Archives of Current Research International

On-farm Performance of Pusa Basmati 1847 under Frontline Demonstrations Compared with Farmer Practice Using Pusa Basmati 1509 across Seven Districts of Uttarakhand

Kanchan Nainwal — 2026-09-21

Frontline demonstrations (FLDs) provide an opportunity to evaluate improved crop technologies under farmer-field conditions. This study assessed an FLD technology package centred on the short-duration Basmati rice variety Pusa Basmati 1847 in comparison with farmer practice using Pusa Basmati 1509 during Kharif 2025 across seven Krishi Vigyan Kendras in Uttarakhand. Five demonstrations were organised through each KVK, giving 35 farmer-participatory demonstrations in total. Agronomic traits, grain and straw yields, cultivation costs, and monetary returns were summarised descriptively. Across the seven district summaries, Pusa Basmati 1847 FLDs averaged 41.3 q ha⁻¹ grain yield and 47.0 q ha⁻¹ straw yield, compared with 37.3 and 42.5 q ha⁻¹, respectively, for the Pusa Basmati 1509 farmer-practice summary. The descriptive grain-yield advantage was 10.6%. Mean net return from the Pusa Basmati 1847 FLDs was Rs 57,808 ha⁻¹ with a mean benefit:cost ratio of 2.33, compared with Rs 49,053 ha⁻¹ and 2.11 under farmer practice. District-level grain yield ranged from 24.9 to 50.9 q ha⁻¹, indicating substantial spatial variation in field performance. Because the FLD combined Pusa Basmati 1847 with recommended production practices, the comparison represents a technology-package assessment rather than an isolated varietal effect. The results support further multi-season, paired on-farm evaluation of this package under the diverse production environments of Uttarakhand.

Assessment of Perceptions of Climatic Variability among Dairy Farmers: An Initiative towards Climate Resilient Dairy Farming System in Jharkhand, India

Kumari Shweta — 2026-09-21

Several studies conducted in Jharkhand have clearly indicated changes in climatic patterns, with the most prominent conditions being hot and dry weather, scorching temperatures and heat waves. These alterations affect dairy animals directly or indirectly and pose challenges for sustainable dairy husbandry. Therefore, to achieve climate-resilient dairy farming systems, it is of foremost importance to understand dairy farmers’ perceptions to gauge their responses to this changing situation. In this context, the present study was carried out to assess perceptions of climatic variability among 240 dairy farmers from all three agro-climatic regions of Jharkhand. Data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-structured interview schedule.

The results indicated that nearly 55% and 52% of farmers showed a medium level of perception of climate change parameters and the climate change phenomenon, respectively. The majority of farmers perceived an increase in the length of hot periods (82%) and the summer season (71%), erratic rainfall (54%) and extreme annual weather conditions (64%), and a decrease in the length of the rainy season (57%), whereas the majority did not know about changes in annual temperature and annual rainfall. Most farmers strongly agreed that environmental temperature was increasing (52%) and precipitation was decreasing (49%), whereas most agreed that the climate is really changing (67%) and that significant changes in weather patterns are causing a serious problem that needs immediate attention (44%). Farmers’ perception was found to be significantly correlated with age, farming experience, landholding, annual income and SES, and was significantly affected by education and gender at the 1% level of significance. The medium level of perception of climate change in the present study indicates a need for future emphasis on organising camps and training programmes on climate change issues by the state animal husbandry departments, SAUs/SVUs, KVKs and NGOs.

Comparative Analysis of Multiple Gridded Precipitation Datasets for Assessing Their Reliability across Various Physiographic Zones in Odisha, India

Tushar Ranjan Mohanty — 2026-09-23

Aims: To evaluate and intercompare six prominent gridded precipitation products—IMD (gauge-based interpolated), CHIRPS, NASA-POWER, PERSIANN-CDR (satellite-derived), ERA5, and ERA5-Land (reanalysis)—against IMD rain gauge observations across four physiographically diverse districts of Odisha, India, and to assess the effectiveness of linear scaling bias correction for agroclimatic and hydrological applications.

Study Design: A comparative validation study was conducted using daily precipitation data for 2000–2023. Both raw and linear scaling bias-corrected datasets were analysed to evaluate the impact of bias correction on product performance.

Place and Duration of Study: The study covered Keonjhar (northern plateau), Sambalpur (central tableland), Koraput (Eastern Ghats), and Khordha (coastal plain), Odisha, India, over a 24-year period (2000–2023).

Methodology: Product performance was evaluated against IMD rain gauge observations using RMSE, NRMSE, MAE, Pearson correlation coefficient (r), R², index of agreement (d), and Kling–Gupta Efficiency (KGE). Heatmaps and Taylor diagrams were used for comparative visualisation.

Results: Considerable spatial variation was observed among products and regions. NASA-POWER showed the best overall performance, particularly in Khordha (r = 0.87; KGE = 0.83) and Koraput (r = 0.87; KGE = 0.87), with relatively low RMSE values (5.2–9.5). Keonjhar showed poor agreement across all products (r = 0.15–0.32), indicating challenges in representing rainfall over complex terrain. Linear scaling generally improved most datasets without substantially reducing statistical skill.

Conclusion: NASA-POWER, particularly after bias correction, emerged as the most reliable dataset for agroclimatic and hydrological applications in Odisha. The findings highlight the importance of physiography-specific validation, bias correction, and multi-product ensembles to reduce rainfall estimation uncertainty.

Supervisory Practices of Instructional Leaders: A Qualitative Study on Effectiveness and Ineffectiveness

Girlie J. Yabo — 2026-09-23

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how teachers and instructional leaders at Payao National High School experience supervisory practices, with an emphasis on those perceived as effective or ineffective and their influence on teacher motivation, professional growth, and instructional performance. The study was conducted at Payao National High School in Payao District, Schools Division of Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines, in 2026. Ten participants representing teaching and instructional leadership roles were purposively selected. Data were generated through open-ended, semi-structured qualitative prompts, small-group discussions, and document review. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis and Moustakas’ phenomenological procedures, with triangulation and member checking to strengthen credibility. Four central themes emerged: supportive and development-oriented supervision; evaluative and compliance-based supervision; the influence of supervision on teacher motivation and professional growth; and contextual constraints affecting supervisory practices. Participants described classroom observation, lesson-plan review, monitoring by walking, coaching, technical assistance, and post-observation feedback as common practices. Supervision was viewed as effective when feedback was timely, specific, respectful, and development-focused, but ineffective when it was inconsistent, overly rigid, unclear, or reduced to compliance. Time limitations, heavy workloads, scheduling conflicts, high teacher-to-supervisor ratios, resistance to feedback, and limited resources constrained implementation. Participants recommended consistent supervision, a positive school culture, open communication, teacher input, and structured supervision plans. Instructional supervision is most constructive when it combines accountability with coaching, trust, professional dialogue, and follow-through. Consistency, contextual support, and actionable feedback are critical to sustaining teacher engagement and instructional improvement.

Fruit Bagging as a Preharvest Intervention Improves Postharvest Quality and Antioxidant Stability in Dashehari Mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Swatantra Yadav — 2026-09-24

Preharvest fruit bagging is an effective, eco-friendly orchard practice for improving fruit quality and extending postharvest life, yet its influence on the biochemical and antioxidant machinery of mango remains inadequately understood. The present two-year study (2023–24 and 2024–25) evaluated the effect of different coloured preharvest fruit bags on the postharvest quality and storage life of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dashehari. Fruits were bagged at the egg-size stage with green (T₂), red (T₃), brown (T₄), and white (T₅) bags or left unbagged as the control (T₁), harvested at physiological maturity, and evaluated at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 days after harvest for physicochemical, biochemical, antioxidant, and oxidative stress-related attributes. Among the treatments, green bagging (T₂) was most effective in preserving fruit quality during storage. At 12 days after harvest, T₂ recorded the highest total flavonoid content (26.21 mg 100 g⁻¹), antioxidant activity (24.63%), total phenolic content (87.76 mg 100 g⁻¹), catalase activity (7.73 μg min⁻¹ g⁻¹), peroxidase activity (0.42 μg min⁻¹ g⁻¹), and superoxide dismutase activity (72.78 units min⁻¹ g⁻¹), while recording the lowest physiological loss in weight (15.79%), lipid peroxidation, and superoxide radical accumulation. Green bagging also delayed fruit softening and senescence by suppressing polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase activities, thereby maintaining firmness for longer. These findings indicate that green-coloured preharvest bagging enhances antioxidant defence, minimises oxidative deterioration, and improves the biochemical quality and storability of mango fruits, offering a practical, low-cost strategy for extending marketable shelf life and reducing postharvest losses in cv. Dashehari mango.

Development and Quality Evaluation of Cooked Chicken Sausages with Partial Replacement of Broiler Chicken Meat by Gizzard

M. Anna Anandh — 2026-09-24

Aims: To evaluate the effect of replacing broiler chicken skeletal meat with chicken gizzard at different levels on the physicochemical, processing, proximate and sensory characteristics of cooked chicken sausages.

Study Design: Treatment-based experimental study with six independent batches for each formulation.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Livestock Products Technology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India, March to May 2026.

Methodology: Fresh broiler chicken meat and chicken gizzard were used for the preparation of cooked chicken sausages. Chicken meat was replaced with gizzard at 0, 25, 50 and 100%, designated as C, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The sausages were evaluated for pH, emulsion stability, product yield, diameter shrinkage, drip loss, expressible moisture, moisture retention, fat retention, juiciness, proximate composition and sensory characteristics.

