eChapters

Agroforestry is a land use system that involves two or more plant species at least one of which must be a woody perennial. When perennial woody and herbaceous components are grown together on the same piece of land their performance would largely depend on their ability to share various growth resources in a given environmental situation. Due to difference in growth pattern and resource requirement of the components in agroforestry situation, a close interactive relation is obvious. Thus, careful management practices for the components are required to establish a successful agroforestry system. The characteristics of the trees and crops, and their interactions, can be modified with good management practices in order to take advantage of the positive characteristics and minimize the effects of the negative ones. Effective and efficient agroforestry management may be divided into two groups - tree management and agricultural crop management.

Factors Affecting The Selection Of Tree Species

Trees in an agroforestry system contribute significantly to the total output of the system and therefore, success of the system depends on the selection of the tree species. The following factors are to be considered to choose the best tree species for the agroforestry systems in a particular site.

1. INTRODUCTION

The basic principle of plant breeding is the utilization of existing variation and creation of new variations. Ploidy breeding is one of the tools used for improving the crop plants. The year 1937 can be considered as a landmark in the history of plant breeding. The discovery of the specific action of colchicine in inducing polyploidy has provided the breeder with a means for increasing the scope of crop improvement apart from the removal of the barrier of sterility in the sterile interspecific hybrids by the production of amphidiploids and their utilization later for the transfer of useful genes from the wild parents to cultivated plants. It was hoped that the production of autoploids in various crop plants would directly lead to the cultivation of better plants, as generally the autopolyploids are known for their gigas characters including the seed.

Introduction

Agriculture accounts for a large share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports, and employs more than 60% of the work force in India (FAO, 2001). The failure or success of agriculture determines the economic growth of the country. As human population grows so does the demand for food and, therefore, demand for land to grow food. Ironically, the demand to convert agricultural land to commercial and residential developments is also very high due to population growth and urbanization. This is reducing the amount of land available for agricultural purpose. This scenario is being noticed in most of the developing countries like India. Against this background, agriculture will be expected to meet food, feed, and fiber demands of a world population that is anticipated to grow from approximately 6 billion in 1999 to 11 billion by 2050 (USDA, 2010). Small and fragmented land holdings do not allow farmers to have independent farm resources like draught animals, tractors, bore wells, tube wells and other sophisticated farm machineries for various cultural operations. While crop production is the primary farming enterprise in the country, livestock raising serves as an auxiliary activity to crop production. About 90% of livestock population are in the hands of the smallholders where adequate supply of high quality forage is a common problem. Integrated farming system (IFS) models developed in different parts of the country involving dairy, duckery, poultry, horticulture, apiary, pisciculture and plantation crops viz. coconut, cocoa, nutmeg, banana, pineapple etc. along with crops, have been found to increase net profit significantly as compared to cropping alone.

Endocrine glands are organs which secrete chemical substances called hormones into the blood stream. Hormones are substances produced by specific glands, secreted directly into the blood and transported to various organs and tissues where they exert their effects. The term hormone is derived from the Greek root meaning to excite. The organs/cells where there hormones bring about their actions are called target organs/cells. The target organs (hormone binding receptors) posses specific receptors for bringing about the action of these substances. The term neurosecretion signifies the production and reiose of hormones by nerve cells that have the cytological characteristics of secretory cells.

Several hormones are the product of nervous mechanisms hence the term neurosecretion is used and neurohumour for such substances.

Hormones act as a mode of transmitting information in the body in addition to the nervous system. Their mode of action is slow but more prolonged. Chemically the hormones are either proteins or steroids. Hormones are secreted in very small amount but their actions are profound. Early investigators were hampered by the non availability of suitable methods for their estimation. The availability of radioimmunoassay, radio-receptor assay, enzyme linked immunological assay have greatly facilitates researches in the field of endocrinology.

The mode of action of these hormones has been elucidated in several instances. Involvement of membrane permeability and cyclic AMP has been implicated in several cases.

Most of these hormones have been of therapeutic interest for several decades. The mode of administration of steroid hormones can be both oral or parenteral while protein hormones are active only when injected. Several of these hormones are used for increasing the production potential of meat animal, for improving the reproductive efficiency of domestic animal, hence are of direct economic importance to the farmers. Chemical characterization and their synthesis including their more potent analogues in several cases, have greatly facilitated their widespread application in the animal production and animal health strategies.

Endocrinology is the study of the structure and function of the endocrine glands and their secretory products, including the consequences of excessive or deficient production of these hormones.

Organized retailing is spreading and making its presence felt in different parts of the country. The share of organized retailing in the total retail sector is set to increase from about 2 % to 8 -10 % by 2010. The retail sector generates 6 % of total employment in India. The reasons behind the increase in growth of retailing is changing life styles of Indian consumers. The key factors that drive the growth of organized retailing are:

• Rising urbanization
• Growing economy
• Higher disposable incomes
• Growing consumerism
• Entry of national/international business houses into retailing
• Increasing nuclear families
• Changing number of educated and employed women population
• Media proliferation and rising awareness level
• Brand proliferation
• Traveling by the working groups of the society
• Popularity within working and studying bachelors for convenience food.

The largest category of retail businesses are specialized retailers selling food, and beverages from fixed retail outlets. The major formats of retailing are furnished in Table17.1.

