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Abstract Background Sustainable crop production along with best nutrient use efficiency is the key indicator of smart agriculture. Foliar application of plant nutrients can complement soil fertilization with improved nutrient uptake, translocation and utilization. Recent developments in slow releasing, nano-fertilizers in agriculture, begins a new era for sustainable use and management of natural resources. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of nano-nitrogen usage on plant growth, yield attributes and sustaining rice production while optimizing fertilizer N application through conventional (prilled urea) and nano-N source under salt stress conditions. Results The strategic substitutions of traditional urea by nano-nitrogen was distributed from partial to complete with 33, 50, 66 and 100% applications. Further, the strategic substitutions were compared in saline (ECe ∼ 6.0 dSm− 1) and sodic stress (pH ∼ 9.1) conditions along with normal soils to dissect the beneficial response of nano-N in two rice varieties (CSR 30 and PB 1121). Salt stress affected the plant performance by decreasing leaf relative water content upto 10%, total chlorophyll content by 1.3–1.5%, leaf area upto 29.9%, gas exchange attributes by 10–39%, with concomitant yield reductions upto ∼ 4%. Collateral improvement in leaf greenness (SPAD index) crop growth rate and net assimilation rate was observed with foliar application of Nano-N. 0.2–1.64% enhancement in growth traits, 0.93–1.85% in physiological traits, and comparable yield gains with 100% recommended dose of prilled were comparative with nano-substitutions. Salt tolerant rice variety, CSR-30 performed better than PB 1121 with better expression of morphological, physiological and yield traits under stress conditions and nitrogen substitutions. Conclusions Overall, our experimental findings revealed agricultural use of nano-N in improving the plant physiological efficiency and optimizing rice yields with partial N substitution through nano fertilizers under salt stress conditions. These studies are further open for futuristic aspects of long term effects of nano-fertilizers on soil nutrient depletion in correlation to yield enhancement in salt affected soils.

Climate change and extreme weather events are threatening agricultural production worldwide. The anticipated increase in atmospheric temperature may reduce the potential yield of cultivated crops. Agroforestry is regarded as a climate-resilient system that is profitable, sustainable, and adaptable, and has strong potential to sequester atmospheric carbon. Agroforestry practices enhance agroecosystems’ resilience against adverse weather conditions via moderating extreme temperature fluctuations, provisioning buffers during heavy rainfall events, mitigating drought periods, and safeguarding land resources from cyclones and tsunamis-type events. Therefore, it was essential to comprehensively analyze and discuss the role of agroforestry in providing resilience during extreme weather situations. We hypothesized that integrating trees in to the agro-ecosystems could increase the resilience of crops against extreme weather events. The available literature showed that the over-story tree shade moderates the severe temperature (2–4°C) effects on understory crops, particularly in the wheat and coffee-based agroforestry as well as in the forage and livestock-based silvipasture systems. Studies have shown that intense rainstorms can harm agricultural production (40–70%) and cause waterlogging. The farmlands with agroforestry have been reported to be more resilient to heavy rainfall because of the decrease in runoff (20–50%) and increase in soil water infiltration. Studies have also suggested that drought-induced low rainfall damages many crops, but integrating trees can improve microclimate and maintain crop yield by providing shade, windshield, and prolonged soil moisture retention. The meta-analysis revealed that tree shelterbelts could mitigate the effects of high water and wind speeds associated with cyclones and tsunamis by creating a vegetation bio-shield along the coastlines. In general, existing literature indicates that implementing and designing agroforestry practices increases resilience of agronomic crops to extreme weather conditions increasing crop yield by 5–15%. Moreover, despite its widely recognized advantages in terms of resilience to extreme weather, the systematic documentation of agroforestry advantages is currently insufficient on a global scale. Consequently, we provide a synthesis of the existing data and its analysis to draw reasonable conclusions that can aid in the development of suitable strategies to achieve the worldwide goal of adapting to and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