Results: Increasing gizzard replacement increased pH, diameter shrinkage, drip loss and expressible moisture, while emulsion stability, product yield, moisture retention, fat retention and juiciness decreased. The pH increased from 6.08 ± 0.02 in C to 6.25 ± 0.03 in T3, whereas product yield decreased from 93.62 ± 0.42 to 88.56 ± 0.51%. Moisture content decreased from 65.24 ± 0.46 to 61.72 ± 0.44%, while protein, fat and ash contents increased from 16.42 ± 0.21, 8.64 ± 0.18 and 2.18 ± 0.05% to 17.62 ± 0.25, 9.48 ± 0.22 and 2.39 ± 0.06%, respectively. Sensory scores for appearance and colour, flavour, juiciness, tenderness, binding and overall acceptability declined with increasing gizzard replacement. T1 remained statistically comparable to C for all sensory attributes.

Conclusion: Chicken gizzard was suitable as a partial replacement for broiler chicken meat in cooked chicken sausages. Among the levels tested, 25% replacement provided the most suitable combination of processing, physicochemical and sensory characteristics.

An Analysis of Social Participation and Extension Contact among Farmers under Public, Private and NGO Extension Systems in Telangana, India

A. Uday Kumar — 2026-09-25

Social participation and extension contact are important factors influencing farmers’ access to agricultural information, interaction with extension personnel and participation in agricultural development activities. The present study was undertaken to analyse the social participation and extension contact of farmers under public, private and NGO extension systems in Telangana. The study examines the social participation and extension contact of farmers across three extension service systems in Telangana, namely the public, private and non-governmental organisation (NGO) extension service systems. An ex-post facto research design was adopted, with a total sample of 135 farmers selected for the study.The analysis found that the majority of farmers under the public extension service system, i.e., 62.22 per cent, had a medium level of extension contact; 42.22 per cent were in the “Not a member in any organisation” category. The majority of farmers under the private extension system, i.e., 40.00 per cent, had a medium level of extension contact; 57.78 per cent were in the “Not a member in any organisation” category. The majority of farmers under the NGO extension system, i.e., 42.22 per cent, had a low level of extension contact; 57.78 per cent were in the “Not a member in any organisation” category. Improved coordination among public, private and NGO extension agencies can further enhance farmers’ social participation and access to extension services.

Information Management Behaviour of Farmers in Agricultural Extension Service Systems in Telangana

A. Uday Kumar — 2026-09-25

Agriculture is an information-intensive sector in which timely, reliable and relevant information plays an important role in improving farmers’ decision-making and farm management practices. The study aimed to assess and compare the information management behaviour of farmers associated with public, private and NGO agricultural extension service systems in Telangana. Farmers require information on crop production technologies, input availability, pest and disease management, weather conditions, markets, government programmes, credit facilities and emerging agricultural innovations. Information management behaviour refers to the ways in which farmers seek, access, select, process, evaluate, store and utilise information to address their agricultural needs. Effective information management enables farmers to identify relevant information from different sources, assess its usefulness and apply it appropriately in farm decision-making. The study focused on the information management behaviour of farmers across three extension service systems in Telangana, namely public, private and NGO extension service systems. An Ex-post facto research design was adopted, with a total sample of 135 farmers. The analysis showed that, in the public extension service system, 55.56% of farmers had a medium level of information management behaviour, followed by high (24.44%) and low (20.00%) levels. In the private extension service system, 48.88% had a medium level, followed by low (33.33%) and high (17.79%) levels. In the NGO extension service system, 48.89% had a medium level, followed by low (35.55%) and high (15.56%) levels.

Postharvest Melatonin Treatment Modulates Antioxidant Defense System and Delays Ripening in Mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dashehari

Kripa Shankar Yadav — 2026-09-26

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. 'Dashehari' is a highly esteemed climacteric fruit whose commercial value is constrained by a short postharvest shelf life owing to rapid ripening and senescence under ambient storage conditions. This study investigated the effectiveness of postharvest melatonin dip treatments (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM) in regulating biochemical, enzymatic, and quality attributes of 'Dashehari' mangoes stored at ambient temperature (27±2°C, 75±2% RH) for 12 days. Fruits treated with melatonin exhibited a marked delay in ripening-associated changes, including reduced weight loss and better retention of firmness, indicating enhanced structural integrity throughout storage. Among the concentrations tested, 200 µM melatonin was most effective, significantly slowing the accumulation of total soluble solids and sugars, reflecting suppressed carbohydrate catabolism, while maintaining higher titratable acidity. This treatment also conserved bioactive compounds, evidenced by greater retention of total phenolics and flavonoids compared with untreated fruit. Additionally, melatonin-treated fruits displayed pronounced upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, catalase and peroxidase, indicating strengthened enzymatic defence against oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species accumulation during senescence. These physiological and biochemical modulations collectively contributed to delayed ripening, improved shelf life, and superior nutritional quality retention. The results demonstrate that 200 µM melatonin dip treatment is an effective, economical, and eco-friendly postharvest management strategy for extending shelf life and preserving the quality of 'Dashehari' mango under ambient storage conditions, with potential application for other climacteric fruits requiring extended postharvest longevity and reduced reliance on synthetic preservation methods.

Screening of Promising Rice Genotypes against Asian Rice Gall Midge (Orseolia oryzae) Biotype-4

V. Ramya Sri — 2026-09-26

Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason) is an important constraint in endemic rice-growing areas and identification of resistant genotypes under field conditions is important for resistance breeding. This study evaluated 36 rice genotypes together with six checks against biotype-4 under natural field infestation at the Agricultural Research Station, Ragolu, during the 2024 and 2025 kharif seasons. An augmented block design was used and silver shoot incidence was recorded at 30, 50 and 65 days after transplanting. Resistance reactions were classified using the Standard Evaluation System based on observations at 65 days after transplanting. Gall midge incidence increased with crop stage and differed between seasons. In the pooled analysis, six entries were highly resistant, two resistant, four moderately resistant, 13 moderately susceptible, 14 susceptible and three highly susceptible. Among the 36 test genotypes, eight showed low pooled damage: RGL-7001, RGL 7002, RGL-7003, RGL-7004, RGL-7005, RGL 7008, RGL 7036 and MR 1523. Four of these genotypes were highly resistant and four were moderately resistant in the pooled assessment. Significant differences among entries were also detected in the augmented block analysis. The observed variation indicates useful phenotypic diversity in gall midge response and identifies promising material for further validation across locations and gall midge populations before use as donor parents in resistance-breeding programmes.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Crop Growth and Yield of Broad Bean (Vicia faba L.) cv. Pusa Udit

Gajala — 2026-09-30

Integrated nutrient management (INM) can combine mineral, organic and biological nutrient sources to support broad bean production. A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2025-26 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Raja Balwant Singh College, Bichpuri, Agra (U.P.), to study the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on the growth, yield and economics of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) cv. Pusa Udit. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with three replications and comprised eight treatments, viz., T0 (absolute control), T1 (100% RDF @ 50:60:50 kg N:P:K ha⁻¹), T2 (100% RDF + Rhizobium as seed treatment @ 10 g inoculant kg⁻¹ seed), T3 (100% RDF + Rhizobium as soil treatment @ 2.5 kg ha⁻¹), T4 (75% RDF + 25% RDF through FYM + Rhizobium as soil treatment @ 2.5 kg ha⁻¹), T5 (75% RDF + 25% RDF through FYM + Rhizobium as seed treatment @ 10 g inoculant kg⁻¹ seed), T6 (50% RDF + 25% RDF through FYM + Rhizobium as soil treatment @ 2.5 kg ha⁻¹) and T7 (50% RDF + 25% RDF through FYM + Rhizobium as seed treatment @ 10 g inoculant kg⁻¹ seed). The results revealed that treatment T5 was significantly superior to the other treatments for plant height, number of branches and leaves per plant, earliness in flowering, pod length and width, number of pods per plant, seeds per pod, fresh pod weight and total fresh pod yield (107.23 q ha⁻¹). Treatment T5 also produced the highest gross income (₹2,14,460 ha⁻¹), net income (₹1,62,900 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (3.16).

Genetic Diversity Studies of Pigeonpea Germplasm by Heat Map Approach

M. Ramesh — 2026-09-30

Assessment of genetic diversity is essential for the identification of promising parents for pigeonpea improvement. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate variability, characterise the germplasm, and assess genetic diversity among pigeonpea genotypes using a heat map-based hierarchical clustering approach. Twenty pigeonpea genotypes were evaluated in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) with two replications during Kharif 2016 at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Palem. Considerable variability was observed for all the quantitative traits studied, indicating the presence of substantial phenotypic diversity among the germplasm. Based on hierarchical clustering, the twenty genotypes were grouped into two major clusters, with Cluster I comprising nine genotypes (GMU-2, GMU-5, GMU-13, GMU-18, GMU-9, GMU-6, GMU-10, GMU-19, and GMU-14) and Cluster II consisting of eleven genotypes (GMU-15, GMU-11, GMU-20, GMU-12, GMU-17, GMU-3, GMU-8, GMU-1, GMU-16, GMU-4, and GMU-7). The heat map effectively depicted variation in trait expression and phenotypic relationships among the genotypes. Genotypes GMU-10 (1746 kg ha⁻¹) and GMU-9 (1729 kg ha⁻¹) exhibited superior seed yield and were grouped in Cluster I, whereas GMU-4 (1523 kg ha⁻¹), a relatively high-yielding and medium-duration genotype, was placed in Cluster II, indicating that superior-performing genotypes were distributed across different clusters. The occurrence of high-yielding genotypes in separate clusters suggests the presence of broad genetic diversity, making them valuable candidates for hybridisation programmes. Crosses involving genetically divergent genotypes from different clusters are expected to enhance recombination, generate greater variability, and facilitate the development of superior pigeonpea cultivars with improved yield and desirable agronomic traits.

