eChapters

Executive summary

The enclosed project report envisages the setting up of a modern rice mill complex with attached parboiling facilities having an average processing capacity of 16 MT of paddy per day. The initial investment of the project is estimated to be Rs 480.17 lakhs. Sales Realization is assumed as constant for all the 7 years; amounted Rs 1129.2 lakhs. Pay Back Period for the project is estimated as somewhat more than 3 years. Internal Rate of Return for the project is 31%. Net Present Value is Rs.367.92 lakhs which is a positive value. It indicates that present value of cash inflows is greater than present value of cash outflows. Projected working results of the project throws light on its viability.

Healthcare programs across many countries, particularly in developing nations, increasingly employ Behavior Change Communication (BCC) to enhance the health status and well-being of populations. BCC is a process designed to motivate individuals to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors and lifestyles. An effective BCC strategy plays a crucial role in implementing activities aimed at improving population health. Notably, BCC is a healthcare education strategy outlined in the Uttar Pradesh National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) with goals including reducing mortality, fertility, and morbidity.

Upon completion of this unit, learners should be able to:

• Explain the meaning and benefits of BCC in family healthcare.

• Discuss various channels of BCC.

• Formulate BCC strategies.

• Follow guidelines for successful BCC implementation.

Introduction

An ionophore is a lipid-soluble molecule usually synthesized by microorganisms, which transport ions across cell membranes of susceptible bacteria, dissipating ion gradients and uncoupling energy expenditures from growth to kill these bacteria. The term ionophore was first used in 1967 for their ability of organic molecules to bind metal cations and form lipid soluble complexes that facilitate their transport across cell membrane. The ionophore antibiotics show wide varieties of biological activity ranging from antibacterial, antifungal, antimycoplasma, antiparasitic, antimalarial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and tumourcell cytotoxic activity (Augustine, et al., 1987; Gumila et al., 1996). Presently seven polyether antibiotics include monensin, lasalocid, salinomycin, narasin, maduramycin, laidomycin and senduramycin are used around the world in various segments of cattle and poultry industries. These ionophores are mainly used as anticoccidial drugs in poultry and growth promoters in the ruminants. Polyether antibiotics are not used in human but recently, it has been shown that some of these compounds are able to selectively kill human cancer stem cells and multidrug resistant cancer cells. Hence, they are recognized as new potential anticancer drugs.

Abstract

It is well known that drying is an important unit operation in food processing industries, essentially used to extend the shelf life but also in making innovative processed products such as snacks with desired functionalities. Although drying of food products is carried out traditionally using several methods, the quality and energy aspects have been major focus of food drying research in the last decade or two. This is achieved by modifying and/or optimizing the existing drying systems, improving pre and post processing of the product, combination of more than one dryer type or developing altogether a new drying technique. There several dryer types which can give extremely good product quality, however, cost-effectiveness can be a major issue. It is necessary to balance both good product quality and minimum energy usage in order to sustain highly competitive market. This lecture will provide an overview of conventional drying methods used for foods, followed by some advances in these conventional methods and a discussion on some new drying techniques developed in recent years that are either commercialized or have potential of industrial use.

Flowers and plants are associated with mankind from the dawn of civilization. In the modern era these have become an integral part of human life, as love for flowers and ornamental plants is a common natural instinct in human beings. The catchy flowers glowing and glowing in all their grandeurs with simplicity always make them tempting to wish the season to continue for never ending, but it may be beyond reach of human beings. However, the answer for it could be by producing and preserving ever-lasting or long-lasting flowers and other attractive ornamental plant parts. These are now becoming favorites especially with the adventurous flower lovers across the globe. The beauty and fresh look of cut flowers and cut foliage is generally lost due to microbial activities and biochemical changes thus these are retained only for a few days even by using the best techniques of post harvest management (Datta, 1999). The charm of dried ornamental plant parts can be maintained from a few months to years with lesser cost if protected from the damage of high humidity as in dried flowers, the microbial activities in the aging process come to stand still.

