eChapters

INTRODUCTION

Genetic engineering (GE) and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) provide powerful tools for sustainable development in agriculture, healthcare and many other industries. GMOs are those which were genetically engineered in a laboratory by incorporating a small foreign DNA fragment carrying a gene of interest into the native DNA of the organism. The foreign gene is attached with the necessary regulatory elements to help its expression in the new genetic environment. Genetically modified (GM) crops currently account for some 16 percent of the world’s land planted with soybean, maize, cotton and canola. The global demand for food is increasing because of the growing world population and decreasing arable land. At the same time food and agricultural systems have to respond to several changes such as increasing international competition, globalization and rising consumer demands for improved food quality, safety, health enhancement and convenience. Modern biotechnology involving the use of rDNA technology/genetic engineering has emerged as a powerful tool with many potential application for improving the quantity and quality of food supply. Foods derived from genetically modified crops, commonly referred to as genetically modified food and food ingredients have already become available worldwide with aim of enhancing productivity, decreasing the use of certain agricultural chemicals, modifying the inherent properties of crops, improving the nutritional value or even increasing shelf life. Results of DNA modification may not be limited only to the particular characteristics of the replaced gene. It is therefore important to ensure that when these organisms are released into nature they do not harm the environment or human health [EFSA, 2006]. Such concerns have led to broader interests in the theme of risk assessment in the release of GMOs. A cautious approach is necessary to assess environmental risks which may occur due to introduction of recombinant organisms in the natural environment [Johnson et al., 2007].

Introduction

The state of Maharashtra now again reels under the scarcity of water. Geologically, major part of the state is covered by Deccan basaltic flows. This basaltic terrain, as such, has been labelled notorious as far as the availability of groundwater is concerned. Uncertain availability of groundwater in the terrain is due to heterogeneity in the nature of piles of basaltic flows which adversely affects the geohydrological characters of the rocks.

The area understudy is unfortunately, a part of basaltic terrain in which no storage structures like major dams or medium projects have been constructed across the existing rivers. Consequently, the irrigation in the area and domestic needs of the people solely depend on whatever water is available in the existing dug wells. The wells do not suffice the need of the people because the percolation of water in the wells is not adequate in major part.

INTRODUCTION

One of the most dangerous ecological crises being faced by all living organism now-a-days is the pollution of the environment. It is easier to describe pollution rather than to define it. It is presumed that the environment in past was more or less pure. But due to various activities of man such as industrialization, urbanization, agricultural practices etc, composition of the environment gets changed which is called environmental pollution. Any substance that creates pollution is called ‘pollutant’. There are different types of pollution among which pollution caused by toxic level of heavy metal pollutants is called heavy metal pollution.

Heavy metal pollution is a problematic field of research and is gaining immense importance now-a-days. We have 104 elements in the periodic classification of which 80 are metals. According to Passow et al. (1961), heavy metals are those having densities more than five (5 g cc^-1) and atomic weight twenty three. The term ‘heavy metal’ is imprecise but is widely used although others such as ‘toxic metal’, ‘trace element’ are possible alternatives. Sources of these heavy metals are varying; some of these are encountered in water, air effluent, solid waste and sewage. They are emitted out from various sources e.g. waste water from electroplating industry (Cr, Ni), air emission from fluorescent lamps (Cd, Be), paint pigment waste (Pb, Cr), auto-exhaust emissions (Pb, Te) etc.

4.1 Introduction

There is no widely accepted methodology for evaluation of IPM programmes. It would be fair to say that commonly accepted methodology for evaluation of the IPM programmes is still under development. Three international workshops supported by the Global IPM Facility were held to discuss and review progress in the development of methodologies and guidelines for the evaluation of IPM, particularly of those programmes/projects using the FFS approach (van den Berg and Jiggins, 2007). The need to combine economic and social science approaches was identified by the participants as a major challenge (Waibel et al., 1999). The recommendations of these workshops are:

“Firstly, the methods of impact assessment and evaluation presented by experts from different fields revealed that despite for the many definitions’ about IPM, there was broad consensus that IPM is about avoiding pesticides dependence and about achieving a socially defined level of pesticide use even though there are many types of IPM intervention. They range from ordinary farmer training to sophisticated ‘Farmer Field School’ approaches. Effective communicated research results that challenge existing paradigms and case studies that draw the attention of politicians and civil society can be subsumed under IPM intervention.

Secondly, need for a document that outlines good practices for IPM evaluation is urgent, because of the diversity of IPM intervention that already exist and that can be further expected. Virtually all groups involved in crop protection, including the chemical companies, label their own concept of IPM as it is a free good that can be taken, reproduced and modified by anyone. Hence, IPM can only be measured by its results and no longer by its inputs.

Thirdly, the different groups who participated in the workshop advocated different approaches to evaluation. There were those who see cost-benefit analysis (CAB) as the major tool of evaluation and wanted to refine this tool by adding economic evaluation of environmental impacts and by applying contingent valuation methods and willingness to pay concepts. Others believe that evaluation should not be a checking procedure but should be designed in the spirit of a joint learning experience. Thus, there was a difference of opinion among the economists on the one hand and anthropologists’ and extension specialists on the other hand. But, lastly, it was concluded that there is a need to set standards which must be met if CBA is going to provide the information that facilitates decision-making.

Introduction

Technological advances of the past two decades have profoundly reshaped and enhanced all aspects of medical research and practice. Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications of medical informatics with the latest technique and approaches are essential for every one pursuing in the medical IT field. Improvements in healthcare delivery in recent years are rooted in the continued industry-wide investment in information technology and the expanding role of medical informatics. The main goal of this chapter is to collate and provide innovative and creative ideas so far published on healthcare in one article for use by the researchers, practitioners and other related with health care system for improving communication environments in health and to explore all new technologies in medical informatics and health care delivery systems.

Medical Informatics can be defined as a discipline concerned with all aspects of understanding and promoting the effective organization, analysis, management, and use of information in health care (American Medical Informatics Association, 2007). In recent years, medical informatics has become a well-recognized branch of medicine.

