Title: NG Agricultural Sciences Frequency: Quarterly ISSN (Online): 3107-5053 Chief Editor: Prof. (Dr.) Chintamani Panda Starting Year: 2025 Subject: Agriculture Language: English Publication Format: Online Publishing Model: Open Access Publisher: Next Gen Academic Services Abstracted/Indexed in DOAJ, ROAD, EZB, etc.
Influence of Foliar Application of Cow Urine and Jeevamrutha on Growth and Biomass Production of Wheat Under Natural Farming Conditions
Cow-based biological inputs play a pivotal role in natural farming systems, but little is known about the combined foliar effects of such inputs on wheat growth. We conducted a field experiment in the rabi season of 2020-2021 at Dharwad, India, in a split-plot design with three replications to evaluate the effect of cow urine (10, 25, 50 and 100%) and jeevamrutha (JA as per ZBNF recommendation, 25, 50 and 100%) on wheat growth and dry matter The growth traits and dry matter production were measured at 30 days after sowing (DAS), 60 DAS and harvest. Effects of the treatments were not significant at 30 DAS, but later on. Plant height, tiller number, leaf area, leaf area index, and dry matter production increased with increasing concentrations of cow urine and jeevamrutha. The interaction CU3JA4 (50% cow urine + 100% jeevamrutha) performed the best and was statistically on par with the recommended package of practices for many traits while lower concentrations continued to remain inferior. The study shows that foliar spray of cow urine and jeevamrutha can enhance important growth traits and yield of wheat considerably under natural farming systems. A combination and optimized concentration of both nutrients is a potential biological approach for enhancing crop growth and reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.
Copyright (c) 2026 Alok Kumar Behera, C. P. Chandrashekara https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Adoption of Improved Backyard Poultry Management Practices in Washim District of Maharashtra
The study was conducted in the Washim district of Maharashtra on adoption of management practices into backyard poultry keeping was done through exploratory research design. The sample of 100 respondents was chosen on a random basis, and the information gathered via personal interviews on the basis of a structured schedule. It was analyzed using statistical tools, like frequency, standard deviation and mean. The results showed that majority of the respondents (71) were between the ages of middle-aged (36-50 years), 31 percent had primary education, and 86 percent lived in nuclear families. Almost 47 percent possessed marginal land holdings and 61 percent possessed medium experience (5-15 years) on poultry rearing. It was found that approximately 51 percent of people had reared desi birds, and 75 percent had medium income of poultry. Most of them demonstrated the medium use of information (64%), economic motivation (54%), and knowledge (63%). The correlation analysis revealed that land-holding, type of poultry birds, and knowledge had positive and significantly significant relationship (0.01 level) with adoption. The level of significance was 0.05 in annual income and infrastructure. The relationship between age and information sources was however negative and not significant whereas all other variables were positively but non significantly associated. Significant limitations were incidence of disease (100%), predator attack (84%), scientific knowledge gap (63%), timing (55%) and insufficient veterinary care. The findings suggest that targeted interventions in infrastructure, knowledge dissemination, and veterinary and extension services are critical for improving adoption of scientific backyard poultry management practices in Washim district.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ghuge Gajanan Prataprao, Sabyasachi Patnaik, Soumya Ranjan Behera https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Systematic Review of Global Prospectives on Digital Agriculture and the Startup Ecosystem
Digital agriculture has shifted its focus on the limited scope of precision tools to the greater shift in agricultural production, advisory services, logistics, traceability, and governance. Meanwhile, entrepreneurial activities and start-ups have become significant anecdotes that can transform digital technologies into products, platforms, and services that provide a commercial business. Nevertheless, the existing body of literature connecting digital agriculture and start-up ecosystem is scattered across the body of technological literature, innovation studies, rural sociology, and agri-food management. This review paper is a synthesis of the recent peer-reviewed evidence on that intersection. With Scopus, the search query or query 1 was Digital agriculture AND Start-up and 76 records were obtained; query 2 was 2021-2026 and the document type was Journal article; query 3 was 23 studies were obtained and finally qualified as the final results. The qualitative thematic synthesis of included records was done based on titles, abstracts, and key-word fields followed by a PRISMA-based review design. The reviewed literature is summarized in five themes conceptual framings of digitalisation in agriculture; start-up-led innovation and entrepreneurial intermediation; digital technologies and precision systems; ecosystem support mechanisms and governance; and sustainability, adoption, and socio-economic consequences. Through all these themes, it is indicated that start-ups are the focus of experimentation, commercialization and reconfiguring value chains, yet their success is determined by institutional coordination, financial accessibility, platform governance, digital literacy, and alignment of technological solutions with the reality of farming. It is a rapidly growing field that is nonetheless still heterogeneous and uneven with a lack of comparative work and integration of agronomic, entrepreneurial, and policy views.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nibedita Mishra, Mr. Chinmaya Nanda, Sutej Raghavendra Kulkarni https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovative Soilless Cultivation Techniques and Nutrient Management in Modern Agriculture
