eChapters

Dashboards play a crucial role in the fields of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence by providing a visual and interactive interface through which complex data, model outputs, and performance metrics can be easily understood and monitored. In data-driven environments, where vast amounts of information are processed continuously, dashboards serve as an essential bridge between technical systems and human decision-making. They transform raw data and analytical results into meaningful visual representations, enabling users to interpret insights quickly and effectively. In the context of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, dashboards are used at multiple stages of the workflow. During data exploration and preprocessing, dashboards help visualize trends, patterns, and anomalies in datasets, allowing data scientists to make informed decisions about feature selection and data cleaning. Once models are developed, dashboards

Issue

2004-2005 saw an upsurge in seed industry takeovers and a shake-up in rankings. Today, the top 10 companies control half of the world’s commercial seed sales. With a total worldwide market of approximately US$21,000 million [$21 billion] per annum, the commercial seed industry is relatively small compared to the global pesticide market ($35,400 million), and it is positively puny compared to pharmaceutical sales ($466,000 million). But corporate control and ownership of seeds – the first link in the food chain – has far-reaching implications for global food security. This chapter examines seed industry consolidation and other recent trends in the commercial seed industry.

Introduction

On the basis of inputs based ecological principles, the all possible and available resources are allocated to achieve maximum outputs. One of the most promising paradigms of external inputs based agriculture that have emerged for the benefit of small scale resource-poor farmers and that is termed as low external input and sustainable agriculture (LEISA), which can enable such farmers to achieve higher income and attain sustainability by: (i) Optimizing the use of locally available resources, thereby achieving a synergetic effect amongst the various components of the farming system (soil, water, animals, plants, etc.) so that they complement each other in the production of output; and (ii) Minimizing the use of external inputs, except where there is a serious deficiency and where the effect on the system will be to increase recycling of nutrients.

Low External Inputs and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA): Low external input sustainable agriculture (LEISA) is a way of thinking about farming. It incorporates some ideas found in what people have labelled eco-logical, organic, regenerative, biological, or simply alternative agriculture. Amongst the goals that now drive the interest in low-input sustainable agriculture, two stand out: profitable and productive farming, and protection of resources and environmental quality. Companion objectives include ensuring safe and nutritious food supplies and reducing health risks to farm workers. LEISA involves farmers substituting management, scientific information, and on-farm resources for some of the purchased inputs they currently depend on maintain production sustainability. Sustainability has been defined, for the purpose of including resource-poor as well as resource-rich farmers, as managing agricultural productivity while maintaining or improving the resource base. This means that agriculture must be environmentally solid, economically feasible, socially scrupulous, and flexible (for future needs).

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) is one amongst the commercially important cut flowers traded worldwide. The genus Dianthus has about 300 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs of which Dianthus caryophyllus is the most important species commercially. The genus Dianthus in Greek means ‘Flower of Zeus’ or ‘Divine Flower’. Linnaeus chose the species name, caryophyllus, after the genus of Clove, as the fragrance from carnation is reminiscent of clove. It is genetically a quantitative long day plant based on its photoperiod requirement (Blake, 1955). The Dianthus species are adapted to the cooler Alpine regions of Europe and Asia and are also found in Mediterranean coastal regions. Carnations were the first flowers to be cultivated on commercial scale in high altitude areas of tropics for export to Europe and North America.

It is cultivated throughout the world. The largest growing areas of carnation are in Bogota and Colombia. Carnation is also grown in Italy, Spain, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Canary Islands, France, Holland, Germany, Israel and USA. In India, main production areas are located around Pune and Bangalore. It is also being grown in Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Chamba, Sirmour, Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts of Himachal Pradesh. As per the State Department of Horticulture - Himachal Pradesh, carnation occupied 44.07 hectares out of 705.77 hectare total area under floriculture in the state during 2018-19. The acreage of carnation is still expected to increase because of the favourable climatic conditions for its cultivation in different parts of Himachal Pradesh and other hilly states of the country.

In India, depending upon the regions, there is a wide difference in temperature, light intensity and humidity which not only affect the yield and quality of the flowers but also limit their availability for a particular period of the year. To produce quality flowers, carnation needs to be grown under cover, that is, in greenhouse which provides the plants with the optimum condition of light, temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide for proper growth and to achieve maximum yield of best quality flowers. Though, there are different types of the greenhouses, naturally ventilated polyhouses are preferred in mild climate in which temperature is reduced by ventilation (Ryagi et al., 2007).

