Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, formerly Rajendra Agricultural University, is a public central agriculture university and is recognised as Institute of National Importance by government of India.
Soil degradation, driven by the depletion of soil organic carbon, erosion, and declining soil health, threatens the sustainability of flood-prone riverine (Diara) agro-ecosystems. Addressing these issues is crucial for sustaining soil and ensuring a resilient agri-food system amid rising climate and anthropogenic pressures. This study addresses these issues by evaluated the effects of tillage (zero tillage vs conventional tillage, similar to 20 cm tillage depth), irrigation (flood irrigation vs sprinkler irrigation), and micronutrient (B-boron and Mo-molybdenum) application methods on soil health, carbon dynamics, and erosion in a (Sesbania aculeata)-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)-Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) system over two-year cropping seasons (2019-2021). The experiment was conducted on calcareous alluvium soils (taxonomically classified as Typic Ustifluvents), where soil samples were collected from the 0-20 cm depth (composite of five cores per plot) to capture treatment effects. Results demonstrated that zero tillage (ZT) substantially improved overall soil health compared to conventional tillage (CT), as reflected in higher porosity (0.46 cc/cc), water holding capacity (50.84 %), and infiltration rate (1.72 cm/hr), along with 20-30 % increases in macro- and micronutrient availability and more than a 50 % rise in soil biological populations. Carbon (CO2)-sequestration was also higher under ZT (379.5 kg C/ha/year), whereas CT was associated with carbon depletion, soil erosion, and poor soil health. Sprinkler irrigation complemented ZT by improving water retention and reducing erosion losses (2.7 t/ha/year under ZT vs. 6.4 t/ha/year under CT with conventional irrigation). In addition, micronutrient application (Mo-seed treatment + B-basal) enhanced biological activity, rhizobium population (84.9 x 10(4) CFU/g) and earthworm populations, thereby enhancing nutrient cycling and soil functioning. Integrated practices of ZT, efficient irrigation, and micronutrient application improve soil health, CO2-sequestration, and erosion control in riverine agro-ecosystems. These methods enhance soil resilience and offer a scalable solution for flood-prone, ecologically vulnerable regions, supporting both local sustainability goals and global climate adaptation.
This study examines carbon (C) mineralization kinetics in response to long-term integrated plant nutrient system (IPNS) practices in a rice-wheat (R-W) system under varying hydrothermal regimes. The experiment evaluated different IPNS: organic farming (OF), integrated plant nutrient system (IPNS) with cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (IPNS+C)] and berseem [Trifolium alexandrinum L. (IPNS+B)], soil test crop response (STCR), and conventional NPK fertilizers. C-mineralization rates were measured at 20 degrees C and field capacity, and 35 degrees C and 2.5 cm submergence, across two soil depths (0-15 and 15-30 cm) over intervals of 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days. Results demonstrated that C-mineralization rates were highest under OF, with values reaching up to 267.26 mg CO2-C 100 g-1 soil at 90 days after incubation (DAI) at 20 degrees C and field capacity. The decay rates (Kc) were significantly influenced by temperature, moisture, and nutrient treatments, with the highest Kc observed at 35 degrees C under 2.5 cm submergence, particularly in OF treatments. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating organic and IPNS practices to enhance soil organic carbon levels and improve soil health, ultimately contributing to sustainable agricultural production and climate resilience.
Agriculture, a cornerstone of national prosperity, is evolving through innovative technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT). These advancements enhance farming productivity by enabling real-time monitoring, automation, and precise resource management. IoT applications in agriculture integrate sensors and connectivity to optimize processes such as soil analysis, crop health assessment, and irrigation management. Meanwhile, the emergence of 5G connectivity revolutionizes smart farming with ultralow latency, high-speed data transfer, and seamless communication among devices. These capabilities support the development of autonomous machinery, drones, and data-driven decision-making tools that streamline operations and improve yields. 5G technology enables rapid transmission of large datasets from IoT sensors, supporting applications such as machine learning for pest and disease detection, autonomous vehicle navigation, and environmental monitoring. Integration of 5G in precision farming facilitates intelligent resource allocation, minimizing waste while maximizing outputs. Challenges persist, including data security, interoperability, and infrastructure costs. However, the synergy between 5G and IoT holds transformative potential for sustainable agricultural practices. This paper explores the advancements in IoT and enabling 5G technologies within agriculture, focusing on their applications, benefits, and challenges. It highlights case studies and research insights, showcasing how these innovations contribute to more efficient, scalable, and sustainable farming. The findings underscore the critical role of digital technologies in addressing global food security and fostering resilience against climate change.
