eChapters

AI-driven animal husbandry is advancing through machine learning, computer vision, IoT, big-data analytics, wearable devices and automated equipment. This chapter considers future applications for monitoring animal health, behaviour, nutrition, reproduction and environmental conditions. Predictive systems can support early disease detection, precision feeding, improved breeding and reduced production costs. However, high implementation costs, data privacy, inadequate infrastructure and limited digital knowledge remain significant obstacles, particularly in developing regions. Future research should prioritize affordable, user-friendly and explainable technologies suited to smallholders. Ethical AI, climate adaptation, multimodal data integration, omics analysis and interdisciplinary collaboration among animal scientists, engineers, policymakers and farmers are identified as essential research directions.

IoT networks and smart sensors enable continuous livestock monitoring, overcoming the delay and subjectivity associated with manual observation. This chapter reviews sensor types, communication systems, cloud and edge computing, and their applications in animal-health and behaviour tracking. It proposes a framework integrating multimodal sensors with IoT networks and machine-learning models such as CNNs and LSTMs. The system can detect abnormalities, predict health conditions and provide real-time decision support. Practical benefits include earlier intervention, improved welfare, reduced labour and more efficient production. The chapter also addresses implementation problems, costs, connectivity, data security, technical reliability and ethical considerations associated with constant digital monitoring of animals.

Livestock farms generate large quantities of physiological, environmental, behavioural and production data through sensors, IoT devices and management records. Raw information must be processed before it can support dependable analysis. This chapter explains data cleaning, missing-value treatment, noise reduction, anomaly detection, integration, normalization, transformation and dimensionality reduction. It also discusses feature extraction, categorical encoding, variable transformation and temporal-feature analysis. Machine learning, AutoML, Python, R and other analytical platforms are introduced as tools for preparing livestock datasets. Applications include disease prediction, yield improvement and movement monitoring. The chapter concludes by examining scalability, data quality, privacy and ethical challenges in intelligent livestock analytics.

Precision feeding aims to supply animals with appropriate nutrients according to their changing physiological state, growth, production and environment. Conventional feeding plans are often static and may lead to waste, increased costs and environmental losses. This chapter introduces an AI-enabled framework integrating animal data, feed composition, growth characteristics and external factors. Regression, ensemble learning and other machine-learning models predict feed intake and weight gain, while linear programming and metaheuristic optimization generate efficient allocation plans. A decision-support system provides recommendations in real time. The approach can improve feed conversion, nutrient utilization, profitability and sustainability while reducing overfeeding, resource wastage and the environmental impact of livestock production.

Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as one of the most significant developments in artificial intelligence, transforming the way machines understand, process and generate human language. Their evolution reflects a progression from rule-based systems and statistical language models to neural networks, word embeddings, recurrent architectures and, ultimately, Transformer-based models. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of this evolution and explains the technological breakthroughs that enabled modern LLMs. It discusses early language modelling approaches, the transition from N-gram models to distributed representations, and the contribution of deep learning and attention mechanisms. The development of influential models such as BERT, GPT, T5, XLNet, PaLM and LLaMA is considered to illustrate increasing capabilities in language understanding and generation. The chapter also examines core LLM capabilities, including question answering, dialogue, summarization, translation and multimodal processing. Finally, it highlights challenges involving hallucination, computational requirements, privacy, bias and responsible deployment, while outlining opportunities for future intelligent and trustworthy AI systems.

Human communication rarely depends on a single information modality. People simultaneously interpret language, images, sounds, gestures and contextual signals to understand their surroundings. Multimodal Large Language Models (MLLMs) seek to reproduce this capability by integrating text, vision and speech within unified computational frameworks. This chapter introduces the evolution and technological foundations of multimodal intelligence and explains how different data modalities can be aligned through shared representations. It examines the architectural components, training paradigms and evaluation methods used to develop multimodal systems. Applications are discussed across healthcare, autonomous systems, education, accessibility, conversational interfaces and intelligent assistants. For example, healthcare applications can combine electronic health records, spoken clinical interactions and medical images to provide richer contextual understanding. Similarly, autonomous vehicles can integrate visual road information, spoken instructions and textual navigation data. The chapter also considers challenges involving multimodal alignment, computational requirements, data quality, hallucination, interpretability and safety. It concludes by highlighting future research toward more natural, context-aware and human-centered AI systems capable of seeing, listening, reasoning and communicating

Large Language Models are increasingly transforming software engineering by enabling automated code generation, completion, debugging, translation and documentation. This chapter examines how Transformer-based architectures trained on source code and natural-language datasets have expanded the capabilities of intelligent programming systems. It begins with the architectural foundations of code-oriented LLMs and explains how self-attention enables models to capture complex relationships within programming languages. The chapter discusses applications throughout the software development lifecycle, including natural-language-to-code generation, code completion, code translation, refactoring, automated unit testing, bug detection and documentation generation. It also examines training and fine-tuning methodologies and evaluation metrics designed to assess code correctness, functionality and quality. Deployment considerations such as latency, security, computational cost, licensing and human oversight are addressed. Particular attention is given to risks associated with hallucinated code, unreliable outputs and generalization beyond training distributions. Emerging directions, including Retrieval-Augmented Generation, continual learning and formal verification, are considered as mechanisms for improving reliability and developer trust.