Soilless cultivation techniques like hydroponics and aeroponics are revolutionizing the modern horticulture. These cultivation techniques enable efficient, sustainable and commercially reliable platforms with high water and nutrient-use efficiency compared to conventional soil-based farming. The major advantage of these systems is the precise management of water, nutrients, pH and EC, enhancing oxygen availability to the roots and improving crop quality and productivity. Emerging technological advancements like the integration of AI, automation and IoT have regulated fertigation and monitoring. Advancements such as automated vertical farming, plasma-activated water, biofortified, and microbial slow-release nutrient solutions offer yield enhancement with better quality food production. Recently, these soilless cultivation techniques have been adopted in urban areas, mountains, rooftops, arid regions, old shipping containers, and even in space missions to increase crop productivity and food security. Furthermore, these innovative techniques facilitate the study of root system architecture, nutrient response, and deficiency and toxicity concentration, which are essential for maintaining crop health. Despite challenges like initial high setup costs, the need for skilled labour, energy-intensive systems, and technical and mechanical complexities, soilless cultivation systems offer a space-efficient, climate-resilient, and reliable solution for food production. With the use of innovative recent technologies, soilless cultivation techniques can offer climate-smart solution for improving crop quality and yield.
Copyright (c) 2026 S. Kruthika, Milan Kumar Lal, Saswat Swarup Parida, Koushik Chakraborty https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Role of Social Media in Shaping Contemporary Research in Aquaculture and Agriculture: A Biblimetric Review
The intersection of social media and agriculture is making positive changes in the dynamic of agricultural practices, particularly in the increasing communication and collaboration between farmers, researchers and policymakers. This study goes deeper into how digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and robotics have been integrated with social media platform to foster innovation, precision farming and sustainability practices. The research methodology developed based on the bibliometric perspective to analyse scholarly publications from 2016 to 2025 to find out the key research trends, collaboration patterns and technological advancements in the field. With a data set of 3445 articles, the study employs various tools, like VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, to visualize the research output around the world, research theme trends and co-authorship networks. The findings show the growing importance of AI in agriculture, precision agriculture and sustainability in the field of research. However, there are still challenges in terms of providing equal access to information, especially in developing regions. The research has shown that social media plays a major role in enhancing decision-making processes and acceleration of technological adoption in agriculture. Furthermore, it underscores the increasing importance of cross-border partnerships and the need for international research collaboration to address new challenges in the field of agriculture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sai Kumar Periginji, Peddi Naga Harsha Vardhan, Vaishnavi Pulletikurthi, Sutej Raghabendra Kulkarni https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Agricultural Extension Approaches and Rural Youth Engagement in West Bengal: A Comprehensive Review
The ageing farm population and rising rural–urban migration threatens the sustainability of India’s agrarian economy. Rural youth are vital for rejuvenating agriculture, yet they increasingly perceive farming as a low-status occupation and seek alternative livelihoods. West Bengal, home to over 9 million rural youths, provides a unique laboratory for analysing how extension systems can engage young people in agriculture. This review synthesises literature published between 2005 and 2025 to examine the evolution of agricultural extension approaches in West Bengal, the role of extension in youth skill development and employment, digital extension innovations, agripreneurship promotion, and institutional and policy support for rural youth. A conceptual framework anchored in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), youth engagement theory, diffusion of innovations and human capital and sustainable livelihood frameworks guides the analysis. The findings reveal that West Bengal’s extension system has transitioned from top-down public advisory to pluralistic and market-oriented services, with Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) platforms, corporate and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) playing key roles. Programmes such as Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA), Skill Training for Rural Youth (STRY), Agri Clinic and Agri Business Centre (ACABC) and Diploma in Agricultural Extension Services for Input Dealers (DAESI) have fostered technical competence, employment and entrepreneurship. Digital tools—mobile phones, internet advisories and platforms like BigHaat and telecentres—enhanced knowledge access. Social enterprises and incubators such as ONganic Foods and Green College illustrate how social–ecological models can create livelihood opportunities and preserve ecological values. The review concludes with policy and research recommendations for strengthening youth centred extension by integrating inclusive digital platforms, tailoring training to differentiated youth typologies, supporting collective enterprises, and forging cross sectoral partnerships to build resilient and sustainable agricultural livelihoods.