Cross Validation of Machine Learning Models for Paddy Yield Prediction

Anusha B Rao — 2026-10-01

Crop-yield regression models support precision agricultural decision-making and regional food-security assessment. This study evaluates the generalisation performance of seven machine-learning algorithms—Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Lasso Regression, K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN), Decision Tree, Random Forest and Gradient Boosting—against a mean-prediction baseline using an audited dataset of 99 complete observations with seven soil and environmental predictors: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, temperature, humidity, pH and rainfall. A leakage-safe pipeline incorporating fold-specific standard scaling was rigorously evaluated using repeated 5-fold cross-validation across 25 validation folds, complemented by Nadeau-Bengio corrected resampled t-tests and permutation feature importance. The mean-prediction baseline attained the lowest overall prediction errors (MAE 0.8121 ± 0.1439, RMSE 1.0317 ± 0.2082, R² -0.0800 ± 0.0941). Among the machine-learning models, Random Forest achieved the lowest errors, with an MAE of 0.8172 ± 0.1241 and an RMSE of 1.0556 ± 0.1785, followed by KNN and Gradient Boosting. Linear, Ridge and Lasso regression showed slightly higher errors, whereas Decision Tree yielded the highest error. Corrected t-tests found no statistically significant differences between Random Forest and the baseline, KNN or Gradient Boosting. An 80:20 holdout evaluation of Random Forest produced an MAE of 0.9057, an RMSE of 1.3106 and an R² of -0.3011. Cross-validated permutation importance identified temperature as the most influential predictor, followed by rainfall. Overall, the findings highlight the essential role of mean baselines and leakage-safe validation in evaluating agricultural predictive models.

Vegetation Recovery and Biodiversity Enhancement Following Restoration of a Reactivated Sand Dune in the Indian Thar Desert

Bhawana Sharma — 2026-10-03

Restoration of reactivated sand dunes in hot-arid environments is challenging because plant establishment is constrained by highly variable rainfall, intense evaporative demand, aeolian disturbance and recurrent biotic pressure. This study assessed short-term vegetation change in a protected and restored reactivated dune at Udasar, Bikaner district, Rajasthan, within the Indian Thar Desert. Plant communities were surveyed in 2023 and 2024 in a protected/plantation field (PF) and an adjacent outside protected field (OPF), using 15 sampling quadrats per stratum in each field and year. PF and OPF were single field areas rather than independently replicated treatment units; consequently, their contrasts are interpreted as site-level comparisons and not as replicated treatment effects. Trees, shrubs and herbs were evaluated separately, and species richness, density, frequency, abundance, importance value index (IVI), Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, Pielou evenness and Margalef richness were quantified. Pooled species richness in PF increased from 15 species in 2023 to 25 species in 2024 (+66.7%), whereas OPF increased from 10 to 12 species (+20.0%). In PF, Shannon diversity increased from 0.737 to 1.133, Simpson diversity from 0.293 to 0.462, and Pielou evenness from 0.272 to 0.352. Most of the increase occurred in the understorey: shrub richness rose from four to seven species and herb richness from nine to sixteen species. Ten additional taxa were recorded in the 2024 PF survey, while all taxa recorded there in 2023 were recorded again in 2024. The herb layer also underwent substantial compositional change, with dominance shifting from Cenchrus ciliaris in 2023 (IVI 180.9) to Aristida depressa in 2024 (IVI 141.1). Quadrat-level comparisons identified a significant PF-OPF difference in shrub abundance in 2024 after false-discovery-rate correction, but these tests characterise sampled-unit differences within the two field areas rather than treatment-level causal effects. Herb abundance also increased significantly in OPF between years, showing that year-to-year environmental conditions affected vegetation beyond the protected field. Taken together, the observations are consistent with short-term vegetation recovery and biodiversity enhancement within the protected/plantation field, while not isolating the separate effects of fencing, plantation and climatic variability. Recruitment of arid-region-adapted taxa, including Lasiurus sindicus, Citrullus colocynthis and Arnebia hispidissima, is consistent with development of a more structurally diverse psammophytic community with potential relevance to dune stabilisation.

Influence of Palm Stearin and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Lactation Performance and Serum Biochemical Profile of Crossbred Lactating Cows

Rukkiya Siddiqui — 2026-10-03

Inadequate nutrition adversely affects growth, leads to delayed puberty, decreases reproductive efficiency, and results in lower milk production. The early stages of lactation typically involve a negative energy balance (NEB) due to increased nutrient requirements for milk production. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of palm stearin (PS) supplementation, alone and in combination with sodium bicarbonate, on milk production, milk composition, and serum biochemical and lipid profiles of post-partum crossbred lactating cows. The study was carried out on 120 post-partum lactating crossbred Vrindavani cattle using palm stearin (PS)-supplemented feed at the Livestock Production and Management Section, ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar. Three dietary treatments were formulated: control (T₀), concentrate containing 8% palm stearin (T₁), and concentrate containing 8% palm stearin along with 1% sodium bicarbonate (T₂), offered with wheat straw and green fodder. Data were analysed by two-way ANOVA to compare the main effects of treatment and period and their interaction on the serum biochemical profile. Results indicated that palm stearin supplementation significantly improved milk yield, fat yield, and milk fat percentage, with the highest values observed in T₂. Serum biochemical parameters remained within normal physiological limits across treatments, indicating no adverse metabolic effects. Serum total cholesterol was significantly higher in the palm stearin-supplemented groups, while other lipid fractions remained unaffected. Overall, palm stearin supplementation, particularly in combination with sodium bicarbonate, enhanced lactation performance without compromising metabolic health in post-partum crossbred lactating cows.

Study on Diversity and Distribution of Gastropod at Loej Coast, Arabian Sea, Gujarat, India

Minal Vadher — 2026-10-05

The present study was conducted in the intertidal area of the Loej coast, situated on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, from October 2021 to March 2022. This study provides the first baseline data on intertidal gastropod species along the Loej coast. The belt transect method was used for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of gastropods using a 1 m² quadrat. A total of 2,742 individuals were recorded during the study period, belonging to 9 orders, 17 families, 34 genera and 43 identified species of marine gastropods. Neogastropoda was the dominant order, with 21 species, followed by Caenogastropoda and Trochida. Muricidae was the dominant family, followed by Cerithiidae, Mitridae and Neritidae. The Shannon diversity index (H′) ranged from 2.291 to 2.554, and the Margalef index (D) ranged from 3.808 to 4.826 throughout the study period. The average Pielou's evenness (J) value was 0.4124, indicating that the Loej coast is a species-rich site for gastropod diversity. In this study, Lunella coronata exhibited the highest density, abundance and frequency, followed by Peronia verruculata and Cellana karachiensis.

Technological Gaps in Pineapple Cultivation: A Farm-level Study from Sirsi Taluk, Karnataka, India

P. Pushpa — 2026-10-06

Pineapple production depends on farmers' knowledge and effective adoption of recommended cultivation practices. This study assessed the knowledge of pineapple growers, technological gaps in recommended cultivation practices, major constraints to adoption, and farmer suggestions for reducing these gaps in Sirsi Taluk of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. An ex-post facto research design was adopted. A total of 70 pineapple growers were selected from seven villages, with ten pineapple growers selected from each village. Primary data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule and analysed using descriptive statistical measures such as the mean, percentages and measures of dispersion. More than half of the respondents (52.86%) had a medium level of knowledge, while 25.71% and 21.43% had low and high knowledge levels, respectively. Regarding technological gaps, 38.57% of respondents were in the medium category, 32.86% were in the high category and 28.57% were in the low category. The largest practice-specific technological gaps were recorded for disease control (66.50%), fertiliser application (54.03%) and pest control (53.05%). Lack of knowledge regarding fertiliser calculation was the most frequently reported constraint (72.86%), followed by adverse climatic effects (67.14%) and non-availability of labour at critical periods (65.71%). Farmers mainly suggested the development of virus- and pest-resistant varieties, training in improved cultivation practices, exposure visits and improved access to plant-protection inputs. The findings indicate a need for targeted technical support and practice-oriented extension interventions to reduce gaps between recommended and adopted pineapple cultivation practices.

Farmers’ Perceived Constraints and Suggestions for Effective Implementation of Integrated Farming System in Navsari District of South Gujarat

Yogesh Sharma — 2026-10-08

Integrated Farming System (IFS) is an important approach to improving resource-use efficiency, farm productivity, and sustainability through the integration of crop and allied enterprises. However, the effective implementation of IFS may be constrained by technical, labour, financial, and institutional factors. The present study was conducted to identify the constraints perceived by farmers and document their suggestions for the effective implementation of IFS in Navsari district of South Gujarat. An ex-post facto research design was employed, and Navsari district was purposively selected. All six talukas were covered, from which two villages were randomly selected from each taluka, and ten farmers were randomly selected from each village, resulting in a total sample of 120 respondents. Primary data were collected through personal interviews using a structured interview schedule during February–March 2026. The constraints and suggestions were analysed using frequency, percentage, and rank. The findings revealed that a lack of knowledge regarding the integration of different subsystems was the major constraint, reported by 89.17 per cent of respondents, followed by scarcity and the high cost of labour (81.67%), longer working hours (78.33%), and a lack of knowledge regarding the effective recycling of farm wastes (75.83%). Regarding suggestions, conducting demonstrations on IFS to enhance farmers’ confidence ranked first (91.67%), followed by providing training on IFS (85.83%) and government encouragement for subsidiary and alternative enterprises (81.67%). The findings highlight the need to strengthen farmers’ technical knowledge and practical skills through field demonstrations and systematic training. Improved access to machinery, credit, insurance, quality inputs, and marketing facilities, along with the appropriate use of ICT tools, may further support the effective implementation of IFS among farmers.

Attitude of Cotton Growers toward Farm Mechanization

L. Manisha — 2026-10-08

Mechanisation in cotton cultivation in India has increased steadily due to labour shortages, rising labour costs, and the growing need to enhance farm productivity and profitability. Most field operations, including land preparation, sowing, fertiliser application, intercultural operations, and plant protection, are now performed using tractors, seed drills, power weeders, and sprayers. However, cotton harvesting continues to be predominantly manual because the uneven opening of bolls and the plant characteristics of most Indian cotton varieties limit the use of mechanical harvesters.

