Food Crops Research Articles

Early Detection of Cassava Vascular Bacteriosis (Xanthomonas Axonopodis pv. Manihotis) by Visible Near-infrared Spectroscopy Before the Appearance of Critical Symptoms

Cassava is a crucial crop for food and nutritional security. It is an important source of carbohydrates in African countries. Cassava crops can sometimes be infected by leaf diseases, affecting overall production and reducing farmers' incomes. Early detection is therefore essential to reduce the impact of these diseases. Light reflections from leaves are known to convey information about plant health. In this study, healthy and inoculated cassava were detected from the reflections obtained from the leaves using a USB 4000 spectrometer with a spectral range of (350-1050) nm. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) and nearest neighbours (KNNs) were used with principal components and vegetation indices as input for classification. Various performance metrics, i.e. Precision, Recall, Accuracy and F1_score for KNN, Accuracy, RMSE and R2 for ANN were calculated to evaluate the different established models. Using the principal components (PC1, PC2) we obtained the best models with the ANNs with the following metrics (R2=0.9678; RMSE=0.0146; Accuracy =98.30%) for the variety IM 84 and (R2=0.9291; RMSE=0.0354 Accuracy=91.30%) for the Yacé variety. With vegetation indices, the best performing models were obtained with KNN whose input parameters are RatiodRE_703 ((Accuracy =92.50% and F1-score=0.9449) and fWBI ((Accuracy =90% and F1-score=0.9326) for Yacé and vog 3 (Accuracy=100% and F1-score=1), DD (Accuracy=100% and F1_score=1) and dNIRmin920_980 (Accuracy=95% and F1_score=0.9373) for the IM 84. Overall, the results showed that leaf spectral reflectance can be used successfully for the early detection of cassava bacterial blight.

Implications of Farm Production and Farmers' Characteristics on Poverty Reduction in Benue Division, Cameroon

The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of farm production and Farmers' Characteristics on Poverty Reduction in the Benue division in the Northern region of Cameroon. Data were collected from 399 respondents using a self-administered questionnaire through a stratified sampling technique of 12 sub-divisions in the Benue division. We adopted a survey research design. To estimate our results, we used Multiple correspondent analysis (MCA) and the OLS technique. The results reveal that there is a positive relationship between farm production and poverty reduction in Benue state. An increase in farm production will lead to a 2.19% reduction in farmers' poverty in Benue and this result is significant at a 5% level of significance. Similarly, the farmer's characteristics reveal that gender, farmers' experience, and educational level also significantly affect poverty reduction. In this light, there is a need for the government to train and deploy more extension workers in the various sub-divisions and communities in Benue division, to increase farmers' access to these services. This can be done by imparting specific skills to produce dominant food crops and livestock in the Benue division through workshops and seminars.

Determinants of human-elephant conflict in tropical forest of South India

Abstract Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a global conservation issue that undermines the conservation of an endangered species. HEC and the factors influencing crop-raiding behaviour were studied in the tropical forests of south India from Nov 2006 to Mar 2008. Crop depredation, protection methods, and land use changes were studied at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (TR). A total of 297 incidents of crop damage were recorded, with peaks in the raiding during the monsoon season. Spatial analysis of HEC showed peripheral farms are more vulnerable (1.51%) than village centers (0.18%). Temporally, cropping patterns have changed from food crops to commercial crops. The elephant-damaged area was positively correlated with the effective perimeter (pe-rimeter with crops), total cultivated area, and area of degradation around the village. Logistic regression of crop raiding incidence with independent predictors showed that the incidence of raiding was 95% greater in moist deciduous forests than in thorny forests. Palatable crops were likely to be raided more frequently (391 times). Crops with protection methods were 22 times less likely to be targets of raids. In the areas adjacent to the Mudumalai TR, crop species, improvements in protection, and land use change reduced the HEC. Relocating villages from the core reserve and existing corridors in the eastern region is essential for conserving elephants in the Nilgiris, Western Ghats landscape.

Studies on Genetic Variability and Heritability in Rice Genotypes (Oryza sativa. L.) under Salinity

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple food crops in the world because more than half of the world's population depends on rice for their livelihood. By 2050, the world's rice productivity will need to double in order to keep up with population growth. Narrow genetic base in the released variety has made the improvement in plateaus. In order to go more than the yield barrier, the genetic base must be broadened. Heritability and genetic variability were measured in eighty-six rice genotypes in terms of yield and yield contributing traits under saline soils. Significant differences were found between the genotypes for all of the studied traits according to analysis of variance. High PCV and GCV were recorded for the traits viz., mortality percentage (%), total number of grains per panicle, number of un-filled grains per panicle, sterility percentage (%) and seed yield per plant (g). The traits showed a significant degree of genetic advancement together with high heritability were mortality percentage (%), 1000 grain weight (g) and seed yield per plant (g). Genetic advance over mean were high for mortality percentage (%), number of productive tillers/m2, total number of grains per panicle (g), number of un-filled grains per panicle (g), sterility percentage (%), 1000 grain weight (g) and seed yield per plant (g). This study provides information about the variability and heritability measures which may supplement the breeding program to break the yield plateaus.

