Reproductive biology of Lasiurus sindicus: a vital perennial fodder grass for arid ecosystem.

Background: In the arid conditions of Thar desert, only the plants which are adapted to the extreme conditions can grow and reproduce. Rangelands are important fodder resources which are needed to be improved for their long-term productivity and sustainability through conservation and utilization of indigenous plant species (Lasiurus sindicus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Cenchrus setigerus, etc.).

A decade of conservation agriculture in intensive cereal systems: Transitioning to soil resilience and stable yield trends in a climate crisis.

Climate change jeopardizes the food security gains achieved in India since the Green Revolution, especially by impacting the productivity of the rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, a region that serves as the 'breadbasket' of South Asia. In this study, we characterized the potential of long-term conservation agriculture (CA) based management practices (i.e.

Isolation and Characterization of Biocontrol Microbes for Development of Effective Microbial Consortia for Managing Root Rot of Cluster Bean Under Hot Arid Climatic Conditions.

Development of native microbial consortia is crucial for the sustainable management of plant diseases in modern agriculture. This study aimed to evaluate the antagonistic potential of various microbial isolates against , a significant soil-borne pathogen. A total of 480 bacteria, 283 fungi, and 150 actinomycetes were isolated and screened using in vitro dual plate assays.

How does land use affect soil quality and biological fertility in the arid ecosystem of Kutch, India?

Arid regions cover a large part of the Earth's surface and are at risk of increased agricultural activity and expected shifts in climate. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of comprehensive knowledge about the impact of land use on soil quality in these soils. Using a state factor approach, we studied the effects of different land use types on soil physico-chemical and biological characteristics in the Bhuj region of Kutch, Gujarat (India).

Deciphering Phyllomicrobiome of Cauliflower Leaf: Revelation by Metagenomic and Microbiological Analysis of Tolerant and Susceptible Genotypes Against Black Rot Disease.

Understanding the phyllomicrobiome dynamics in cauliflower plants holds significant promise for enhancing crop resilience against black rot disease, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. In this study, the culturable microbiome and metagenomic profile of tolerant (BR-161) and susceptible (Pusa Sharad) cauliflower genotypes were investigated to elucidate microbial interactions associated with disease tolerance.

Beach nourishment for coastal aquifersimpacted by climate change and population growth using machine learning approaches.

Groundwater in coastal regions is threatened by saltwater intrusion (SWI). Beach nourishment is used in this study to manage SWI in the Biscayne aquifer, Florida, USA, using a 3D SEAWAT model nourishment considering the future sea level rise and freshwater over-pumping. The present study focused on the development and comparative evaluation of seven machine learning (ML) models, i.

Harnessing nature's defenders: unveiling the potential of microbial consortia for plant defense induction against Alternaria blight in cumin.

Present study was aimed to develop an efficient microbial consortium for combating Alternaria blight disease in cumin. The research involved isolating biocontrol agents against Alternaria burnsii, characterizing their biocontrol and growth promotion traits, and assessing compatibility. A pot experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2022-2023 to evaluate the bioefficacy of four biocontrol agents (1F, 16B, 31B, and 223B) individually and in consortium, focusing on disease severity, plant growth promotion, and defense responses in cumin challenged with A.

Moringa leaf meal exerts growth benefits in small ruminants through modulating the gastrointestinal microbiome.

This study investigated the impact of feeding 17% moringa leaf meal (MLM) on the ruminal and fecal microbial composition and body weight gain (BWG) performance of lambs (Ovis aries) and kids (Capra hircus). A total of n = 28 lambs (n = 14, no-moringa, n = 14, 17% moringa) and 24 kids (n = 12, no-moringa, n = 12, 17% moringa) were involved in the experiment and body weight was recorded fortnightly. Metagenomic shotgun sequencing was performed on 28, 22, and 26 ruminal solid, liquid fraction, and fecal samples from lambs, and 23, 22, and 23 samples from kids.

Deciphering desiccation tolerance in wild eggplant species: insights from chlorophyll fluorescence dynamics.

Background: Climate change exacerbates abiotic stresses, which are expected to intensify their impact on crop plants. Drought, the most prevalent abiotic stress, significantly affects agricultural production worldwide. Improving eggplant varieties to withstand abiotic stress is vital due to rising drought from climate change.

Formulations of synergistic microbial consortia for enhanced systemic resistance against Fusarium wilt in cumin.

The study aimed to understand the dynamic interplay between plants and their associated microbes to develop an efficient microbial consortium for managing Fusarium wilt of cumin. A total of 601 rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria and fungi were screened for antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.

Intricacies of plants' innate immune responses and their dynamic relationship with fungi: A review.

The role of the plant innate immune system in the defense and symbiosis processes becomes integral in a complex network of interactions between plants and fungi. An understanding of the molecular characterization of the plant innate immune system is crucial because it constitutes plants' self-defense shield against harmful fungi, while creating mutualistic relationships with beneficial fungi. Due to the plant-induced awareness and their complexity of interaction with fungi, sufficient assessment of the participation of the plant innate immune system in ecological balance, agriculture, and maintenance of an infinite ecosystem is mandatory.

Stability Analysis and Identification of Superior Hybrids in Pearl Millet [ (L.) R. Br.] Using the Multi Trait Stability Index.