Recognising the importance of mechanisation, the Government of India has implemented several initiatives to promote the adoption of farm machinery. Through the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), financial assistance is provided for the purchase of agricultural machinery, establishment of Custom Hiring Centres, and promotion of modern farm equipment, particularly among small and marginal farmers. Considerable public investment has been made to accelerate the pace of farm mechanisation by supplying farm implements and machinery at subsidised rates. Since these interventions involve substantial government expenditure, it is essential to assess farmers' attitudes towards mechanisation to evaluate the effectiveness of these investments.

With this objective, the present investigation was undertaken to assess the attitude of cotton growers towards farm mechanisation. The study was conducted in 40 villages across 10 talukas of five districts in the Western Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Farmers were categorised into two groups: users, comprising those who had been using improved farm implements and machinery in cotton cultivation for the previous three years, either through government schemes or on a custom-hiring basis; and non-users, comprising farmers who continued to perform farm operations using traditional methods and had not benefited from any farm mechanisation scheme.

Data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. Farmers' attitudes towards mechanisation were measured using a scale comprising 24 carefully selected statements.

Overall, the findings indicated that 32.25 per cent of respondents had a moderately favourable attitude, followed by 28.50 per cent with a highly favourable attitude, 26.25 per cent with a less favourable attitude, and 13.00 per cent with a not favourable attitude. The more favourable attitudes among users may be attributed to their experience with mechanisation and its benefits in saving labour, ensuring timely operations, and reducing drudgery, whereas non-users had limited exposure to improved machinery. These results suggest that, although awareness and acceptance of mechanisation are increasing, considerable scope remains for improving farmers' perceptions and adoption of mechanised technologies. Therefore, systematic efforts are required to popularise farm mechanisation through field demonstrations, training programmes, and extension activities organised by the Department of Agriculture. Furthermore, there is a need to develop and promote customised farm machinery and implements suitable for the diverse agro-climatic conditions and production systems of cotton cultivation in India.

Yellow Mosaic Disease Resistance in Soybean Genotypes under Field Conditions

Vineeth Vijayan — 2026-10-09

Aims: To screen soybean genotypes for their field reaction to yellow mosaic disease (YMD) caused by Mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) and to identify stable, field-validated sources of resistance for use in soybean improvement programmes.

Study Design: Field screening of sixteen soybean genotypes using the infector-row technique to ensure uniform, whitefly-mediated disease pressure across entries.

Place and Duration of Study: ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, a recognised YMD hotspot, during the kharif season.

Methodology: Disease incidence (DI) was recorded at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS) and disease severity (DS) at 45 and 60 DAS, from which the coefficient of infection (CI) and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) were derived for each of the sixteen genotypes.

Results: Genotypes varied widely in their reaction, with CI ranging from 0.0 to 95.7 and AUDPC from 0 to 2497 %-days. Four genotypes – DS 3106, KDS 921, KDS 980 and KDS 1045 – remained free of visible symptoms throughout the crop season (CI = 0), while DS 3105 and SL 1104 showed only mild, localised symptoms (CI < 3) and were classed as highly resistant. In contrast, ten genotypes, including MACS-1520, NRC125 and RSC 10-70, developed rapid, severe infection by 45–60 DAS and were classed as highly susceptible (CI ≥ 69).

Conclusion: The clear separation between resistant and susceptible groups, evident in both the CI ranking and the AUDPC-based disease progress curves, indicates that DS 3105, DS 3106 and SL 1104 are promising, field-validated sources of YMD resistance for use in soybean improvement programmes targeting durable resistance to MYMIV.

Attention-enhanced Vision Transformer for Tea Leaf Disease Classification: An Experimental Study on an Assam Tea Leaf Dataset

Pravangkar Boruah — 2026-10-10

Tea leaf diseases can adversely affect leaf quality and production, creating a need for reliable image-based classification methods. Recent studies have explored convolutional neural networks, Vision Transformers (ViTs), and attention mechanisms for tea disease recognition, but performance remains dependent on dataset composition and evaluation conditions. This study evaluates a lightweight attention-enhanced ViT for three-class tea leaf image classification using the TeaLeafNet dataset obtained from Kaggle (Singh, 2026). The dataset contains 600 images, with 200 images each for Green Leaf, Red Rust, and Blister Blight. A pretrained ViT-Tiny model is compared with the same backbone augmented by a Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) feature-recalibration module. Both models were evaluated under the same preprocessing and optimisation protocol using three random seeds (42, 123, and 2026). The baseline ViT achieved a mean accuracy of 93.33% ± 1.11%, whereas ViT-SE achieved 96.30% ± 0.64%. The mean Macro-F1 increased from 0.9330 ± 0.0112 to 0.9627 ± 0.0065. The SE module added only 18,432 parameters, corresponding to an approximately 0.33% increase over the baseline. Improvement was observed across all three evaluated seeds, indicating a consistent performance gain under the tested conditions. The findings suggest that lightweight feature recalibration can enhance a compact ViT without substantial parameter overhead. However, the limited dataset size and absence of an independent external test set require cautious interpretation and further validation across diverse field conditions.

Livelihood Mapping of Punjab Poultry Layer Farmers: A Nine Square Mandala Approach

Nallapati Sai Anjana — 2026-10-12

Poultry layer farming has emerged as a fast-growing, income-diversifying enterprise in Punjab's agricultural sector, yet it remains exposed to livelihood risks. This study applied the Nine Square Mandala approach to map the socio-economic profile and livelihood status of 210 poultry layer farmers in Punjab, selected using random and snowball sampling. Sixteen socio-economic variables were analysed quantitatively using SPSS version 25 and interpreted qualitatively across the mandala's nine dimensions: physical, knowledge, emotional, economic, family, human, collective, family orientation, and individual orientation. The findings showed a middle-aged, male-dominated community with moderate education, small landholdings, and medium income financed mainly through bank credit. Farmers displayed strong individual capacities, including high innovativeness, information-seeking behaviour, and egg production. Critical gaps were evident in training exposure, the wide gender disparity in uptake of the enterprise, and collective marketing, all of which were nearly absent. The mandala effectively revealed a community that was individually competent but collectively underdeveloped, highlighting the need for stronger extension services and producer collectives.

Gillnet Characteristics and Reported Fishing Operations of Dual Gear Vessels at Thoppumpady Harbour in Kerala, India

Mahendra Kumar Priyadarshi — 2026-10-12

Technical documentation of fishing gear requires information on the vessels and operations with which it is used. This study characterises gillnets, associated craft and reported fishing operations at Thoppumpady Harbour, Kochi, using three survey schedules containing 41 records each, dated 17 December 2022–10 January 2023. Variables were summarised descriptively after unit standardisation, with uncertain fields excluded from quantitative interpretation. All gear records described green nylon webbing. Mesh size ranged from 120 to 155 mm, with 135–150 mm accounting for 80.5% of records; 87.8% reported 0.6-mm twine. Total net length averaged 1.65 ± 0.30 km. Craft LOA ranged from 18 to 25 m and engine power from 90 to 420 hp. All craft records indicated both gillnet and longline use. Tuna (Scombridae) and marlin (Istiophoridae) were consistently reported as broad target groups. Mean trip duration was 26.17 ± 4.87 days, soaking time 8.59 ± 2.49 h, catch 20.34 ± 5.15 t per trip, fuel consumption 3,014.63 ± 636.22 L per trip and operational expenditure INR 643,171 ± 184,017 per trip. Removing one short-trip record produced modest changes in means but reduced dispersion. The findings identify concentrated net configurations alongside heterogeneous vessel power and operational requirements. The survey provides a descriptive baseline for the sampled dual-gear operations. A linked vessel–trip–set recording system is needed to extend this technical baseline to gear-specific performance, selectivity and environmental monitoring.

Diversity, Seasonal Availability and Utilization of Fruits and Vegetables from Homestead Gardens of Rural Jorhat, Assam, India

Priyanka Nath — 2026-10-12

Homestead gardens are important household food-production systems that contribute to crop diversity, seasonal food availability and the utilisation of locally adapted plant resources. The present study was conducted to evaluate the diversity, production and utilisation patterns of crops cultivated in homestead gardens in rural Jorhat, Assam. The study involved 200 rural households from four villages in the Dekorgarah and Chipahikhola blocks of Jorhat district, Assam. One woman from each household participated in the investigation. Data were collected on fruit trees, green leafy vegetables (naturally occurring and cultivated), other vegetables, roots and tubers, and their utilisation and preservation during the kharif and rabi seasons. Considerable variation was observed in the food plants recorded across the selected homestead gardens. Coconut (72.50%) was the most frequently reported fruit tree, followed by banana (45.50%) and mango (41.50%). During kharif, 12 naturally occurring green leafy vegetables were reported; Asiatic pennywort was the most common (38.50%), followed by fish mint (33.50%). Seasonal variation was observed in cultivated vegetables: green amaranth (33.50%) and white gourd (41.50%) were more common during the kharif season, whereas spinach (20.50%) and radish (43.00%) were prominent during the rabi season. Banana flower (83.50%), Assam lemon (63.50%) and papaya (46.50%) were the commonly reported perennial food plants. Seasonal produce was also used for preservation, with mango (28.50%) being the most commonly preserved kharif produce, while ghost chilli (36.50%) and amla (33.50%) were prominent during the rabi season. The results showed that homestead gardens provide a variety of foods across seasons and are linked to food availability, food diversification, the preservation of seasonal produce and the conservation of locally significant plants. Improved year-round garden management and the encouragement of locally suited crops could further support sustainable homestead garden food systems in rural Assam.