Abstract
Mangroves are vital ecosystems that maintain biodiversity, protect coastal areas, and sequester carbon. However, unsustainable aquaculture techniques, notably shrimp farming, are under considerable threat to these essential habitats, contributing to widespread mangrove destruction. The consequent environmental damage highlights the critical need for sustainable aquaculture practices. Aquasilviculture, or silvofishery, is a novel concept that combines aquaculture and mangrove protection. This approach combines shrimp or fish farming with mangrove planting and management, which promotes ecological restoration while preserving aquaculture productivity. Mangroves serve as natural filters, improving water quality by absorbing organic and chemical contaminants, while their organic content enriches pond habitats and promotes the growth of aquatic animals. Successful aquasilviculture schemes, such as Indonesia’s empang parit system and integrated mangrove-aquaculture farms in Vietnam and Bangladesh, illustrate the ability to resolve economic and environmental goals. These approaches increase aquaculture yields, protect biodiversity, and give socioeconomic advantages to local populations. Despite its potential, aquasilviculture confronts obstacles, including financial and technological impediments to implementation. Supportive policies, capacity building, and research are critical for expanding this approach.
Keywords: Silvofishery, Juvenile fisheries, Mangrove-shrimp aquaculture, Global warming and Blue carbon

INTRODUCTION

Jamun (Syzygium cumini (L) Skeels Syn Eugenia jambolana Lamk.) is an important commercial indigenous minor fruit of India and is highly suitable for avenue and for social forestry plantation. It belongs to family Myrtaceae. The other major plants belong to this family are eucalyptus, bottle brush and cloves. It is known by different names like black plum, Indian black berry, Ram jamun, jambolan, Jambul and Phalinda in different parts of country. Trees are found growing throughout the tropics and subtropics as an avenue plantation on road side, school, religious places and as wind break around the orchards. It is also occurs in the lower range of the Himalayas up to an elevation of 1,300 meters and in the Kumaon hills up to 1,600 meters above mean sea level. It is widely grown in the larger parts of India from the Indo-Gangetic plains in the North to Tamil Nadu in the South. The importance of this fruit is increasing day by day due to increasing awareness of hypoglycemic properties of this fruit against diabetics. It is adequately rich in antioxidants.

Introduction

Agricultural insect pests routinely disturb crop production, yet their effects are relatively minor compared to the economic disruption, Suffering, and death caused by medical pests. So, the medical pests compose an extraordinarily important group of insect pests. Insect pests of public health importance had a remarkable impact on human history and this influence still continues (Higley et al., 1989). Diseases carried by insect are prevalent in many parts of the world, particularly the tropical and subtropical countries. These organisms have the capacity to inflict injury, disease, discomfort, or distress. They may cause direct illness and suffering through stings and bites, infested wounds, or allergic reactions. They may feed on blood or body tissues and thus may also transmit deadly pathogens or parasites. Economic losses associated with these pests are borne not only by the affected individuals and their families, but also by human society in general (Higley et al., 1989).

Introduction

Despite fact that more than two-third of the earth’s surface is covered with water, currently, near about 450 million people in 29 countries are facing severe water shortage and at least 20 percent more water would be required to feed additional 3 billion populations by 2025. About 97.5 percent of ocean-sea water is not available due to its salinity and 2.49 percent is locked up in ice and only 0.01 percent is technologically available and economically accessible water either from surface or ground water sources for human uses. So water saving technologies developed so far is very pertinent to propagate amongst the users. Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining the environment and supporting life where the agriculture is the major user of water resource. Water is an indispensable for sustainable agricultural growth and development. Previously, rainfed agriculturewas associated primarily with conservational land treatments to check soil erosion and land degradation.But in the areas of medium to heavy rainfall, there is ample scope of tapping excess rain water through suitable water harvesting structures constructed for this purpose for its subsequent uses as irrigation or to apply lifesaving irrigation to the crops which should also come under the purview of water management for crop production. Although there is a difference in the objectives of water management where there is abundant availability of water from continuous flow connected with perennial sources or lakes and rivers and that of from restricted or limited supply from collection of excess rain through water harvesting structures.The former is associated with to obtain as much as yield of crop per unit area under water application and later is associated with increasing productivityof crop per unit of water application even under rainwater recycling and its effective management for the purpose of irrigation. Hence, both the rainwater and irrigation water are considered to be equally important to context of agricultural development of the country to get higher water use efficiency and proper utilization of water resources (Zaman,et.al., 2017).

