eChapters

Harald Ulrik Sverdrup (1888-1957), a Norwegian who began his career studying meteorology with Vilhelm Bjerknes in Oslo, was appointed director of Scripps Oceanographic Institution in 1936. His 1947 paper “Wind-driven currents in a baroclinic ocean”, which showed the link between meridional currents and the curl of the wind stress, began the modern era of dynamical oceanography and initiated large-scale modeling of ocean circulation.

Collections of blood To collect blood for different haematological analyses, an animal’s vein are punctured with a syringe and needle. Requirements • Hypodermic needle • Syringe • Collection vials or tubes containing anticoagulantsProcedure • The place of blood collection should always be cleaned with alcohol and hairs trimmed. • Press on the vein to raise it. • Free-flowing blood can be collected directly into the vial containing anticoagulant after the needle is inserted into the vein. • 5 ml of blood from large animals and 2.0 ml of blood from small animals like dogs and cats are sufficient for normal haematological investigations. • Rotational motions in the vials are used to mix the blood

Development of the country build is upon the aspect of the human measures. Imaginative, inventive, truthful and persevering persons head the nation in the virtuous path and guide to all aspects of growth in every field. Entrepreneurs drive nation’s growth. Entrepreneurs are familiar for their specific features Acknowledging this reality on growth of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is an ingenious and imaginative reaction to the surrounding. The expression “entrepreneurs” normally mention to person who tackle recently developed capabilities that are imaginative and inventive. Analysis towards the entrepreneurial character has manifest that majority of the successful entrepreneurs share a defined category of personality features. This acquires the peculiarity as to. The existing analysis is an effort to inform the main features of entrepreneurs in food processing enterprises of Assam.

Introduction

Finance is vital to entrepreneurship. With limited resources starting a business is a challenge. Earlier generations of entrepreneurs establishing a business were different. They first guaranteed that money would be available to start—the business. So, if one wanted to build up a unit for a business, one would undertake market research and then approach the bank. Then activities like product development, ordering equipment, determining the site, acquiring land for the facility, what government policies are applicable etc., were considered. Before starting a business, an entrepreneur considers these factors. That was the old regime.

Safe Food means

• It is not injurious to health
• It does not contain any filthy, rotten, decomposed or diseased animal
• substance or vegetable substance
• It is produced undermost hygienic conditions to produce/manufacture it, inferior or cheaper ingredients/raw materials are not used
• Food additives/processing aids used are permitted and are within prescribed limits.
• It is not misbranded

1.1 Introduction

Horticulture is defined as “The science and art of growing vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamental plants and landscaping of gardens and surroundings in small and commercial gardens”. The Latin word “horticulture” comprises two parts: “hortus” (which means “garden”) and “cultura” (which means “cultivation”). In other words, horticulture is the nurturing of gardens. Pomology, olericulture, floriculture, and landscaping are the main aspects of horticulture. Horticulture is becoming more and more important since it produces greater output per unit of land and provides humans with nourishing food, improving their quality of life and enhancing the visual beauty of nature. Regarding the worth of the goods, one of the main branches of horticulture is vegetable growing.

Technically speaking, every component of a vegetable is edible. However, the phrase is typically used to refer to edible plants that include reserves of food in the form of roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, petioles, leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds that can be consumed either cooked or raw. Growing vegetables is crucial not only for supplying food that is protective but also for serving as a substantial auxiliary food that contributes more significantly to food consumption. They are vital parts of a balanced diet since they are nutrient-rich.

11.1 Introduction

The word Raphanus has been originated from Greek, meaning quick appearing, refers to its very rapid germination and growth characteristics. It is grown chiefly for its succulent and fleshy edible taproot eaten raw as salad or cooked. The leafy tops are very rich in vitamins A, B and C, and minerals particularly calcium and iron. Major sugar present in radish is glucose. It is a short duration crop and highly productive, so preferred as intercrop or in relay and sequential cropping. 

