eChapters

Abstract

The production of natural food colours through bio-processing is preferred now-a-days due to health related issues associated with their synthetic counterparts. Microorganisms are generally preferred sources as these have high production rate, high growth rate, ease of handling under controlled conditions and absence of seasonal variations. Biopigments can be produced from different genera of bacteria, yeast and mold. Different types and colours of pigments have been produced from microorganisms depending upon their origin, media components and process conditions. The biopigments have variety of applications in food industry such as food additives, food preservatives, biological control agents and nutritional supplements. These have also been associated with therapeutic, and antioxidant properties. Lycopene from B. trispora is used as a food ingredient in dietary supplement. Astaxanthin from X. dendrortious has also been reported to have beneficial effect on human health as it possesses strong antioxidant properties. Arpink red P. oxalicum is used as red colorant in meat products, non-alcoholic drinks, milk products and confectionary. 0- carotene is considered as leading food colorant in world and is applied to range of baked, dairy and canned foods to improve their appearance. The antioxidant andprecursory properties of0-carotene increase its applications in pet foods. Zeaxanthin is used as additives in poultry fed to intensify the colour of the egg yolk. Monascus pigments are utilized for coloration of sausages, ham, marine products and tomato ketchup. Monascus extract is also marketed as dietetic supplement in Japan. Thus, the biopigments can serve as a chromophore for colorant production with broad spectrum of colours and wide applications.

This practical assignment is dealt with the appropriate extension strategies and methodologies adopted by KVK and ATIC in disseminating proven agriculture information and technologies to farmers through delivery mechanisms.

PURPOSE

To acquaint the first-hand knowledge of the KVK- Farm Science Centre and ATIC

To study the structure, function of the centre and the role of the centre in transfer of technology.

Irrigation water always contains some soluble salts irrespective of its source. The suitability of waters for a specific purpose depends on the types and amounts of dissolved salts. Some of the dissolved salts or other constituents may be useful for crops. However, the quality or suitability of waters for irrigation purposes is assessed in terms of the presence of undesirable constituents, and only in limited situations is irrigation water assessed as a source of plant nutrients. Some of the dissolved ions, such as NO₃^- are useful for crops.

Collection of water samples

A representative water sample (500 ml) is collected in a glass or polyethylene bottle, which should be properly washed/rinsed with the same water that is being sampled. Floating debris or any other contaminant should be avoided while collecting the sample. After proper labelling (e.g. source of water, date of collection, and type of analysis required), the sample should be sent to the laboratory without undue delay.
Some of the anions such as SO₄ and NO₃ may be quite low in irrigation waters. Hence, the large volume of the sample has to be first concentrated by evaporating it to about 100 ml in order to obtain their detectable amounts.

1. Introduction

Anybody can become angry-that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.

– Aristotle.

The word emotion is derived from the French word, “emouvoir” which means ‘to excite’. Researchers have been interested in emotions since time immemorial. One of the earliest reported studies on emotions was attempted by Aristotle in 4th Century BC wherein he identified 14 distinct emotions. The traditional Indian art and literature talks about ‘navarasas’, nine emotions namely, joy (hasya), fear (bhayanaka), anger (raudra), love (shringar), courage (vira), sadness (karuna), amazement (adbhuta), disgust (vibhatsya) and calmness (shanti). Darwin (1872) theorized that emotions can be innate, evolved, and had a functional purpose. Robert Plutchik in 1980 talked about eight basic emotions, which he grouped into four pairs of polar opposites namely, joy-sadness, anger-fear, trust-distrust, surprise-anticipation. Renowned psychologist Paul Ekman and his colleagues through a cross cultural study in 1992 identified six basic emotions namely, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. The popular animation movie produced by Pixar and released by Disney pictures in the year 2015,explored the emotional adjustment journey of a girl Riley, through the five basic emotions, anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness, adapted from Ekman’s work. In a recent study by Cowen and Keltner (2017) researchers identified 27 unique emotions. In yet another study to identify emotions based on facial expressions irrespective of sociocultural influences by Jack et al. (2016) just four emotions, happiness, sadness, anger and fear were recognized.

