The increasing reliance on inorganic, chemical fertilizers to meet the global food
demands has posed a significant threat to human health and the environment. However, there
has been a continuous search for eco-friendly alternatives. Recently, a sustainable alternative
in the form of seaweed-based bio-fertilizers has garnered considerable attention for their
nutrient-rich nature and ease of application. Generally, the seaweeds are classified into red,
green, and brown algae, and all of them can be used to prepare seaweed extracts. They are
rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and plant growth regulators like auxins
and cytokinins etc. Their application in agriculture has been linked to significant
improvements in growth, yield, and quality parameters of various crop plants by different
researchers. They are particularly useful in vegetable crops and hence can be used to enhance
vegetable production worldwide. They have been found quite useful across a variety of
vegetable crops. Seaweed extracts are commercially available in their liquid, powder, or
granular forms, which are shown to have a variety of benefits, like improvement in nutrient
uptake, stimulation of soil microbiota, and boosting of antioxidant properties. Further, the
seaweed extracts are also effective in mitigating both biotic and abiotic stress in vegetable
crops, including drought, salinity, temperature extremes, insect pests, and plant pathogens, by
improving plant defence responses and improving their physiology to enhance stress
resilience. Commercially important seaweeds are harvested from coastal regions, where the
setting up of such industries is more economical. Various studies consistently demonstrate
that integrating the use of seaweed extracts as bio-stimulants with conventional fertilizers can
enhance crop performance with reduced environmental concerns. However, there have been
some challenges in their application and dosage optimizations, on a plant-to-plant bases. The
present review proposes seaweed extracts as non-toxic, bio-degradable bio-stimulants as a
promising solution for achieving sustainably in agriculture and improving global vegetable
production for ensuring the nutritional security of the increasing human population.

This study explores the perception of farmers towards farm mechanization in Telangana,
focusing on paddy, maize, and cotton crops across three districts. A total of 240 farmers were
selected through purposive and random sampling techniques. The study utilized an ex-post-facto
approach and conducted data analysis using correlation, regression, and path analysis. Results
revealed that the majority of farmers (61.66%) had a medium level of perception towards farm
mechanization. Key influencing factors included education, farm size, irrigation availability,
source of information, and extension contact. Stepwise regression analysis identified eight
significant variables, with irrigation status, age, education, and extension-related factors showing
the strongest influence. The model explained 48.90% of the variance in farmers’ perceptions. To
address the key challenges in understanding the benefits of farm mechanization by farmers. The
findings highlight the need for improved access to information, extension services and
availability of mechanization services had increased the level of perception towards
mechanization. Recognizing these determinants is essential for policymakers striving to promote
efficient & sustainable agricultural practices through mechanization.

The present investigation was conducted at All India Coordinated Research
Project on Vegetable Crops, Department of Horticulture, Mahatma Phule Krishi
Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar during summer and late kharif 2018-19.
The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications and
sixteen treatment combinations, which comprises four levels of irrigation viz., I 1 -0.7ETc,
I 2 -0.8 ET C , I 3 -0.9 ET C and I 4 -1.0ETc by drip irrigation as main plot treatments and four
levels of fertigation viz., F 1 -125, F 2 -100, F 3 -75 and F 4 -50 % of RDF through WSF as sub-
plot treatments. The control treatment (I 5 ) i.e. surface irrigation with 100 % RDF through
conventional fertilizers. The results indicated that the irrigation level I 2 -0.8 Etc as well as
fertigation level F 2 -100% RDF through WSF showed significantly better growth
attributes viz., plant height, number of primary branches plant -1 and plant spread compared
to the rest of the levels of drip irrigation and fertigation as well as control, during both the
season of experimentation and in pooled results.
As concerned with flowering characteristics, the control treatment noticed early
days to 50 % flowering than the rest of the levels of drip irrigation and fertigation.
Whereas irrigation levels showed significant variation in respect days to 50 % flowering,
the irrigation levelI 1 -0.7ETcregistered minimum days to 50 % flowering while maximum
days to 50 % flowering was observed under I 4 -1.0ETcirrigation regime, while the
fertigation level F 1 -125% RDF through WSF recorded significantly minimum number of
days to 50 % flowering during both the season under study and also reflected same trend
in pooled results.
Scheduling of irrigation through drip irrigation at 0.8 ETc irrigation level along
with fertigation level F 2 -100 % RDF through WSF recorded significant maximum fruit
length, fruit diameter, and average weight of fruit over rest of the levels of drip irrigation
and fertigation as well as control, during both the season and in pooled results.
Application of irrigation at 0.8Etc level coupled with fertigation level F 2 -100%
RDF through WSF recorded significantly maximum yield plant -1 (444.49, 953.67, and
699.08 g, respectively), yield plot -1 (14.22, 30.52 and 22.37 kg, respectively) and total
yield hectare -1 (123.47, 264.91 and 194.19 q, respectively). However, challenges
include understanding the specific needs of different chili varieties and soil types,
ensuring equitable water and fertilizer distribution, and overcoming logistical barriers in
remote areas.