IntroductionSandalwood (Santalum album L.) is categorized as vulnerable in the IUCN Red list and is also an industrially important tree species valued for its heartwood and aromatic oil. Sandalwood is a semi-root parasite tree that relies on its host plants for its water and nutrient requirements. Therefore, there is need to understand the growth and physiological interactions between sandalwood and its hosts.MethodsSandalwood were planted with ten different host species viz., Syzygium cumini, Punica granatum, Phyllanthus emblica, Melia dubia, Leucaena leucocephala, Dalbergia sissoo, Casuarina equisetifolia, Citrus aurantium, Azadirachta indica and Acacia ampliceps to assess the interactive effect on the change in growth and physiology of both sandalwood and host tree species.ResultsThe findings revealed that sandalwood grown with hosts D. sissoo and C. equisetifolia showed higher growth performance, while among hosts, S. cumini, followed by C. aurantium and L. leucocephala, showed better growth and physiobiochemical traits. The stepwise regression analysis and trait modeling indicated that the six traits, namely, plant height, photosynthetic rate, relative water content, water potential, intercellular CO2 concentration, and total soluble protein, contributed greater growth in the sandalwood, while four traits, namely, water potential, osmotic potential, leaf area, and total soluble protein, contributed greater growth in the host species. The traits modeling study predicted greater growth of sandalwood with the hosts D. sissoo and C. equisetifolia, whereas among host species, prediction revealed greater growth of S. cumini and C. aurantium.DiscussionThe study concluded that host–parasite interaction modulated the growth and physiological processes in both sandalwood and hosts and sandalwood plantations can be successfully developed with the hosts D. sissoo and C. equisetifolia.

Abstract The growing popularity of nano-fertilization around the world for enhancing yield and nutrient use efficiency has been realized, however its influence on soil microbial structure is not fully understood. The purpose of carrying out this study was to assess the combined effect of nano and conventional fertilizers on the soil biological indicators and crop yield in a wheat–maize system. The results indicate that the at par grain yield of wheat and maize was obtained with application of 75% of recommended nitrogen (N) with full dose of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through conventional fertilizers along with nano-N (nano-urea) or nano-N plus nano-Zn sprays and N100PK i.e. business as usual (recommended dose of fertilizer). Important soil microbial property like microbial biomass carbon was found statistically similar with nano fertilizer-based management (N75PK + nano-N, and N75PK + nano-N + nano-Zn) and conventional management (N100PK), during both wheat and maize seasons. The experimental data indicated that the application of foliar spray of nano-fertilizers along with 75% N as basal is a sustainable nutrient management approach with respect to growth, yield and rhizosphere biological activity. Furthermore, two foliar sprays of nano-N or nano-N + nano-Zn curtailed N requirement by 25%, furthermore enhanced soil microbial diversity and the microbial community structure. The specific microbial groups, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Proteobacteria, were present in abundance and were positively correlated with wheat and maize yield and soil microbial biomass carbon. Thus, one of the best nutrient management approaches for sustaining productivity and maintaining sound microbial diversity in wheat–maize rotation is the combined use of nano-fertilizers and conventional fertilizers.

