Botanical powders were evaluated for their grain protectant efficiency against Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus in stored black gram grain. Among the various botanical powders tested, neem leaf (Azadirachta indica A. Juss), garlic bulb (Allium sativum Linnaeus) and eucalyptus leaf (Eucalyptus globulus Labill) @ 2 per cent (w/w) recorded more than 32 per cent adult mortality, higher half-life values (&gt; 56.97 days) and higher gross persistency (&gt; 1999.48). Significantly lower number of adults were emerged (&lt; 20.75) in these botanical powders during six months of storage period.

Evaluation of botanicals against Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus in&nbsp;black gram under storage condition&nbsp;

<div>Background: The spice crop chili is cultivated all over Bangladesh but the yield is very low due to the infestation of insect and mite pests. This study investigated the efficacy of some botanical and synthetic chemicals for management of mite, whitefly and thrips attacking chili plants. 
 
Methods: The chili variety BARI Morich 2 was cultivated in Gazipur, Bangladesh and the chemicals, namely Neem oil @ 1.5 ml/L water, Omite 57 EC @ 2.0 ml/L water, Vertimec 018 EC @ 1.25 ml/L water, Liquor 1.8 EC @ 2.0 ml/L water and Confidor 20% SL @ 1.5 ml/L water were applied on the plants to manage mite, whitefly and thrips. The efficacy of the botanical and synthetic pesticides was compared to control treatment (untreated). 
 
Result: The applied chemicals significantly reduced the abundance of mite, thrips and whiteflies, resulting in the lower level of leaf curl index of plants compared to control. All the treatments revealed a significantly higher yield and benefit-cost ratio than that of control. Omite showed the lowest abundance of mite and Confidor showed the lowest leaf curl index with a lower abundance of whiteflies and thrips. Confidor treated plots gave the highest yield and benefit-cost ratio.</div>

Management of Insect and Mite Pests of Chili using Botanical and Synthetic Chemicals

<div>Background: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the world&rsquo;s third most important pulse crop. Collar rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. is an important devasting disease of chickpea in areas where seedling is exposed to high temperature and high moisture in the soil, affected seedlings turn yellow, which can be easily pulled out, which causes considerable damage to the plant stand. Botanical&rsquo;s control is very important aspects to minimize cost of cultivation and also to avoid environment pollution and health hazards. Thus, botanicals extracts were tested for their efficacy against S. rolfsii for manage the disease. 
 
Methods: Present investigation was undertaken for bio-efficacy of aqueous botanical extracts of different non-host plants viz., neem seeds kernel extract (NSKE), neem leaves extract (NLE), tulsi leaves extract (TLE), datura leaves extract (DLE), aak leaves extract (ALE), lantana leaves extract (LLE), kaner leaves extract (KLE) and gajargass leaves extract (GLE) were evaluated in vitro at three concentrations viz., 5, 10 and 15% against S. rolfsii causing collar rot of chickpea, by using poisoned food technique. Most effective in vitro evaluate botanical extracts further tested for their efficacy against management of the disease under pot experiment in net house.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The result revealed that all the botanical extracts are significantly inhibited the growth of test organism at all the concentrations tested after 96 h of inoculation. The NSKE recorded significantly superior in inhibiting mycelial growth up to 47.22 and 59.44% at 10 and 15% concentration, respectively with a mean of 46.85%, followed by tulsi leaves extract with 43.61 and 56.11% at 10 and 15% concentration respectively with a mean of 43.61%. While, at 5% concentration both extracts at par statistically to each other. Lantana leaves extract is found statistically at par with tulsi leaf extract at all concentrations least inhibition was observed in kaner leaves extract under in vitro condition. Under pot experiments all the treatments proved significantly superior when compared with inoculated control. NSKE @ 15% concentration was found significantly superior to control the disease, when applied through seed treatment and integration of seed treatment and post emergence seedling drenching at 7 DAG.</div>

Preliminary Studies on Bio-efficacy of Different Botanical Extracts against Sclerotium rolfsii (Sacc.) Causing Collar Rot of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

