Micronutrient deficiencies are posing a growing challenge for sustaining agricultural productivity. Boron (B) deficiency severely limits crop yields, particularly in humid regions with well-drained coarse-textured soils, and necessitating for effective management. The research offers novel ground by integrating multi-season yield response with B fraction dynamics under varied application rates and frequencies in an Inceptisol, addressing a gap in sustainable micronutrient scheduling. The study determines the optimal rate and frequency of B application for the maize-sunflower system and evaluates environmental hazard with B fertilization in a B-deficient Inceptisol. Six-year field experiment on a B-sensitive cropping system tested three B frequencies (alternate-year, annual, twice a year) at four rates (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg B ha-1) with a control. B fractions were analyzed through sequential fractionation, and mobility factor assessed environmental risk. Yield versus B fraction relationships worked out using Pearson's correlation. Critical and optimal B rates were estimated using yield-response models. Empirical findings demonstrated that continuous B application of 2 kg ha-1 significantly leveraged maize crop yield (6.61 t ha-1), while sunflower seed yield was highest (2.49 t ha-1) with the application of 1 kg B ha-1 twice a year. Across treatments, B fertilization affected all major soil B fractions, with RS-B ranged from 0.22-0.69 mg kg-1, SA-B from 0.31-1.32 mg kg-1, Org-B from 2.51-3.95 mg kg-1, and Ox-B from 1.19-3.85 mg kg-1, while the large and stable residual pool (50.17-51.85 mg kg-1) continued to dominate total B (54.4-61.7 mg kg-1). The economically optimal system productivity of 14.43 t ha-1 was obtained with twice a year application of 1.26 kg B ha-1. In soil, 0.662 mg kg-1 was figured out as the optimal available B concentration to attain the highest productivity. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive associations between yield and plant-available B fractions. Results showed that B application significantly enhanced maize grain yield, sunflower seed yield, and system maize equivalent yield (SMEY), along with soil B fractions, without any environmental risk. While higher B rates posed no environmental risk, they incurred unnecessary economic costs, highlighting the importance of frequent, moderate B applications to optimize yield and maintain soil B availability in B-deficient Inceptisol.

The widespread boron (B) deficiency in soils globally is a significant concern. It is imperative to figure out whether this deficiency is owing to the soil's inherent characteristics or has developed over time as a result of prolonged agricultural practices. Meta-analysis of available literature led to the hypothesis that shifts in land use exert a significant impact on B availability, with natural systems retaining higher B levels and cultivated lands potentially facing its deficiencies. With this anticipation, the present research offers a novel contrast in B dynamics under three predominant land use systems (viz., agriculture, horticulture, and natural systems) of acid soils. The land use practices considered under agriculture were cereal, legume and fodder cultivation; horticultural systems comprised orchards and vegetable cultivation, while forests and grasslands were studied under natural systems. Surface and sub-surface soil samples from seven land use practices were collected with three replicates of each from four locations from North-West Himalaya. The data generated was analyzed statistically in randomized complete block design. Across land uses, available B was higher in natural systems (range: 0.36-0.81 mg kg-1 in surface soils) compared to cultivated ones (range: 0.26-0.61 mg kg-1 in surface soils). Natural systems accounted for greater amounts of all B fractions, except oxide bound-B (Ox-B), compared to cultivated systems. Half of the tested samples from natural systems recorded readily soluble-B (RS-B) above 0.40 mg kg-1, specifically adsorbed-B (SA-B) above 0.96 mg kg-1, while the median values for organically bound (Org-B) and residual-B (Res-B) were 1.22 and 7.36 mg kg-1, respectively. The highest Ox-B was recorded in vegetable cultivated soils across all the locations. All the B fractions were highly correlated among each other (rho <= 0.01) and RS-B and SA-B were the best predictors of available B. The abundant available B and B pools in the soils of natural systems indicate that the soils were not inherently deficient in B instead, the deficiency is most likely a consequence of land use practices and the intensities of cultivation.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), a dominant vegetable crop of Himachal Pradesh, holds immense significance owing to its high nutritional value. However, the continuous application of primary nutrients, while neglecting secondary nutrients, causes yield reduction in crops. Therefore, optimum crop management practices demand the addition of secondary nutrients, especially Mg, which plays a significant role in enhancing okra growth and production. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of graded magnesium doses on okra productivity during kharif, 2024, with eleven treatments comprising one as GRD and the remaining treatments with varying MgSO4 rates from 0 to 90 kg ha-1 in conjunction with RDF and replicated thrice. Various growth parameters and fruit, straw and biological yield of okra were recorded after harvest. The results stated that 70 kg MgSO4 ha-1 across the varied doses of Mg showed the most favourable results by enhancing both growth parameters and yield of okra.