Modern plant genomics generates highly complex and high-dimensional datasets that require advanced computational approaches for effective analysis. This chapter explores the application of artificial intelligence to plant genomic data analysis. Machine learning and deep learning techniques are discussed for identifying complex patterns, classifying genomic information, predicting phenotypes and supporting genomic selection. Convolutional neural networks, long short-term memory networks and transformer models are considered for analyzing genomic sequences and relationships. The chapter presents an AI-based framework integrating data processing, model development and prediction while highlighting the challenges associated with genomic data heterogeneity and dimensionality. It emphasizes the potential of AI for improving genomic research and plant improvement strategies

Factorial experiments provide an efficient method for studying two or more factors simultaneously at different levels. This chapter introduces the concept and notation of factorial arrangements and explains treatment combinations in experiments such as 2 × 2 and higher-order factorials. It distinguishes among simple effects, main effects, and interaction effects, emphasizing the importance of interactions in interpreting biological responses. Factorial experiments allow researchers to examine the effects of individual factors as well as their combined influence. The chapter also explains that factorial treatments may be arranged using different basic experimental designs, such as Completely Randomized, Randomized Block, or Latin Square designs, according to experimental objectives and conditions.

Horticulture is an intensive branch of agricultural and plant sciences concerned with the production, management, improvement, utilization, and marketing of high-value crops. It encompasses fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamentals, plantation crops, spices, medicinal plants, and nursery crops. This chapter introduces the meaning, scope, importance, history, and major branches of horticulture. It explains how horticulture differs from general agriculture through its emphasis on quality, intensive management, perishability, and value addition. The chapter also highlights the economic, nutritional, social, and ecological contributions of horticulture and traces its development from traditional cultivation to modern technologies such as protected cultivation, precision farming, hydroponics, and artificial intelligence.

Green nanocomposites offer promising possibilities for biomedical applications because biodegradable matrices can be combined with nanoscale fillers to obtain specific functional properties. This chapter explores their applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery, with attention to materials such as chitosan, alginate, cellulose, and polylactic acid. It discusses the fundamentals of green nanocomposites, tissue-engineering applications, controlled drug delivery, toxicity, biocompatibility, regulatory considerations, and current limitations. Nanocomposite systems can provide useful mechanical, thermal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and therapeutic characteristics while supporting more sustainable material development. The chapter highlights the importance of balancing biomedical functionality, safety, environmental responsibility, processing requirements, and long-term biological compatibility.

Metabolites are small molecules generated or utilized during cellular metabolism and include amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, organic acids, nucleotides, vitamins, hormones, and secondary metabolites. This chapter introduces the major classes of metabolites and their biological significance. It explains metabolic architecture as the organization and interaction of interconnected biochemical pathways that regulate cellular energy production, biosynthesis, degradation, signaling, and adaptation. The chapter describes primary and secondary metabolites and examines central metabolic pathways and their interrelationships. Understanding metabolic architecture provides the foundation for interpreting metabolomic profiles and identifying changes associated with physiological conditions, environmental stresses, disease processes, and alterations in cellular metabolic regulation.

Neurological examination of dogs and cats requires a systematic sequence to identify abnormalities and localize lesions within the nervous system. This chapter covers assessment of mentation, posture, gait, proprioception, cranial nerves, spinal reflexes, sensation and motor function. Practical tests include paw replacement, hopping, wheelbarrow testing, menace response, pupillary light response, palpebral and corneal reflexes, cranial nerve assessment and limb reflexes. Examination of the cutaneous trunci and anal sphincter reflexes further assists neurological localization. By correlating clinical findings with neuroanatomical pathways, veterinarians can determine the likely site of dysfunction and plan appropriate diagnostic investigations and management.

Fluid therapy is an essential component of veterinary emergency and supportive care, particularly in animals with dehydration, circulatory compromise or electrolyte and acid-base disturbances. This chapter discusses assessment of hydration status and selection of appropriate fluid therapy. Crystalloid and colloid solutions, electrolyte supplementation and routes of administration are addressed. Clinical signs of dehydration help estimate fluid requirements, while patient-specific factors determine the appropriate formulation and rate of administration. The chapter also considers potassium supplementation and fluid therapy recommendations for different species. Practical understanding of fluid balance enables veterinarians to correct deficits, maintain circulation and support recovery during systemic illness.

Ice cream has evolved from simple frozen preparations into a sophisticated food industry combining dairy science, food chemistry, refrigeration, microbiology, processing technology, packaging, and cold-chain management. This chapter introduces the historical development of ice cream and explains its transformation from a luxury product into a widely consumed frozen food. It examines the characteristics of the industry, major categories of ice cream and related frozen products, flavour classifications, composition, and quality characteristics. The chapter also presents the basic manufacturing process, important quality-control parameters, common manufacturing challenges, and emerging industry trends, providing a foundation for understanding ice cream as both a technical product and a commercial business.

Ice cream is a complex multiphase food system in which fat, proteins, sugars, water, air, ice crystals, and stabilizers interact to determine its structure and eating quality. This chapter introduces the scientific principles governing ice cream composition, microstructure, freezing behaviour, and processing. It explains freezing-point depression, ice-crystal formation, colloidal behaviour, foam development, and structural changes during processing. Particular attention is given to the relationship between microscopic structure and sensory properties such as smoothness, creaminess, body, and meltdown. By connecting food chemistry with processing technology, the chapter establishes the scientific foundation required to understand formulation, manufacturing performance, quality control, and product stability.

This chapter introduces social forestry as an approach that connects forest development and management with community needs, rural livelihoods, environmental improvement, and social participation. It examines the major components of social forestry and the role of community participation in forest management. The chapter also discusses ecological impacts, biodiversity, rural economic development, gender and social equity, legal frameworks, participatory forestry experiences, and emerging technological opportunities. By examining both social and ecological dimensions, the chapter highlights the importance of inclusive participation and community-based approaches in achieving sustainable forest management.