Post-harvest processing is an integral part of turmeric harvesting and lack of such facilities
results in huge post-harvest losses. It involves high labour requirement, more processing cost
and energy. Hence, there is need for development of technology to utilize the fresh turmeric
rhizome which benefits to the farmer as it reduces the processing cost. A practical and
economical way to use these fruits and vegetables is to blend two or more fruit and vegetable
juices to create nutritious ready-to-serve (RTS) beverages. In addition to improving the product's
flavour and taste, blending also increases its medicinal and health advantages. Therefore, the
present investigation was undertaken with the objective to develop ready to serve beverage from
fresh turmeric rhizome and kinnow blends and to analyze quality and sensory parameters of the
developed beverage. Freshly harvested turmeric rhizomes were washed and cleaned by
removing all the dirt and impurities. Then peeling was carried out for obtaining turmeric juice.
After removing the peel, the rhizomes were cut into small pieces for the extraction of juice
through juice extractor. The obtained juice then filtered through muslin cloth to obtain juice. The
extracted juice was then utilized for formulation of Ready to Serve beverage at the concentration
of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20, 25 and 30% along with kinnow juice as per FSSAI specifications.
Prepared RTS was packaged in glass bottles, stored under ambient conditions and analyzed for
various quality parameters at a regular interval of 30 days. The results revealed that with the
incorporation of turmeric juice mean TSS, titratable acidity, total sugar and ascorbic acid
content decreased from 10.56 to 10.16oB, 0.426 to 0.318%, 6.45 to 5.31% and 26.20 to 19.82
mg/100ml, respectively. In general, during storage period of 90 days the TSS, titratable acidity
and total sugars showed an increasing trend whereas, ascorbic acid showed a decreasing trend.
Based on the sensory evaluation it was observed that fresh turmeric rhizome can be blended with
kinnow juice in the ratio of 20:80 for formulation of best quality RTS beverage with minimal
changes in quality parameters. The prepared fresh turmeric rhizome blended RTS beverage can
be stored upto 90 days.

African marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is an important commercial flower crop, widely
cultivated for loose flower production throughout the year. It serves as a lucrative cash crop,
providing farmers with high returns. Farmers grow a range of marigold, especially African
marigold varieties for different seasons; however, high temperatures limit marigold
production during the summer season particularly in Northern India. An investigation was
conducted to analyse the influence of bioagents (Anabaena torulosa, Pseudomonas
nitroreducens, Providencia spp., and Trichoderma viride) on the physiological and
biochemical responses of three marigold varieties i.e. ‘Bidhan Marigold-1’, ‘Bidhan
Marigold-2’, and ‘Punjab Gainda No.1’ under open field heat stress conditions. The results
showed that bioagent treatments mitigated heat-induced cell injury, as evidenced by a
reduction in electrolyte leakage, and significantly enhanced gas exchange parameters such as
photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate compared to the control in
all marigold varieties. Additionally, application of bioagents significantly increased the levels
of cellular metabolites, including sugars, phenols, and proteins in the leaves, compared to
untreated plants. The findings revealed that, among the three marigold varieties, ‘Punjab
Gainda No.1’ exhibited the highest heat resistance, followed by ‘Bidhan Marigold-2’ and
‘Bidhan Marigold-1’. Treatment with Trichoderma viride (through both soil drenching and
foliar application) and Pseudomonas nitroreducens (via soil drenching) proved to be an
effective strategy for improving marigold growth and yield under heat stress conditions, thus
offering farmers a potential means of sustaining their livelihood in challenging environmental
conditions.