Chrysanthemums are popular worldwide due to their beautiful range of colors, shapes and flower sizes. Since they are in highdemand during the off seasons, the present investigation was carried out on the effect of covering materials on off-season flower production of chrysanthemums during2022-23. The covering materials used in the experiment included tarpaulin and three cultivars, each of standard and spray type. In the present investigation, the profitability of six chrysanthemum flower cultivars, i.e., White Star, Yellow Star, Purnima, Surf, Apricot Parasol and Wellspring White were assessed under two types of covering materials i.e. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and tarpaulin. The results showed that Yellow Star (2.08), with HDPE as a covering material performed best with respect to return on investment, followed by Surf (2.01). In contrast, the cultivar Wellspring White has the lowest benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 1.38. The cultivar White Star (1.92) and Apricot Parasol (1.65) have moderate BCRs. The results further showed that the cultivar Yellow Star has the highest BCR value among others when HDPE is used as a covering material. The study also presents the yield and profitability of these cultivars under tarpaulin covering. Yellow Star (2.65) has a maximum BCR, followed by white Star (2.26) which was almost twice that of Purnima (1.89).Surf and Apricot Parasol also have typical BCRs (1.17 and 1.09, respectively), while Wellspring White has a minimum BCR of 1.04. Finally, thestudy revealed that Yellow Star is the most beneficial variety in terms of yield and return under both HDPE and tarpaulin, followed by White Star and Purnima. These results provide valuable insights for both cut flower farms and investors, highlighting the significance of cultivar choice and covering material type when making investment or resource allocation decisions.

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) is one of the important and top ranked oilseed crops cultivated across the world. The major challenges limiting the soybean production in India are poor germination and low seed viability. Different micro-organisms, especially fungi, are major barricades and affecting seed quality. Fungal diseases of plants have been practiced to be managed by using synthetic fungicides. However, these chemicals are not only expensive, but also hazardous to the environment. To overcome these challenges, biological control is one of eco-friendly solution, that increasingly significantly minimize the disease incidence and eventually season crop losses Thus, the effect of different biocontrol agents viz. Trichoderma viride (TV-1), T. harzianum (TH-4), T. koningii (JMA- 11), T. harzianum (TH- 11), T. koningii (DMA- 8), Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus sp. were assessed on seed mycoflora and plant growth characteristics of soybean var. Shivalik under in vitro conditions. Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger and Colletotrichum truncatum were recorded more predominant pathogens in soybean seed. Among different bio control agents T. harzianum (TH-11) was found most effective against mycelial growth of A. niger, C. truncatum and A. alternata exhibited 46.16, 72.90 and 72.13 per cent mycelial inhibition, respectively. The seed treatment with T. harzianum (TH-11) also enhanced seed germination (85.00%), root length (10.45 cm), shoot length (3.07 cm) and seedling vigour index (1149). The findings of this investigation underscore the potential of biological control methods for managing seed-borne diseases, warranting further research and exploration.

Potential evapotranspiration (PET), which is crucial for irrigation planning, influences crop water requirements in part. Thus, patterns in PET were discovered over Hisar and Sirsa in Haryana (India) in the current study utilizing the non-parametric Mann-Kendall (MK) test. First, PET values were first estimated for different time periods using the Thornthwaite method, employing meteorological data spanning 35 years from 1985 to 2019. Over the annual, kharif, rabi, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon time frames, PET was shown to climb significantly at Hisar and Sirsa. After evaluating the underlying meteorological parameters responsible for the reported PET trends in the Hisar and Sirsa, it was found that wind speed had a dynamic effect on the observed PET fluctuations at the yearly time scale and during all seven seasons. The results of the study support the hypothesis that evapotranspiration increases over Sirsa and Hisar.