This chapter introduces the fundamental concepts and processes that determine the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems. It examines forest ecosystem structure, different forest ecosystem types, community ecology, succession, population ecology, energy flow, and nutrient cycling. The chapter also addresses forest soil ecology, biodiversity, disturbances, climate change, and restoration ecology. Modern tools and sustainable forest management approaches are included to connect ecological principles with practical forest management. By integrating ecosystem processes with conservation and management perspectives, the chapter provides a foundation for understanding forest dynamics and maintaining healthy and resilient forest ecosystems.

B cell : It is one of the lymphocytes that have antigen-binding antibody molecules on the surface, that comprise the antibody-secreting plasma cells when mature, and that in mammals differentiate in the bone marrow. It is also called B lymphocyte.

B.T.U. : It stands for British thermal unit. The heat required to raise the temperature of one pond of the water through 1oF is called BTU.

Baby back ribs : Meaty pork ribs cut from the lower back rib section.

Preparation of Samples

Before withdrawing portions for analytical determinations, bring the sample to a temperature of 26 to 28ºC and mix throughly by pouring gently into a clean dry receptacle and back, until a homogenous mixture is assured. If lumps of cream do not completely disappear, warm the sample to about 40ºC, mix throughly, then cool to 26 to 28ºC. In case a measured volume is required in a determination, bring the temperature of the sample to about 27ºC before pipetting. All samples shall be allowed to stand for three to four minutes after mixing to allow air bubbles to rise ; the sample bottle shall then be inverted three or four times immediately prior to taking the milk for analysis. If a sample is curdled, excessively churned or decomposed, the sample should not be taken up for analysis.

1.    Introduction
    
2.    Indian Initiatives in Tuna Fishery
    
3.    Tuna Harvesting Techniques
    3.1    Locating tuna
    3.2    Fishing gear and machinery
    3.3    Post harvest catch handling and storage techniques
    
4.    Post Harvest Handling Techniques for the Production of Sashimi Quality Tuna
        
    4.1    Killing and cleaning tools
    4.2    The ten easy steps to sashimi quality tuna
    
Acknowledgements
    
References

Conservation has always been one of the most important applications of ecology.Unfortunately, the term “conservation” suggest “hoarding”, as if the idea were simply to ration static supplies so that there would be some left for the future. In the eye of the general public the “conservationist” is too often presumed to be an antisocial person who is against any kind of “development”. What the real conservationist is  against  is unplanned  development  that breaks  ecological  as  well as human laws. The true aim of conservation, is two fold–
    
(1)     To ensure the  preservation of a  quality  environment that considers esthetic and recreational as well as product needs; and  
    
(2)     To ensure as continuous yield of useful plants, animals and materials by establishing a balanced cycle of harvest and renewal.

Introduction

Man’s intervention in the evolution of plants, to adapt them to suit his needs, constitutes the practice of plant breeding. Historically regarded as an art and still too empirical to be accepted universally as a science, it has recently been described as a technology (Riley 1978). Whether art, science or technology, it certainly draws on a wide range of disciplines and embodies all those principles of organisation and management that determine success in any production-oriented programme.

Perhaps the biggest contribution that the plant breeder has made to increased production during the past 50 years has been in helping to alleviate the effects of natural hazards such as lodging, pests and diseases on crop production. While most of this progress has been through the manipulation of biotic stresses, much is still to be achieved under non-biotic stresses such as drought, salinity, temperature, etc. This argument is strengthened by the fact that in spite of the spectacular achievements made possible by the ‘Green Revolution’, the productivity level of most crop plants, including wheat and rice, has remained both low and static under stress conditions. Concerted efforts are needed through an approach of interdisciplinary research, since not much has been done to define criteria for stress assessment and evolving breeding approaches for incorporating stress tolerance in crop plants.

Introduction

The natural hazards like floods, cyclones, droughts, landslides and earthquakes are not rare or unusual phenomenon. India is among the world’s most disaster prone areas and a large part of the country is exposed to such natural hazards, which often turn into disasters causing significant disruption of socio-economic life of communities leading to loss of life and property. It would not be considered as a disaster unless it resulted in actual damage to human life or property. According to data accumulated over past 25 years, natural disasters in Asia accounts for about 40% of the world’s total disasters while the death toll ratio is about 50% and the number of people affected is about 90%. The latter figure is about 2.2 times the ratio of number of occurrences in Asia. The figures vary widely over the decades, a result that can be attributed to a few particularly terrible disasters. Such as the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake in China, which killed about 250,000, and a series of severe cyclones that hit Bangladesh in 1970 with a death toll of about 500,000. The death toll resulting from wind and flood disasters jumped by an order of magnitude in the 1990s. But this sudden increase affected Asia’s ratio to the world total by about 15 percentage points because there was a worldwide surge in this type of disaster. Clearly, there is an extreme concentration of victims of such disasters in Asia, Another substantial increase is clear in the value of damage caused by typhoons and cyclones; it is now running at 10 times the level of the 1980s. Again, however, the ratio has remained almost unchanged, at about 40%, because hurricanes in Central and North America account for more than 50% of the world total (51.2%, 58.5%, and 54.4% in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s,respectively). It is sadly worth noting that there has been conspicuous growth in the absolute value of damage in both Asia and the Americas.

Introduction

The Rispana river is a order of stream forming a tributary of Ganga. Its watershed covers an area of approximately 53.6 Km in the northern part of Dehradun city lies between 78^º30’ to 78^º15⁰’ longitude and 30^º15’ to 30^º 30’ latitude in top sheet No is 1/3. The area is covered in IRS - IC Pan of 13 Jan 1998 and LISS-III of 7 March 1997.

