Archives of Current Research International

National Assessment of Extension Gaps and Technology Index in Rapeseed-mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Production: Macro Evidence from KVK Frontline Demonstrations in Rajasthan

Abhilasha Deepa Minz — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

India’s structural deficit in edible oil production remains one of its most pressing agricultural policy concerns, leaving the nation heavily reliant on expensive overseas imports. Rapeseed-Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is arguably the single most strategic crop for curbing this import dependency, with the state of Rajasthan serving as the undisputed heartland of national production. This study offers a comprehensive macro-level evaluation of yield gaps, technological feasibility, and farm-level economic returns by synthesising five years of secondary data (2019–20 to 2023–24) from Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs) implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under ICAR-ATARI Zone-II across Rajasthan. Utilising established methodological frameworks, we computed the Technology Gap, Extension Gap, Technology Index (TI), Extension Yield Advantage (EYA), and Index of Realized Potential (IRP) alongside detailed profitability parameters. Across the five-year panel, the mean potential yield (Y_p), demonstration plot yield (Y_d), and local farmers’ practice yield (Y_f) were recorded at 25.70 q/ha, 21.32 q/ha, and 16.10 q/ha, respectively. Notably, the mean Extension Gap (5.22 q/ha) consistently exceeded the Technology Gap (4.38 q/ha). This empirical pattern demonstrates that the bottleneck in Indian mustard production is not a lack of viable technology at research stations, but rather an institutional transfer failure characterised by low seed replacement, unscientific fertiliser application, and delayed pest management. Over the study period, the Technology Index dropped from 22.00% to 13.96%, signifying that improved cultivars and package of practices are increasingly adaptable to real-world farming environments. Adopting CFLD practices yielded an average productivity gain of +32.41% over traditional practices, producing an additional net profit of ₹24,300/ha and raising the Benefit-Cost ratio from 3.45 to 4.08. We conclude with targeted extension recommendations, focusing on seed-hub scaling, micronutrient integration, and digital extension delivery to secure national edible oil independence.

Age-related Comparative Gross Morphological, Biometrical, Histological and Histochemical Studies on the Bursa of Fabricius of Haringhata Black Chicken and Commercial Broiler Chicken

Nowel Chaudhury, Sanjay Ray, Sudip Das, Sukanta Das — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The bursa of Fabricius (BF) is the primary lymphoid organ unique to birds and is central to the ontogeny of humoral immunity. The present study was undertaken to compare the age-related gross, biometrical, histological and histochemical architecture of the BF between an indigenous breed, Haringhata Black chicken, and a commercial broiler chicken, from day-old to day 60 of post-hatch life. Fifteen birds of each breed were divided into five age groups (day 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60). Grossly, the bursa was an oval, chestnut-sized, creamy-white to pale-yellow sac attached by a short stalk to the dorsal wall of the proctodeum in both breeds. Organ weight, length, width and thickness increased progressively, peaking around days 30–45, and declined by day 60. Histologically, the bursal wall showed a tunica mucosa thrown into plicae lined by pseudostratified ciliated columnar follicle-associated and interfollicular epithelia, a lymphoid-follicle-rich lamina propria, tunica muscularis and tunica serosa in both breeds at all ages, with breed-specific differences in plical height, follicular dimensions and epithelial height. The histoarchitecture, including the presence of a more organised cortex, a more cellular medulla, distinct nuclear morphology, abundant connective tissue, greater vascularity and a gradual pace of bursal growth, was observed in Haringhata birds. The epithelial height was greater in Haringhata birds than in broiler birds in all age groups. Histochemical staining revealed neutral and acidic mucosubstances (PAS and Alcian blue positivity) that varied in intensity with age. Collagen fibres increased, whereas elastic fibres decreased progressively with age in both breeds. These findings establish comparative baseline morphometric data on bursal ontogeny in an indigenous and a commercial chicken breed that may assist in correlating structural maturation with age-related immunocompetence.

Morphological and Mitochondrial Cox1-based Molecular Characterization of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Infesting Cattle in Gujarat, India

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is a major one-host tick of cattle in tropical and subtropical zones and causes considerable economic losses through reduced livestock productivity and the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Accurate species identification is important for epidemiological studies and the implementation of effective tick control strategies. The present study was conducted to characterise R. (B.) microplus collected from cattle in Gujarat, India, using morphological examination and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene analysis. Adult engorged female ticks were collected from cattle in five representative districts of Gujarat. Partial cox1 gene fragments (510 bp and 643 bp) were amplified by PCR from genomic DNA, and morphological identification was performed using standard taxonomic keys. Representative amplicons were sequenced and compared with sequences in GenBank using BLAST. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Neighbor-Joining method in MEGA 12. The expected cox1 fragments were successfully amplified by PCR from all representative isolates. Nucleotide identity of 99.13–99.78% was observed with authenticated R. microplus sequences available in GenBank. The Navsari isolate showed 99.56% similarity with the Hubli isolate (MH612840.1), whereas the Junagadh and Patan isolates showed 99.78% identity with Indian reference isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all Gujarat isolates clustered within the R. microplus lineage with isolates from India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, and South Africa, indicating high genetic conservation and low mitochondrial DNA divergence. R. (B.) microplus was reliably identified through morphological observations and cox1 gene sequencing. The high sequence similarity and conserved phylogenetic relationships demonstrated the utility of the mitochondrial cox1 gene as a potential molecular marker for species identification and genetic characterisation, providing baseline information for epidemiological surveillance and future tick management programmes in Gujarat.

Long-Term Extension-Led Capacity Building Accelerates Aquaculture Technology Adoption, Productivity and Livelihood Diversification in Himalayan Smallholder Farming Systems

V. K. Singh, V. Gupta, B. Singh, S. Chaudhary, S. Jukaria — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study evaluated the twenty-year impact of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)-led extension interventions on farmers’ knowledge, technology adoption, aquaculture expansion, productivity, and profitability in Champawat district, Uttarakhand, India, from 2004 to 2024.

A longitudinal impact assessment approach was adopted using baseline (2004; n = 25) and endline (2024; n = 65) farmer surveys, supported by on-farm demonstrations of scientific composite fish culture and integrated aquaculture models involving fish–poultry, fish–vegetable, and fish–crop systems. Changes in knowledge levels were evaluated using Student’s t-test and Pearson’s χ² test, while productivity and economic performance among production systems were compared using analysis of variance.

Sustained extension interventions significantly improved farmers’ knowledge of scientific aquaculture practices, with mean knowledge scores increasing from 32.44% to 62.76% (P < 0.001). The proportion of farmers belonging to the high-knowledge category increased more than threefold, while very-low knowledge levels declined substantially. During the intervention period, the number of fish farmers and ponds increased by 296.4% and 305.2%, respectively. Fish productivity increased by 80.0%, whereas net profit increased by 344.4%. Demonstration farms adopting scientific composite fish culture achieved 120.5% higher fish production and 150.9% greater net income compared with conventional practices. Integrated aquaculture systems generated additional economic benefits, with fish–poultry farming recording the highest profitability and increasing net income by 517.7% compared with conventional fish farming.

Efficacy of Nutripearls Fertilizer on Yield Components and Productivity of Transplanted Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Pooja, M. L. Kewat, Pooja, Muskan Yadav, Sachin Kumar — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A field experiment was carried out during the Kharif season of 2022 at the Research Farm of the Department of Agronomy, JNKVV, Jabalpur (M.P.), to evaluate the effects of Nutripearls, an organic acid-based granular fertiliser, on the yield components and productivity of transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L., cv. JR 206). The trial was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) with nine treatment combinations involving graded levels of the Recommended Dose of Fertilisers (RDF) and Nutripearls applied at the tillering and panicle initiation (PI) stages. The results demonstrated significant variations among treatments in yield attributes and overall productivity. Application of 100% RDF + Nutripearls @ 50 kg/ha at the tillering and PI stages (T₂) recorded superior growth and yield parameters, including the maximum number of effective tillers (406.5/m2), panicle length (27.87 cm), and sound grains per panicle (196.27), along with the lowest number of sterile grains per panicle (6.47). Consequently, T₂produced the highest straw yield (7582.20 kg/ha) and harvest index (43.91%), markedly outperforming both 100% RDF alone (T₈) and the untreated control (T₉). Higher doses of Nutripearls (75 kg/ha and 100 kg/ha) did not offer significant improvements over the 50 kg/ha rate. Overall, integrating Nutripearls at 50 kg/ha alongside 100% RDF can enhance nutrient availability and crop partitioning efficiency, indicating its potential for maximising transplanted rice yields under the experimental conditions.

The Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications of Low-Cost Textiles on Consumer Behavior: A Case of Lubwe Town in Chifunabuli District, Zambia

Mumba Flaviour, Annie Phiri, Malvern Kanyati, Emmanuel Malichi — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study examined the socio-economic and environmental implications of low-cost textiles on consumer behaviour in Lubwe Town, Chifunabuli District, Zambia. A quantitative research design was employed, and data were collected from 100 respondents using structured questionnaires. The data were analysed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel through descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test. The findings showed that income level was the leading socio-economic factor influencing preference for low-cost textiles, identified by 46% of respondents, followed by occupation (18%), education level (14%), family size (12%), and social influence (10%). Respondents strongly agreed that they prioritised price over quality when purchasing textiles (M = 4.41, SD = 0.69) and frequently purchased low-cost textiles because of their availability (M = 4.36, SD = 0.74). Environmental awareness was limited: 42% of respondents reported being not very aware, while 30% reported being unaware of environmental effects associated with low-cost textiles. The main environmental concerns were textile waste accumulation (36%), overfilling of dumping sites (24%), burning of discarded textiles (20%), and littering in public spaces (18%). Awareness campaigns (32%) and affordable sustainable textile options (28%) were the most preferred strategies. The study indicates that affordability strongly shapes textile consumption in Lubwe, while limited environmental awareness and waste-management constraints contribute to concerns associated with textile disposal.

Prevalence of Malnutrition Based on Anthropometric Measurements among Adolescents (10-17 Years) by Gender in the Rural Area of Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, U.P, India

Alok Kumar Saini, Neetu Singh, Ayushi Singh, Alka Nanda — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adolescence is a critical period of rapid growth and development, and adequate nutrition during this stage is essential for maintaining optimal health. However, malnutrition among adolescents continues to be a major public health concern in rural areas of India, affecting their physical growth, development, and future health outcomes. The present study aimed to assess the nutritional status of adolescents in rural areas of Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, using anthropometric measurements such as height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI), and to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among boys and girls. A cross-sectional, non-interventional study was conducted from February to April 2024 in five villages (Dadoopur, Chakoli, Aurawan, Ramachaura, and Miranpur Pinvat) adopted by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. A total of 225 adolescents aged 10-17 years were selected using a pre-designed questionnaire. The results showed that 52.89% were males and 47.11% were females, with most participants belonging to early adolescence (12-14 years). Gender-wise comparison showed that males had a significantly higher mean height than females (145.66 ± 11.89 vs. 141.73 ± 10.18 cm; p = 0.003). Similarly, males had a higher mean weight than females (36.01 ± 9.24 vs. 34.59 ± 8.78 kg); however, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The mean BMI (World Health Organization [WHO], 2007) of the study population was 17.84 ± 2.39 kg/m². A high burden of wasting (BMI) was observed, with 72.2% of participants classified as wasted, while 26.6% had normal BMI and 0.8% were overweight. Weight-for-age assessment showed that 84.89% of participants were underweight, while 15.11% had normal weight. Stunting was prevalent among 67.54% of adolescents, including mild (31.99%), moderate (27.55%), and severe (8.00%) stunting. The mean height-for-age Z-score (WHO, 2007) was significantly lower among females than males (-1.89 ± 1.01 vs. -1.52 ± 0.88; p = 0.004). The findings indicate a high prevalence of malnutrition and stunting among rural adolescents in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow. Regular anthropometric assessments and targeted nutritional interventions are essential to improve adolescent growth and nutritional status.

Comparative Analysis of Pathogenicity on Different Plant Parts of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) and Pathogenic Variability among Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri Isolates

Sushma A. Rao, K. T. Apet — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases affecting acid lime cultivation. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pathogenicity of four isolates of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac1, Xac2, Xac3 and Xac4) on different plant parts of acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle), namely leaves, stems, fruits and thorns, and to assess pathogenic variability among isolates using an attached leaf technique under screenhouse conditions. Inoculation induced typical citrus canker symptoms, characterised by water-soaked translucent spots, raised corky lesions and distinct yellow halos. Leaves were found to be the most susceptible plant part, exhibiting the shortest incubation period across all isolates. Among the four isolates tested, Xac2 proved to be the most virulent, producing the earliest symptoms (4 days on leaves) with the shortest average incubation period, while Xac4 was the least aggressive. Significant pathogenic variability was observed among the X. citri subsp. citri isolates, highlighting the importance of selecting virulent isolates for resistance screening and disease management strategies.

Survival Rate of Cows Undergoing Caesarean Section in Field Conditions: A Retrospective Study

Sagar Sahoo, Biswadeep Jena — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Bovine caesarean section is used to manage dystocia when assisted vaginal delivery is not feasible.

Aim: The present retrospective study was conducted to determine the survival rate of cows with dystocia that underwent caesarean section.

Materials & Methods: In toto, forty-eight cows were included in the study, and all were presented to the Veterinary Dispensary, Begunia, Dist. – Khordha, Odisha. The cows were categorised into three groups based on the interval between diagnosis and presentation of the dystocia case to the dispensary. Cases in Group – I (Elective group, n = 14) were presented within 12 hours; those in Group – II (Emergency group, n = 18) were presented between 12 and 36 hours; and those in Group – III (Emphysematous group, n = 16) were presented beyond 36 hours. Follow-up was performed until the removal of external sutures on the 14^th post-operative day.

Results: The dam survival rates for the three groups were evaluated and found to be 100%, 89%, and 25% for Groups I, II, and III, respectively.

Conclusion: Client education is required to facilitate timely decisions to present cases for caesarean section to a veterinary dispensary/hospital, which can save the lives of both dam and calf.

Seasonal Incidence of Major Insect Pests and Their Natural Enemies in Lentil in Malawa Region of Madhya Pradesh, India

Kanchan Dubey, Dilip Suryawanshi, A. K. Choudhary, Neelesh Raypuriya, Bharat Lal — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The seasonal incidence of major insect pests and their natural enemies in lentil was studied during the 2025-26 Rabi season at the Entomology Research Farm, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai College of Agriculture, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh. Lentil variety L-9-12 was grown without pesticide application, and insect populations were recorded weekly together with meteorological parameters. Aphid, Aphis craccivora, appeared in the 2nd standard meteorological week (SMW) and remained present until the 13th SMW, with a peak population of 8.20 aphids per 10 cm apical twig per plant in the 7th SMW. Pod borer, Etiella zinckenella, was first recorded in the 4th SMW and reached a peak of 0.8 larva per plant in the 10th SMW. Ladybird beetles appeared in the 3rd SMW and reached 1.2 beetles per plant in the 8th SMW, while green lacewing was first recorded in the 4th SMW. Aphid population was significantly negatively correlated with maximum temperature (r = -0.71) and significantly positively correlated with relative humidity (r = 0.58). Pod borer showed significant positive correlations with maximum and minimum temperatures (r = 0.63 and 0.67) and a significant negative correlation with relative humidity (r = -0.69). Green lacewing was significantly negatively correlated with maximum temperature (r = -0.63). Ladybird beetle and green lacewing populations were significantly positively correlated with aphid population (r = 0.59 and 0.80, respectively). These observations describe the seasonal occurrence of the principal pest and natural-enemy populations under the recorded local weather conditions.