Unrevealing the water-use strategies for typical ecological restoration plants and cash crops in the Eastern Chinese Loess Plateau region

Study regionFour geomorphic types in the eastern Loess Plateau (ECLP). Study focusquantitatively study the water-use strategies of typical plants (ecological restoration plants, food crops) based on stable isotope technology. New hydrological insights for the regionSignificant spatial-temporal heterogeneity appeared in regional soil water content and stable isotopes, with more significant fluctuations in soil water isotope values appearing in the rocky mountain region. Regional tree growth (including natural and plantation forests) was mainly influenced by precipitation (35±14 %) and surface layer (0–40 cm depth) soil water (25±11 %) during April and June, whereas deep soil water gradually became the main water source (> 20 %) in autumn and winter. A. Lavandulifolia mainly uses surface soil water (> 23 %), and the proportion of deep soil water utilization has increased after September. Surface soil water (0–40 cm) was the primary water source for T. aestivum during the overwintering (> 16 %) and reviving periods (> 26 %), and Z. mays utilized the largest proportion of soil water from 0 to 20 cm depth layer during the seeding (> 60 %) and maturation stages (> 35 %). Collectively, the results of this study have important implications for sustainable vegetation protection and the optimal allocation of water resources in the arid region.

Integrated Transcriptional and Metabolomic Analysis of Factors Influencing Root Tuber Enlargement during Early Sweet Potato Development.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is widely cultivated as an important food crop. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms affecting root tuber development are not well understood. The aim of this study was to systematically reveal the regulatory network of sweet potato root enlargement through transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis in different early stages of sweet potato root development, combined with phenotypic and anatomical observations. Using RNA-seq, we found that the differential genes of the S1 vs. S2, S3 vs. S4, and S4 vs. S5 comparison groups were enriched in the phenylpropane biosynthesis pathway during five developmental stages and identified 67 differentially expressed transcription factors, including AP2, NAC, bHLH, MYB, and C2H2 families. Based on the metabolome, K-means cluster analysis showed that lipids, organic acids, organic oxides, and other substances accumulated differentially in different growth stages. Transcriptome, metabolome, and prophetypic data indicate that the S3-S4 stage is the key stage of root development of sweet potato. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that transcriptome differential genes were mainly enriched in fructose and mannose metabolism, pentose phosphate, selenium compound metabolism, glycolysis/gluconogenesis, carbon metabolism, and other pathways. The metabolites of different metabolites are mainly concentrated in amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, alkaloid biosynthesis, pantothenic acid, and coenzyme A biosynthesis. Based on WGCNA analysis of gene-metabolite correlation, 44 differential genes and 31 differential metabolites with high correlation were identified. This study revealed key gene and metabolite changes in early development of sweet potato root tuber and pointed out potential regulatory networks, providing new insights into sweet potato root tuber development and valuable reference for future genetic improvement.

Numerical investigation of future potato yields in Bangladesh using Machine learning and IoT

The changing environment has significantly affected Bangladesh for the past several decades, and a number of minerals and nutrients are in short supply in the human population. However, not only are we being affected by the effects of climate change, but also the crops cultivated on our farms are feeling its impact. The nutrient content and growth of food crops are affected by many components of climate change, such as rising temperatures, increased precipitation, rising CO2 levels, etc. It is commonly regarded that potatoes are one of the healthiest and most popular foods in Bangladesh, with an abundance of nutrients and electrolytes that are beneficial to the body. However, in the not-too-distant future, the production of potatoes will be affected by the high temperature and decreased precipitation resulting from climate change. As potatoes are one of the most essential staple foods in Bangladesh, a viable solution must be found for continuous potato production in the country. A comprehensive examination of the evolution, production, and important nutrients of potatoes will be performed in this study. A range of sensors, networks, drones, cameras, and applications will be collected for the purpose of monitoring the potato field and ensuring that the crops are cultivated in an acceptable environment. This idea can aid our country economically and agriculturally by increasing potato production. Potatoes are affordable for consumers from all socioeconomic classes. Through this idea, Producers will achieve a successful harvest of nutrient-rich potatoes for public consumption.