Introduction
Forecasting of future weather conditions are based upon the collection and analysis of meteorological observations. With the help of advanced computing system and satellite data, the accuracy of weather forecasting is improving day by day. Weather forecasts may be classified according to the space and time scale of the predicted phenomena. With advanced technology, the spatial resolution of accurate forecast is enhanced and India Meteorological Department (IMD) has started to issue the Block-level forecast. The meteorological phenomenon can be distinguished among three classes of phenomena with a scale that is larger than the turbulent microscale: the mesoscale, synoptic scale, and planetary scale (Geer et al., 2018). Considering the variability of agro-climatic condition of India, the micro-level weather based agro-advisory has great importance to enhance the farm income. IMD has initiated the Block-level Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research through establishment of District Agromet Units (DAMUs) at various Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK). Improvisation of the existing District-level Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) and starting of Block-level services are the basic objectives of DAMU. The District Agromet Units will act as nodal centre to prepare and disseminate the crop and locationspecific AAS to farmers at block level. Apart from this, the micro-level Agromet Advisory Service was implemented at NICRA (National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture) villages through a network project of Indian  Council of Agricultural Research (Banerjee et al, 2018; Chakraborty et al., 2018). As a part of the nation-wide program, the feasibility of village level agromet advisory has been assessed. Thus, the importance of micro-level  agromet advisory and advisory on extreme weather events are discussed in this chapter.

Over the past few decades, the fields of science and engineering have been seeking to develop new and improved types of energy technologies that havethe capability of improvinglifeall over the world. In order to make the next leap forward from the current generation of technology, scientists and engineers have been developing Energy Applications of Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, a new field in science, is any technology that contains components smaller than 100 nanometers. For scale, a single virus particle is about 100 nanometers in width.

An important subfield of nanotechnology related to energy is nanofabrication. Nanofabrication is the process of designing and creating devices on the nanoscale. Creating devices smaller than 100 nanometers opens many doors for the development of new ways to capture, store, and transfer energy. The inherent level of control that nanofabrication could give scientists and engineers would be critical in providing the capability of solving many of the problems that the world is facing today related to the current generation of energy technologies.

People in the fields of science and engineering have already begun developing ways of utilizing nanotechnology for the development of consumer products. Benefits already observed from the design of these products are an increased efficiency of lighting and heating, increased electrical storage capacity, and a decrease in the amount of pollution from the use of energy. Benefits such as these make the investment of capital in the research and development of nanotechnology a top priority.

SYNOPSIS

After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1992, the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) began making the transition from controlled to market economies. All of the countries have programs for economic and social development as well as food security. Over the last decade, the regional population increased 11%, from 72 million in 2002 to 79 million in 2012. Agricultural production has increased throughout the region. For example, vegetable production per decade has nearly doubled due to an increase in the area of the crops grown and to increased yields, and was more than 19 million t in 2011.

INTRODUCTION

Inspite of recent technological developments which have helped to increase agricultural production in many countries, growth of plants and animals continue to depend to a large extent on the weather conditions. Each plant has its own climatic requirements for growth and development and any large scale deviation from it exert negative influence.

Growth of plants is most sensitive to temperature just above a threshold value and near the maximum value, where growth normally stops. Therefore, periods of extreme temperature i. e. low temperatures below the threshold value and high temperatures above the maxima are hazardous to plant development and growth. Extreme temperature conditions during cold spells cause stress and frost; high temperatures lead to heat stress, and both affect agricultural production. Snow and ice storms in late spring or early autumn are very hazardous to many temperate crops.

Similarly extremes of moisture conditions namely dry desiccating winds, drought episodes and low moisture conditions as well as very humid atmospheric conditions including wet spells tend to affect agriculture. High soil moisture situations of water logging and flooding associated with heavy rainfall and tropical storms have adverse effect on plant growth and development since they influence the rate of transpiration, leaf area expansion and ultimately plant productivity. Drastic changes in rainfall variability can have very significant impact, particularly in climatically marginal zones such as arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas where incidence of widespread drought is frequent. Dry desiccating and strong winds reduce agricultural production as a result of very high evapotranspiration rates. It also causes mechanical damage to plant with weak stems by lodging such as the sugarcane and the banana.

1. Introduction

The Indian government’s New Education policy (NEP 2020) is apositive improvement in this covid-19 scourge. The main NEP for India happened in 1968, trailed by NEPs in 1986 and 2020 under Narendra Modi. India passed the NEP 2020 on July 29, 2020. It tries to reform education and make the countrymoretaught. K Kasturirangan, the previousheadofISRO, led- the NEP 2020 arrangement council. The decision Government of India vowed to modernise Indian schooling in it selection pronouncement (Saha Mushkan, 2020). Educationassumes a fundamental part in building a country; it chooses the nation’s future and its kin’s fate. The effect will be sturdy concerning the development and advancement of the stateandsubject. In this day and age, schooling is urgent. Pre-freedom and post-autonomy periods show the extension and progress Indian Government. It will alter the way India studies; this is the third correction to the instruction strategy. National education policy 2020 plans changes for all gatherings (Kalyani Pawan, 2020).

Abstract

During the past five decades, the role of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in augmenting foodgrain production has widely been recognized the world over. In Indian soils, N deficiency is recognized as a universal problem and its consumption has increased by more than 300 times during the last 60 years.

Introduction

Sheep and goats have a vital economic importance in India, inhabitant in semi-arid region and mostly rose under harsh environmental conditions (high ambient temperature, scarcity of feed and water). The arid and semi-arid regions of India are drought prone due to low and uneven rainfall.  The vegetation of arid and semi-arid tract is more acute during summer when the quality of the pastures becomes vulnerable which in turn decreases the body condition score of animals and reproductive efficiency is being compromised (Maurya et al. 2009a & 2010).  The small ruminants are widely distributed in comparison of other domesticated species. These species of livestock is also a source of employment for marginal and land-less farmers particularly in the arid and semi-arid region of India. Most of the Indian farmers have limited resources and small ruminants production offers an opportunity to alleviate financial conditions and improve living standards.

