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In India, after its introduction in 2002, Bt cotton showed a steep increment in terms of area coverage and presently occupies more than 95% of the total cotton cultivated area; recommended with the planting of structured refuge of the same non-Bt cotton hybrid iso-line at the periphery of the Bt cotton field. Structured refuge compliance is lacking due to farmers' lack of understanding of its significance, along with other challenges like non-isogenic 'refugia' seeds and asynchronous agronomy between main and refuge crops. Though the refugia in Bag concept was studied in 2012, the government introduced 'Refugia in Bag', which mandates 5-10% non-Bt seeds blended with 90-95% Bt seeds in every BG-II hybrid seed packet being sold in the market from June 2020. However, complaints about improper seed proportions led to qualitative ELISA testing, revealing that a substantial number of evaluated hybrids did not adhere to recommended 'refugia' proportions in 2022 and 2023, which may be due to improper dispensing and blending methods during seed packaging. The study emphasizes the need for standardizing blending procedures to ensure adherence to 'Refugia in Bag' standards for all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cotton ecosystem, number of insect pests simultaneously occur and cause enormous damage to crop. Hence, investigation on succession of sucking pests in Bt cotton cultivar was carried out during 2022 and 2023 at S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India. The order of sequential occurrence of pests in Bt cotton was jassid > thrips > whitefly > aphid. Maximum incidence of aphid was observed during 46th standard meteorological week (SMW) (32.30 aphids/3 leaves), while maximum jassids (18.90 jassids/3 leaves) were observed during 42nd SMW. The incidence of whitefly reached to peak level (4.56 whiteflies/3 leaves) during 43rd SMW, however the peak activity of thrips was noticed during 41st SMW (19.72 thrips/3 leaves). The relationship obtained clearly showed that aphid and jassid population exhibited negative and significant correlation with morning and evening relative humidity. The whitefly exhibited negative and significant correlation with morning relative humidity. Highly significant and positive influence on whitefly, thrips and jassid population was noticed with maximum temperature during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unpredictable precipitation is a common problem for plant growth in India’s Deccan plateau, which is known for its poor soil and frequent droughts. Critical to the regulation of plant diseases and the enhancement of plant growth are root-colonizing rhizobacteria like Rhizobium. Isolating productive Rhizobium species from soil around the Eturnagram region’s cotton rhizosphere was the goal of a study carried out at Palamuru University. Rhizobium variant-5, currently known as Rhizobium sp. PKS [NCBIOK663003, NCMR-MCC4960], was one of five different strains of Rhizobium isolated using the top layer method. It showed strong support for the growth of six different cotton cultivars. Out of the six cotton varieties tested, the Mahyco cultivar had the lowest proline levels while having higher amounts of IAA, proteins, chlorophyll, and sugars. The effectiveness of Mahyco was confirmed by experimental field testing conducted in four distinct cotton agricultural soils of Mahabubnagar District using Rhizobium sp. PKS [NCBI-OK663003, NCMR-MCC4960]. Deep black soil showed improved phytohormone synthesis and good biochemical alterations, whereas shallow black soil showed that the strains considerably enhanced plant development. Based on these results, the novel Rhizobium sp. PKS could be used as a bioinoculant in cotton fields on the Deccan plateau, which could improve agricultural yields despite the harsh conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is one of the most important cash crop grown for its fibre, which is the raw material for the textile industry. In India, the average yield and profitability of cotton cultivation are low as compared to developing countries. The main reason for this is hand picking of bolls, which is labour intensive resulting into low income of cotton growers. Furthermore, in India, most of the cotton varieties are indeterminate where the bolls do not mature at the same time and thus requires repeated hand pickings. Whereas the developed countries have 100% mechanized cotton picking due to determinate or semi-determinate plant types. Adoption of mechanical harvesting in India is dependent upon the availability of suitable cotton varieties as well as defoliants, desiccants, boll openers, growth hormones and re-growth inhibitors (Thatikunta et al., 2018). Defoliation before cotton harvesting is very important to maintain the quality of produce. In this paper, a comprehensive review is presented on effect and timing of application of defoliants on physiological characteristics of cotton. This will help in developing further research proposals to develop plant types for mechanical harvesting and use of defoliates to produce good fiber quality and increased farm income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alternaria leaf spot caused by two species namely Alternaria macrospora and Alternaria alternata is an important foliar disease of cotton. Conidial morphology showed that most of the isolates in the study belonged to A. macrospora. Molecular confirmation is necessary to strengthen the identification of species in Alternaria. Genetic diversity study of Alternaria isolates using ISSR and hyper variable SSR primers will provide variation and grouping among the isolates collected from major areas of South Zone of India. Present study was conducted to identify Alternaria isolates at species level using molecular methods (species specific primers) and genetic diversity analysis using ITS, SSR and ISSR primers. Methods: Reported species-specific primers such as AmF and AmR as well as AaF2 and AaF3 were used for Alternaria species identification. ITS region was amplified through ITS1 and ITS4 and sequences were used for identification and clustering of isolates. Thirteen hyper variable SSR primers specific to Alternaria were designed based on the sequences retrieved from NCBI and used for diversity study. Six different ISSR primers were also used for genetic diversity study. Result: Reported species-specific primers found not suitable to identify A. macrospora and A. alternata at species level. Two SSR primers were found to be effective in showing variability among the isolates. Six clusters were formed at 71 percent genetic dissimilarity among 15 isolates of Alternaria through ISSR primers. Five clusters were formed in ITS sequence's diversity analysis. Blasting of ITS sequences of 15 selected isolates at NCBI showed that all belong to A. alternata. This was due to absence or presence of very few sequences of A. macrospora in NCBI database itself. Further house-keeping genes like Alt a1, Plasma membrane ATPase, GAPDH and TEF -1 a sequence analysis will be useful for confirmation of A. macrospora at species level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper interrogates technological fix narratives on the genetically modified crop Bt cotton in India that claim to address poverty under climate change. Furthermore, I focus on the political economy of input markets as the mechanism for technology adoption and theoretically maximizing profitability for farmers. I compare these narratives to