Evaluation of Runoff and Soil Loss from Different Cropping System in Vidarbha Region

Yatnesh Bisen — 2026-10-12

Soil is a vital ecosystem resource that supports primary production, but it forms very slowly, requiring 200–400 years to develop 1 cm of topsoil. Therefore, understanding soil erosion and sedimentation is essential for effective soil and water conservation. Assessing soil loss sensitivity helps predict erosion risks and select suitable management practices for sustainable land use. Estimates of soil loss, supported by field studies, are important for planning and implementing conservation measures. The experiment was conducted in runoff plots for precise measurements of both runoff and soil loss. Eight plots of the same size and shape were selected. Rainfall data for 2020 and 2021 were collected. Runoff depth under the different treatments was monitored for all storm events occurring during the kharif season. The pooled data revealed that the highest runoff values, 101.6 mm and 102 mm, were observed in the fallow control treatments T₁ and T₈, respectively, whereas the lowest runoff, 68.3 mm, was observed under across-slope soybean cultivation (T₂), followed by 77.9 mm under across-slope mung cultivation (T₆). Overall, the greatest reduction in runoff, 32.91%, was observed under across-slope soybean cultivation compared with fallow land. During 2020–2021, the highest soil losses, 3.74 ton/ha and 3.05 ton/ha, were recorded in the fallow control treatments T₁ and T₈, respectively, whereas the lowest soil loss, 1.94 ton/ha, was recorded under across-slope soybean cultivation (T₂). All other treatments recorded lower soil loss than the fallow land treatments. The greatest reduction in soil loss, 42.86%, was observed under across-slope soybean cultivation (T₂) compared with fallow land.

Building Employment Security through Skill Development: An Empirical Analysis on Hard and Soft Skills

Preeti Saini — 2026-10-13

Livelihood security remains a critical concern for rural youth, whose employment prospects are increasingly shaped by the skills they possess rather than by formal education alone. In an economy that is rapidly shifting towards diversified and non-farm occupations, the ability to secure and sustain a livelihood depends heavily on a combination of hard and soft skills. The present study examined the role of hard and soft skills in strengthening livelihood security among rural youth. The study was carried out in the Fatehabad and Hisar districts of Haryana State. A sample of 200 respondents, including 100 males and 100 females, was selected using a random sampling method to assess skill possession, participation in skill-building initiatives, and self-perceived skill adequacy. The findings revealed that problem-solving (65%) and managerial skills (60.5%) were the most commonly reported soft skills. Among hard skills, agricultural skills (64.5%) and digital skills (43%) were the most widely held, followed by hand skills (36%) and technical skills (34%), respectively. In terms of self-assessed skill adequacy, only 26.5 per cent of respondents felt fully equipped with their current skills. The skill and ability index was highest among male respondents in Hisar (72.2) and lowest among male respondents in Fatehabad (64.6), with an overall mean of 67.1, indicating moderate skill capacity across the sample, with clear district and gender disparities. The study underscores the need for targeted skill-development interventions, particularly in entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and technical training, to bridge existing skill gaps and enhance employability and livelihood security among rural youth.

CFD Modeling and Analysis of Deck Ovens for Biscuit Baking

Manjit M. Khatal — 2026-10-14

This study develops and evaluates a three-dimensional, transient Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to analyse heat transfer, airflow distribution, and temperature evolution during biscuit baking in a gas-fired deck oven. The oven geometry was created in SOLIDWORKS, and the CFD model was solved in ANSYS Fluent 2020 R1 using a pressure-based finite-volume formulation. The model included Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence with the standard k–ω closure, discrete ordinates radiation, and an evaporation-condensation treatment to represent coupled heat and mass transfer. Mesh and time-step sensitivity checks were performed. Experimental comparisons were conducted at an oven set point of 160 °C, with chamber-air temperatures evaluated during the empty-oven test up to 840 s and product-surface temperatures evaluated during 720 s of baking. The reported average relative discrepancies between CFD predictions and measurements were below 4.25% for chamber temperature and 3.68% for product surface temperature. Simulated temperature and velocity fields showed progressive heating, buoyancy-influenced recirculation, thermal boundary-layer development, and local air velocities ranging from approximately 0.15 to 1.53 m/s. The model therefore provides a useful framework for examining thermo-fluid behaviour and spatial non-uniformity in the tested deck-oven configuration. Predictions not directly supported by the available measurements are interpreted qualitatively.

An Analysis of Entrepreneurial Traits and Their Influence on Rural Youth's Entrepreneurial Intention in Uttarakhand

Ramesh Chandra Nautiyal — 2026-10-14

This study examined entrepreneurial traits and their influence on entrepreneurial intention among rural youth in Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar districts of Uttarakhand. A descriptive research design was adopted, and data were collected from 240 rural youth selected through simple random sampling across eight villages in four blocks. Primary data were obtained using a pre-tested interview schedule, and qualitative responses were converted into quantitative form using appropriate scoring techniques. The study assessed four entrepreneurial traits: locus of control, need for achievement, risk tolerance, and entrepreneurial alertness. Most respondents exhibited medium levels of these traits, and 72.08 per cent showed a medium level of entrepreneurial intention. Correlation analysis indicated positive and statistically significant relationships between entrepreneurial intention and locus of control (r = 0.497), need for achievement (r = 0.529), risk tolerance (r = 0.474), and entrepreneurial alertness (r = 0.649), all at p < 0.01. Entrepreneurial alertness showed the strongest association with entrepreneurial intention. Multiple linear regression further indicated that the four traits jointly explained 43.20 per cent of the variance in entrepreneurial intention (R² = 0.432; R = 0.657; F = 44.736; p < 0.01). The findings indicate that rural youth possess moderate entrepreneurial intention and suggest the importance of education, skill development, financial access, and supportive interventions for strengthening entrepreneurial engagement in Uttarakhand.

Awareness Regarding Rural Tourism: A Study among Rural Communities of Assam

Anandita Borthakur — 2026-10-15

Tourism has emerged as an opportunity for global economic advancement, facilitating intercultural interactions, creating employment prospects, and invigorating local economies. Among the various forms of tourism, rural tourism possesses distinctive potential to empower rural communities by leveraging their natural, cultural, and historical assets. The present study aims to assess the socio-economic profile of the respondents and identify their awareness regarding rural tourism. An exploratory-cum-descriptive study was conducted among 240 respondents from four districts of Assam, namely Goalpara, Golaghat, Biswanath and Sonitpur, selected through a multistage purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule and analysed using SPSS through frequency and percentage distributions, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation. The findings revealed that the majority (69.20%) of the respondents belonged to the medium level of socio-economic status, while 16.20% belonged to the low socio-economic category. Data showed that 64.58% of the respondents were aware of tourism-related government programmes, while the remaining 35.42% were not aware of them. The highest awareness of tourism-related schemes was observed for Aamaar Aalohi (83.87%) and the Campaign of “Awesome Assam” (78.06%). Awareness of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (43.23%) was moderate, while awareness of centrally sponsored schemes such as Swadesh Darshan (13.55%) and PRASAD (16.61%) was relatively low. Data on awareness of rural or eco-tourism sites also highlighted that Majuli recorded the highest awareness (100%). Regarding the sources of information about rural tourism, the data showed that the majority of respondents (93.75%) received information about different aspects of rural tourism through interaction with tourists, 77.50 per cent from Facebook, 76.25 per cent from television, and 26.67 per cent from newspapers. Thus, it can be concluded that the respondents had some level of awareness regarding rural tourism and related government schemes. However, there is scope to improve awareness among rural people, which might help rural tourism contribute to better livelihood opportunities.

Influence of Different Packaging Materials on Biochemical Parameters and Overall Acceptability of Kinnow Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) during Ambient Storage

Lakshay Kumar — 2026-10-15

This study evaluated the effects of different packaging materials on the biochemical characteristics and overall acceptability of Kinnow mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) under ambient storage conditions. The investigation was conducted at the Horticulture Laboratory, SGT University, Gurugram, during the 2025–2026 academic year. Uniformly sized, healthy fruits were subjected to nine packaging treatments, including newspaper, brown paper, nylon net bags, plastic crates, shrink film, low-density polyethylene (LDPE; 25 µm), gunny bags, high-density polyethylene (HDPE; 25 µm) and corrugated fibreboard boxes, alongside an unpackaged control. Total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total sugars, reducing and non-reducing sugars, ascorbic acid and overall acceptability were assessed at 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 days of storage. Shrink-film packaging (T5) produced the smallest relative increase in total soluble solids (5.98%) and the lowest total sugar content (6.18%) after 16 days. It also retained the highest titratable acidity (0.73%), ascorbic acid content (23.64 mg/100 g pulp) and overall acceptability score (8.42). In comparison, control fruits (T0) had total soluble solids of 13.13 °Brix, total sugars of 7.61%, titratable acidity of 0.65%, ascorbic acid content of 21.22 mg/100 g pulp and an overall acceptability score of 7.49. LDPE and HDPE packaging also showed favourable retention of several quality attributes. These results suggest that shrink-film packaging can help maintain the measured biochemical and sensory characteristics of Kinnow mandarin over 16 days of ambient storage.