Livestock entrepreneur is a person who undertakes livestock based activities such as livestock rearing, production of livestock/ livestock products, processing and other inputs of livestock business. He finds ways and means to create and develop a profitable livestock business. Livestock entrepreneurs see their farming as a business and as a means of earning profits. So they are willing to take calculated risks to make profits and to grow their businesses. They are also motivated to improve livestock production through mechanization and application of technologies in the field of dairy, small ruminant, poultry and allied enterprises. Livestock entrepreneur is determined and creative person, always looking for opportunities to improve and expand his business. He likes to take calculated risks, and assumes responsibility for both profits and losses. An entrepreneur is passionate about growing his business and is constantly looking for new opportunities.Enterprising farmers are also innovators. They always look for better and more efficient and profitable ways to do things. Being innovative is an important quality for a farmer-entrepreneur, especially when the business faces strong competition or operates in a rapidly changing environment. They look for better ways to organize their farms. They try, better animals, and alternative technologies to increase productivity, diversify production, reduce risk and to increase profits.

Abstract

Similar to other north eastern states of India, the state of Manipur is also prone to recurring landslides. The National Highway 150 and the state Highway in Ukhrul, Nunghar and Paorei sectors often witness landslides due to geological complexities, rainfall and anthropogenic activities. So a study was conducted to prepare the landslide hazard zonation map for the region using the method developed by Bureau of Indian Standards, which indicates that 67.32 km² (nearly 56%) fall under high hazard zone. The RMR and SMR studies carried out in five test sites in such high hazard zone show that four sites fall under highly unstable category (class IV) and one under partially unstable category (class III). The kinematic analysis indicates dominant wedge failure. The improper landuse, lack of adequate drainage and toe removal for road widening are the major causative factors for the recurring landslides.

4.1 Introduction

A farm pond is basically small scale water harvesting and water recycling structure. It harvests water mainly in the rainy season when there is abundant rainfall producing sufficient runoff and the harvested water may be used for single or multiple cropping. When there is deficient supply of water to the crops it may supplement as supplemental irrigation. The leftover water in the pond can be used for growing another crop in winter when there is no or less rainfall. Ij addition, the stored water in the pond can be used for domestic and other uses and rearing fish. Thus it serves as viable medium for integrated farming system in rainfed farming ecosystem. Before designing a pond in a given location, it is very important to estimate the total quantity of water supply to the pond. The two main sources of water supply to pond are (i) in situ rainfall and (ii) runoff (some times called as discharge) generated from the catchment and conveyed to the pond. Some times there is groundwater contribution to the pond when the pond is unlined and the underlying groundwater table with reference to the ground level is at lower elevation than the depth of water in the pond such that there is a hydraulic gradient in the direction of underlying groundwater level to the water level in the pond.

Introduction

The creation of first humane life forms has been evidenced since 4 million years ago. They were reportedly called hunter gathers and hunted animals and collected seeds and fruits from wild plants for their livelihood maintenance as food stuff. These nomadic people moved from one place to another place as they depleted the resources of an area. The trial-and-error experimentation and manipulation of species, the scene was set for domestication of plants and animals. In addition, these hunter-gatherer societies probably paved the way for domestication by developing the social structures (later on promoted to village organizations and cooperation) as well as knowledge of cultivation techniques (later on institutes and knowledge centre).

Early Farming (1650 & Before)

Around 12-10,000 years ago human being started farmingin search of food stuff for maintain their livelihood.

It was reported that the roots of farming began within the gift day of Turkey and Middle East the geographical region, referred to as Fertile Crescent of the geographical region. Cultivation and replantation involves the deliberate sowing or alternative management of plants, that don’t essentially take issue from wild populations. The beginning of farming is primarily associated with the domestications of several species; it involves genetic change of wild varieties through conscious or unconscious human selection, the start of farming is primarily related to the domestications of many species; it involves genetic amendment of untamed varieties through aware or unconscious human choice. 2 of the earliest settlements area unit referred to as Cata Huyuk and Jericho, as reported. Folks began to taking regarding wild grasses and mistreatment the seeds for food and planting for following year’s food. These seeds area unit currently referred to as cereals and compose an outsized proportion of the world’s food provide. Water was 1st primary demand of existence of life whereby Jericho, like several early cities was set around a uniform water supply, a spring that created over a thousand gallons each minute. Reportedly, around 2 to 3 thousand folks lived there. Farming of wheat, barley, peas, and lentils supported these folks were found there.

Introduction

India is the seventh largest having 329.73 million ha of geographical area and second most populous country having more than a billion population in the world. There is no other substitute other than to use every square inch of land and every drop of water effectively and efficiently. Though there was markedly increase in annual food grain production from 51 (195051) million tones t0 206 million tones (200001), still the death on hunger is visualized.

The demand for food is increasing with everincreasing population growth rate. So there is no option other than to increase food production. There is very little or no scope of horizontal expansion due to land limitation, the question of vertical expansion is the only way to fit with the situation. Genetically improved crop variety, hybrids, mechanized agriculture, higher rate of fertilizers and chemicals application may give one or two more green revolution, but the question lies how far it can sustain greenness?

Adoption of improved crop cultivars, cropping system, increasing cropping intensities, precision farming can hold good to get out of this situation where whole system is to be considered.

The cropping intensities in the states like Assam, Bihar, MP, Orissa, UP and West Bengal are 137.7, 137.8, 125.6, 154.6, 148.6 and 159.6 percent, respectively (FAI, 199495). This indicated that a vast majority of lands remain fallow during dry season due to lack of proper technologies, which are under rainfed conditions, neglected. Except West Bengal, more than half of the arable land remains fallow during rainless period. Increasing cropping intensities in rainfed uplands is not easily achievable but there is great potential of intensification of cropping in rainfed lowland by utilizing natural resources and conserved residual moisture. Pulses like black gram, green gram, lentil, lathyrus, chick pea and oilseeds like linseed, groundnut, rapeseed could not only increase the cropping intensities but also come forward to increase national productivity.

