<div style="text-align: justify;">Exploring ecosystem services for environment sustainability is the trending area of research in the field of natural resource management (NRM). Water is an important entity of agro-ecosystem, dryland agriculture greatly suffers due to want of moisture. Bi-cropping is one practice where different crops are grown in proximity to realize various benefits under uncertainties of dryland agriculture. Literacy among multifarious benefits of bi-cropping over monoculture is fairly rich among the researchers as well as growers. However, bio-irrigation is one such co-benefits which address about drought alleviating strategies under bi-cropping practice. In this technique, deep rooted plants suck up water from deep moist sub-soil and deposit part of that sucked water in the upper dry soil layers due to water potential gradient, during this hydraulic lift and redistribution shallow rooted neighboring crops in close proximity gets due benefits of this lifted water in alleviating drought. This is high time to device cropping systems of water limited environment to unlock the potentiality of dryland production units. Based on the published studies <em>Piliostigma reticulatum</em>, <em>Guiera senegalensis</em>, <em>Panicum maximum</em>, <em>Festuca arundinacea</em> and <em>Cajanus cajan</em> were identified as potential bio-irrigator arid agro-ecosystem.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Bio-irrigation: A Drought Alleviation Strategy through Induced Hydro-parasitization under Bi-cropping Practices of Rainfed Agro-ecosystem: A Review</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Dairy cattle and buffaloes (n=101) suffering from chronic diarrhea (&gt;3 weeks) with complete history of duration of diarrhea, systemic effects, body condition and faecal abnormalities were included in this study. Faecal samples, whole blood and rectal biopsies from selected animals were collected for the detection of Mycobacterium avium-subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Faecal smears were prepared and examined for the load of acid fast bacilli (AFB). Acid fast clumps were recorded in 40.6 per cent (41/101) of diarrheic animals and PCR confirmation was made byIS900 primers. MAP was detected in blood samples of four animals (4/41), while faecal samples were positive only in two of these 4 animals. All the four animals had persistent watery diarrhea and progressive loss in body weights and productivity. Rectal biopsies of two animals were positive by PCR. Remission of clinical signs was observed in these animals within 2-months. Biotyping of MAP-DNA from blood samples by IS1311 PCR-REA revealed restriction pattern of 67, 218 and 325 bp suggesting that MAP DNA belonged to &lsquo;Bison type&rsquo;, which is a major biotype infecting domestic livestock in India.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Bio-incidence and Bio-type of <em>Mycobacterium avium </em>subspecies<em> paratuberculosis</em> in diarrheic dairy cattle and buffaloes of Punjab area in India</div>

<div>Postharvest losses and their management practices of Maize production in Ethiopia were overviewed. Agriculture is vital for addressing food security problems in Ethiopia. Agriculture contributes to overcoming the food security problem through growth that distributes its benefits as widely as possible by increasing production and productivity. About 30 to 50 per cent postharvest loss is because of inappropriate collection, transport, storage and pest control systems in Ethiopia were found tremendous for different cereal grains. The review was done by collecting the various published and unpublished materials relevant information from different literature sources like libraries, research report, journals, books and Internet center. Postharvest quantity and quality loss of cereal grains in developing countries appear to be initiated mostly at the farm level, so the potential solutions for the problem are needed at the same level. To minimize losses and increase the shelf life of the food grains which inhibit the growth of pests and provide proper storage facilities, appropriate packaging materials and transportation facilities are required. A corrective suggestion on suitable approaches to loss reduction in postharvest handling of maize grains was reviewed. As the result of review, it concludes that further studies are needed concerning physical, bio-chemical and socio-economic aspects at each production level.</div>