The main characteristics of dried ornamentals are novelty, longevity, aesthetics, flexibility and year-round availability. The dehydrated or dried ornamentals are generally inexpensive and are sought for their everlasting and attractive appearance globally (Smith, 2000). Being largely focused on the qualities of attractive flowers, living plants and plant parts, floriculturists generally pay little attention to dried and preserved flowers and plants. Therefore, these products remained overlooked and underrated throughout the world. These are overlooked in the sense that their considerable economic importance is generally unrecognized and these are underrated in the sense that their aesthetic contribution is largely discounted. In contrast to other areas of floriculture including post-harvest management, relatively very little public funded research and development projects were undertaken on the dried flower industry across the globe (Joyce, 1998). This has slowed the pace in optimizing the dehydration technology and quality of the produces. Privately funded research and development work has sustained, but such findings are usually kept secret and limited information are available to the common man. Thus, this component of floriculture industry has remained ill defined with respect to the processes, products and organizations in the developed and developing countries. As we see in major cut flower crops, there are defined standards available for judging the quality, however these are lacking in dried ornamentals. There is an urgent need to start war- footing efforts and awareness on the dried ornamentals to attract greater public support to conduct concentrated research and development with more professionalism in the trade of these products.

Introduction

Agricultural Extension is as ancient as agriculture itself. When it moves in agricultural trends, the importance on extension has also been transformed. Firstly, agricultural extension was the component of the research-extension-farmer approach. In the Training and Visit (T&V) period, communication of innovation was the crucial concept and the role of extension was to successfully disseminate the technological interventions. However, after the green revolution, the gap between resource rich and resource poor farmers widened with information and extension reaching only a few of them. With the conceptualization of new models, like Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems (AKIS), the focus of extension has changed to formation of groups and collective farming. In time, the private sector has also entered into the agricultural arena, introducing the concept of pluralism in extension. Emphasis on mass media has also increased. More recently, Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) is introduced within the innovation systems framework. It focuses on the actors, their interactions, the institutions, and the policy environment to support or hinder it. Communication for innovation is the key AIS concept tried to identify the actors in systems, their core activities and bring them into an innovation platform for effective service and successful innovations (Saravanan, 2017).

Increased awareness of the importance of quality and nutrient-rich food among the majority of the population created a need for the development of organic production systems and suitable varieties/hybrids for cultivation. The quality of soil, water and air is affected by the overuse of agrochemicals in agriculture. The use of organic varieties helps in reducing the use of various agrochemicals and high-quality pesticides. Organic varieties can address environmental issues and climate change. The world organic seed market is valued at USD 4.2 Bn in 2022 and it is expected to grow at an annual rate of around 8.7% between 2022 and 2031. The demand for organic seeds in the market has created new opportunities for organic farmers. By following standard organic crop production practices and seed certification guidelines, they can produce quality organic seed or planting material on their own farm.

1. Introduction

Worldwide, organic agriculture is a rapidly growing sector. The demand for organic food markets is increasing recently with the fast-growing movement of community support for organic agriculture. A total of 96.4 m-ha were grown organically with 2% of the worldwide agricultural land. The region with the most organic agricultural land is Oceania (53.2 m-ha) followed by Europe (18.5 m-ha), Latin America (9.5 m-ha) Asia (8.8 m-ha), North America (3.6 m-ha) and Africa (2.7 m-ha). Australia stands first in area with 53.0 m-ha followed by India (4.7 m-ha) and Argentina (4.1 m-ha) (FiBL & IFOAM, 2024). The global organic farming market will grow from $169.04 billion in 2022 to $287.83 billion in 2027 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.3% (Organic Farming Global Market Report, 2023).

