Exploring the importance of fungi in agricultural biotechnology

Zarafi A.B. and Dauda W.P.

Page No: 1-12

In the drive for economic diversification and search for revenue source that is sustainable (environmentally and economically), agriculture has proven an important sector to meet such need. Agriculture was and can still play a role as a main backbone in many economies of the world. To fulfill this role in the current dispensation of population explosion, climate change with its attendant problems, agriculture must shift to the modern trend in biotechnology.

Biotechnology and its products therefore usher in a new era for scientists and stalk holders in agricultural value chains. At every stage/ aspect of agriculture, biotechnology has a vital role to play since one ultimate objective of agricultural biotechnology is the production of safe food and agro-based industrial raw materials for the ever-growing world population. To achieve this objective, biotechnologists are using living organisms, fungi inclusive, to provide products beneficial to man. This study elucidates the various aspect where fungi can be utilized in agriculture.

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Food, Water and Energy nexus in the arena of Climate Change - Indian Perspective

Pushpanjali, Samuel Josily, Angayarkanni A. and Karthikeyan K.

Page No: 13-18

Food, water and energy are inseparably linked and actions in one sector influence the others. Essential inputs for food production are water and energy; water extraction, treatment and redistribution need energy; and energy also requires water. Food production depends on water, land and other natural resources, in other words a range of ecosystem services. Food and agricultural practices in turn influence water and energy demand. Their demand is also influenced by dynamic nature of all the three as well by different policies. The resource stability nexus goes more troubling when considering the long-term consequences of climate change especially in developing countries like India. India is having two third of its area monsoon dependent, having diverse seasons, crops and farming system with close link between climate and water resources, nexus approach is need of the hour.

The nexus approach can enhance understanding of the inter-link of the sectors and strengthen coordination among them. But it requires a major shift in the decision-making process towards taking a holistic view for developing institutional mechanisms to coordinate the actions of diverse actors and strengthen complementarities and synergies among the three sectors.

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Growth and Development Response of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) to combine Application of Cow Dung and Biochar

Akpa A.J., Jayeoba O.J. and Dauda W.P.

Page No: 19-24

To evaluate the effect of combined application rates of cow dung and biochar on the growth and development of Okra, a field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm, Nasarawa State University Lafia, Nigeria, during the 2018 rainy season. The experimental design employed was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) involving 3 levels of cow dung (0, 8 and 12t ha-1) and 3 levels of biochar (0, 4 and 6t ha-1) at different combinations. The experiment was replicated three times with a total number of 27 plots. Data were collected on: plant height (cm), stem girth, number of leaves and leaves area. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of variance. Specifically, T8 (comprising of 12t ha-1 cow dung and 8t ha-1 biochar) produced the tallest plants at 4WAP, 6WAP, 7WAP and 8WAP. T8 also produced plants with the highest leaves area (119.40 cm2, 225.49 cm2, 342.96 cm2 and 387.00 cm2) at 5WAP, 6WAP, 7WAP and 8WAP respectively.

Results obtained from the study show that combination of cow dung and biochar supports good growth and the parameters measured were significantly enhanced at all the sampling periods. It can therefore be recommended that combination of cow dung and biochar at 12t ha-1 and 8t ha-1 respectively is necessary for effective growth and development of okra.

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Surgical Management of Aural Hematoma in dogs – A Report of 3 Cases

Tharasingh D.L., Suresh L., Kamalakar G., Sai Gunaranjan K. and Nagaraja B.N.

Page No: 25-27

3 dogs of various breeds presented to the clinic were diagnosed as aural haematoma based on physico-clinical examination. They were surgically drained out under general anaesthesia by linear incision made over swelling and the cavity was obliterated by through and through sutures. In 2 dogs, post operatively overhead pressure bandage and in one case conical bandage was applied. No recurrence was observed even after one month of surgery.

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Genesis and Approaches of Crop Insurance Schemes in India

Mondal Sabita, Pal P.K., Das Litan, Chakraborty Subhojit and Mula G.

Page No: 28-30

Adverse weather and natural disaster may cause heavy losses to our farmers. Crop insurance is a type of financial mechanism which helps the farmers by covering the losses occurring beyond their control. The purpose of this study is to provide a review of the major historical developments in crop insurance history with particular emphasis on its approaches. Thus, it presents a historical synthesis of literature on the crop insurance in India.

The study intends to show that there have been number of crop insurance schemes established from time to time but very few could prove them as a risk mitigation tools in long run. Many schemes failed due to unrealistic approaches and many new generated with improved version for better implementation and adoption.

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Herbal Medicinal Plants: Their reputation and counteractive exploitation in traditional and modern medicines – A Review

Sanjoy Shil

Page No: 31-45

Herbal medicinal plants play an important role in the treatment and management of many human diseases and ailments because these are the resources of traditional as well as many modern medicines are produced directly from plants. Medicinal plants are frequently used as raw materials for extraction of active ingredients which are used in the synthesis of different drugs. Medicine, in several developing countries, using local traditions and beliefs, is still the mainstay of health care.

According to WHO, herbal medicines serve the health needs of about 80 percent of the world’s population; especially for millions of people in the vast rural areas of developing countries. Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Medicinal plants are an integral component of research developments in both the traditional and modern medical industry. Such research focuses on the isolation and direct use of active medicinal constituents, or on the development of semi-synthetic drugs, or still again on the active screening of natural products to yield synthetic pharmacologically-active compounds.

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