<p>Postharvest Management Practices of Maize in Ethiopia: A Review</p>


<div>Sustainable agriculture relies on conservation of agricultural resources for future generation through paradigm shift of modern day chemical based farming to organic farming. This conversion is not only required for generating quality agricultural produce but also protecting the environment from chemical hazards. Organic farming is done through adopting various organic inputs as well as sustainable practices. Beside the manures, various traditional organic formulations commonly known as bio-enhancers like <em>Amritpani</em> play a key role in organic farming through boosting agricultural productivity as well as quality in an eco-friendly way. Application of <em>Amritpani</em> in agriculture is an age old practice to achieve high as well as sustainable agricultural production. It has diversity of nutrients, beneficial micro-organisms, growth promoting hormones, enzymes, vitamins, bio-pesticidal compounds <em>etc</em>. which can improve soil health as well as crop productivity and protect the crop from pests by boosting the plant&rsquo;s immunity power. Encouragement of soil microbial activity through <em>Amritpani</em> is a vital factor of success of organic farming in many areas. However, <em>Amritpani</em> still lacks scientific testing and therefore, requires adequate researches on its efficacy before recommendation.&nbsp;This can be achieved through multi-locational, multi-crop research trials as well as bio-chemical analysis of the formulation. Further, use of raw materials and their quantities, time, method and dose of application of end product should also be properly standardised before its effective transfusion in new areas through strong extension service.&nbsp;</div>


<p>&nbsp;​Use of Amritpani: An Excellent Bio-Enhancer for Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview</p>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>Increasing demands of food, depleting land, degrading land resources and changing climate are some of the important factors driving the cropping systems of any agro-ecological zone in the world. Cropping systems have been traditionally structured to maximize crop yields. Now, there is a strong need to design cropping systems which take into consideration the emerging social, economical and ecological or environmental concerns. Legumes can provide opportunities for increased productivity to be sustained because of their adaptability to various cropping patterns and ability to fix nitrogen. Legume-based crop rotation helps to conserve organic matter, maximise soil nitrogen, balance soil nutrients, maintain soil physical properties and break soil-borne disease cycles. Moreover, with increasing fertilizer prices and emphasis of the government for doubling the farmer&rsquo;s income by reducing cost of cultivation, the current trend is to explore the possibility of supplementing chemical fertilizer with the organic ones, more particularly organic manures and bio-fertilizer of microbial origin. The current study is aimed to increase small and marginal farmer&rsquo;s income and to reduce cost of cultivation through legume based vegetable cropping systems and to find out best farming practices.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Methods:</strong> Field experiments were conducted at Organic Farm Holta, Department of Organic Agriculture and Natural farming, CSK HPKV, Palampur (H.P.) during <em>kharif</em> and<em> rabi </em>seasons of 2018-19 and 2019-20 on silty clay loam soil to study the performance of different farming practices in legume based cropping system under mid- hills of H.P. Himalayas. The experiment was laid out under Split plot design with three replications comprising of three sequences in legume vegetable-based cropping systems <em>i.e</em>., &ldquo;Soybean-Onion&rdquo;, &ldquo;Okra-Pea&rdquo; and &ldquo;Mash-Garlic&rdquo; under different farming practices i.e., Organic farming, Natural farming, Inorganic and Integrated farming practices. For comparison of different crops soybean equivalent yield and pea equivalent yields were calculated in <em>kharif </em>and<em> rabi </em>seasons, respectively.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>In <em>kharif </em>seasons okra crop attained highest soybean equivalent yield followed by soybean and mash crop. In<em> rabi </em>seasons garlic crop attained highest pea grain equivalent yield followed by onion and pea crop. During both <em>kharif</em> seasons organic farming practices attained highest yield and was at par with integrated farming practices. Significantly highest yield was attained from integrated farming practices and was at par with organic farming practices in both rabi seasons. Highest net returns, net returns per rupee attained was in inorganic farming system. Highest cost of cultivation was found in organic farming practices.</div>


<p>​Performance of Different Farming Practices in Legume based Cropping System under Mid-hills of H.P. Himalayas</p>


<p><strong>Background: </strong>Agroforestry is a kind of land use system that has been practiced since long in many parts of the world. Even if agroforestry is contributing a lot for the farmers, no study has been conducted which acknowledges the socio-economic importance of agroforestry practices in Harari regional state. Therefore, this may create a problem to expand and adapt the practices to another area for the cope and mitigate climate changes, and achieve food security.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>The study used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. It ascertained the role of agroforestry practices in Harari regional state. A sample of 350 farmers was interviewed and selected using two-stage random sampling techniques.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> The results showed that 100% of the sample respondents practiced agroforestry as a land use for income source, shade, soil improvement, fodder, firewood, construction material, medicinal purposes etc. The components of the agroforestry system adopted by the local community were pulse, root, cereal crops and vegetables. Khat, Eritia, Acacia, Cordial, Zeziphus were the fodder species used. 78.57% of the respondents used a stallfeeding technique to feed their animals. The respondents obtained annual income of 32,199.16 Ethiopian birrs on average. In general, the agroforestry system helps the local communities to diversify their income, fulfill animal feed, and cope with and mitigate climate change. To sustain the local people with the climate change, decision-makers and researchers should give more attention to the preferred agroforestry species.<br />
<br />
<strong>JEL codes: </strong>O13, Q01, Q12, Q18, Q23</p>