Soil acidity is a pervasive obstacle to global crop productivity, profoundly restricting availability of essential nutrients especially, phosphorus (P) and boron (B). Addressing their deficiencies along with liming is the key to secure sustainable harvests. The present study explores the impact of graded applications of P, B and liming under maize in the Typic Hapludalf soils of Palampur region of Kangra valley, H.P. This endeavour tested graded doses of P (P0: 0, P1:45 and P2: 60 kg P ha-1) and B (B0: 0, B1: 1 and B2: 2 kg B ha-1) with 2 liming rates (L0: no lime and L1: 3.6 t ha-1) in a randomized completely block design replicated thrice. The study assessed their impacts on nutrient acquisition, quality and monetary returns with the hypothesis that maximum doses would prove their superiority. Significant interactions (P × L, B × L, P × B) were evident only for plant height. Grain and stover yields increased notably with 60 kg P and 2 kg B ha⁻¹. Liming boosted yields by about 13.4 and 18.7%, respectively over controls. Likewise, total nutrient uptake (N, P, K and B), protein content and protein yield also enhanced under same treatments. Economic analysis identified T18 (P2B2L1) as the highest yielding with net returns of ₹49681 but was, second in economic viability (B:C, 0.87), behind T5 (P1B1L0) with highest ratio (0.94).

Crop water demands are determined in part by potential evapotranspiration (PET), which is essential to irrigation planning. Therefore, using the non-parametric Mann–Kendall (MK) test, trends in PET were found over Bawal and Karnal in Haryana (India) in the current study. Using weather data for 35 years from 1985 to 2019, PET values were first approximated using the Thornthwaite method for various time frames. At Bawal and Karnal, PET was observed to rise significantly over the yearly, kharif, rabi, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon time scales. Wind speed was shown to have a dynamic influence on the observed PET variations at the annual time scale and throughout all seven seasons in the Bawal and Karnal upon investigating the causal meteorological parameters accountable for the reported PET trends in these regions. The study's findings corroborate the theory that evapotranspiration rises over Bawal and Karnal.

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) plays a critical role in irrigation planning and is needed for the determination of water demands of crops. The PET trends may have a direct influence on the production of crops, and thus identifying trends in Reference Evapotranspiration (RET) under climate change is important for understanding the effect of changing RET on agriculture. The present study was carried out with the following objectives: (1) to compute the Potential Evapotranspiration (mm/day) in Ambala using Thornthwaite formula, (2) to compute the evapotranspiration at Ambala under arid climatic conditions and (2) to investigate trends in PET using the Mann–Kendall (MK) non-parametric test. In the present study, the non-parametric MK method was used for identifying trends in evapotranspiration and other climatic parameters. First, PET values were estimated through the Thornthwaite method for different time scales using meteorological data for 35 years from 1985 to 2019. PET was found to increase significantly at Ambala during annual, kharif, rabi, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon time scales. On probing the causal meteorological parameters responsible for the observed PET trends in the Ambala, it was witnessed that wind speed dynamically influenced the observed PET changes at the annual time scale and all the seven seasons over the Ambala. The study showed highly significant trend in PET observed in Kharif season and found an increasing @ 0.02 mm/day, while Rabi season had increasing trend at less significance. In meteorological season pre-monsoon and post-monsoon season had highly significant increasing trend @ 0.03 mm/day and 0.01 mm/day respectively, whereas monsoon season had a less significance increasing trend. Contrary to all seasons, winter had a non-significant decreasing trend. The results of this study support that the evapotranspiration increases over Ambala. The present study will be useful for estimating the principal crop water requirements accurately under changing climates in the arid region of the Ambala.

A field trial was carried out in the kharif of 2022 and 2023 at Hisar, Haryana to evaluate the impact of different tillage practices and weed management strategies on growth and the productivity of kharif maize (Zea mays L.). The study included three tillage treatments: conventional flat planting, ridge planting and sowing by pneumatic planter. It also tested nine weed control methods. The experiment followed a split-plot design with three replications, with tillage methods assigned to the main plots and weed management practices to the subplots. 'NMH 589' was the maize variety used. At 30 DAS, ridge planting showed the maximum plant height and LAI with both pneumatic planter and conventional flat planting methods. Among the weed management practices, the combination of pre-emergence followed by one hand weeding was most effective, resulting in the higher plant height and LAI at 30 DAS. Significantly maximum grain yield was recorded in ridge planting methods with pyraxosulfone 127.5 g ha-1 as PRE fb hand weeding at 30 DAS during both kharif season.