The Doon Valley is enriched with numerous seasonal and perennial streams. Which forms the lifetime or the inhabitants . The Rispana river is the part of the Ganga system of Drainage of the valley. The river originates from the Mussoorie hills, which are full of natural springs. The droplets from the springs collect and form numerous streamlets and these streamlets are joined to be these and they form the famous Shekhar Falls (north of Shahanshai Ashram about 5 Km away). Then the Rispana flows along Rajpur road over the Doon Gravels and then river passes through the tiny hamlets Nalapani, Raipur, Chanderroad, Defence colony, Amwala, Tapowan, Dandadhoran Adohiwala, Dalanwala, Gujram, Ajabpur and finally its contribute the water to the suswa River which intern joins the Ganga.

Olericulture, a Latin word, is used to designate the science, culture and management of vegetable crops. In India, about more than fifty vegetable crops are grown in different parts, depending on their climatic requirement. A number of vegetables have similarity in their method of cultivation, which makes the package of practices followed by the farmers for their cultivation very complicated and brings about a lot of repetition. Whichever the method is adopted for the classification of vegetables can systematize the preparation and presentation of the material to some extent and can avoid the unnecessary duplication of some of the principles and methods of vegetable cultivation. In different vegetables, different plant parts are used as food in different forms and they belong to different botanical families with varying cultural and climatic requirements but common insect-pests and diseases along with their common control measures.

Various methods may be used to classify all the vegetable crops into different categories but no single method of classification would be useful to serve the purpose for different groups of scientists like taxonomists, botanists, physiologists, horticulturists, agronomists, and breeders. Under field conditions, the classification based on cultural practices has been proved the best adaptable and very useful for the growers. Vegetable crops can be classified in the following ways for the convenience of different groups of scientist and growers:

Olericulture, a Latin word, is used to designate the science, culture and management of vegetable crops. In India, about more than fifty vegetable crops are grown in different parts, depending on their climatic requirement. A number of vegetables have similarity in their method of cultivation, which makes the package of practices followed by the farmers for their cultivation very complicated and brings about a lot of repetition. Whichever the method is adopted for the classification of vegetables can systematize the preparation and presentation of the material to some extent and can avoid the unnecessary duplication of some of the principles and methods of vegetable cultivation. In different vegetables, different plant parts are used as food in different forms and they belong to different botanical families with varying cultural and climatic requirements but common insect-pests and diseases along with their common control measures.

Various methods may be used to classify all the vegetable crops into different categories but no single method of classification would be useful to serve the purpose for different groups of scientists like taxonomists, botanists, physiologists, horticulturists, agronomists, and breeders. Under field conditions, the classification based on cultural practices has been proved the best adaptable and very useful for the growers. Vegetable crops can be classified in the following ways for the convenience of different groups of scientist and growers:

After attaining green revolution, nutritional security is of utmost importance in the current agricultural scenario. Vegetables play a key role in providing nutritional security in the country. They are important and readily available source of mineral nutrients and vitamins and play a vital role in the financial economy of the majority of small and marginal farmers. Further, these roles are becoming more transparent in the light of agriculture diversification as the vegetables have many agro-economic advantages and can fit into varying cropping systems under diversified conditions. After China, India is a leading vegetable producer but the productivity of vegetables per unit area is very low compared to other developed countries. Poor crop stand establishment is one of the factors responsible for low productivity. Yield and productivity can be improved by using advanced technology on the field preparation, optimum sowing conditions, correct nursery practices and planting methods.

Almost all the vegetable crops are propagated by seed, except a few. Crops are raised either by direct seeding in the field or by transplanting seedlings raised in nurseries. Direct seeding is the placement of seeds at desired depth into the final location where soil environment is ideal for optimum germination and crop stand establishment. On the other side, transplanting refers to removal of actively growing seedlings from one place to another with the purpose of having them continue their growth in the new location until harvest.

The vegetable crops like peas, beans, cowpea, okra, beet leaf, spinach, fenugreek, coriander, carrot, radish, turnip, beetroot, etc. are sown directly in the field, while tomato, eggplant, hot pepper, sweet pepper, onion, leek, sweet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprout, kohlrabi, kale, lettuce, celery, parsley, rhubarb, squashes, etc. are first sown in the nursery beds where seedlings are raised and then transplanted in the main field. Both direct seeding and transplanting are practiced in most of the cucurbits like gourds, cucumber, melons and pumpkin.

The directly sown vegetable crops do not respond to transplanting because their embryonic roots do not produce lateral fibrous roots after uprooting unlike transplanted crops where numerous fibrous roots are generated, thus, making the plant to absorb more nutrients.

Edaphology is the study of soil properties in relation to plant higher production.

Pedology refers to study of origin of soils in their natural environment, classification and description.

pH is the negative logarithm of the concentration of H+ ions in soil solution.

Soil profile is a vertical exposure of horizon sequence.

Soil texture is not changed by cultural management.

Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is defined as sum total of exchangeable cations that a soil can absorb.

ABSTRACT

An understanding of the metabolism of heavy metals facilitates biotechnological use of these functions just recently, although heavy metals comprise the major part of the elements in the periodic table. Due to their ability to form complex compounds, some heavy metals are essential trace elements. In any case, essential or not, most heavy metals are toxic at higher concentration. Heavy metal pollution from last few decades has led to an increased environmental concern. Heavy metal like cadmium is a non-essential toxic heavy metal and is also being increased in soil during last few years posing a serious threat to environment and human health worldwide. Therefore, remediation strategies of the contaminated sites are great concerns and can be achieved by a number of different physico-chemical and biological means.