12.1 Introduction

Carrot is valued as a nutritive food mainly because of high carotene content. The edible part of carrot is modified root (conical form, i.e., enlarged fleshy taproot). Although carrot is a biennial crop but it is grown as an annual for its root. Black carrots (Asiatic carrot root) are used for the preparation of a soft beverage called Kanji, which is supposed to be a good appetizer. Red type is good for preparing various types of sweets especially Gajar Halwa in northern India. Carrot seed oil is used for flavouring liquors and commercially used in France. The taste of carrot is due to the presence of glutamic acid. In carrot roots sucrose is the most abundant than glucose and fructose. Maximum concentration of carotene is found 85-100 days after planting. Carrot seeds contain germination inhibitor named as carrotal. 

1. Introduction

Law of conservation of mass says that material cannot be created nor destroyed, which is the basic fundamentals of physical science. Many engineering analyses involve material balances. These balances are simply accounting processes that account for all material in processes of interest. The material balance is one of the most useful tools fundamental in the “engineering approach” to design new process. The law of conservation of mass tells that the total mass of all material entering any process must equal the total mass of materials leaving plus the mass of any material accumulated in the process.

1. Introduction

Mixing is a fundamental and widely practiced operation in many fields, such as chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing industries. The mixture’s primary aim is to increase the homogeneity of the material in bulk (Uhl and Gray, 1986; Patterson et al., 2004). Mixing means the random distribution of two or more ingredients throughout a system, which differs from the term’ agitation,’ which is defined as establishing a particular flow pattern with the liquid, especially in a circulatory motion within a container. Mixing is a necessary step in the context of food processing operations. 

Principal Scientist and Head (I/C), Division of Social Sciences and Training Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, Karnataka

Team Building

The effectiveness of the organization will depend on the extent to which the individuals and groups work as teams. People vary in their need to belong to teams. Some people are loners, while to others it gives them satisfaction to be a part of the team. However, the demands of an organization are such people have to work as teams to get the work done and achieve set goals and objectives. When work together, they use two types of skills-task and process. Since process influences, often critically, task results it follows that people need to develop both sorts of skills, and to be aware of them in others. The operative and cooperative processes will have bearing on team building. In other words, the extent to which the people in a group are able to develop a common vision and method of work to be done will help groups of people to emerge as teams. 

The decadal Census, 2011 puts India’s population at 121.08 crores (cr.), split into 83.37 cr. of rural and 37.71 cr. of urban inhabitants. Of the total population, the working population was 48.18 Cr. comprising primary workers at 36.25 cr.

Regarding gender analysis, the male and female populations counted 62.32 and 58.75 crores, respectively. The female population was rural-dominated,with 42.77 crores living in villages and 10.51 crores in urban centres.The Census also showed that the women accounted for a substantive size of the working population, 14.99 crores (12.19 rural+2.80 urban). The primary workers of this female working population were as high as 8.93 crores, with 6.77 crores living in rural India and 2.15 crores in urban centres. The details may be seen in Table 1.

8.1. Introduction

Food packaging’s essential functions is to protect the food from hazardous compounds, and contaminant. In order to improve the shelf life of food commodity, smart packaging like active and intelligent packaging has been developed which can monitor freshness, display information of quality, and improve food safety. More precisely, smart packaging was defined by Smart Packaging Journal as “the use of features of high added value that enhance the functionality of a product, notably mechanical, electronic and chemical features that improve safety and efficiency”. The major concerns with traditional packaging are not only shelf life of packaged food, but also the inability of packaging material to convey the important information about quality changes to both customer and manufacturer. 

International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) are standards adopted by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), which is the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The first International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) was adopted in 1993.

As of March 2021, there are 44 adopted ISPMs (ISPM 30 being revoked), 29 Diagnostic Protocols and 39 Phytosanitary Treatments. These international standards protect sustainable agriculture and enhance global food security, protect the environment, forests and biodiversity and facilitate economic and trade development. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures are prepared by the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention as part of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s global programme of policy and technical assistance in plant quarantine. 