empirical reality by drawing on 94 interviews and 151 household surveys conducted in the south Indian state of Telangana, the second biggest Bt cotton producing state in India. I show how Bt cotton has been propagated as a technological climate fix crop through its technical traits of thriving in higher temperatures and adapting to particular pests in rainfed conditions relative to non-GM cotton varieties. Yet, I show how Bt cotton increases economic risks for farmers due to higher input costs, which are financed by debt relations with market intermediaries. These debt relations, which I term 'indebtedness treadmills', are intrinsically linked to droughts and rainfall climatic variability in Telangana, owing to the increasingly unreliable agroecological rainfed and semi-arid Bt cotton growing conditions. The paper therefore highlights unintended consequences of technological fix climate narratives that arise from siloing technologies from their contextual conditions of adoption to the detriment of real-world outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of Aleurodicus dispersus Russell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was surveyed in production fields of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in Tamil Nadu, India, from December 2021 to April 2022. Plants sampled in the crops were winter and summer planted, 45–95 days past seeding, and in the flowering to boll development stages. Whitefly counts from the sampling yielded a range of 4.4 to 8.9 adults and nymphs per 3 leaves (sample unit). The nymphs and adults collected from the fields were taxonomically confirmed using taxonomic characteristics obtained by photographs of live and slide-mounted specimens. Identification was further confirmed by molecular techniques using the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I gene (COI) universal primer-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing. The resulting dendrogram, constructed using MEGA-X and analyzed using the maximum likelihood method, yielded a single clade with sub-lineages of the specimens collected in this survey. Overall, the mean (± SD) duration of the entire life cycle of A. dispersus collected was 43.9 ± 2.4 d. Mean (± SD) length x width the developmental stages were 283.8 ± 13.3 μm x 167.0 ± 4.5 μm for eggs, 335.7 ± 19.3 μm x 266.9 ± 25.7 μm for first instars, 473.8 ± 21.6 μm x 349.8 ± 21.3 μm for second instars, 774.4 ± 15.11 μm x 440.2 ± 5.8 μm for third instars, 881.1 ± 16.7 μm x 634.7 ± 5.2 μm for fourth instars, and 970.0 ± 9.1 μm x 836.9 ± 12.7 μm for adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was surveyed in production fields of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in Tamil Nadu, India, from December 2021 to March 2022. Whitefly counts from the survey indicated a range of 3.26 to 6.72 adults per 3 leaves. The nymphs and adults collected from the fields were examined, and their taxonomic character was confirmed. The mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I gene (mtCOI) and universal primer-based PCR amplification and sequencing have been employed in molecular techniques for further confirmation. The MEGA-X-created dendrogram evaluated using the maximum likelihood method created a single clade with sub-lineages of the specimens collected during this survey. Overall, the mean (SD) duration of the entire life cycle of A. rugioperculatus was 46.3 ± 2.85 days. In many world regions, these whiteflies have been identified as one of agricultural and horticultural crops' most destructive insect pests. Alternative hosts close to the production fields may be monitored and managed to prevent pest populations from harboring elsewhere during the non-growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of cotton, the major raw material for the textile industry, employing more than 4.5 crore people in the country. The present study aimed to analyse the impact of adverse trade in Indian cotton sector on labor and household income by employing Social Analysis Matrix based multiplier model and partial equilibrium model. Indian textile sector has strong backward linkages with primary input multiplier and household income multiplier of 4.13 and 3.44, respectively and, thus transmitting external impacts to the labour and household income. The sector has a higher multiplier effect of 10.17 on production activities, of which the impact on the cotton sector is 0.126. Fall in export and domestic demand for clothing and apparel in addition to movement restrictions around the world during the period 2020-2021, disrupted cotton supply chain and consequent fall in demand and price of the commodity. Simulations for the increase in carry-over stock and reduction in domestic consumption and cotton exports revealed that limiting the commodity's production and supply would retain the market equilibrium and increase the domestic price to the advantage of the farmers. The study reveals that dynamics in the Indian cotton sector trade significantly impacted labour and household income. Appropriate planning for areas under cotton cultivation and alternate procurement mechanisms during emergency situations would stabilise the Indian cotton economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cotton cultivation in India is influenced by high inputs and expenditure. But the farmers do not get sufficient access to institutional credit; hence the farmers borrow money at the higher interest from other sources. Higher risks due to the impacts of climate change furtherincrease the economic burden and uncertainty of getting reasonable income to the farmers. Furthermore, the crop suffers due to incidence of pests and diseases. Because of this situation, farmers encounter risks and pressures, yet they seldom openly reveal the psychological strain that accompanies their agricultural work. Hence, the current study was carried to identify strategies to be adopted by cotton growers to manage risk and stress in crop management, agricultural extension and input arrangement. Methods: The study was conducted by collecting information from 240 cotton growers of four blocks in Gajapati and Rayagada districts of Odisha. The opinion on socio-psychological, technological competency and input supply strategies to be adopted was collected individually through a semi-structured schedule and analyzed. Result: The opinion of cotton growing farmers on the strategies to be adopted in minimizing the risks and stresses in cotton production on socio-psychological, technological competency and input supply showed that the farmers preferred to have participatory decision on cluster approach, developing good drainage facility and advance supply of inputs and materials, periodical visits by extension officials' to the farmers' field and create awareness on latest varieties availablewith high yield and training on latest technologies and ensuring quality and timely input supply, providing information on market price and immediate payment for their produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metallic nano-oxide has been influenced the environment in the past two decades. Their consequences are dreadfully uncertain. The increased graph of their interference suggested many extensive studies in various fields of the environment. The Gossypium hirsutum one of the prime harvest plants in India has been chosen for studying the impacts of metallic nano-oxide on their morphological characters as well as their fresh shoot and root weights. Methods: Study has been done in July 2020 as a