Copyright (c) 2025 Swapnamay Ghosh, Atreyee Sarkar, Saumyadip Chakraborty, Krishnendu Mondal, Ainul Bari Malitha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Innovative Sensor Solutions for Soilless Cultivation of High-Value Vegetable Crops
Environmental and nutritional parameters are travelling towards innovation. Sensor-based soilless vegetable cultivation is revolutionising the entire industry by providing high-level control and monitoring over important environmental and nutritional factors. These sensors are critical in the optimal conditions of growth, increased yield of crops, and effective utilisation of resources in the hydroponic, aeroponic, and aquaponic systems. To provide the best environment to sustain a healthy growing condition, the sensors on the environment track the temperature, humidity, light and CO 2 level, whereas the nutrient and water management sensors regulate the optimum pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen level, and flow rate. Sensor-based substrate In soilless substrates, moisture and salinity sensors are used to avoid overwatering and salt accumulation. Real-time data is collected, and predictive adjustments and remote monitoring can be done with the help of an automated control system and IoT integration, which further adds to precision farming. Sensors such as multispectral imaging and infrared sensors are pest and disease detection sensors which give early signals before any problem occurs and hence quick solutions are possible then. Use of such sensors results in better yields, lesser wastage of resources and greater sustainability, which makes soilless farming an efficient and feasible agricultural practice in high valued vegetable crops. Enhanced sensor technology and AI integration will further ensure increased accuracy and efficiency, which is likely to keep modern agriculture resilient and sustainable.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gayatri Sinha, Seaverna Pradhan, Yasar Arafat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Institutional Dynamics of Agricultural Extension in Andhra Pradesh: A Secondary Data Analysis
Agricultural extension systems bridge the gap between research institutions and farming communities. Over the last two decades India has pursued a series of extension reforms to make extension services more demand driven, pluralistic and accountable. Andhra Pradesh (AP), one of the country’s major agricultural states, provides a useful case for analysing how extension institutions have evolved, how they are structured at multiple tiers of government, and how reforms have altered their performance. This paper draws on secondary data from government reports, official websites, academic publications and policy documents to examine the institutional dynamics of agricultural extension in AP between 2012 and 2025. The study uses the Agricultural Extension System (AES) framework, pluralistic extension theory, institutional theory and governance models to contextualise public and private actors, their interactions and the drivers of change. A literature review synthesises studies on institutional performance, public–private partnerships, extension reforms, and governance. Data from the AP Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) reports, the Outcome Budget 2023–24, ATMA guidelines 2025 and other sources are analysed using trend analysis, institutional mapping, comparative performance indicators and descriptive statistics. Results show that extension reforms have decentralised responsibilities through ATMA at district and block levels, but human resource gaps persist: only a fraction of sanctioned Block Technology Managers (BTMs) and Assistant Technology Managers (ATMs) are in position, and extension staff per farmer remains inadequate. Budget allocations to extension programmes are modest relative to overall agricultural spending, with the “Extension” scheme receiving ₹3.29 billion in 2023–24. District level activities such as training, demonstrations and exposure visits reach thousands of farmers, yet coverage remains uneven. Comparative performance indicators reveal medium levels of coordination among agencies (ATMA coordination index 0.6) and mixed perceptions of performance effectiveness.