The biosecurity risk assessment informs the biosecurity plan, which documents the mitigation measures put in place to address risks. Risks that fall outside of the risk tolerance threshold should be controlled through additional or enhanced mitigation measures. A cost-benefit analysis can assist in determining the mitigation measures in which to invest. Financial constraints and resource limitations may present challenges when looking to manage unacceptable risks. As a starting point, senior management may choose to initially focus mitigation measures on the most consequential risks and then control remaining risks as resources become available. In other instances, if the risks are determined to be too high or costly to mitigate, the organization’s project or program may need to be modified or cancelled. Recommendations for mitigation measures should be documented in the final report of the biosecurity risk assessment.

Introduction

After the green revolution, India achieved significant strides in agricultural output, but productivity is still poor owing to climate change and the interference of old agriculture techniques. In order to fulfill the world’s food demand in 2050, global output will have to grow by 70 % (FAO, 2020). Man has devised technical techniques for growing crops round the year.

Crop propagation is a natural process that is enhanced via the use of modified and regulated settings. These conditions are altered to guarantee that the crop in question grows to its full potential. The purpose of propagation structures is to build environments that can be changed and controlled.

Current Status of Seed Production

Organized seed production in India became possible with the formation of National Seed Corporation (NSC) during 1963, which paved the way for a sound seed industry to come as a consequence of the introduction of hybrid technology during 1961-65. The release of high yielding dwarf varieties of wheat and rice by the 1960’s gave further impetus to the growth of the seed industry in the country. For the total area under cultivation of 26.7 m ha and 65 per cent of the area) insect, disease and weeds (10-40 per cent loss) and also poor shelf-life. Hybrid technology have defined solution in several crop plants specially vegetables, cotton, rice etc. with the development of appropriate hybridization and seed production. In 1990-91, the area planted to ‘bought seed’ was about 10.35 per cent. The total ‘bought seed’ was estimated at around 5.91 lakh tonnes valued at Rs 679.80 crores. 

Managing soil organic matter is of paramount importance in sustainable crop production. Human interventions always lead to a decrease in soil organic matter content and biological activity. Therefore, even for maintaining moderate levels of organic matter in soils, sustained efforts should be in place. Such sustained efforts should include adopting high-residue crops in rotation and ensuring regular return of residues to soils.

It is all the more difficult to maintain the organic matter content in well aerated soils and soils of hot and arid regions, because in these soils added materials decompose rapidly. However, in comparison, it may not be so difficult to maintain the organic matter levels in fine-textured soils with restricted aeration and in soils of cold temperate regions.

19.1. Measures that Decrease Soil Organic Matter Content

Unlike root-free soil, the rhizosphere around growing plants is a very dynamic environment that hosts a much higher number of microbes, in particular bacteria. Microbes interact with each other and with plants in symbiotic, associative, neutral or antagonistic ways. A plant colonized or penetrated by a microorganism can either result in asymptomatic or disease or form an association or symbiosis, depending on the cells’ perception of each other and how the environment affects that interaction. Microbes that penetrate and colonize plants have developed elaborate strategies to subvert plant defenses.

15. 1 Introduction

Data collected in social sciences and economic study, are usually based on answers provided by the respondents. These answers are aften based on re-collection of past memories and often suffer from memory lapses, intentional erros etc. As such they provide only a crude informations which are never exact. The analysis of such data on the pattern of other biological data will not yield much information because many times they will not fulfil the underlying assumptions. For such data, the non-parametric (N.P.) methods are most appropriate.

15.2 Parametric Tests

The tests which deal with the parameters of the populations, are known as parametric test e.g. Z, t & F tests are the parametric tests.

Bulb crops include onion, garlic, leek, shallot, welsh onion and chive- all belonging to the genus Allium. This genus was earlier included in the family Liliaceae due to its superior ovary. It was later shifted to Amaryllidaceae as flowers are bom in a bracted umbel on top of a scape. Being the typical genus in the family Amaryllidaceae, a new separate family status was given to all the specious under Allium as Alliaceae.