Rice is a staple food for millions of people in the world, particularly in developing countries like India. The demand for rice is growing with ever increasing population. In India more than 70 per cent of the ground and surface water is being used for Agriculture and out of this 70 per cent is allocated to rice cultivation. Each kg of rice produced with irrigation requires 3000- 5000 litres of water (Anonymous, 2011). The demand of rice in India is increasing with increase in population and is expected to be 140 m.t. by 2025 (Pandey et al., 2008).

Background and Technology Intervention

To increase the water use efficiency coupling piped network and micro irrigation, Department of Agricultural Engineering along with the Tamil Nadu Government introduced a project on “Water conveyance works of modernization of on-farm irrigation network in 5(R) and 7(R) sluices Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP)” covering a total area of 109.86 acres in both the sluices.

Significance of this project is to improve the water use efficiency in canal command areas where the farmers were unable to cultivate annual / long term crop due to alternate supply of water in each zone. PAP command area has 4 zones and each zone receives water once in 135 days in a 2 year span through open channel leading farmers to adopt flood irrigation.

Introduction

One of the triumphs of modern agriculture is the increase achieved in the productiveness of land, measured by yield of crops per hectare or per acre. This has enabled the earth to support a much greater population than would have been possible in past centuries. The increased productivity of the land is a result of scientific and technological progress in plant breeding, in control of pests and weeds, in irrigation and in fertilizers to supplement natural reserves of plant foods. But this progress makes it more difficult to fulfill one specific requirement of many crops: pollination. Pollination of flowers is an essential step in the sexual reproduction of angiosperms. Most angiosperm species rely on insects or other animals, rather than wind, for transfer of pollen among individual plants. The pollinators in turn benefit by obtaining floral resources such as nectar or pollen. Pollination is not only mutually beneficial to the interacting plants and animals, but also serves humanity directly through the yield of many crops, and indirectly by contributing to the healthy functioning of unmanaged terrestrial ecosystems (Costanza et al.,1997; Nabhan and Buchmann, 1997; Klein et al., 2007; Abrol, 2007 and 2008).

Introduction

The integrated nature and high diversity of the soil health system may contribute a significant degree of resilience under conditions of disturbance, particularly at lower (largely microbial) trophic levels. Nonetheless, the conversion of natural vegetation to agricultural land results in major changes in both physical organization and community structure in the soil, including species loss and changes in dominance among the surviving biota. This then becomes the resource with which agriculture must work and any targets should realistically be set in relation to the potential equilibria in agricultural systems rather than the natural systems from which they are derived, as has sometimes been advocated. More importantly, it is clear that subsequent agricultural practices may also impair soil health through significant impacts on the composition and structure of the soil biological community and consequently on soil-based ecosystem functions and services. Damage to ecosystem functions can arise both owing to an inadequate supply of resources (carbon, energy, nutrients or water) and through the impact of intensive substitutive practices such as continuous mechanical tillage, the use of pesticides and excessive amounts of fertilizers. These interventions may also impact on soil functions by destroying or changing the habitat of the soil organisms and their capacity to repair it.

Introduction

With the introduction of chemical pesticides in India during 1947 when 250 tonnes of DDT was imported for Malaria eradication programme, there is a steady increase in consumption and at present about 25 per cent of the cropped area is covered by pesticides. Their use has helped in increasing the productivity over the years. The consumption pattern of different groups of insecticides has indicated the same trend. The Indian pesticide industry with 85,000 MT of production in is ranked second in Asia (behind China) and twelfth globally. The Indian pesticides industry is dominated by insecticides where herbicides and fungicides are the key segments globally. Among the pesticides, insecticides account for 57 per cent, fungicide 28.7 per cent and herbicides 14.0 per cent during the year ending 1997-98. Owing to the ban of highly persistent organochlorine pesticides, there is decrease in the trend. Among the different crops, cotton consumes 44.5 per cent of the pesticide worth of Rs.2462.13 millions, even though it occupies only 5 per cent of the cropped area. Cotton is followed by rice (22.00% of pesticides) and other crops.

Apart from insects, pests and diseases, physiological disorders are one of the major threats to fruit industry which cause financial losses global. Over-all, the problems rise due to unfavorable environmental conditions and improper cultural practices which affect the normal plant growth and development is called as physiological disorders of plant. Ladaniya (2008) stated that the physiological disorder is that it is a function of physiological processes fruit tissue abnormality or failure due to abiotic stress, such as temperature, relative humidity, water stress, chemicals/ nutritional excess and deficiency.

Introduction
Globally, the agricultural sector plays an important role in poverty reduction, food security and promotion of nutritious food (Jones & Ejeta, 2016). Although agricultural crop production is essential, there are challenges associated with plants due to pests and diseases infestation in the value chain of crop production. Plant health problems can be resolved through appropriate diagnosis and identification of plant pests affecting agricultural (Ausher et al., 1996). However, Oerke (2006) reported that 40 per cent of crop yield losses are caused by plant pests and diseases of economic importance. The majority of smallholder farmers are faced with risks associated with pests and diseases in plant production. To address challenges faced by smallholder farmers, plant health clinics are important for plant pests and disease diagnosis. The plant health clinics can be defined as a system in which farmers obtain advisory services on the plant pest problem affecting agricultural crops and provide management control strategy for pest management (Alokit et al., 2014). There are many plant health clinics initiatives within the Indian region that provides plant pests and diseases advisory services to all categories of the farmers (Boa et al., 2016). Many plant clinics in developing countries which are run by international research institutions are more efficient and effective as compared to those not run by the research institutions. This review seeks to investigate and assess the state of global plant clinics with the aim of obtaining the efficient and effective plant health clinic model for South Africa. The knowledge, awareness, availability and accessibility of basic plant healthcare to smallholder farmers for plant pests and diseases diagnosis to ensure early detection, pest management and pest reporting remain a challenge. Furthermore, there is limited literature and research on plant health clinics’ establishment and its importance to smallholder farmers in the Indian developing country.
Background of the Plant Health Clinics
To date, there are about 34 countries operating plant health clinics globally and it is estimated that there are 4,500 plant clinics across the globe Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI), 2020; Tambo et al., 2020). These include plant clinics in Africa, South America and Asia respectively (Boa, 2009; CABI 2020). The first plant health clinics were established in 2003 in Bolivia (Bentley et al., 2009; Boa, 2009). In Africa alone, plant clinics were established with the help of CABI to assist smallholders and household to respond effectively and efficiently towards plant pests and diseases. According to Boa et al. (2016), there are two types of plant health clinics in terms of service provisions, namely (1) Fixed structure with appropriate laboratory equipment