Protective and Detoxifying Effects of Resveratrol on Zearalenone-Mediated Toxicity: A Review

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium spp. fungi and is widely found in moldy corn, wheat, barley, and other grains. ZEA is distributed to the whole body via blood circulation after metabolic transformation in animals. Through oxidative stress, immunosuppression, apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial dysfunction, ZEA leads to hepatitis, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, abortion, and stillbirth in female animals, and decreased sperm motility in male animals. In recent years, due to the influence of climate, storage facilities, and other factors, the problem of ZEA pollution in global food crops has become particularly prominent, resulting in serious problems for the animal husbandry and feed industries, and threatening human health. Resveratrol (RSV) is a natural product with therapeutic activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. RSV can alleviate ZEA-induced toxic effects by targeting signaling pathways such as NF-κB, Nrf2/Keap1, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR via attenuating oxidative damage, inflammatory response, and apoptosis, and regulating cellular autophagy. Therefore, this paper provides a review of the protective effect of RSV against ZEA-induced toxicity and its molecular mechanism, and discusses the safety and potential clinical applications of RSV in the search for natural mycotoxin detoxification agents.

Assessment of radiological contamination due to gold mining in soil and food crops of Babban Tsauni, Gwagwalada, Nigeria.

This work assessed the activity concentrations of 238U(226Ra), 232Th, and 40K and their associated radiological risks due to exposure to soil and consumption of food crops in Babban Tsauni artisanal gold mine, Gwagwalada, Nigeria, using the gamma spectrometry technique. The mean activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the mine soil were 60.2±9.9, 161.4±16.2, and 664.6±138.2, while they were 46.4±4.9, 79.9±39.3, 266.4±185.4 for tubers and 46.9±15.7, 100.5±35.8, 311.4±132.7 (Bq/kg) for grains, respectively. The results reveal that the activity concentrations of radionuclides in all samples exceeded the recommended values set by United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (33, 45, and 420 Bq/kg) except 40K, which fell within the acceptable limit in all food crop sample types. Estimated results for radiological hazard parameters, radium equivalent, annual effective dose due to ingestion, and excess life cancer risk were within safe limits, while the annual effective dose due to external gamma radiation in soil and annual gonadal equivalent dose were significantly high in all investigated samples; these call for constant radiological monitoring.

Economic and biological assessment of a new medium-ripened variety of soft winter wheat Priazovye

Relevance. In the Russian Federation, winter common wheat is the main food and strategic crop. Permanent improvement of productivity and quality of wheat grain, reducing its production costs is the main task of agricultural production. To solve this problem, the leading place is given to the continuous and constant creation and introduction into production of new competitive wheat varieties, highly adapted to stress factors, with guaranteed high yields and high grain quality.Methods. The research was carried out in the southern zone of the Rostov region at the experimental sites of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution ANTS “Donskoy” in 2021–2023 in order to create a new variety of soft winter wheat capable of forming not only high yields, but also having high frost resistance, drought resistance, resistance to leaf diseases, possessing high rheological and technological properties of grain and flour.Results. The winter common wheat variety Priazovie was developed by stepwise hybridization using the varieties Voyazh and Tanya. This is a highly productive variety. On average, over three years (2021–2023) of study in the competitive variety testing, the productivity of the variety laid in green manure fallow was 9.88 t/ha, exceeding that of the standard variety by 1.56 t/ha. The variety is capable of producing high yields after various forecrops. The maximum productivity of the variety (12.23 t/ha) was obtained in green manure fallow in 2022. The variety forms a high stem capacity (up to 800 pcs/m²), and is characterized by high resistance to the main leaf diseases, such as powdery mildew, brown and yellow mildew, loose smut, leaf blotch, etc. According to the main indicators of grain and flour quality, it belongs to valuable wheat, in terms of frost resistance (73.3%) it surpasses the standard Ermak variety (69.2%).

The molecular insights of cyanobacterial bioremediations of heavy metals: the current and the future challenges.

In recent years, overexplorations of ore and the growth of industries are the prime factors in the release of heavy metals in environments. As a result, the food crops and water bodies are contaminated with metals which may have several adverse effects on the health of humans and other living species. These metals and metalloids, such as Zn, Cu, Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, and As, upset the biochemical pathways of metabolite synthesis in living organisms and contribute to the etiology of different diseases. Microorganisms include bacteria, archaea, viruses, and many unicellular eukaryotes, which can span three domains of life-Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya-and some microorganisms, such as cyanobacteria, have shown high efficiency in the biosorption rate of heavy metals. Cyanobacteria are suitable for bioremediation as they can grow in adverse environments, have a less negative impact on the surrounding environment, and are relatively cheaper to manage. The structure of cyanobacteria has shown no extensive internal-bound membranes, so it can directly employ the physiological mechanisms to uptake heavy metals from contamination sites. Such biochemical makeups are suitable for managing and bioremediating heavy metal concentrations in polluted environments. This review aims to explore the potential of cyanobacteria in the bioremediation of heavy metals and metalloids in water bodies. Additionally, we have identified the prospects for enhancing bioremediation effectiveness.