The Ripple Effect: Assessing the Impact of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes on the Parasitization Efficacy of Trichogramma chilonis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Deepa Bhagat — 2026-10-15

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are promising nanomaterials for agricultural applications because of their high surface area, exceptional mechanical strength, thermal stability, and unique physicochemical properties. Although MWCNTs have been widely investigated for enhancing plant growth, nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and agrochemical delivery, information on their effects on beneficial arthropods remains limited. The present study evaluated the non-target effects of pristine MWCNTs (outer diameter <8 nm; length 10–30 µm) on the egg parasitoid Trichogramma chilonis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an important biological control agent. UV-sterilized Corcyra cephalonica eggs treated with MWCNTs (0.2 mg card⁻¹) were evaluated using Y-dual choice, eight-arm multiple-choice, and no-choice olfactometer assays under laboratory conditions. Parasitization was assessed by counting blackened host eggs, and differences between treatment and control groups were analysed using an unpaired Student's t-test. MWCNT-treated egg cards exhibited significantly lower parasitization than untreated controls in the Y-dual choice (P = 0.0005), eight-arm multiple-choice (P = 0.0013), and no-choice (P = 0.0104) assays. Stereozoom microscopy revealed fewer parasitized host eggs on treated cards, while scanning electron microscopy showed deformation of MWCNT-treated host eggs. These findings demonstrate that MWCNT exposure adversely affects host utilization and parasitization efficiency of T. chilonis. The study highlights the importance of evaluating the biosafety of nanomaterials toward beneficial insects before their widespread agricultural deployment and supports the inclusion of non-target risk assessments in the development of nanotechnology-based crop protection products.

Knowledge Level of Farmer Producer Organization Members in Manipur, India

Dipak Nath — 2026-10-16

The study was undertaken to assess the knowledge level of members of selected Farmer Producer Organisations promoted by Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, and the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) in Manipur. An ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. A total of 120 shareholder farmers were selected as respondents from the selected FPOs, comprising 52 members from CAU-promoted FPOs and 68 members from NERAMAC-promoted FPOs. Knowledge was assessed using 20 structured statements covering the concept, membership, organisational functioning, services, infrastructure, credit assistance and capacity-building activities of FPOs. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents belonged to the medium knowledge category (72.50%), followed by the low (15%) and high (12.50%) knowledge categories. The overall mean knowledge score was 11.74, with a standard deviation of 3.26. Among respondents from CAU, Imphal-promoted FPOs, knowledge was highest regarding the identification of the Cluster-Based Business Organisation (CBBO), followed by the meaning of FPO and eligibility for membership. Among respondents from NERAMAC-promoted FPOs, knowledge was also highest regarding the CBBO, followed by the meaning of FPO. The findings indicate the need for continuous capacity building and improved dissemination of information regarding FPO objectives, services, infrastructure and organisational functioning to strengthen the effective participation of member farmers.

Determinants of Organic Food Products Buying Behaviour in Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh, India

Mude Sai Lakshmi — 2026-10-16

Background: Organic foods are considered healthier and more nutritious than conventional foods, and their importance has been increasing continuously in recent years. However, consumer behaviour towards organic products, particularly in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, has not been extensively explored.

Aims: This study examined the determinants of consumer buying behaviour towards organic food products in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Study Design: A descriptive research design was followed to analyse the determinants of consumers' buying behaviour towards organic food products in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in five districts of the Rayalaseema region, namely Kadapa, Chittoor, Tirupati, Nandyal, and Kurnool. Fifty respondents were selected from each district, constituting a total sample of 250 respondents. Data were collected from March to May 2025.

Methodology: Primary data were collected from 250 respondents to examine their socio-economic profile and the key factors influencing consumer decisions regarding organic foods in the region. The study used a non-probability convenience sampling method, and data were collected directly from consumers through a structured questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the major factors influencing consumer buying behaviour.

Results: The findings reveal that socio-demographic characteristics, along with determinants such as perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, price sensitivity, and health consciousness, significantly influence buying behaviour.

Conclusion: The study provides valuable insights for marketers, policymakers, and producers to enhance affordability, accessibility, and awareness, thereby promoting the sustainable consumption of organic food products in the Rayalaseema region.

Pattern of Fish Consumption among School-Going Children in Tribal Areas of Tapi District, Gujarat, India

S. C. Kartu — 2026-10-17

The present study assessed fish consumption patterns, food preferences, and socioeconomic characteristics among school-going children in tribal areas of Tapi District, Gujarat. A total of 100 children aged 8–13 years from two schools in Bavali and Pipalkuwa villages of Ukai Taluka were surveyed using a structured interview schedule and Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) during September 2026. The study population comprised 52% boys and 48% girls. Agriculture was the predominant occupation among parents, accounting for 80% of fathers and 70% of mothers, while fishing was reported as the occupation of 10% of fathers. Regarding household income, 55% of families were in the reported low-income category (Rs. 2,000–3,000 per month), 36% in the middle-income category (Rs. 3,000–4,000), and 9% in the high-income category (Rs. 6,000–10,000). Fish was highly accepted among the children, with 94% reporting a preference for fish. Among the reported non-vegetarian food choices, chicken accounted for 45%, fish for 40%, eggs for 10%, and mutton for 5%. Catla, Rohu, Pangasius, Tilapia, Mrigal, and rice fish were the major fish species reported as consumed. The findings indicate that fish constituted an important component of non-vegetarian food choices among the surveyed children despite the predominance of agricultural livelihoods and relatively low household income. However, reported fish preference should not be interpreted as evidence of adequate or frequent fish intake.

Analytical Study of Farmers’ Knowledge and Attitude towards Agrochemicals and their Residual Effects in Jorhat, Assam, India

Sandiponi Tasha — 2026-10-17

Background: The use of agrochemicals in vegetable farming raises concerns about pesticide residues and their potential effects on human health and the environment. However, evidence regarding farmers’ knowledge of agrochemical residues and their attitudes towards agrochemical use in Jorhat district, Assam, remains limited.

Aims: To assess farmers’ knowledge of agrochemicals and their residual effects and to examine their attitude towards the use of agrochemicals in farming in Jorhat district, Assam.

Study Design: A preliminary analytical study based on primary data collected through personal interviews.

Place and Duration of Study: Jorhat district of the Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam, India, during October to December 2025.

Methodology: Sixty farmers actively practising vegetable farming were selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule comprising a 14-item knowledge test and a 14-statement five-point Likert attitude scale. Knowledge and attitude scores were categorised into low, medium and high levels based on the mean and standard deviation. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ranking and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used for analysis.

Results: A majority of the farmers (63.33%) had a medium level of knowledge, followed by 25.00% with a low level and 11.67% with a high level of knowledge; the mean knowledge score was 9.13 out of 14. Farmers were more knowledgeable about the general environmental and health consequences of agrochemical residues than about residue status in specific vegetables and sources of contamination. Only 13.33% had received formal training on agrochemical use. Regarding attitudes, 73.33% exhibited a moderately favourable attitude, 16.67% a less favourable attitude and 10.00% a highly favourable attitude, with a mean score of 47.40 out of 70. Knowledge was significantly related to extension participation (P = .04), while extension contact and farming experience were related at the 10% level (P = .10 and .10, respectively). Attitude was significantly related to educational qualification (P = .002), monthly family income (P = .03), operational land holding (P = .02) and exposure to training (P = .07).

Conclusion: The farmers possessed moderate knowledge and a moderately favourable attitude towards agrochemical use, but important gaps existed in technical knowledge and formal training. Strengthened extension services and training on agrochemical residues, safe use and responsible handling are needed.

Seasonal Abundance of Guava Fruit Fly, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi) in South Gujarat, India

Hemangi P. Chaudhari — 2026-10-17

The current study was conducted at Pera village, Navsari, Gujarat, during 2024 and 2025 using Nauroji Stonehouse fruit fly traps baited with methyl eugenol. The study focused on assessing the population of fruit flies and associated infestation during the active cropping season. The results indicated that fruit fly activity was recorded during most of the year, with considerable variation in abundance. During 2024, the population attained its first peak of 44.40 flies per 10 traps per week during the 16^th SMW and a second peak of 42.90 flies during the 48^th SMW. During 2025, the first peak of 43.40 flies per 10 traps per week was recorded during the 19^th SMW, while the highest population of 44.70 flies was recorded during the 48^th SMW. The population remained low during the initial months, increased during the guava fruiting period, declined during the monsoon and increased again during the post-monsoon period. Correlation studies revealed that fruit fly abundance had a positive association with maximum temperature and bright sunshine hours, whereas rainfall showed a negative association during both years. The results of this investigation may inform the development of a sustainable pest management strategy for commercial orchards.

Operational Determinants of Communication Delay for Critical Complete-Blood-Count Values: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Analysis Decomposing Turnaround Time into Analytical and Post-Analytical Phases

Francisco Kauê Carvalho Aguiar — 2026-10-17

Background: Timely communication of critical complete blood count (CBC) results is an important quality indicator in laboratory medicine. However, factors associated with prolonged turnaround time (TAT) remain insufficiently characterised in tertiary-care settings.

Objective: To quantify total, analytical, and post-analytical TAT for critical CBC results communicated through a hospital alert system and to identify predictors of communication delay.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated 544 CBCs with critical results recorded between January and June 2025 at a tertiary hospital in Brazil. Institutional critical-value thresholds included haemoglobin <6.0 or >18.0 g/dL, leukocyte counts <2.0 or >30.0 × 10⁹/L, platelet counts <50 or >1,000 × 10⁹/L, and the presence of circulating blasts. TAT was divided into analytical and post-analytical phases using timestamps for sample collection, technical release, and notification. Communication-time analyses included 487 records with available timestamps. Outcomes included TAT ≥2 h and ≥4 h and continuous log-transformed TAT.

Results: Median total TAT was 5.45 h (IQR 3.12–13.18), predominantly reflecting the analytical phase (median 3.86 h), while post-analytical notification time was shorter (median 0.62 h). Overall, 8.0% of cases had a total TAT ≤2 h and 37.0% had a total TAT ≤4 h. Inpatient ward origin was independently associated with TAT ≥4 h (OR 4.22, 95% CI 2.65–6.71). Leukocytosis and weekend collection were also associated with prolonged TAT.

Conclusions: Prolonged TAT for critical CBC results was associated primarily with operational and workflow-related factors. The analytical phase accounted for the largest proportion of total TAT, suggesting that inpatient sample logistics and weekend laboratory workflows may represent important targets for quality improvement.