The availability of wide range of pesticides though has been responsible for increasing crop production through regulating arthropod (insect and mite) pest populations in agricultural and horticultural crop production systems but unfortunately, improper and excessive use of pesticides has resulted into a number of potential ecological problems including pest resistance, resurgence, residues in food, feed and fodder, environmental contamination, direct hazards to the users and mainly destruction of beneficial organisms including natural enemies. The most important group of natural enemies is entomophagous insects i.e. insect predators and parasites. Predatory insects are usually much larger than their prey and are generally voracious feeders that kill and eat a wide variety of insects as they grow and reproduce. Many predators are active in both their immature as well as adult stage. Insect parasites/ parasitoids are often tiny, non-stinging wasps. Parasitic wasps are free-living in the adult stage, but in the larval stage are parasitic on specific insects. The parasitic larvae eat their hosts from within, ultimately resulting in the death of the host insect. The compatibility of natural enemies with pesticides is essential as both these management strategies are important part of Integrated Pest Management programs designed to regulate arthropod pest populations and minimize plant damage.

14.1 Introduction

Indoor air pollution causes significant health problems for the two billion people worldwide who rely on biomass fuels for their cooking and heating needs. Over the last 30 years awareness of the environmental and social costs of using traditional fuels and stoves has grown. At the same time, studies of the problem have resulted in proven strategies to reduce both fuel use and harmful emissions. Unfortunately, the local stoves currently available do not always represent the best designs that modern engineering can offer. Although open fires are often used wastefully, carefully operated open fires can be fuel efficient and clean burning when tested in the lab. In many situations, cooks are not overly concerned with fuel use, and studies have shown that when fuel is plentiful three-stone fires can use an excessive amount of wood to cook a small amount of food. But in other places where fuel is scarce, open fires can be carefully controlled so that fuel efficiency rivals many first generation improved cook stoves.

Modern cook stoves are designed to clean up combustion first. Then the hot gases can be forced to contact the pot and increasing efficiency without increasing harmful emissions. Fires can be clean burning when expert cooks push the sticks of wood into the fire as they burn, metering the fuel. The open fire can be a hot fire useful when food or drink needs to be prepared quickly. The energy goes into the pot, not into the cold body of a stove. The open fire can burn wood without making a lot of smoke; hot fires burn smoke as it is released from the wood (Fig.14.1). Unfortunately however, many fires used for cooking are built emphasizing simplicity of use and are wasteful and polluting. Modern stoves score higher when tested than even the most carefully operated fire in the laboratory.

India is the largest producer of pulses in the world with 24% share in the global production. During 201011, the total production was 18.09 million tonnes from an area of 25.6 million hectare (Table 1). The important pulse crops grown in India are chickpea (48%), pigeonpea (15%), mungbean (7%), urdbean (7%), lentil (5%) and fieldpea (5%). The major pulse producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which together account for about 80% of the total production. The pulses production does not keep pace with the domestic requirement and consequently, the nation has to import 23 million tonnes and the per capita availability of pulses has declined progressively from 41.6 g in 1990 to 37 g in 2008 (Indian Council of Medical Research recommends 65 gm/day/capita). Thus, increasing production from the current level poses a serious challenge for the nation.

Even with the best of efforts, pulses production and productivity has more or less remained stagnant. Due to the low productivitylow input nature, pulses are grown as residual/alternative crops on marginal lands after taking care of food/income needs from high productivityhigh input crops like rice and wheat by most farmers. Also, they grow as rainfed crops with little or no modern yield enhancing inputs. The low priority accorded to pulse crops may be related to their relatively low status in the cropping system. As a crop of secondary importance, in many of these systems, pulse crops do not attract much of the farmer’s crop management attention. In deficient soils, the application of micronutrients has also been found to be remunerative, yet the farmers hardly use these inputs. Seeds of newly developed varieties are not available to the farmers in the required quantities. As a result the seed replacement rate is hardly about 2 to 5%. In addition to this, these crops are adversely affected by a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, which are responsible for reduced yield. Lack of onfarm storage facilities and the vulnerability of pulses to store grain pests also results in considerable losses. Stray cattle and blue bulls are responsible for a lot of damage to the pulse crops especially during offseason, thus affecting adversely the cultivation of crops like mungbean, urdbean, pigeonpea, fieldpea and lentil in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana also resulting in instability and low yields.

Integrated nutrient management is considered to be the key for achieving higher yield of crops and cropping systems. In general, the productivity of pulse crops has remained low mainly for two reasons: cultivation on agriculturally marginal soils and little if any crop inputs. Among production inputs, fertilizer plays a key role in pulses too like other crops for enhancing productivity levels. Most of the pulses fix atmospheric N, which is the predominant mechanism to meet their N requirement. It can enrich soil fertility by fixing nitrogen. It has been estimated that chickpea can fix (convert atmospheric nitrogen to organic nitrogen which would be available for subsequent crops)up to 140 kg nitrogen per hectare in a growing season, although measured values are usually in the range of about 20-60 kg nitrogen per hectare (Reddy 2004). It has been well established that long duration pigeonpea in northern India can fix nitrogen in the order of 200 kg/ha when grown over a 40 week period. Pigeonpea can also have substantial residual effects on subsequent crops. For example, medium-duration pigeonpea grown at the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) (Asia Centre) could benefit a subsequent maize crop to an extent equivalent to 40 kg nitrogen per hectare. However, this capability is jeopardized through insufficient supply of other plant nutrients. General recommendations for phosphorus (P) fertilization are made in most states. However, K application is generally neglected, resulting in imbalanced nutrient supply and lower crop yields. Under intensive cropping systems, large amounts of K are removed, leading to serious depletion of soil K reserves. Pulses such as chickpea and pigeonpea remove about 60 and 52 kg K₂O/t of grain, respectively. Information compiled from various sources on integrated nutrient management in pulse/pulse based cropping systems in different agroecological regions of the country suggest that there is a wide scope for practicing integrated plant nutrient (IPN) practices in pulses and pulse based cropping systems. Practicing of INM not only economize inorganic fertilizer use but also helps in balanced fertilization and improving soil health and productivity through complimentaryeffects of fixed N by pulses and applied phosphorus and potassium.