The common features of bulb crops are:

1. The stem is under ground and rudimentary. The edible portion, bulb is formed by fleshy leaf bases in onion, fleshy axillary buds within thin foliage in garlic, blanched stem and leaves in leek etc.
2. All the bulb crops have a characteristic order due to presence of allyl - propyl - disulphide.
3. All are cool season vegetables and are grown during winter months in plains.

Leaf vegetables are rich sources of provitamin-A, vitamin-C and minerals like calcium, iron etc. They also provide roughage required in human diet. The Indian Council of Medical Research (1984) recommended a daily intake of 100 g and 40 g of leaf vegetables in the diet of woman and man, respectively. Amaranth, beet leaf, spinach, fenugreek, cabbage etc. are the major leaf vegetables grown in the country. In addition, a number of under-utilized annual crops are also grown as leaf vegetables in specific regions. Tender stems and leaves of a number of perennial crops are rich sources of vitamins and minerals and are used for cooking. The major annual leaf vegetables have a few features in common:

1. Most of leaf vegetables are of short duration and the entire harvest is over within 80-90 days
2. Leaf vegetables are cultivated by direct sowing and by transplanting. In direct sowing, seeds are sown as in nursery and harvested 30 days after. In transplanted method, 25-30 days old seedlings are transplanted at a closer spacing and harvesting is done by frequent clippings or cuttings.

9.1 Introduction

According to FAO guideline, “Conservation Agriculture (CA) is an approach to managing agricultural ecosystems for enhanced and sustained productivity, improved returns, and food security while preserving and enhancing the resource base and the environment.”

The terms “conservation agriculture” (CA) and “resource-conserving technologies” (RCTs) are not synonyms, but sometimes both words are used for a similar meaning. Therefore, the practices which improve resource or input-use efficiency are termed as RCTs. RCT is a wider term than CA which is used for nitrogen-efficient varieties; fuel-, money-, and time-efficient techniques; and improvement in plot-level water productivity including CA.

The litchi or ‘lychee’ (Litchi chinensis Sonnen) is an evergreen subtropical fruit tree of the family Sapindaceae. It is known for its delicious fragrance, quality and juicy fruits contributing significantly to the nation’s economy. India is the second largest producer of litchi in the world after China with an area and production of 82,000 ha and 555,000 tonnes, respectively during 2012-13 (DAC, 2013).So far as Eastern India is concerned, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal accounts for 85% of the total litchi production in the country. The state Bihar alone contributes 45% of total litchi production and occupies nearly 40% of the area in India. In India litchi is being grown in an area of 89000 ha with a total production of 556 000 MT annually (http://nhb.gov.in).

Papaya (Carica papaya Linn.) belongs to the family Caricaceae was introduced in India in 16th century by the Portugese. It is one of the few plants which produce fruits throughout the year. It owes its popularity to various simple reasons like, it requires less area per tree, comes to fruiting in a year, easy to cultivate, provides per hectare income next only to banana and has a high nutritive and medicinal value. Though papaya is a native of tropical America but presently it is being grown in all the tropical and sub-tropical countries, e.g. Australia, Hawaii, Taiwan, Peurto Rico, Peru, Florida, Texas, California in the USA, various parts of Central and South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India.

Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.) is one of the most ancient and important fruit crops. It is considered as the “King of arid zone fruits”, due to its adaptations to tolerate the biotic and abiotic stresses prevailing under rainfed conditions (Anbu et al., 2009). It is also called as desert apple, jujube, Badari (Sanskrit), Chinee apple, Ber (Hindi), Kul or Boroi (Bengali), Indian plum, Boroi, Beri, Permseret (Anguilla) etc. It is a tropical fruit tree that belongs to the family Rhamnaceae. Ber is rich in amino acids, protein, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates, iron, vitamin A, ascorbic acid. The fruit contains from 70 and 165 mg ascorbic acid per 100 gm of pulp, which is two to four times higher than the vitamin C content of citrus fruits. The mineral content of phosphorus, calcium and iron in Z. mauritiana fruit is also reported as being higher than in apples and even oranges (Morton et al., 1987, Jawanda and Bal,1978).