Technology transfer is an important commercial tool for leveraging and optimizing the value of intangible assets in the present era of globalization which has deepen the process of integration of the economic resources including the free movement of goods, merchandise, services, capital and intellectual property rights. This economic integration is facilitated by a legal framework of World Trade Organization (WTO) under various agreements including the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). There are other International Institutions i.e., World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), World Customs Organizations (WCO) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to regulate and provide guidance for the protection and enforcement of IPRs. The present global economy is geared and triggered by knowledge and almost 80 % of the global wealth comes from knowledge based intangible assets and helps optimization of the limited global resources. Technology transfer is a tool for leveraging the value of IPRs and also for sharing knowledge around the world. Knowledge is weightless and in today’s era, knowledge is driven by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which adds to productivity in all aspects of economic life.

The term “Technology transfer” broadly connotes transfer of knowledge from one legal entity to another legal entity within and outside the national territories of the legal owner of the Patent holder at a consideration, known as license fees or technical fees or royalty. This may happen as a part of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or as a part of pure technological collaboration. In other words, Transfer of Technology (TOT) and Technology Commercialization allows the transfer of the technology by a patent holder to a user for further development and exploitation of the technology into new products, processes, applications, material or services. Patent provides an exclusive right to the patentee to exclude others from using an invention without his consent and the technology transfer is the process to include the licensee as the legal user without infringing the rights of the patentee. The exclusive right granted to a patentee is the right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or distributing the patented invention without his permission. The technology transfer allows the user to use the patented technology with the consent of the patent holder.

5.1 Introduction

Food is the basic requirement of every living being and it provides physical, mental as well as emotional satisfaction. Globally, there are many food enterprises which provide this basic necessity across the nations irrespective of nature of origin and climatic condition. Food companies are required to provide products at certain quality parameters so as to maintain the uniformity in the food system. Hence, food quality can be defined as a total of traits and criteria which characterize food as regard to its nutritional value, sensory value, convenience as well as the safety for a consumer’s health. Food quality is the quality characteristics of food that is acceptable to consumers. This includes external factors as appearance (size, shape, colour, gloss and consistency), texture, and flavor; factors such as grade standards and internal (chemical, physical, microbial). Due to the various food risks, all over the world the quality regulation authorities have intensified the efforts to improve food quality. Some of the quality related systems are obligatory by law while other is voluntary which are to be implemented by the various food chain members.

Many companies are forced to improve safety and quality of their products by implementing the quality and safety assurance and management system because of growing consumers’ expectations and concerns as regards food quality and safety.

In order to attain maximum profit and decrease the flaws, a new system was developed and followed by various companies all over the world. This new system is known as Six Sigma. The application of this system has the capability to reduce the losses considerably by reviewing the process parameters and increasing the profit exponentially. It constitutes a systematic approach to assure that food products have particular traits at any stage of production and distribution.

8.1 Introduction

Electron Microscopes were developed due to the limitations of Light Microscopes which are limited by the physics of light to 500x or 1000x magnification and a resolution of 0.2 micrometers. In the early 1930’s this theoretical limit had been reached and there was a scientific desire to see the fine details of the interior structures of organic cells (nucleus, mitochondria etc.). This required 10,000x plus magnification which was just not possible using Light Microscopes. The Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) was the first type of Electron Microscope to be developed and is patterned exactly on the Light Transmission Microscope except that a focused beam of electrons is used instead of light to see through the specimen. It was developed by Max Knoll and Ernst Ruska in Germany in 1931. The first Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) debuted in 1942 with the first commercial instruments around 1965. Its late development was due to the electronics involved in scanning the beam of electrons across the sample. Electron microscope has been a valuable tool in the development of scientific theory and it contributed greatly to biology, medicine and material sciences. This wide spread use of electron microscopes is based on the fact that they permit the observation and characterization of materials on a nanometer (nm) to micrometer (µm) scale. Electron Microscopes are scientific instruments that use a beam of highly energetic electrons to examine objects on a very fine scale. This examination can yield information about the topography (surface features of an object), morphology (shape and size of the particles making up the object), composition (the elements and compounds that the object is composed of and the relative amounts of them) and crystallographic information (how the atoms are arranged in the object). A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The electrons interact with atoms in the sample, producing various signals that can be detected and that contain information about the sample surface topography and composition. SEM can achieve resolution better than 1 nanometer. The combination of higher magnification, larger depth of focus, greater resolution, and ease of sample observation makes the SEM one of the most heavily used instruments in research areas today.

Abstract

Foam Mat Drying (FMD) is an economical alternative to drum, spray and freeze-drying for the production of food powders. The raw material is converted into stable foam by adding foaming agent through beating or whipping in presence or not of foam stabilizers, and dehydrated by different classical airflow and thermal means. A high-quality food powder attributes can be obtained by the proper selection of foaming method, foaming agents, foam stabilizers, time taken for foaming, suitable drying method and temperature. FMD can be used for large production of food powders because of its suitability for all types of food materials, rapid drying at lower temperature, retention of nutritive value and bioactive compounds, good reconstitution characteristics and flowability and cost-effective for producing powders.

In this chapter, basics of foam and its structure, mechanisms of foaming, types of foaming agents and stabilizers for the production of stable foam have been discussed. The influence of foaming agents, foaming properties, thickness of foam and drying temperature on the drying characteristics of mat are also studied. This chapter analyzes the application of foam drying process for different food materials, the microstructure and whole quality attributes of obtained powder, and the energy consumption and costs of FMD as well.

1.1. Introduction

The significance of milk as the most wholesome single food available in nature has never been debated. It is as ancient as mankind itself, as it is the substance created to feed the mammalian infant. All species of mammals, from the lowly rat to the mighty whale, produce milk for this purpose. Several centuries ago, perhaps as early as 6000-8000 BC, ancient man learned to domesticate species of animals for obtaining their milk for consumption. These included cows, buffalos, sheep, goats and camels, all of which are still used in various parts of the world for the production of milk for human use (Fig. 1.1 & 1.2).