Abstract Background In the Indo-Gangetic Plain, rice–wheat is the most extensively practiced crop rotation. The escalating issue of crop residue burning, particularly rice straw, and the necessity to lower the exorbitant expenses associated with fertilizer inputs stand out as significant challenges for farmers in the region. A well-suited integrated nutrient management (INM) strategy that focuses on recycling crop residues can serve as a solution to address these issues. Such a strategy not only mitigates air pollution resulting from residue burning but also helps combat water pollution due to nitrate losses from agroecosystems. Field experiments were used to evaluate the suitability of eight INM-modules that included various combinations of inorganic fertilizer rates (50%, 100%, 150% of recommended dose), crop residues (wheat and rice stubble retention at 30 cm standing stubble equivalent to 1/3 the straw yield), rice straw compost (RSC), farmyard manure (FYM), and green manuring (GM), compared to 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (F) and no fertilizer application. Results There was a considerable improvement in nitrogen mineralization, grain yields, and nitrogen use efficiency under GM + RSC-F50 and GM + FYM-F50. These INM modules would permit a 50% reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers. There was a little yield penalty with in situ rice residue incorporation at 100% F; however, this could be overcome with 150% F fertilizer application. In situ retention of wheat straw with a full application of fertilizer resulted in steadily rising crop yields over time. Changes in the redox potential, soil pH, and soil organic carbon best accounted for the observed trajectories in nitrogen use efficiency. Conclusion The most promising INM modules for adoption by farmers in the Indo-Gangetic Plain to judiciously use crop residues and curtail chemical fertilizer inputs are green manuring with Sesbania aculeata + rice straw compost at 5 t ha−1 + only 50% of recommended dose of fertilizers (GM + RSC-F50), and green manuring with Sesbania aculeata + farmyard manure at 5 t ha−1 + only 50% of recommended dose of fertilizers (GM + FYM-F50). Sole incorporation of crop residues without nitrogen augmentation from other sources might not help curtail chemical fertilizer use. Composting rice straw, which otherwise is widely burnt, proved a useful nitrogen source and a vital component of INM. Waste rice straw composting at the community scale and its application as a nutrient source can help achieve sustainable nitrogen management in the agroecosystems of Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Annual rhythms in immune function are the reflection of a crucial physiological strategy to deal with environmental stressors. The fish are pivotal animal models to study the annual rhythm and to understand the evolution of the vertebrate biological system. The current research was planned to assess the annual changes in the innate immune functions of immune cells in a teleost, Channa punctatus. Head kidney and splenic macrophage phagocytosis, superoxide generation, and nitrite release were evaluated to assess innate immunity. Cell-mediated immunity was measured through head kidney and splenic lymphocyte proliferation in presence of mitogens. The superoxide anion generation by the cells of head kidney and spleen was maximum in October. A bimodal pattern in nitrite production was observed with the first peak in November and the second in March. Cosinor analysis revealed a statistically significant annual rhythm in nitrite production. Similarly, phagocytosis and lymphocyte proliferation also showed statistically significant annual rhythms. It was concluded that animals maintain an optimum immune response in seasonally changing environments. Elevated immunity during certain times of the year might assist animals deal with seasonal environmental stressors. Further research may be focused upon measuring survival rate and reproductive success after season induced elevated immunity.

Salinity is one of the most significant abiotic stress that affects the growth and development of high-value tree species, including sandalwood, which can also be managed effectively on saline soils with the help of suitable host species. Therefore, the current investigation was conducted to understand the physiological processes and antioxidant mechanisms in sandalwood along the different salinity gradients to explore the host species that could support sandalwood growth in salt-affected agro-ecosystems. Sandalwood seedlings were grown with ten diverse host species with saline water irrigation gradients (ECiw~3, 6, and 9 dS m−1) and control (ECiw~0.82 dS m−1). Experimental findings indicate a decline in the chlorophyll content (13–33%), relative water content (3–23%), photosynthetic (27–61%) and transpiration rate (23–66%), water and osmotic potential (up to 137%), and ion dynamics (up to 61%) with increasing salinity levels. Conversely, the carotenoid content (23–43%), antioxidant activity (up to 285%), and membrane injury (82–205%) were enhanced with increasing salinity stress. Specifically, among the hosts, Dalbergia sissoo and Melia dubia showed a minimum reduction in chlorophyll content, relative water content, and plant water relation and gas exchange parameters of sandalwood plants. Surprisingly, most of the host tree species maintained K+/Na+ of sandalwood up to moderate water salinity of ECiw~6 dS m−1; however, a further increase in water salinity decreased the K+/Na+ ratio of sandalwood by many-fold. Salinity stress also enhanced the antioxidative enzyme activity, although the maximum increase was noted with host plants M. dubia, followed by D. sissoo and Azadirachta indica. Overall, the investigation concluded that sandalwood with the host D. sissoo can be successfully grown in nurseries using saline irrigation water and, with the host M. dubia, it can be grown using good quality irrigation water.