Food Availability and Foraging Patterns of the Endemic Kulal White-eye (Zosterops kulalensis) in the Mount KULAL Biosphere Reserve, Northern Kenya

Jeremy Ledaany, Joseph Ndolo, Cecilia M. Gichuki, Ezekiel Ndunda — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Kulal White-eye (Zosterops kulalensis) is an endemic and range-restricted bird occurring on Mount Kulal in northern Kenya. Its restricted distribution makes the species particularly dependent on the availability and quality of food resources within the Mount Kulal Biosphere Reserve. This study assessed the influence of food availability on the foraging patterns of the Kulal White-eye, focusing on fruits, nectar and insects, diet composition, foraging substrates, seasonal variation and foraging success. Data were collected from 25 sampling sites through systematic ecological observations and assessment of food-resource conditions. Moderate fruit availability was recorded at 44.0% of sites, moderate nectar availability at 48.0%, and moderate insect abundance at 40.0%. Food resources were most available during the wet season at 56.0% of sites, whereas only 20.0% of sites had resources available throughout the year. The tree canopy was the dominant foraging substrate (48.0%), while insects constituted the most frequently recorded food item (40.0%), followed by fruits (28.0%) and nectar (24.0%). Small flocks represented 48.0% of observations, while early morning was the dominant feeding period (56.0%). High foraging activity occurred at 52.0% of sites during the wet season compared with 20.0% during the dry season. A paired-samples t-test showed a significant seasonal difference in foraging activity (t = 3.74, p = 0.001), while Pearson's correlation revealed a strong positive relationship between food availability and foraging activity (r = 0.76, p < 0.001). A chi-square test also indicated a significant association between season and food availability (χ² = 12.81, p = 0.002), while one-way ANOVA showed significant differences in foraging success among the assessed season-habitat categories (F (2,22) = 7.13, p = 0.004). The findings demonstrated that food availability and seasonality strongly influenced the foraging ecology of the Kulal White-eye, highlighting the importance of conserving indigenous forest, adjoining bushland and food-producing vegetation.

Trials of Niclosamide on Fresh Water Snails and Its Impact on Water Quality

K. P. Singh, Devendra Podhade, Nidhi Rajput, Amol Rokde — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: The study aimed to evaluate the molluscicidal efficacy of niclosamide against freshwater snails and assess its residual effects on water quality, aquatic flora, and fauna under field conditions.

Study Design: Field-based experimental study involving treated and untreated water bodies.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted over two years within the 2022-2025 period in rainy-season ditches, marshy areas, stagnant water pockets, and artificial water holes within a protected chain-link-fenced area at Central Jail Road, Jabalpur 482001.

Methodology: Field trials were conducted in rainy-season ditches and marshy lands, with cement tanks kept for control measures. Niclosamide was used at a concentration of 4 mg/L by spray and bag-tagging methods against Indoplanorbis exustus and Lymnaea luteola water snails that naturally breed in the rainy season water pockets. Snail mortality was recorded at different intervals following treatment. Water quality parameters, including pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, orthophosphates, and total dissolved solids, were assessed before and after treatment. The residual effects on aquatic weeds and other aquatic fauna were also evaluated.

Results: Niclosamide treatment produced substantial mortality among freshwater snails. The spray method resulted in 95–98% mortality, whereas the bag-tagging method produced approximately 40–50% mortality. Mortality was particularly pronounced during the first 1–7 days after treatment. No significant adverse changes were observed in major water-quality parameters, although minor variations in pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, orthophosphates, and total dissolved solids were recorded. No apparent residual effects were observed on aquatic weeds and tadpoles.

Conclusion: Niclosamide at 4 mg/L demonstrated high molluscicidal efficacy against I. exustus and L. luteola under field conditions, particularly when applied by the spray method. Its limited residual impact on water quality and non-target aquatic organisms indicates its potential for managing freshwater snail populations in stagnant water bodies and reducing the risk of fluke-borne diseases in wild and domestic herbivores.

Artificial Intelligence in Commerce Education: Impact on Teaching and Learning among Students and Teachers in Kolar District, Karnataka, India

Nagamani K. N. — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: The study examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on teaching and learning among commerce students and teachers in higher education, with particular reference to Kolar District, Karnataka.

Study Design: A descriptive and analytical research design was adopted to examine AI awareness, usage, perceptions, educational benefits, challenges, and perceived outcomes.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted among commerce students and teachers in higher education institutions in Kolar District, Karnataka, during 2025–2026.

Methodology: Primary data were collected from 250 respondents, comprising 200 students and 50 teachers, through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyse the data and test the hypotheses.

Results: The findings show that 75.6% of respondents reported high or very high AI awareness. ChatGPT was the most frequently used AI application, followed by Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. Respondents reported particularly strong agreement that AI improves learning efficiency (Mean = 4.48, SD = 0.61). Significant differences were found between students and teachers in AI perceptions (t = 2.684, p = 0.008) and among age groups in AI usage (F = 4.87, p = 0.003). AI usage was positively associated with learning effectiveness (r = 0.742), teaching effectiveness (r = 0.681), and academic performance (r = 0.709), with p < 0.001 in each case. The regression model explained 69.4% of the variation in learning effectiveness (R² = 0.694).

Conclusion: AI has substantial potential to strengthen commerce education when it is used as a complementary educational resource rather than as a substitute for human teaching and independent student effort. Effective adoption requires ethical guidelines, AI literacy, faculty development, institutional support, digital infrastructure, and assessment practices that preserve academic integrity and critical thinking.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Nigella Sativa Seed Powder on Labeo catla and Its Resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of black cumin (Nigella sativa) seed on Labeo catla and its resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila. A feeding experiment was conducted using black cumin seed powder (BCSP) diets at four concentrations: treatment T0 (0% BCSP), T1 (1% BCSP), T2 (2% BCSP), T3 (3% BCSP), and T4 (4% BCSP). Ten L. catla seeds (average weight 1.14±0.05 g) were stocked in 20 plastic aquarium tanks. At the end of the 45-day feeding trial, the immune parameters in the 4% BCSP treatment showed higher values for respiratory burst activity (RBA), total erythrocyte count (TEC), and total leucocyte count (TLC), with values of 0.56± 0.024, 1.99±0.04, 28.9±0.38. Growth performance indicators, including body mass and weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival rate (SR), demonstrated significant differences in the 4% BCSP treatment. At the end of the 45-day experimental period, 10 fish from each triplicate treatment tank were injected with Aeromonas hydrophila suspension (1 x 10⁶ cells/ml). During the 10-day challenge study, fish fed 3% and 4% BCSP showed significantly lower mortality. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between treatments T3 and T4, indicating that the lower dose is more cost-effective as a feed supplement. Therefore, the incorporation of 3% black cumin seed powder (BCSP) into the diet is considered optimal for enhancing immune response and growth performance.

Demographic and Economic Profile of Tribal Women Engaged in Agriculture in Angul District of Odisha, India

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tribal women make substantial contributions to agricultural and allied activities, yet their participation is often constrained by limited access to land, income, institutional support, and formal extension services. In Odisha, particularly at the district level, systematic information on the demographic, socio-economic, communicational, and psychological characteristics of tribal women engaged in agriculture remains limited. Understanding these characteristics is essential for developing appropriately targeted agricultural and livelihood-support interventions. The study aimed to assess the demographic, socio-economic, communicational and psychological profile of tribal women engaged in agriculture in Angul district of Odisha. Methodology: A survey was conducted among 160 tribal women selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured interview schedule and analysed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Results: Most respondents were young adults aged 22–33 years (58.75%), married (72.50%) and educated up to intermediate level (42.50%). Cultivation was the major family occupation (41.25%), while 55.00% had marginal landholdings and 63.33% belonged to the low-income category. Medium levels of economic motivation (61.25%), social participation and risk orientation (66.25%) were observed. Extension contact was moderate, with an overall mean per score of 2.03. Conclusion: The findings indicate that tribal women make an important contribution to agriculture but face constraints related to landholding size, income and access to formal extension support. Targeted extension, skill development, digital information services, credit access and stronger institutional linkages may improve their agricultural and livelihood opportunities.