Milk, as secreted in the udder of a healthy animal is practically sterile, but during its transit to the processing plant, becomes heavily contaminated with a variety of micro-organisms. These may be responsible for spoilage of milk or for causing diseases in animals and human beings. It thus becomes imperative that adequate heat treatment is given to milk to destroy these micro-organisms, thus increasing the shelf-life of milk as well as making it safe. Varied heat treatments offer the potential of producing different kinds of processed milk to satisfy the needs of the consumer. To cater to the ever-increasing demand of consumers, several varieties of processed milk are available in the market, some of which are discussed below.

5.1. Pasteurised Milk

Pasteurisation was named after the renowned French scientist Louis Pasteur, who discovered that spoilage organisms could be inactivated in wine by applying heat at temperatures below its boiling point. The process was later applied to milk and remains the most important operation in the processing of milk.

It is the process by which every particle of milk is heated to such temperature-time combinations (usually to 63°C for not less than 30 minutes or to 72°C for not less than 15 seconds) and promptly cooled to 4°C or below so as to destroy any harmful bacteria that may be present without affecting flavour and food value. Pasteurisation does not involve the use of any additives. Apart from making milk safe to drink, pasteurisation increases the length of time it can be kept before it spoils. The nutrient losses due to pasteurisation are so small, that they are considered insignificant.

Water is the most abundant compound on the earth but its sufficient availability is always a big constraint in crop production, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas since agriculture is the last priority for good quality water due to severe competition with public health and industrial demand, hence, the judicious and efficient use of water for irrigation in agriculture needs through knowledge of soil-plant-water relationship. The integrated approach for water management in rain fed areas or irrigated agriculture in soil-plant-atmosphere system helps in the selection of suitable crops and varieties and also helps in improving the crop yield and water use efficiency in relation to water supplying capacity of soil profile depending on its texture and rhizosphere depth. Similarly, atmospheric demand of evapotranspiration by various weather parameters via temperature, relative humidity, radiation, rainfall and wind speed is highly variable during the crop season depending on geographical location and is highly area specific. In irrigated area, the saving of irrigation water through improved management practices will further help in extending the irrigated areas with same amount of water, which will further boost agricultural production and sustainability.

Most of the earth’s total water is contained in oceans (96%), a small portion (2%) as snow and ice and the rest (2%) in the water bodies of the continents. Oceans, lakes, rivers and other water bodies of the earth are called hydrosphere. Continuous circulation of water between hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere is known as hydrological cycle (Figure 12.1). Schematic diagram illustrating the earth’s water cycle– the hydrological cycle.

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of Computer Technology for the design of objects which are real or virtual. CAD involves more than just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances according to application-specific conventions. CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) objects.

ABSTRACT

Dysoxylum binectariferum (Roxb.) Hook. is an evergreen tree, indigenous to India and widely distributed in different parts of India. Primarily, this plant is used in the timber market for the preparation of furniture and other wooden goods. Apart from utility in timber market, it has tremendous medicinal properties because of its unique secondary metabolites. Its hydroalcoholic extracts possess a wide range of pharmacological activities including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-leishmanial, etc. The chromone alkaloid rohitukine, the major constituent of the plant, possess anti-fertility, anti-leishmanial, anti-adipogenic, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-cancer and immunomodulatory activities. The most extensively studied and advanced therapeutic property of this chromone alkaloid is its cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition activity, which has a direct link with its anti-cancer effect. Inspired by this natural product, two clinical candidates (flavopiridol and riviciclib) are discovered and studied in human cancer patients for treating various types of cancer. Another preclinical lead IIIM-290, which is directly derived from rohitukine via synthetic modification, has demonstrated promising oral efficacy in animal models of various cancer types. The high-value medicinal applications of this plant have necessitated the need of bringing this tree under captive cultivation. The present chapter discusses the biology pharmacological and secondary metabolites present in Dysoxylum binectariferum. The preclinical and clinical leads derived or inspired from rohitukine are also discussed in this communication.

ABSTRACT

Evolution theory postulates that the collision between the Indian and the Eurasian plates in early Eocene and Miocene epoch leads to formation of the Himalayas, and currently recognized across the globe as repository of life. Some species of this regions is categorized under endangered and endemic category. Rhododendrons placed under family Ericaceae is an important genus of flowering plants. It is one of the multiferous keystone member of plants, mostly endemic to Southeast Asia. Wide distribution of rhododendrons concentrated in Himalayas. The Eastern Himalaya, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim states of India is the main centre of species distribution and provide wide range of habitat for ecological studies. Several species exhibits many nutritional, medicinal and aromatic properties as evident from tribal knowledge and published research sciences. Different parts of plant such as flowers and leaves used in folklore herbal medicine and for preparation of local wines. Chemically, rhododendrons are repository of several bioactive molecules in the form of taraxerol, hyperoside, betulinic acid, quercitin, arbutin, rutin, coumaric acid, and several other fine molecules in minor quantities. In the present communication, Indian rhododendrons species diversity of different regions are revised and updated the current list for India. Besides, its value addition and future prospective is also presented for Indian economy. The checklist, chemistry, traditional knowledge, ecological requirement, keystone taxa, potential value added products for future, threat and future perspectives of rhododendrons for conservation is also discussed and presented in different subheads. First time checklist of all Indian rhododendrons are prepared and provided here in this communication.