Mechanical Devices for Seed Cleaning: A Review of Separation Principles, Performance and Emerging Pollution Free Technologies

Kapil Verma — 2026-09-21

Cleaning converts a threshed, shelled or decorticated lot into a saleable product, and the device chosen depends on the property separating the wanted fraction from the unwanted one. This review organises that evidence by property: aerodynamic devices (terminal velocity), screens (size), indented cylinders (length), spiral separators and inclined drapers (shape and surface texture), gravity tables (density), magnetic and electrostatic separators (roughness and conductivity), and optical sorters (colour). Two findings emerge. First, the aerodynamic route dominates the literature, delivering cleaning efficiencies of 85 to 98 % for air screen and pneumatic units, but at the cost of a fan, a power source and airborne dust, with respirable dust of 3.2 to 10.5 mg per cubic metre and respiratory symptoms in 33 to 47 % of exposed workers - a documented occupational cost of that performance. Second, the friction based inclined draper separator, needing no fan, is almost absent from the primary research literature: no peer reviewed study reports its cleaning efficiency, capacity or governing variables for any oilseed. A device matching air screen performance without the dust burden is technically plausible, but the quantitative basis for designing one for decorticated groundnut the effect of deck angle, belt speed and feed rate on cleaning efficiency and kernel loss has not been established.

Social Media Analytics in Gastrointestinal Cancer Awareness: Trends, Challenges, and Strategic Approaches to Public Trust and Digital Engagement

Isaac Amornortey Yowetu — 2026-09-23

Gastrointestinal cancers are prominent contributors to the global cancer burden, while public understanding of symptoms, risk, screening, diagnosis and survivorship increasingly develops within social media environments. This review critically examines how social media analytics have been used to characterise gastrointestinal cancer awareness, how platform engagement relates to information quality and public trust, and which communication strategies are most defensible for improving digital engagement without equating popularity with public-health value. Peer-reviewed literature was sought across biomedical and multidisciplinary scholarly sources for publications from 2006 to 17 July 2026, supplemented by citation chaining and verification of bibliographic metadata and digital object identifiers. The evidence base is most developed for colorectal cancer, with growing work on gastric, pancreatic and liver cancers and comparatively sparse evidence for several other gastrointestinal malignancies. Across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Bilibili and Douyin, analytic approaches have progressed from hashtag counts and descriptive engagement metrics to thematic coding, quality appraisal and machine-learning-supported topic discovery. Yet the dominant literature remains cross-sectional, platform-specific and dependent on convenience samples such as highly ranked or highly liked posts. High engagement does not consistently indicate accuracy, completeness, actionability, representativeness or trust. Professional sources often achieve better quality scores, whereas patient narratives can generate stronger attention and relational relevance. These findings create a central communication tension: authoritative information may be less socially compelling, while emotionally resonant content may be incomplete or difficult to generalise. Evidence that social media exposure produces sustained screening or other health behaviour remains limited, despite feasibility studies showing that campaigns can move some users from reach to test requests or participation. The review proposes a shift from engagement-centred analytics towards public-value analytics that integrate reach, comprehension, credibility, trust, equity and verifiable behaviour. Future research should prioritise longitudinal, multilingual, cross-platform and intervention designs with transparent sampling, validated outcome measures and linkage to screening or care pathways. Social media can support gastrointestinal cancer awareness, but strategic value depends on evidence-calibrated communication, visible provenance, participatory trust-building and outcome evaluation beyond clicks.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Environmental Metagenomics for Ecosystem Monitoring and Management

Tanuj Khatnoria — 2026-09-23

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a significant transformation in microbiology and environmental metagenomics, shifting the field from a descriptive framework towards a predictive and systems-level understanding. The advent of metagenomics has enabled direct analysis of microbial communities from environmental samples, overcoming limitations of culture-dependent approaches. However, rapid advances in high-throughput sequencing have generated unprecedented volumes of complex data, creating a critical need for advanced computational tools. In this context, AI has emerged as an essential approach for extracting meaningful biological insights. AI-based methods have enhanced microbial community analysis by enabling deeper understanding of community dynamics and functional interactions. Models such as cNODE predict community shifts based on initial species configurations, while Graph Neural Network approaches, including MicrobeGNN, estimate steady-state community structures using genomic relationships. Machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest are also widely applied to identify keystone species essential for ecosystem stability. In environmental DNA (eDNA) and metagenomic data analysis, machine learning improves tasks such as metagenome binning through tools like VAMB and SemiBin, while DeepMAsEd and ResMiCo detect assembly errors without reference genomes. Additionally, Natural Language Processing-based models such as DeepMicrobes and BERTax interpret DNA as structured language for accurate taxonomic classification. AI also contributes to predicting microbial functions, particularly in bioremediation, by identifying organisms capable of degrading pollutants using techniques such as Random Forest and Support Vector Machines. Reinforcement learning frameworks like SPAM-DFBA further model microbial metabolism as a decision-making system. In pathogen tracking, AI supports outbreak detection and source attribution, with applications including prediction of Salmonella enterica origins and real-time surveillance systems such as HealthMap. Future developments include microbial foundation models, tools like AlphaFold 3 and Evo, and digital twin systems, although challenges such as limited interpretability remain.

Responsible Artificial Intelligence in Tax Administration and Public Financial Management: Transparency, Procedural Fairness and Accountability

Abimbola Serifat Oreoluwa — 2026-09-26

Artificial intelligence is moving from peripheral experimentation to consequential use in tax administration and public financial management, where models can prioritise audits, detect anomalous transactions, screen procurement, support accounting and assurance, and structure interactions with taxpayers and suppliers. These applications may improve consistency, targeting and analytical capacity, but they also change how public power is exercised. This critical narrative review examines the conditions under which artificial intelligence can be used responsibly in revenue and public-finance functions, with particular attention to transparency, procedural fairness and accountability. The review integrates public-administration research, tax-compliance scholarship, public-sector accounting and auditing literature, machine-learning studies in tax and procurement, responsible-artificial-intelligence research, and authoritative governance instruments. The evidence is strongest for the predictive and screening value of machine learning in bounded tasks, including audit selection and procurement-risk detection. Evidence is substantially weaker for long-term organisational effects, distributional fairness, legitimacy, contestability and accountability outcomes. Three recurrent findings emerge. First, transparency must be differentiated into system, process and decision-level transparency; indiscriminate technical disclosure is neither necessary nor always compatible with enforcement integrity, but meaningful notice, documentation and reasons are essential. Second, procedural fairness cannot be reduced to model accuracy or the presence of a human reviewer. It depends on data provenance, label quality, consistency, individualised consideration, reason-giving, effective challenge and correction. Third, accountability requires an institutional chain of responsibility spanning authorisation, design, procurement, deployment, monitoring, appeal and independent assurance. Human oversight is useful only when reviewers have competence, time, authority and evidence that intervention improves decisions. The review proposes a risk-tiered Fiscal Artificial Intelligence Assurance Chain that links public-purpose justification to data and model assurance, operational controls, outward-facing explanations, redress and continuous audit. Responsible deployment therefore requires treating artificial intelligence not merely as a technical efficiency tool but as public administrative infrastructure whose legitimacy depends on demonstrable legality, fairness, traceability and correctability.

Lepcha Animism as an Indian Knowledge System: Cultural-ecological Perspectives on Sustainability

Shristi Kala Chhetri — 2026-09-29

Indigenous knowledge systems frequently organise ecological understanding through relationships among land, living beings, social institutions, and cultural practice. This narrative review examines Lepcha animism as a culturally embedded knowledge system and evaluates, with explicit evidentiary caution, its relevance to contemporary sustainability debates. A structured narrative search was conducted in July 2026 through scholarly web search, PubMed, journal and publisher databases, and academic repositories using combinations of terms related to Lepcha knowledge, sacred landscapes, Sikkim ethnobiology, animism, biocultural conservation, disaster-risk reduction, and environmental education. Peer-reviewed scholarship was prioritised; classic ethnographies were retained for historical and cosmological description, while official and community documentation was used only for contemporary heritage and ritual details. The synthesis indicates that Lepcha traditions link sacred geography, ritual specialists, oral narratives, seasonal ceremonies, and customary ethics within a relational understanding of human-environment interaction. Empirical studies from Sikkim further demonstrate that local knowledge can contain verifiable information relevant to medicinal plants, bird identification, and resource preferences. These findings support the value of Indigenous knowledge for place-based conservation and education, but they do not establish that ritual or sacredness automatically produces conservation, agricultural sustainability, or disaster resilience. The review therefore distinguishes documented cultural meanings from plausible social-ecological mechanisms and from measured environmental outcomes. Lepcha knowledge is best understood as a dynamic biocultural system whose sustainability relevance depends on community authority, context, continued transmission, and appropriate dialogue with scientific knowledge rather than on romanticised assumptions about Indigenous practice.

Agripreneurship as the New Agricultural Extension Frontier: Incubation, Digital Platforms and Rural Enterprise Development

Manish Kanwat — 2026-09-30

Agricultural extension is being asked to solve a problem that conventional technology-transfer models were not designed to address: how to help rural actors convert knowledge, technologies and market opportunities into viable, adaptive enterprises. This critical narrative review examines agripreneurship as a possible new frontier for agricultural extension, with particular attention to business incubation, digital platforms and rural enterprise development. Literature published from 2009 to 27 July 2026 was considered, alongside necessary foundational material, using multidisciplinary scholarly sources and critical appraisal of conceptual, observational, experimental and programme-evaluation evidence. The synthesis indicates that extension has progressively moved towards pluralistic innovation-system roles involving brokerage, network facilitation and capability development, creating an institutional basis for enterprise-oriented advisory work. Incubators and accelerators can add mentoring, finance readiness, legitimacy and network access, but their apparent performance is highly heterogeneous and agriculture-specific evaluations frequently lack credible counterfactuals or long post-graduation follow-up. Digital advisory services more consistently improve information, knowledge and selected practices than final productivity or profit outcomes, while platform models can connect advisory, market and financial functions but also introduce exclusion, dependency, data-governance and bargaining-power risks. Evidence on rural enterprise development is similarly uneven: youth and women can gain skills and opportunity access, yet selection effects, resource constraints and institutional barriers complicate claims that agripreneurship alone generates durable employment or inclusive rural transformation. The review therefore proposes an enterprise innovation-broker model of extension in which technical advice, venture capability, incubation, market and finance intermediation, and digital governance are treated as complementary rather than substitutable functions. The field now requires stronger causal designs, longitudinal venture tracking, distributional metrics and evaluation of hybrid public-private architectures. Agripreneurship is best interpreted not as a replacement for extension, but as an extension frontier whose legitimacy depends on demonstrated additionality, inclusion and public-value accountability.