Introduction

Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy. There are a number of sub sectors in the agricultural sector such as sericulture, floriculture and horticulture. Among those fields horticulture has played a dominant role in the total agricultural output throughout India. The world market has provided a good opportunity for the development of the fresh and the processed fruits industry of India. From the point of view of domestic market also, horticulture products have provided food items of nutritional value. Their cultivation has generated higher employment opportunities and higher returns to the farmers than the cereals and other agricultural cash crops (Singhal, 1995). Mango (Mangifera indica) is a stone fruit belonging to family Anacardiaceae. It is a most important fruit of India and known as the “king of tropical fruits”. Mango is cultivated in many tropical regions and distributed widely in the world. 

Introduction

There are forty different edible oilseeds which can be used for edible and non-edible purposes. Out of which nine oilseeds are extensively used for edible and non edible purposes. The oilseeds such as groundnut (peanut), sunflower, sesame, soybean, rapeseed-mustard, niger and safflower are generally used for edible purposes and castor and linseed are used for non-edible purposes. Plants are the main source for 71 percent of edible oil. Some oil crops such as groundnut (peanut) and sesame can be used directly as food and edible oil, but others are mainly processed to obtain oil, and oil cake or meal (Hetje, 1989). The oil crops are grown all over the world (Girish Kumar, 2012). Area under cultivation of edible oilseeds in 2020 was 27.14 million hectares. The total production was 33.22 million tonnes with the productivity i.e. yield per hectare of 1025 kilogram per hectare in India (Ministry of Statistics). India is the world’s largest importer of edible oil (Santosha, et. al., 2017) and the import of edible oil in 2020 was 93.37 million tonnes.

Before proceeding to find out the nature of the egg content of the faecal sample, one should know what class of animal the faecal sample belongs to. It is easy to identify a faecal sample of herbivore from that of an omnivore or a carnivore. The dung of cattle, sheep and horse will contain lot of vegetable fibers. The colour of the dung under normal conditions will be dark greenish yellow with a peculiar aromatic smell. But the faeces of a dog or cat will be soft and pasty devoid of fibers and dark yellow in colour with an unpleasant smell. Several procedures commonly used to examine faeces for parasites are described in this section. Before attempting to apply these procedures, a few points should be considered:

Collection of blood Blood sample should be collected in a capped clean and dry vial containing an appropriate amount of anticoagulant. The commonly used anticoagulants are ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) @ 1-2 mg/ml and heparin @ 5 I.U./ ml of blood. Sites for blood collection Before collection of blood clean the site of collection by applying some antiseptic solution. If the area is hairy shaving of the site under aseptic condition should be done. Tip of the ear should be preferred for prompt or early diagnosis of haemoprotozoan infections. The vein can then be punctured with hypodermic needle and the collected blood is transferred to a clean glass vial. For collection of blood various preferred sites in different animals are as under

Introduction Papaya fruit is listed under the family Caricaceae. This family has total four genera all over the world. There are about four species found in India under the Carica L. genus. Carica papaya L. is one of the species among them and it is most widely cultivated and very well-known species in India (Kumar and Devi, 2017). It has a thin, little shiny, and green-colored peel which turns into orange colored after ripening. The size of the fruit varies from 5.5 to 5.9 cm in terms of diameter. Papaya has several industrial applications in food processing, pharmaceutical as well as cosmetic industries. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2013), India, Indonesia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, and Mexico are the countries that produce the largest number of papayas in the world, India being the largest producer (4457.1 tonnes) followed by Brazil (1859.3 tonnes) in the year 2011.