Influence of Growth Regulators and Micronutrients on Fruit Quality and Physiological Attributes of Tomato

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tomato fruit quality and plant physiological performance can be influenced by plant growth regulators and micronutrient nutrition. A field investigation was carried out at the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, during the rabi season of 2024-25 to evaluate the effects of growth regulators and micronutrients on fruit quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and plant physiology. The ‘Kashi Aman’ variety was used in the experiment, which was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) comprising twelve treatments, each replicated three times. The treatments included T₁: Borax @ 0.2%, T₂: Zinc Sulphate @ 0.5%, T₃: micronutrient mixture @ 0.5%, T₄: NAA-50 ppm, T₅: NAA-50 ppm + Borax @ 0.2%, T₆: NAA-50 ppm + Zinc Sulphate @ 0.5%, T₇: NAA-50 ppm + micronutrient mixture @ 0.5%, T₈: GA₃ -50 ppm, T₉: GA₃ -50 ppm + Borax @ 0.2%, T₁₀: GA₃ -50 ppm + Zinc Sulphate @ 0.5%, T₁₁: GA₃ -50 ppm + micronutrient mixture @ 0.5%, and T₁₂: untreated control. Fruit quality parameters were recorded at harvest, with the lowest titratable acidity (0.40%) observed in T₁₁, while the highest moisture content (96.15%) and juice pH (4.41) were observed in T₃ and T₂, respectively. The maximum total soluble solids (5.40 °Brix), ascorbic acid content (45.91 mg/100 g), lycopene content (5.55 mg/100 g), and shelf life (15.33 days) were recorded in T_11.Regarding physiological traits, the highest values of chlorophyll a (0.562 mg/g), chlorophyll b (0.291 mg/g), and total chlorophyll content (0.792 mg/g) were observed in T₁₁, along with the highest accumulation of plant biomass at 50 DAP (80.82 g) and at harvest (306.97 g).

Constraints and Opportunities in Tobacco Production: Evidence from Samastipur District of Bihar, India

S. M. Rahaman, Ravi Shankar Kumar, M. K. Wadhwani, Vinod Kumar Singh — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Tobacco remains an important commercial crop in Bihar and supports the livelihoods of many smallholder farmers, although producers face increasing production constraints and regulatory pressures. This study assessed the major constraints affecting tobacco production and the factors influencing farmers’ continued cultivation of tobacco in Samastipur district, Bihar. Primary data were collected from 100 tobacco growers selected through a multistage sampling procedure during the 2018–19 agricultural year. Garrett’s ranking technique was used to prioritise the identified production constraints and the factors encouraging continuity of tobacco cultivation. The findings showed that pest and disease incidence was the most important production constraint, with a Garrett score of 77.92, followed by limited access to capital (71.33) and shortage of skilled labour (67.55). In contrast, higher productivity was the leading factor supporting continued tobacco cultivation, with a Garrett score of 80.05, followed by the availability of a secured market (65.53) and farmers’ traditional knowledge and experience in tobacco cultivation (65.46). The predominance of marginal and small farmers in the sample further indicates the importance of livelihood considerations in production decisions. The findings suggest that improving access to institutional credit, extension support, integrated pest and disease management, and technically and financially supported crop-diversification options may help address production constraints while reducing dependence on tobacco without overlooking farm-income considerations.

Forecasting Bank Customer Dynamics in Cameroon using ARIMAX Modelling Approach

Achamoh Victalice Ngimanang — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cameroon’s banking sector has expanded, increasing the need for reliable forecasts of customer growth to support planning and resource allocation. This study applies quantitative time-series analysis to the reported annual number of commercial-bank borrowers per 1,000 adults in Cameroon for 1973–2022. An autoregressive integrated moving average model with exogenous variables (ARIMAX) was estimated using LogGDP and inflation as external regressors. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller results classify the customer series and inflation as stationary at level, while LogGDP is reported as integrated of order one. Descriptive results indicate substantial variation in the customer series and marked volatility in inflation. The fitted model shows that the first lag of the dependent variable is positive and statistically significant (p = 0.009), indicating strong historical persistence in the reported number of borrowers. By contrast, the coefficients of LogGDP and inflation are not statistically significant within the selected specification. Residual diagnostic results indicate that autocorrelation remains at early lags, suggesting that the model does not fully capture the temporal structure of the series. The study therefore finds that recent historical values provide useful information for modelling short-term movements in formal credit participation, but the current specification should be regarded as preliminary. Verification of the annual series, evaluation of alternative lag structures, and formal out-of-sample forecast assessment are required before the model can be used as a validated forecasting system.

Comparative Studies on Nutritive Quality Parameters of Milk in Disparate Cattle Breeds

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study aimed to compare the nutritive quality of milk from Holstein Friesian (HF) crossbred, Jersey crossbred, and Tharparkar cattle. Milk quality and production are complex traits governed by the interaction of genetic potential, nutritional management, environmental conditions, and husbandry practices. The study was conducted over 45 days at the South Farm of Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture (VIA) in the Pollachi region. Milk samples were analysed for fat percentage and solids-not-fat (SNF). The results showed that SNF content did not differ significantly among the three breeds. Jersey crossbred cattle recorded the highest average SNF (7.71%), followed by Tharparkar (7.62%) and HF crossbred cattle (7.51%); however, these differences were statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). In contrast, milk fat percentage varied significantly among breeds. Tharparkar cattle produced milk with the highest fat content, Jersey crossbred cattle had intermediate fat content, and HF crossbred cattle had the lowest fat content in this region. Tukey's post hoc analysis confirmed that all pairwise comparisons were statistically significant, indicating that breed has a strong influence on milk fat percentage. The superior fat content observed in the indigenous Tharparkar breed highlights its genetic potential for producing milk with enhanced compositional quality, whereas the comparatively lower fat percentage in HF crossbreds reflects the breed's selection for higher milk volume rather than milk solids.

Yield Response of Garlic in cv. Neeli Dhari by Using Organic and Inorganic Sources of Nitrogen in Jalandhar, Punjab, India

Kajal, Nalini Singh — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A field experiment was conducted during the 2023–24 Rabi season at the horticultural field of the Department of Agriculture, Sant Baba Bhag Singh University, Khiala, Jalandhar, to evaluate the yield response of garlic cv. Neeli Dhari to organic and inorganic nitrogen sources. The experiment was arranged in a randomised block design with nine treatments and three replications. Treatments comprised the recommended fertiliser dose, sole farmyard manure or vermicompost, and graded combinations of these organic sources with urea. Observations included fresh and dry bulb weight, bulb diameter, neck thickness, clove length and weight, fresh and dry shoot weight, weights of 100 unpeeled and peeled cloves, peeling index, bulb yield and economic returns. Treatment T4, comprising 75% of the recommended nitrogen dose through farmyard manure and 25% through urea, recorded the highest fresh and dry bulb weights (24.08 and 20.56 g), bulb diameter (39.83 mm), neck thickness (9.52 mm), clove length (3.50 cm), clove weight (4.28 g), fresh and dry shoot weights (15.56 and 7.06 g), and peeling index (91.95%). It also produced the highest yield (8.57 kg/plot and 9.52 t/ha), gross return (₹952,100/ha), net return (₹745,436/ha) and benefit–cost ratio (3.60). Under the study conditions, partial substitution of urea with farmyard manure improved garlic productivity and economic performance.