ABSTRACT

The current paper discusses the diversity, distribution and commercial importance of Indian Magnolias. Globally, these species are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate forests of southeastern Asia and tropical America. In India, there are 25 species of Magnolias and most of them are distributed in Northeast India, with highest number in Assam. Of all the species, two (Magnolia gustavii and M. pleiocarpa) are critically endangered, one (M. pealiana) endangered, two (M. manii and M. nilagirica) vulnerable, nine least concern and ten data deficient at global level. The highly threatened nature of most of the magnolias species calls for their immediate conservation and protection measures. Members of this genus are known to be rich in a wide variety of biologically active compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, lignans, neolignans and terpenoids. Many of the species have been found to possess potent procognitive activity, anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, diuretic, anti-ulcer, analgesic, anti-helmintholytic, and anti-cancer activities. The species have huge economic potential and are used for a number of purposes including ornamental, medicinal, culinary, timber and joinery works.

1. Introduction

Herbarium is simply a dried and pressed collection of plants arranged in an accepted sequence of classification (Lawrence 1951, Shetler 1969). It can be a very useful teaching aid or an absorbing hobby (Cronquist 1966). According to Fosberg and Sachet (1965) “A modern herbarium is a great filing system for information about plants, both primarily in the form of actual specimens of plants and secondarily in the form of published information, pictures and recorded notes”. It is also a research, training and service institution that serves as a reference centre, documentation facility and data store house (Radford 1986). It is now well recognized that a herbarium is a vast reservoir of facts about plants. The word ‘Herbarium’ was originally applied, not to a collection of plants but to a book dealing with medicinal herbs. Tournefort in about 1700 used the term as an equivalent to ‘Hortus Siccus’ which was later on adopted by Linnaeus (Stearn 1957). The present concept and development of herbarium is due to efforts of botanists for more than four centuries. The concept of herbarium has been changing continuously, which in turn, has affected the gradual development of herbarium and herbarium practices.

For practical reasons, the classification of the world’s flora is primarily based on herbarium material and the literature associated with it. Despite its limitations, a herbarium has certain advantages over living collections. It is usually only in the herbarium that we can compare all the related species of a genus in the same place, in the same state and at the same time (Davis 1961).

The herbarium material, therefore, formed the foundation of all botanical studies. We should, therefore, realise that herbaria are the custodians of enormous data pertaining to plants. They are usually seen as old-fashioned and expensive “stamp collection” without realising their paramount role in biological sciences. However, the world-wide rise of interest in the field of conservation, biodiversity and bioprospection offer a new chance for herbaria. Furthermore, computers offer a golden opportunity to raise the status of herbarium taxonomy by making routine curatorial procedures more efficient.

Although Jain and Rao (1976) elaborately discussed the methods of field collections, identification and preservation in the herbarium, the salient features of herbarium in up dated form with various procedures followed in Indian context are discussed in this chapter.

The alkaloids represent yet another large group of secondary plant products. Many, but not all, exhibit important pharmacological properties & some of these have been known for hundred of years. For e.g. Cinchona alkaloids, present in bark of Cinchona spp. have quinine as their main constituent, has been known since 1639 as an effective antimalarial agent.

An alkaloid contains nitrogen, frequently as a part of a heterocyclic ring, and most are as the general name implies, basic. Alkaloids are the naturally occurring basic, nitrogenous, organic, heterocyclic ring compounds mostly of plant origin with physiological and pharmacological properties. At present, the definition is much more pragmatic and includes all nitrogen containing natural products which are not otherwise classified as peptides, amines, non-protein amino acids, cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, cofactors, phytohormones or primary metabolites (such as purines and pyrimidines bases). Even a number of antibiotics produced by bacteria or fungi are therefore included as alkaloids. Alkaloids evolved early in evolution and were already present (200 million years ago) when the angiosperms began to radiate. Today, more than 12,000 alkaloids are known to occur from more than 4000 species of Angiosperms. Ladenberg defined alkaloid as :

“Naturally occurring basic, complex, nitrogenous organic, heterocyclic ring compound of plant origin with physiological and pharmacological properties.”

The word meat comes from the old english word mete, which referred to food in general. Most often this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs, livers, skin, brains, bone marrow, kidneys and lungs etc. In other words we can say meat is those animal tissues which are suitable for use as food by the man. It is composed of numerous types of tissues like muscle tissues, epithelial tissues and nervous tissues but the major component of meat is muscle. Particularly skeletal muscle is the principal source of muscle tissue in meat while smooth muscle contributes little to meat. The muscle and connective tissues are the major compositional components and contributes towards qualitative and quantitative characteristics of meat. Broadly muscle can be classified into striated and smooth muscles. Striated muscles have transverse band pattern as seen in skeletal and cardiac muscle. However, smooth muscles do not show such pattern and mainly found as a component of blood vessels.

Preservation of foods including meat and aquatic foods is a creation of conditions for the food articles in such a way to stop or greatly slow down the activities of micro-organisms, chemical and enzymatic reactions and physical forces to prevent the meat and aquatic foods from spoilage while maintaining its nutritional value and sensory attributes.

Significance of Meat Preservation

1. Meat and aquatic foods are perishable food items and are very prone to spoilage and rancidity development due to high nutrients, moisture and neutral pH.
2. Once meat and aquatic foods is exposed to microbial contamination, chemical and enzymatic reactions then it will be very difficult to attain asepsis.
3. To enhance the keeping quality of meat and aquatic foods so that it will be available for further processing.
4. It protects meat and aquatic foods from shrinkage, sweeting and other physical forces.
5. To protect human health by providing the wholesome meat and aquatic foods to the consumers.
6. By this way we can minimize utilization of energy in processing of meat and aquatic foods.

Organic farming system in India is not new and is being followed from ancient time. It is a method of farming system which primarily aimed at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil alive and in good health by use of organic wastes (crop, animal and farm wastes, aquatic wastes) and other biological materials along with beneficial microbes (biofertilizers) to release nutrients to crops for sustainable production.