Introduction Consumer demands for convenience and mildly processed meals with long shelf lives have led to unique and current developments in food packaging solutions (Dobrucka and Cierpiszewski, 2014). Additionally, the development of unique and creative packaging solutions that do not compromise food safety or quality is being fueled by the current retail trend and changing lifestyles (Dainelli et al., 2008). The widespread use of packaged meals has raised consumer demand for prepared foods like microwaveable dinners, and the growing popularity of smaller food packages all help to fuel the food industry's explosive growth in creative packaging (Restuccia et al., 2010). The rise in food-borne microbial outbreaks, which calls for the usage of packaging that possesses antimicrobial qualities while retaining food quality, is another major driver of new food packaging (Appendini and Hotchtkiss, 2002). The initial advancements in packaging were electrically powered packing equipment, flexible packaging, metallic cans, aseptic packaging, aluminium foils, and flexographic printing. A considerable movement away from metal, paperboard, and glass packaging in favour of plastic and flexible packaging was also brought about by the discovery of various materials such as polyester, polypropylene, and ethylene vinyl alcohol polymers.

Introduction Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) belongs to the family Cruciferae or Brassicaceae having chromosome number 2n=18. ‘Cole wart,’ a wild non-heading variety of Brassica oleracea var. sylvestris, is the ancestor of cabbage. The majority of the 100 species that make up the genus Brassica are indigenous to the Mediterranean region. It is also believed that Germany is where the true-headed cabbage originated. Currently, mostly cabbage is grown in the country like Caribbean, Indonesia, Malaysia, Central Asia, and Western and Eastern America.The third-largest producer of cabbage worldwide is India. The majority of the nation’s states where it is grown include UP, Orissa, Bihar, Assam, WB, MH, and Karnataka. Annually in India, cabbage was produced around in the area of 418 thousand hectares and production of 9.72 million metric tons with the productivity of 22.7MT/hectares (NHB, 2021-22). The other main producers in the globe, in addition to India, are China, Russia, Japan, Korea, the USA, Indonesia, and Ukraine.

Introduction Garlic (Allium sativum L.) belongs to the monocotyledonous family Alliaceae or Amaryllidacea; Chromosome No. 2n=2x=16. In India, it is the second most extensively grown bulb crop after onion. According to several botanists (Candolle, 1985; Dscalov and Popov,1941; Kuznetsov, 1948 and Regel, 1975) garlic was cultivated and utilised by Mediterranean population since medieval time. Origin, History and Distribution Central Asia, particularly elevated highland of Pamir and Tian Shan is considered as the primary centre of origin of garlic (Vavilov, 1926), however Caucasus and North Africa is considered as the secondary centre of origin. Allium longicuspis is considered as the wild ancestor of garlic. The history of garlic usage dates back to 3000 B.C when it was used in Egyptians tombs likewise its first usage in modern era occurred during 10th century in England (Shinde and Sontakke, 1986) and its first introduction in North and South America was done by Spanish and Portugese settlers during fifteenth century; introduction and usage of garlic in other European and Asian countries occurred subsequently.

Introduction The botanical name of carrot is Raphanus sativus which belongs to the family Brassicaceae having haploid chromosome number of x = 9 and is believed to be originated from Europe and Asia. Radish is one of the most ancient and popular leaf cum root vegetables in both tropical and temperate regions. Radish probably originated in Europe and Asia. Radishes were extensively cultivated in Egypt and ancient records show that radishes were eaten before the pyramids were built. It had spread to China during 500 BC and to Japan during AD 700. The recent study has indicated that east of Mediterranean region, most probably China is the centre of origin of radish. Wild state of radish is not known. Previously it was believed to haveevolved from a common weed Raphanus raphanistrum Linn in Europe but now it is believed to have been evolved from more a variety of sources. As it is a short duration annual or biennial crop, it can be widely used in sequence cropping, companion cropping and intercropping in widely spaced crops. Roots are pink in colour due to presence of anthocyanin pigment.