Copyright (c) 2025 Akhila Badavath, Manam Srinadh, Porandla Praneeth, Navya Duggempudi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Determinants of Agricultural Commodity Price Fluctuations: Evidence from Time Series Data
Price instability in agricultural markets undermines farm incomes, threatens food security and creates macroeconomic uncertainty. This article investigates the drivers of monthly agricultural commodity price fluctuations from January 2000 to September 2024 using an extensive time series data set compiled from the International Monetary Fund’s primary commodity price database and complementary series. The study develops a conceptual framework linking prices to supply and demand fundamentals, expectations, macro financial conditions and institutional factors. A rich body of literature is reviewed to situate the work within recent debates on food price volatility. Empirically, the paper employs unit root and cointegration tests, vector error correction and vector autoregressive models, Granger causality, impulse response analysis, forecast error variance decomposition and an ARCH–GARCH volatility model. Results show that major food and input prices are non-stationary but cointegrated; shocks in oil and industrial inputs spill over to food and fertiliser indices; and a GARCH (1,1) model highlights persistent volatility clustering in food prices. Structural drivers—including growing population and income, biofuel demand, energy prices, climate shocks, low stocks, exchange rate swings and financial speculation—are discussed in light of empirical findings. Policy recommendations emphasise improving market transparency, strengthening grain reserves, investing in climate-resilient agriculture, enhancing risk management tools and fostering multilateral coordination to mitigate excessive volatility. The study contributes to the econometric evidence base on food price dynamics and offers actionable insights for governments, development agencies and market participants.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ansuman Satapathy, Prangya Mohanty, Sambit Mishra, Debabrata Swain https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Effects of Biochar and Compost on Soil Nutrient Dynamics and pH in Alfisols across Two Cropping Cycles at Ibadan, Nigeria
This study evaluated the residual effects of biochar and compost on soil nutrient dynamics and pH in an Alfisol over two tomato cropping cycles under screen house conditions at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Biochar and compost were produced from maize stover, cow dung and moringa leaves and applied at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg/ha in a completely randomized design with three replications. Soil samples collected after each cropping cycle were analyzed for pH, total nitrogen (N), available phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K). Biochar contained higher K (3.20 mg/kg) but slightly lower N and P than compost, which was richer in P (1.44 mg/kg), indicating contrasting short against long term nutrient availability. Across two cropping cycles, biochar-amended soils retained more N than the control, although N declined by 36–84.9% depending on rate, reflecting high N mobility. In contrast, biochar significantly increased soil P and K storage, with average increments of 112.98% and 405.9%, respectively, over one cropping cycle. Compost significantly enhanced N at 15 and 30 kg/ha (up to 12% increase) and sequestered P and K by 173.4% and 123.68% on average over two cycles. Both amendments increased soil pH from slightly acidic (~5.2) to near neutral–alkaline levels (7.6–7.8), demonstrating strong liming effects. Overall, biochar and compost proved complementary organic amendments for sustaining N, P and K availability and ameliorating soil acidity in Alfisols, supporting their use as climate-smart, low-input options for smallholder tomato production.
Copyright (c) 2026 G. O. Elumalero, E. A. Akinrinde, Odunayo Olamide AKINBILE, M. O. Apenah, A. A. Ogunbela, B. P. Akinde, V. A. Diekade, M. T. Folarin, C. C. Chibuogwu, R. A. Somoye https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Agriculture and the Utilisation of Information and Communication Technology: A Bibliometric Review
Food security, rural development, and sustainable agriculture are global issues that have been revolutionized by the application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture. To map the research trends, major contributors, and thematic pathways of ICT-based agricultural research, a thorough bibliometric analysis is conducted in this study. After data refinement, 234 papers were selected for analysis out of the 746 papers that were initially retrieved from the Scopus database. Using tools like VOSviewer, the method integrates science mapping techniques like co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence with performance analysis. According to the findings, there has been a significant increase in the number of publications since 2016, indicating a growing interest in precision technologies, smart farming, and digital agriculture worldwide. Prominent themes identified by keyword cluster analysis include information sharing, mobile advisory services, smallholder farming, rural development, and AI-based agricultural solutions. The global nature of ICT-agriculture research is reflected in the strong research contributions and collaborative networks that come from the US, China, India, as well as some European and African countries, according to country-by-country data. Principal sources of influential work in this field include highly cited publications like Computers and Electronics in Agriculture and Sustainability. The analysis also reflects interdisciplinary links between development policy, computer science, environmental studies, and agricultural sciences. It highlights the growing importance of technology in enhancing agricultural sustainability, efficiency, and productivity. The findings support continued policy efforts, digital infrastructure spending, and building ICT-using capacity for equitable and sustainable agricultural growth.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sai Kumar Periginji, Vaishnavi Pulletikurthi, Sutej Raghavendra Kulkarni, Samik Kumar Pradhan, Malireddy Sujohn https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Nutritional Status of Plant, Grain and Soil in Nutrient Management of Irrigated Wheat Under Natural Farming System