Human efforts to grow abundant food through the persistent use of resource-intensive farming practices have resulted in declining soil health, and deterioration of ecosystem functions and services. Conservation agriculture (CA) has emerged as a practice to minimize the impacts of conventional resource-exhaustive and energy-intensive agriculture. Minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and diversification are the key components of CA. Tillage through conventional practices on the other hand has detrimental effects on the soil and environment as it requires deep inversion of soil with instruments such as mouldboard plow, disc plow etc. leaving very less organic matter in soil after establishment of crop. Even though, CA advocates many benefits over conventional agriculture in terms of soil and water conservation, the consequent changes in moisture and temperature regimes due to reduced tillage and surface cover would likely going to influence the biological activity, including insect pests and their natural enemies which dwell within these agroecosystems. The changed crop conditions under CA may favor particular insect communities and their ecological niches. The adoption of such practices may lead to decrease in insect pests with major activity on the crop canopy. However, the activity of the insect pests that spend their maximum life span at the soil surface or beneath the soil surface may increase. Recent insect-pest outbreaks in North-Western India and imbalances reported in Indo-Gangetic Plains point to the need for a better understanding of the inter-relationships between tillage intensity, residue retention, and insect pest population dynamics. The current review analyzes the existing state of knowledge of these dynamics and presents the scenarios that may emerge as CA get more acceptance. This review will help to develop countermeasures to improve performance and ecosystem services of Conservation agriculture (CA) based cropping systems.

Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field that has the potential to revolutionise food systems and counter the present-day challenge of food security. It envisages taking agriculture from the era of indiscriminate natural resource use and environmental degradation to the brave new world of advanced systems with enhanced material use efficiency and targeted applications to reduce crop losses caused due to abiotic-biotic stresses as well as to give due considerations to the environment. To manage plant diseases and insect pests, pesticides are inevitably used in agriculture. However, the higher dosage of these chemicals on a per hectare basis has resulted in many environmental and health hazards. To tackle the conventional pesticide related issues, a new field of science called nanotechnology has led to the development of nanopesticides that have less active ingredients, but better efficiency. The nanopesticides contain the carrier molecule or the active nanosized ingredient with a very high surface area to the volume property that provides them unique exploitable-advantages. Several formulations, viz., nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, nanogels, metal compound-based nanopesticides, have been developed for different modes of action and vivid applications. The biggest advantage comes due to the small size of the particles that help in properly spreading the ingredients on the pest surface and, thus, producing a better action than conventional pesticides. The use of nanoparticles in the form of nanopesticides, nanofertilisers, and nano delivery systems is on the increase day by day due to their higher efficiency and reduced dosage requirements. However, human beings and other organisms are also getting exposed to the nano-entities during the application or afterwards. The interactions of these engineered nano-entities with biological systems are relatively unknown thus far. Therefore, before their wider usage in crop production and protection, a better understanding of their interactions, and adverse effects, if any, is also crucial for a sustainable transition.

Abstract The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world’s increasing population while the resources are dwindling. Fertilizers which are deemed as indispensable inputs for food, fodder, and fuel production now also represent the dark side of the intensive food production system. With most crop production systems focused on increasing the quantity of produce, indiscriminate use of fertilizers has created havoc for the environment and damaged the fiber of the biogeosphere. Deteriorated nutritional quality of food and contribution to impaired ecosystem services are the major limiting factors in the further growth of the fertilizer sector. Nanotechnology in agriculture has come up as a better and seemingly sustainable solution to meet production targets as well as maintaining the environmental quality by use of less quantity of raw materials and active ingredients, increased nutrient use-efficiency by plants, and decreased environmental losses of nutrients. However, the use of nanofertilizers has so far been limited largely to controlled environments of laboratories, greenhouses, and institutional research experiments; production and availability on large scale are still lagging yet catching up fast. Despite perceivable advantages, the use of nanofertilizers is many times debated for adoption at a large scale. The scenario is gradually changing, worldwide, towards the use of nanofertilizers, especially macronutrients like nitrogen (e.g. market release of nano-urea to replace conventional urea in South Asia), to arrest environmental degradation and uphold vital ecosystem services which are in critical condition. This review offers a discussion on the purpose with which the nanofertilizers took shape, the benefits which can be achieved, and the challenges which nanofertilizers face for further development and real-world use, substantiated with the significant pieces of scientific evidence available so far. Graphical Abstract

