Melia dubia, is a species known for its fast growth and available market, but it has certain
challenge associated with pathogens infecting soil and foliage.
Identification of the diseases and studying the cultural and morphological characteristics of
foliar and soil-borne pathogens associated with Melia dubia can provide valuable insights
into their identification, behavior, and management. The identification of multiple
pathogens associated with foliar and soil-borne diseases, requires a thorough understanding
of their diverse growth patterns, cultural behaviors, and morphological traits.The purpose of
this study is to focus on the major foliar diseases and soil-borne diseases. The study
involved collection of the diseased samples from the nursery and plantation. Later, isolation
of pathogens from infected Melia dubia seedlings and trees using Potato Dextrose Agar
(PDA) and identifying them based on cultural and morphological characteristics. Key
pathogens identified include Fusarium moniliformis, Phoma sp, Rhizoctonia solani ,
Lasiodiplodia theobromae , and Pythium sp. The research outlines their growth on different
media and provides detailed observations on colony and conidial characteristics. This
comprehensive analysis underlines the need for targeted research and management
strategies to address disease outbreaks in Melia dubia plantations, emphasizing the
importance of disease characterization for effective control measures.

Starch is the most widely applicable food ingredient, offering innumerable applications in the
food industry due to its high technological value. The main purpose of this review is to gather
information from previous works on starch isolation and its characterization from different
food sources, such as cereals, tubers, fruits, and vegetables. However, challenges in starch
extraction, such as yield efficiency and purity, as well as the variations in properties
depending on the source, complicate the standardization of processes. Moreover, the effect of
various methods in improving starch, such as fermentation and microfluidization, has been
reviewed. Fermentation enhances properties like paste clarity, water absorption capacity, and
solubility of starch. Microfluidization improves the functional properties of starches by
applying high pressure, which may be beneficial for new product development. This review
contributes to understanding the advancements in starch modification techniques and their
potential to enhance product development in the food industry.

Sugarcane is a critical cash crop cultivated worldwide, with Brazil being the largest producer,
followed by India, China, and Thailand. However, workers in developing countries like India
face numerous work-related health issues, including ergonomic problems, occupational hazards,
and injuries. Sugarcane farming is labor-intensive, with harvesting identified as the most
hazardous activity. The repetitive movements and use of poorly designed tools during harvesting
often lead to frequent cuts, injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders. Farmers are also exposed to
high levels of toxic pesticides, resulting in respiratory issues such as coughing and chest pain.
This study systematically reviewed the ergonomic and occupational health hazards faced by
sugarcane farmers, analyzing 33 articles selected from an initial review of 88. Fifty-six articles
were excluded for various reasons. The findings emphasize the importance of ergonomic
interventions in reducing the physical demands of manual tasks and mitigating musculoskeletal
problems. Low-cost ergonomic solutions and awareness training programs were identified as
effective measures to improve farmers' working conditions and health outcomes. The study
concludes that ergonomic evaluations and targeted interventions are essential to preventing
injuries and musculoskeletal issues among sugarcane farmers. Future research should focus on
implementing and assessing these interventions to evaluate their long-term impact on farmers'
health and productivity. Despite the identification of several ergonomic hazards related to
sugarcane farming, the number of studies remains limited. This review provides valuable insights
to guide the development of regulations, tools, and strategies aimed at mitigating these risks and
improving the overall well-being of sugarcane farmers.

Present investigation was carried out at SKUAST-K , The grafted apple plants cv.
Gala Redlum /M9 T339 raised under polyhouse conditions and subsequent growth
performance of plants in the following spring season after field transplanting.
Treatments consisted of urea @ 4, 6 or 8 %, and Cu EDTA @ 0.5, 1, 1.5 or 2 %
either alone or in combination of urea @ 2 % (sprayed 15 days before Cu EDA
application) thus comprising total 12 treatments in the experiment including
untreated control.The urea (2 %) was sprayed on 16th October, 2021 and the
defoliation treatments i.e., urea @ 4, 6 and 8 % and Cu EDTA @ 0.5, 1, 1.5 and
2% were sprayed on 1st November, 2022. The results revealed that Cu-EDTA
either alone or in combination of two per cent 8 urea induced early defoliation
compared to untreated control and 4, 6 or 8 per cent urea sprays. At 24 days after
defoliant’s treatment, Cu- EDTA @ 1, 1.5 or 2 per cent either alone or in
combination of 2 per cent urea caused more than 90 per cent leaf defoliation. Cu
EDTA @ 2 per cent resulted the highest leaf defoliation but statistically at par
with urea @ 2 % + Cu-EDTA @ 2 %, urea @ 2 % + Cu EDTA @ 1.5 % and urea
@ 2 % + Cu EDTA @ 1 %. Urea spray as defoliant (4, 6 and 8%) delayed leaf
defoliation but increased plant nitrogen content (in shoot and roots) and
subsequent growth performance of plant in following season after field
transplanting. compared to control. Adding 2 % urea with Cu-EDTA (sprayed 15
days before Cu