A Modified Reaction–Diffusion–Advection Framework for Subsurface Co₂ Sequestration: Derivation, Non-Dimensionalization, and DuFort–Frankel Discretization of a Porous-Media Transport Model

Owuor Lucas Otieno, Elijah Sifuna Wafula — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Geological storage of CO₂ is an important approach for long-term climate change mitigation, but reliable prediction of subsurface plume behaviour requires mathematical models that clearly link physical assumptions to governing equations and numerical implementation. This study presents a derivation-only framework for a modified reaction–diffusion–advection model describing one-dimensional CO₂ concentration dynamics in a porous geological formation. Starting from mass conservation, the formulation incorporates pressure-driven advection, effective diffusion, linearised geochemical removal, injection input and caprock leakage in a single governing partial differential equation. The model is then expressed in dimensionless form to identify the Péclet number, Damköhler number and leakage number as controlling parameters for the relative influence of advective migration, diffusive spreading, geochemical trapping and containment loss. A DuFort–Frankel finite-difference discretisation is subsequently derived to obtain an explicit three-level update formula for numerical implementation. The resulting formulation provides a transparent theoretical basis for interpreting the roles of transport, reaction and leakage in simplified geological carbon storage systems. As the study does not include numerical experiments, benchmark comparison or field validation, the framework should be regarded as a foundation for future computational testing rather than a validated predictive tool.

Role of Elevated Dosage of Vitamin A on the Prefrontal Cortex of Adult Male Wistar Rats Exposed to Methamphetamine

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Methamphetamine (METH), a highly addictive psychostimulant, is known to induce neurotoxicity in brain regions involved in cognitive processing, particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This damage is mediated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuronal degeneration. Vitamin A, particularly in its active form, retinoic acid, contributes to brain health by influencing gene expression, neuronal survival, and plasticity. This study investigated the potential protective role of an elevated dose of vitamin A in the prefrontal cortex of adult male Wistar rats exposed to methamphetamine. Twenty rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 5): Group A (control), Group B (METH only; 5 mg/kg at 3-hour intervals within 12 hours each day), Group C (vitamin A only; 2.5 mg/kg), and Group D (METH, 5 mg/kg at 3-hour intervals within 12 hours each day, plus vitamin A, 2.5 mg/kg). The animals received feed and water, and the treatments were administered orally for 28 consecutive days. After the final administration, the animals were sedated and sacrificed; their brains were harvested, fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, and processed for histological examination using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Body-weight, oxidative-stress biomarker, and histological findings indicated that methamphetamine exposure caused weight loss, increased oxidative stress, and severe neuronal damage. However, co-administration of high-dose vitamin A was associated with increased body weight, reduced oxidative stress, and milder neuronal damage. These findings suggest a potential neuroprotective effect of vitamin A against METH-induced damage under the experimental conditions.

Correlation and Regression between Growth and Yield of Different Rice Cultivars in Coastal Cauvery Delta Region of Karaikal

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: The study aims to test the correlations and simple linear regression relationships among growth parameters, yield attributes, and grain yield of various rice varieties, and to determine the most important physiological traits that affect grain yield in the coastal delta.

Study Design: Randomised Block Design (RBD) with seven rice cultivars and three replications.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Instructional Farm (A19 field), Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute (PAJANCOA & RI), Karaikal, Puducherry, India, during the Kharif 2025–2026 season.

Methodology: Seven rice cultivars differing in crop duration were evaluated under recommended agronomic practices. Growth parameters, yield attributes, grain yield, and straw yield were recorded at appropriate crop stages. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine cultivar differences. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationships among measured variables, and simple linear regression models were developed to predict grain yield from significant growth parameters.

Results: Cultivars showed significant variations in plant height, test weight, panicle length, panicle weight, leaf area index at flowering, and grain yield. Dry matter production at harvest exhibited the strongest positive correlation with grain yield (r = 0.95, p < 0.001), followed by leaf area index at flowering (r = 0.86, p < 0.05) and straw yield (r = 0.82, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that dry matter production was the best predictor of grain yield (R² = 0.9076, p = 0.00091), followed by leaf area index (R² = 0.7469, p = 0.01211) and straw yield (R² = 0.6777, p = 0.02289).

Conclusion: Dry matter accumulation and canopy maintenance at flowering are the primary physiological determinants associated with rice productivity under coastal delta conditions. The developed empirical regression models offer valuable insights for in-season physiological characterisation and cultivar selection, though multi-season validation across varied coastal stress conditions is required for wider application.

Assessing Climate Variability and Association with Agricultural Productivity in Malta (2000-2021)

Attard George, Galdies Charles, Meli Anthony — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Mediterranean Basin is among the regions most exposed to climate-related risks to agriculture, owing to the combined effects of warming, increasing hydroclimatic variability and water scarcity. Malta is particularly vulnerable because of its semi-arid climate, limited land and freshwater resources, and substantial dependence on groundwater and supplementary irrigation. This study examines observed temperature and precipitation trends and their temporal association with agricultural production in Malta during 2000-2021, with an emphasis on the autumn-winter period that is critical for the establishment of major arable crops. Monthly temperature and precipitation observations were evaluated alongside national agricultural statistics for cereals, potatoes, tomatoes, vines and broader crop categories. The analysis indicates a general warming tendency during much of the autumn-winter period, with statistically significant increases in selected monthly maximum temperatures, particularly November and February, and widespread increases in minimum temperatures. Precipitation exhibited high interannual variability and declining tendencies during several months, notably November and December, although October and March showed different or weaker trajectories. These climatic changes occurred concurrently with substantial reductions in vegetable production and cultivated area for several crops, most notably potatoes and tomatoes. Correlation analyses identified associations between temperature or precipitation anomalies and selected crop indicators; however, these relationships should not be interpreted as causal because agricultural production is also strongly influenced by irrigation availability, market conditions, land-use change, technology, labour, policy and farm management. The findings nevertheless indicate increasing climatic exposure of Maltese agriculture and support adaptation based on improved water-use efficiency, rainwater harvesting and storage, soil-moisture conservation, climate-resilient cultivars, adjusted crop calendars, diversification and climate-informed agricultural advisory services. The study provides a national-scale baseline for subsequent crop- and farm-level analyses of climate risk in Malta.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Production and Productivity of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) cv. Yamuna Safed

Ankit Raj, Anupam Singh, Poluru Naveen, Mohni Parmar, Gourav Gupta — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: To evaluate the influence of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), combining inorganic fertilisers, farmyard manure (FYM), and biofertilisers (Azotobacter and phosphate-solubilising bacteria [PSB]), on the growth, yield attributes, bulb yield, and economic performance of garlic (Allium sativum L.) cv. Yamuna Safed, and to identify the most agronomically and economically viable nutrient combination for the Central Plateau and Hills Region of Satna, Madhya Pradesh.

Study Design: The field experiment was laid out in a randomised block design (RBD) with ten treatments (T0–T9), each replicated three times.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, AKS University, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, during the Rabi season of 2025–26.

Methodology: Cloves of cv. Yamuna Safed were planted on 04 November 2025 in plots measuring 2 m × 1 m. Treatments comprised a control, sole inorganic fertilisation (100% RDF), and graded combinations of reduced-dose RDF with FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹, Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha⁻¹, and PSB @ 2 kg ha⁻¹. The RDF was 100:50:50 kg N:P:K ha⁻¹, row-to-row and plant-to-plant spacing was 15 cm × 10 cm, and the soil was light black. Growth parameters (plant height, leaves per plant, leaf length/width, and leaf area), yield attributes, bulb yield, and economic indices (cost of cultivation, gross and net returns, and benefit–cost ratio) were recorded and analysed statistically.