Introduction The Globe artichoke is a herbaceous perennial crop that is grown for its tender, edible, immature flower buds. It is botanically known as (Cynara scolymus L.) and having chromosome number 2n=2x=34. The globe artichoke belongs to the family Compositae, and it originates in the Mediterranean Basin, where it was most likely introduced as a crop in about the first century AD (Sonnante et al., 2007). The globe artichoke is presently grown as an annual crop or a perennial crop in different regions of the world. The increasing demand for globe artichokes as a source of pharmaceuticals and modern functional foods has created new challenges for producers, necessitating the concurrent development of new production hubs and the use of cutting-edge technology in established growing regions that can support the global market.

1. Introduction Millets, one of the earliest foods consumed by humans, may have been the first cereal grain utilised in domestic cookery. It belongs to the Graminae grass family. The name “millet” describes a number of little-seeded grasses (annual) that are classified into five genera: Setaria, Panicum, Pennisetum, Paspalum, and Echinocloa in the tribe Paniceae, and one genus: Eleusine in the tribe Chlorideae (Pushpavalli, 2015). India ranks first in the production of millets followed by Niger and China (FAO, 2020). Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) serves as food, fuel, and fodder on a global scale. Since, it contributes up to 75% of all grain output in East Africa and several regions of India; it plays a significant role in indigenous diets. After rice and wheat, pearl millet is the third most significant crop farmed in India. Ninety percent of the country’s land is used for cultivating pearl millet, with Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana being the main states.

1. Introduction Fonio (Digitaria exilis), also known as acha, hungry millets, and fundi in various regions, is a minor and underutilized millet with exceptionally small size (H. Sartelet et al., 1996; Bello et al., 2020). This ancient crop native to West Africa is considered one of the oldest cultivated millets for ensuring food security. Figure 1 illustrates the components and structure of fonio millets. In recent times, fonio millet has garnered increased attention due to its remarkable nutritional and functional properties (Zhu, 2020). Being gluten-free, it is rich in nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (Fe, Cl, K, Mg) as well as essential sulphur-containing amino acids like methionine and cysteine, which also possess phenolic properties (Barikmo et al., 2004; Zhu, 2020).

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.

Nanomaterials are a rapidly growing technological sector with diverse applications. These nanomaterials are categorized into distinct groups according to their shape, size, and materials used in their fabrication. The synthesis of nanomaterials follows different strategies that are tailored to their specific applications. This chapter describes the different approaches used for the synthesis of nanomaterials, including top-down, bottom-up, and hybrid approaches. Furthermore, this chapter discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each fabrication method and explores the diverse applications of nanomaterials across multiple fields.

This section explores how nanoparticles have a significant influence on sensing and detection, explaining how they have revolutionized analytical capabilities. Our trip through many kinds of nanomaterials, such as metal nanoparticles, semiconductor nanomaterials, and carbon-based structures, aims to explore their distinct features and how they might be used for novel sensing methods. The intricacies behind sophisticated sensor technologies are clarified through an examination of plasmonic sensing, quantum dot applications, and conductive nanomaterial responses. In order to improve selectivity, the chapter emphasises surface modifications and biomimetic coatings as key components of strategic functionalization techniques.

Nanomaterials, a cornerstone of nanotechnology, encompass a broad array of particles showcasing remarkable properties and diverse applications. This chapter outlines the classifications and applications of various nanomaterials, including organic, semiconductor, metal, metal oxide, and carbon-based nanoparticles. Each type offers unique characteristics, such as biodegradability, optical and electrical properties, making them valuable in fields like drug delivery, electronics, and catalysis. Furthermore, this study focuses on the interactions of nanoparticles with living organisms, emphasizing their impact on immune systems across plants, invertebrates, and humans. 

Temperature is the measure of the thermal state of a body with respect to its ability to transfer heat. Soil derives its heat almost entirely directly from the sun and losses much of it back into the atmosphere. The major processes for heat transfer in soil are: Radiation, Convection, Conduction and Latent heat exchanges between soil and atmosphere. The most important source of which is the incident radiation supplying almost all the heat energy for the biosphere and also determines the thermal regime of soil. Soil temperature or thermal regimes of soil is an extremely important property of soil as it regulates plant growth directly and influences moisture and aeration status in soil, soil structures, microbial activities and decomposition of plant residues and the availability of plant nutrients . It is controlled mainly by its thermal properties and radiation exchange over the surface and their variations within the soil. The quantity of incident solar radiation and heating the soil depends on the several factors such as exposure and latitude, albedo, soil colour, slope vegetation and composition of soil.