Temperature is the physical property of an object that quantitatively expresses the hotness or coldness. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot. When a heat transfer path between them is open, heat spontaneously flows from bodies of a higher temperature to bodies of lower temperature. If no net heat flow occurs between two objects, the objects have the same temperature which are then said to be in ‘thermal equilibrium’. Temperature plays an important role in all fields of natural and applied sciences. Most of the weather parameters are dependent on it, directly or indirectly. It has important role to play in the development and growth of all living organisms in all stages of their growth.

Atmosphere receives the heat energy from the sun and its temperature increases. Due to different amount of heat energy receipt at different places, the air temperatures at different places also vary. The variation in air temperature basically results into air motion, so as to equalise the energy content of the different regions of the earth. Thus, atmospheric temperature is one of the basic elements of weather and climate.

5.1 INTRODUCTION

The importance of the best quality planting material as an initial investment is a well-realized factor for persons engaged in horticulture field. So, nurseries have great demand for the production of plants, bulbs, rhizomes, suckers and grafts. But in general, good quality and assured planting material at reasonable price is not available many a times. Nursery is the basic need of horticulture. Plant propagation techniques and practices is the core of horticulture nurseries. The planting materials for horticultural plantations are raised from seeds and vegetative parts. The difficulty of procuring tree seeds and their rising cost makes it necessary to find means to increase seedling survival and growth.

Raising a nursery needs a great skill. Nursery business has become an agro- business for the unemployed youths. Generally, various commercial crop growers require a good quality saplings or grafts of genuine type. So, nursery raising is quite a remunerative enterprise.

Nursery is a special place where seeds are sown, plants are propagated, grown, nurtured to usable size for planting or for sale. Nurseries provide the necessary control of moisture, light, soil and predators and allow production of healthy and hardy seedlings.

A forest is a large area dominated by trees. Many definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing and ecological function. Although a forest is usually defined by the presence of trees, under many definitions an area completely lacking trees may still be considered a forest if it grew trees in the past, will grow trees in the future, or was legally designated as a forest regardless of vegetation type. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, forests covered 4 billion hectares or approximately 30% of the world’s land area in 2006. Forests are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem of earth, and are distributed around the globe. Forests account for 75% of the gross primary production of the earth’s biosphere, and contain 80% of the earth’s plant biomass.

DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN FORESTRY

Systematic management of forests for a sustainable yield of timber began in Portugal in the 13th century when Afonso III, the king of Portugal planted the trees to prevent coastal erosion and soil degradation, and as a sustainable source for timber used in naval construction. His successor Dom Dinis continued the practice and the forest exists still today. Forest management also started in German in the 14th century and in Japan in the 16th century. The practice of establishing tree plantations in the British Isles was promoted by John Evelyn during second half of the 17th century.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, forest preservation programmes were established in British India, the United States, and Europe. Sir Dietrich Brandis is considered the father of tropical forestry. He brought European concepts and practices to the tropical and semi arid climate zones. The enactment and evolution of forest laws and binding regulations occurred in most Western nations in the 20th century in response to growing conservation concerns. Tropical forestry is a separate branch of forestry which deals mainly with equatorial forests that yield woods such as teak and mahogany. One of the applications of modern forestry is reforestation, in which trees are planted and tended in a given area.

Silviculture is the branch of forestry dealing with the establishment, development, care and reproduction of trees. Forestry is anything done in the forest and silviculture is anything done to forests. ‘Silva’ is the Latin word for forest and ‘culture’ for cultivation. Silviculture is narrower than forestry, being concerned only with forest plants, but is often used synonymously with forestry.

The Society of American Foresters defines silviculture as theory and practice of establishment, composition, constitution and growth of forests. Thus, silviculture refers to art and science of raising forest crops, methods of raising tree crops, their growth and aftercare up to the time of final harvesting. In simple words, silviculture is the growing and tending stands of trees. Silviculture is also used to manage forests for wildlife, water, recreation, aesthetics, or any combination of these or other forest uses.

Introduction

In the 1997 WHO guidance document: “WHO/VSQ/97.01: (A WHO guide to good manufacturing practice (GMP) requirements. Part 1: Standard operating procedures and master formulae)” some basic explanations and instructions were given for preparing various documents required by Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines from WHO and from several regulatory authorities.

GMP guidelines include the requirements for documents (individual), documentation (the systems and formats for documents), and documenting (recording) of production and control activities. Most GMP guidelines provide the same or very similar information as the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice are now international in scope.

In this guidance document, the requirement for master manufacturing instructions and the requirements as given in different GMP documents, different names for these documents and various forms that they can take will be described. This is to guide vaccine manufacturers who are applying for pre-qualification or re-qualification of their product(s) in the preparation or improvement of current documents for manufacturing operations.