Marigold (Tagetes spp.) is a popular ornamental plant known for its vibrant flowers. This
study evaluates genetic variability and correlation among key morphological traits affecting
flower yield in 38 marigold genotypes. Significant differences were observed across all traits,
indicating substantial variability within the genotypes while phenotypic coefficient of
variation exceeded genotypic coefficient of variation for all traits, suggesting environmental
influence on trait expression, though genetic factors remained dominant. Heritability
estimates were high for most traits, with number of ray florets per flower exhibiting highest
heritability (99.12%) coupled with highest genetic advance (121.24%), indicating that
selection for this trait is likely to result in substantial genetic improvement. Correlation
analysis revealed significant positive associations between flower yield per plant and traits
such as plant height (0.453), fresh flower weight (0.582), and number of flowers per plant
(0.414) at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis highlighted fresh
flower weight and number of flowers per plant as key determinants of yield, with direct
positive effects of 1.267 and 0.988, respectively at genotypic level. Principal component
analysis identified first three principal components explaining 74.61% of total variability,
with days to flower initiation (PC-I), fresh flower weight and flower diameter (PC-II), and
number of flowers per plant (PC-II) contributing most to observed variation. The study
suggests that selection for these traits, especially fresh flower weight and number of flowers,
could significantly enhance marigold productivity in future crop improvement efforts. It
addresses complexity of trait interactions, offering key insights for genetic improvement.

Millet bran is a by-product obtained during the processing of millet and is packed with a variety of nutrients. It is made up of the outer layer, seed coat, aleurone layer, a small part of the embryo, and the endosperm [1]. It makes up about 6–8% of millet's total weight [2]. This by-product is typically thrown away during the milling and refining of cereal grains due to its appearance, taste, and ability to extend shelf life [3]. It contains bioactive elements such as fibers, lipids, proteins, and minerals [4]. Additionally, millet bran is higher in vitamins B, C, and E compared to the kernels [5,6]. Moreover, millet bran is a good source of phytochemicals, including flavonoids, polyphenols, phytosterols, dietary fiber, and other bioactive substances [4]. Beyond its high fiber content, millet bran is also a rich source of essential oils. The fat content of the millet small bran had unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid and other essential fatty acids unsaturated fatty acids [7]. This review discusses the phytochemical potential of millet bran and provided valuable insights into these compounds and their possible therapeutic properties in disease management.

The present study was conducted to assess the physico-biochemical variability in
seventeen genotypes, including the check variety SolanLalima, using a Randomized Complete
Block Design with three replications. The aim was to estimate variability, heritability, genetic
advance, correlation, and path coefficient analysis for yield and other horticultural traits. The
estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation (PCV and GCV) were high for
titratable acidity (31.96% and 31.08%). High heritability and genetic gain were observed for
titratable acidity (94.53% and 62.24%) and 100 seed weight (93.71% and 51.06%). Correlation
studies at genotypic and phenotypic levels revealed significant positive correlations between fruit
yield per plot and traits such as the number of clusters per plant, number of fruits per cluster,
average fruit weight, fruit width, fruit length, pericarp thickness, number of seeds per fruit, 100
seed weight, harvest duration, plant height, total soluble solids, and ascorbic acid. Path
coefficient analysis indicated that the number of clusters per plant (1.028) had the maximum
positive direct effect on fruit yield per plot, followed by 100 seed weight (0.719), number of
fruits per plant (0.741), average fruit weight (0.468), total soluble solids (0.416), fruit width
(0.275), pericarp thickness (0.252), days to 50% flowering (0.227), number of locules per fruit
(0.083), and harvest duration (0.013). Principal Component Analysis showed that the first four
principal components captured most of the dataset variance, emphasizing traits like average fruit
weight, fruit dimensions, plant height, and days to first flowering. This dimensionality reduction
simplifies data analysis and highlights critical patterns, providing valuable insights for future
crop improvement.

