The study examined wheat varieties under a Casuarina (Casuarinajunghuhniana Miq.)-based agrisilviculture system (CASs) with organic fertilizer at the Department of Forestry, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, during the rabi season of 2022-23. Casuarina trees (spaced at 5 & times; 3 m) showed growth increments of 0.4 m in height, 1.85 cm in girth and 0.2 m in crown spread during the study. Organic fertilizer treatments significantly enhanced soil organic carbon, available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)extractable micronutrients, including zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn), compared with the control (open field). However, lower soil moisture and reduced light availability (by 54.5-59.3 %) were observed under the agroforestry system. Air temperature was slightly lower and relative humidity was higher under the Casuarina canopy. Growth, physiological and yield parameters of wheat were generally superior in the sole crop compared to the agroforestry system, except for relative stress injury (RSI) (%), N balance index (NBI), chlorophyll index (CHI) and canopy temperature depression (CTD). Among the varieties tested, WH 1270 recorded the highest test weight, dry matter accumulation, grain yield (GY) and harvest index (HI) under Casuarina. WH 1142 showed the greatestyield reduction (35.31 %) under tree shade, indicating high shade sensitivity. Wheat responded best to T1 (150 kg ha-1 Recommended Dose of Nitrogen (RDN) via inorganic fertilizers), with higher NBI, CHI and yield parameters, highlighting its effectiveness even under CASs. The result indicates nutrient content was consistently higher under the agroforestry system than under sole cropping, reinforcing its relevance for developing climate-resilient production systems that enhance soil conservation, diversify income and lessen environmental pressures.

Eucalyptus tereticornis (Mysore gum) is extensively grown in various afforestation programmes especially in degraded and uncultivated land, raw materials of pulps and papers industry, timber, agroforestry, boundary plantation and pharmacological purposes. The present experiment was designed to assess seasonal effect on leaf essential oils (EOs) yield and chemical composition along with antioxidant potential in commercial Eucalyptus clones (C-288 and C-413) GC-MS technique was employed for oil composition extracted through hydro-distillation method in leaves collected during winter, summer and rainy seasons. As a result, 41 different compounds were identified which includes hydrocarbon monoterpenoids (12), oxygenated monoterpenoids (13), hydrocarbon sesquiterpenoids (6), oxygenated sesquiterpenoids (9) and nonterpenoids (1). Clone C-288 showed oil yield (v/w) between 0.75 and 1.75 %, while clone C-413 had 1.85-3.75 %, with higher yields in summer (April) and lower in winter (December). Chemical analysis highlighted distinct compounds, with C-288 containing eucalyptol (17.78 %), cis-sabinene hydrate (16.38 %), isolimonene (15.15 %), (-)-globulol (11.87 %) and 3-carene (11.09 %), while C-413 featured higher proportions of Isopulegol (53.53 %), isolimonene (17.01 %), 3-carene (13.72 %), and eucalyptol (8.6 %). Oxygenated monoterpenoid in summer and oxygenated sesquiterpenoid compounds in rainy season were higher. Antioxidant activity increased with concentrations of essential oil, with highest activity in summer (98.01 % at 40 mg/ml), followed by winter and rainy season.

Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures (cold, hot), heavy metal toxicity, flooding, pollutants, and nutrient imbalances are emerging as major threats to global agri-food and nutritional security, significantly constraining crop productivity and resilience. Nowadays, the situation has deteriorated owing to the accelerated and profound alterations in global climatic patterns. It is utmost need to understand and find out the various adaptive and alleviative practices to reduce the impact, in which plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have the ability to assuage the negative impact of the various stresses and enhanced seed spices productivity and profitability. The interface between PGPR and crops under various stresses are positive worldwide. PGPR play a significant role in enhancing nutrient availability in the soil–plant–microbe system. Additionally, PGPR help lower ethylene levels, increase the concentration of osmolytes, and defend crops from oxidative injure under a diversity of environmental multiple stresses. The application of PGPR to seed spice crops represents a promising strategy to enhance productivity and improve plant resilience under various stress conditions. This review highlights the role of PGPR in mitigating abiotic stresses in seed spice crops and underscores the need for future research to develop effective, long-lasting microbial formulations that support sustainable cultivation under multiple stress conditions.