randomized triplet. The need for the study was fulfilled by the four different metallic nano-oxides with their five specific concentrations. The metallic nano-oxides were titanium oxide, silver oxide, copper oxide and zinc oxide. The five concentrations 00 ppm, 40 ppm, 60 ppm, 80 ppm and 100 ppm were taken from each one of metallic nano-oxide. Result: The zinc oxides treatment gave noteworthy positive growth and development in Gossypium hirsutum from germination to the blossoming time. Conversely, the concentrations of silver oxides were found little toxic for the growth of species. The copper and titanium oxides indicated little diversity in their growth patterns. The germination studies calculated best with titanium oxide treatment. The 80 ppm concentration of copper oxide also reported better results at germination in comparison to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) is a key pest of cotton accounting for yield losses to the level of 20-90% and has recently emerged as a serious concern for cotton production in India. Accurately determining optimal trap height for sex pheromone-baited traps in the field is vital for maximizing male pink bollworm moth capture. This knowledge enhances pest management, leading to improved crop yields and reduced economic losses. This study focuses on assessing the most effective trap height for capturing pink bollworm moths, with significant implications for pest management practices and agricultural productivity. During both the years 2021-22 and 2022-23, our findings demonstrate that pheromone traps installed at canopy level achieved the highest moth captures (30.87 and 28.13 moths/trap/week, respectively). Notably, traps positioned 15 cm above the canopy level yielded statistically comparable results (20.15 and 17.98 moths/trap/week, respectively) as compared to traps placed 15 cm below the canopy (19.44 and 16.99 moths/trap/week, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cotton growing farmers in India are facing major problem at the time of harvest due to labor shortages, asynchronized boll opening, leaf trash in the cotton, which is reducing the boll picking efficiency and fiber quality. Presently, the Indian cotton industry is moving towards mechanical harvesting by cotton harvester. Defoliation or leaf abscission is induced in cotton as a natural physiological process which usually is inadequate for a complete mechanical harvest of cotton. Defoliation before harvest is often induced by managing the plants so that senescence, abscission (separation) layer development and leaf drop are encouraged. Chemical defoliants induce leaf abscission, hasten mature boll dehiscence and inhibit regrowth. Selection of appropriate defoliants is one of the critical decisions in cotton production. Their use can result in increased manual as well as machine harvest efficiency, reducing boll rot and the trash in seed cotton. The physiological basis of defoliation in cotton is essential to understand the role of appropriate defoliant with time of application. Hence, the objective of the study was to evaluate the defoliation efficiency, boll opening percentage and to know the physiological basis of defoliation in response to different defoliants and time of application in high density Cotton cultivation which eases the mechanical harvesting. Methods: In this field investigation during 2018 - 2019 at Department of Crop Physiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore was carried with seven different defoliants and three different time of defoliants application were fixed based on crop maturity and duration of the crop. In this study, high density cotton variety CO 17 was used as experimental material. A series of lab and field analysis were determined on defoliation process, physiological attributes, boll opening percentage and seed yield and quality. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. Result: Our investigation exploring the effect of different defoliants on physiological, biochemical, yield and quality parameters of high density Cotton. Among the different defoliants and time of applications, two defoliants and two times of applications works better in terms of better defoliation, boll opening rate, physiology, yield and quality. The physiological and biochemical effects of defoliants on defoliation process were discussed. The present work will be useful for mechanized picking with these effective defoliants without loss of yield and quality loss in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton production is of paramount importance in India due to its significant impact on various aspects of the country's economy, agriculture, and society. This paper studied the Growth, Instability, and export potentials of cotton in India. This is based on secondary data and data analyzed for three periods viz., Period I (1959-60 to 1978-79), Period II (1979-80 to 1998-99), and period III (1999-00 to 2018-19). The study revealed that the growth of production and productivity of cotton in India increased from periods 1 to 3. The overall period bare that the production growth rate of cotton in India increased significantly by 3.5 percent annually, which is because the productivity rate increased significantly by 2.75 percent per annum, whereas the area also increases significantly at a rate of 0.72 percent annually. The relative contribution of area and price effect was positive with high output growth of cotton due to the development of many policies related to area extension and price policy by the government. The RSCA value in 2012 was -0.02 to -0.08, which would be attributed to an increase in domestic demand and a reduction in ambiguity. The results of RCA revealed that India is leading Agriculture Institutions and state Agriculture Universities should focus on developing high yielding varieties of cotton for cotton export. The government should also support farmers to increase the export and production of Cotton in india [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is a major fiber crop that is cultivated worldwide and has significant economic importance. India harbors the largest area for cotton cultivation, but its fiber yield is still compromised and ranks 22nd in terms of productivity. Genetic improvement of cotton fiber yield traits is one of the major goals of cotton breeding, but the understanding of the genetic architecture underlying cotton fiber yield traits remains limited and unclear. To better decipher the genetic variation associated with fiber yield traits, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide association mapping study using 117 Indian cotton germplasm for six yield-related traits. To accomplish this, we generated 2,41,086 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) methods. Population structure, PCA, kinship, and phylogenetic analyses divided the germplasm into two sub- populations, showing weak relatedness among the germplasms. Through association analysis, 205 SNPs and 134 QTLs were identified to be significantly associated with the six fiber yield traits. In total, 39 novel QTLs were identified in the current study, whereas 95 QTLs overlapped with existing public domain data in a comparative analysis. Eight QTLs, qGhBN_SCY_D6-1, qGhBN_SCY_D6-2, q G h B N _ S C Y _ D 6 - 3, q G h S I _ L I _ A 5, q G h L I _ S I _ A 1 3, q G h L I _ S I _ D 9, qGhBW_SCY_A10, and qGhLP_BN_A8 were identified. Gene annotation of these fiber yield QTLs revealed 2,509 unique genes. These genes were predominantly enriched for different biological