<p>Agroforestry Practice and its Socioeconomic Benefits in Eastern Ethiopia</p>


<div>The present study was purposively conducted in native tract of Gangatiri cattle in Uttar Pradesh. The information were collected from 108 respondents, who were rearing Gangatiri cattle for their livelihood. It was observed that most (53.70%) of the respondents practicing 6-10 hrs grazing of their Gangatiri herd. All the farmers were providing natural service to cows in estrus, maximum number of them (54.63%) between 12 to 16 hrs after detection of estrus and 53.70 per cent of them with bulls available in village surroundings. Maximum number of respondents (35.20%) initially used indigenous knowledge for disease treatment and after that consulted with veterinary doctor/ stockman. Major diseases prevelant in the area include FMD, HS, BQ and mastitis. Gangatiri cows were found to be more resistance to the diseases and heat tolerant as compared to crossbred cattle. Majority (81.48%) of respondents kept their cattle on kachcha floor in good sanitary conditions. About 70.37% respondents made cattle shed as a part of their houses. Majority (59.25 %) of the cattle owners were using knuckling method of milking, which may be a cause of mastitis in animals. It can be concluded that there is need of awareness programmes on scientific cattle rearing practices and interventions like supply of semen of bulls of high genetic merit under AI programme or bulls of good genetic merit for natural breeding, adequate grazing land and inputs for health management practices are needed to make the Gangatiri cattle rearing more beneficial.</div>


<div>Management Practices for Rearing of Gangatiri Cattle in Native Tract</div>


<p><strong>Background: </strong>Agricultural development programs in India are crucial for promoting modern animal husbandry practices, enhancing livestock productivity, increasing rural incomes and ensuring food security. However, barriers such as lack of awareness, limited access to quality inputs, feed and veterinary services financial constraints, cultural beliefsand infrastructure deficiencies hinder the adoption for many smallholder farmers of these practices. So in this context, an attempt to assess the effectiveness of the farmer FIRST programme (FFP).<br />
<strong>&nbsp;<br />
Methods: </strong>Present study was conducted in the deliberately chosen districts of Karnal and Hisar, in the state of Haryana during 2018-2019. A total of 240 farmers, using random sampling, 120 farmers from each district were chosen, 60 farmers from each of the adopted and non-adopted villages, who were the beneficiary and non-beneficiary of FFP and the same was implemented by NDRI, Karnal and CCSHAU, Hisar.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>The effect of the programme was assessed, which revealed that in the adopted village, maximum adoption was recorded with respective artificial insemination (A.I.) practices (2.97), followed by feeding concentrate mixture to animals based on milk production (2.76), providing adequate open space to the animal (2.84), treatment for infertility, repeat breeding, anestrus cases by the veterinarian (2.91), clean milking practices (3.0). The study revealed significant differences in farmers&rsquo; adoption of advised animal husbandry practices, including breeding, reproduction, feeding, health careand overall animal practices, between adopted and non-adopted villages. The study recommends that the government expand the program&rsquo;s scope to enhance livestock farming and improve the socio-economic conditions of the farmer&rsquo;s community.</p>


<p>Effect of Farmer FIRST Program on the Adoption of Animal Husbandry Practices in Haryana</p>


