<div>Background: The food grain and non-food grain crops occupy 48 and 68% area respectively under rain fed condition. Due to uneven rainfall, the rainfed crop suffers for want of adequate soil moisture at critical growth stages. Under such situation, protective irrigation ensures adequate soil moisture which results higher production. Crops like tomato, maize, groundnut and red gram are predominantly grown during kharif as rain fed crops. Relieving the soil moisture stress during the critical crop growth stages with more efficient irrigation system assumes importance in rain fed farming.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: An experiment was conducted for three years during kharif 2008, 2009 and 2010 at the College Farm, Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agril. University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad&nbsp;on a sandy loam soil to study the yield advantage of protective sprinkler irrigation to kharif grown rain fed tomato, maize, groundnut and red gram crops. The trial was conducted in strip plot design with protective sprinkler irrigations as main plots and rainfed kharif crops as sub-plots and replicated thrice. The three main treatments comprised of - one protective sprinkler irrigation at flower/peg/tassel initiation, two protective sprinkler irrigations at flower and fruiting, tassel and grain filling, peg formation and pod filling and flowering and pod filling stages and rain fed (control). The sub treatments consisted of four crops- tomato, maize, groundnut and red gram.&nbsp; 
 
Result: There was an increase in yield with one and two protective sprinkler irrigations by 16.7 and 27.9; 17.7 and 44 5; 26.4 and 34.5 and 21.1 and 28.9% over their corresponding rain fed crops of tomato, groundnut, maize and red gram, respectively. There was an increase of 20.4 and 31.6% in Maize Equivalent Yield (MEY) with one and two protective irrigations as compared to rain fed crop. The water productivity was lower in all the crops grown under rain fed conditions (0.77 kg MEY m-3) as compared to that of one and two protective irrigations.</div>

<div>Influence of Protective Sprinkler Irrigation on Yield and Water Productivity of Kharif Grown Rain Fed Crops</div>

<div>Food security is one of the major concerns for all developing countries of the world. Even though we had attained the highest food production with the use of new technologies, we may not able to feed the burgeoning population adequately in coming years due to stagnant crop productivity. Natural source of nutrients like organic manures and external source of nutrients, viz. fertilizers, are considered as the two eyes in plant nutrient management. Nutrient use efficiency of fertilizer is very low due to numerous pathways of losses such as leaching, denitrification, microbial immobilization, fixation and runoff. It has been estimated that around 40-70% of nitrogen, 80-90% of phosphorus, 50-70% of potassium and more than 95% of micronutrient content of applied fertilizers are lost in to the environment and results in pollution (Kanjana, 2017).&nbsp; 
 
Smart fertilizers like slow and controlled release fertilizers, nanofertilizers and bioformulation fertilizers are the new technologies to enhance the nutrient use efficiency their by improving crop yield in sustainable manner. The use of slow and controlled release fertilizers increase nutrient use efficiency, minimize the risks like leaf burning, water contamination and eutrophication. Nano-fertilizers are the nano-particles-based fertilizers, where supply of the nutrients is made precisely for maximum plant growth, have higher use efficiency, exploiting plant unavailable nutrients in the rhizosphere and can be delivered on real time basis into the rhizosphere or by foliar spray (Priyanka Solangi et al., 2015). The small size, high specific surface area and reactivity of nano fertilizers increase the solubility, diffusion and availability of nutrients to plants and enhance crop productivity. Bioformulation is microbial preparations containing specific beneficial microorganisms which are capable of fixing or solubilizing or mobilizing plant nutrients for promoting plant growth and crop yield. Smart fertilizers are the better option for the farmers to increase their crop yield with low input cost in sustainable way without degrading natural environment.</div>

<div>Smart Fertilizer Strategy for Better Crop Production</div>

<div>Background: For the successful adoption of organic farming especially under protected cultivation conditions there is a dire need to enrich and fortify the different composts for meeting out the requirements of crops. Experiments were conducted at Model Organic Farm, Department of Organic Agriculture and Natural Farming, CSKHPKV, Palampur and at farmers field in Akrot, Una and Rajol Kangra of HP with an objective to evaluate different enriched composts under protected organic farming conditions. 
 