Soil acidity is most conveniently measured by pH of soil suspension with water. Pure water undergoes dissociation into hydrogen and hydroxyl ions and are in equilibrium with undissiociated water molecules Thus, H2 O ??? ??? H+ + OH- (1) and in presence of another H2 O molecule, H+ converts to H3 O+ H+ + H2 O ??? ??? H3 O+ (2) Since water is a weak electrolyte and dissociates as per Eqn. 1, the ionic product of water can be written as – KW = aH+ x aOH- = (CH+ x COH– ) x ( fH+ x fOH-) (3) where, a, C, and f represents the activities, concentrations and activity coefficients of respective ions. In pure water and in dilute solutions the activity coefficients are approximately unity thus the product of concentrations of H+ and OH-1 is the ionic product of water and at ordinary temperature (250 C) this has a constant value of 10-14 gm ions per litre so, Kw =(CH+ x COH–1) = 10-14 gm ion per litre (4) such that, CH+ = COH–1 = 107 gm ion per litre Therefore, if hydrogen ion concentration of an aqueous solution exceeds this value, (10-7gm ion per litre), the solution is said to be acidic then there will be a proportionate decrease of OH- concentration to maintain the constant value of ionic product.

In order to assess the economic value of biochar, various factors need to be taken into account, including production expenses, market demand, potential income sources, and cost reductions. The economic worth of biochar can be determined by considering these factors.

8.1 Production costs

The cost of producing biochar can differ based on various factors such as the type of material used, the scale of production, the method of pyrolysis used, and the particular operational conditions.

i. Feedstock costs

• The cost of acquiring or producing biomass feedstock includes purchasing agricultural residues, forestry waste, or other biomass sources. Additional costs such as land, seeds, fertilizers, and harvesting should be considered using dedicated energy crops.

Introduction

Irrigated agriculture plays a predominant role in the state’s food grain production. Erratic trend of rainfall, it has been realized that the availability of water will become very less in forthcoming days as a result cultivation of crops will face water crisis. Development of new water resources needs excessive money investment with high level of expertise and technical knowhow. The ground water is also falling down to greater and greater depth due to overdraft causing for the restriction of the construction of tube wells. Further the efficiency of traditional irrigation system in India is now varying from 30% to 40% against 62 to 65% during the project plan periodbecause of wastage of this valuable water resource due to mismanagement. To meet the increasing demand for additional food grain production, the demand for water in the irrigation sector will increase substantially. In such a situation conservation of water and its proper management is necessary for developing a sustainable agricultural system avoiding the degradation of the land quality, water and other natural resources in an irrigated area.

Biomass, a diverse and renewable resource, holds immense potential as a source of energy, feedstock, and environmental solutions. However, effectively harnessing its benefits necessitates a systematic approach. This chapter introduces the concept of Biomass Management Techniques as a pivotal framework for optimizing the utilization of biomass resources. With a focus on sustainable practices, this chapter delves into various techniques to handle, process, and utilize biomass efficiently. From collection and transportation to storage, conversion, and beyond, Biomass Management Techniques encompass a wide array of methods that ensure the seamless integration of biomass into energy generation, industrial processes, and environmental conservation.

Introduction

Recognizing the importance and impact initiatives were taken for starting National Horticulture Mission, announced by Honorable Prime Minister on 15 August 2003. Crop diversification has become an imperative for India’s agri-economy. To address this need and to give further impetus to encouraging growth in cultivation of horticultures, vegetables, flowers, species etc. a National Horticultural Mission has been launched. Its main target will be doubling India;s horticultural production by 2010. Sub sequentially, National Horticuture Mission was launched during Tenth Plan with effect from 2005 2006 for holistic development of horticultural crops, having competitive advantages.