5.1 Introduction

The source of pollution are many and varied. The most critical are domestic sewage and industrial effluent discharging into rivers, lakes, ponds etc. Treatment facilities for domestic sewage in class 1 cities having population of more than 1,00,0000 and class 2 cities having population between 50,000 and 99,999 can process hardly 10% of the wastewater generated. Wastewater treatment facilities are difficult to quantify due to lack of continuous data. On an average, the treatment capacity in class 1 cities can handle only 60% of the wastewater collected and less than 15% of the total volume of wastewater generated.

The Indian industry has grown annually at an average rate of 5.5% during the last 50 years. Among different industrial sectors, water pollution is concentrated with in a few industrial sub-sectors mainly in the form of toxic wastes and organic pollutants. Out of the total pollution contributed by the industrial sub-sectors, 40% to 45% of the total pollutants can be traced to the processing of industrial chemicals and nearly 40% of the total organic pollution to the food products industry alone. Food products and agro-based industries together contribute 65% to 70% of the total industrial wastewater in terms of organic load. Blair T Bower, consultant, the Urban Institute, USA, remarks: "… If substantial further growth of Asia’s cities cannot be avoided and if the environmental disasters that could be associated with that growth are to be prevented, there is only one alternative: urban environmental quality management must be substantially improved throughout the region".

The total quantity of water used by the domestic and industrial sectors is much less than that consumed for irrigation. However, the wastewater released from the above sectors has a great concentration of pollutants, and is discharged at specific disposal points. Thus, the wastewater generated from domestic and industrial projects causes much more water pollution as compared to any other source.

An orchard is the place where different kinds of fruit crops are grown in large scale. An orchard is a long-term investment and needs lot of planning and expertise. The orchard crops are generally trees, which ultimately have a large spread, so when they are planted, the distance between plants and rows is kept keeping in mind the final spread of the tree. So, before the trees attain their full growth, some suitable crops which are of short duration, like vegetables, flowers, spices and herbs are grown as intercrops.

Fruit trees are perennial, may be tropical, sub tropical and temperate types and thus require proper environmental conditions and suitable management practices for their successful growth.

Pomegranate is one of the important fruits of tropical and sub tropical regions. It is also cultivated in semi arid and arid tracts of the country but requires irrigation facilities for better quality of fruits production. Pomegranate is used as fresh and making delicious juice. In India, it is cultivated for domestic consumption and export. Versatile adaptability, hardy nature, less cost in orchard management, low irrigation water requirement as compared to other commercial fruit crops, high yield potential, fine table and therapeutical values and excellent keeping quality has made this fruit more lucrative and remunerative (Sharma et al., 2014).

In global market, India plays a significant role of export of fruits. Recently exports of pomegranate from India have increased and extended to several countries. India stands firmly at third position with 14% market share in pomegranate export after China and Iran.

The annual export of pomegranate fruits from India is about 67, 892 metric tonnes (MT) amounting to revenue of ‘688 crore (Annon, 2019). For export purpose, Phule Arakta, Bhagawa, Super Bhagawa and Mridula varieties are suitable (Anon, 2003).

The highest importer of Indian pomegranate is Gulf countries led by United Arab Emirates (19,000 MT) followed by South East Asian Countries prominently, Bangladesh (10,500 MT) and Nepal (10,000 MT). Among European countries the biggest exporter is Netherlands (4,449 MT) followed by UK (576 MT). Recently, India has also started exporting fresh pomegranate to USA to the tune of 209 MT generating a revenue of 11 crore ((Annon, 2019).

Peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) belongs to the Prunoideae subfamily of the Rosaceae with other species collectively referred to as “stone fruits. Unusual in its subgenus, the peach is largely self fertile. There are at least 77 wild species of Prunus and most of them are found in Central Asia. Peaches include different types of varieties downy skin with freestone or clingstone (peach), smooth skin with freestone or clingstone (nectarine) (Bretaudeau and Faure, 1991). It is considered as favourite table fruit and highly valued for its taste, flavour and attractive colour. The fruits are rich source of sugars, vitamins and minerals and malic acid (1.2%). Peach fruit shapes vary from round to flat, beaked, skin colors vary from white to red or yellow, the flesh color white or yellow melting or non-melting types and it can be clingstone or freestone. Regions with warm to hot summers are produces highest quality peaches. It has a range of uses as fresh fruit for table purpose as well as processed product especially in sauces, slice production and canning. Peaches are highly ruminative and nutritionally rich crops for mild temperate to subtropical regions. Peaches are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. The carbohydrates, organic acids, minerals and dietary fiber are among the major constituents of peaches, which contribute to the nutritional quality of both fresh fruits and the juices (Manzoor et al., 2012).

Tea, the oldest known beverage, is native of China in South East Asia. It was known to the Chinese as early as 2737 BC, but attained the status of a popular drink in England in 1664 A.D. It was planted on a large scale in North India in 1834 while in South India from 1859 to 1897 in different tea growing districts. As on today, 38 countries grow tea and among which India, China, Sri Lanka and Indonesia have major share in area and production. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter in tea industry.

Cucurbits are major crops of countries having a wide variety of vegetables. Cucurbits include bottle gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkins, squashes, ridge gourd, sponge gourd, and cucumbers. Cucurbits are a large, diverse crop group that are susceptible to over 200 diseases (Zitter et al., 1996). A wide range of pathogens affect the productivity of cucurbits. The diseases may be caused by fungi, bacteria, Cucurbits crops are warm-season large group of crops that are cultivated and harvested over different seasons like spring, summer, and winter. These crops as a group are an important part of a diverse and nutritious diet. Melons are eaten as fruits, whereas summer and winter squashes, cucumber, and pumpkin are eaten as vegetables. In addition, cucurbits are used for fiber, utensils, decoration, ceremonial and medicinal purposes.

