and to the genus Solanum, species melongena. The egg plant, Guinea squash are some synonyms to brinjal. It is a hardy crop and does best in worm and moist climate. The crop is generally grown twice or thrice in a year. The edible part, fruit is of high nutritive value and can well be compared with tomatoes. Insect pest constitute the major limiting factors in the successful production of brinjal. Pest comples of brinjal is very high and aphid (Aphis gossypii) causes heavy damage to the crop. Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a tiny insect or greenfly in the superfamily Aphidoidea in the order Hemiptera. It is a true bug and sucks sap from plants. It is a widely distributed pest of a variety of agricultural crops in the families Cucurbitaceae, Rutaceae and Malvaceae.

1. Introduction

Stress-Any deviation from this optimal condition of any factor essential for its growth will lead to aberrant change in physiological processes and due to this plant body will experience tension and this state can be referred as plant under stress.

In physics, stress is defined as mechanical force per unit area applied to an object. In response to the applied stress, an object undergoes a change in the dimension, which is also as strain. However, the biological stress is defined as an advance force or a condition, which inhibits the normal functioning and well-being of a biological system such as plants. There are several abiotic and biotic factors, which under a given condition, may be perceived as stress by plants.

Introduction

Stress in physics is any force applied to an object. Stress in biology is any change in environmental conditions that might reduce or adversely change a plant’s growth or development. ‘Stress’ or ‘pressure’ was introduced into the theory of elasticity as an amount of force for a given unit area. When sufficient force is applied to material, the material bends and the change in length is termed ‘strain’. With increasing stress, the initially linear relationship between stress and strain becomes nonlinear until the proportionality limit, after which the material deforms elastically (it can bend back), then plastically (it cannot bend back) until it ruptures. Since the 1930s, biologists have attempted to apply this terminology to biological systems, albeit the nature of the stresses will vary between nonliving materials and organisms.

Introduction

Stress is usually defined as an external factor that exerts a disadvantageous influence on the plant. In most cases, stress is measured in relation to plant survival, crop yield, biomass accumulation or the primary assimilation processes (CO₂ and mineral uptake), which are related to overall growth. Stresses can be biotic, imposed by other organisms or abiotic arising from an excess or deficit in the physical or chemical environment. Biotic stress arises by attack of bacteria, viruses, fungi, invertebrates and even other plants, whereas abiotic stress occurs due to drought, water logging, high or low temperatures, excessive soil salinity, imbalance of mineral nutrients in the soil, heavy metals and too much or too little light. Stresses trigger wide range of plant responses, from altered gene expression and cellular metabolism to changes in growth rates and crop yields.

Abstract

Vegetable cultivation has been threatened due to limited availability of arable land and frequent vagaries of environment and incidence of soil borne pests and diseases. Development of stress tolerant or climate smart cultivars through conventional breeding methods or dependence upon agrochemicals for mitigation of pest and disease problems for vegetable crops have been practised since time immemorial. Salinity in coastal belts, high or low temperature injury, bacterial wilt in solanaceous vegetables, Fusarium wilt and nematode infestation in cucurbits are common of the many maladies which have caused tremendous loss in productivity and quality of vegetable crops throughout the globe. 

Precision farming is one of the most scientific and modern approach to sustainable agriculture. It involves management of within field variation and helps farmers to grow crops more efficiently. Precision farming is concerned with the management of variability in the dimensions of both space and time. Variability of resources is a key factor of precision farming.   Precision farming is the application of technologies and principle to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of horticultural production for improving crop performance and environment quality. Precision farming calls for an efficient management of resources through location specific hi-tech inventions to produce cost-effective and eco-friendly consumer- acceptable quality products (Mondal and Tewari, 2007).

Precision Farming

Precision farming is a concept of proper crop management based on the observation, technology, measurement and response during inter and intra field variability in crops. It is also known as satellite farming or site specific crop management (SSCM).It is an application of right things, in right place, in the right way and at the right time. It has three main requirements viz. first identify various field location, second capture, interpret and analyzed the data in a proper scale & frequency and third, adjust the input with farming practices for efficient economic yields. There are 17 Precision Farming Development Centers (PFDC) located in different agro-climatic zones of India. It is mostly exist in SAUS, ICAR Institute and IIT Kharagpur. 

Introduction

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) occupies an important position among commercial ornamental bulbous crops, because of its highly fragrant flowers which can be used in various ways and is essentially a florists flower. The white tubular flowers emit the most popular odour and hence are cultivated on a large scale in some parts of the world for the extraction of its highly valued natural flower oil. The lingering delightful fragrance and excellent keeping quality are the predominant characteristics of this crop. It is popularly known as Rajanigandha, derives its generic name from the greek word Polios, which means white or shinning and anthos meaning a semi perennial bulbous plant. It is commercially cultivated for cut flowers and loose flowers trade and also for extraction of its highly valued natural flower oil. The serene beauty of the flower spikes, bright white flowers, sweetness of blooms and delicacy of fragrance of this ornamental crop, transform the entire area into a nectarine and joyous one. Fresh flowers and value added products of tuberose are exported from India to USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, The Netherland, Japan, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.