This study evaluated cow urine (CU), Jeevamrutha (JA), their combinations, and standard controls on nutrient uptake, grain protein, and post-harvest soil fertility in irrigated wheat. Among single inputs, 100% CU produced the highest N uptake and grain protein, followed by 50% and 25% CU; 100% JA improved N uptake and protein over the ZBNF schedule and 25% JA, while 50% JA performed on par with 100% JA. The combination CU 50% + JA 100% (CU3JA4) yielded the greatest grain, straw, and total plant N uptake and protein, and similar superiority extended to P, K, and micronutrient (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu) uptake. Post-harvest soil pH and organic carbon were largely unchanged across treatments, whereas electrical conductivity was higher under the recommended package of practices (RPP). Available N, P₂O₅, K₂O and DTPA-extractable micronutrients were greatest under CU3JA4, with organic farming occasionally exceeding RPP for soil micronutrients. Overall, organic liquid bio-inputs—particularly CU and JA used together—enhanced nutrient uptake and soil fertility; integrating them with conventional practices may balance rapid nutrient delivery with sustained soil health for more resilient wheat production.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alok Kumar Behera, C. P. Chandrashekara https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Student Attitudes and Constraints Towards Experiential Learning Programme in Agricultural Education
The study evaluated the attitudes of undergraduate students towards the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) at two colleges of Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during the 2019–2020 academic year. An exploratory research design was adopted, and data were collected from 120 final-year students using a structured questionnaire. Results revealed that 72.5% of respondents exhibited a favourable attitude towards ELP, with significant positive correlations observed for achievement motivation, participation in co-curricular activities, self-confidence, and skill acquisition. The main constraints identified were lack of sufficient laboratory facilities (62.5%) and limited exposure to industry and field visits (59.2%), along with inadequate technical guidance and low motivation due to limited employment opportunities. Students suggested giving preference to their interests while selecting enterprises, increasing practical exposure, and ensuring a fair distribution of tasks for effective programme implementation. The study highlights the importance of addressing infrastructural and motivational barriers to optimise the impact of ELP and promote skill development and employability among agriculture graduates.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ade Akash Gopichand, Sabyasachi Patnaik, Soumya Ranjan Behera https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Influence of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth and Yield of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb)
The experiment was carried out in Horticulture Research farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management during Rabi, 2022 and laid out in Randomised Block Design with 3 replicates and 12 treatments. Plant growth regulators were sprayed twice at 2-leaf and 4-leaf stage. GA3 @ 40 ppm + NAA @ 150 ppm has revealed to be best in terms of growth and yield attributes i.e., length of main creeper (3.48 m), number of sub creeper per plant (3.80), chlorophyll content at 30, 60 and 90 DAS (51.10, 45.44, and 16.77), lowest node number at which first male flower appeared (5.33) and female flower appeared (5.73), minimum number of days for the appearance of first male flower (36.80) and female flower (36.13) and the minimum number of days taken to fruit formation (40.80), number of fruits per plant (3.77), average fruit weight (4.11 kg), fruit yield per plant (6.44 kg).
Copyright (c) 2025 Shreshtha Das, Ganisetti Anitha, Eggadi Ramesh, I Venkatesh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Mini Review of Soil Carbon Sequestration (SCS): Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, Benefits
Soil carbon sequestration (SCS) is a key mechanism for climate change mitigation through reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere and enhancing soil fertility. This mini review explains the physical, chemical and biological processes that influence SCS and how they contribute to soil organic carbon stabilization. The key influencing factors consist of soil texture and structure, soil pH, land use and management practices such as cover cropping, conservation tillage and agroforestry. Climatic factors such as temperature and moisture, as well as microbial communities play a part in facilitating greater carbon storage in the soil. This SCS provides several advantages such as enhancing soil nutrients and physical properties, augmenting food production, increasing diversity and resilience of soil organisms and potentially provide an economic opportunity for farmers (with a carbon credit market) while alleviating global warming. In this review, we summarize the major drivers influencing SCS and the prospects for adopting sustainable practices to optimize SOC, along with its associated benefits for both ecology and agriculture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sri Likhitha Gudla, Isiaka Adebayo Azeez, Gabriel Oluwaseun Oyebode https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Basic Steps of Artificial Intelligence on Plant Nanotechnology: a Review
The combination of plant nanotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) can bring radical benefits in the form of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. This review provides an overview of recent developments in 13 thematic areas, namely, yield increase, soil health, nano-fertilizers and nano-pesticides, stress tolerance, precision irrigation, and plant disease control. Nanotechnology in plants allows optimizing the monitoring of abiotic and biotic parameters, optimizing resources and intervening to reduce environmental contamination. Biosensors developed by using plants, nanotechnology-enabled breeding technologies and the prospect of proteomics have great potential in enhancing resilience and yields. In addition to agriculture, AI-nanotechnology integration can aid the assessment of environmental risks, climate change forecast, nutrient flow, and food webs. The review also compares the Non-Artificial Intelligent Digital Nano-manufacturing (NAIDNM) with the Artificial Intelligent Digital Nano-manufacturing (AIDNM), presenting the challenges of both and possible solutions as well as future directions. The findings of the study in general emphasize the contribution of AI-aided plant nanotechnology in improving the productivity, resiliency and roadmap to future sustainability as it answers universal food security and ecological balance.