<div>Background: Onion (Allium cepa L.) is a major bulbous vegetable as well as condiment of family Alliaceae grown in India, originated in Iran and Pakistan. Seed pelleting is a mechanism of applying various materials to the seed that can enhance the seed quality with respect to physiological, physical and health attributes. Seed deterioration during storage is inevitable process; however seed pelleting can reduce the rate of deterioration. The leaf powders possess antioxidant, fungicidal and insecticidal properties that helps in maintaining the seed quality during storage.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The present investigation was carried out in the laboratory of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during the seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. This experiment comprised of pelleted seeds with different botanicals carried out to determine the effect of seed pelleting and storage potential of pelleted seeds.&nbsp; 
 
Result: This experiment comprised of pelleted seeds with different botanicals. In all the treatments gum Arabica (5%) was used as the adhesive except control. The pelleted seeds with different material were stored at ambient conditions for nine months. Highest germination (81.75%), seedling length (11.20 cm), seedling dry weight (1.82 g), seedling vigour index- length (920.33), seedling vigour index- mass (148.90) and speed of germination (26.57) were observed in onion seeds pelleted with Azadirechta indica leaf powder + clay and Melia azadirechta leaf powder + clay. Among the storage periods, fresh pelleted seed (0 month) showed maximum values with respect to germination (86.50%), seedling length (13.38 cm), seedling dry weight (2.02 g), seedling vigour index- length (1154.50), seedling vigour index- mass (173.52) and speed of germination (29.04). From the present studies, it can be concluded that onion seeds pelleted with Azadirechta indica leaf powder + clay and Melia azadirechta leaf powder + clay showed significant effects for enhancing seed quality during storage.</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

<div>Influence of Botanical Seed Pelleting on Storability of Onion (Allium cepa L.)</div>

<div>Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is grown globally and it is affected by many widespread diseases and infestations in all the groundnut growing areas. &nbsp;In Eritrea, leaf spot diseases are prevalent that is caused by fungi (Passalora arachidicola and P. personata) and results great losses. Botanical pesticides play an important role to control fungal infections due to their non-phytotoxic and eco-friendly nature. This study intended to evaluate the efficacy of selected botanicals viz., Neem (Azadirachta indica), Melia (Melia azadirach), Lantana (Lantana camara), Datura (Datura metel) and Marigold (Tagetes patula) on plant height, intensity of leaf spots disease and yield of groundnut in Hamelmalo zoba, Eritrea, during 2017-2018. Extract of neem leaves (5.66, 14.10 and 25.38%) showed high significance in plant height after 20, 40 and 60 days, respectively, as compared to untreated control (21.07%) and mancozeb (treated control). The lowest disease intensity was recorded in the application of neem extract (15%w/v) at different days after sowing. However, mancozeb (2 g/liter) was the most effective and followed by Neem &gt; Melia &gt; Lantana showed improvement in plant growth and maximum reduction in disease intensity. The highest reduction rate in &lsquo;disease incidence&rsquo; and &lsquo;disease severity&rsquo; was found in Neem extract application (63.11 and 40.29) after mancozeb (56.52 and 36.18) at 95 DAS at 5% significant level. &nbsp;Among the botanicals, plants treated with Neem extract was observed with highest number of pods (89.45) and yield (98.10 q/ha) followed by Melia (5% w/v) i.e. 87.59 and 95.02 respectively.</div>

Evaluation of Botanicals to Manage Leaf Spots (Passalora arachidicola and Passalora personatum) of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Zoba Hamelmalo Region of Eritrea

Background: Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important cereal crop in Kashmir temperate zones, used for both human consumption and cattle feed. Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) caused by Bipolaris maydis is an emerging concern for maize cultivation in the Kashmir Valley. This disease poses a substantial threat to maize farming in this region which is need for disease surveillance and management strategies.The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of SCLB in Kashmir as well as to investigate the efficacy of various fungicides and botanicals against B. maydis under in vitro conditions. 
 
Methods: To document the disease incidence and severity, survey was carried out in six districts of Kashmir during the kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023. The antifungal efficacy of botanical extracts along with systemic and non-systemic fungicides were evaluated against B. maydis under laboratory conditions. 
 
