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Farmers are not growing diversified crops and applying huge amounts of agrochemicals and imbalanced fertilizers in the rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS), since the 1960s. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbial and nutrient dynamics in Indian mustard ( Brassica juncea L. ) under various sowing environments and nutrient sources during Rabi season (October–March), 2015–2016. The experiment was laid out in the split-plot design with three sowing dates in main-plots, and eight nutrient sources in sub-plots. The maximum bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes population, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), dehydrogenase activities, and available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur (NPKS) were recorded on November 17 sown crop, and the lowest was observed on December 7 sowing during both the years, and in the pooled analysis. Furthermore, applied nutrient sources, highest bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes population, available NPKS, SMBC, and dehydrogenase activity were observed in 75% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) + 25% N through pressmud (PM) +  Azotobacto  +  phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB) than other nutrient sources. In conclusion, high demand and cost of chemical fertilizers can be replaced by 25% amount easily and locally available organic manures like PM compost to sustain the soil health and crop productivity. It will be helpful to restore the soil biodiversity in the RWCS and provide a roadmap for the researchers, government planners, and policymakers for the use of PM as a source of organic matter and nutrients.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a highly versatile crop with huge demand of nitrogen (N) for its growth and development. N is the most essential macronutrient for crop production. Despite being the highest abundant element in the atmosphere (~ 78%), it is scarcely available for plant growth. To fulfil the N demand, commercial agriculture is largely dependent on synthetic fertilizers. Excessive dependence on inorganic fertilizers has created extensive ecological as well as economic problems worldwide. Hence, for a sustainable solution to nitrogenous fertilizer use, development of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in cereals will be the best alternative. BNF is a well-known mechanism in legumes where diazotrophs convert atmospheric nitrogen (N≡N) to plant-available form, ammonium (NH4+). From many decades, researchers have dreamt to develop a similar symbiotic partnership as in legumes to the cereal crops. A large number of endophytic diazotrophs have been found associated with maize. Elucidation of the genetic and molecular aspects of their interaction will open up new avenues to introgress BNF in maize breeding. With the advanced understanding of N-fixation process, researchers are at a juncture of breeding and engineering this symbiotic relationships in cereals. Different breeding, genetic engineering, omics, gene editing, and synthetic biology approaches will be discussed in this review to make BNF a reality in cereals. It will help to provide a road map to develop/improve the BNF in maize to an advance step for the sustainable production system to achieve the food and nutritional security.

Regulatory response and interaction of Bradyrhizobium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a vital role in rhizospheric soil processes and productivity of soybean (Glycine max L.). Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are essential nutrients for plant growth and productivity, the synergistic interaction(s) of AMF and Bradyrhizobium along with rhizospheric beneficial microorganisms stimulate soybean growth and development through enhanced mineral nutrient acquisition (N and P) and improved rhizosphere environment. Such interactions are crucial, especially under low-input eco-friendly agricultural cropping systems, which rely on biological processes rather than agrochemicals to maintain soil quality, sustainability, and productivity. Furthermore, enhancement of N-fixation by root nodules along with AMF-mediated synergism improves plant P nutrition and uptake, and proliferation of phosphate-solubilizing fungi. However, the genetic and/or allelic diversity among native strains, their genes/enzymes and many environmental factors (e.g., soil organic matter, fertilizers, light, temperature, soil moisture, and biotic interactors) affect the interactions between AMF and Bradyrhizobium. New information is available regarding the genetic composition of elite soybean inoculant strains in maximizing symbiotic performance, N-fixing capabilities and depending on N and P status the host-mediated regulation of root architecture. Overall, for sustainable soybean production systems, a deeper understanding of the interaction effects of Bradyrhizobium and AMF co-inoculation are expected in the future, so that optimized combinations of microorganisms can be applied as effective soil inoculants for plant growth promotion and fitness. The objective of this review is to offer insights into the mechanistic interactions of AMF and Bradyrhizobium and rhizopheric soil health, and elucidate the role of environmental factors in regulating growth, development and sustainable soybean productivity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that in developing nations, there are three million cases of agrochemical poisoning. The prolonged intensive and indiscriminate use of agrochemicals adversely affected the soil biodiversity, agricultural sustainability, and food safety, bringing in long-term harmful effects on nutritional security, human and animal health. Most of the agrochemicals negatively affect soil microbial functions and biochemical processes. The alteration in diversity and composition of the beneficial microbial community can be unfavorable to plant growth and development either by reducing nutrient availability or by increasing disease incidence. Currently, there is a need for qualitative, innovative, and demand-driven research in soil science, especially in developing countries for facilitating of high-quality eco-friendly research by creating a conducive and trustworthy work atmosphere, thereby rewarding productivity and merits. Hence, we reviewed (1) the impact of various agrochemicals on the soil microbial diversity and environment; (2) the importance of smallholder farmers for sustainable crop protection and enhancement solutions, and (3) management strategies that serve the scientific community, policymakers, and land managers in integrating soil enhancement and sustainability practices in smallholder farming households. The current review provides an improved understanding of agricultural soil management for food and nutritional security.