processes, such as plant cell wall synthesis, nutrient metabolism, and vegetative growth development in the gene ontology (GO) enrichment study. Furthermore, gene expression analysis using RNAseq data from 12 diverse cotton tissues identified 40 candidate genes (23 stable and 17 novel genes) to be transcriptionally active in different stages of fiber, ovule, and seed development. These findings have revealed a rich tapestry of genetic elements, including SNPs, QTLs, and candidate genes, and may have a high potential for improving fiber yield in future breeding programs for Indian cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spodoptera frugiperda, fall armyworm (FAW), is one of the notorious insect-pest that has invaded a large number of countries in a short span of time across the globe, causing huge economic losses. FAW has been in the news due to its damage potential and preference for maize crop. Besides maize, this pest is being observed moving to other crops such as sorghum, sugarcane, and many other crops. The damage to cotton caused by this insect has not been documented in any part of India. First, we describe the unusual damage symptoms caused by FAW on cotton during the pre-blooming stage. Typical damage symptoms include dead hearts, drooping main stem leaves, and burrowing. The phylogenetic analysis of the mtCOI gene sequences from the present studies along with earlier reported sequences confirmed their grouping into corn strains. Further bioassays of the F1 individuals with fruiting bodies of Bollgard-II cotton confirmed the high susceptibility of FAW to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab toxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA), which had governed the global textile and apparel trade was replaced by the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) on January 1, 2005. The removal of quota restrictions has brought comparative advantage back to significant surplus economies such as China and India, and has also provided significant opportunities as well as challenges to the developing economies. Compared to its competitors, the Indian textile industry enjoys certain advantages, but at the same time, the industry also faces numerous challenges in the changed trade scenario. In this context, the present study analyses the performance of the Indian textile industry in terms of its export performance changes in the composition and destination of textile exports in the post-MFA period. The analysis period is from 1990-91 to 2020-21, divided into a transition period (1990-2004) and a post-MFA period (2005-2020). The annual growth of textile exports from India registered fluctuations both during the transition and post-MFA regime. The mean values of the major subsectors of Indian textiles, viz, readymade garments, cotton textiles, and manmade textiles were higher in the post-MFA than during the transition period. The regression results show improved performance in the exports of textiles, readymade garments, cotton textiles, and manmade textiles in the post-MFA period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic growth of country largely depends on crop production quantity and quality. Among various crops, cotton is one of the major crops in India, where 23 percent of cotton gets exported to various other countries. To classify these cotton crops, farmers consume much time, and this remains inaccurate most probably. Hence, to eradicate this issue, cotton crops are classified using deep learning model, named LeNet in this research paper. Novelty of this paper lies in utilization of hybrid optimization algorithm, named proposed sine tangent search algorithm for training LeNet. Initially, hyperspectral image is pre-processed by anisotropic diffusion, and then allowed for further processing. Also, SegNet is deep learning model that is used for segmenting pre-processed image. For perfect and clear details of pre-processed image, feature extraction is carried out, wherein vegetation index and spectral spatial features of image are found accurately. Finally, cotton crop is classified from segmented image and features extracted, using LeNet that is trained by sine tangent search algorithm. Here, sine tangent search algorithm is formed by hybridization of sine cosine algorithm and tangent search algorithm. Then, performance of sine tangent search algorithm enabled LeNet is assessed with evaluation metrics along with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. These metrics showed that sine tangent search algorithm enabled LeNet is highly effective for cotton crop classification with superior values of accuracy of 91.7%, true negative rate of 92%, and true positive rate of 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, cotton yield estimates are done using crop cutting experiments (CCEs) conducted within the framework of the general crop estimation surveys (GCES) methodology. In recent times, for obtaining reliable estimates at levels lower than the district, the number of CCEs has increased in comparison to the existing set-up of GCES. This puts an additional financial burden on Government agencies. There is a possibility of reducing the number of CCEs under the GCES methodology and predicting the remaining CCE points using an appropriate spatial prediction model. In this article, the predictive performance of different spatial models has been compared. Furthermore, district-level estimate of average productivity of cotton has been determined using the geographically weighted regression (GWR) technique and the results compared with those obtained using the traditional GCES methodology. The proposed spatial estimator of the average yield of cotton obtained using the GWR approach is more efficient and the results are comparable with the estimates obtained using the GCES methodology. The developed methodology can be utilized to reduce the number of CCEs and capture the spatial non-stationarity present in the cotton crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp is dual purpose crop, where fibers and seeds have found its place in textile and food industry due to its strong fiber and nutrition content in seed. The cultivation of hemp is a new venture in India where farmers get dual income by both fibers and seeds hence, optimizing spacing and nutrient management to harness maximum yield of fiber and seed can double the income of farmers. The present investigation on economics of hemp cultivation revealed that the, maximum gross returns (Rs. 5,74,000/ ha) were obtained from plants grown at 10 cm × 5 cm spacing and supplied with 125 per cent RDF plus PGPR consortia but highest B:C ratio of 4.68 was observed in plants grown at spacing of 20 cm × 10 cm and nourished with 100 per cent of RDF plus PGPR consortia for fiber purposes. Upon considering seed economics maximum gross returns (Rs. 12,58,200/ ha) was recorded in the treatment combination of 10 cm × 10 cm spacing and supplied with 125 per cent RDF plus PGPR consortia while, maximum B:C ratio of 13.17 was noted from plots where plants were spaced at 15 cm × 10 cm and supplied with nutrition of 100 per cent RDF plus PGPR consortia for seed purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: India is facing high water stress and it is amongst those with the most fragile and uncertain water resource countries in the world. Crop productivity depends on quality of input supply including seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and supported by irrigation facilities. In India, ground water irrigates