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Global warming is causing increased temperatures that are affecting crop yield and sustainability. To harness the diversity present in rice germplasm, 1100 rice genotypes from the north-eastern Himalayan region (NEHR) were evaluated for high yield stability and marker-trait associations using SSR markers under ambient and elevated temperature conditions in the CO2-temperature gradient chamber (CTGC). Compared to ambient temperature, most agro-morphological traits showed a decreasing trend under elevated temperature, while PCV, GCV, heritability, and GAM tended to increase with elevated temperature. Pollen fertility percentage ranged from 5.4 to 99.4% at ambient temperature and from 3.4 to 98.6% at elevated temperature. The yield per plant (YPP) was significantly positively associated with traits like plant height (PH), panicle length (PL), number of tillers per plant (NT), number of effective tillers per plant (NET), number of filled grains per panicle (NFGPP), spikelet fertility percentage (SFP), and panicle weight (PW), under ambient and elevated temperature conditions. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values of markers associated with heat tolerance ranged from 0.02 to 0.77, with an average of 0.26. A total of 91 alleles were detected, ranging from 2 (RM570, RM225) to 11 (RM364), with an average of 3.14 alleles per marker. The AMOVA results showed that a significant percentage of variation was attributed to the genotypes within the population (67.50%). Based on the FST value (6.42%), genotypes from Meghalaya and Tripura were significantly differed from those outside the NEHR. Model-based clustering revealed that 86 genotypes had more than 80% genetic purity to their respective ancestry. In comparison, seven genotypes (Sojkyrleh, RCPL 1–123, RCPL 1–136, RCPL 1–74, RCPL 1–188, Sialkathi and Bapnah) had less than 80% genetic purity and were considered admixtures. Two markers, RM234 and RM7364, were found to be significantly associated with yield per plant under elevated temperature conditions using both the general linear model (GLM) and mixed linear model (MLM) approach. Genotypes such as TRC-2016–291, TRC-2007–1, TRC-2016–426, Daya, Badjhania, TRC-2016–624, TRC-2016–33, Nania, TRC-2016–51, Aati Ghal and TRC-2016–153, which exhibited superior performance for yield and component traits were selected as high yielding for the elevated temperature conditions of NEHR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marginal Himalayan ecosystems have great potential for biochar application for conserving soil moisture, ameliorating soil acidity, improving soil fertility, and thus, contributing to sustainable intensification. Thus, the efficacy of biochar was tested along with nutrient management practices (NMP) on the performance of maize (Zea mays L.)‐French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as the emerging cropping system in an acid soil under rainfed hill ecosystem. The rainy season maize was grown with three levels of biochar (0, 2.5, and 5 Mg ha−1, applied only once in the first year), and four NMP (100% recommended dose of fertilizer [RDF] [80:60:40 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha−1], 75% RDF, 75% RDF + 4 Mg ha−1 farm yard manure [FYM], and 50% RDF) under minimum tillage. After harvesting of maize, French bean was grown under no‐till with four NMP (100% RDF [50:60:40 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha1], 75% RDF, 75% RDF + 4 Mg ha−1 FYM, and 50% RDF). The soil properties after 3 years viz., soil moisture, soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, and available N, P, and K status were significantly improved under 5 Mg ha−1 biochar than no biochar. Among the NMP, 75% RDF + FYM and 100% RDF had higher soil moisture, water infiltration, pH, SOC concentrations, and available N, P, and K status than others. The interaction effect of 5 Mg ha−1 biochar and 75% RDF + 4 Mg ha−1 FYM registered the highest SOC content (15.7 g kg−1). Available N was the highest in soil under 75% RDF + 4 Mg ha−1 FYM whereas, available P in soil under 100% RDF. Application of 5 Mg ha−1 biochar produced significantly the highest mean grain yield of maize and succeeding French bean. The combined application of 100% RDF and biochar 5 Mg ha−1 produced the highest maize equivalent yield. Thus, 5 Mg ha−1 biochar and application of recommended fertilizers are suggested for sustaining soil fertility and sustainable intensification of rainfed hill agriculture under acidic soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite Northeastern India being "Treasure House of Citrus Genetic Wealth," genetic erosion of citrus diversity poses severe concern with a corresponding loss in seed microbial diversity. The seed microbiome of citrus species unique to the Purvanchal Himalaya is seldom explored for their use in sustainable orchard management. Isolation and characterization of culturable seed microbiomes of eight citrus species, namely, Citrus reticulata Blanco, C. grandis (L.) Osbeck, C. latipes Tanaka, C. megaloxycarpa Lushaigton, C. jambhiri