The present study was conducted with the objectives to estimate genetic variability for
different characters, to estimate heritability, genetic advance as per cent of mean for
identification of promising genotypes suited for direct seeded and transplanted condition in
rice. As varietal development for direct seeded rice has been neglected which may explain
why it has not become popular such comparison were made on uncertain rainfall conditions.
Analysis of variance indicated that the mean square due to between family were highly
significant for all characters under study under direct seeded and transplanted condition,
which revealed presence of significant genetic variability between the families. Intra class
correlation lead the interference that differences between family is large and each family
differentiated distinctly from the other at higher level in F 5 generation. High genotypic and
phenotypic coefficient of variation was recorded for grain yield plant -1 (g) and moderate for
others under direct seeded condition and moderate GCV and PCV was recorded for grain
yield plant -1 and moderate for others in transplanted condition. High heritability coupled with
genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for days to 50% flowering, days to
maturity, number of panicles plant -1 , number of spikelets panicle -1 , plant height (cm), number
of filled grains panicle -1 , 1000 grain weight (g), grain yield plant -1 (g) and moderate for others
in direct seeded and transplanted condition. This study, between-family variance was
prioritized during selection to enhance genetic superiority in grain yield. Out of twenty-six
families derived from thirteen crosses, seven families under direct seeding and nine families
under transplanted condition exhibited superior yield traits compared to the check. Notably,
six families demonstrated consistent superiority across both conditions.

This experiment was conducted in the experimental area of BAU Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, in the
year 2021-22 to see the effect of calcium chloride (1.5% and 3.0%) and chitosan (0.5% and 1.0%)
alone and their combinations on the yield and bioactive compounds of mango (Mangifera indica
L.) cv. Mallika. These chemicals were sprayed on the 15th and 30th days before harvesting. These
chemicals were choosen to enhance the quality and shelf-life of mango for longer duration
availability to consumers. The results of the study clearly showed that fruit morphology, such as
fruit length, breadth, volume, and weight (155 mm, 95 mm, 532 ml, 561.53 g), were recorded at
maximum with T 8 : CaCl 2 3% + chitosan 1%. It was also found that this treatment had the highest
yield (28.33 fruits/plant). Minimum peel percent (14.30) was observed in T 6 : CaCl 2 21.5% +
chitosan 1%, whereas minimum stone percent (8.99) and maximum pulp percent (76.86) were in
T 8 : CaCl 2 3% + chitosan 1%. Highest TSS, TSS: acid ratio, total sugar, reducing sugar, and
ascorbic acid (13.46 o Brix, 21.36, 3.79%, 1.78%, and 60.86 mg/100g pulp, respectively) were also
in T 8 , while phenol, anthocyanin, and antioxidant content (49.36 mg GAE/g pulp, 0.82 mg/100g
peel, and 1.28 µmol Trolox equivalent/g pulp) were in T 7 : CaCl 2 3% + chitosan 0.5%.

Cadmium (Cd) is recognized as highly toxic to humans and plants. Different methods, like
chemical, physical biological, and phytoremediation have been used for the remediation of Cd
contaminants from Urban and agricultural soil out of which phytoremediation is considered an
eco-friendly remediation of soil, often called green remediation. On a large scale,
phytoremediation using fast-growing trees may be preferred to annual/ biennial crops due to
their capacity to produce large biomass, extensive deep root system, and ability to accumulate
toxic metals in a form that is not biologically hazardous. The study aimed to evaluate different
varieties of Melia dubia (Malabar Neem) for phytoremediation of applied cadmium. The study
showed the significantly low effect of applied cadmium on vegetative growth parameters and
biomass of trees. Further data generated through this study shows that the accumulation of Cd in
plant parts in order roots > shoots > leaves in all the experimental varieties.
Novelty statement:
Fast-growing tree species are one of the most important points when considering the potential
tree for phytoremediation. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the cadmium
bioremediation potential of Melia dubia. This study was done to assess the bioremediation
potential of fast-growing, money-spinning trees which became popular amongst the farmers of
the country due to their multipurpose uses in wood industries and suitable trees in agroforestry
models wood industry. This study showed M. dubia can to be a good candidate for heavy metals
remediation for the industrial sites of the country specifically hill states due to its fast-growing
nature and heavy biomass production. Further, for effective bioremediation/ bioaccumulation of
heavy metals, planting of this tree species will provide a chance for rehabilitation and
improvement of heavy metals polluted sites.