Farmer Field School (FFS) is a capacity building method based on adult education principles for group of farmers. FFS is best described as a ‘school without walls’, where farmers learn through observation and experimentation in their own fields. FFS methodology is potential extension approach to enhance farmer’s knowledge which is a basis for adoption of improved practices (Manoj and Vijayaragavan, 2014). In Andhra Pradesh Department of Agriculture initiated FFS programme in the name of Polambadi during 2006.

Introduction

In India, the marginal, small and semi-medium land holding constitutes more than 90% of the land holdings in the country. They are caught in a vicious cycle of low investment, low productivity and low income with little chance to get out of it. In general, majority of farm families possess limited and scattered land holding with a low productivity and they have very limited accessibility to the improved agricultural information because of their illiteracy and lack of participation in extension programmes. The development of entrepreneurship in subsidiary activity like vermicompost production and Dairying will definitely help the small and marginal farmwomen to increase the farm income. The entrepreneurship among farmwomen in vermi composting and dairying will definitely encourage them to start self employment in addition to the agricultural income. Farmwomen perform -multifaceted role in various fields such as production, processing and marketing. In spite of their significant contribution to production they have virtually remained invisible as farmers, home makers and the ultimate by protecting the whole family. Their role has become critical in the process of moving their family out of the vicious ‘circle of poverty’ Nataraju and Perumal, (1990). Farmwomen generally have lower income and less leisure time than men and seldom have equal opportunities to develop their capabilities. Farmwomen have been considered unorganized and inferior to men, Lelamma (2001).

Introduction

''Sewage, also known as domestic or municipal wastewater, is produced by communities of people. It is characterized by its volume or flow rate, physical condition, chemical and toxic constituents, and bacteriological status. Sewage primarily consists of greywater (from sinks, tubs, showers, dishwashers, and clothes washers) and blackwater (water used to flush toilets, combined with human waste)."

The four primary types of wastewater are domestic, industrial, agricultural, and urban. Domestic wastewater comprises black water containing human and animal feces, along with gray water from household tasks such as bathing, washing, cooking, and gardening. Industrial wastewater consists of industrial byproducts like pulp, paper, petrochemical runoff, chemicals, salts, and acids. Agricultural wastewater originates from agricultural practices, contaminated groundwater, and farming methods, particularly those involving fertilizers and pesticides. Urban wastewater is a blend of domestic and industrial wastewaters, compounded by sewage infiltration and rainwater.

The performance of plants is affected by the soil in which it grows and climate and micro climate of its surroundings.

Impact of soil

The soil provides anchorage, nutrients and water for plant growth. Soil fertility status, structure and texture influence the plant growth and productivity.

Classification of soil

On the basis of the organic and inorganic contents and particle size and texture, the soils have been classified. The inorganic matter in the soil constitutes of varying amount of sand, silt and clay, on the basis of which the soils are classified as follows.

Sandy soil

These soils have coarse textured and large pore spaces, have poor water holding capacity. Retention of nutrients in this soil is very poor. This type of soil is suitable for precocious crops. Sandy soils initiate rapid root growth, hence good as propagating medium. Since sandy soils has low in nutrient content, supplementation of adequate nutrition is imperative to achieve good plant growth.

Introduction

High population pressure has forced us to plough 46% of our country area for food production. The present productivity of 12.36 tones/ha of fruits needs to be raised to 40.0 tones/ha by using N, P₂O₅, K₂O with other inputs, since recommended ratio is 0.75:0.50:1.00. To achieve this target, the present day requirement of 0.67 million tones N, 0.46 million tones P₂O₅ and 0.91 million tones K₂O has been raised to 1.07, 0.58 and 1.14 million tones, respectively in order to supply the recommended ratio of fertilizers to an area of 3.65 million ha growing fruits (Yadav, 1999). Similarly in vegetables, the present production level of 13.41 tones/ha to be raised to 40 tones/ha requires 1.25 million tones of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O combined at the ratio of 1.33: 0.88 and 1.00.

Livestock production plays a critical role in global food security and economic sustainability. However, various stressors can significantly impact the well-being and productivity of livestock animals. Stress in livestock can arise from various sources such as environmental conditions, management practices, transportation, social interactions, and disease. Understanding the impact of stress on livestock production is essential for ensuring animal welfare and optimizing productivity. Although many factors can be involved, climatic factors are among the first and crucial limiting factors of the development of animal production in warm regions. In addition, global warming will further accentuate heat stress related problems in livestock. The first and foremost stress the livestock are exposed as a result of climate change is the heat stress. Among the environmental variables affecting animals, heat stress seems to be one of the intriguing factors making animal production challenging in many geographical locations in the world. Although animals can adapt to the hot climate, nevertheless the response mechanisms that ensures survival are also detrimental to performance. The vulnerability

In a country like India where the economy is dominant by agriculture and its allied sectors, nearly 75% of women are engaged in agriculture in comparison with their male counterparts. Among rural female workers, 50% comprises of agricultural laborer and 37% are cultivators. Not only this, around 70% of total farm work is performed by women folk. Majority of agricultural works are done by women farmers (FAO, 2011) and thus empowering them will have far-reaching effect on agricultural development. They usually operate multiple livelihood f ields, including farming, animal husbandry, and marketing along with doing the household chores and are closely involved in social issues. Among these activities when we look specifically into the agricultural tasks, it is very clear that approximately 70–80% of women are participating in all agriculture activities from raising seedlings, weeding, harvesting and, processing and value addition activities and sometimes their involvement extends to marketing their product. To compete in this fast-growing industry with others, the rural women need to be up-to-date with new technologies to foster the reach of innovations to the farm women. Training is one of the most important means by which farmers and rural women can upgrade their professional and technical skillset. This is an essential component in the area of agriculture where technology is changing day by day and the knowledge of the farming community including women needs to be upgraded at a comparatively quicker pace.