1. The following hybrid of cocoa is a cross between CCRP 1 x CCRP 7
   1. CCRP 6
   2. CCRP 9
   3. CCRP 10
   4. CCRP 8
2. VHC-3 hybrid of coconut is developed by
   1. Aliyar
   2. Veppankulam
   3. Pattukottai
   4. TNAU, Coimbatore
3. Which one of the following varieties of coffee is multiple crosses
   1. Selection 2
   2. Selection 1
   3. Selection 4
   4. Selection 3

5.1 Introduction

“Women give life and play a vital role in safeguarding the ecosystem. Technology is the Plow that furrows the soil of justice, enabling women farmers to plant the crops of sustainable development.”

Women are half the people in the world, and they have done better than men in many ways in the last 30 years. But they still face more problems than men, because they do not have the same access to things like money, land, and power. Gender equality is not only a good thing by itself but also good for the economy, society, and the environment. If women and men have the same chances to do things and make decisions, we can have a better way of development that considers the needs of both women and men.

In any social science research, it is hardly possible to conceptualize and perceive the data and interpret the data more accurately until and unless a clear understanding of the characteristics in the area and attitude or the behavior of people is at commending by the interpreter who intends to unveil an understanding of the implication and behavioral complexes of the individual who live in the area under reference and form a representative part of the larger community. The socio-demographic background of the local people in a rural setting has been critically administered in this section. A research setting is a surrounding in which input and elements of research are contextually imbibed, interactive and mutually contributive to the system performance. Research setting is immensely important in the sense because it is characterizing and influencing the interplays of different factors and components.

The physical, social, or experimental context in which research is carried out is referred to as the research setting. This context must be accurately described in a study publication because it may have a significant impact on the findings and how they are interpreted. For instance, in a paper describing the social behavior of chimpanzees, the authors may need to provide the following information about the research environment: where the chimpanzees were observed (in the wild or in captivity), the number of chimpanzees observed, and whether they belonged to the same social group, the geographic location, the time of study, the season/weather conditions, the availability of resources like food/water/shelter, and the presence of environmental factor.

Area of the Study

The present study was taken up in West Bengal. From West Bengal, District Uttar Diaper, Blocks Kaliyaganj, Villages Radhikapur was selected.

Introduction

The world of finance revolves around the management, generation, and analysis of money and investment opportunities. Financial professionals orchestrate a complex dance involving credit, borrowing, and various investment instruments like securities and stocks. This intricate choreography aims to fund present endeavours using a strategic allocation of anticipated future income. Since finance deals with the flow of money across time, grasping the time value of money is essential. Understanding interest rates and how they impact investments becomes paramount for making sound financial decisions that consider both present needs and future goals. This intricate web of concepts is what finance professionals navigate to ensure the optimal use of financial resources. Finance can be broadly divided into three types:

1. Public finance

2. Corporate finance

3. Personal finance

1. Public Finance: The government steps in to prevent the economy from going off track by managing how resources are distributed, income is shared fairly, and the economy remains stable. Taxes are the main way the government gets the money to fund these programs.

1. Introduction

The term "sustainable development" was originally used in a 1953 article by Joseph L. that was published in Land Economics. The notion was employed to depict the degree or pace at which an environmentally friendly resource is employed for a particular objective while guaranteeing its long term availability. Organizational dynamics, social interactions, and cultural norms all change with the times. These changes are making environmental problems worse and bringing up questions about pollution and the requirement for a safe natural environment. They are being caused by changing human behavior and population expansion (Kami?ska, 2021; Gaffar et al., 2021). Organizations have been forced to review their approaches to dealing with these urgent environmental issues as a result of the increased awareness. Academic libraries have been particularly well-positioned to implement eco friendly practices because they are service-oriented establishments to adopt eco-friendly practices in their operations (Pangail, 2017).