Dahlia (Dahlia spp.) syn. Georgina belongs to family Compositae (Asteraceae). Dahlia was named after “Professor Andreas Dahl”, a Swedish pupil of Linnaeus and author of Observations Botanicae. In India, dahlia is grown as potted plant and landscape uses but it is a poor crop as commercial flower due to shorter commercial life and its potentialities have not been exploited so far. Therefore, there is need to originate more and more new quality cultivars. Dahlias are half-hardy perennials with tuberous roots. Stems are mostly erect, branched, glabrous or scabrous. The leaves 1-3 pinnate, with slightly serrated margin are produced opposite at each node on the stem. They bear flowers on a long, stiff stems well above the foliage. Ray florets are neutral or pinnate and disc florets perfect.

Abstract

Overall geological histories of the Quaternary deltas of all over the world have been studied considerably, to understand the evolution, eustatic – isostatic changes, land – ocean interactive phenomenon, resources, environment etc. But tectonic signatures of these deltas have been less studied, though these have significance in understanding the natural resources, environment and evaluation of natural disasters. In this context, as the state of Tamil Nadu is a low easterly gradient plain, all the easterly flowing rivers have developed well evolved geomorphic features related to youthful, mature and old stages. Such old stages of the rivers are marked by the spectacular development of deltas. These deltas of Tamil Nadu have been studied in detail for understanding the tectonics with the help of visibly seen tectonic and geomorphic features in satellite based remote sensing and ground based data sets. The study has revealed that the upper age limit / ages of these deltas are probably of Middle to Late Holocene and the various tectonic and geomorphic anomalies observed in these deltas obviously indicate the tectonic processes/ phenomena that prevailed during Middle Holocene - till date. The Proto Cauvery delta of Chennai region is witnessing ongoing NE–SW sinistral, NW–SE dextral and E–W vertical tectonic activities. The streams in Ponnaiyar delta are showing persistent southerly migration due to the probable ongoing land subsidence along NE–SW faults in the southern part of the delta. The Cauvery river which has originally developed a broad bird-foot shaped – arcuate delta, has undergone a phase of anticlockwise rotational migration and stabilized in the northern rim of the delta as Coleroon river during 2300–750 Y.B.P. due to the ongoing tectonic emergence in the south of the delta almost since the last 6000 years or so. The Vellar river, in deltaic regime, shows northerly migration due to E–W grabening in the northern part of the delta. Vaigai and Manimuttar rivers are again migrating northerly in their deltaic regions due to the probable land arching to the south of their present day flow. Thus, the paper discusses the post deltaic / Middle -Late Holocene geological processes of Tamil Nadu deltas which are predominated by tectonic activities.

Cost-effective farming systems for plantation crops cultivation for increasing production and productivity in different agro ecologies have been developed.

In coconut-based cropping system, elephant-foot yam cv. Gajendra yielded high amount of corm. Guinea grass (var. GGCo 3) produced higher green fodder (89.2 tonnes/ ha/year) under husk application. There was lower specific volume of soil and soil porosity (higher soil compaction), and soil dehydrogenase activity (an index of biological activity) as important abiotic pre-disposing factors in incidence of root wilt disease. Growing Gomphrena globosa as intercrop in root wilt- affected coconut gardens has been shown to be cost-effective and sustainable. In areca-based mixed farming system, total cash inflows and outflows from arecanut + dairy (3–4 milch cows) amounted to ‘4.41 and ‘5.96 lakh, with a net profit of’1.55 lakh. The system productivity of arecanut + cocoa system (3,127 kg/ha) was 30% higher per unit area than arecanut alone (2,405 kg/ha). Integrated nutrient management on four improved arecanut varieties recorded highest chali yield (4.19 kg).