Despite the growing importance of dairy as a livelihood source and its role in nutritional security,
there remains a noticeable gap in region-specific studies that examine the production and utilization
dynamics at the micro level. The present study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh, India, to
evaluate milk production dynamics and utilization patterns among dairy households. Primary
data were collected from Chittoor and East Godavari districts, and households were stratified
into small, medium, and large categories using the cumulative root frequency technique based
on herd size. The average daily milk production per household was 13.26 litres, with
crossbred cows contributing the highest share (64.53%), followed by buffaloes (28.41%) and
indigenous cattle (7.06%). Of the total milk produced, 14.03% was retained for home
consumption, 0.71% was lost during handling, and 85.25% was sold. Among the marketed
surplus, 57.58% was routed through formal channels, including cooperatives (36.83%) and
private agencies (20.75%), while the remaining 42.42% was sold via informal outlets such as
vendors (23.39%), direct consumers (9.58%), and creameries/halwais (9.41%). The results
highlight a relatively high level of commercialization in the region’s dairy sector, driven
largely by crossbred cattle. However, the study also identified key constraints affecting dairy
farmers, with the inadequate availability of green and dry fodder emerging as the most critical
challenge. The findings emphasize the need for region-specific interventions to improve input
availability, strengthen formal marketing linkages, and enhance dairy productivity. This study
provides empirical evidence to inform policies aimed at sustainable dairy development in
Andhra Pradesh.

Air pollution has become a critical global issue, particularly in urban environments, due to
the increasing prevalence of industrial activities and vehicular emissions. Conventional air
filtration systems, although effective against particulate matter (PM), struggle to capture
gaseous pollutants such as total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and CO 2 , necessitating
advanced filtration materials. Activated charcoal, with its high surface area and porous
structure, is an effective adsorbent for both particulate and gaseous pollutants, making it a
valuable component for air filtration technologies. In this study, the prime challenge was to
optimize different parameters to enhance filtration efficiency without affecting the fabric’s
usability. Thereby, this study explored the enhancement of polyester-cotton (PC) blend fabric
filtration efficiency by applying activated charcoal. Optimization of parameters, viz. activated
charcoal concentration (1-5%), acrylic binder concentration (0-20%), and exhaustion time (5-
40 minutes), resulted in a balance between filtration performance and fabric usability. The
optimal conditions were found to be 3.5% activated charcoal, 10% acrylic binder, and 25
minutes of exhaustion time, yielding improvements in water contact angle (>135°), air
permeability (10.75 ft³/min/ft²), and wetting time (3600s). The treated fabric exhibited
significant improvements, achieving 17.75% enhancement in PM2.5 filtration, 21.19% in
PM10, 12% in CO₂ reduction, and an impressive 24.77% in TVOC removal. Additionally,
the treated fabric demonstrated a 95% and 93% reduction in the growth of Staphylococcus
aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, respectively. Overall, the study has resulted in the
development of activated charcoal-treated PC fabric that offers a practical solution to the
health risks posed by indoor air pollution while also offering antimicrobial properties, making
it suitable for diverse applications in air purification and healthcare.