Methods: The experiments were conducted with 9 treatments viz. Matka khad (M) + Rock phosphate (RP), Matka khad + Gypsum (G), Matka khad + Patent kali (PK), Matka khad + Lime (L), Matka khad + control, Matka khad + Combination of RP,G,PK,L + Tricoderma + Rhi/Azoto + PSB, Panchgavya + Combination of RP,G,PK,L + Tricoderma + Rhi/Azoto + PSB, Jeevamrit + Combination of RP,G,PK,L + Tricoderma + Rhi/Azoto + PSB and Vermicompost. These treatments were selected after preparation of enriched and fortified FYM and its evaluation by microbial and nutrient analysis. Pea crop variety Pb-89 and Capsicum crop variety California wonder were selected for the experiments under polyhouse at research farm and at farmer&rsquo;s field.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Results showed that inoculation of biomass with matka khad along with additives i.e. rock phosphate, gypsum, patent kali and lime @ of 1% and fortification with Tricoderma, suitable biofertilizer (Rhizobium/Azotobacter) along with PSB increased the yield of Pea crop more than &nbsp;40% at organic farm and farmers fields, whereas in case of capsicum the increase in yield was to the tune of 14% at model organic farm and more than 40% at &nbsp;two different sites of farmers field.</div>

<div>Evaluation of Different Enriched Composts under Protected Organic Farming in Capsicum-pea based Cropping System</div>

Pesticide residues are often exposed to sunlight before they diffuse into plants. Many pesticides undergo photodegradation and break down into various photoproducts that may pose risks to living organisms if accidentally ingested. One promising strategy to mitigate pesticide photodegradation is the incorporation of UV light absorbers into their formulations. Significant advancements have been made in protecting both bio-based and synthetic pesticides from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. One of the major limitations in the application of pesticides is their susceptibility to photodegradation, which leads to a significant reduction in their efficacy. The incorporation of UV absorbers into pesticide formulations offers a promising strategy to enhance both their stability and effectiveness. The use of UV absorbers can substantially prolong the environmental persistence and performance of pesticides. As part of this review, we present herein case studies on three representative insecticides, namely Azadirachtin, Chlorpyrifos and Disulfoton. The case studies revealed that UV absorbers play a crucial role in minimizing the photodegradation of pesticides. Specifically, water-soluble quaternary ammonium UV absorbers (QAUVAs) led to a 22-26% increase in the recovery of the insecticide disulfoton compared to samples without UV protection. Similarly, the use of suitable UV absorbers enhanced the post-exposure recovery of azadirachtin and chlorpyrifos by 24% and 30%, respectively. This method not only reduces the need for frequent pesticide applications, thereby lowering associated costs, but also supports environmental sustainability and boosts agricultural efficiency. This review highlights our contributions to advancing pesticide photostabilization through the use of UV Absorbers. 
&nbsp;

Photo Protection of Pesticides by UV Absorbers- A Useful Strategy for Reducing Loss: A Review

<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 Piliostigma reticulatum, Guiera senegalensis, Panicum maximum, Festuca arundinacea and Cajanus cajan 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>Background: Freshwater in sufficient quantity and adequate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. To adequately feed 9.3 billion people in 2050, consumptive water use (i.e. transpired water) by all food and fodder crops needs to increase from its present estimated level of 7000 km3/year to 12,586 km3/year. However, fresh water resources are increasingly getting scarce because of increased competition among a multitude of users. Getting agriculture to perform with progressively smaller allocation of renewable water resources will remain a challenge on global scale. To meet the challenge there is an urgent need to improve the crop water productivity to ensure the sustainability of agriculture. 
 
Methods: An experiment was carried out at village Menawali, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan during both kharif and rabi seasons to assess productivity, economics, N-uptake and water use of different crops. An area of 187 ha comprising 25 farmers irrigated by common irrigation channels were selected to collect the information. The information required i.e. soil, crop management, growth, phonological, yields, water balance, N-uptake and water use efficiency of each crops were collected from 15 farmers. Bt-cotton and clusterbean of kharif and wheat and Indian mustard in rabi were prominent crops, cotton-wheat, cotton-mustard, clusterbean-wheat and clusterbean-mustard were major cropping sequences of the study region. 
 
Result: In kharif season, Bt-cotton gave higher economic yields than clusterbean and amongst rabi season crops, economic yields of wheat and mustard were 4255, 1778 kg/ha, respectively. The economic yield of cropping sequences varied from 3741-6514 kg/ha and were higher for cotton-wheat (6218 kg/ha), intermediate for clusterbean-wheat (5785 kg/ha) and lower for cotton-mustard (3741 kg/ha) and clusterbean-mustard (3308 kg/ha). The cotton-wheat (₹1181.2 mm) sequence had highest water use. Clusterbean-wheat cropping system recorded highest water productivity (16.5 kg/ha mm) followed by clusterbean-mustard (14.9 kg/ha mm). The clusterbean-mustard (₹456/ha mm) cropping sequence was most profitable and fetched highest net return followed by clusterbean-wheat (₹383/ha mm).</div>

Assessing Crop and Water Productivity Performance of Different Crops and Cropping Systems

Background: Monocropping of rice, widely practiced in many regions of India, has resulted in declining yield and soil health degradation due to continuous nutrient depletion, disrupted nutrient cycling and adverse changes in soil physicochemical properties. This unsustainable practice also reduces biodiversity and increases the vulnerability of food production systems to biotic and abiotic stresses. In view of these constraints, crop diversification through the inclusion of legumes and the adoption of sustainable production strategies are essential. 
 