Copyright (c) 2025 A. El-Shabasy, Hana Abdulrahman Saleh Ali AL-Quhbi, Beluchukwu Joseph Nwankwo, Gauri Shankar Bhandari, Siva Sankar Sana, Rania S. Shehata https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Hive to Hope: Role of Beekeeping in Empowering Tribal Women
Beekeeping can provide a viable venture for social and economic advancement for tribal women of India. This investigation emphasizes the significant advantages of beekeeping and how it can change women's lives in tribal communities. Temple's ability to create financial returns and develop abilities at the same time as promoting social advancement follows directly from women's empowerment. The understanding of its effects proceeds from examining both the historical meaning of beekeeping and the economic realities of tribal societies. Through social empowerment people gain self-confidence while their communities become stronger but economic development produces profit streams and teaches essential entrepreneurial competencies. This review presents multiple solutions based on public institution support combined with NGO partnership and cooperative initiatives while identifying barriers such as marketplace competition and educational barriers and limited resources availability. Beginning a beekeeping business requires following specific processes starting with marketing plans and ending with training activities. The practice of beekeeping serves as a sustainable advancement method by improving both personal income and community growth over time.
Copyright (c) 2025 Deepayan Padhy, Ansuman Satapathy, Chinmaya Nanda https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Convergence in fisheries extension: bridging gaps for sustainable development
The Indian economy depends heavily on fisheries because their annual GDP contribution amounts to 1.07% while providing jobs to more than 28 million people. India functions as the third-greatest fish producer worldwide because its fisheries business provides fundamental sustenance for food security and nourishment. The fishing industry experiences severe challenges because of climate change and passive market demands, and decreased available resources. The review inspects fisheries extension services to determine how well they tackle industrial shortcomings while producing sustainable outcomes. Convergence achieves its goal through joint operations between various stakeholders to boost the effectiveness of extension services. An evaluation process determines the joint effects of these approaches through which technology spreads while professionals develop new skills and gain access to markets. This review concludes by suggesting interagency cooperation efforts for better convergence together with increased education possibilities alongside blockchain and AI and IoT platform implementation. These interventions function as the base to increase fish farming capability and maintain a sustainable fisheries industry.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chinmaya Nanda, Suman Dey, Parnika Saha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Evaluation of African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) cultivars for growth and yield under Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh
The study examined different Tagetes erecta L. cultivars at the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh for their crop performance evaluation. The study evaluated growth dynamics together with flowering patterns and yield prospects to find an appropriate plant variety for commercial production in this semi-arid farming area. The experimental design utilized a randomized block design (RBD) to evaluate Pusa Narangi Gainda Pusa Basanti Gainda along with local hybrids as different cultivars. Researchers collected data for plant height and branch numbers and days until 50% flowering and the size of blossoms and the produced flower quantity both per plant and per hectare. The researched cultivars showed major variations in every recorded metric. Tenis ball plus stood out as the best cultivar through its superior vegetative characteristics while Orange glory reached highest flower yield which establishes it as a successful variety for Rayalaseema cultivation. The research data proves that choosing appropriate cultivars will strongly impact marigold crop production within harsh climatic areas. The research establishes a useful framework which will assist floriculturists and farmers to boost marigold production levels in drylands.
Copyright (c) 2025 C. Venkatesh Bhumireddy, S. Usha, B. Shanmukha Raja, Sai Manoj Goddu https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Knowledge amplification among dairy and poultry farmers: assessing revolutionary impact of the JEEViKA project
The Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project (BRLP), also known as the JEEViKA project, was initiated in 2006 with financial support from the World Bank. Its primary objective is to enhance the socio-economic status of women residing in rural areas. The JEEViKA Project has established a novel platform to facilitate the progress of women. The present study carried out in the year 2021-22 which aims to assess and contrast the levels of knowledge between those who are beneficiaries of the JEEViKA project and those who are not. The research was conducted in the Begusarai district of Bihar. A sample of ten individuals classified as beneficiaries and ten as non-beneficiaries was selected from each of the six villages in the Teghra block, which exhibits the greatest concentration of JEEViKA beneficiaries. The poll included a total of 120 respondents, consisting of 60 beneficiaries and 60 non-beneficiaries. The data was collected through personnel interviews, employing a pre-structured interview schedule. Subsequently, a suitable statistical analysis was conducted to generate pertinent findings. Based on the findings of the present study, it was observed that those who were recipients of JEEViKA grants exhibited a higher level of knowledge in comparison to those who did not receive such benefits. A significant proportion of both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries had a moderate level of comprehension of dairy and poultry operations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Swati Suman, Akash Laxman Ambhure, Sanju Saha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Accessing Education in India: Challenges Faced by Rural Children
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 has proposed three educational objectives which incorporate access to, equity in, and quality of learning. But even after its freedom, the Indian education system is still struggling to provide quality education to a large extent in rural areas. Although the literacy rate has increased there is a significant gender disparity where women are being abandoned from studying as education will not bring any productivity for them. The increasing unemployment rate, lack of awareness among family members, early marriage of girl child, insufficient number of school teachers, and financial crisis are the major road blockers for the rural children from seeking quality education. The rural schools teaching mechanisms are not technology-aided, contributing to other challenges rural children face. The efforts taken by government entities or extension service providers to promote efficient learning have also failed to make a satisfactory impact. The study attempted to explore different hindrances prevailing in the rural educational system and to propose some better approaches to diminish those issues.