Maize (Zea mays L.), the “Queen of Cereals” is one of the most important highly evolved coarse cereal crop originated at Mexico. This is most widely distributed crop of the world cultivated predominantly in tropics and sub-tropics right from sea level to 4000 m altitude as irrigated or rainfed crop. The demand for maize as an animal feed will continue to grow faster than the demand for its use as a human food, particularly in Asia, where, doubling of production is expected from the present level of 165 m t to almost 400 mt.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important crop of country after rice and wheat and is cultivated round the year. Its grain is used as feed, food and industrial raw material. Enormous progress has been made during last six decades to enhance yield potential through genetic improvement and alleviate effects due to various biotic and abiotic-stresses. In India, it is an important crop not only in terms of acreage but also in context to its versatility for adoption under wide range of agro-climatic conditions. Of the different forms used for human consumption, 45% is consumed as staple food in various forms viz., bread, biscuits, cookies or transformed into corn flakes, soups, fresh-roasted sweets, boiled cobs and vegetables etc. Maize grain is main ration for poultry birds while forage maize is used as fresh or dry fodder for dairy industries. In Rajasthan maize occupies 0.89 m ha area with an annual production of 1.55 mt and productivity of 1.74 t/ha (Govt of Rajasthan, 2015). Being major Kharif crop in Rajasthan, the productivity levels of maize are still below the national average and farmers are not getting better economic returns. However, profitability can be accelerated further by growing recently popular speciality corns.

Background The Enormous diversity of our planet harbors individuals of the sexually reproducing population that are unique and non-identical in nature. This unique nature is the source of this vast diversity. Taxonomy is critical for identification and classification. The oldest of the scientific disciplines, taxonomy, isdescribed as the theory and practice of classifying organisms (Mayr, 1982; Mayr and Ashlock, 1991). Taxonomy is a branch of systematics that deals with the idea and practice of classifying and describing diversity (Nelson, 2006). According to the global estimates of species (Mora et al., 2011; Costello et al., 2013), 1.2-1.5 million species are considered to be described and valid to date (Costello et al., 2013; Mora et al., 2011; Zhang et al., 2011). The enormous and intriguing variation among the species, as well as anatomical differences between species, developmental stages, and geographical ranges, make identification difficult. Rapid documenting of biodiversity should be a top priority before it is lost. This necessitates quick and accurate taxonomic expertise as well as enhanced identification methods, paving the way for the emergence of Integrative taxonomy (Dayrat, 2005), which combines all available data, whether morphological, behavioral, ecological, or molecular.

Introduction
Surface irrigation is the distribution of water using open canals in which water flows by gravity. This type of irrigation, which includes flood irrigation, requires relatively flat fields and deep soils.
A good irrigation will ensure a uniform and homogenous distribution of water in small and regular doses. The status of moisture in the soil also aims at maintaining the relative humidity in a plot at a stable level, to limit the development of weeds and pathogens. Irrigation is also used to avoid the transmission of phyto-sanitary problems or the leaching of pesticides.
The volumes of water to apply depend on the climatic conditions, the frequencies of the applications, the soil type and the irrigation method. The choice must take into account the efficiency of each method, the water availability, the installation and running costs, the maintenance needs, the spatial requirements and whether it’s possible to work while the field is irrigated.
Water Management Practices of Different Crops Rice
Total water requirement is 1100-1250
The daily consumptive use of rice varies from 6-10 mm and total water is ranges from 1100 to 1250 mm depending upon the agro climatic situation. Of

Abstract
Electricity is one of the most important input factors for the economic development of the country. There is huge and increasing demand of electricity in India and it is continuously increasing with the countries corporate and economic growth. The Indian power sector has responded significantly and made significant progress in reducing the gap between demand and supply. Indian power sector offers one of the highest growth potential to players in this industry. However, this is subject to some challenges like to generate more power and to generate and distribute power efficiently and at minimum cost. The present study covers five selected companies operating in power sector for the financial performance using ratio analysis and ANOVA. Out of selected companies NTPC performance is better than other companies but overall Indian power sector needs to reduce too much dependence on coal and needs to generate more power availability, quality and reliability for successful future and growth of the country. 

ABSTRACT

Spectral signatures are the specific combination of reflected and absorbed electromagnetic radiation at varying wavelengths which can uniquely identify an object. The “Spectral signature” of an object is a function of 1) incidental EM wavelength and material interaction with that section of the electromagnetic spectrum. The measurements can be made with various instruments, including a task specific spectrometer, although the most common method is separation of the Red, Green, Blue and Near Infrared portion of the EM spectrum as acquired by digital cameras. The spectral signatures serve as diagnostic tools in understanding the composition and structure of the materials. The present paper highlights the usefulness of the spectral signatures in rock and mineral discrimination and mineral exploration and stresses the need for creation of a spectral data base in India for various applications.