Result: Field surveys during kharif season of 2022 and 2023 across six districts showed significant variability in disease incidence and severity which is influenced by temperature, humidity and altitude. The highest disease incidence (18.3%) and severity (15.6%) were recorded in Anantnag and Budgam districts of Kashmir, respectively, while Baramulla showed the lowest incidence (4.16%). Among systemic fungicides, Propiconazole exhibited the highest efficacy and when combined with Carbendazim, recorded 100% mycelial growth inhibition. Mancozeb, a non-systemic fungicide, also showed strong inhibition activity up to 93.4% at 500 ppm. Hexaconazole was the least effective among the systemics, especially at lower concentrations. Botanical extracts were also tested for antifungal potential. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) at 20% concentration exhibited the highest inhibition (93.44%) due to its active compounds like curcuminoids. 
&nbsp;

Survey and Assessment of Fungicides and Botanicals against Southern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Kashmir

<div>Background: Black gram is one of the important pulse crops of the world and India is the major producer and consumer of pulses in the world. One of the main reason for low productivity of pulses is that they are cultivated mostly in areas with low soil moisture and poor soil fertility. In order to overcome such adverse conditions, low-cost techniques like seed hardening/pelleting are preferred. Seed pelleting provides package of nutrients that influences seed or soil at the seed-soil interface. Since the cost involved is very less, an attempt has been made to study the effect of botanical seed pelleting and foliar spary on growth and yield parameters in black gram cv. CO 6. &nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the cumulative effect of botanical seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150g kg-1 and foliar spray of prosopis and moringa leaf powders with different concentrations (2%, 4%, 6% and 8%) on morpho physiological, leaf chlorophyll, gas exchange and yield parameters in black gram cv. CO 6 in the study. The observations on morpho physiological, leaf chlorophyll, gas exchange and yield parameters were recorded, statistically analysed and discussed here. 
 
Result: From the results, it was found that among the treatments, seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150 g kg-1 + foliar spray of prosopis leaf powder @ 6% recorded higher morpho physiological parameters viz., plant height (48.73 cm), number of branches plant-1 (8.78), dry matter production (14.83 g plant-1), chlorophyll &lsquo;a&rsquo; (1.03 mg g-1), chlorophyll &lsquo;b&rsquo; (1.11 mg g-1) and total chlorophyll content (2.14 mg g-1), photosynthesis and transpiration rates (27.33 mg CO2 m-2 s-1 and 10.60 mg H2O m-2 s-1), intercellular CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance (274.30 &micro; mol mol-1 and 0.82 mol-2 s-1). This treatment also recorded lower number of days to first flowering (23.23 days), earliness in 50 per cent flowering (30.12 days) and also recorded higher yield parameters such as lengthier pods, more number of pods plant-1, pod yield plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, seed yield &nbsp;plant-1, seed yield ha-1 and hundred seed weight of 5.60 cm, 26.30, 8.20 g, 7.30, 5.30 g, 795.12 kg ha-1 and 5.83 g, respectively as compared to other treatments. To conclude, seed pelleting with pungam leaf powder @ 150 g kg-1 + foliar spray of prosopis leaf powder @ 6% proved to be the best in enhancing morpho physiological, growth and yield parameters.</div>

<div>Cumulative Effect of Botanical Seed Pelleting and Foliar Spray on Morpho Physiological, Leaf Chlorophyll, Gas Exchange and Yield Parameters in Black gram</div>

Background: Blackgram is an important pulse crop in India, but storage pests such as Callosobruchus maculatus can cause severe damage. Synthetic insecticides are commonly used to manage these pests, but mixing them with food grains is not recommended. Instead, safer alternatives like botanicals can be used. However, botanical powders have a short post-application duration, which reduces their effectiveness. To enhance their efficacy, spinosad can be combined with botanical powders, resulting in a cost-effective and long-lasting solution. This study aims to evaluate the toxicity of this combination against C. maculatus. 
 
Methods: Botanicals like sweet flag powder and neem kernel powder were used in the experiment. Spinosad was mixed with these treatments and was used for the bio-assay with one-day-old adults of C. maculatus by mixing with blackgram seed. Mortality data were recorded at 1,2,3,5 and 7 days after the release of the test insect to calculate LD50 and other parameters for botanicals in combination with spinosad.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The highest co-toxicity coefficient was recorded for sweet flag powder (141.17) than neem kernel powder. Compared to neem kernel powder, sweet flag powder enhanced the mortality rate when combined with spinosad. Hence, a combination of sweet flag powder and spinosad is recommended for the control of C. maculatus.