Various faulty farming practices and low-performance cultivars selection are reducing crop yields, factor productivity, and soil fertility. Therefore, there is an urgent need to achieve better nutrient dynamics and sustainable production by selecting more nutrient-responsive cultivars using efficient nutrient management. The present experiment aimed to enhance crop productivity, seed quality, nutrient efficiency, and soil nutrient dynamics through efficient nutrient management under different lentil cultivars. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design, assigning three cultivars (viz. Sapna, Garima, and HM-1) in the main plots and ten nutrient management practices in the sub-plots, replicating them thrice. Results revealed that cultivar HM-1 recorded significantly higher seed yield (1.59–1.61 Mg ha -1 ) and the uptake of N (67.2–67.6 kg ha -1 ), P (6.8–7.0 kg ha -1 ), K (13.8–13.9 kg ha -1 ), Zn (60.4–61.1 g ha -1 ), and Fe (162.5–165.2 g ha -1 ) in seed compared to Sapna and Garima. Also, the cultivar HM-1 was more efficient in terms of partial factor productivity for NPK (PFP; 24.27–24.59 kg kg -1 ), partial nutrient balance (PNB; 2.09–2.13 kg kg -1 ) and internal utilisation efficiency (IUE; 11.64–11.85 kg kg -1 ). The study showed that the lentil cultivar HM-1 could be successfully grown by substituting 50% RDN with organic manures, i . e ., vermicompost, without compromising crop productivity and soil fertility, thereby sustaining soil-human-environment health.

Dill seeds ( Anethum graveolens L.) is the most valuable medicinal seed spice crop of Apiaceae. It bears small yellow flowers in the form of umbels. Being a cross-pollinated crop, floral visitors play vital role in pollination and seed sets. Hence, the present study was conducted at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer (Rajasthan), India to discover the pollinator’s community, foraging behaviour and abundance of most frequent pollinators and different modes of pollination on seed yield and quality of this seed spice crop. The insect visitors community of dill seeds was composed of 28 insect species belonging to 14 families of 6 orders. Most of floral visitors started their foraging activity at 8.00 h, reached peak activity between 12.00 and 14.00 h and their activity ceased at 18.00 h. Apis florea, A. dorsata, A. mellifera , solitary bee, Halictus sp. and two unidentified species of Hymenoptera; Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer), Episyrphus sp., Eristalis sp and two other Musca species of Diptera were identified as potential and regular floral visitors of dill seeds. The highest seed yield of 1505.63 kg/ha was recorded in the treated plots provided with only 10% jaggery solution and was at par with the open pollination. A lower seed yield of 1432.5 kg/ha was recorded in plots pollinated only with A. mellifera inside insect cages. Open pollination with 10% jaggery solution spray increased the seed yield of dill seed crop by 57%, one-thousand seed test weight by 96% and the essential oil content by 27% over control plots. These results show that managed pollination is a much better way to enhance yields and quality of dill seed crop than other treatments including only honeybee-based pollination.

