The Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) (Nepali: कृषि तथा वन विश्वविद्यालय) is a public agricultural university with central offices in Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. It was created by the Parliament of Nepal through a bill passed in June 2010 merging two constituent campuses of Tribhuvan University: the Rampur Agriculture Campus of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science and the Forestry Campus, Hetauda of the Institute of Forestry in Hetauda, Makwanpur. The university offers agricultural workforce development and promotes research in agriculture, forestry, and allied disciplines through teaching, research, and extension programs across the country. . The Main Features of AFU is to produce mainpower for agriculture and forest industry.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for more than half of the global population but faces escalating yield losses from abiotic stresses, notably submergence, drought, salinity, heavy metals, cold, and heat. These stresses act at different developmental stages, altering growth, physiology, and grain quality through common bottlenecks in photosynthesis, water and ion balance, and reproductive development. This review provides a consolidated stress-wise synthesis of morpho-physiological injury and adaptive traits, associated biochemical responses (ROS dynamics, antioxidant enzymes, osmolyte accumulation, carbohydrate metabolism), and molecular regulation (ABA/ethylene/GA/BR crosstalk, Ca2+ signaling, and transcriptional networks including DREB, NAC, MYB, and WRKY). The key genetic hubs such as SUB1A (submergence), qDTY1.1 (drought), Saltol (salinity), COLD1 (cold), HSF-HSP (heat), and HMA3/ZIP1/NIP2 (heavy metals) are highlighted as central to stress tolerance. This review emphasizes integrated management approaches, nutrient and water regimes, post-stress recovery inputs, seed priming, soil amendments, microbial interventions, and nano-enabled solutions that align with physiological and molecular responses to enhance stress resilience. This article provides a comprehensive framework to guide breeding, agronomic management, and future research toward multi-stress tolerance and yield stability in rice under climate change by linking stage specific injury with mechanistic pathways and actionable strategies.
Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. is a destructive soil-borne pathogen causing collar rot in chili (Capsicum spp.) and several other diseases in many economically important crops. This study evaluated the efficacy of nine fungicides representing different chemical classes (triazoles, strobilurins, benzimidazoles, dithiocarbamates, and contact fungicides) against S. rolfsii using the poisoned food technique under in vitro conditions at 25, 50, and 100 parts per million (ppm) concentrations. Most systemic fungicides significantly inhibited mycelial growth compared to the untreated control, whereas captan, copper oxychloride, and mancozeb showed poor inhibition at lower concentrations. The highest inhibition of mycelial growth over control was observed with carboxin + thiram (91.25
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a key role in influencing the environmental behavior of heavy metals in lake ecosystems. Through mechanisms such as complexation, ion exchange, and physical adsorption, DOM regulates the speciation, transport, and bioavailability of heavy metals, thereby shaping their ecological risks and fate. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the sources and molecular composition of lake DOM, with particular attention to humic substances, proteins, and polysaccharides, and highlight the importance of functional groups such as carboxyl group and phenolic hydroxyl group in metal binding. The mechanisms of DOM-heavy metal interactions are discussed in detail. These include σ-ligand bonding, which relies on the donation of lone pair electrons from O/N-containing functional groups to metal orbitals. Also covered are π–d electron interactions, often initiated by photoexcitation of aromatic moieties in DOM to facilitate electron transfer, and multi-site adsorption, a process governed by the combined effects of electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and the porous structure of DOM. Additionally, the effects of environmental factors (temperature, pH, and light) and biological factors (microbial activity and aquatic plant decomposition) on DOM-heavy metal dynamics are examined. Although substantial progress has been made, key challenges remain in understanding the microscale mechanisms, capturing real-time changes in natural waters, and assessing long-term ecological impacts. Future research should prioritize multi-scale approaches. This entails employing advanced techniques like Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry to elucidate molecular mechanisms, while also advancing in situ monitoring technologies and establishing long-term observation networks to resolve real-time dynamics and assess cumulative ecological impacts. This review provides a theoretical basis for understanding DOM-heavy metal interactions and supports future efforts in ecological risk assessment and the sustainable management of lake environments.
Organic waste accumulation poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating effective waste management strategies. The black soldier fly serves as a beneficial insect, aiding in waste reduction and animal feed production, while its frass contributes to sustainable soil improvement. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the bioconversion efficiency, growth performance, longevity, waste reduction, and nutritional composition of Hermetia illucens (Black soldier fly; BSF) larvae reared on five different urban organic wastes: restaurant waste, vegetable waste, fruit waste, kitchen waste, and butchery chicken waste following completely randomized design (CRD) with five urban waste treatment and four replications. The results revealed the highest larval growth rate and bioconversion found on restaurant waste 12.02 f 0.47 mg/day and 6.97 f 0.15 % respectively. Larva reared on butchery chicken waste showed highest larval mortality (76.02 f 0.42 %) and life cycle duration (57 days). Also, the highest decomposition rate of waste was found on kitchen waste (0.73 f 0.02) and fruit waste (0.72 f 0.009). The highest waste reduction rate was found on kitchen waste (73.66 f 2.70 %) and restaurant waste (62 f 0.94 %). Larvae reared on restaurant waste exhibited highest crude protein content (37 f 0.44 %DM), whereas highest crude fat was found on larva reared on butchery chicken waste (47.4 f 0.64 %DM). The study highlights how BSF can efficiently decrease waste quantities and transform nutrient-balanced urban organic wastes into high-value biomass. The most promising substrates for large-scale BSF rearing and circular bio economy applications in developing nations like Nepal were found to be kitchen and restaurant wastes.
Rice is a fundamental component of food security in Nepal, yet conventional seedling transplanted rice systems face mounting pressures from labor shortages, water scarcity, and environmental degradation. This study critically examines the prospects and constraints of both dry and wet direct seeded rice (DSR) as a sustainable alternative for Nepalese agriculture. Synthesizing current research, the analysis reveals that direct seeding significantly reduces water and labor inputs, shortens crop duration, improves soil health, and enhances profitability through lower production costs, while maintaining comparable yields under optimized management. Furthermore, it offers important environmental benefits by reducing methane emissions and conserving soil structure. However, successful adoption requires overcoming challenges such as severe weed infestation, increased vulnerability to pests and diseases, and potential yield loses, if management practices are inadequate. Key interventions, including the selection of vigorous cultivars, precise water and nutrient management, integrated weed control, seed priming, and mulching, are critical to maximizing the system's potential. Despite inherent challenges, the strategic implementation of direct-seeded rice could play a transformative role in enhancing national rice self-sufficiency, increasing resilience against aberrant climate change, and promoting resource-efficient farming. The study concludes that with supportive policies, farmer training, and adaptive research, direct-seeded rice presents a viable pathway toward more sustainable, profitable, and climate-resilient rice production in Nepal.