A wide range of pathogens affect the productivity of cucurbits, which constitute over 200 diseases (Zitter et al., 1996). The diseases may be caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, or mycoplasma- like organisms. The disease may be soilborne, seedborne (carried by seed), spread by wind, or transmitted by insect vectors. The moisture content of the seed, storage period, prevailing temperature, and degree of invasion influence the development of seedborne fungi (Anjorin and Mohammed 2009). The pathogen may cause seed abortion and rot, necrosis, reduction, or elimination of germination capacity as well as seedling damage at later stages of plant growth, resulting in the develop- ment of the disease as systemic or local infection (Khanzada et al., 2001). The diseases cause heavy loss in terms of yield and quality. The diseases caused by pathogen are controlled by fungicides against fungal diseases, antibiotics for bacterial diseases, or insecticide in case of viruses transmitted by insect vectors. The diseases of cucurbetaceous crops can be managed by adopting different cultural, biological, and chemical methods of disease management. The following management practices are required to be taken into consideration for raising disease-free cucurbitaceous crops:

Introduction

With India’s population to catapult to a gigantic figure of 1.63 billion by 2050, it rests upon the shoulders of the country’s dwindling land resources to cater to the food demand to the surging human race with an eco-friendly manner. This requires a mammoth effort from the food producing machinery of the country-an effort which has to be inclusive of the technological innovation and extension in this field and to the fullest possible extent. Coping with the short-run challenges to food security posed by food price volatility is indeed a daunting task. But the serious concern is the long-term challenges of avoiding a perpetual food crisis under conditions of global warming. The decline of contributions of Indian Agriculture to the National GDP and an apparent stagnation of the growth rate in agriculture, non remunerative agricultural system, ever increasing population pressure, shrinking land resources, global warming and climate change, indiscriminate use of agricultural inputs, over exploitation of natural resource base and environmental quality have made the situation more vulnerable towards food security. In this backdrop, agricultural knowledge and technology accumulation, transfer, application, and diffusion are key to sustainable development and food security in an eco-friendly manner. The knowledge and technology revolution is critically different from the past industrial revolution in that it is based upon a shift of wealth creating assets from physical things to intangible resources based on knowledge and technologies. Thus, effective management and transfer of knowledge and technologies are believed to be the most critical capability of individuals, organizations, and nations in the globalized 21st knowledge society. Extension could play a pivotal role in fostering sustainability through its educational programs but there has been a growing realization that traditional extension models have not been sufficiently effective in promoting socialization of sustainable agricultural practices. Since sustainable agriculture is a knowledge-intensive system, it requires a new kind of knowledge, which differs from other forms on the basis of conventional agricultural practices. In fact, conventional extension system cannot accomplish sustainability in agriculture; because today’s agricultural extension must consider environmental implications, social issues, and overall economic growth within the agriculture sector. In such a situation, the present conceptual discussion shall be envisaging the dictum and destiny of evolving extension approaches by cherishing a clear focus on extension management perspectives towards sustainable development and environment protection and management so as to the well established extension approaches can be restructured and applied in the niche of extension management towards sustainability.

Onion (Onion cepa, 2n = 2x 16, highly cross-pollinated, family Amaryllidaceae), is a valuable vegetable crop for the people all over the world. Tomato, onion and potato put together have been given a nick name as TOP seeing their combined importance globally. As per Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare-Horticulture Statistics Division, Government of India (MAFW, 2018), the global acreage, production and productivity of onion during 2016 were 4.96 million ha, 93.17 million tons and 18.80 tons/ha. Top 10 onion producing countries in the world are China, India, Egypt, USA, Iran, Turkey, Russian Federation, Pakistan, Brazil and Argentina. During 2016, China occupied I rank with area, production and productivity figures of 1.09 million ha, 23.91 million tons and 22.00 tons/ha. India was closely at II rank with corresponding figures of 1.20 million ha, 19.20 million tons and 16.18 tons/ha. Productivity-wise, USA is at the top rank (56.40 tons/ha), followed by Iran (37.95 tons/ha) and Egypt (36.71 tons/ha). The Netherlands is the world’s largest onion exporter with a total of around 800,000 tons, which is ca. 80% of its total annual production (Shigyo and Kik, 2008).

Within India, which produced 19.20 million tons of onion from 1.20 million ha (12 lakh ha), the major onion producing states during 2017-18 have been as given

9.1. Introduction

Oceans (from Okeanos in Greek) are saline waters that cover almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth. The area of the oceans is 361 million sq. km., and nearly half of the world’s marine waters are over 3,000 meters deep.

Though somewhat arbitrarily divided into several “separate” oceans, these oceans are in fact one global, interconnected body of salt water, often called the World Ocean. The major divisions are defined in part by the continents and a variety of archipelagos, and are labeled the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. Smaller regions of the oceans are called seas, gulfs and straits.

There are a some smaller bodies of salt water that are not interconnected with the World Ocean. These are not considered to be oceans or parts of oceans, though some of them have been given the name, sea.

Geologically, an ocean is an area of oceanic crust covered by water. Oceanic crust is the thin layer of solidified volcanic basalt that covers the Earth’s mantle where there are no continents. From this point of view, there are three “oceans” today: the World Ocean, and the Black and Caspian Seas that were formed by the collision of Cimmeria with Laurasia. The Mediterranean Sea is very nearly its own “ocean”, being connected to the World Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar, and indeed several times over the last few million years movement of the African Continent has closed the strait off entirely, making the Mediterranean a fourth “ocean”.