Introduction
Plants have been used for ages as animal and human health cures. Ethnoveterinary medicines, a phrase that primarily refers to folk skills, beliefs, knowledge, practices, and procedures related to animal health and the treatment of various disorders in rural regions, have acknowledged the ability of plants to combat a variety of diseases. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines traditional medicine, also referred to as herbal medicine, as “When it comes to maintaining health and preventing, diagnosing, improving, or treating physical and mental illnesses, the entirety of the knowledge, abilities, and practices derived from indigenous theories, beliefs, and experiences whether or not they can be explained as illness”. Approximately 25% of contemporary medications are derived from plants that were once used in traditional medicine. The use of traditional medicine and its confirmation could result in the creation and discovery of more novel medications.

Agriculture, the cultivation of plants and rearing of animals for food, fiber, and other products, is intrinsically linked to the Earth’s climate. Temperature, rainfall patterns, and atmospheric composition profoundly influence agricultural productivity and distribution. However, the stability of these climatic conditions is increasingly threatened by climate change, driven primarily by the escalating concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This chapter delves into the multifaceted relationship between climate change and agriculture, exploring the ways in which altered climatic conditions affect agricultural practices, productivity, and sustainability. We will examine the impact of rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, ,and increased frequency of extreme weather events on crop yields, livestock health, and overall agricultural output. Furthermore, the chapter will discuss the implications of these changes for global food security, economic stability,and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on agriculture. Finally, we will explore strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on agriculture and enhancing the resilience of agricultural systems in the face of this unprecedented challenge.

Groundwater is a precious renewable resource which gets replenishment from the precipitation. Total water resources of the world are estimated at 1.37 x 10⁸ million ha-m. Of these, about 97.2% is salt water, mainly in oceans, and only 2.8% is available as fresh water. And, out of this 2.8%, about 2.2% is available as surface water (2.1% is fresh water in glaciers and icecaps, 0.1% is available in lakes and reservoirs, 0.0001% in streams) and 0.6% is available as groundwater. Only 50% of groundwater resource is economically extracted with available technology. Presently, 1.3 x 10⁴ million ha-m fresh water in reservoirs and 41.1x10⁴ million ha-m groundwater is theoretically available to provide usable water for drinking, domestic use, irrigation, etc., to mankind. Groundwater is the largest source of fresh water excluding the polar icecaps and glaciers. The amount of groundwater within 800 m from the ground surface is over 30 times the amount in all fresh water lakes and reservoirs, and about 3000 times the amount in stream channels, at any one time.

White yams are food plants belonging to genus Dioscorea and family Dioscoreaceae with about 600 species. White yams are among the 10 species of edible yam and belong to species rotundata (D. rotundata Poir). It originated in West Africa.

White yams are herbaceous annual climbers. Its vine arises from large underground stem that is technically called tuber rather than root (Armstrong, 1996). The underground stem thickens to produce one or more tubers which vary in size and shape. The plant bears green flowers that turn brown on maturity and when dry. The aerial stem may be smooth or thorny which could be round/cylindrical (O’ Hair, 1984). Vines can grow to sizeable lengths if provided with a rigid support. Vine length varies within and among species. The leaves could be alternate or opposite, usually heart shaped and may be smooth or hairy. In some varieties, bulbils are formed but this is real in white yam.

The floriculture has become an important sector all over world. In India, floriculture has been associated with culture and heritage since very ancient time. In recent decades there has been increasing in demand of floriculture products with increasing income. It is souring industry in Asian countries including India. Floriculture is an emerging area with great potential both in the domestic as well as export market.In India, commercial floriculture is ongoing development but have a long tradition of various types of flowers.Floriculture was being cultivated in 3.5 lakh hectares in the country and 250 varieties of flowers exist in the country.Besides potted plants, roses, carnation, orchids and chrysanthemum are important cut flowers, which are popular in our country. In the increasingly competitive international cut flower and pot plant market, new and novelty ornamental plants plays an important role in stabilization and expanding market share. Always novelty has been considered as an important attribute in ornamental industry. The consumer choice is also changing for product quality level depending upon purpose of purchase, as well as for higher levels of services and a wider and deeper assessment suggesting product diversification. The increasing pace of agricultural transformation in India has been characterized by widening share of commercial crops in the overall basket. Among others, horticulture has shown great promise because of the availability of high-value domestic and international market against the low production base so far. Understandably, it has received special attention of policy-makers and being termed as the sunrise industry within agriculture. India, with its varied agro-climate is ideally suited for growing several types of flowers in different seasons. Although traditional ornamental crops will continue to play key role in the floriculture trade, a distinct trend towards increasing the share of new crops is clearly evident in recent years often referred to as ‘specialty flowers’, these are cut flowers, which are not widely known and also grown in small pockets but have high prospects in the international market. There are over 60 types of new ornamentals, which have been reported to hold potential for commercial utility. Some progressive growers in India have already initiated the process of introducing new ornamental crops in their fields.These new products normally fetch high prices than the traditional crops for a certain period, but quite often the prices drop when market is saturated. By that time new products should be ready to enter the market. In this context introduction of new ornamental crops is therefore continuous effort.