IntroductionThe contrasting soil management in flooded-transplanted rice (Oryza sativa) and dry-tilled wheat (Triticum aestivum) poses a challenge for improving low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of the rice-wheat system. Integration of organics in nutrient management can bring in changes favoring efficient N uptake via changes in growing conditions and soil responses.Materials and methodsThis study reported the results of a 15-year-long experiment on integrated nutrient management (INM) systems for rice-wheat cropping. The INM included substituting ~50% of chemical fertilizers via (i) including a legume crop (Vigna radiata) in the sequence and its biomass incorporation (LE), (ii) green manuring with Sesbania aculeata (GM), (iii) farmyard manure application (FYM), (iv) 1/3 wheat stubble in situ retention (WS), and (v) 1/3 rice stubble in situ retention.Results and DiscussionThe INM strategies resulted in improved NUE compared to 100% chemical fertilizers (F). The INM had significantly higher net N mineralization and improved biological activity aligning with the NUE trends. The reductions in redox potential (Eh) and pH during rice season improved NUE under integrated management. Highly reduced conditions favored N mineralization and plant availability in form of NH4+−N resulting in enhanced uptake efficiency, in rice crop. The soil organic carbon (C) significantly increased in INM, and an effect of the active C fractions was evident on the NUE of the wheat crop.ConclusionThe results showed that these INM strategies can immensely benefit the rice-wheat system via improvement in biological health along with electrochemical changes for flooded rice, and labile-C-assisted improvement in soil conditions for wheat.

Fortification of food with mineral micronutrients and micronutrient supplementation occupied the center stage during the two-year-long Corona Pandemic, highlighting the urgent need to focus on micronutrition. Focus has also been intensified on the biofortification (natural assimilation) of mineral micronutrients into food crops using various techniques like agronomic, genetic, or transgenic. Agronomic biofortification is a time-tested method and has been found useful in the fortification of several nutrients in several crops, yet the nutrient use and uptake efficiency of crops has been noted to vary due to different growing conditions like soil type, crop management, fertilizer type, etc. Agronomic biofortification can be an important tool in achieving nutritional security and its importance has recently increased because of climate change related issues, and pandemics such as COVID-19. The introduction of high specialty fertilizers like nano-fertilizers, chelated fertilizers, and water-soluble fertilizers that have high nutrient uptake efficiency and better nutrient translocation to the consumable parts of a crop plant has further improved the effectiveness of agronomic biofortification. Several new agronomic biofortification techniques like nutripriming, foliar application, soilless activation, and mechanized application techniques have further increased the relevance of agronomic biofortification. These new technological advances, along with an increased realization of mineral micronutrient nutrition have reinforced the relevance of agronomic biofortification for global food and nutritional security. The review highlights the advances made in the field of agronomic biofortification via the improved new fertilizer forms, and the emerging techniques that achieve better micronutrient use efficiency of crop plants.