Introduction

On 26^th December 2004, out of the 7516 km long coastline of India, more than 4500 km stretch was badly affected by the 9.0 magnitude earthquake- triggered tsunami, resulting in the total destruction of living environment along the coast. The worst affected areas along the Indian coast were in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh states. Tamil Nadu state suffered maximum loss with the damage concentrated in 4 districts.

It was reported that due to 26 December, 2004 Tsunami in Tamil Nadu state, 8.96 lakh people were affected, 376 villages had heavy damage, 7951 human lives lost, 1000 KM coastal length is affected, the sea water penetrated 1-1.5 KM distance into the main land, 128394 dwelling units affected, 9559 cattle lost, 10245 ha cropped area affected, 42655 boats damaged. (GOI, Ministry of Home Affairs, 09.01.2005). Many felt that impact will be very serious and it will take years to resume normal activities in the region. This paper presents an analytical study of the impact of tsunami on agricultural production, household income of the farm households on a continuous basis from 2005 to 2008.

ABSTRACT

The continuing depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer mainly due to release of man-made atmospheric pollutants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have resulted in the increase of solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B; 280-315 nm) reaching to the Earth’s surface. UV-B is a small (less than 1% of total energy) but highly active component of the solar spectrum that can penetrate to biologically significant depths in lakes, ponds, rivers and oceans. It has been demonstrated that UV-B can cause wide ranging effects including mutagenesis, destruction of proteins/enzymes, inhibition of a number of vital metabolic processes and formation of thymine dimers in DNA leading to death of a number of organisms. A number of microbes including strict photoautotrophs always grow in lighted habitats and thereby always sense and face the stress of solar UV-B radiation. Similarly, humans are also exposed to varying levels of UV-B radiation depending upon the altitudes and latitudes of the location. A wide ranging effect of UV-B such as cataracts, skin cancer, immunosupression etc. has been reported in human. Damaging effects of increased UV-B radiation has also been shown in a number of microbes. These effects include inhibition of growth and survival, decrease in photosynthetic pigments, loss of PS II and RuBISCO activity, inactivation of nitrogenase enzyme and inhibitory effects on several other metabolic processes. Among photosynthetic pigments, phycobiliproteins seem to be the primary target of action since phycobilisomes are completely disintegrated after UV-B exposure. In this contribution an attempt has been made to put in perspective the main effects of UV-B radiation on microbes and human health.

1. Introduction

No doubt Village library is a part of public library. Village library plays an important role for creation knowledge in different field. As we know that maximum people in the village area not aware about their right, even they not know reading and writing. so the rate of literacy is poor. Therefore it can be mentioned that the illiteracy is the main barrier for their development and it will harm their day to day life. Many people in the villages is involve themselves in farming. Agriculture is the main of earning sources. Villagers do not have adequate knowledge in farming and fertilizer that they used for better result even they not know the bad affect of fertilizer that they used. Their life style is not hygienic because of illiteracy.

Web-education Technology

“Educating the people through web” this process is called web-education. The World Wide Web provides new opportunities and hopeful future for distance education over the Internet and the distance education is becoming a widespread used for quite a long time through Newspapers, Radio and TV. Now-a-days mostly the World Wide Web (WWW) getting vital role in distance education, e-learning and distance learning since the networking technologies are emerging very rapidly in the media dominant era. The connectivity of the internet to different kind of people around the world is increasing steadily, like TV and Radio. The World Wide Web and other Internet–based collaborative modern communication technology tools have significantly enhanced the ability to train and educate people electronically.

Introduction

Women in India constitute nearly half of the population. They contribute 75% to the development of our society as compared to men who only 25%. According to the census 2011, nearly 98 million women in India have agriculture jobs, but around 66.1 million of them are depended on others’ farms as agriculture labours. They are engaged largely in cotton, tea, oil seeds and vegetable production. It is also worth mentioning that from the basic level of work concerning farm related activities to unskilled farm jobs like sowing, transplanting, weeding, harvesting and post harvesting activities like winnowing, processing, storage etc. women are engaged right from the start.

Woman’s contribution to the fisheries sector is 22% according to the FAO. Food security, horticulture, sericulture, livestock production and collection of non- timber forest are some of the allied sectors in which they are involved. They are also involved in other allied sectors which include cattle management, milk and poultry farming, and fodder collection. At the same time, women’s domestic activities include cooking, child rearing water collection from the nearby and far-off places, fuel wood gathering and the overall upkeep of household. Ironically, women face disparities in terms of compensation, their share in properties and in representation in local bodies. Much of their contribution in the food production system as food producers and providers has not received effective recognition. This affects their lives and familial conditions in terms of poor health of children and low educational attainments.

Abstract

One of the major distinctive agriculture extension concepts is the Intensive Agricultural Development Village concept or Village Adoption System, where in the Extension Guides who are working at taluk level select a suitable village and disseminate the need based and innovative technologies released by the University. In this connection Extension Education Unit of University of Agricultural Sciences at Mangalore has adopted Irvathur and Renjala villages of Karkala taluk in Udupi district and several educational activities like Field Trials, Result Demonstration, FLD, Block Demonstration and Integrated Farming System Demonstrations were carried out. Training programmes were conducted on Vermiculture, Dairy farming, Paddy cultivation, Cashew demonstration, IPM on Areca nut, Coconut etc., Besides establishing Milk Producer’s Co-operative Societies in the villages, the key programme observed in the village was Vermiculture. To start with, Vermiculture was tried with one farm woman with 100 worms.