Results: Integrated application of nutrient sources significantly improved all growth, yield, and economic parameters compared with sole inorganic fertilisation. Treatment T8 (75% RDF + Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha⁻¹ + FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹ + PSB @ 2 kg ha⁻¹) recorded the highest plant height (64.23 cm), number of leaves per plant (7.34), leaf area (48.84 cm²), bulb yield (152.32 q ha⁻¹), gross return (₹5,33,120 ha⁻¹), net return (₹4,27,120 ha⁻¹), and benefit–cost ratio (5.03).

Conclusion: Among the treatments evaluated, integrating 75% RDF with Azotobacter @ 2 kg ha⁻¹, FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹, and PSB @ 2 kg ha⁻¹ was agronomically superior and economically the most viable nutrient-management strategy for garlic under conditions similar to those of the present study.

Geometric Morphometrics of Dwarf Honey Bee, Apis florea Fabricius Collected from South Gujarat, Western India

Vishalkumar M. Khimani, Sachin R. Patel, Nisarg Panchal, Avinash S. Mahale — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study was undertaken to evaluate geometric morphometric variation in the right forewings of Apis florea Fabricius workers collected from seven districts of South Gujarat, viz., The Dangs, Surat, Valsad, Navsari, Bharuch, Narmada and Tapi. A roving survey was conducted during 2025, and foraging worker bees were collected and preserved in 70 per cent alcohol. The right forewings were separated and analysed using geometric morphometric techniques based on nineteen homologous landmarks located at vein intersections and terminations. Landmark coordinates were digitised using tpsDig2 software, and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis was performed using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) based on Euclidean distances to determine phenetic relationships among populations. UPGMA analysis grouped the populations into two major clusters. The first cluster comprised the Surat, Tapi, The Dangs, Bharuch and Valsad populations, whereas the second cluster included the Narmada and Navsari populations. Although two distinct clusters were observed, the relatively low overall clustering distances indicated minor geographical variation while confirming the overall morphological similarity of A. florea populations across South Gujarat. The study demonstrates that geometric morphometric analysis of wing landmarks is an efficient and reliable approach for detecting subtle morphological variation and provides valuable information for understanding population diversity, ecological adaptation and conservation of A. florea.

India's Startup Ecosystem in Transition: A Critical Narrative Review of Policy, Innovation and Socio-Economic Transformation

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

India's startup ecosystem has shifted from a small set of technology clusters shaped by post-liberalisation software capabilities and transnational networks into a large, policy-recognised entrepreneurial system spanning finance, digital platforms, incubation, public procurement and emerging deep-technology sectors. This critical narrative review examines how policy, innovation and socio-economic change have interacted in that evolution, while distinguishing ecosystem scale from demonstrated economic additionality. Literature published from 1 January 1991 to 15 June 2026 was identified through multidisciplinary and economics-oriented scholarly sources, supplemented by Indian institutional materials and citation searching. Evidence was appraised for design quality, representativeness, causal identification, measurement validity and consistency across settings. The synthesis identifies five linked transitions: the formation of metropolitan technology clusters; the institutionalisation of venture capital and startup support; the consolidation of Startup India as a national policy architecture; the rise of digital public infrastructure, FinTech and science-based ventures; and the growing emphasis on inclusion, regional diffusion and deep-technology commercialisation. The strongest evidence supports the conclusion that India's ecosystem has become denser, more connected and more institutionally supported, with wider access to formal recognition, incubators, public capital instruments and innovation networks. Evidence is weaker on whether these changes have caused durable productivity growth, high-quality net employment, equitable capital allocation or sustained venture survival. Administrative counts of recognised startups, reported jobs, patents and supported firms are useful indicators of programme reach but cannot by themselves establish causal socio-economic transformation. Persistent tensions include metropolitan concentration despite national diffusion, patenting without assured commercialisation, financing growth without clear additionality, and greater formal female participation without evidence of equal ownership or investment outcomes. Future research should prioritise longitudinal linked administrative data, quasi-experimental policy evaluation, spatial and gender-sensitive capital analysis, and cohort studies of deep-technology commercialisation. India's next ecosystem phase is therefore likely to depend less on maximising startup counts than on improving survival, innovation quality, productive scaling and inclusive value creation.

From Creative Capital to Sustainable Growth: A Critical Narrative Review of the Global Orange Economy with Special Reference to India

R. Hanumanthappa, S. Raveesha, Ashwitha, A. S. Gowda, Banakar Sangeetha — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The orange economy has moved from a regional policy metaphor to a widely used frame for cultural and creative activities whose value depends on talent, symbolic content, intellectual property, design, technological mediation and cultural heritage. Its policy appeal is clear, yet the evidence base is conceptually fragmented: sector boundaries vary across classifications, direct contribution is often conflated with causal growth, and digital expansion can increase both market access and concentration. This critical narrative review examines how creative capital is converted into sustainable economic value globally and assesses the implications for India at a moment when the term “orange economy” has entered explicit national policy discourse. Literature published mainly from 2000 to 15 June 2026 was identified through EconBiz, OpenAIRE, CORE, DOAJ, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar and supplementary Indian searching through Shodhganga, with Crossref and authoritative source pages used for bibliographic and DOI verification. The synthesis distinguishes direct production effects from innovation spillovers, cluster and urban effects, platform-mediated value capture, cultural and social value, environmental sustainability, and distributional outcomes. The evidence indicates that creative industries can support employment, entrepreneurship, exports, diversification and innovation, but these effects are neither automatic nor uniformly distributed. Benefits depend on related capabilities, local institutions, demand conditions, network connectivity, rights regimes and the bargaining position of creators. Platformisation and artificial intelligence expand production and distribution possibilities while intensifying questions of remuneration, discoverability, data rights and market power. India combines unusual strengths in cultural diversity, film and audiovisual production, crafts, design, digital services and a large young workforce, but fragmented measurement, informality, unequal labour conditions and weak evaluation constrain policy learning. Recent investments in creative-technology institutions and content-creation laboratories may strengthen capabilities, but their growth effects remain untested. A sustainable orange-economy strategy therefore requires measurement that captures value chains and distribution, place-sensitive ecosystem policy, creator-centred digital governance, and explicit integration of cultural, social and environmental objectives with economic performance.

Eco-friendly Nanopriming for Seed Quality Enhancement: Mechanisms, Evidence, Safety and Translation in Sustainable Seed Technology

V. Sangeetha, M. S. Nivedhitha, R. Beena, S. Goury, S. G. Adarsh, P. Adheena — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nanopriming has emerged as a seed-treatment strategy in which brief exposure to nanoscale materials is used to modify imbibition, redox signalling, reserve mobilisation, hormonal responses and early stress tolerance. The approach is increasingly described as eco-friendly when nanoparticles are produced by plant extracts, agricultural residues, biopolymers or other lower-hazard routes. That label, however, is often assigned from synthesis chemistry alone, while the environmental burden of precursor production, thermal processing, dose, persistence, residual release and field use remains weakly characterised. This critical narrative review evaluates the evidence linking nanopriming to seed quality enhancement and asks when the technology can reasonably be regarded as environmentally compatible. The literature was selected through live searches of multidisciplinary and agriculture-relevant scholarly sources, with emphasis on verified peer-reviewed studies, direct comparisons, mechanistic work and evidence extending beyond laboratory germination. Across material classes, the most reproducible benefits concern faster or more complete germination, improved seedling vigour and partial recovery of performance under salinity, drought or ageing. Mechanistic support is strongest for controlled changes in water uptake, reactive oxygen species signalling, hydrolytic enzyme activity, antioxidant capacity and ion homeostasis, although the direction and magnitude of these responses depend strongly on particle chemistry, dose, priming duration, seed lot and stress severity. Green-synthesised zinc, iron, selenium and silica systems, chitosan-stabilised particles and carbon-based nanomaterials show promising results, but direct evidence that they reduce life-cycle environmental impacts remains sparse. Field validation, residue tracing, soil and microbiome effects, storage stability, batch reproducibility and comparisons with ionic, bulk and conventional priming controls are major weaknesses. Eco-friendly nanopriming is therefore best treated as a design objective rather than an intrinsic property of nanoscale seed treatment. Progress requires dose-efficient formulations, transparent characterisation, multi-season field trials and environmental assessment that follows the material from synthesis to crop and soil.