ABSTRACT The rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system faces major challenges such as stagnant yields, high input and energy demands, and increasing soil and air pollution. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is a promising crop for diversification within rice‐based ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different sowing dates and nutrient sources on energy budgeting in diversified Indian mustard and to assess the impact of these nutrient sources on heat‐cum‐carbon efficiency. The experiment was conducted using a split‐plot design (SPD) with three sowing dates—November 17, November 27, and December 07—in the main plots, and eight nutrient sources in the subplots, where the recommended dose of fertilizer was 100 N:50 P2O5:50 K2O:40 S kg ha−1. The results, based on pooled data, indicated that among the sowing dates, November 17 recorded the highest values for several key metrics. These include energy use efficiency (EUE: 3.46, 5.12, and 12.16), energy production (EP: 0.152, 0.41, and 0.56 kg MJ−1), net energy (NE: 29,712, 50,483, and 92,558 MJ ha−1), energy profitability (EPr: 2.46, 2.88, and 6.34), human energy profitability (HEP: 364.82, 412.60, and 777.42), energy output efficiency (EOE: 364.69, 412.49, and 777.18 MJ d−1), carbon output (CO: 815, 2215, and 3030 kg CE ha−1), carbon efficiency (CE: 2.07, 5.59, and 7.66), and carbon sustainability index (CSI: 1.07, 4.59, and 6.66) for seed, stover, and biological yield, respectively, compared to the crops sown on November 27 and December 07. The study also revealed significant increases in heat use efficiency (HUE) on dry matter at 45 and 90 days after sowing (DAS) and on seed, stover, and biological yield (13.3, 8.46, 1.52, 4.16, and 5.69 kg ha−1°C days, respectively). In the subplots, the highest EUE (3.92, 5.10, and 12.1), EP (0.172, 0.408, and 0.58 kg ha−1), and EPr (2.92, 2.86, and 6.78) for seed, stover, and biological yield were observed in the control treatment, outperforming the other nutrient sources on a pooled basis. The highest SE production (8.59, 3.48, and 2.47 MJ kg−1) for seed, stover, and biological yield was recorded with the application of 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) combined with Azotobacter and phosphorus‐solubilizing bacteria (PSB). Furthermore, the highest NE (35,427, 52,203, and 102,370 MJ ha−1), HEP (434.02, 438.67, and 872.68), EOE (448.37, 452.68, and 901.04 MJ d−1), CO (972, 2359, and 3331 kg CE ha−1), CE (2.48, 6.01, and 8.48), CSI (1.48, 5.01, and 7.48), and HUE (1.67, 4.12, and 5.81 kg ha−1°C days) for seed, stover, and biological yield were observed with the application of 75% RDF + 25% nitrogen from pressmud, combined with Azotobacter and PSB. This study provides a novel framework for optimizing sowing dates and nutrient sources that can lead to the development of an energy‐efficient, heat‐cum‐carbon‐efficient, and eco‐friendly production system. Its findings offer scalable solutions for enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental footprints in rice‐based cropping systems.