This study was conducted in four districts (Anantapur, Kurnool, Nandyal and Sri Satya Sai) of Andhra Pradesh, India under the scarce rainfall zone (SRZ), where woody floral diversity plays a crucial role in storing carbon and supporting the ecosystem. We found that varying number of tree species in each district such as 34 in Anantapur, 53 in Kurnool, 56 in Nandyal and 50 in Sri Satya Sai district. The diversity of woody species was measured using the Shannon diversity index and Simpson's index. The results showed that Sri Satya Sai had the highest diversity (1.43), while Anantapur had the lowest (1.19). Simpson’s index ranged from 0.94 to 0.97, indicating variations in species composition. Nandyal district had the highest above-ground biomass (AGB) 430.16 Mg ha-1, below-ground biomass of 111.84 Mg ha-1, total biomass density of 542.10 Mg ha-1 and carbon density of 271.00 Mg ha-1. Effective conservation and management strategies are necessary to enhance carbon storage and protect biodiversity in semi-arid regions like Andhra Pradesh.

The field experiment was conducted in the Kharif season spanning 2022-23 to determine the most effective nutrient management practice via foliar application in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in a guava (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Lalit based agri-horti system. The studies were conducted at Agroforestry Research Farm, Banaras Hindu University campus in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments and three replications. The guava fruit orchard of size 7x7 m was established in 2007. The orchard had an average height of 5.85 m, canopy diameter of 5.60 m, stem girth of 0.97 cm and crown length of 4.93 m. Mungbean cv. Samrat, a short duration (60-65 days) and yellow mosaic virus resistant variety were used for the study. The plot size was 9 m2 (gross) and 4.80 m2 (net) with an inter-row spacing of 30 cm and an intra-row spacing of 10 cm. The seeds were sown at the rate of 15 kg ha-1. The plants were raised till 64 days and the treatments with different concentrations of recommended fertilizer foliar were given when most of the (80 %) pods turned brown. The results revealed that treatment T₁₀ in which recommended fertilizer dose (18:48:24 kg ha-1 N:P₂O₅: K₂O) along with foliar applications of Nano urea (4 mL L-1), 0.5 % ZnSO₄ and 0.2 % Boron at pre-flowering and pod development stages gave high yield. The plants subjected to this treatment showed significantly low mortality but increased plant height, branching, leaf production, yield and improved economic returns (gross return, net return and benefit-cost ratio). The second most effective treatment was T₉ in which recommended fertilizer dose was supplemented with 0.5 % ZnSO₄ and 0.2 % boron applied twice, at pre-flowering and pod development stages. Integrating optimized fertilization and foliar nutrient applications to enhance mungbean yield while maintaining sustainable practices in agri-horti systems.

The study was carried out in a six-year-old mahogany plantation that was established at Mala, Kerala, India during 2009 at a spacing of 2.5 x 2.5 meters. The trial was laid out in a split plot design during June 2014 with fertilizer levels as main plots and intercrops as sub plots in three replications and trial repeated for two consecutive years (2014-2016). The various N, P, K fertilizer combinations were viz. F 1 - 0:0:0; F 2 - 50:25:25; F 3 - 100:50:50 and F 4 - 150:75:75 kg ha -1 yr -1 N, P 2 O 5 and K 2 O. Tree growth in terms of height, diameter, basal area and volume showed significant increase with increase in fertilizer levels. The volume production was the highest under the highest fertilizer regimes (F4) (105.28 m 3 ha -1 ) which was almost 135 per cent higher as compare to unfertilized control plot (F1: 44.84 m 3 ha -1 ). This clearly indicated that nutrient supplementation at younger ages can bring substantial increase in tree productivity for mahogany. Yet another observation was the greater complementarity between the mahogany trees and the herbaceous intercrops. The positive influence of fertilizer on the tree growth was reflected on the intercrop yield as well. The yield reduction in mahogany intercropped plots was found compensated by tree fertilization. In brief, the study revealed the rationale for tree fertilization at younger stages of mahogany growth which may be desirable for the enhancing the productivity of the intercrops.