Utilization of Pulse Milling By-Products for Food Purposes: A Review

Chandan Solanki — 2026-09-30

Pulse milling generates considerable quantities of by-products, including broken grains, powder, husk, germ, and mixed fractions such as chuni-bhusi. Although these materials have traditionally been used as animal feed or farm fertiliser, the reviewed evidence indicates that they contain nutritionally and functionally valuable components that may support higher-value food applications. Pulse husks and bran fractions provide protein, dietary fibre, minerals, and bioactive constituents, including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins. Their composition varies among pulse species, milling fractions, and processing conditions, making fraction-specific characterisation important before food use. Recovery and separation technologies can isolate edible cotyledon-rich material and other useful fractions from milling streams. Reported applications include traditional foods such as papad and deep-fried snacks, as well as bakery and extruded products. Pulse-derived fibre may partially replace refined wheat flour, although excessive incorporation can adversely affect dough rheology, texture, appearance, and sensory acceptability. The review also highlights fermentation and other processing approaches as potential means of modifying nutritional, antinutritional, bioactive, and techno-functional properties. Overall, pulse-milling by-products represent underutilised resources with potential for food valorisation, provided that appropriate recovery, stabilisation, compositional assessment, processing, quality control, and safety evaluation are applied to identify suitable fractions and incorporation levels for safe and acceptable human consumption.

Immediate Loading of Dental Implants and Its Biological and Functional Effects: A Critical Narrative Review of Clinical Trial Evidence

Joseâne Marques de Sousa — 2026-10-06

Background: Immediate loading, in which a dental implant is connected to a provisional or definitive prosthesis within one week of placement, has moved from an experimental departure from the two-stage osseointegration protocol to a routine option in many practices. Its adoption has outpaced agreement about which biological and functional effects it produces, for whom, and with what degree of certainty.

Aim and Scope: This critical narrative review examined randomised and controlled clinical trials, supported by systematic reviews, consensus reports and mechanistic studies, to evaluate how immediate loading affects implant survival, peri-implant bone and soft tissues, peri-implant inflammatory and osteogenic markers, masticatory function and patient-reported outcomes in partially and completely edentulous adults.

Approach: Literature published from January 1997 to July 2026 was identified through structured searches of biomedical and multidisciplinary scholarly indexes, supplemented by citation tracking. Evidence was appraised for design, comparator, stability-based eligibility, unit of analysis, attrition, follow-up and outcome measurement, and was synthesised thematically.

Principal Findings: For carefully selected single-tooth, short-span and full-arch fixed rehabilitations with adequate primary stability, immediate loading produces implant survival and marginal bone changes that are, in most trials, clinically indistinguishable from early or conventional loading. Pooled analyses nevertheless diverge, and several well-conducted trials identify settings with higher early failure, notably the single midline mandibular implant, fully guided placement in partially edentulous jaws and the posterior maxilla. Differences in marginal bone are small and inconsistent in direction. Immediate provisionalisation appears to protect soft-tissue contours after immediate placement in the aesthetic zone, although later trials attenuate this effect. The clearest functional benefit is earlier restoration of chewing ability and satisfaction, which frequently converges with conventional loading within one year.

Unresolved Questions: Long-term peri-implant health, the validity of biomarker changes, the reliability of stability thresholds, and cost and maintenance burdens remain insufficiently studied.

Implications and Conclusion: Immediate loading is best regarded as an indication-dependent protocol whose principal advantage is the timing of benefit rather than a superior biological end state. Future trials require standardised definitions, intention-to-treat reporting, patient-level analysis and core outcome sets that include patient-reported and functional measures.

Modern Feeding and Nutritional Management Practices in Livestock Production: A Review

Yashesh Singh — 2026-10-06

Livestock production has undergone significant transformation through the adoption of modern feeding and nutritional management practices that enhance productivity, improve animal health, and promote sustainable resource utilisation. Nutrition remains the most influential factor affecting growth, reproduction, milk production, meat quality, feed efficiency, and overall economic performance of livestock enterprises. Recent advances in nutritional science have shifted feeding strategies from conventional ration formulation towards precision nutrition, enabling nutrient supply to be tailored according to species, physiological stage, genetic potential, production level, and environmental conditions. The utilisation of high-quality forages, balanced concentrate mixtures, alternative feed resources, functional feed additives, and advanced feed processing technologies has substantially improved nutrient digestibility and production efficiency. Emerging feed ingredients such as insect meal, algae, single-cell proteins, and agro-industrial by-products offer sustainable alternatives to conventional feedstuffs while supporting circular bioeconomy principles. Precision livestock nutrition supported by artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, machine learning, wearable sensors, automated feeding systems, and decision support tools has further enhanced feed intake monitoring, real-time nutrient adjustment, and farm management efficiency. Nutritional interventions targeting critical physiological stages, including neonatal development, growth, gestation, transition, lactation, reproduction, and heat stress adaptation, have improved animal welfare and lifetime productivity. Functional feed additives such as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, enzymes, phytogenic compounds, antioxidants, buffers, and mycotoxin binders contribute to improved gut health, immune function, nutrient utilisation, and disease resistance. Sustainable feeding approaches emphasising methane mitigation, low-carbon feeding, waste valorisation, climate-smart nutrition, and carbon footprint reduction are becoming integral components of modern livestock systems. Continued integration of precision feeding technologies, functional nutrition, digital agriculture, and sustainable feed resources offers substantial opportunities to improve production efficiency while reducing environmental impacts. This review synthesises recent scientific advances in modern feeding strategies, nutritional management practices, precision livestock nutrition, functional feed additives, and sustainable feeding systems that collectively support resilient, profitable, and environmentally responsible livestock production.

Recent Developments in Smart Agriculture and Horticulture: A Critical Appraisal of Sensing, Robotics, Analytics and Controlled-Environment Production

Devesh Arya — 2026-10-07

Digital and automated technologies have been promoted as a route to higher productivity, lower input use and improved resilience in both field agriculture and horticulture, yet the evidence underpinning these expectations remains uneven and, in several domains, contested. This review critically examines developments in smart agriculture and horticulture across six interdependent technological domains: proximal and remote sensing, machine-learning analytics, field and glasshouse robotics, controlled-environment production, postharvest quality assessment and chain integrity, and the integration architectures that connect them. Literature was identified through structured searching of open scholarly databases and indexes, supplemented by backward and forward citation tracking and by targeted retrieval from institutional sources, with critical appraisal focused on methodological adequacy, ecological validity and the correspondence between reported performance and operational conditions. Three findings dominate the synthesis. First, the technical performance of sensing and recognition systems is frequently established under conditions that differ materially from commercial practice, and the resulting laboratory-to-field generalisation deficit is the single most consistent methodological weakness across the literature. Second, horticultural systems impose constraints that arable-derived technologies do not resolve automatically, including three-dimensional canopy occlusion, delicate and heterogeneous produce, high crop value per unit area and dense, frequently repeated operations; the most convincing advances involve co-design of the crop system and the machine rather than the machine alone. Third, evidence on economic and environmental outcomes is considerably weaker than evidence on technical feasibility, with profitability strongly conditional on within-field variability, holding size, labour costs and energy prices, and with sustainability claims for controlled-environment production remaining sensitive to assumptions about electricity supply and system boundaries. Substantial gaps persist in multi-season field validation, transparent reporting of failure modes, distributional analysis of who benefits from digitalisation, and governance of agricultural data. Confidence in current conclusions is constrained by geographical concentration of evidence and by the rapid obsolescence of technology-specific findings.

Advancing Wheat Improvement through Multi-Omics and Artificial Intelligence

Jasveer Singh — 2026-10-13

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plays a central role in global food and nutritional security, but its productivity is challenged by biotic and abiotic stresses. Its large, polyploid genome and extensive repetitive sequences complicate the identification of genetic variation and the dissection of complex agronomic traits. This review examines emerging genomic resources and the complementary contributions of transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and epigenomics to wheat improvement. High-throughput genotyping platforms, including SNP arrays, genotyping-by-sequencing and DArTseq, facilitate genetic diversity analysis and the identification of genomic regions associated with agronomic traits. Pan-genome approaches extend analyses beyond a single reference assembly by capturing structural, copy-number and presence–absence variation. Functional omics studies provide information on transcriptional regulation, protein responses, metabolite accumulation and chromatin-associated mechanisms involved in development and stress adaptation. The review also considers the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning for integrating complex datasets, predicting yield-related traits, automating phenotypic assessment and supporting genomic selection. Examples from wheat demonstrate the potential value of combining molecular information with computational approaches, although the reliability of predictions depends on data quality, representation and appropriate validation. Together, these advances provide complementary tools for identifying candidate genes and interpreting genotype–phenotype relationships. Their integration with reliable phenotypic information and established breeding practices may support more efficient wheat improvement while acknowledging the technical and biological challenges of translating molecular findings into breeding outcomes.