Insecticide Resistance in Indian Vegetable Ecosystems: A Critical Appraisal of Toxicological Mechanisms, Resistance Frequencies and Control Options

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Vegetable production in India depends heavily on repeated insecticide application, and the arthropod species that dominate these systems have responded with rapid and repeated adaptation. The result is a control problem that is simultaneously toxicological, ecological and institutional, yet the literature describing it remains fragmented across pest-specific and state-specific studies that are seldom read against one another. This critical narrative review examines what is currently known about the toxicology of insecticide resistance in Indian vegetable cropping systems, organised around three questions: which physiological and molecular mechanisms are actually demonstrated in Indian populations, how reliably resistance frequency can be estimated from the available monitoring data, and which control measures are supported by evidence rather than by plausibility alone. Literature was identified through structured searching of accessible scholarly indexes and citation networks, with every retained source verified against its bibliographic record. The synthesis indicates that mechanistic understanding in Indian material is dominated by indirect biochemical inference, principally synergist ratios and enzyme assays, while direct molecular confirmation of target-site alleles or specific detoxification genes remains confined to a small number of pests, chiefly the diamondback moth, the whitefly species complex and the eggplant fruit and shoot borer. Reported resistance ratios span several orders of magnitude for the same compound across studies, but much of this variation is attributable to inconsistent reference strains, differing bioassay formats and unstandardised sampling rather than to true biological difference, which makes national frequency estimates unreliable. Evidence for control tactics is similarly uneven: rotation by mode-of-action group and the deployment of transgenic eggplant rest on comparatively strong reasoning and, in the latter case, on field data from the wider region, whereas insecticide mixtures, synergist-based tactics and many biopesticide recommendations remain supported mainly by short-term efficacy trials that cannot demonstrate durability. Residue monitoring shows widespread but generally sub-threshold contamination of vegetables, indicating that dietary risk and resistance are related but not interchangeable concerns. Priorities identified include a harmonised national bioassay and reference-strain framework, molecular diagnostics deployed at population scale, and management trials designed with resistance durability rather than seasonal yield as the primary outcome.

Gender-responsive Dairy Extension Training in India: A Critical Narrative Review with Special Reference to Rural Bundelkhand

Pragya Ojha, Pankaj Kumar Ojha, Raj Kumari — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dairy production is central to the livelihood strategies of many rural Indian households, yet extension and training systems frequently treat the household as a gender-neutral production unit. This assumption obscures a recurrent division between women’s responsibility for routine animal care and men’s greater control over livestock assets, external services, marketing, credit and income. The resulting mismatch limits the relevance and adoption of dairy advice. This critical narrative review examines gender-based dairy extension training needs in India, with special attention to rural Bundelkhand, where drought, fodder and water scarcity, dispersed veterinary services, small herds, labour migration and expanding women-owned milk producer institutions create a distinctive training environment. Literature published from 1 January 2000 to 4 June 2026 was selected from accessible scholarly indexes, institutional repositories, official sources and verified journal records. Evidence was appraised for study design, measurement validity, gender analysis, geographical relevance and the extent to which training outcomes were linked to resources, decision authority and service access. Across Indian studies, animal health, feeding and fodder, breeding, housing, clean milk production and calf care consistently emerge as priority technical domains. The literature also reveals less visible needs in financial literacy, record keeping, market participation, digital access, leadership, asset ownership, drudgery reduction and climate-risk management. These strategic needs are often ranked lower because women are excluded from the associated decisions, not because the capabilities are unimportant. Evidence of training effectiveness is positive but methodologically limited by small local samples, cross-sectional designs, self-reported outcomes, weak counterfactuals and inadequate measurement of women’s agency or time burden. For Bundelkhand, a defensible model is village-based, modular and seasonally timed; delivered through women facilitators, self-help groups and milk producer organisations; and linked to veterinary care, inputs, finance, markets and climate adaptation. Evaluation should move beyond attendance and knowledge gain to feasible adoption, animal health, income control, workload, resilience and collective agency.

Herbal Therapy in the Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Critical Narrative Review of Mechanistic Claims, Clinical Evidence and Translational Barriers

Ayushi Masih, V. Paul — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Polycystic ovary syndrome, still widely described as polycystic ovarian disease in parts of South Asia, is the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Its management remains symptom directed, and dissatisfaction with conventional pharmacotherapy has helped make herbal preparations one of the most frequently self-administered adjuncts in this population. The purpose of this critical narrative review is to evaluate what the accessible literature can and cannot establish about the therapeutic role of herbal interventions in this syndrome, and to explain why an expanding volume of publication has not translated into greater certainty. Peer-reviewed evidence identified through eight open scholarly indexes was appraised with attention to design adequacy, outcome selection, risk of bias, consistency and reporting completeness. Mechanistic work is extensive and internally coherent, converging on insulin sensitisation, modulation of steroidogenic enzyme activity and androgen bioavailability, neuroendocrine effects on gonadotrophin secretion, and attenuation of oxidative and inflammatory signalling, with growing interest in the intestinal microbiota as an intermediary. Clinical corroboration is far weaker than the mechanistic literature implies. Reproducible signals exist for modest reductions in body weight, fasting glucose and insulin resistance indices with several botanicals, and for improved ovulation and pregnancy rates when multi-herb formulae are added to ovulation induction. Effects on androgen concentrations, hirsutism and menstrual regularity are inconsistent, and live birth is almost never reported. Certainty is limited by small samples, short exposure, open-label designs, surrogate endpoints, incomplete intervention characterisation, geographically concentrated trial populations, near-absent adverse event monitoring and demonstrable publication and language bias. Product quality, adulteration, heavy metal contamination and pharmacokinetic interaction are documented hazards that trial reporting rarely addresses. Herbal therapy in this syndrome is best characterised as biologically plausible and possibly useful as an adjunct for metabolic features, but not yet established for the reproductive and dermatological outcomes that matter most to patients. Progress requires adequately powered, placebo-controlled, chemically characterised trials reporting core outcomes and systematic safety data.

Measurement, Modelling, and Mitigation of Methane Emissions in Agricultural Systems for Climate-Smart Agriculture

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Methane is a high-priority agricultural greenhouse gas because substantial emissions arise from enteric fermentation, anaerobic manure management, and flooded rice cultivation, while its relatively short atmospheric lifetime creates an opportunity for comparatively rapid climate benefits from sustained abatement. Yet mitigation claims are only as credible as the measurements and models used to establish baselines, attribute sources, quantify intervention effects, and detect leakage or trade-offs. This critical narrative review integrates evidence on agricultural methane measurement, emission modelling, and mitigation in a climate-smart agriculture framework. Literature was selected from agricultural, biomedical, environmental and multidisciplinary scholarly indexes, with emphasis on peer-reviewed evidence published from 2000 to 24 June 2026 and retention of earlier foundational work when necessary. The synthesis shows that no measurement method is universally superior: respiration chambers and tracer approaches offer controlled animal-level estimation, automated head-chamber systems increase throughput, micrometeorological and inverse methods enlarge the measurement footprint, and chamber, eddy-covariance and emerging remote-sensing approaches address contrasting scales in rice and manure systems. Model uncertainty often originates as much from activity data, dry matter intake, temperature, storage history, water regime and management assumptions as from model structure itself. Among mitigation options, 3-nitrooxypropanol has the most consistent evidence for substantial enteric methane suppression under controlled feeding, whereas red seaweed, nitrate, lipids and genetic selection show context-dependent promise with distinct safety, delivery or scalability constraints. Manure acidification, shortened anaerobic storage and well-managed anaerobic digestion can reduce emissions, but methane leakage can erode expected benefits. In rice, alternate wetting and drying is strongly supported for methane and water reduction, although yield and nitrous oxide responses depend on threshold, soil and management. Climate-smart deployment therefore requires scale-matched measurement, transparent uncertainty, multi-gas and productivity accounting, and verification systems capable of reconciling farm-level interventions with facility and landscape emissions. The strongest pathway is an integrated measurement-model-management architecture rather than reliance on any single technology.