Lush, C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck, C. macroptera Montr, and C. indica Tanaka collected from NE India were carried out. The isolates were then screened for an array of plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits [indole acetic acid (IAA) production, N2 fixation, phosphate and zinc complex dissolution, siderophores, and Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) production]. The pure culture isolates of seed microbiomes were capable of dissolving insoluble Ca3(PO4)2 (1.31-4.84 µg Pi ml-1 h-1), Zn3(PO4)2 (2.44-3.16 µg Pi ml-1 h-1), AlPO4 (1.74-3.61 µg Pi ml-1 h-1), and FePO4 (1.54-4.61µg Pi ml-1 h-1), mineralized phytate (12.17-18.00 µg Pi ml-1 h-1) and produced IAA-like substances (4.8-187.29 µg ml-1 h-1). A few isolates of the seed microbiome were also able to fix nitrogen, secrete siderophore-like compounds and HCN, and dissolve ZnSO4 and ZnO. The 16S ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid (rRNA)-based taxonomic findings revealed that Bacillus was the most dominant genus among the isolates across citrus species. Isolates CG2-1, CME6-1, CME6-4, CME6-5, CME6-9, CJ7-1, CMA10-1, CI11-3, and CI11-4 were identified as promising bioinoculants for development of microbial consortium having multifaceted PGP traits for nutritional benefits of nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc, and IAA hormonal benefits to citrus crops for better fitness in acid soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined effect of land use change, long‐term soil management, and orchard age (18–40 years) on soil quality of guava (Psidium guajava L. cv. Allahabad Safeda) and sapota (Manilkara achras Mill. cv. Cricket Ball) orchards was investigated. Besides, the soil quality of the orchards was compared against an adjacent forest soil (AFS, considered a baseline ecosystem). Values of pH, SOC, porosity, PHA, DHA, GSA, ExCa, ExMg, and DTPA‐Cu were significantly lower in drip circle soils relative to inter‐row space soils. The extent of reduction was prominent in older orchards. There was a significant building up of BD, AvP, AvK, DTPA‐Fe, and DTPA‐Zn in drip circle soils relative to inter‐row space soils. The soil variability between drip circles and inter‐row spaces across the soil depths was significant (p < 0.01). Principal component analysis (PCA) plots were generated to determine the variability of soil quality among orchards and AFS. Long‐term soil management (18–40 years) induced soil spatial variability within the orchards. Analysis of similarity showed a significant difference in variability of soil quality within an orchard, among the orchard types, and between the orchards and the AFS. Except for soil AvK, all soil quality attributes maintained a significant correlation with the PC‐axis‐1 (p < 0.05 and 0.01) that explained maximum variability (40.2%–49.4%). The DHA and SOC contributed the maximum variability (r = 0.95 and 0.92, respectively with PC axis‐1). In conclusion, the stronger factor of the variability of soil quality was in the order of land use change > soil management > orchard age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beekeeping is an agroindustry which has coexisted wax moth threat, especially during dearth period. Studies conducted on the incidence of wax moths revealed their peak incidence (35.00± 0.57 larvae/colony) during 3rd week of September in the mid-hills of Meghalaya. The presence of Apanteles galleriae, an endolarval parasitoid was confirmed by its emergence from 1st week of May to 1st week of November with peak emergence (11.00± 0.57) being during September. Maximum parasitization up to 40% was observed during 3rd week of August coinciding with maximum availability of host with a female biased sex ratio. Study on the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella L. and lesser wax moth Achroia grisella F. as hosts at different temperatures (200C± 1 and 300C± 10C) had no significant effect on biological parameters of A. galleriae. It was observed that at lower temperature A. galleriae took longer time to complete the lifecycle on both the hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of organic manures (pig, poultry and farmyard manure, compost and vermicompost) as acid soil amendment for addressing Al toxicity and P deficiency was investigated using groundnut (cv. ICGS-76 crop) in comparison with conventional liming agent (CaCO3). The organic manures' ash alkalinity and calcium carbonate equivalent varied from 5876 to 9506 K mol H+ kg−1 × 10−6 and 236 to 476 kg tonne−1 product, respectively. The exchangeable acidity (27.5% and 22.5%, respectively) and readily soluble Al (by 45% and 56%, respectively) in soil decreased significantly; whereas soil pH, organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon increased under the application of poultry and pig manure. In contrast to dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase enzymes, the activity of acid phosphomonoesterase in soil amended with pig and poultry manures decreased markedly. Better physicochemical and yield attributing characters (chlorophyll content, leaf thickness, cell membrane integrity, stomatal frequency, root