Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry

Toxic heavy metal ions (HMIs) released through industrial discharges continue to threaten environmental safety and human health, necessitating the development of cost-effective, sustainable, and efficient adsorbents. Within this framework, biomass-derived carbon dots (CDs) offer a promising green solution due to their facile synthesis, abundant surface functionalities, and excellent biocompatibility. However, most reported carbon dot-based adsorbents with either organic or inorganic supports, have been applied using synthetic wastewater. The studies on plant-derived CDs, their green synthesis approaches for removal of multiple HMIs from real industrial effluents is less explored. Thus, there is a dire need for low-cost, sustainable biomass derived CDs for real wastewater treatment applications. This study reports a green, sustainable, novel, and cost-effective approach for synthesizing Tinospora cordifolia-derived carbon dots (CDs@TC) via a simple combustion-microwave-assisted method and demonstrates their application in heavy metal removal from real industrial wastewater. These CDs were characterized by UV-vis, fluorescence, FT-IR, EDS, zeta potential, HR-TEM, XRD, and XPS analyses. These analyses confirmed the size of CDs@TC to be 4.09 nm and rich in oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups. Adsorption experiments using ICP-OES technique revealed efficient removal of multiple heavy metal ions (HMIs), including lead (Pb) (84.06%), iron (Fe) (47.99%), copper (Cu) (74.86%), arsenic (As) (97.39%), zinc (Zn) (61.77%), and chromium (Cr) (90.50%), under optimized conditions. The adsorption mechanism involved ion exchange, surface complexation, electrostatic attraction, and physical adsorption. However, recovery remains a limitation due to the absence of magnetic or polymeric supports. This work highlights the potential of plant-derived CDs as scalable, and eco-friendly adsorbent.

This study conducted in the Western Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh (2023-2024) examined the challenges and perceptions of farmers regarding millet cultivation, a crop valued for its climate resilience, low input use, and nutritional benefits. A multistage random sampling design was used to survey 160 millet growers. Garrett ranking and chi square analysis revealed monkey attacks as the most severe constraint (mean score 50.73; chi(2) = 6.15), followed by weed infestation (mean score 50.11; chi(2) = 10.45), which was the most statistically significant. Other challenges included pest pressure, limited extension access, and seedling losses from heavy rainfall, reflecting ecological and institutional vulnerabilities. Likert scale results showed strong recognition of millet's nutritional value (average score 1.73) and its adaptability and climate smart traits (1.95). Greater market demand was moderately perceived (2.11), while drought resilience (2.35) and cost effectiveness (2.46) showed mixed responses. Perceptions of chemical needs were divided (3.09), with 35 percent agreeing that inputs were required but 41 percent disagreeing. Pest attack scored 2.63, while all respondents strongly disagreed with disease infestation (5.00). This study provides the first empirical assessment of farmer - perceived biotic and abiotic constraints to millet cultivation in the Western Himalayas, integrating Garrett ranking, chi-square validation, and weighted Likert scaling, an approach rarely applied to millets in mountain agriculture. By prioritizing farmer identified stresses such as wildlife depredation, weed infestation, and pest attacks, the study contributes to crop protection and highlights ecological approaches for sustaining millet systems in fragile Himalayan environments.

Excessive reliance on soil-applied urea in peach cultivation raises concerns regarding low nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE), yield sustainability and environmental impacts. Therefore, the study was aimed to evaluate the extent to which foliar nano-urea application may substitute the soil-applied nitrogen and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in peach cv. ‘Early Grande’. A two-year field experiment was conducted in a factorial randomized block design with four soil-applied nitrogen levels (100

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is an important fruit crop that grows well in temperate and tropical climates. Fusarium wilt is one of the major soil borne diseases of strawberry plants resulting in significant yield losses. Due to the high residual effect of chemical fungicides and direct consumption of fruits, disease management through fungal and bacterial biocontrol agents paves the way for sustainable, eco-friendly and effective plant disease management. Therefore, the present work was undertaken to test different species of indigenously isolated and characterized Trichoderma spp. and plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae in vitro and in vivo. All the microbial antagonists tested were able to inhibit the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae. Therefore, the best bioagents were tested in vivo. In the present study, Trichoderma harzianum and the Bacillus subtilis + Pseudomonas chlororaphis consortium inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae. A combination of P. chlororaphis and T. harzianum was significantly superior at managing wilt in vivo, and it also enhanced the plant growth parameters. Therefore, based on these findings, it was concluded that a consortium of biocontrol agents was effective against wilt pathogen of strawberry and could be utilized for chemical-free sustainable farming.

Climate change brings considerable danger to India’s economic progress, with the agricultural sector and farmers’ livelihoods being particularly vulnerable. Himachal Pradesh is especially susceptible owing to its reliance on climate-sensitive economic activities and limited capacity to adapt to climate variability. Strengthening adaptation strategies in Himachal Pradesh is crucial for fortifying the resilience of communities reliant on environmental resources for their sustenance and economic well-being. This study examines the extent of adoption of Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAPs), identifies the factors influencing their uptake, and assesses their impact on the livelihood vulnerability of farm households in the temperate region of Himachal Pradesh. Using a multistage random sampling framework, data were collected from 432 farm households through primary surveys and secondary sources. The analysis employs descriptive statistics, a composite livelihood vulnerability index, and Ordinal Logistic and Multiple Linear Regression models. Results show higher adoption of low-cost practices such as composting, fruit-based agroforestry, crop–livestock integration, and mulching, while capital-intensive practices like micro-irrigation were limited due to financial constraints. Adoption is positively influenced by education, extension access, farming experience, financial resources, and climate information exposure. Importantly, CSAPs adoption is found to significantly reduce livelihood vulnerability, indicating enhanced resilience and reduced exposure to climate-induced risks among farm households. The findings highlight climate-smart agriculture as an effective adaptation strategy and underscore the need for policies that strengthen extension services, improve access to credit, and promote affordable climate-smart technologies to enhance resilience in vulnerable hill regions.