The goal of the study was to identify the key biological indicators of soil quality under multiyear of repeated organic manuring in either rice and residual effect in wheat (System I), wheat and residual effect in rice (System II) or both rice + wheat (System III) under subtropical climatic condition. The treatments were farmyard manure (FYM), Sesbania green manure (SGM), SGM with blue green algae (BGA), SGM+FYM, SGM+FYM+ BGA in rice; Leucaena green manure (LGLM), LGLM with Azotobacter (AZB), LGLM+FYM, LGLM+FYM+AZB in wheat. The soil samples were analyzed for soil biological properties such as basal respiration (BR), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial metabolic quotient (MMQ), potential mineralizable nitrogen (PMN); and soil enzymatic activities viz. dehydrogenase (DHA), fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolase, acid and alkaline phosphatases (AcPA and AlkPA), arylsulfatase (ArylSA) activities. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified key indicators viz. AcPA, MMQ, MBC (system I), FDA, and MMQ (system II); BR, DHA, MBC (system III). Fourteen years' application of organics in system III enhanced the PMN (26 %, 43 %), FDA (31 %, 17 %), AlkPA (8 %, 9 %), AcPA (7 %, 11 %), ArylSA (36 %, 11 %) and REY (9 %, 12 %) over the system I and II, respectively. The treatment (SGM/ LGLM+FYM+ BGA/AZB) in system III triggered the soil biological quality index (SBQI), and maximized the REY (rice equivalent yield). The study proved that the application of different combination of organic manures in rice, instead of wheat, may be recommended for improvement of both SBQI and productivity of rice-wheat system in semi-arid sub-tropical region of India. The identified biological indicators can be validated and used for indexing the SBQI for monitoring the time-to-time changes in soil biological health under the changing organic management system and this finding can be implemented in and around the Indo-Gangetic plain and in larger context to south and south-east Asia having similar soil type, environmental condition and cropping systems.

Global crop production is significantly reduced by rapid changes in the climate, either by natural or manmade activities. The frequent application of various fertilizers, has resulted in soil pollution, which is further exacerbated by water scarcity. The indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers has led to devastating consequences such as reduction of soil fertility, environmental contamination, increased insect resistance, destroyed biodiversity, and ultimately resulted in heavy economic losses. Another approach being investigated and explored is the use of biofertilizers, which is a better supplement to improve crop yields without harming the environment. However, a significant challenge lies in the fact that plants cannot utilize whole biofertilizer intact, as much of the portion remained unabsorbed or became part of the soil instead of reaching the targeted site. This problem can be solved by nanotechnology; nano-biofertilizers increase tolerance against abiotic stresses. They improve plant morphology, biochemistry and yield, as well as soil composition. Thus, in comparison to conventional chemical fertilizers, nano-biofertilizer produce eco-friendly, sustainable and longer-lasting outcomes. This paper discusses a review of biofertilizer formulations based on nanotechnology for sustainable agriculture development. The invention and application of nano-biofertilizer on various plant species is highlighted in this paper, along with how it improves the growth and development of plants.

The study aims to evaluate the chemical composition and anti-microbial activities of essential oils (EOs) extracted from fresh and shed dried leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis clone C-83 during three consecutive seasons winter, summer and rainy to determine the best harvesting time for obtaining the highest essential oil yield. The chemical composition was analyzed using a Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS) and major compounds in fresh leaves oil were Eucalyptol (54.88 %), Camphene (30.40 %), alpha-Eudesmol (22.44 %) and 3Carene (19.50 %). Dry leaf oil predominantly comprised Isopulegol (53.53 %), 3-Isopropenyl-6-methyl-1-cyclohexene (17.29 %) and Cis-Sabinene hydrate (13.55 %). Isoterpinolene held a substantial presence at 5.61 %, while Guaiol notably contributed at 2.49 %. 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-2,5-dihydrooxazole registered at 2.32 %, indicating its significant presence in the analyzed composition. Additionally, Bicyclogermacrene and Bicyclo [5.2.0]nonane, 2-methylene-4,8,8-trimethyl-4-vinyl-, exhibited noticeable percentages at 1.43 % and 1.32 %, respectively, underscoring their relative abundance within the sample. It revealed a concentration dependent rise in antioxidant effectiveness, with summer consistently exhibiting the highest radical scavenging potential of 93.58 % at 4 % concentration. Additionally, the oil showed antifungal properties against four plant-damaging fungi- Magnaporthe grisea, Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia bataticola and Fusarium oxysporum- signifying potent antifungal properties in eucalyptus oils. The radical scavenging activity with increasing concentration across all seasons, showcasing higher efficacy as the concentration of essential oil rises, with the summer season consistently displaying the highest antioxidant potential across all concentrations. The study enhances comprehension of EOs and offers a pharmacological analysis, potentially advancing its exploration as a functional drug in agricultural and cosmetic sectors.

Small-scale farming plays a crucial role in the global agricultural landscape, contributing significantly to food security, rural livelihoods, and ecological sustainability. However, the economic viability of small-scale farming is increasingly challenged by the forces of globalization, market volatility, and changing consumer preferences. This article explores the economic viability of small-scale farming in a globalized market, with a specific focus on the world, Asia, and India. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary and secondary data, including case studies, statistical reports, and policy documents, the article examines the key factors influencing the economic viability of small-scale farming, such as market access, agricultural policies, technological innovations, and sustainable practices. The findings reveal that while small-scale farming faces numerous challenges, it also presents opportunities for enhancing economic viability through targeted interventions, such as improving market linkages, promoting sustainable intensification, and leveraging traditional knowledge. The article concludes by proposing a framework for strengthening the economic viability of small-scale farming in a globalized market, emphasizing the need for inclusive policies, institutional support, and collaborative efforts among stakeholders.