9.1 Introduction

Nanoparticles (NPs) are particulate matter with at least one dimension less than 100 nm (Christian et al., 2008). Although NPs are naturally present in the environment, manufactured NPs may have distinctive surface properties and chemistry in comparison with natural NPs (Handy et al., 2008). Manufactured NPs have a large area-to-volume ratio and size-dependent properties, which impart novel properties and behaviors that make them suitable for nanotechnology applications (Auffan et al., 2009). Range of applications for NPs has brought about a rapid development of the nanotechnology industry.

China aster (Callistephus chinensis) belonging to family Asteracea is a native of China. It is a half hardy annual, erect plant, hispid hairy branches bearing alternate, broadly ovate or triangular ovate, deeply and irregularly toothed leaves. Flowers are solitary, usually blue, lavender rose or white coloured. China aster is one of the most important among garden annuals grown throughout the world. Among annual flowers China aster ranks third next to chrysanthemum and marigold. It is grown by small and marginal farmers in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Due to its long vase life, China aster is a popular cut flower used in vases and for floral decoration and also for making garlands and venis in Karnataka. Asters are popular as bedding plants and used to fill gap in mixed herbaceous borders. Dwarf cultivars are also suitable for edging and window boxes.

INTRODUCTION

North East India is a rich storehouse of indigenous agricultural practices and local varieties of crops. The region comprising of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim can be physiographically categorized into the Eastern Himalayas, Northeast hills (Patkai-Naga Hills and Lushai Hills) and the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley plains. At the confluence of the Indo-Malayan, Indo-Chinese and Indian biogeographically realms, the NE region is unique in providing a profusion of habitats, which features diverse biota with a high level of endemism (Chatterjee et al., 2006). The northeastern region is rich in biological diversity and contains more than one-third of the country’s total biodiversity. This biodiversity and variability of the ecosystem are used and conserved by traditional communities through various informal institutions and using traditional ecological knowledge systems. Ethnic communities of the region practice their traditional cultivation practices of diverse crop suitable in different ecosystems solely on organic conditions without any external inputs to the system; and value the land and the environment for the sustainability of the system for future generations. There is no systematic record to describe what they are, what they do and how they do, how they can be changed, their operations, their boundaries and their applications.

Urinnalysis An essential laboratory test that is easily conducted in veterinary settings and is included in a basic database is urinalysis. Documenting diverse urogenital tract conditions is helpful, because it could reveal details about other systemic conditions including hemolysis and liver failure. Cystocentesis, urethral catheterization, or simply voiding can all be used to collect urine. Urine should be examined within 30 minutes, but if this is not possible, it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or sent to a outside diagnostic lab; this, however, may cause crystal precipitation. The pH or specific gravity of urine are unaffected by refrigeration. Preservative should be added if cytologic analysis is necessary and a delay in slide preparation is anticipated. A few drops of 10% formalin (exact concentration not necessary) are better than boric acid

Anatomically the male reproduction system comprises of testes, scrotum, duct system, accessory sex glands, prepuce, and penis. Production of spermatozoa and male sex hormone are the main functions of male reproductive physiology. The Male reproductive system can be categorized as: • Primary sex organ – Testicles • Secondary sex organ – Epididymis, vas deference, urethra, and penis. • Accessory sex glands – Seminal vesicles, prostate, and bulbourethral glands/cowper’s gland. 1. Testes (Paired male gonads) (Singular: Testis or Testicle) • Testes are the primary sex organs. They are situated in the scrotum at the inguinal region with the help of tunics and spermatic cord. Opening of the scrotal pouch into the abdominal cavity is called as inguinal canal. The testis is covered with an extra abdominal tunic named as tunica vaginalis, tunica albuginea, and tunica vasculosa from outside to inward. The fluid filled in between the parietal and visceral layers of tunica vaginalis is responsible for the movement of the testis within the scrotum. The upper end of a testicle is occupied by the caput epididymis and the lower end is connected to the cauda epididymis.