Presently the farming situation urges need to develop farming techniques, which are sustainable from environmental, production, and socio-economic points of view. Modern agricultural production throughout the world does not appear to be sustainable in the long run.

Sustainable agricultural development “is the management and conservation of the natural resource base and the orientation of technological and institutional change in such a manner to assure the attainment and continued satisfaction of human needs for the present and future generations”. Such sustainable development in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors, conserves land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, is environmentally non-degrading, technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable. Consequently these concerns imparted a way to organic farming. It is the need of the day to understand the prospects and problems of organic farming to launch a successful and flawless organic production programme in the farm environment.

There are many explanations and definitions for organic agriculture but all converge to state that it is a system that relies on ecosystem management rather than external agricultural inputs. It is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, veterinary drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, immunity booster preservatives, additives and irradiation. These are replaced with site-specific management practices that maintain and increase long-term soil fertility and prevent pest and diseases.

Abstract

Agricultural development in India provides support to a large section of farmers who operate on small holdings and have very limited risk bearing capacity. Farmers are often exposed to natural vagaries, which adversely affect their agricultural production and farm income. Moreover, there is huge financial exclusion in rural sector of the nation. If there is a crop failure, farmers are crushed under the burden of debt. Farmers seek to avoid risk in terms of various managerial and institutional mechanisms. But it is widely believed that ‘Crop Insurance’ is the only institutional mechanism available against production risk in farming. Unfortunately, penetration of crop insurance schemes in India has been low in terms of the area of land insured and the number of farmers covered. There are the problems of low risk awareness and lack of insurance culture among the farmers. In this backdrop, the paper documents the findings of a survey of 140 farmers, which was taken up in some selected villages of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. The study shows that likelihood of this awareness increases with increase in landholding size, education level, borrowing history and social participation of the farmers, whereas it decreases with the non-farm income and livestock of the farmers. The author proposes measures to promote and spread awareness of crop insurance among the farmers as a risk mitigation tool in farming, which will increase farm production and stabilize the fluctuation in farm income. The study provides valuable policy measures to the government in better designing of their crop insurance products and will also help the private agro-insurance business, which is recently taking off in the country.

Abstract: The most popular ornamental monotypic species chinensis, is an important annual flower, used commercially as cut flower for interior decoration, bedding, potting and landscape purpose. Currently, there are many interspecific hybrid cultivars from this species on the market. The influence of breeding methods on the selection criterion and selection procedures is discussed. Information on variability and correlation is included. Ample genetic information and trait heritability has been established for this crop. Traits of interest to flower breeders for crop transformation include plant architecture, flowering (colour, size, timings), attractive flower heads, extended bloom time, horizontal placement of flowers, floral longevity, earliness, healthy foliage or other morphological traits. Future crop ideotypes are proposed to continue transformation of this crop for large scale cultivation.

Abstract: Viola or garden pansy, commonly known as sweet violet or king of annuals, are widely cultivated worldwide for landscape planting, garden design and container gardening. Today, numerous OP varieties, F₁ hybrids (Europa, Toto, Wasa), F₂ strains, series (Waterford, heat tolerant S series) and cultivars introduced by seed companies are available on the world market. Pansy breeding efforts have been focused on F₁ hybrid seed production, heat tolerance, flower colour, flower size and form, double flowers, earliness, disease resistance, floriferous nature and interspecific hybridization. Increasing knowledge of the inheritance of traits and molecular genetics techniques are valuable tools aiding modern pansy breeders. Research is needed to exploit heterosis for productivity and gene transformation to create new genetic variability.

1. INTRODUCTION

Proteins are polymers of amino acids. Twenty different types of amino acids occur naturally in proteins. Proteins differ from each other according to the type, number and sequence of amino acids that make up the polypeptide backbone. Proteins are the important constituents of foods for a number of reasons. They are a major source of energy, as well as containing essential amino-acids, like lysine, tryptophan, methionine, leucine, isoleucine and valine which are essential to human health, but which the body cannot synthesize. Proteins are also the major structural components of many natural foods, often determining their overall texture, e.g., tenderness of meat or fish products. Isolated proteins are often used in foods as ingredients because of their unique functional properties, i.e., their ability to provide desirable appearance, texture or stability.

Proteins are complex organic molecules made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Most proteins also contain sulphur and phosphorus and also play an important role in food preparation. The final quality of many food products are influenced by how the proteins are treated while food is being prepared.

Introduction

Rose, acclaimed as the “Queen of Flowers”, is one of the most popular cut flowers in the global floriculture trade. Popularly referred to as ‘Dutch rose’ in the international market, cut rose occupies a prominent place among the cut flowers owing to its exquisite form, size and attractive colours. Apart from cut flower it is used for making various value added products such as rose oil, rose water, garland, gulkhand, rose attar etc and also in landscaping as pot plant and garden plant. The present day rose (Rosa hybrida) combines all desirable qualities such as, productivity, attractiveness of buds, a variety of colours and forms of the typical species of Rosa.

The major cut rose producing countries of the world are the Netherlands, Colombia, Kenya, Israel, Italy, United States, and Japan. In India, roses are mostly grown under cover (poly house) in Nasik, Pune, Hosur, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Bangalore, Solan, Palampur, Shimla, Srinagar, Delhi, Ludhiana and Calcutta. The roses grown for export should be popular varieties of that region and maintain high quality standards with respect to bud size and stem length and should have lush green leaves and be free of pests and diseases. These high quality standards can be achieved and maintained only when grown inside poly house or greenhouse, which gives protection against inclement weather conditions and pests and diseases.

