The paper explains why we get many peaks during gas–liquid chromatography (GC) and attempts to rationalize the complicated GC spectra by identifying the major fragments of synthetic pyrethroids. In the present research, gas chromatography conditions in the electronic ionization (EI) mode were established that served as a benchmark in the development of a chemical ionization (CI) protocol for the selected ester and non-ester synthetic pyrethroids. CI technique is a lower energy process than EI. The lower energy yields less fragmentation, and usually a simpler spectrum with identifiable molecular ion. Common major peak in case of cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, and fenpropathrin was due to meta-phenoxybenzaldehyde moiety at m/z 208 (C14H10NO)+ ion. Etofenprox after protonation of ether oxygen loses one molecule of water producing m/z 359 instead of m/z 377 and it further fragmented to m/z 177 (C12 H17O)+ and 135 (C9H11O)+ ions. Above 70 % recoveries of all the pyrethroids at 0.1 and 1 μg ml−1 levels were achieved from environmental samples. Improving analytical sensitivity and selectivity is important for quantifying trace pyrethroids in matrices. In EI mode, selecting base ion for single ion monitoring or using a precursor ion for MS/MS analysis, the lower limits of quantification (less than 0.1 ppm) become possible for the analysis of synthetic pyrethroids in water.

Climate change is perhaps the most serious issue that affects food security of a very large number of human beings and animals. Impacts of climate change will be particularly significant in South Asia where most of food production comes from smallholder farms. Vulnerability in this region is twofold: production of important food crop varieties may be affected by developments such as rise in temperature; smallholder farmers have low economic resilience when large variations in crop outputs occur. Both adaptive and anticipatory measures based on research in agricultural sciences are being proposed. What is also important is to build the capacity of smallholder farmers to cope with the impact of climate change-induced phenomena. Key guides to large-scale actions such as the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change propose integrated action for capacity building involving both top-down and bottom-up inputs. In this paper, we provide an overview of accepted impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security in South Asia, and the proposed and ongoing agronomic adaptation strategies in India. Our focus is on capacity building at a micro-level which can augment adaptation efforts. We offer two case studies that provide pointers for integrating novel communication and capacity building processes for smallholder farmers that can considerably improve their ability to engage in action for adaptation.

GUS is a technique to predict the ability of a chemical to contaminate groundwater and was used for assessing leaching potential of pesticides in Indian soils. On the basis of estimated GUS values, atrazine, metalyxyl, imidcloprid are in the category of pesticides with the high to very high potential to contaminate groundwater. GUS proved to be a convenient tool to predict the leaching potential of pesticides in Indian soils and conform the results obtained from the field experiments.

The National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) was designed to investigate various innovative mechanisms as pilot studies through well drawn consortium architecture. Harnessing innovation can reduce costs, energy use and dudgery; enhance efficiency, and promote green agriculture.

The ICAR has truly shown the way for other leading institutions and universities to systematically engage in developing toolkit of policies, internal guidelines and manuals of operating procedures for each of the management aspects for the promotion of innovations and change management.

The production of neem oil coated urea (NOCU), a technology developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, has been grown to over 2.0 million tons per year. The estimation of neem oil content in NOCU is important due to its significance in ensuring agronomic efficiency. Therefore, this study was taken up to develop a simple method for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. The procedure involves extraction of neem oil from NOCU; saponification of extracted oil; oxidation of released glycerol to formaldehyde, and subsequent conversion of formaldehyde to a dihydrolutidine derivative. Its concentration was determined spectrophotometrically. The recoveries of neem oil from NOCU with oil load of 500 and 1000 ppm were 87.6 +/- 3.0% and 90.0 +/- 4.8% respectively with direct method; and improved to 92.6 +/- 4.0% and 96.7 +/- 3.8% after including the in situ purification. A simple method based on the Hantzsch reaction was developed for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. This method is superior to earlier methods in terms of sensitivity, simplicity, and time required.

The fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in lowland rice is quite low (20-50%) in India. Coating of nitrification inhibitors, such as neem cake or neem oil, onto prilled urea may improve NUE. Hence, a field experiment was conducted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, during the wet seasons of 2005 and 2006 to study the effect of prilled urea coated with varying doses of major neem oil components on grain yield and NUE of scented rice. Sixteen treatments comprised of combinations of five major neem oil components (free fatty acid, pure oil, meliacins, saturated and unsaturated fractions)-coated prilled urea with three doses (500, 1000 and 5000 mg kg(-1)). An additional treatment of prilled urea alone (untreated urea) was also taken. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Results suggest that the coating of prilled urea with meliacins proved the most effective in enhancing yield and NUE of rice as compared to uncoated prilled urea or coated with other neem oil components. Across all the neem oil components, a coating thickness of 500 mg kg(-1) onto prilled urea was sufficient to realize the higher yield and NUE of lowland irrigated rice.