Precision agriculture ventures are data-intensive practices and hyperspectral imaging operates with substantial tools in terms of data acquisition, processing and interpretation. In recent years, with the advent of artificial intelligence modules and smart sensors has triggered a significant transformation within the domain. Sectors such as variable data analysis, spatio-temporal feature extraction, complex soil-crop monitoring, prediction modelling, machine learning-based model development and vegetation indices calculation have received major thrust globally. Scope for critical advancements within the hyperspectral imaging domain of precision agriculture still exists to realise it’s complete functionality potential. However, the field of study is devoid of a multifaceted compilation of the status and advancements of hyperspectral imaging in precision agriculture. Hence, this review aims to curate relevant literature and furnish a comprehensive overview of the recent innovation and progression in the discipline with a focus on integration of artificial intelligence driven technologies. A total of 212 scientific articles were subjected to review post screening. This review ratiocinates hyperspectral imaging as a substantial tool with high customization gradient for augmented applications in precision agriculture, highlights the time-relevant artificial intelligence interventions being executed and addresses the constraints involved.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the performance of the crop protection electric fencing system (CPEFS). Crops are vulnerable to many external and internal factors. Internal factors like pest, insects, crop diseases, soil nutrition deficiency and improper water management may completely destroy the crops. External factors like earthquake, wildfire, hurricane and storms, deforestation and animals attack on the crops may partially or completely destroy the crops. Some external factor like earthquake and hurricane and storm are not in farmer’s control but factor like crops protection from animal attack is in farmer’s control. Farmers have adopted various technological solutions for the protection of their fields from the animal attacks. One of such solutions is the electric fencing. This fencing system is cost effective and requires only low installation cost as compared to the traditional fencing, barbed wires, or wooden fences. The main subsystems of this electric fencing system are power supply subsystem, conductive subsystem, support and insulation subsystem, grounding subsystem and safety and protection subsystem. Each of these subsystems proper functioning is very important for the proper functioning of the whole system. The failure of the subsystem/subsystems may lead to the failure of the whole system. In this paper, authors have considered one field whose perimeter is secured with the electric fencing. The authors’ goal is to construct a continuous time Markov model, which is a specific instance of stochastic modelling. The various system performance parameters such as reliability and MTTF of the system have been determined. In order to find the critical components of the system sensitivity analysis of the reliability and MTTF is also performed. This research will be of great usage for others who are using the same system to identify the critical component/components of their system.

Understanding the patterns and drivers of species distribution has remained a central theme for biogeographical, conservation, and ecological research. This study aims to investigate the elevational patterns of plant species richness and compare the observed species richness with the predictions of the mid-domain effect (MDE) null model. By combining information from field observations and the published literature, we compiled a comprehensive database of the elevational distribution of plant species for three protected areas in the Western Himalayas. We used generalised linear model (GLM) and null model simulations to explore the elevational patterns of plant species richness. Our study revealed simple linear to complex non-linear patterns depending on the location and range of the elevational gradient. While non-linear unimodal patterns were common, a linear decreasing pattern was also observed. The observed species richness showed consistent deviations from the predictions of the mid-domain effect null model, suggesting that factors beyond the range constraints shape species richness patterns. These observations indicate that richness patterns are not solely generated by random processes, rather climatic gradients, ecological interactions, and topographic heterogeneity can shape these patterns. Understanding these factors can aid in predicting and managing the impacts of ongoing environmental changes on Himalayan biodiversity.

Justicia adhatoda, also known as Adulsa or Vasaka, is a notable member of the family Acanthaceae, with a broad geographic distribution across varied climatic conditions, and is known for its extensive medicinal properties for treating respiratory disorders, tuberculosis, malaria, and dysentery. It possesses several pharmacological activities, including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-cancerous ones. In addition to discussing its morphology, phytochemistry, and pharmacological aspects, the present review also focuses on its several unexplored facets, such as pollination mechanism, cytology, molecular and genetic aspects, conservation, and ecological attributes. The literature survey indicates that, despite its medicinal value, J. adhatoda is also a strong invader in various ecosystems, suppressing associated species and cause vegetation homogenization. It also provides several ecosystem services, including soil stabilization, ecological restoration, and phytoremediation by removing contaminants such as chromium and mercury from wastewater. Additionally, its leaves increase the nitrogen content in compost, promote the proliferation of earthworms, and help suppress plant diseases. This highlights its potential for sustainable land management and integrated disease control. The urgency of this research is underscored by the significant gap in the literature regarding the ecological interactions of J. adhatoda, particularly its allelopathic effects on other plant species. The findings underscore the need for sustainable utilization and conservation strategies, emphasizing the dual importance of J. adhatoda as a medicinal resource and an ecological disruptor.