Globally, between one quarter and one-third of total grains produced each year are lost during storage mainly through infestation of insect pests. Among the available control options such as chemical and physical techniques, fumigation with aluminum phosphide (AlP) is so far considered the best control strategy against storage insect pests. However, these insect pests are now developing resistance against AIP due to its indiscriminate use due to non-availability of any effective alternative control option. Resistance to AIP among storage insect pests is increasing, and its inhalation has shown adverse effects on animals and human beings. Nanotechnology has opened up a wide range of opportunities in various fields such as agriculture (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.), pharmaceuticals, and electronics. One of the applications of nanotechnology is the usage of nanomaterial-based insecticide formulations for mitigating field and storage insect pests. Several formulations, namely, nanoemulsions, nanosuspensions, controlled release formulations, and solid-based nanopesticides, have been developed with different modes of action and application. The major advantage is their small size which helps in proper spreading on the pest surface, and thus, better action than conventional pesticides is achieved. Besides their minute size, these have no or reduced harmful effects on non-target species. Nanopesticides can therefore provide green and efficient alternatives for the management of insect pests of field and storage. However, an outcry against the utilization of nano-based pesticides is also revealed. It is considered by some that nano-insecticides may also have hazardous effects on humans as well as on the environment. Due to limited available data, nanopesticides have become a double-edged weapon. Therefore, nanomaterials need to be evaluated extensively for their large-scale adoption. In this article, we reviewed the nanoformulations that are developed and have proved effective against the insect pests under postharvest storage of grains.

Climate change has adversely affected the tree species growth throughout the globe. In Indian Himalayas, Celtis australis is an important agroforestry tree species which is highly exploited for domestic use (fuel wood, fodder, and small timber), and thus the growth and biomass production linked to the species bears importance. However, growth, biomass, and carbon stock of C. australis can be improved if genetically superior planting material is used under agroforestry programmes. Therefore, seed source (SS) variation studies in C. australis were initiated to identify potential germplasm for improving the species productivity and climate resilience. Experimental results showed that genotypic variation for height, collar diameter, and total biomass were found higher than corresponding environmental variance after four years. In the field environment, highest plant growth was recorded in Tehri SS (Height: 4.88 m; Diameter: 9.69 cm) and Solan SS (Height: 4.81 m; Diameter: 8.64 cm), compared to rest of the seed sources. In contrast, least plant growth (Height: 3.46 m; Diameter 5.19 cm) was observed in Dehradun SS. Likewise, biomass production was assessed maximum (207 t ha−1) in Tehri SS and it was minimum (44 t ha−1) in Dehradun SS. In different seed sources, the estimated carbon stock and carbon sequestration was ranged between 33 103 t ha−1 and 99–381 t ha−1, respectively. Overall, growth, biomass, carbon stock, and carbon sequestration confirmed the superiority of Tehri SS over rest of the SS, after four years of field experiment. Moreover, Tehri SS showed better mitigation and adaptation potential for changing climate compared to rest of the SS, because of its superiority in term of the growth performance, biomass production, carbon stock, and carbon sequestration. The results indicated that SS induced genetic variation has the tremendous potential to improve the productivity and climate change mitigation and adaptation in C. australis. Therefore, selection of genetically diverse seed sources and evaluation of their potential (adaptive and mitigate) could be one of the futuristic strategies for climate change related fine-tuning of agroforestry practices.