Data-Driven Approaches to Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved United States Communities: A Critical Review of Predictive Analytics and Decision-support Models

Gbemisola Talabi, Theophilus Asiedu Nketiah, Edward Oware — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Predictive analytics and clinical decision-support models are now embedded in routine care delivery across United States health systems, and they are increasingly promoted as instruments for narrowing longstanding inequities affecting low-income, minoritised, rural and publicly insured populations. The empirical record supporting that promise is uneven. Demonstrations that widely deployed algorithms encode and amplify disadvantage have accumulated rapidly, whereas evidence that model-guided programmes measurably reduce disparities in health outcomes remains sparse and methodologically fragile. This critical narrative review examines how predictive and decision-support models interact with the structural, informational and organisational conditions that produce disparities in underserved United States communities, and evaluates what can defensibly be concluded from the present literature. Sources were identified through searching of open scholarly databases and indexes, citation tracking and examination of authoritative federal materials, with critical appraisal focused on target definition, data provenance, subgroup evaluation, deployment context and outcome measurement. Four analytical claims emerge. First, the most consequential equity failures originate in the specification of the prediction target and in the measurement infrastructure, rather than in model architecture. Second, area-based social risk proxies and individual-level social risk data are not interchangeable, and the substitution of one for the other reshapes who is identified as high risk. Third, statistical fairness adjustments cannot resolve conflicts that arise from finite intervention capacity, and subgroup net benefit provides a more decision-relevant frame than parity in error rates. Fourth, the empirical chain from model output to changed outcomes is broken at the intervention stage far more often than at the prediction stage, and safety-net settings face the steepest implementation constraints. Confidence in any claim that predictive analytics reduces disparities remains low, and the field requires prospective, capacity-explicit, outcome-anchored evaluation rather than further retrospective demonstrations of bias.

Health Issues of Elderly Women in India: A Gender-responsive Critical Review of Physical, Nutritional, Mental and Social Health

Swati Sucharita, Tapaswini Binakar, Subhashree Jagdev — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

India is ageing rapidly, and the older population is becoming progressively more female. Women aged 60 years and above outnumber men, survive longer at every advanced age, and are far more likely to be widowed, materially dependent and socially isolated. Their health, nonetheless, is usually examined either as an undifferentiated component of geriatric epidemiology or as a residual category within women’s health research that remains organised around the reproductive years. This critical narrative review evaluates the strength, consistency and limitations of evidence concerning the physical, nutritional, mental and social health of elderly women in India, and assesses whether that evidence supports gender-responsive policy. Literature was identified through structured searching of Europe PubMed Central, PubMed, PubMed Central, OpenAlex, Crossref, the Directory of Open Access Journals, Semantic Scholar and Google Scholar, supplemented by citation tracking and searches of authoritative institutional repositories, with a final search date of 30 June 2026. Evidence was appraised for design adequacy, measurement validity, treatment of confounding, generalisability and consistency, and synthesised thematically rather than study by study. Four findings are robust across independent data sources: older Indian women report and demonstrate more chronic morbidity, functional limitation and depressive symptoms than older men; widowhood is the single most consistent structural correlate of their disadvantage; undernutrition and anaemia coexist with rising adiposity in the same population; and financial dependence constrains care-seeking more severely for women than for men. Several widely repeated claims are weaker than commonly presented, including inferences about causal direction, estimates derived from self-reported diagnosis in a population with limited diagnostic access, and the interpretation of gender gaps in cognition that are confounded by educational attainment. Evidence is thinnest for women aged 80 years and above, for institutional and long-term care, and for intervention effectiveness. Research priorities should shift from repeated cross-sectional description towards longitudinal, measurement-validated and intervention-oriented designs capable of informing gender-responsive geriatric care.

Artificial Intelligence Across the Clinical Microbiology Diagnostic Workflow: A Critical Appraisal of Applications, Implementation Challenges and Research Priorities

Adaora Nkiruka Ofole, Dorcas Ayanru — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background and Significance: Clinical microbiology laboratories occupy a decisive position in the management of infection and in the containment of antimicrobial resistance, yet they face rising specimen volumes, contracting specialist workforces and persistent dependence on subjective visual interpretation. Artificial intelligence, and in particular supervised machine learning applied to images, mass spectra, genomes and structured laboratory data, has been proposed as a means of relieving these pressures.

Purpose and Scope: This critical narrative review evaluates the state of evidence for artificial intelligence applied across the full clinical microbiology diagnostic workflow, from test ordering and specimen triage through culture reading, microscopy, organism identification, susceptibility determination and interpretive reporting, and examines the conditions under which reported performance is likely to survive translation into routine service.

Approach: Peer-reviewed literature was identified through structured searching of biomedical and multidisciplinary bibliographic sources, supplemented by citation tracking and by consultation of authoritative institutional documents. Evidence was appraised for design adequacy, validation strategy, reference-standard quality, transparency of reporting and relevance to laboratory practice, and was synthesised thematically around workflow position rather than around algorithm architecture.

Principal Findings: Evidence maturity varies sharply by workflow stage. Image-based tasks with unambiguous reference standards, such as growth versus no growth on screening media and the categorisation of stained morphotypes, are supported by the most consistent evidence and by a small number of prospective evaluations. Prediction of antimicrobial susceptibility from mass spectra, genomes or electronic health records is supported by far weaker evidence, with performance that degrades across institutions, organisms and antimicrobial agents. Reported accuracy is systematically higher in retrospective single-centre studies using curated datasets than in evaluations conducted on unselected consecutive specimens. Very few studies report patient-relevant outcomes, and prospective comparative evidence remains scarce.

Unresolved Questions and Implications: The principal unresolved questions concern generalisability across laboratories and populations, the behaviour of models under distributional change, the design of human oversight that neither wastes nor blindly accepts algorithmic output, and the governance arrangements required for continuous post-deployment monitoring. Artificial intelligence in clinical microbiology is best understood as a workflow technology whose value depends on the decision it supports, and adoption should be calibrated to the consequences of error at each stage rather than to headline accuracy.

First Report of Echinostoma ilocanum Infection in a Dog in India–A Case Report

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Intestinal echinostomiasis is a food-borne trematode infection that may affect mammalian hosts following ingestion of infective metacercariae. This case report describes Echinostoma ilocanum infection in a one-year-old male German Shepherd dog presented with chronic diarrhoea, anorexia, intermittent vomiting, progressive weight loss, reduced activity, and passage of worms in the faeces. The dog had unrestricted access to freshwater habitats and frequently consumed freshwater snails and other aquatic organisms. Rectal faecal examination revealed several live, leaf-shaped trematodes. Recovered flukes were processed using borax carmine staining and examined microscopically. Morphological features included a cephalic collar, tandem deeply lobed testes, an ovary anterior to the testes, lateral vitelline follicles, and numerous operculated eggs. Scanning electron microscopy further demonstrated a prominent cephalic collar bearing 51 collar spines. On the basis of these characteristics, the trematode was identified as Echinostoma ilocanum. The dog received albendazole at 20 mg/kg for three consecutive days, supportive treatment, and subsequently praziquantel at 5 mg/kg one week after completion of albendazole therapy. Vomiting and diarrhoea resolved within 3–4 days, and complete clinical recovery was observed by day 7. This case supports consideration of intestinal trematodiasis in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal signs and exposure to freshwater snail habitats and documents canine E. ilocanum infection in India.