Agroecology offers a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture by integrating ecological principles with socioeconomic considerations to improve the resilience and productivity of food systems. This review delves into the core principles of agroecology, including biodiversity, ecosystem services, social equity and explores various practices such as crop diversification, soil health management and integrated pest management. The environmental, economic and social impacts of these practices are examined to highlight their contributions to sustainable food systems. Case studies from different regions demonstrate the successful application of agroecological methods and their benefits for local communities. Additionally, the review discusses the importance of policy and institutional support in promoting agroecology, underscoring the need for enabling policies, educational initiatives and research efforts. Despite its many advantages, agroecology faces obstacles, such as limited awareness, resource constraints and policy hurdles. The review concludes with recommendations for overcoming these challenges and identifies future research opportunities to advance agroecology. By synthesizing current knowledge and outlining key areas for further study, this review provides a detailed understanding of agroecology’s potential to transform agricultural practices toward sustainability, offering valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners and researchers alike.

Precision agriculture (PA) represents a transformative approach to farming, employing advanced technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. This review article provides an in depth analysis of the latest innovations in PA techniques, their diverse applications, and future directions. Precision agriculture is revolutionizing the agricultural landscape by integrating sophisticated tools such as GPS, remote sensing, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics. These technologies enable farmers to monitor and manage variability in crop production meticulously, optimize the use of inputs, and enhance overall farm management practices. The key innovations in PA include the development and application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), which facilitate accurate mapping and variable rate technology (VRT) for site specific input management. Remote sensing technologies, encompassing both satellite imagery and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), provide critical insights into crop health, soil conditions, and weather patterns, allowing for proactive and informed decision making. The integration of IoT in agriculture involves deploying sensors and connected devices to monitor soil moisture, temperature, and other environmental parameters in real time. This integration supports precision irrigation, climate monitoring, and efficient resource utilization. Big data analytics further enhances PA by processing vast amounts of data to generate actionable insights, enabling predictive analytics and decision support systems (DSS) that aid in optimizing farming operations. The article explores the applications of these advanced techniques in crop management, resource use optimization, and environmental stewardship. Examples include variable rate application of fertilizers, precision irrigation systems, and automated machinery such as drones and robotic harvesters. These innovations lead to significant improvements in crop yields, resource efficiency, and sustainability. Moreover, the review addresses the challenges associated with the adoption and implementation of PA technologies. These challenges include data management complexities, high initial costs, limited accessibility, and the need for technical expertise. The article discusses potential solutions such as cloud computing, machine learning algorithms, government subsidies, collaborative models, and comprehensive training programs to mitigate these barriers, the review highlights the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and enhanced connectivity through 5G networks as pivotal developments that will further revolutionize precision agriculture. AI and machine learning will enhance predictive modeling and automated decision making, while blockchain will ensure transparency and traceability in supply chains. Enhanced connectivity will facilitate real time monitoring and collaborative platforms, driving efficiency and innovation in farming practices.

Agroforestry integrates woody perennials with arable crops, livestock, or fodder in the same piece of land, promoting the more efficient utilization of resources as compared to monocropping via the structural and functional diversification of components. This integration of trees provides various soil-related ecological services such as fertility enhancements and improvements in soil physical, biological, and chemical properties, along with food, wood, and fodder. By providing a particular habitat, refugia for epigenic organisms, microclimate heterogeneity, buffering action, soil moisture, and humidity, agroforestry can enhance biodiversity more than monocropping. Various studies confirmed the internal restoration potential of agroforestry. Agroforestry reduces runoff, intercepts rainfall, and binds soil particles together, helping in erosion control. This trade-off between various non-cash ecological services and crop production is not a serious constraint in the integration of trees on the farmland and also provides other important co-benefits for practitioners. Tree-based systems increase livelihoods, yields, and resilience in agriculture, thereby ensuring nutrition and food security. Agroforestry can be a cost-effective and climate-smart farming practice, which will help to cope with the climate-related extremities of dryland areas cultivated by smallholders through diversifying food, improving and protecting soil, and reducing wind erosion. This review highlighted the role of agroforestry in soil improvements, microclimate amelioration, and improvements in productivity through agroforestry, particularly in semi-arid and degraded areas under careful consideration of management practices.