Pulses are legumes whose grains are consumed as dal. Thus all legumes are not pulses, but all pulses are legumes. Legumes are characterized by presence of nodules in the root systems and papilionaceous form of flowers. Pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millisp.], green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczec.], black gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper], cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.], horse gram[Macroyloma uniflorum [(Lam.) Verd.] and moth bean[Vigna acontilifolia (jacq.) Marechal] are the important kharif pulse crops grown in different parts of India. The common rabi pulses are chickpea(Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus L.) and frenchbean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ). All these have C₃ photosynthetic cycle. All form root nodules in association with symbiotic bacterium Rhizobium. Increase in concentration of green house gases, particularly carbon di-oxide, has led to global warming and climate change. The extreme weather events such as drought, excess moisture, untimely rain, cyclone, excess heat and hailstorm have become common. Crops respond differently to increase in CO₂ concentration. Both abiotic and biotic stresses due to global warming are likely to reduce productivity of pulses/pulse based cropping systems through adverse effects on crop growth and development. Birthalet al. (2014) reported higher decrease in grain yield of pulses(pigeonpea and chickpea) as compared to cereals (rice and wheat) due to rise in the minimum and the maximum temperature.

Pulses are important ingredients of human diet and principal source of protein of high biological value particularly for vegetarians. These are excellent feed for animals endowed with an unique ability of biological nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration, soil amelioration, capable to sustain under harsh climate and an integral component of sustainable crop production system. It is expected that by the year 2050 world human population will climb to 9.7 billion, India 1.6 billion and that of Odisha will be more than 5.75 crores. It will be a great challenge by agricultural scientists for assured food security of billions of hungry human mouth with nourishing food especially pulses, oilseeds and other dietary ingredients. Current production of pulses are not sufficient to meet the requirement. In Odisha it is expected to have a shortage of 1.7 lakh tones of pulses towards 2030 if the current rate of production will not increase. The fact is almost similar for nation although India contributes 24 per cent of global pulse production but imports about 2.0 million tones every year. The deficit will further mount as the per capita consumption on dal of an Indian is increasing. It necessitates to increase pulse production which is not happening keeping pace with need (Jena et al., 2015).

Abstract

Food lost during the production chain is referred to as postharvest loss. Reducing postharvest loss can effectively feed starving mouths while conserving resources and decreasing the pressure to produce more. There are five main areas where postharvest loss can be reduced – harvest, storage, transportation, processing, and retail. New approaches and technologies in each of these areas will increase the amount of food available for human consumption. The total loss due to poor post- harvest processing of agricultural products in India when valued in terms of monetary reflects a tremendous loss in the economy. Annual value of harvest and post-harvest losses of major agricultural produces at national level to be of the order of Rs. 92,651 Crore calculated using production data of 2012-13 at 2014 wholesale prices. Deficits in food items or financial loss should not have occurred if postharvest losses were reduced through proper processing and preservation from harvest to consumption. Both the government and private sector need to invest in research so as to improve and modernize post-harvest facilities for attaining more efficient market infrastructure and distribution channels. Research and extension activities have to be closely coordinated particularly in the public sector for the benefit of farmers, traders and consumers.

Abstract

Micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiencies affect more than 2 billion people worldwide and are especially prevalent in developing countries including India. Conditions due to vitamin mineral deficiencies account for 7.3 percent of the global disease burden.Iron deficiency (anemia), vitamin A and iodine deficiency disorders continue to be a grim public health problem. Thus, elimination of vitamin and mineral deficiencies is essential to improve the overall health of the masses as well as to sustain economic growth and national development. Food fortification is an effective intervention to deliver vitamin and mineral rich foods to large populations. In addition to the prevention of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, food fortification is an effective measure to raise vitamin and mineral levels by moving the population towards consuming recommended dietary allowances for most micronutrients-making it a long–term and a sustainable strategy. India is the largest producer of milk in the world with 146.3 million tonnes and the consumption rate of milk and milk products by all age groups of people are high.Therefore, fortification of milk with mineral and vitamins could be a safe and effective strategy to fight these micronutrient deficiencies.

10.1 General

The term “biomass” generally refers to renewable organic matter generated by plants through photosynthesis. Materials having organic combustible matter is also referred under biomass.

Biomass is an important fuel source in our overall energy scenario. Biomass is produced through chemical storage of solar energy in plants and other organic matter as a result of photosynthesis. During this process conversion of solar energy in sugar and starch, which are energy rich compounds takes place. The chemical reaction of photosynthesis can be written as:

13.1 Introduction

Winds are the motion of air around the earth. This movement in air is caused by the uneven heating of the planet’s surface by the sun. The idea of using wind as a form of power is not new. The traditional applications of wind were primarily as sources of kinetic energy for rural, agricultural and a limited number of industrial uses such as pumping water and grinding grain.

Presently wind energy can be used for two major applications, such as wind mills for pumping water for drinking as well as for irrigation purposes and second application is as aero-generator for electricity generation for domestic and industrial uses. In addition to this, presently wind energy battery charger are also available, which can store energy for lights, radio communication, hospital equipment and to power various emergency related equipment.

The wind energy has an enormous resource, but the problems of utilizing the winds are many and varied. Wind energy is very diffuse in nature and local topographical features significantly alter the prevailing winds thus leading to the extremely site specific nature of wind energy.

Scientirsts have estimated that as much as 10 per cent of >the world’s electricity could be provided by wind generators by the middle of 21 century. India has estimated wind power potential of 45,000 MW. India now, ranks fourth in the world in wind power generation.

The world’s largest wind farms are in California, where wind turbines can generate power upto about 1120 MW. The first wind mill used as source of electric power was built in Denmark in 1890. Presently in India about 2382 MW of electricity is being produced through wind energy.