more than 61% of net cropped area and much of water being used for irrigating rice crop. The disproportionate water uses for crop production results in poor water productivity. The planning of water resources could be achieved by knowing the crop water requirements in different seasons and productivity of water. Hence, study was taken up to assess the water use and productivity of crops under intensively ground water irrigated watershed. Methods: A study conducted to assess the water use and productivity of different crops grown in Kothakunta sub watershed (having 206 working bore wells with cultivated area of 203.5 ha) in Siddipet district of Telangana, India during kharif and rabi season of 2008 to 2012, data were collected from 147 farmers on rice, maize, cotton, potato, flora beans and tomato crops grown under irrigation. The water applied to crops was measured by fixing water meters at the end of water delivery pipe and recorded the quantity of water applied each time. For rice crop four plots were taken and for other crops two plots were taken for measuring the water. The water use and productivity were assessed by using standard procedure. Result: The water productivity was found to be higher to vegetables, which ranged between 2.43 kg of potato, 1.57 kg of beans and 1.26 kg of tomato than cereals (0.79 kg for maize and 0.39 kg for rabi rice) per cubic meter of irrigation water consumed. Water productivity in terms of monetary return (') per cubic meter of water consumed was higher with beans ('17.20) in contrast to potato ('16.12). Rice equivalent yield (REY) calculated per cubic meter of irrigation water consumption was very similar to economic return ('per cubic meter of water). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated nutrient management has potential to enhance soil quality and sustain agricultural productivity, however, such effects under cotton + greengram intercropping is not well understood in vertisols of Maharashtra, India. Therefore, a field study was conducted during 2016–2017 at the Research field of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture Akola, Maharashtra (India), on an ongoing long-term experiment initiated in 1987–1988 under cotton + greengram (1:1) intercropping system to find out how different nutrient management practices affect the soil quality (SQ) and cotton + greengram productivity. The eight treatments comprised of sole use of organics and chemical fertilizers, integration of organics with chemical fertilizers (INM) to partially substitute nitrogen, and a control treatment. The results after 30th cycle revealed that the partial substitution of N through FYM/gliricidia increased cotton and greengram yield over control. These treatments caused significant improvement in the soil physical and biological properties and also improved the soil fertility status, mainly soil organic carbon (OC) by 53%, available N (AN) by 25%, available P (AP) by 50%, and available K (AK) by 25% over control. The SQ assessment through principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that, in this semi-arid subtropical region, HC, OC, and CO2 evolution can be viewed as important indicators of SQ for cotton + greengram intercropping system. Therefore, we concluded that, INM practice that encourages balanced fertilization must include FYM/gliricidia as part of the nutrient application package in this region to improve soil quality and sustain productivity of cotton + greengram intercropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) can cause yield loss of cotton in susceptible plants. The only known aphid vector in the U.S. is Aphis gossypii, which regularly infests cotton, but knowledge so far is limited to the cotton growing season. Seven other species are also known to feed on cotton, but little is known about their seasonal dynamics. Two species are known vectors of CLRDV in chickpea in India. Improving our understanding of the viral spread and seasonal dynamics of potential vectors is key to developing management strategies for plant pathogens. In this study, we monitored seasonal population dynamics of these eight species, in three locations and two different habitats in Alabama, with the use of pan traps, year-round, for two consecutive years. To coordinate this with viral presence, CLRDV spread was monitored at the same sites with the use of cotton sentinel plants. Plants (while conditions allowed) and traps were collected and replaced weekly. Our findings provided baseline information on when these eight species are dispersing in the landscape and when CLRDV spread is occurring in cotton. While A. gossypii is likely the primary vector, early season spread of CLRDV suggests additional aphid vectors are possible. Cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is an introduced Polerovirus (Family: Solemoviridae) of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in the U.S. The only vector known to transmit this virus to cotton is the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover; however, there are seven other species of aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) reported to colonize cotton in the southeastern U.S.: Protaphis middletonii (Thomas), Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale (Sasaki), Aphis craccivora Koch, Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Smythurodes betae Westwood, and Aphis fabae Scopoli. Little to no information is available on annual population dynamics of these species in the southeastern U.S. The timing of CLRDV spread to cotton plantings is also unknown. The objective of this study was to monitor the population dynamics of eight cotton-feeding aphid species concurrent with the spread of CLRDV at three different locations in Alabama. Aphids were monitored weekly for two years with yellow pan traps, and sentinel plants were deployed weekly to monitor CLRDV spread throughout the cotton-growing season. During the two years, most CLRDV spread at all locations occurred when A. gossypii was actively dispersing in the field. Early season spread at sites in south and central Alabama, when A. gossypii was not abundant, suggests additional aphid vectors are possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eri silk produced by silkworm, Samia ricini Donovan is polyphagous in nature and mainly feeds on annual crops (Castor and Tapioca) and perennial trees (Heteropanax fragrans (Roxb.) Seem., Ailanthus sp.). Eri silk is whitish in colour and due to discontinuous fiber filament, it is spun like cotton. As Eri silk is processed without killing the silkworm, it is called as "Ahimsa Silk". Due to higher pupal protein content (150-160 g/kg; 10.3% higher than an edible insect, Acheta domesticus (L.), the eri pupae could be a potential source of protein for human and animal (fish, poultry) consumption. Despite continuous treads in Research and Developmental activities, the vertical expansion of eri silk production has yet to reach expectations and hence, there is a need to explore the non-traditional states to meet the horizontal expansion in eri silk production, especially the castor and tapioca growing areas. This could be possible by developing eri silkworm breeds/hybrids with climate resilience, disease and pest resistance, early and easy disease detection tools, and application of artificial intelligence in pre- and postcocoon sectors. Apart from textile uses, eri silk products are to be explored for non-textile purposes viz., fibroin, sericin, pupae, and pupae oil for