The extensively consuming market-based pasta products due to change in social stratification and
income of individuals has led to many attempts of enhancement of it to improve the nutritional
advantages. The present study was designed to developed nutrient-rich pasta by using finger millet
flour. The developed products were analyzed for their nutritional quality, sensory characteristics,
cooking quality and storability using standard procedures. It was observed that the nutritional quality
of all developed enriched pastas is increased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in the level of
supplementation of finger millet flour with refined wheat flour. In organoleptic evaluation, it was
found that there was a significant (p<0.05) difference among the formulated pastas. Results indicated
that FM 2 (refined wheat flour 85% with finger millet flour 15%) pastas were having higher
nutritional value i.e. moisture (11.7%), ash (1.44%), crude protein (9.56%), crude fat (1.08%), crude
fiber (0.74%), carbohydrate (75.92%), calcium (89.83 mg/100g), iron (2.70 mg/100g), zinc (1.27
mg/100g), magnesium (43.78 mg/100g), phosphorus (130.12 mg/100g) and potassium (122.33
mg/100g) and higher cooking quality i.e. optimum cooking time (8.39 min), maximum cooked
weight (24.90 g/10) and minimum cooking loss (3.52 g/100g) and higher over all acceptability than
the all the formulated pasta and control (100% refined wheat flour) pasta. Formulated pasta products
were obtained in the acceptable category even after 60 th days of keeping and stored in laminated
pouch, which showed lower significant changes in colour.

As contemporary environmental challenges increasingly threaten the sustainability of agricultural
production systems, natural farming emerges as a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution. By
employing agro-ecological principles, NF not only bolsters soil health and biodiversity but also
minimizes input costs. By improving microbial dynamics and enzymatic activity in the soil, this
methodology contributes significantly to climate change adaptation and resilient food production. A
research study was executed to evaluate the influence of Ghanjeevamrit and Jeevamrit on two potted
pansy cultivars. The results indicated that administering Ghanjeevamrit at an 80 g per pot rate, along
with a 10% Jeevamrit foliar application, yielded the earliest flowering, optimized plant height and
spread, maximized flower count, extended flowering duration, improved pot presentability ratings and
recorded the highest total viable microbial counts, in addition to elevated soil chemical properties.
The investigation on the effects of Ghanjeevamrit and Jeevamrit on potted pansy cultivars grown in
mid-hill settings has numerous limitations. The controlled, small-scale experimental design limits the
applicability of findings to open-field circumstances or other crop species. Furthermore, the study's
short length limits an evaluation of the long-term effects of these natural inputs on soil health, insect
dynamics, and overall ecosystem sustainability. Unstandardized preparation and application
techniques for natural inputs, such as Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit, might result in unpredictable
outputs, limiting repeatability and scalability across agro-climatic zones.

An experiment was conducted in a farmer's field located in the village Gillan Khera, situated in
the western semi-arid region of Haryana's Fatehabad district during the Rabi season of 2021-22.
The aim was to assess the performance of three oat varieties (OS-6, OS-7, and OS-403) within a
7-year-old Melia dubia plantation with a spacing of 3m × 3m. The mean values of various tree
growth parameters such as tree height (17.8 m), diameter at breast height (59.5 cm), and canopy
spread (8.5 m) were found to be higher in agroforestry rather than in the pure stand of Melia
dubia after harvest of the crop. Plant growth parameters and yield attributes exhibited
significantly higher in open conditions compared to those under the plantation. Among the oat
varieties, OS-403 exhibited superior growth traits in all evaluated parameters. Oat variety OS-
403 showed the maximum green fodder and dry fodder yields. Significant increases were
observed in parameters such as plant height at different growth stages, number of tillers per
meter row length, leaf stem ratio, and leaf area index in OS-403. Conversely, OS-6 showed lower
growth parameters and yield in both conditions. Light intensity shows an increase throughout the
day, reaching its peak at 2:00 p.m. under both conditions. For example, at 2:00 p.m., light
intensity rises from 515.5 lux (30 DAS) to 934.9 lux (maturity) in the average values. The
reduction in yield with decreasing spacing may be attributed to the shading effect of trees on
crops. However, the long-term accumulation of wood from trees is expected to yield greater
economic returns in the future.