1. INTRODUCTION

Objects at the Earth's surface emit and reflect many wavelengths of radiation. In principle, each object has a unique spectral signature, which could be used for identification much like a finger print. Remotely sensed spectral signatures could be utilized for recognizing and mapping for all kinds of features. This can be done to a limited extent with conventional multispectral scanners that operate in a few broad bands of visible and infrared energy. However, broad spectral bands often do not distinguish between similar features. To overcome this limitation, a more sophisticated approach toward spectral signatures has arisen during the past few years. This approach is called image spectroscopy or hyperspectral analysis, which is based on scanning hundreds of closely spaced and very narrow spectral bands. With this technique, it is possible to create continuous spectral response curves, which may be used to identify many objects positively.

Abstract
The aquafeed industry is a cornerstone of modern aquaculture, providing essential nutrients to support the growth, health, and productivity of farmed aquatic species. This chapter provides a thorough overview of the industry, focusing on its evolution, current trends, challenges, and future directions. The formulation of aquafeeds has progressed from simple raw ingredients to sophisticated, nutritionally balanced diets tailored to meet the specific requirements of diverse species at different life stages. Critical components, including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, are discussed in the context of their roles in promoting optimal growth and physiological functions. The importance of optimum ratio of the digestible protein: digestible energy (DP:DE) is also explained in the section along with the nutritional requirement of commercially important Indian major carps (IMC), Chinese major carp (CMC), trout, catfishes and crustaceans.
Keywords: Aquafeed, Plant-based protein, Feed formulation, Precision feeding, and Protein utilization

Geography plays a vital role in understanding the complex dynamics of fisheries, encompassing both marine and inland ecosystems. The spatial distribution of fish populations, habitats, and environmental factors are all critical components that influence the productivity and sustainability of fisheries. By examining the geographical aspects of fisheries, researchers and managers can gain valuable insights into the interactions between fish populations, their environment, and human activities.
12.1 Importance of Geography in Fisheries
Geography is essential for understanding the spatial dynamics of fisheries, including:
• Habitat mapping: Identifying and mapping fish habitats, such as coral reefs, estuaries, and wetlands, is crucial for managing fisheries sustainably.
• Fish migration patterns: Understanding the migration patterns of fish populations helps researchers and managers develop effective conservation and management strategies.
• Environmental factors: Geography helps researchers understand the impact of environmental factors, such as climate change, ocean acidification, and water quality, on fish populations and ecosystems.
• Human activities: Geography also helps researchers understand the impact of human activities, such as fishing, coastal development, and pollution, on fisheries and ecosystems.

SQL, or Structured Query Language, provides a powerful framework for querying, aggregating, and transforming financial data stored in relational databases, which is essential for constructing accurate and dynamic financial models. Unlike spreadsheet-based models, SQL enables automation, repeatability, and scalability, making it particularly useful when dealing with complex datasets or real-time financial information. The first step in financial modeling with SQL is understanding the structure of the database. Financial data is often stored across multiple tables, including transactions, accounts, customers, and market data. Effective financial modeling requires familiarity with relational database concepts such as primary keys, foreign keys, and normalization. By using SQL joins, analysts can merge these tables to create a unified dataset that captures all necessary information, such as revenues, expenses, and cash flows, which are essential for forecasting and valuation exercises. Data extraction in SQL

Viable cropping systems involving new rewarding crops infuse new opportunities and challenges as well as demonstrate the potential for land productivity with higher growth and economic achievements.  As far as agricultural production is concerned Haryana is a surplus agricultural state and is one of the largest food supplier to the national kitty. The cropping patterns have undergone drastic changes over the years with a major shift in favour of cereals like paddy and wheat. Consequently, the existing cropping system viz. paddy-wheat, has started showing its adverse effect on soil health and consequent decline in crop productivity. Diversification of existing system by involving pulses, vegetable, fodder and other high value crops, is considered to be the potential alternative to address many present day problems. For example, under assured irrigation, pearlmillet-potato-moongbean gave almost 65% higher yield than the existing cotton-wheat cropping system because the leguminous crop in summer gave higher economic yield and benefit to pearlmillet crop. The package of practices with focus on pulses crops grown in Haryana state are discussed here.