The World Vegetable Center (previously called as Asian Vegetable Research and Development Centre, AVRDC) with headquarter at Shanhua, Taiwan conducts research, builds networks, and carries out training and promotion activities to raise awareness of the role of vegetables for improved health and global poverty alleviation. Vegetables can alleviate poverty by creating new jobs and new sources of income for farmers and landless laborers, improve health by providing essential micronutrients lacking in diets, enhance learning and working capacities of adults and children through improved diets and health, and improve the sustainability of food production practices by diversifying cropping systems. The Center’s research and development work focuses on breeding improved vegetable lines, developing and promoting safe production practices, reducing postharvest losses, and improving the nutritional value of vegetables (https://avrdc.org). The centre’s mission is Research and Development to realize the potential of vegetables for healthier lives and more resilient livelihoods

Selection fresh fruits/frozen stored fruits/chilled fruits/fruit pulp/sulphited fruit. Wash them to remove the dairt, dust, stems, leaves, stalks, undesirable portions.

s per the advancement in technology, our society is steadily moving towards adapting the new ordinary technologies for their normal affirms of life. While many’s daily lives are far from ordinary, one critical enabler for humans to survive and sustain their livelihood has been the accelerated adoption of digital technologies, especially in the last two years. We have witnessed how things happened because of the emerging technology in various sectors: education, business, communication, interaction, socialization, professional work, agriculture, etc. This will be the norm for the new normal and the “Gig Economy” evolution. Technology disruption has helped almost everyone in their many walks of life. When we consider the rural women at large, technology has, directly and indirectly, helped each procure food and other commodities to manage their livelihood. 

Introduction

The deterioration of interior air quality brought on by dangerous chemicals and other factors is known as indoor air pollution, which can be up to 10 times worse than outside air pollution. This is due to the fact that confined spaces foster the buildup of potential pollutants more than do open spaces. In underdeveloped countries, statistics show that indoor air pollution has a far worse effect on health than outside air pollution. Indoor air pollution can be defined as ‘ the totality of attributes of indoor air that affects a person’s health and well-being’ ( Singh & Jamal, 2012). Indoor air pollution from solid fuels was to blame for 3.5 million fatalities, 16% of particulate matter pollution, and 4.5% of global daily-adjusted life years in 2010. (DALY).

In the broadest sense, a network is any interconnected group of people or things capable of sharing meaningful information with one another. In a technology context, the network is usually short for "computer network" or "data network" and implies that computers are the things sharing meaningful information. At a conceptual level, all data networks consist of nodes, which refers to any computer or digital device using the network and links, the physical connections (either wired or wireless) that carry messages between nodes.

Introduction

The economic cycle, also known as the business cycle, refers to the fluctuating state of an economy characterized by periods of economic expansion and contraction. It involves the cyclical pattern of growth and decline in economic activity, impacting various indicators like gross domestic product (GDP), employment rates, interest rates, and consumer spending2. The economic cycle is a fundamental concept in economics that helps determine the overall state of an economy as it moves through four distinct stages: expansion, peak, contraction, and trough. Understanding the economic cycle is crucial for investors, businesses, and policymakers as it influences investment decisions, business strategies, and economic policies based on the prevailing stage of the cycle.

1. Expansion

The upswing of the business cycle towards a peak is called an economic expansion. An economic expansion is associated with: Firstly, an increase in production and output is a prominent feature of economic expansion. This uptick in production signifies growing economic activity, as businesses ramp up their operations to meet rising demand.