Impaction of the alimentary tract is a condition where ingesta or foreign material accumulates excessively in one or more segments of the gastrointestinal system, causing a blockage. In ruminants, the rumen and reticulum are common sites of impaction due to their roles as primary fermentation chambers. This condition significantly impacts the animal’s health, productivity, and welfare, and if left untreated, it can lead to severe complications or death.
Pathophysiology of impaction
Impaction occurs when the normal passage of ingesta is hindered due to excessive accumulation of indigestible, poorly digestible, or foreign materials.
This leads to:
1. Decreased motility: Overloading the rumen or reticulum impairs their motility, disrupting the normal mixing and fermentation processes.
2. Reduced absorption: The accumulation hinders the absorption of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and other nutrients.
3. Fermentation imbalance: The retention of ingesta alters microbial populations, causing reduced fermentation efficiency.
4. Secondary issues: Prolonged impaction may lead to dehydration, metabolic acidosis, rumenitis, and systemic effects like toxemia.

Wheat (T. aestivum) is a staple food of the vast majority of the human population in most part of the world; Europe, West Asia, South East Asia, Americas and North Africa. It provides more nourishment than any other food crop and leads all other food crops-rice, maize and potato on a global basis. The wide varieties of food products prepared from it make the crop popular and also a reason for its expansion even to non-traditional wheat cultivated areas. As a leading cereal crop, it is cultivated widely under varied agro-ecological regions and cropping systems throughout the world. It is one of the first plants domesticated and cultivated by humans, which played a critical role in the transition from hunter–gatherer groups to stabilized societies with an agrarian foundation.

Climate change is a significant global threat impacting riverine fish diversity, largely due to increasing water temperatures and altered flow regimes. As poikilotherms, freshwater fish are highly sensitive to temperature changes, which can lead to decreased dissolved oxygen and degraded water quality. Observed and projected responses include shifts in distribution ranges, with cold-water species often contracting or moving to higher altitudes or latitudes, while warm-water species may expand their ranges. Body sizes are predicted to decrease, coupled with altered growth rates, although this is speciesspecific. Studies indicate a loss of functional diversity in fish assemblages, often replaced by species more tolerant to warm and slow-water conditions, or by carnivores. While invasive species can introduce novel traits, they often contribute to an overall decrease in functional and taxonomic diversity. Fish with preferences for cold water, fast flows, and clean spawning substrates are particularly vulnerable. Addressing these complex, multi-factorial impacts is crucial for effective conservation strategies. Addressing these challenges requires an integrative, multidisciplinary approach, prioritizing vulnerable populations, implementing adaptive management strategies, enhancing habitat resilience, and fostering international cooperation to mitigate the pervasive and complex threats posed by a changing climate.

Introduction

Conservation tillage is a model of sustainable agriculture as it leads to profitable food production while protecting and even restoring natural resources. Conservation agriculture benefits farmers because it reduces production costs and increases yields, but it also has positive impacts on the whole society: enhancement of food security thanks to a better soil fertility, improvement of water quality, reduction of erosion and mitigation of climate change by increasing carbon sequestration. Conservation agriculture (CA) systems are also less sensitive to extreme climatic events and therefore contribute to the adaption of climate change and the resilience of agricultural systems. Hence, CA becomes a fundamental element of sustainable production intensification, combining high production with the provision of environmental security.

CA is based on healthy functioning of the whole agro-ecosystem with a maximum attention and focus on the soil. The soil is the entry point and it has to be considered not only as simple physical support to roots and plants, but as a living entity with its physical, chemical and biological characteristics. The focus of CA embraces not only the nutrient contents of the soil but also its biological and structural status, which are determinants of sustained productivity.

The paradigm of CA is that an undisturbed soil has the opportunity to develop and produce healthier plants. Soil life can develop in a stable habitat in quantity and quality better than on tilled soils, the structural integrity of soil is maintained, so continuous vertical macro-pores are not destroyed and remain as drainage channels for rainwater into the soils. Seeding under conditions of minimum soil disturbance is achieved by direct seeding through the mulch cover without tillage.

Abstract
Food webs are essential for understanding ecological interactions, and the discovery of trophic cascades marks a significant milestone in food-web ecology. Over the past four decades, debates on the prevalence and importance of trophic cascades have spurred extensive research and theoretical progress, yet the topic remains contentious. Trophic cascades, where alterations in one part of the ecosystem affect others, play a crucial role in shaping ecosystem structure and function. Rooted in foundational theories like the Green World Hypothesis, the concept has evolved to address more intricate ecological dynamics. Cascades often occur through top-down and bottom-up mechanisms, with top predators playing a key role in regulating ecosystems. This article explores their diverse impacts in aquatic environments, including changes in food web dynamics, biodiversity loss, water quality degradation, and disrupted nutrient cycling. Case studies, such as the otter–sea urchin–kelp system and Atlantic cod overfishing, highlight the profound consequences of these interactions. The findings underscore the importance of maintaining balanced trophic relationships to ensure ecosystem stability and resilience. Conservation efforts should focus on maintaining these dynamics to mitigate cascading effects and preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Keywords: Trophic cascade, Food web, Impacts and Case studies, Top-down, Bottom-up cascade, Ecosystem stability.

Introduction “Xenobiotics” are “foreign compounds,” which are alien to the organism and removed from their natural environment. Xenobiotics are substances that are either alien to an organism or do not form a natural part of its diet. Compounds including pharmaceuticals, food additives, & environmental toxins are examples of xenobiotics. Normally, these substances are removed from the body by being broken down into compounds and then being expelled through the kidney, bile and lungs. For the pharmaceutical business, enzymes that metabolize xenobiotics are crucial because they are in charge of breaking down medicines. Similarly, xenobiotic transporters influence how long medications remain in the body.