Pearl millet stands as an important staple food and feed for arid and semi-arid regions of India and South Africa. It is also a quick supplier of important micronutrients like Fe and Zn via grain to combat micronutrient deficiencies among people in developing countries. India has notably spearheaded advancements in pearl millet production and productivity through the All India Coordinated Pearl Millet Improvement Project.

Habitat suitability of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) MILL. (CACTACEAE): a comparative temporal evaluation using diverse bio-climatic earth system models and ensemble machine learning approach.

A comprehensive evaluation of the habitat suitability across the India was conducted for the introduced species Opuntia ficus-indica. This assessment utilized a newly developed model called BioClimInd, takes into account five Earth System Models (ESMs). These ESMs consider two different emission scenarios known as Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), specifically RCP 4.

Prospecting the Potential of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms for Mitigating Drought Stress in Crop Plants.

Drought is a global phenomenon affecting plant growth and productivity, the severity of which has impacts around the whole world. A number of approaches, such as agronomic, conventional breeding, and genetic engineering, are followed to increase drought resilience; however, they are often time consuming and non-sustainable. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms are used worldwide to mitigate drought stress in crop plants.

High-value crops' embedded groundnut-based production systems vis-à-vis system-mode integrated nutrient management: long-term impacts on system productivity, system profitability, and soil bio-fertility indicators in semi-arid climate.

The current study identified two new climate-resilient groundnut-based cropping systems (GBCSs), ., groundnut-fenugreek cropping system (GFCS) and groundnut-marigold cropping system (GMCS), with appropriate system-mode bio-compost embedded nutrient management schedules (SBINMSs) for semi-arid South Asia. This 5-year field study revealed that the GMCS along with leaf compost (LC) + 50% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) in wet-season crop (groundnut) and 100% RDF (RDF) in winter-season crop (marigold) exhibited the highest system productivity (5.

Optimization of Low-Tech Protected Structure and Irrigation Regime for Cucumber Production under Hot Arid Regions of India.

Water scarcity and climate variability impede the realization of satisfactory vegetable yields in arid regions. It is imperative to delve into high-productivity and water-use-efficient protected cultivation systems for the sustained supply of vegetables in harsh arid climates. A strenuous effort was made to find suitable protected structures and levels of irrigation for greenhouse cucumber production in hot arid zones of India.

Assessing the efficacy of phyllospheric growth-promoting and antagonistic bacteria for management of black rot disease of cauliflower incited by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris.

The study aimed to assess the potential of phyllospheric bacterial strains isolated from cauliflower plants as biocontrol agents against black rot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, through both in vitro and in vivo evaluations. A total of 46 bacterial strains were isolated from healthy and infected cauliflower leaves of both resistant and susceptible plants, and evaluated them for various traits, including plant growth-promoting activities and in vitro antagonistic activity against Xanthomonas campestris pv.

Unveiling novel insights into haloarchaea (Halolamina pelagica CDK2) for alleviation of drought stress in wheat.

Plant growth promoting microorganisms have various implications for plant growth and drought stress alleviation; however, the roles of archaea have not been explored in detail. Herein, present study was aimed for elucidating potential of haloarchaea (Halolamina pelagica CDK2) on plant growth under drought stress. Results showed that haloarchaea inoculated wheat plants exhibited significant improvement in total chlorophyll (100%) and relative water content (30.

Stress-responsive gene regulation conferring salinity tolerance in wheat inoculated with ACC deaminase producing facultative methylotrophic actinobacterium.

Microbes enhance crop resilience to abiotic stresses, aiding agricultural sustainability amid rising global land salinity. While microbes have proven effective via seed priming, soil amendments, and foliar sprays in diverse crops, their mechanisms remain less explored. This study explores the utilization of ACC deaminase-producing sp.

Association of a novel begomovirus species with fenugreek yellow vein disease in India.

Background: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) is an annual medicinal and spice crop belonging to the family Fabaceae. The occurrence of a yellow vein disease was recorded in fenugreek in Jodhpur (India) in 2022.

Enhancing the Fruit Yield and Quality in Pomegranate: Insights into Drip Irrigation and Mulching Strategies.

Pomegranate ( L.) is a fruit tree that is globally distributed, especially in warm areas with low annual rainfall and limited water availability. This species exemplifies the critical role of water in agriculture and the need for efficient irrigation practices due to its characteristics, cultivation requirements, and geographic diffusion.

Effect of sludge amelioration on yield, accumulation and translocation of heavy metals in soybean grown in acid and alkaline soils.

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted with seven different levels of sludge (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 g kg) to assess the potential impact of sludge application on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) productivity, metal accumulation and translocation, and physico-chemical changes in acid and alkaline soils.

Drip irrigation and sulphur fertilization influenced fodder yield, quality and water use efficiency of groundnut in arid region.

Availability of ample and nutritious fodder for livestock is always a challenge in arid region. Choice of crops such as groundnut that can fulfil the requirement of fodder with its crop residues along with human needs can be a viable option to bridge the gap between availability and requirement of fodder. The fodder yield and quality largely depend on soil moisture and nutrient supply especially sulphur (S), a key nutrient for improving groundnut fodder quality.