Evaluation of Co-toxicity Coefficient for Combined Impact of Botanicals with Spinosad against Pulse Beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus in stored Blackgram

<div>Background: Foot and root rot disease caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is a destructive soil borne disease of lentil (Lens culinaris). The present experiment was conducted to determine the inhibitory effect of thirteen plant extracts and two bio-control agents on in vitro mycelium growth of S. rolfsii.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The experiment was conducted in the Laboratory of Pulse Research Center, RARS, BARI, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh during rabi season in 2015. Seven isolates of S. rolfsii were collected from foot and root rot affected lentil plant. Antifungal activity of thirteen botanicals and two biocontrol agents (T. harziznum and T. viride) was tested against a fast growing isolate (Sc-38) of the pathogen following poisoned food technique.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Out of thirteen botanicals, only Black cumin inhibited colony growth of S. rolfsii, where the colony diameter ranged 0.00-6.00 cm at different days after incubation. A moderate inhibition was achieved with Tulsi at 3, 6 and 9 DAI compared to control. Amendment of PDA with compost and liquid T. harziznum and T. viride remarkably inhibited the colony growth of S. rolfsii compared to control. Efficacy of four treatments of biocontrol agents was much better than botanical treatments. Two botanical extracts (Black cumin and Tulsi) and biocontrol agents (T. harzianum and T. viride) were found effective against S. rolfsii.</div>

<div>&nbsp;</div>

Antifungal Activity of Botanicals and Biological agents against Sclerotium rolfsii Causing Foot and Root Rot Disease of Lentil

<div>Background: Geographical and botanical origins of honeys are determined by melissopalynological analysis. Pollen contents of 12 autumn honeys collected from Indian honey bee, Apis cerana F. hives located in different localities of Kullu hills of Himachal Pradesh were analysed. Kullu hills having varied geography, climatic condition with diversified and rich flora is ideal for apiculture. So, it is of utmost importance to study the floral richness of the area and preferences of honey bees for nectar and pollen in order to obtain maximum production of a good quality of honey. Thus, the present work was carried out to determine the critical analysis of honey samples and to identify the different pollen types which are major plant sources that contribute to the increase of yield of honey. 
 
Methods: Melissopalynological studies were conducted between 2009 to 2012. Reference pollen slides of honey samples were prepared and identified. Quantative analysis is done with the help of a haemocytometer and pollen spectra, absolute pollen count as well as percentage of pollen types were calculated. Reference slides were also prepared. 
 
Result: Microscopic analysis yielded that in honey samples, 5 pollen types were present as predominant; 17 were secondary, while, 38 were important minor and minor pollen sources. Out of 12 honey samples analysed, 5 were unifloral, whereas, 7 were multifloral. In the unifloral honeys, the predominant sporomorphs were: Prunus cerasoides, Eriobotrya japonica, Prinsepia utilis, Plectranthus sp. and Solidago sp. Forty four pollen types were necteriferous, while, 6 were nectarless represented by Cannabis sativa, Juglans regia, Rumex nepalensis, Polygonum sp. and Zea mays. Among different plant families, Lamiaceae (8), Asteraceae (7), Rosaceae (7), Fabaceae (4), Polygonaceae (3) and Apiaceae (2) highly contributed for nectar and pollen sources of honey bee. Twenty five botanical families with 50 different pollen taxa were identified indicating the various plants visited by honeybees and the sources of nectar used in the production of honey. The high concentration and diversity of pollen types showed that the samples were of botanical origin.</div>

Evaluation of botanicals against Callosobruchus chinensis Linnaeus in black gram under storage condition

Management of Insect and Mite Pests of Chili using Botanical and Synthetic Chemicals

Preliminary Studies on Bio-efficacy of Different Botanical Extracts against Sclerotium rolfsii (Sacc.) Causing Collar Rot of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Influence of Botanical Seed Pelleting on Storability of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Evaluation of Botanicals to Manage Leaf Spots (Passalora arachidicola and Passalora personatum) of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Zoba Hamelmalo Region of Eritrea

Survey and Assessment of Fungicides and Botanicals against Southern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Kashmir

Cumulative Effect of Botanical Seed Pelleting and Foliar Spray on Morpho Physiological, Leaf Chlorophyll, Gas Exchange and Yield Parameters in Black gram

Evaluation of Co-toxicity Coefficient for Combined Impact of Botanicals with Spinosad against Pulse Beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus in stored Blackgram

Antifungal Activity of Botanicals and Biological agents against Sclerotium rolfsii Causing Foot and Root Rot Disease of Lentil

Melissopalynological Determination of Pollen Density and Botanical Origin of Autumn Honeys of Kullu Hills, Himachal Pradesh, India