Impatiens is the most popular bedding plant grown worldwide. The genus Impatiens is estimated to contain about 850 species (Grey-Wilson, 1980b). The majority is native to tropical and subtropical regions of India and Africa. The popularity of Impatiens walleriana is mainly due to its propensity for producing large numbers of flowers under low light intensity (Simmonds, 1980). Due to the high economic value and consumer demand for bedding impatiens, there has been a concerted effort by plant breeders to release a wide range of cultivars having different flower colours and distinctive foliage. Previously known as I. sultanior, I. holstii, it has several common names including “Busy Lizzie” and “Patience Plant”. It is one of two important groups of Impatiens in the horticulture industry with the New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) group being the other. Despite being Impatiens walleriana is one of the most important bedding plants in the world, information on I. walleriana relatively scarce. Impatiens walleriana continues to lead as one of the three most important bedding plants worldwide. It is available as both seed and vegetative products. The history of its development, marketing success, wide adaptability, a large palette of flower colours and forms and unparalleled garden performance as a bedding plant for shade are described as an aid for continued crop development with breeding lessons for other flowering crops.

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

Jones and Smith (1966) proposed the Himalayan region as the centre of origin. Khoshoo (1957) and Gill and Chinnappa (1977) stated that the genus Impatiens contains over 600 species half of which occur in the Indian subcontinent. The major centers of diversity are in the highlands and mountains of tropical and sub-tropical India, Africa and Southeast Asia. There are only a few Holarctic species and none indigenous to South America or Australia (Zinov’ea-Stahevitch, and Grant, 1984). Impatiens walleriana also known by the names I. sultani Hook. f. and I. holstii Engl. is native to areas of Eastern Equatorial Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique Malawi and Rhodesia; as well as Zanzibar and Pemba Islands.

Typically, African impatiens are highly endemic forest species, which thrive in moist semi-shade areas, and often in high altitude regions that receive ample rainfall (Grey-Wilson, 1980). Nearly all African Impatiens are native to habitats above 800 m and one third can only be found in habitats above 1500 m. However, I. walleriana may also thrive at lower elevations provided that these areas receive increased rainfall from monsoons (Grey-Wilson, 1980).

Impatiens is the most popular bedding plant grown worldwide. The genus Impatiens is estimated to contain about 850 species (Grey-Wilson, 1980b). The majority is native to tropical and subtropical regions of India and Africa. The popularity of Impatiens walleriana is mainly due to its propensity for producing large numbers of flowers under low light intensity (Simmonds, 1980). Due to the high economic value and consumer demand for bedding impatiens, there has been a concerted effort by plant breeders to release a wide range of cultivars having different flower colours and distinctive foliage. Previously known as I. sultanior, I. holstii, it has several common names including “Busy Lizzie” and “Patience Plant”. It is one of two important groups of Impatiens in the horticulture industry with the New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) group being the other. Despite being Impatiens walleriana is one of the most important bedding plants in the world, information on I. walleriana relatively scarce. Impatiens walleriana continues to lead as one of the three most important bedding plants worldwide. It is available as both seed and vegetative products. The history of its development, marketing success, wide adaptability, a large palette of flower colours and forms and unparalleled garden performance as a bedding plant for shade are described as an aid for continued crop development with breeding lessons for other flowering crops.

Introduction

Rick (1984) used the term pre-breeding or developmental breeding to describe the same activity. Thus "genetic enhancement" or "pre-breeding" refers to the transfer or introgression of genes or gene combinations from unadapted sources into breeding materials (FAO, 1996)

However, enhancement has been more popularly adopted by PGR scientists. It is an emerging concept emphasizing the use of plant genetic resources

• To meet the market requirement, plant breeders have to develop improved cultivars.

• Crop improvement has led to narrowing down of genetic base resulting in slower progress (genetic gain) in plant breeding and increased risk of genetic vulnerability

Need for Genetic Enhancement

• In improving the level of resistance to biotic and abiotic stress.

• In improving quality characters such as fibre length, strength, fineness, maturity and uniformity.

• In developing early maturing genotypes, which can fit well in multiple cropping systems.

• In developing plant types suitable to machine picking etc.

• Use of germplasm will help in broadening the genetic base of cultivars as well as in creating vast genetic variability.

Abstract
 
Drying is one of the most popular methods used for preserving products and extending their shelf lives by reducing moisture content to a low level to prevent microbial spoilage and moisture-mediated deteriorative reactions. As an efficient technology with high heat and mass transfer rates, impingement drying has been commonly used in various industrial drying such as tissue paper, textiles, photographic films, coated paper, nonwovens, carpets, lumber etc. In the past two decades, air impingement technology has got more and more attention in the field of food and agricultural products processing.

Introduction
Reproduction involves the intricate interplay of physiological processes to ensure the successful growth and development of the embryo and fetus. Three key processes— implantation, placentation, and the establishment of fetal circulation—are fundamental to a viable pregnancy. These stages ensure the fetus receives adequate nutrients, oxygen, and support for development. Below is a detailed elaboration of each process.
1. Implantation
Implantation is the process by which the blastocyst (a hollow structure formed in the early development of mammals) embeds itself into the uterine wall. It is the first critical step in establishing a pregnancy.
Phases of Implantation
1. Apposition: The blastocyst loosely attaches to the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus).
2. Adhesion: The trophoblast cells (outer layer of the blastocyst) firmly attach to the uterine lining.
3. Invasion: The trophoblast differentiates into two layers: Cytotrophoblast: The inner cellular layer that serves as the proliferative zone. Syncytiotrophoblast: The outer multinucleated layer that invades the endometrium, facilitating deeper embedding.
Significance
Implantation typically occurs 6–10 days after fertilization.
It ensures the establishment of an early connection between the embryo and maternal blood supply.
Successful implantation depends on hormonal regulation, especially the roles of estrogen and progesterone, which prepare the endometrium to be receptive.