Methods: The experiment was laid out in a Split-Plot Design (SPD) with three replications. Main plots included sole rice and rice + dhaincha, while sub-plots had six nutrient management treatments combining inorganic fertilizers, Enriched Farm Yard Manure (EFYM), vermicompost, AM fungi and foliar nutrients. 
 
Result: The results revealed that incorporation of daincha (M2) along with half dose of recommended nitrogen from inorganic fertilizer + quarter dose of recommended nitrogen from enriched farmyard manure + quarter dose of recommended nitrogen from vermicompost + AM fungi and foliar nutrients of 0.5% urea, 1% FeSO4&nbsp;and 0.5% ZnSO4&nbsp;(S6) increased the system productivity by 42.5%, system profitability by 49.0%compared to application of inorganic fertilizer alone. This integrated approach enhances yield, boosts productivity and profitability and ensures environmental sustainability in aerobic rice-blackgram cropping system. The aerobic rice-blackgram cropping system offers a sustainable alternative to traditional rice cultivation, addressing issues like climate resilience and declining soil fertility. 
&nbsp;

Decoding Resource Efficient Strategies to Enhance Ecosystem Services in Aerobic Rice-blackgram Cropping System

<div style="text-align: justify;">Antibiotics known as the drugs of wonder seem to have long run since olden times as significant in its application towards agriculture. Antibiotics have its application to control bacterial, fungal, viral and phytoplasmal diseases of high valued tree crops and plants of ornamental in nature. The laws of drug in various countries differ distress over use of antibiotics as crop protectants. The main concern related to use of antibiotics is appropriate and hence more information is needed over the effectiveness and safety use of antibiotics in controlling plant diseases. Development of antibiotic resistance in plant-pathogenic bacteria alarmed problem in the agro pathosystems where it have been used for many years in disease control programs. The efficacy of antibiotics to control plant diseases has been diminished due to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains for the particular pathogens. Inspite of negative aspect, the antibiotics seems to continue important tools for the management of the important devastating plant diseases.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Antibiotics- Miracle Drugs as Crop Protectants: A Review</div>

Background: Climate change is a major issue across the globe. The erratic weather conditions fluctuate to create uncertain and stressful abiotic conditions. With escalating abiotic stress analogous to the decline in freshwater accessibility and soil properties, global food security is at stake. 
 
Methods: The experiment was implemented in the spring seasons of 2022 and 2023 to assess the impact of different levels of hydrogel and crop geometric strategies on the growth and yield attributes of spring maize. The field trial was executed in split-plot design with three levels of hydrogel i.e., 0 (@ 0 kg/ha), 50% (@ 1.5 kg/ha) and 100% (@ 3 kg/ha); four crop geometric strategies i.e., normal spacing (70 x 25 cm); paired-row spacing (55-85 x 25 cm); normal spacing with seed capsule (70 x 25 cm) and paired-row spacing with seed capsule (55-85 x 25 cm). Here we correlate the outcomes with the factors in incapacitating the pessimistic effects of abiotic stress on spring maize. 
 
Result: The results revealed that the attributes were significantly affected by the employment of the combination hydrogel @ 3 kg/ha + paired-row spacing with seed capsule at (55-85 x 25 cm) which was also found effective in overcoming the abiotic stress. There was a significant enhancement of growth attributes as well as grain yield by 28.1% and 29.3%; stover yield by 24.4% and 19.9% compared to control in 2022 and 2023 respectively.&nbsp;

Efficacy of Different Levels of Hydrogel and Crop Geometric Strategies in Overcoming the Pessimistic Effect of Abiotic Stress on Growth and Yield Attributes of Spring Maize (Zea mays L.)

<div>Background: The study was conducted to quantify the presence of crop protection agents in 233 water samples collected from water bodies situated in cities of Panipat, Karnal, Rohtak, Sonipat and Hisar districts of Haryana, India. Water samples were collected during different seasons the year for the period from 2014-2018.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The samples were processed by liquid- liquid partitioning method and quantified by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry. The water samples were screened for 55 pesticides.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Estimation of the residues revealed that 23.5 and 6.6% of pesticides were detected in 68 and 165 monsoon and winter samples, respectively. Chlorpyrifos, pretilachlor, butachlor and lambda cyhalothrin were predominantly present in all the water samples analyzed. Chorpyrifos detected in water samples from Karnal were above standard limit prescribed by EPA 8081and8141 but some samples were below UAS Health advisory life time value.</div>