Copyright (c) 2025 Parnika Saha, Sutej R. Kulkarni, Sai Kumar Periginji https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Maximizing Banana Production through Effective Bunch Covering: A Review
India is the largest producer of bananas globally, as it produces almost 18% of the world's production, which is approximately 139 million metric tons. Even so, Indian banana exports are minimal due to several reasons. The outward looks and quality of bananas, both externally and internally, depending on their market value and internal properties, are influenced by several factors, such as practices in farming. The use of banana bunch covers provides physical protection that enhances appearance by maximally pigmentation of the skin and reduction of blemishes. The practice also affects the micro-environment for fruit growth, having several positive effects on internal quality. Bunch covers have also been observed to decrease the likelihood of diseases, insect infestation, mechanical damage, sunburn, cracking, agrochemical residues, and bird pecking. Although bunch covering is a time-consuming process, an evaluation of its cost-effectiveness is required for the promotion of its use on a worldwide scale. Few studies have analyzed the impact of banana bunch covers on different regions, and findings are not available in a systematic manner.
Copyright (c) 2025 Durgadatta Meher, Susan Subba, Debasmita Mondal, Swapnamay Ghosh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Impact of Different Irrigation and Plastic Mulch on Young Cashew Plants in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
Research was conducted at Guntur in Andhra Pradesh from 2022 to 2024 to assess different irrigation approaches alongside mulching techniques on cashew plant development, along with yield production. The experimental drip irrigation received periodic watering every two days while ring basin irrigation received watering on the fifth day. A randomized block design (RBD) included eight treatments, which had three replications for the experimental layout. The research included different irrigation values (100%, 80% and 60% of the estimated daily water needs) applied through drip irrigation or ring basin irrigation together with or without plastic mulch. Both irrigation methods and plastic mulch application had a significant impact on plant vegetative measures and yield production traits. The combination of plastic mulch and drip irrigation at 100% water volume used as treatment T2 achieved maximum height (4.02 m) along with girth (41.55 cm) and canopy (4.45 m), primary branches (3.60) and secondary branches (13.45) and yield (1.15 t ha-1) when compared to all other treatments. Plant growth and yield obtained maximum improvement when drip irrigation and plastic mulch were used simultaneously since the combined use represents a successful solution for sustainable cashew cultivation in comparable climate regions.
Copyright (c) 2025 J Nethra, Mulinti Yousuf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Genetic Divergence in Crop Plants: Driving Forces, Analytical Methods, and Breeding Implications
Genetic divergence, defined as the accumulation of genetic differences between populations, holds fundamental importance in plant breeding and is crucial for the development of new and improved crop varieties. The factors that promote genetic divergence between populations consist of natural selection along with genetic drift together with mutation and gene flow and controlled breeding techniques. The study of genetic divergence employs four distinct analytical approaches which include morphological traits together with cytological markers and biochemical markers and molecular markers as well as genomic data. Studies of finger millet and chickpea along with rice and soybean farming confirm that genetic divergence serves as a key tool for finding distinct genetic elements as well as important traits for conservation. The article surveys the estimation techniques alongside statistical programs which aid genetic divergence determination. Plant breeders can achieve better adapted crop varieties through population diversity conservation which leads to enhanced food security and sustainable agriculture. The detailed content overview gives important findings to both researchers and breeders who want to increase crop variety diversity and adaptiveness against environmental changes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dhanalakshmi, Shashidhara Narayana Naik https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Attitude and Knowledge of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Technology Among Paddy Growers in Ranchi, Jharkhand
An investigation on paddy growers' knowledge level and attitude towards Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology was conducted in Jharkhand, India. The research employed an ex-post-facto survey design, collecting data from 144 paddy growers using a structured interview schedule. The findings revealed that while the majority of respondents (67%) had good knowledge of nutrient management, significant knowledge gaps existed in areas such as disease and pest management (23.61% gap), water management (22.69% gap), and weed management (20.83% gap). Regarding AWD technology, respondents demonstrated the highest knowledge gap in the installation of panipipe (28.94%), followed by the implementation of AWD (28.70%) and its benefits (28.70%). The attitude of paddy growers towards AWD was generally positive, with 76% having a favourable attitude. 24% had a less favourable or unfavourable attitude, highlighting the need for continued efforts to change perceptions. The study identified several socio-economic variables, including education, landholding, average annual income, agricultural implement possession, social participation, cosmopoliteness, mass media exposure, extension participation, extension contact, and progressiveness, that significantly influenced both knowledge and attitude towards AWD technology.