1. The share of agriculture and allied activities in India’s GDP at constant prices in 2008-09   was:

 a) 15.1% b) 17.1%

 c) 21.6% d) 24.0%

 2. The total area under transgenic crop in India during 2008-09 was:

 a) 4.4 million ha b) 6.4 million ha

 c) 8.4 million ha d) 10.4 million ha

 3. Fertilizer consumption in India during 2009-10 was:

 a) 128 kg/ha b) 138 kg/ha

 c) 148 kg/ha d) 158 kg/ha

 4. The genome of which of the following crops is still not completely sequenced?

 a) Rice b) Aerabidopsis

 c) Papaya d) Wheat

Eye is a very sensitive, delicate and unique organ. Its function may be affected with wide range of etiologies ranging from trauma, local and systemic infections, metabolic diseases to vision defects warranting an early and accurate diagnosis employing complete history, detailed ocular examination and or specialized diagnostic techniques such as Schirmer Tear Test (STT), Fluorescence Test, Ophthalmoscopy, Tonometry, Pachymetry, Retinoscopy and Gonioscopy etc.

Instruments for Ophthalmic Examination

•             Finn off Transilluminator

 •            Pen torch

 •            Direct Ophthalmoscope

 •            Indirect fundoscopic lens (2.2 diopter lens)

 •            Schirmer tear test strips

 •            Fluorescein strips

 •            Tonometer

The livestock sector, particularly the dairy sector, plays a vital role in India’s economy and contributes significantly to the country’s milk production. The continuous growth and development of this sector have led to India becoming the world’s largest milk producer. It has seen significant growth, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.36% from 2014-15 to 2021-22. This sector’s contribution to the total Gross Value Added GVa in agriculture and allied sectors has risen from 24.38% in 2014-15 to 30.19% in 2021-22, accounting for 5.73% of the total GVA in 2021-22. The country’s livestock population, as per the 20th Livestock Census, includes approximately 303.76 million bovines (cattle, buffalo, mithun, and yak), 74.26 million sheep, 148.88 million goats, 9.06 million pigs, and about 851.81 million poultry. The dairy sector stands as the single largest agricultural commodity, contributing 5% to the national economy and directly employing more than 8 crore farmers.

Introduction

There is concern that antibiotic-resistance in bacteria may make commonly used antibiotics less effective. Oral immunotherapy (passive immunization) with specific antibodies is a strategy that has been actively pursued in laboratory and clinical studies for the last two decades. Feeding of egg yolk antibodies to neutralize specific pathogens, especially enteric microorganisms, is a potential alternative to antibiotics. Oral administration of these antibodies has met with some degree of success in prevention of viral and bacterial enteric infections in humans, piglets, calves, fish and rabbits. It is proposed that the egg yolk antibodies may act against enteric pathogens by binding, immobilising and consequently reducing or inhibiting the growth, replication, or colony forming abilities of these pathogens. Three immunoglobulin classes (IgA, IgM and IgY) have been shown to exist in chickens. Chicken immunoglobulin G (IgG) has been designated as immunoglobulin Y(IgY) because it varies in several aspects from mammalian IgG. IgY is the main serum immunoglobulin in chickens. It is transported from the hen to the embryo via the egg yolk. The egg yolk thus contains high concentrations of IgY. Other immunoglobulin (Ig) classes are present only in negligible amounts in the egg yolk. It has been shown that the presence of immunoglobulins in eggs is an example of passive immunity. This is because these antibodies originated from the hen and are used to protect the offspring from various infectious diseases after hatch.

There are many problems in the fields and offices for which we seek the advice of an expert. We recognize persons and experts not only for their knowledge through study but also their ability to apply the knowledge very effectively by virtue of the experience gained over a period of time. The need for experts increases in both dimensions as numbers as well as in the spheres to which expertise is needed. The sphere in which the opinion of an expert can influence decisions or actions is referred to as the domain of the expert. For last few years application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has brought revolution in many fields. It is the need of the hour that we explore the possibility and the fields of application in agriculture to acquire maximum benefit from the most promising technology of this information era. ICT is one of the thrust areas in the list given by the planning commission (Now Policy Commission), where emphasis can be given to increase the production and productivity of agriculture commodities. During last 50 years, lot of research has been done in the field of Agriculture, which has not been properly extended to the farmers. ICT could be applied as a means in extending the technologies brought up by National Agricultural Research System (NARS) to the farmers.