<div style="text-align: justify;">India is endowed with a rich genetic diversity of fruits. The Hindustani centre represents 344 species of fruits. Northeast India, meeting ground of Indo-Malayan and Indo-Chinese bio-geographical areas is one of the 18 mega-biodiversity centers of the World, has contributed the fruit genera like <em>Citrus, Musa, Mangifera, Docynia, Elaeocarpus, Myrica, Morus, Artocarpus, </em>etc. There are a quite large number of indigenous and underutilized fruit crops, which are being used by the local inhabitants in rural areas. These underutilized fruits are fairly rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidant properties and are serving as protective food. Because of their curative properties, different parts of these fruit and plants have been used in ethno-medicines. Apart from their nutritive and medicinal values quite a few of these underutilized fruits have good flavor, colour and juice content and can be used for value additions. Several underutilized fruit species which have potential for commercial exploitation are yet to be utilized to their potential. These fruit crops have not undergone any conscious phase of domestication and selection. Their cultivation is very restricted and they grow in wild and semi wild condition and adapted to local climatic conditions. Hence they can thrive even under most adverse situation. Their adoption on a commercial scale, with crop improvement, standardization of cultural practices and popularization in diverse farming systems and value additions are warranted to achieve stability in farm production and food security. Many underutilized species, well adapted to marginal lands and with low cost inputs, may thus be of great benefit for the survival of poor communities, employment generation and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Underutilized Fruits of Assam for Livelihood and Nutritional Security</div>

<div><strong>Background:</strong> Agriculture and its allied sectors is an important sector in employment, income and food security. The increasing demands for food grains and cash crops, the area under fodder crops has been static since last 3-4 decades (8.4 mha) resulted into a net deficit in dry and green fodder is around 10 and 35%, respectively making livestock rearing more challenging. Conventional agriculture has largelybeen characterized by conventional tillage which caused soil degradation and negative impacts on soil physical and biological activity. To mitigate these negative effects, resource conservation technologies (RCTs) was tested and adopted to save substantial quantity of irrigation water, reducing the cost of cultivation, timely sowing, improve input use efficiency and left indirect effect on mitigating the adverse effect of climate changes. Biological N2 fixation (BNF) can make plants self-sustaining for N nutrition and avoiding the need for mineral N fertilization. The current study aimed enhancing fodder production by adoption of modern tillage practices and efficient N management.<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods:</strong> In this field-laboratory investigation during 2017-18, experiment &nbsp;was &nbsp;laid &nbsp;out &nbsp;in &nbsp;the &nbsp;split &nbsp;plot &nbsp;design consisting &nbsp;of &nbsp;three tillage &nbsp;practices &nbsp;zero tillage (ZT), conventional tillage (CT) and raised bed (RB) and six N management viz., &nbsp;N0, &nbsp;N75, N75+Rhizo, &nbsp;N100, &nbsp;N100+Rhizo and N125%. The soil of the experimental field was clay loam in texture having pH 7.30, EC; 0.35 dS/m, medium in organic carbon (0.63%), low in nitrogen (188.48 kg/ha), medium in phosphorus (23.56 kg/ha) and potassium (271.12 kg/ha). The recommended dose of fertilizer and other cultural practices was applied as per treatments with standard process. The crop was harvested at 60 days after sowing and weighed for green fodder yield. The observations growth, yields and quality parameters was recorded as per the standard method. Statistical analysis was done using analysis of variance in split plot design.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> ZT practices significantly improved growth attributes, fodder yield and available nitrogen. &nbsp;Higher fodder yield of cowpea was recorded with ZT as compared to CT and it was statistically similar in RB. The nitrogen management practices had significant effect on root length and root nodules, plant growth attributes, fodder yield and available N, P and K. The significant fodder yield was increase with successive increase of N application up to 75% N + rhizobium, over 0 and 75% N alone. The present work shows that adoption of ZT and inoculation of rhizobia had significantly improved soil health and stabilized fodder yield of cowpea besides decrease fertilizer nitrogen requirement in the irrigated agro-ecosystem of T-IGP.</div>


Bio-irrigation: A Drought Alleviation Strategy through Induced Hydro-parasitization under Bi-cropping Practices of Rainfed Agro-ecosystem: A Review

Bio-incidence and Bio-type of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in diarrheic dairy cattle and buffaloes of Punjab area in India

Postharvest Management Practices of Maize in Ethiopia: A Review

Use of Amritpani: An Excellent Bio-Enhancer for Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview

Performance of Different Farming Practices in Legume based Cropping System under Mid-hills of H.P. Himalayas

Agroforestry Practice and its Socioeconomic Benefits in Eastern Ethiopia

Management Practices for Rearing of Gangatiri Cattle in Native Tract

Effect of Farmer FIRST Program on the Adoption of Animal Husbandry Practices in Haryana

Underutilized Fruits of Assam for Livelihood and Nutritional Security

Effect of Rhizobium Inoculation and Tillage Practices on Fodder Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)