Indian Sugar Industry: Towards Self-reliance for Sustainability.

The South-Asian region including India is a major hub of sugar producing countries with ample presence in the global sugar scenario. India has a rich history of sugarcane and sugar production since time immemorial, and the industry has gradually evolved to find a place among the top sugar producing countries of the world. The innovative technological interventions for sugarcane improvement, production and management have helped the industry to progress towards a diversified and bio-based productive, sustainable and profitable one, thereby gradually becoming self-reliant.

Diversification Options in Sugarcane-Based Cropping Systems for Doubling Farmers' Income in Subtropical India.

Crop diversification provides an opportunity for farmers to maximize their profits, fulfilling multiple needs, avoid monsoon threats, and make the crop production system sustainable. Inclusion of various pulse/oilseed/vegetables/cereals/medicinal/aromatic crops with sugarcane brings forth cultivation of these crops in irrigated agro-system and improves the yields of component crops. Besides, the component crops improve soil fertility and create a favorable environment for the further growth of sugarcane crops.

Mechanistic insight on boron-mediated toxicity in plant its mitigation strategies: a review.

Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient, crucial for the growth and development of crop plants. However, the essential to a toxic range of B in the plant is exceptionally narrow, and symptoms develop with a slight change in its concentration in soil. The morphological and anatomical response, such as leaf chlorosis, stunted growth, and impairment in the xylem and phloem development occurs under B-toxicity.

Post-harvest biology and recent advances of storage technologies in sugarcane.

Sugarcane deteriorates at a quick rate, just like other perishable crops. The quick loss of sucrose content in sugarcane from the time it is harvested has a significant impact on sugar recovery. This problem of post-harvest sucrose losses in sugarcane is a serious concern in cane-producing countries, as it not only leads to low sugar recovery in mills, but also to poor sugar refining.

Nanofertilizers for agricultural and environmental sustainability.

Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers in the agricultural production systems to keep pace with the food and nutritional demand of the galloping population had an adverse impact on ecosystem services and environmental quality. Hence, an alternative mechanism is to be developed to enhance farm production and environmental sustainability. A nanohybrid construct like nanofertilizers (NFs) is an excellent alternative to overcome the negative impact of traditional chemical fertilizers.

Genome-wide identification and functional prediction of salt- stress related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in chickpea ( L.).

Unlabelled: LncRNAs (long noncoding RNAs) are 200 bp length crucial RNA molecules, lacking coding potential and having important roles in regulating gene expression, particularly in response to abiotic stresses. In this study, we identified salt stress-induced lncRNAs in chickpea roots and predicted their intricate regulatory roles. A total of 3452 novel lncRNAs were identified to be distributed across all 08 chickpea chromosomes.

Bioactive antifungal metabolites produced by Streptomyces amritsarensis V31 help to control diverse phytopathogenic fungi.

Actinomycetes due to their unique repertoire of antimicrobial secondary metabolites can be an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to agrochemicals to control plant pathogens. In the present study, antifungal activity of twenty different actinomycetes was evaluated via dual culture plate assay against six different phytopathogens, viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium oxysporum f.

Metal tolerance in plants: Molecular and physicochemical interface determines the "not so heavy effect" of heavy metals.

An increase in technological interventions and ruthless urbanization in the name of development has deteriorated our environment over time and caused the buildup of heavy metals (HMs) in the soil and water resources. These heavy metals are gaining increased access into our food chain through the plant and/or animal-based products, to adversely impact human health. The issue of how to restrict the entry of HMs or modulate their response in event of their ingress into the plant system is worrisome.

Sugar Beet Cultivation in India: Prospects for Bio-Ethanol Production and Value-Added Co-Products.

Sugar beet is an important crop in the advent of COVID 19 as it has a high potential for ethanol production in less growth span. The life cycle of this crop is of five to six months with a root yield of 60-80 t ha and sugar content of 15-17%. Sugar beet is known as a temperate crop of short duration grown in the month of September to October and harvested in April and May, but successful efforts have been made in establishing this crop for Indian agro-climatic conditions.

Raffinose accumulation and preferential allocation of carbon ( C) to developing leaves impart salinity tolerance in sugar beet.

Sugar beet is a salt-tolerant crop that can be explored for crop production in degraded saline soils. Seeds of multigerm genotypes LKC-2006 (susceptible) and LKC-HB (tolerant) were grown in 150 mM NaCl, from germination to 60 days after sowing, to decipher the mechanism of salinity tolerance at the vegetative stage. The biomass of the root and leaf were maintained in the tolerant genotype, LKC-HB, under saline conditions.

A highly contiguous reference genome assembly for pathotype 08 causing red rot disease in sugarcane.

Unlabelled: Among the biotic factors, which affect the productivity and quality of sugarcane, red rot disease caused by the fungal pathogen, is the most devastating that cause enormous loss to millers as well as cane growers. We present a highly contiguous genome assembly of pathotype 08 which is virulent to popular sugarcane varieties grown in more than 3 million hectares in sub-tropical India. By performing long read sequencing on PacBio RSII system, 56.

Phenotype study of multifoliolate leaf formation in L.

Background: The genus is characterized by typical trifoliolate leaves. Alterations in leaf formats from trifoliolate to multifoliolate, i.e.