Fracture healing is a complex process in which damaged bone restores its original architecture through a cascade of molecular and cellular events. The process of fracture healing is unique, in that it does not form a poorly organized replacement matrix, otherwise known as scar tissue, but rather regenerates the original matrix and retains its mechanical properties. Normal fracture and bone repair follows a known sequence of events includes: haematoma formation, inflammation, angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and bone remodeling.

For the repair of bone defects, a tissue engineering approach would be to combine cells capable of osteogenic (i.e. bone-forming) activity with an appropriate scaffolding material to stimulate bone regeneration and repair. An ideal tissue-engineered bone substitute should possess 3 elements: osteoprogenitor cells, osteoinductive factors, and an osteoconductive scaffold, and is considered as a potential substitute for autologous bone transplantation. Tissue engineering approaches have proven very effective in bone regeneration recently, and the successful repair of bone defects has been demonstrated in larger animals like canine, goat and sheep.

Stem cells from adult tissues are attractive materials for cell therapy, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. These cells generally have restricted lineage potential when compared to embryonic stem cells, and this may be advantageous in certain therapeutic applications. Till and McCulloch in 1961 describes the presence of hematopoietic progenitor cells in bone marrow. After this, the concept of MSCs is brought to light by Friedenstein and co-workers who demonstrated the osteogenic potential of BM cells by heterotrophic transplantation.

INTRODUCTION
Hitching and detaching implements from a tractor is a crucial aspect of tractor operation, whether in agricultural, industrial, or construction work. This process involves attaching various implements, such as plows, harrows, or trailers, to the tractor’s hitch system, ensuring proper functionality during operation, and safely detaching them once the task is completed. Mastering the correct procedures for hitching and detaching is vital for safety, operational efficiency, and preserving the tractor and implement lifespan.
The tractor hitch system plays an essential role in connecting the prime mover (tractor) to the implement, creating a cohesive working unit. Both the tractor and the implement rely on each other to perform, much like the two wheels of a cart.
A “hitch” is defined as a single articulated point or a combination of points and links that allow the tractor to exert tractive effort in the form of pushing or pulling to counteract the draft force of the implement. The hitch point, whether virtual or real, represents the specific location on the tractor through which the “line of push” must pass to ensure effective operation. Proper understanding of this system ensures smooth, safe, and efficient work.
HITCHING IMPLEMENTS TO THE TRACTOR
Hitching implements to a tractor is an essential process, and the method can vary depending on the type of implement being used. The most common method involves using two hydraulic arms and a third high point to attach and level the implement. The hydraulic arms serve as the main tie-down, allowing the implement to be raised or lowered, while the third point is connected through a double-nut bar, which can adjust the length of the tie-down. For larger tractors or implements, this third point can also be hydraulic for easier adjustment. An alternative coupling method is the cup and pin system, commonly used for trailers, balers, or tanks, where a pin is driven through the tractor’s cup and

Introduction Rice cultivation is a means of livelihood for a large number of people from the state of Assam, India (Saikia, 2019). It is related to the cultural aspects in rural Assam where people indulge themselves in traditional as well as modern ways of farming. Like any other north-eastern states in India, rice majorly dominates the Assamese cuisine. It is the primary source of diet in Assam. There are more than 100 varieties that are genetically modified breeds in which indigenous varieties contribute to 20 germplasm (https://www.rkbassam.in/). The different rice varieties of Assam have different culinary applications in both savoury and sweet cuisines. The intermediate and high amylose rice, parboiled or nonparboiled are consumed as staple for major meals while the low amylose rice is mostly consumed as snacks, breakfast cereals and desserts. The major constituent of rice is starch consisting of about 90% of the mass. Thus, the major compositional changes occurring in rice is due to starch. Starch is a polymer of glucose linked by glycosidic bond. It consists of amylose (linked by alpha 1- 4 linear chains) and amylopectin (alpha 1-4 & alpha 1-6 branched chains). On the basis of composition, rice is classified as high amylose (>25%), intermediate amylose (20 -25%), low amylose (7-20%) and waxy or glutinous (1–2%) types (Juliano, 1979).

The eventual objective of promoting IDM is to empower its users to engage sustainable agricultural production with long term positive impacts on human being, poverty and environmental health.The impact of successful implementation of IDM approaches cannot be achieved if IDM is not strategically placed within national policies for agricultural production and protection. There are number of the national policies and related regulations that have direct impact on IDM adoption and scaling up in India.

It is a process by which a act of predetermined activities is carried out in a planned manner, with a view to achieve certain establish objectives.

To implement a project means to carry out activities proposed with the aim to achieve project objectives and deliver results and outputs. It is a highly complex process and it involves a relationship among several system and variables

1. Introduction

Radio Frequency Identification popularly known as RFID is a term used for a radio-enabled device that communicates with or interrogates a tag or smart label, which is embedded with a single microchip processor and an antenna. "This is an automatic identification method that relies on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices such as RFID tags or transponders (Mamdampur and Rajgoli, 2011)". This technology is similar in concept to a cell phone (Singh and Midha, 2008) which refers to the subset of automatic identification that uses radio waves to automatically identify bulk or individual items (Chavan, 2012).While the origin of RFID lie more than 50 years in the past, passive RFID technology is actually only in its infancy (Sarma, 2008).

Abstract

The upsurge in global population rates has triggered a significant escalation in food demand across the world. This is accompanied by urbanisation and a pressing need for sustainable agriculture. In this context vertical cultivation of plants as well as breeding of livestock on vertically inclined surfaces, such as in skyscrapers and other high-rise buildings in urban regions has gained prominence. The dynamics of urban agriculture is captured through the case study of Urbagrow Aquaponics, an urban, aquaponic, soil-free, food garden based in Kolkata. The garden exhibits an assortment of aquaponic systems for growing a variety of vegetables as well as the tilapia and catfish. The systems make use of less water, require less work in man-hours and can grow vegetables in greater density than a traditional soil based food growing endeavour. A feasibility study has been conducted to explore the potential of scaling such a venture across myriad other high-rise buildings across Indian cities.