Efficacy of thirteen essential oils and nine aroma compounds were tested against sheath blight ( Rhizoctonia solani) of rice on a susceptible variety Pusa Basmati-1 by spraying on the plants in pot culture. All the essential oils and aroma compounds were found effective against sheath blight. Among essential oils, winter green and eugenol (constituent of clove oil) showed maximum disease reduction of 82.3% and 70.7%, respectively by spraying on the plants. Considering the higher volatability of the essential oils, root dipping of seedlings prior to transplantation was done for eight essential oils, five aroma compounds and four plant extracts in the field. All the essential oils, aroma compounds and plant extracts tested, were found effective against sheath blight. Clove oil (essential oil),  -terpinyl acetate (aroma compound) and Piper betle (plant extract) showed maximum disease reduction of 43.7%, 41.3% and 44.4%, respectively. However, carbendazim 50 WP (check), showed highest disease reduction of 84.4%.

Elemental sulfur (S-0), man's oldest eco-friendly fungicide for curing fungal infections in plants and animals, is registered in India as a non-systemic and contact fungicide. However due to its high volume requirement, Indian agrochemical industry and farmers could not effectively use this product till date. We hypothesize that intelligent nanoscience applications might increase the visibility of nanosulfur in Indian agriculture as a potent and eco-safe fungicide. Sulfur nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized bottom-up via a liquid synthesis method with average particle size in the range of 50-80 nm and the shapes of the NPs were spherical. A comparative study of elemental and nano-sulfur produced has been tested against facultative fungal food pathogen, Aspergillus niger. Results showed that nanosulfur is more efficacious than its elemental form.

The nitrogen (N) fertilizer-use efficiency (20–50%) is low in rice fields in India. The neem-oil coated urea can increase N-use efficiency in lowland rice, but the desirable thickness of neem-oil coating onto urea is not known yet. Therefore, field experiments were conducted during kharif (rainy) season years 2004 and 2005 at the Research Farm of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to know the suitable thickness of neem-oil coating on prilled urea (PU) for increased N-use efficiency and yield. The treatments comprised of twelve combinations of four N sources (PU coated with neem-oil thickness of 0, 500, 1000 and 2000 mg kg−1 PU) and three N levels (50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1) plus a no-N control. Prilled urea (PU) refers to the common urea available commercially in prills, which is different from urea super granules. Application of urea coated with neem-oil thickness of 1000 mg kg−1 PU resulted in significantly higher growth, yield parameters, grain yield, N uptake, and efficiency of aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) over uncoated PU. Nitrogen application at 122 kg ha−1 was optimum for increased yield of rice. Nitrogen-use efficiency decreased significantly and substantially with each successive increase in levels of N from 50 to 150 kg ha−1.

An expeditious, solvent free one pot method for the preparation of hydrazides from corresponding acids directly under microwave irradiation is developed. The method has been assessed using green chemistry measures and found superior to conventional method with higher E(environmental) factor, atom economy atom efficiency, carbon efficiency, reaction mass efficiency

Fly ash composed of crystalline abrasive silica alumina etc is a major source of pollution in and around Kolaghat thermal power plant, West Bengal. In an attempt to find ecofriendly use of fly ash, 300 kg of fly ash was taken to size range of 20-100 nm by (a) sieving, filtration followed by sonication and (b) long time low speed ball milling. Resultant slurry containing polydisperse naked nanoparticle mix was characterized using DLS, SEM, EDAX, and TEM etc. We hypothesized that immobilization of nanoflyash on solid matrix, and as a support for slow release of fumigants/fungicides/bactericides would usher in a variety of usages as value added low cost tiles in bathrooms and similar public utilities in India. Accordingly, we report here the preparation of metal and clay tiles with nanocomposite and nanoflyash. These tiles were impregnated with a number of other nanoparticles of choice.

A fast, efficient synthesis of 5-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiols was successfully developed, assessed using green chemistry matrices, and compounds were screened for their in vitro nitrification inhibitory activity. The greener method was superior with higher energy efficiency, E(nvironmental) factor, atom economy, atom efficiency, carbon efficiency, and reaction mass efficiency.

Induction of male sterility by the deployment of chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) holds immense potential in heterosis breeding of wheat using “two-line’’ approach. Various derivatives of oxamic and oxanilic acids including their ethyl esters were prepared by synthesis and they along with their potassium salts were evaluated on wheat varieties HD 2285 and HD 2733. The field experiments were randomized with two test concentrations (1000 & 1500 ppm) with three replicates for both genotypes. The test chemicals were sprayed at premeiotic stage as oil in water emulsion or aqueous solution as the case might be. CH 9832 (800 ppm) was used as reference CHA. Ten spikes per replicate were bagged after spike emergence before anthesis. Five of them were dusted with pollens of HDR 77 after two days. Observations were made on pollen spikelet sterility using standard procedures. The numbers of seeds per spikelet and per spike were counted by picking five bagged and unbagged spikes each. The results of induction of spikelet sterility on two genotypes of wheat have shown that ethyl oxamates were superior to ethyl oxanilates. The potassium salts were superior to their acids, which in turn were better than their ethyl esters. Potassium salts of 4’-fluoro and 4’-bromo oxanilic acids gave the best results with mean per cent induction of sterility of 70.3 and 58.6. Structure activity relationship analysis revealed that heteroaromatic ring was no better than the aryl ring in imparting induction of male sterility.

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The agricultural research in India is supported by government under the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), which includes the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) institutes, the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), and various other government and higher education agencies. According to the Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) Policy brief published by National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy (NCAP) in 2008, India ranks fourth in terms of total investments in public agricultural R&D in the world following United States, Japan, and China.