Zinc (Zn) has been recognized as the most deficient micronutrient globally, and its deficiency hinders numerous metabolic processes in plants. Irrespective of the Zn fertilizer sources, availability is very low. To test the hypothesis that chelated Zn products applied as foliar feeding would enhance the potato productivity and its uptake in a Zn-deficient soil, a field experiment was conducted using three Zn sources (zinc sulfate [ZS], zinc metalosate [ZM], and zinc-EDTA [ZE]) with graded foliar applications and evaluated against the conventional Zn fertilization method (basal application of 25 kg ZS ha-1). Application of Zn at 0.10% through ZM registered the highest tuber (14.4 t ha-1) and haulm yields (5.14 t ha-1), followed by soil Zn application at 25 kg ha-1 with corresponding values of 14.0 and 5.00 t ha-1, respectively. The highest total Zn uptake was also registered in ZM at 0.10% Zn (265 g ha-1), while the least was reported in the Zn-devoid treatment (141 g ha-1), followed by ZE treatments. The partial factor productivity, agronomic efficiency, agro-physiological efficiency, and apparent recovery efficiency were highest with 0.025% Zn supplied through ZM, with corresponding values ranging from 2.79 to 52.81, 0.41 to 5.16, 10.54 to 25.83, and 1.95 to 20.93 kg g-1. The most productive treatment (Zn at 0.10% through ZM) was, however, not found economically viable, with the highest cost of cultivation of $1650 ha-1 and the lowest benefit-cost ratio (B:C) of 1.25. Soil application of Zn at 25 kg ha-1 was most profitable (1.53 B:C) and among foliar sources, ZS at 0.10% Zn stood out to be the most economical with a B:C of 1.48.

While assuming natural farming (NF) superior over conventional farming in improving physical, chemical and biological attributes, we hypothesized that the inclusion of farmyard manure (FYM) in addition to NF components would further enhance the soil quality and productivity. The objectives of the study were to assess the efficacy of NF in maize-blackgram intercropping, evaluating effect on soil quality of FYM-integrated NF, and to identify key soil quality indicators under rainfed agroecosystem. Over a 2 years span, the factorial experiment employed Jeevamrit concentrations (J1: 5% and J2: 10%), application intervals (I1: 15 days and I2: 30 days) and FYM levels (F1: 0 t FYM ha-1, F2: 5 t FYM ha-1 and F3: 10 t FYM ha-1) as factors, resulting in 12 combinations arranged in a randomized block design under maize intercropped blackgram. An additional recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) enabled an orthogonal contrast to compare effects of conventional farming and bio-farming. The results revealed that yield and soil attributes of maize, intercropped with blackgram, were significantly improved with FYM-augmented NF system. The combined application of 10 t FYM ha-1 and 10% Jeevamrit with 15 days application interval significantly improved the bulk density (1.43 Mg m-3), mean weight diameter of soil aggregates (1.12 mm), saturated hydraulic conductivity (8.13 cm h-1) and plant available water (14.2 cm m-1) over rest of the treatments. The study yielded no evidence supporting the efficacy of NF on its own, as it failed to demonstrate any considerable impact on soil physical, chemical and nutrient attributes from their initial status. However, NF treatments substantially enhanced the biological activity (microbial biomass carbon by 3.88% and dehydrogenase by 21.95%) over treatment receiving RDF. The conventional farming reduced the soil organic carbon content (5.58 g kg-1), along with lower levels of available nitrogen (286 kg ha-1), phosphorus (19.2 kg ha-1) and sulphur (18.4 mg kg-1) when compared to bio-farming. Application of 10% Jeevamrit at 15-day span +10 t FYM ha-1 increased the maize grain equivalent yield by 8.65% over conventional farming. Soil quality index measured 0.68 under conventional farming system, 0.73 under NF that further improved to 0.90 with 10 t FYM ha-1 addition. The study demonstrates the potential synergy between FYM and the NF approach, leading to improved soil quality and agricultural productivity.