Whole genome sequence insight of two plant growth-promoting bacteria (B. subtilis BS87 and B. megaterium BM89) isolated and characterized from sugarcane rhizosphere depicting better crop yield potentiality.

Since sugarcane is a ratoon crop, genome analysis of plant growth-promoting bacteria that exist in its soil rhizosphere, can provide opportunity to better understand their characteristics and use of such bacteria in turn, may especially improve perennial crop productivity. In the present study, genome of two bacterial strains, one each of B. megaterium (BM89) and B.

Spatial mapping of soil properties in Konkan region of India experiencing anthropogenic onslaught.

Soils of Indian Konkan region, part of ecologically sensitive Western Ghats have been subjected to anthropogenic activities of late. This has endangered the ecological security through conspicuous losses in topsoil quality. The rationale of the present study was to map the soil properties and create management zones for ensuring food and nutritional security.

Predication of Photosynthetic Leaf Gas Exchange of Sugarcane ( spp) Leaves in Response to Leaf Positions to Foliar Spray of Potassium Salt of Active Phosphorus under Limited Water Irrigation.

Sufficient water and fertilizer inputs in agriculture play a major role in crop growth, production, and quality. In this study, the response of sugarcane to limited water irrigation and foliar application of potassium salt of active phosphorus (PSAP) for photosynthetic responses were examined, and PSAP's role in limited water irrigation management was assessed. Sugarcane plants were subjected to limited irrigation (95-90 and 45-40% FC) after three months of germination, followed by a foliar spray (0, 2, 4, 6, and 10 M) of PSAP.

Microbiome analysis of rhizospheres of plant and winter-initiated ratoon crops of sugarcane grown in sub-tropical India: utility to improve ratoon crop productivity.

One plant and one to two ratoon crops are the predominant patterns of sugarcane cultivation in sub-tropical part of India. Despite high agricultural inputs, yield of ratoon crop gets dwindled in the subsequent years. The microbial community, particularly bacteria and fungi, in the rhizosphere and their interaction with the root system, in general influences plant productivity.

A rapid colorimetric LAMP assay for detection of Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA causing sheath blight of rice.

Rhizoctonia solani is one of the most devastating pathogens. R. solani AG-1 IA causes sheath blight in rice, maize, and other Gramineous plants.

Present Status and Future Management Strategies for Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus: A Major Constraint to the Global Sugarcane Production.

(SCYLV) is a distinct member of the genus of the family. SCYLV is the major limitation to sugarcane production worldwide and presently occurring in most of the sugarcane growing countries. SCYLV having high genetic diversity within the species and presently ten genotypes are known to occur based on the complete genome sequence information.

Soil quality parameters vis-a-vis growth and yield attributes of sugarcane as influenced by integration of microbial consortium with NPK fertilizers.

Intensive agriculture involving high crop intensity, unavailability of organics, and higher use of straight fertilizers causes imbalanced use and deficiencies of several other macro and micronutrients. Nutrients supply through the integration of microbial consortium containing Gluconacetobater diazotrophicus, Trichoderma harzianum, and Pseudomonas fluorescens can reduce the requirements on the one hand and can also increase the response of chemical fertilizers. Thus we had planned the present experiment with the objectives (i) to determine the effect of integrated application of microbial consortium (MC) and NPK fertilizer on soil quality parameters and crop growth and yield attributes and (ii) to assess the effect of integration on agronomic efficiency of N, P and K and find out the possibilities for reduction in applied doses of NPK, if any.

Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Sugar Industry.

The Indian sugar industry, a significant player in the national economy, has faced many challenges in the course of its journey. The threat posed by the growing pandemic novel corona virus (COVID-19), has been the most recent one and it is impacting sugar industry stakeholders and its integrated industries, not only in India, but all over the world. The entire value chain of the Indian sugar industry, viz.

Impact of chemical treatments on bacteria from harvested stored cane/stale cane.

Post-harvest sucrose losses are always a critical problem for sugar industries. A predominant factor which is causing these post-harvest losses that affects sugar recovery is the bacterium spp. This study aims to check the efficacy of certain chemical treatments in reducing the proliferation of this bacterium.

Morphological assessment of water stressed sugarcane: A comparison of waterlogged and drought affected crop.

Abiotic stress is recurrent occurring problem for sugarcane crop in terms of hindrance in achieving good and high production. In India, drought coverage is 2.97 lakh ha while 2.

Minimization of post-harvest sucrose losses in drought affected sugarcane using chemical formulation.

Sugarcane is a significant crop for production of sugar and ethanol in the world. In present perspective, drought is one of the frequently occurring abiotic stresses hampering the productivity of sugarcane causing heavy losses in sugar recovery. Post-harvest sugarcane deterioration attains more importance.

Transcriptome analysis of the effect of GA in sugarcane culm.

Our earlier studies have indicated that GA, being a growth hormone, increases internodal length, in turn increasing sink strength and improving sucrose accumulation in sugarcane. In this study, transcriptomic level analysis was carried out on internodal samples of a high sugar accumulating variety (CoLk 94184) of sugarcane, to determine the effect of exogenous application of GA functional analysis of differentially expressing transcripts. Overall, a total of 201,184 transcripts were identified, with median contig length of 450 bp and N50 length of 1029 bp.