Abstract

Satellite photographs depict exciting evidence on the migratory melodrama of river systems. A study has been conduced in parts of Tamil Nadu using IRS-IA Satellite pictures, archaeology and Tamil literature, which reveals that from Pleistocene to 2700 years B.P.(Before Present) the river Cauvery flowed in a northeasterly direction from the Stanley reservoir via Chinnar, Palakkodu, Mattur, Tiruppathur (Tiruppattur), Gudiyatham (Gudiyattam), Vellore and Walajapet to meet the sea at Madras. From 2700 to 2300 years B.P., it flowed via Uttangarai and Tirukkovilur to meet the bay of Bengal near Pondicherry, over which the present-day Ponnaiyar is a misfit stream . From 2300 to 1300 year B.P. it has flowed via Erode, Tirukkampuliyur, Alagarai , Tiruchy, Kiranur and Pudukkottai meeting the sea in the region where the present-day Agniar and Ambuliar meet the sea. Subsequently, between 1600 and 1300 years B.P., the Cauvery flowed along the present-day tracts of the Vennar and Vettar, after which it seems to have flowed as the Kodamurutti, Arasalar and PalanCauvery from 1300 to 1000 years B.P. From about 900 years B.P. it flowed via Tirupurampayam (Tirupurambiyam), Achalpuram till around 750 years B.P. and then it is stabilised as the Colleroon (Kollidam). Such periods and phases of river migration as well as their implications in the search for archaeological remains are discussed in this paper.

6.0. Introduction

Food is the basic need of all living organisms and hence, its quality should be given top priority. Food processing involves number of unit operations for material handling and there are always chances that the food may be contaminated or adulterated. The food is said to be contaminated if food is injurious to health and contain filthy, putrid rotten odour of insect pests etc. and can affect a large number of the populations at a time and hazards may occur. However, a food is said to be adulterated if it contains any other substance which affects the nature and quality product or substance is substituted with cheaper substance. So, it is essential to set the minimum limits of the desirable characteristics required and the maximum limits of the undesirable components that the food should contain. This helps to set common standards for commodities and to prevent confusion among the consumers.

7.0. Introduction

The food safety is one of the most important of assurance system required for global expansion of trade between developed and developing countries. Assurance that food will not cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use is known as food safety concept. It is set of conditions and measures taken during the food chain like production, processing, storage and distribution in order to ensure that, the product consumption does not represent a risk to the human health.

Introduction

Spatial data is different from a non-spatial data in the sense that it always has a spatial reference system which is nothing but a pair of coordinate values and a system of reference for these coordinates. For example, the locations of benchmark soil series of India can be defined as pairs of longitude and latitude in decimal degree values with respect to the prime meridian at Greenwich and zero latitude at the equator. The World Geodetic System (WGS84) is a frequently used system of reference on the Earth. The different types of spatial data are: (i) point, which is a single point location, such as a GPS reading or a geocoded address (ii) line, which is defined as a set of ordered points, connected by straight line segments (iii) polygon, an area, marked by one or more enclosing lines, possibly containing holes and (iv) grid, a collection of points or rectangular cells, organised in a regular lattice. Among the above said spatial data, the first three are vector data models and represent entities as exactly as possible, while the fourth data model is a raster data model, representing continuous surfaces by using a regular tessellation. In this chapter, we discuss how a spatial data can be handled in R. There are several packages available in R in which spatial data analysis can be handled e.g. sp, rgdal, raster etc. All the contributed packages for spatial data analysis in R address two broad areas: moving spatial data into and out of R, and analysing spatial data in R. In the following section, the sp package for spatial data handling is briefly discussed.

ABSTRACT

Bio-engineering is the use of vegetation, either alone or in conjunction with civil engineering structures, to reduce instability and erosion of slopes. Such structures are advocated in hilly area mainly because they provide one of the best ways to armour slopes against erosion. Bio-engineering, in the context of upland slope protection and erosion reduction, combines mechanical, biological, and ecological concepts to arrest and prevent shallow slope failures and erosion. This chapter presents the design consideration and construction practices for stabilization of slopes using bioengineering technologies along with a brief review on the salient features and characteristics of the bioengineering processes.

ABSTRACT

North-Western Himalayas have a large area which are degraded and bouldry. Such areas are not fit for crop production. These areas are generally kept unutilized and hence are invaded by uneconomic and invasive species. These lands can be brought under production though establishment of silvipastoral system which has a potential of fodder, fuel and timber production besides conserving natural resources. The paper discusses the techniques of establishment, management and production potential of silvipasture systems in north-western Himalayas.

Agriculture is derived from two Latin words Ager and Cultura. Ager means land or field and Cultura means cultivation. Therefore the meaning of the word agriculture is cultivation of land.

Definitions

Agriculture is defined in the Agriculture Act, 1947, as ‘‘including horticulture, fruit production, seed production, dairy farming and livestock breeding/keeping, the use of land as grazing land, meadow land, osier land, market gardens and nursery grounds, and the use of land for woodlands where that use is ancillary to the use of land for other agricultural purposes”.

Agriculture is defined as ‘purposeful work through which elements in nature are harnessed to produce plants and animals to meet the human needs’. It is a biological production process which depends on the growth and development of selected plants and animals within the local environment.

Agriculture is defined as the art, the science and the business of producing crops and the livestock for economic purposes.

As an art it embraces knowledge of the way to perform the operations of the farm in a skillful manner, but does not necessarily include an understanding of the principles underlying the farm practices. The skill is categorized as;

Physical skill: It involves the ability and capacity to plough the field in an efficient and quick manner, handling of farm implements, animals, sowing of seeds, fertilizer and pesticides application etc., For example: Taking a straight furrow.

Mental skill: It involves the ability of the farmer to take a decision based on his experience, he decides the correct and accurate timing of operation, such as i) time and method of ploughing ii) selection of crop and cropping system to suit soil and climate, iii) adoption of improved farm practices.