Abstract Introduction Evidence is mounting that traditional knowledge can play a critical role in shaping the biodiversity conservation strategies and maintaining ecosystem services. This study was conducted with Adi community of Arunachal Pradesh (Ar P) state in the Eastern Indian Himalayas to understand as how local systems of forest classification governs conservation tradition and influences subsistence livelihoods. Twenty Adi villages were sampled from East Siang district of Ar P. A total of 197 men and 204 women (total of 401) Adi respondents were selected for this study. A combination of methodologies including in-depth interview, transect walks, focus group discussion, participant observation and informal interactions were combined for data collection. Results Local forests are classified into 10 different categories based on indicators such as topography, cultural significance, use typology, ownership rights and plant diversity indicators. Local people assign different values (economic, cultural and ecological) to different forest types. Overall, morang followed by regpi and homegardens are perceived to be more valuable to the local needs than other forests with relative ranking of a particular forest reflecting its sustainability. Adis access several diverse services from these community-managed forests. Compared to men (3–35%), the role of women was assessed to be much higher (65 to 100%) in conserving forest biodiversity. Woman-led practices, instrumental in sustainable forest management, included deliberate manipulations of micro-habitats, sustainable harvesting strategies and species domestication. Men were mostly involved in ownership and decision-making roles and in devising social norms to ensure sustainability. Adi celebrate a number of cultural events to sustain biodiversity. Forest-based livelihoods are intrinsically connected to forest resource conservation and are governed by community approaches. Most of the community members gather plants, hunt wild animals and access other ecosystem services from these forests to sustain their livelihoods. Community-owned forests are collectively managed by an indigenous institution ‘Kebang’. Conflicts relating to forest land use and resource management are resolved by the customary chief ‘Gaon Burha’ and his associates using traditional norms. Conclusions Adi’s system of forest classification, based on ecological, socio-cultural and livelihood indicators, is a location-specific yet comprehensive in nature. Study suggests that integrating the local indicators applied in classifying and strategies applied in managing the local forests can provide valuable insights to the policy makers for the sustainable conservation of forest resources.

Tillage can alter the soil habitats wherein many insect pests and their natural enemies reside during at least part of their life cycle. To enhance crop productivity and reduce climate change effects, conservation agriculture (CA) with reduced-tillage or no-tillage practices have been advocated to farmers. However, information relating to the effect of CA on insect pests and their natural enemies is very scarce, at least in the Indo-Gangetic region. In this study, the effect of tillage on the abundance of, and damage by, major insect pests (foliar aphids, root aphids, termites, and pink stem borer) and their natural enemies in wheat managed under three tillage practices, i.e., zero-till (ZT), reduced tillage (RT), and conventional tillage (CT) with (protected) and without (unprotected) insecticide protection scenarios, was investigated. Foliar aphid and termite numbers were lowest in the ZT-protected system, and highest in the CT-unprotected system. Pink stem borer damage was significantly higher in the ZT-unprotected system, whereas the root aphid number was maximum in the RT-unprotected system. The natural enemies of these four major insect pests of wheat showed variable trends under the studied tillage systems. The abundance and damage of these major insect pests showed a positive correlation with the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) and canopy temperature. The dynamics of the insect pests and their predators were driven by soil habitat-related changes (direct) as well as crop growth-related effects (indirect). A fine-tuning of insect-pest management tactics based on these relations would enhance the success of CA systems.

Objective: To enumerate the diversity of important medicinal plants used traditionally by the local populace in biodiversity rich temperate Himalayan ranges of Bandipora district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Methods: Methods used to explore the plants with medicinal value and to record associated ethnomedicinal knowledge included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and walk-in-the-woods with local knowledgeable persons, traditional practitioners called “Bhoeris” and tribals (Gujjars and Bakkerwals). Results: During plant exploration in this floristically rich Himalayan region, a very interesting and less-known species of the genus Prenanthes L., (Asteraceae) was recorded. On examination, the species was identified as Prenanthes violaefolia Decne., which represents a first report from Kashmir Himalaya, India. Conclusions: Prenanthes violaefolia could serve as an important source of new potent compounds provided that it is subjected to thorough phytochemical and pharmacological investigations.

PURPOSE: To study the prevalence of duplex system and double ureter in cadavers and intravenous pyelograms in Indian population.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty cadavers were dissected and 50 intravenouspyelograms were examined on both (right and left) sides for the presence of duplex system and double ureter.RESULTS: One male cadaver aged 43 years showed complete double ureter and duplex system on the right side and incomplete double ureter and duplex system on the left side. Another male cadaver aged 56 years showed incomplete double ureter and duplex system only on the right side. An intravenous pyelogram of a 43-year-old man showed incomplete double ureter along with duplex system on the right side.CONCLUSION: Developmental anomalies of the kidney, ureter, and urinary bladder should be kept in mind and promptly detected before the manifestations of aforementioned complications increase the morbidity ofthe affected individuals.