cosmetics, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and human consumption. The eri silk is found to be a profitable livelihood business enterprise in India. In recent days, the ericulture has been introduced in other parts of the country, but much more effort is needed to make the value chain stakeholder's friendly and economically viable enterprise through product diversification and utilization of by-products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for organic cotton is primarily driven by manufacturers and brands with a corporate focus on environmental and social responsibility. These entities strive to be responsible stewards by seeking organic cotton, which not only offers environmental benefits but also provides softer, more durable, and longer-lasting clothing. Unlike conventional cotton, organic cotton is processed without the use of harsh chemicals, making it more comfortable for individuals with sensitive skin. A study was conducted at the Center of Organic Agriculture Research and Training Center, Department of Agronomy, Dr. PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India to evaluate 22 cotton genotypes, including control samples, using a randomized block design with three replications during the kharif (June–October) season in the years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021, under complete organic conditions. During the initial year of the study (2019–2020), visual observations were made to assess the incidence of sucking pests on the cotton genotypes' leaves, including the top, middle, and bottom portions. The observations indicated promising results, leading to a more detailed study in the subsequent year (2020–2021). This extended study identified several tolerant genotypes to sucking pests, such as AV-G11, PA-255, GA-8004, AV-C14, and AV-G13 from the arboreum species, as well as AKH-09-5, a hirsutum cultivar. Among the recorded data, it was found that the lowest mean aphid population occurred at 90 days after sowing (DAS), with only 1.53 aphids per leaf. Similarly, the lowest mean populations of Cicadellidae, thrips, and whitefly were recorded at 0.75, 0.97, and 0.63 per leaf, respectively, all at 30 DAS. Microscopic analysis of trichome density and gossypol glands revealed a negative and significant correlation with Aphis gossypi (aphids), Cicadellidae sp. (Cicadellidae), and Thrips tabaci (thrips). However, a positive and significant correlation was found with Bemesia tabaci (whitefly). Furthermore, the estimation of total soluble sugar using the Anthrone method, total nitrogen, and crude protein showed positive and significant correlations with aphids, Cicadellidae, and thrips, but negative, significant correlations with whitefly. The findings indicate that higher trichome density provides greater resistance to sucking pest infestation. It was concluded that G. arboreum genotypes exhibit greater tolerance to sucking pests compared to G. hirsutum varieties. This implies that G. arboreum varieties may require less intensive pest management, aligning with organic farming principles. The discovery of these genotypes opens up possibilities for utilizing them as sustainable and pest-resistant options in cotton cultivation, promoting environmentally friendly and organic farming practices in cotton fiber production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most important staple fibrous crops cultivated in India and globally. However, its production and quality are greatly hampered by cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) caused by cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the biochemical mechanisms associated with CLCuD resistance in contrasting cotton genotypes. Methods: Four commercial cotton varieties with susceptible (HS 6 and RCH-134 BG-II) and resistant (HS 1236 and Bunty) responses were used to analyze the role of primary (sugar, protein, and chlorophyll) and secondary (gossypol, phenol, and tannin) biochemical compounds produced by the plants against infection by CLCuV. The resistant cultivars with increased activity of protein, phenol, and tannin exhibited biochemical barriers against CLCuV infection, imparting resistance in cotton cultivars. Results: Reducing sugar in the healthy plants of the susceptible Bt cultivar RCH 134 BG-II exhibited the highest value of 1.67 mg/g at 90 days. In contrast, the lowest value of 0.07 mg g-1 was observed at 60 DAS in the highly diseased plants of the susceptible hybrid HS 6. Higher phenol content (0.70 mg g-1) was observed at 90 DAS in resistant cultivars, whereas highly susceptible plants exhibited the least phenol (0.25 mg g-1) at 90 DAS. The lowest protein activity was observed at 120 DAS in susceptible cultivars HS 6 (9.4 mg g-1) followed by RCH 134 BG-II (10.5 mg g-1). However, other biochemical compounds, including chlorophyll, sugar, and gossypol, did not show a significant role in resistance against CLCuV. The disease progression analysis in susceptible cultivars revealed non-significant differences between the two susceptible varieties. Discussion: Nevertheless, these compounds are virtually associated with the basic physiological and metabolic mechanisms of cotton plants. Among the primary biochemical compounds, only protein activity was proposed as the first line of defense in cotton against CLCuV. The secondary level of defense line in resistance showed the activity of secondary biochemical compounds phenol and tannins, which displayed a significant increase in their levels while imparting resistance against CLCuV in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to assess the impact of different nutrient management practices on soil quality in a permanent manurial experiment cotton field established in 1982 at the Agriculture Research Station of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, which falls under the dryland ecosystem of Kovilpatti in Tamil Nadu, India. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design with nine different treatments. The effect of these treatments in different depths (0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) was compared, and the soil quality index was developed with a total of 27 parameters, including physical, chemical and biological parameters. Principal component analysis was carried out and the principal components with eigenvalue >1 were selected to determine the indicators to be retained in the minimum dataset. The highly weighted variables, viz. field capacity, available water content, cation exchange capacity, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc. with a variance of 93.57% were retained for MDS. Linear scoring functions were used to transform them into unitless scores ranging from 0 to 1. Three different methods of soil quality were analysed, viz. weighed additive soil quality index (SQIw), additive soil quality index (SQIa) and Nemoro soil quality index (SQIn). In all three methods, the treatment receiving farmyard manure at 12.5 tha-1 showed superiority in maintaining soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is still not clear whether differential response of Bt cotton and conventional non-Bt cotton genotypes in terms of growth, phenology and yield ability are hypothetical or realistic. This study investigated the response of three Bt cotton hybrids in comparison to their conventional non-transgenic version (near-isogenic lines) along with two locally adapted genotypes for growth, yield attributes, phenological characteristics and rooting behavior. Therefore, two experiments were conducted during summer season of