For better understanding of different systems of farming it is essential to study certain terminologies.

Farm is a piece of land with specific boundaries, where crop and livestock enterprises are taken up under a common management.

Farming is the process of harnessing solar energy in the form of economic plant and animal products or it is the business of cultivating land, raising livestock etc.

System refers to an orderly set of interdependent and interacting components none of which can be modified without causing a related change elsewhere in the system.

There are three district systems of farming as wetland system of farming, garden land (irrigated dry land) system of farming and dryland system of farming.

Wetland: Pertaining to soils flooded or copiously irrigated through lake or pond or tank for a least several weeks in each year (or) to crop growth in such soils. The water is not entirely under the control of the farmer.

Introduction

Fresh and processed products derived from fruit crops provide vital contributions to human nutrition, health, and well-being, and collectively their production constitutes the economic backbone of many rural communities worldwide. Rapid development and distribution of new cultivars with improved characteristics which meet the industry, market (both domestic and export), and consumer preferences is the need of the day. Conventional methods of perennial fruit crop improvement have almost exclusively relied on traditional breeding techniques. These techniques are expensive, time consuming and space requiring, especially for tree species due to the need of a large population of seedlings from which only a few promising ones are selected. The juvenile period of tree crops may last three to five years before onset of fruits so that 20 years or more are common before the successful introduction of a gene of interest (Baird et al., 1996). Therefore in this context, molecular tools recently made available for breeders have become tools of choice because they permit to reduce cost by fastening the selection process of woody fruit plants. Further, traits of importance like fruit quality, resistance to diseases, high yield etc. are polygenic in nature for which classical breeding is generally not suitable for detection and selection of traits. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis with help of markers and linkage maps may be more appropriate for detection of such traits of interest. Also, molecular markers are being used for maintenance of core collections, for the assessment of genetic diversity between genotypes and fingerprinting.

Introduction

India is considered as one of the emerging superpowers of the world. This potential is attributed to several indicators, the primary one being its demographic trends and a rapidly expanding economy. In 2015, India became the world’s fastest growing economy with a 7.5% estimated GDP rate. But in the year 2020, the pandemic lockdown situation created adverse impact on the global economy. At this juncture, there is an urgent need to focus on native and indigenous resource mapping and judicious utilization of it to be a self-reliant. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a new set of reforms to strengthen the economy. The first mention of this came in the form of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ or ‘Self-Reliant India Mission’ by the Government of India during the announcement of the coronavirus pandemic related economic package on 12^th May 2020. Almost 70% of India’s population depends directly and indirectly on agriculture for their survival. This means the country cannot have a development model that ignores agriculture.

It’s time to take a look at India’s agriculture economy. Over the last 10 years, (2008-19) India has been a net exporter of many farm produce. In fact, in 2018, the government has come up with a new agricultural export policy aimed at doubling farm income by 2022. However, in 2019-20, agri-exports were just $36 billion and the agri-trade surplus was $11.2 billion. The net agri-trade surplus has been falling over a period of time, making it difficult to achieve doubling of farmers’ income and doubling of agriculture exports by 2022as well.

India is not yet self-reliant in various essential agriculture commodities and depends heavily on imports. India imports around 15 million tonnes of edible oil every year — more than 9 million tonnes of palm oil and about 2.5 million tonnes each of soybean oil and sunflower oil. It buys palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, and soy and sunflower oil from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia. There is a need to create self-reliance in theses commodities enhancing productivity of Indian farms to create competitive advantage for domestic producers. India can step up cultivation of sunflower, groundnuts, mustard and oil palms. Presently, India has about two million hectares of land that is suitable for oil palm cultivation.