A comprehensive understanding of crop phenology and light dynamics, particularly the spatial variability of these interactions within the canopy, is critical for developing new strategies to enhance field-scale productivity. In pursuit of this, an innovative field experiment on winter maize was conducted during 2021–2023, aiming to elucidate the complex relationships among phenological development, canopy light balance components, and light use efficiency across diverse microenvironments. This study offers new insights into optimizing yield potential under real-world field conditions. Winter maize was sown on five dates at 10-day intervals, viz., 1st November, 10th November, 20th November, 30th November, and 10th December in two consecutive winter seasons (2021–22 and 2022–23) at Pusa (25.7°N, 87.5°E, 52 m), Bihar, situated in the middle Gangetic plains of India. The results revealed notable variations in the crop’s phenological responses across sowing dates. Delayed sowing extended the emergence phase but shortened the vegetative period, leading to an accelerated progression to reproductive stages. Moreover, key phenophases such as tasseling, silking, and milking occurred more rapidly in later sowings, likely due to variations in temperature and day length. Incident photosynthetically active radiation (PARin) over the canopy was significantly affected by sowing date. This caused differences in intercepted, transmitted, and absorbed PAR depending on the crop stage and canopy density. Among all sowing dates, the 20th November sowing recorded the highest levels of intercepted and absorbed PAR, attributed to the maximum leaf area index. The fraction of absorbed PAR (fAPAR) consistently remained lower than the fraction of intercepted PAR (fIPAR) throughout the phenological stages. Additionally, fIPAR and the light extinction coefficient (k) exhibited logarithmic and linear relationships with leaf area index, respectively. The highest light use efficiency (5.72 g MJ− 1) was achieved with the 20th November sowing, indicating effective utilization of the prevailing resource environment to maximize maize yield.
Rising prevalence of emerging contaminants (ECs) and priority heavy metals (PHMs) poses grave threats to the health of the environment and humankind, majorly resulting from human activity such as mining, disposal of industrial wastes, and use of chemicals. These pollutants drastically reduce soil biodiversity, fertility, and crop yield, rendering agricultural goods hazardous. Biochar has recently received attention as a sustainable bioremediation solution for ECs and PHMs through diverse physical, chemical, and biological processes. Biochar has demonstrated significant bioremediation efficiency for PAHs, antibiotics, microplastics, and pesticides varied from 50 to 95% and 60-90% for PHMs in a wide range of ecosystems. The interactive mechanisms of complexation, precipitation, ion exchange, surface sorption, and electrostatic interaction, hydrophobic interaction electron donor and acceptor interaction altogether enhance contaminant immobilization and biodegradation. Furthermore, biochar has been shown to aid in the breakdown of contaminants while lowering the transportation and accessibility of heavy metals. Besides remediation, biochar improves the rhizospheric environment by enhancing plant growth, nutrient uptake, and soil vitality. Its ability to remove both heavy metals and organic pollutants from wastewater and soil matrices, and its influence on their bioavailability and transport, show the dual nature of biochar in restoring environments. This manuscript attempts to provide in-depth insight into the challenges that ECs and PHMs pose, the role of biochar in their removal, and delicate soil-plant-biochar interactions. The work here discusses these interacting effects, thus giving insight into the potential of biochar in the immobilization of ECs and PHMs through many interspecific reactions, and also the soil-plant-biochar interactions and possibilities for successful remediation.