year 2016 and 2017 to evaluate differences among 3 popular Bt cotton hybrids along with their non-Bt version. First field experiment was conducted as a pot study wherein shoot and root parameters of 3 Bt cotton hybrids (Ankur 3028, MRC 7017, Bioseed 6588) were compared with their non-Bt version along with 2 local checks (i.e.,hirsutum cotton Cv. F2228 and arboreum cottonCv. FDK124). Second field experiment evaluated growth, phenological characteristics, yield attributes and productivity potential of above mentioned Bt and non-Bt hybrids. Findings of pot experiment could not establish any significant difference among studied Bt and non-Bt hybrids for root and shoot characteristics. However, arboreum cotton FDK124 exhibited higher root length than all genotypes. Results of second experiment revealed significant differences for phenological characteristics, wherein Bt version of all the tested hybrids exhibited earliness for flowering initiation, 50 % flowering and days to maturity over their non-Bt version. Seed cotton yield (SCY) in all hybrids possessing Bt gene was significantly higher than their non-Bt version primarily due to higher bolls plant-1. Studies conclude that introgression of Bt gene could not alter rooting parameters of evaluated cotton genotypes but significantly affected phenological stages by inducing earliness and higher SCY in Bt versions due to improved bolls plant-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The approval status of a genetically modified (GM) event varies from country to country. GM events approved in one country (considered as authorized GM or AGM) may not necessarily have the same approval status in other countries (considered as unauthorized GM or UGM). Detecting UGM in the supply chain is a challenge as the genetic information is not always available. In India, four Bt cotton events are approved, whereas several other GM events have been imported for research purposes. Many food derivatives (non‐GM) are being imported from the countries where GM events of food crops are approved so it is necessary to track the unauthorized entry of GM products. Selected consignments or food products need to be checked for GM status for regulatory compliance. In farmers' fields, the chances of unintentional introgression or adventitious presence of transgenes also need to be monitored in a systematic manner. An appropriate strategy needs to be developed to check for UGM in the food and agricultural supply chain. In this article, approaches for UGM detection have been discussed with a focus on application in the Indian context. Detection methods based on the GMO matrix, multiplex PCR, real‐time PCR (qPCR), and loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) could be employed keeping in view the regulatory requirement or practical application. For checking UGM with unknown genetic construct, methods such as next‐generation sequencing (NGS) may be employed. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are discussed in the function of the analytical strategy and its application for control purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field investigation was conducted at College farm, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India during kharif ( July to January, 2021–22)to optimise the planting density and nitrogen dose on cotton yield and economics. The experiment was laid out in factorial RBD consisting of four levels of planting densities viz. 90×15 cm², 90×20 cm², 90×30 cm² and 90×60 cm² as factor I treatments and 4levels of nitrogenviz., 90, 120, 150,180 kg N ha-1 as factor II treatments and replicated thrice. The results revealed that with higher planting density ofspacing 90×15 cm² (74,074 plants ha-1) reported significantly higher seed cotton yield (2176 kg ha-1), Gross returns (` 1,31,114 ha-1) and net returns (` 70,150 ha-1) and was at par with spacing 90×20 cm² (55,555 plants ha-1) over other planting density of spacing 90×30 cm² (37,037 plants ha-1) and 90×60 cm² (18,518 plants ha-1). Lower plant density of spacing 90×60 cm² significantly performed better with respect to yield attributes viz, number of picked bolls plant-1 (18.2), boll weight (5.1 g) and seed cotton yield (95.0 g plant-1). Among the nitrogen doses, 150 kg N ha-1 recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield (2072 kg ha-1), Gross returns (` 1,24,818), Net returns (` 69,407) and B:C (2.25) over other nitrogen doses tested. However, the interaction effects did not differ significantly for all the parameters studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to identify different haplotypes network of pink bollworm and their distribution in south India using the partial mitochondrial COI sequence of pink bollworm populations. Genetic diversity analysis exhibited the presence of 5 haplotypes in COI gene sequences, and among them, Hap_1 was the most common and present in 17 populations. Distributions of pairwise differences obtained with partial COI data from the overall populations were unimodal, suggesting population expansion. A significant neutrality test based on Tajima's D, Fu and Li's D and F test presented a haplotype network with multiple haplotypes. The acceptance of the neutrality test with significant positive values validated the theory of demographic expansion in cotton pink bollworm populations with respect to COI. The pink bollworm has a population genetic diversity among the investigated populations collected from south India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian populations of the Pink Bollworm (PBW) are resistant to Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton hybrids containing Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab genes. Segregation of these Cry genes in F1 hybrids could subject PBW to sublethal concentrations. Moreover, planting hybrids with varying zygosities of Cry genes could produce diverse segregation patterns and expose PBW populations to highly variable toxin concentrations. This could potentially promote the rate of resistance development. Therefore, we studied the segregation patterns of Cry genes in different commercial Bt hybrids cultivated in India. Results showed that two hybrids segregated according to the Mendelian mono-hybrid ratio, three segregated according to the Mendelian di-hybrid ratio, and one showed a mixed segregation pattern. The assortment of seeds containing Cry genes varied between bolls of the same hybrid. In India, different Bt cotton hybrids are cultivated in small patches next to each other, exposing PBW populations to sublethal doses and wide variations in the occurrence of Cry genes. It is necessary to avoid segregation of Cry genes in the seeds produced by F1 hybrids. This study recommends using Bt parents homozygous for Cry genes in commercial Bt cotton hybrid development. This breeding strategy could be effective for similar transgenic crop hybrids as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgical cotton production has drastically been increased in the past few years due to excessive use by medical health professionals especially in countries like India, which is among the top three exporters of cotton worldwide. The effluent generated from surgical cotton industries differ from textile effluents by the conspicuous absence of dyeing chemicals. This wastewater has a high concentration of suspended particles, COD, dissolved ions, organic carbon, and alkaline pH. Several studies have been published on the treatment of textile effluents and the degradation of dyeing chemicals, while the treatment studies on surgical cotton wastewater have been rarely reported in spite of their potential to cause pollution in receiving land/water bodies. Activated sludge microbes have been extensively studied and well documented in the treatment of several industrial effluent but does not match to the production of valuable biomass from algae. The global energy demand has prompted the scientific community to investigate and explore the possibility of using algae for energy production with simultaneous wastewater treatment. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no research articles have been published which compare the effectiveness of activated sludge microorganisms, microalgae, and macroalgae in removing contaminants from real wastewater. To date, there is a knowledge gap in understanding and selecting the right choice of biological system for effective and economical effluent treatment. In an attempt to minimize this gap, carbon removal by microalgae, macroalgae, and activated sludge microbes were investigated on real effluent from surgical cotton industries. It was observed that the strain of Chlorella vulgaris could dissipate 83% of COD from real wastewater, while consortia of macroalgae (consisting predominantly of Ulvaceae and Chaetomorpha) and activated sludge microbes could remove 81% and 69% of the carbon, respectively. The microalgal growth (in terms of wet weight) increased from 0.15 to 0.3 g, whereas the macroalgal wet weight increased from 1.5 to 3 g in over 7 days of batch experiments conducted in triplicates. This indicated the superlative performance of microalgae over activated sludge microbes in carbon dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North-western India is known as the 'Granary of India' after the introduction of wheat dwarf varieties in the mid-sixties. Dwarf gene varieties of wheat are highly responsive to inputs viz. fertilizer and irrigation water. Earlier in the Kharif season maize, pearl millet, minor millets and cotton were the predominant crops in north-western India i.e. Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. However, with the increasing infrastructure for irrigation through canals, pump sets and tube wells, farmers started to grow rice even though Punjab soils are not suitable for rice production. Now, most of the farmers are growing rice in Kharif season and wheat in Rabi season. Hence, the rice-wheat cropping system has become dominant and is being practiced in nearly 10 million ha area. Farmers in north-western India also grow a lot of sugarcane crop, which produce huge tonnage but at the cost of luxury consumption of water. 'Green Revolution', which was a new chapter in the Agriculture history of India, started in this region, but it is using its water too lavishly surpassing its recharge. There is an urgent need to change or at least modify the 'rice-wheat' and sugarcane-wheat cropping systems (CS) of this region by less water-demanding ones viz. maize-wheat, cotton-wheat, soybean-wheat and pigeon pea-wheat etc. cropping systems. Even though, they may be less profitable but will ensure the sustainability of agriculture in this region in long-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cotton is one of the most important cash crops in India. It is also called as "White gold" because of its agricultural as well as industrial importance. Myrothecium leaf blight is an emerging disease in cotton which is growing consistently throughout the country and has been reported to cause significant losses in major cotton growing tracts of odisha. Considering the importance of the disease, the present investigation has been taken up to study the physiology of the fungus. Methods: An experiment was conducted in vitro during 2016-18 to investigate the effect of temperature and pH on the growth of M. roridum. Seven different nutrient media viz. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium, Potato Sucrose Agar (PSA) medium, Host Leaf Extract Agar (HEA) medium, Potato Carrot Agar (PCA) medium, Czapek'sdox Agar (ZA) medium, Richard's Agar (RA) medium and Oat meal agar medium (OMA) were tested under in-vitro conditions to ascertain a suitable medium for the growth of M. roridum. Result: The investigation in laboratory conditions has revealed that out of seven nutrient media tested, maximum radial growth was recorded in Potato Sucrose Agar (PSA) with an average radial growth of diameter 76.06 mm and the least growth was recorded on Richard's Agar with a diameter of 23.66 mm. The growth of the fungus was observed to be maximum at a temperature of 28°C with a diameter of 61.09 mm and the minimum average growth of 17.36 mm was recorded at 36°C. Studies on pH revealed that that the fungus grows well in neutral and slight alkaline medium (6.5-8.0). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton export performance plays a critical role in bridging the gaps in India's soaring trade deficits and helps in maximizing the overall gains from international trade. We examine the impact of macroeconomic determinants on India's cotton export performance using data from 1990 to 2020. To assess the long-run and short-run impacts on cotton export performance, an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model has been deployed. The findings reveal that yield and export price have had statistically positive significant impact on India's cotton export performance over the long-run and short-run. However, the resulting estimates of market size and exchange rate do have a mixed effect on cotton export performance over the period. Moreover, our results offer some important policy implications for the stakeholders including the farmers, exporters, and government to enhance Agri-product competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

30 isolates of actinomycetes were collected from the soil samples of Arachis hypogea L. and Gossypium herbaceum L. near the fields located surrounding the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary area of Junagadh District, Gujarat State, India. All the isolates were subjected to serial dilution process. The present study aimed to identify and characterize these isolates using biochemical and physiological tests. From the morphological tests and gram staining procedures conducted prior to the biochemical and physiological tests, it was already observed that Actinomycetes are Gram positive, filamentous shaped bacteria. It was also observed that these bacteria contain hyphae, mycelium as well as sporangia which is able to release spores. It was able to produce yellow pigments, posses an earthy aroma and showed optimum growth under aerobic conditions at temperature about 28 °C, pH 7 and 5% w/v NaCl Concentration. Therefore, it was considered as a mesophilic, basophilic and moderate Salt tolerant by nature. The isolates showed variations in carbon utilization but able to utilize almost all carbon sources. These bacteria were also able to give positive results in methyl red test, nitrate reduction tests, urea hydrolysis, citrate utilization tests etc. Altogether, the results indicated that these isolates i.e. Actinomycetes are able to utilize almost all nutrient sources available in the rhizosphere region of Arachis hypogea L. and Gossypium herbaceum L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2019-20, export of cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, cotton made-ups and handloom products reached US$ 10.01 billion (Anonymous-1). Forecasting cotton area, production and productivity of India HT