Copyright (c) 2025 Alka Kumari, Amritesh Kumar Amar, Gyaneswari Beshra https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Growth and Survival of Shining Barb (Pethia conchonius) Spawn in Different Stocking Density
This study investigated the effects of different stocking densities on the growth and survival of shining barb spawn (Pethia conchonius) in a 27-liter glass aquarium over 45 days. Each of the three stocking densities consisting of 1, 3, and 5 larvae per liter received three replicated trials. The larvae were fed with a mixed diet of zooplankton and artificial feed. Stocking density of one larva per liter resulted in the highest mean body weight together with maximum length measurements and the highest survival rate. An optimal water quality parameters were maintained identically across all the treatment. The study proved that when each spawn is placed in one liter of solution, the shining barb spawn grows best due to optimal environment conditions essential for aquaculture production, specifically fish farming. Future research can further explore the long-term effects of stocking density on fish health and development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Chinmaya Nanda, Sambid Swain, Samik Kumar Pradhan, Ajay Kumar Prusty https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Analysis of Water Use Efficiency in Zucchini Cultivation under Protected and Open Field Irrigation
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) represents a highly polymorphic vegetable from the Cucurbitaceae family that thrives throughout the year in Indian agriculture under protection through both drip irrigation and plastic mulch systems and polyhouses and shadenet houses. The study examines Zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) irrigation water needs in four cultivation settings consisting of open fields and plastic mulch and polyhouse and shadenet house cultivation. This study employs the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation with data from 2021-2023 to determine water conservation levels brought about by protected cultivation systems. Plastic mulch cultivation of Zucchini needs only 68% of the irrigation volumes that Zucchini requires when grown in open fields. Water needs decrease up to 30% under polyhouse cultivation as compared to shadenet house cultivation. Protected cultivation methods demonstrate a remarkable ability to optimize water use efficiency, thus helping sustainable agriculture in water-scarce areas with challenging climatic conditions. Research should expand into the full economic and environmental assessment of these methods through studies of various vegetable cultivation and climate zones.
Copyright (c) 2025 Vadala Vinay Kumar, Naveen Enugula https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Genotype Assessment of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) for Sustainable Production in Southern Odisha
This study aimed to evaluate the performance of 13 genotypes of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under the agroclimatic conditions of Southern Odisha during the Rabi season of 2022-23. The experiment was conducted at the PG Instructional Research Farm, Bagusala, using a Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed significant variations among the genotypes in terms of growth, flowering, and yield parameters. The genotype Arka Abhir consistently demonstrated superior performance, achieving the highest plant height, number of primary branches, leaf area, fruit length, fruit girth, average fruit weight, and overall fruit yield. These findings suggest that Arka Abhir is well-suited for cultivation in Southern Odisha due to its adaptability to local conditions and high yield potential. The genotype Andhra Local also showed promising results, particularly in fruit yield. The study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate genotypes and adopting scientific cultivation practices to enhance productivity and ensure sustainable chilli production. Future research should focus on exploring the potential of other genotypes, improving cultivation techniques, and addressing challenges related to climate change and pest management.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sai Manoj Goddu, Archana Mishra, Chinmaya Jena, Ajay Kumar Prusty https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Participation of Farm Women in Extension Activities under ATMA in Nuapada District of Odisha
Assessing the role of farm women in agricultural extension is essential for enhancing rural development and food security. This research analysed 120 farm women from Women Interest Groups in the Nuapada District of Odisha during 2023-2024, employing a descriptive design involving structured interviews and focus group discussions to cover aspects like interest, motivation, decision-making, cohesiveness, and extension contact. The results indicated that while the majority showed moderate interest and motivation, they also exhibited low levels of decision-making capacity and cohesiveness, alongside limited extension participation, signaling a need for increased awareness and more engaging strategies. The study concludes that targeted interventions, such as awareness programs and capacity-building initiatives, are necessary to improve participation, which will be instrumental in advancing agricultural productivity and sustainable rural development.
Copyright (c) 2025 Lakhan Lal Meena, Madhumita Jena, Mayuri Sing Sardar, Uma Pradhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0