length, root to shoot ratio, shoot dry weight, NPK uptake, pod yield and harvest index) and yield (66% and 64%, respectively) under poultry and pig manure could be related to improvement in soil fertility. Incubation study further corroborated that pig and poultry manures are the potential sources of amendments for amelioration of acid soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling of nutrients through soil application of bioenergy by‐products (BEBPs) promotes closing of nutrient cycle as well as solves issues related to their improper management. Present investigation reports experimental data on soil fertility, crop growth (rapeseed), and crop nutrition from application of 15 fertilization treatments comprising of 13 BEBPs treatments, NPK and control. The selected by‐products are three types of digestates from anaerobic digestion namely, (i) cowdung, (ii) co‐digested Ipomoea carnea leaves:cowdung (60:40 dry weight), (iii) co‐digested rice straw:green gram stover:cowdung (30:30:40 dry weight) and one char (Rice husk) from gasification system. Fertilizer potential of digestates are assessed in four application phases namely, whole, separated solid, separated liquid, and ash from solid digestates. Significant variations in soil parameters (pH, EC, soil organic carbon, soil available N, P, and K, soil micronutrients) and crop responses were seen with respect to both feedstock type and application phases. BEBP application particularly in solid and whole phase proved significantly better in improving soil organic carbon. Addition of BEBP resulted in increased aboveground productivity, crop yield, plant NPK concentration compared with BEBP unfertilized condition. Overall, the improvement in grain yield over BEBP untreated control can be related to improvement in soil fertility (available fraction of N, P, and K), organic carbon, pH as well as crop physical growth. This study demonstrated that, due to differential partitioning of nutrients, a differentiated planning of BEBP applications, governed by the nature of feedstock and phase of applications would be required. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 38:e13099, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the high-precision mapping (1 : 50 K stratified random sampling) of spatial variability in soil acidity (pH), soluble aluminium (Al) and plantavailable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn extracted by DTPA) for the acid soils of the Meghalaya Plateau northeastern Himalaya, India. Results revealed that soils in nearly 88% of the total geographical area (TGA: 22,429 sq. km) fell below the pH limit of 5.5, of which significant areas (13.9% TGA) were strongly acidic in reaction (pH < 4.5). In close to 90% of the plateau soils, Al exceeded the critical toxicity threshold (>9.0 mg kg–1). Over 93% of the soils were high in Fe concentration (>10.5–100.0 mg kg–1). Mn, Cu, and Zn were found to be deficient in 12% (Mn < 5.0 mg kg–1), 20% (Cu < 0.6 mg kg–1), and 27% (Zn < 0.9 mg kg–1) of TGA respectively. The multi-micronutrient composite maps of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn displayed an intricate spatial dimension in the deficiency zones. The study concludes that there is a pressing need to manage site-specific micronutrients to improve crop productivity and the quality of the produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern Himalayas, one of the important hotspots of global biodiversity, have a rich diversity of wild edible fruit trees. The fruits of these tree species have been consumed by the tribal people since time immemorial. However, there is limited information available on the biochemical and antioxidant properties of the fruits. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to study the physico-chemical and antioxidant properties of the nine most important wild fruit trees. Among the species, Pyrus pashia had the maximum fruit weight (37.83 g), while the highest juice (43.72%) and pulp content (84.67%) were noted in Haematocarpus validus and Myrica esculenta , respectively. Maximum total soluble solids (18.27%), total sugar (11.27%), moisture content (88.39%), ascorbic acid content (63.82 mg/100 g), total carotenoids (18.47 mg/100 g), and total monomeric anthocyanin (354.04 mg/100 g) were recorded in H. validus . Docynia indica had the highest total phenolic content (19.37 mg GAE/g), while H. validus recorded the highest total flavonoids and flavanol content. The antioxidant activities of the different fruits ranged from 0.17 to 0.67 IC 50 for DPPH activity and 3.59-13.82 mg AAE/g for FRAP. These fruits had attractive pigmentation of both pulp and juice and were a good potential source for the extraction of natural edible color in the food industry. The fruits also possess high market prices; Prunus nepalensis fetched $ 34.10-$ 141.5 per tree. Therefore, these fruits are rich sources of antioxidants, pigments and have a high market value for livelihood and nutritional security., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Rymbai, Verma, Talang, Assumi, Devi, Vanlalruati, Sangma, Biam, Chanu, Makdoh, Singh, Mawleiñ, Hazarika and Mishra.)