Plants have been pivotal in traditional and modern medicine globally, with historical evidence supporting their therapeutic applications. Nigella ( L.) is an annual herbaceous plant of the Ranunculaceae family and is cultivated in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western and Central Asia. The medicinal use of plants dates back thousands of years, documented in ancient writings from various civilizations. Alkaloids, phenolics, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, anthraquinones, and tannins found in plants exhibit antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial, and antidiabetic activities. This study specifically examines the pharmacological potential of L., emphasizing thymoquinone-a compound with diverse nutraceutical benefits. The extraction, characterization, and quantification of thymoquinone, alongside other physicochemical parameters, were carried out using ethanol through Soxhlet extraction procedures on five nigella varieties. HPLC analysis was performed to determine the maximum accumulation of thymoquinone in the released variety of the plant and the chemical composition of the seed oil isolated from L., varieties utilized in the study was determined through GC-MS analysis. The research revealed that the Ajmer nigella-20 variety stands out, exhibiting elevated levels of thymoquinone (0.20 ± 0.07%), antioxidants (76.18 ± 1.78%), and substantial quantities of total phenols (31.85 ± 0.97 mg GAEg seed) and flavonoids (8.150 ± 0.360 mg QE 100 g seed) compared to other varieties. The GC-MS profiling showed the presence of 11 major compounds in the studied varieties, with p-cymene, longifolene, and myristic acid identified as the major chemical compounds present in the oil. The observed variations among Nigella varieties indicate the Ajmer nigella-20 variety as particularly promising for thymoquinone and bioactive compound extraction. This study underscores Nigella's potential as a source of pharmacologically active compounds, highlighting the need for further exploration in therapeutic applications.

Groundwater and soil potassium deficiencies are present in northern India. Sugarcane is a vital crop in the Indian Punjab; it is grown on approximately 91,000 hectares with an average yield of 80 tonnes ha−1 and a sugar recovery rate of 9.59%. The role of potassium (K) fertilizer under both sufficient and deficient irrigation in ratoon sugarcane crops is not well documented. We conducted a split-plot ratoon cane experiment during 2020–2021 at the Gurdaspur Regional Research Station of Punjab Agricultural University, India, on K-deficient soils. Main treatments were fully irrigated (I1) and water stressed (I0) conditions, with sub-treatments reflecting K fertilizer application rates of 0 (M1), 67 (M2), 133 (M3), and 200 (M4) kg K ha−1. The ratoon sugarcane performance was assessed in terms of growth, productivity, sugar quality and incidence of key insect pests. At harvest, trends in the growth and yield parameters in I1 were improved over the I0 treatment, with cane height (+12.2%), diameter (+3.3%), number of internodes (+5.4%), biomass yield (+7.6%) and cane yield (+5.9%) all higher, although little significant difference was observed between treatments. Ratoon cane yield under irrigation was 57.1 tonnes ha−1; in water-stressed conditions, it was 54.7 tonnes ha−1. In terms of sugarcane quality parameters, measured 12 months after harvesting the initial seed crop, values of Brix (+3.6%), pol (+3.9%), commercial cane sugar percentage (+4.0%) and extractable sugar percentage (+2.8%) were all higher in the irrigated treatments than the water-stressed plot. Irrigated treatments also had a significantly lower incidence of two key insect pests: top borer (Scirpophaga excerptalis) was reduced by 18.5% and stalk borer (Chilo auricilius) by 21.7%. The M3 and M4 treatments resulted in the highest cane yield and lowest incidence of insect pests compared to other K-fertilizer treatments. Economic return on K-fertilizer application increased with increasing fertilizer dosage. Under the potassium-deficient water-stressed conditions of the region of north India, a fertilizer application rate of 133 kg K ha−1 is recommended to improve ratoon sugarcane growth, yield, and quality parameters and economic returns for sugarcane farmers.

The preparation and complex permittivity and permeability measurement of a new U-type of hexaferrite microwave absorbing material (Ba4 Mg2 − x MnxFe36 O60) is reported for different value of x in range 0 ≤ x ≤ 2. Complex permittivity and permeability values of hexaferrite pellets are measured using a vector network analyser (VNA) in X-band. The reflection loss of the materials is computed for different values of x and thickness using the measured permittivity and permeability values. The optimum reflection loss is found to be −43 dB for hexaferrite pellet (x = 0.5) at a thickness of t = 1.7 mm. Microwave absorbing paint pellets are prepared by mixing hexaferrite powder with polyimide solution and their complex permeability and permittivity are also measured using a VNA. Using these measured values, radar cross-section reduction simulation for artillery shells has been carried out using electromagnetic simulation software in the 8–10 GHz frequency range. A maximum radar cross-section reduction of 15 dB has been observed for a 30 mm artillery shell at 9 GHz.