Crop establishment and nutrient management options: Optimizing productivity, maximize profitability and mitigating adverse climatic conditions in the maize-based production system of Northwest India

Poor fertilizer management and intensive tillage have increased production costs, lowered productivity, and significantly depleted soil nutrients. Although nutrient management options (NMOs) within crop establishment options (CEOs) based maize production system (MPS) is seldom explored, CEOs is increasingly advocated to tackle problems with soil health, food security, and climate change. Developing and implementing effective NMOs is needed for improving system sustainability, profitability, and productivity. We evaluated the effects of CEOs and NMOs on nutrient acquisition, profitability, and maize productivity in the Northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGPs) of India during 2018–2019. In this study, four CEOs treatment [(i) conventional tillage without residue {CT–R}, (ii) conventional tillage with residue {CT+R}, (iii) permanent raised bed without residue {PRB–R}, and (iv) permanent raised bed with residue {PRB+R}], were kept in the main plot and three NMOs [(i) soil test-based recommendation {STBR}, (ii) nutrient expert-based recommendation {NE}, and (iii) NE with GreenSeeker {NE+GS} were tested in subplots. The results showed that the crop growth metrics, including plant height, dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, and crop growth rate, were significantly greater at PRB+R comparing to treatments. Additionally, PRB+R resulted in the shortest time to 50 % and 75 % silking, indicating enhanced crop development. NMOs significantly improved crop growth parameters. The NE+GS treatment recorded higher plant height (145.8–149.2 cm and 222.3–224.8 cm), dry matter accumulation (195.5–198.4 g/m² and 408.4–412.0 g/m²), leaf area index (2.45–2.48 and 3.24–3.30), and crop growth rate (6.50 and 7.10 g/m²/day). PRB+R showed the shortest silking times (60.5 and 62.2 days). PRB+R also attained the maximum maize yield (6.23 and 6.26 t/ha), by a 17.82 % and 17.57 % increase over CT–R in 2018 and 2019. The NE+GS treatment resulted in the highest maize productivity, with additional yield gains over NE alone and STBR. The lowest cultivation cost ($513.87/ha and $513.97 /ha), highest net return ($1028.91/ha and $1083.60/ha), and best benefit-cost ratio (2.00 and 2.11) were observed with PRB–R, while gross returns ($1573.78/ha and $1630.42/ha) had highest in PRB+R. The NE+GS option achieved higher gross returns ($1544.73/ha and $1599.37/ha), net returns ($918.29/ha and $977.30/ha), and benefit-cost ratios (1.47 and 1.57) with lower cultivation costs ($626.43/ha and $622.06/ha) compared to NE and STBR. The PRB+R and NE+GS combination had found highest nutrient uptake (N, P, K) in grain and straw, highlighting their effectiveness in nutrient management. Overall, our findings recommend adopting PRB+R and NE+GS to optimize maize production system productivity and profitability, ensuring agricultural sustainability and resilience to adverse climatic conditions in Northwest India.

Examining the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture Products in the Province of Jawzjan (Case Study: Certain Villages in Sheberghan City)

A region's weather and climate patterns are impacted by climate change over an extended period of time. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and other modifications to meteorological conditions are some of these changes. Numerous facets of existence, including the environment, economy, and human communities, may be significantly impacted by climate change. Significant repercussions of climate change are possible, particularly in the agricultural sector. The production of food crops may be impacted by these changes because agricultural goods are dependent on local climate and weather. Pests and plant diseases may also become more prevalent due to climate change. Accordingly, higher temperatures and changed precipitation patterns can foster the growth of pests and illnesses, which will lower agricultural yields. Investigating how climate change affects agricultural products in Sheberghan City, Jawzjan Province, is the goal of this study. A questionnaire was used in fieldwork to perform this study. Six communities inside Sheberghan City—Toka, Qowchin, Jalalabad, Seshanba, Nokar Abad, and Afghan Tapa—were given 100 questionnaires in all. Four different types of questionnaires were produced and designed for the survey portion of this study. Of the 100 responders, 26 worked as farmers, 37 as gardeners, 8 as teachers, and 29 as traders in agricultural products. Using the SPSS26 program, the research was analyzed. The results showed that agricultural goods are significantly impacted by climate change, highlighting the significance of agriculture and agricultural products in the economy. The research findings indicate that the utilization of contemporary technology, such as smart irrigation systems and smart systems, can be one of the elements in growing agricultural products, and that the development of climate-adaptive agricultural methods can boost agricultural products. Farmers' interest can also be raised by government encouragement and assistance. The general conclusion that can be drawn from looking at the aforementioned elements is that agricultural products have been impacted by climate change and the creation of farmers' techniques for adapting to it.

Continuous cropping obstacles: Insights from the community composition and the imbalance carbon fluxes within soil nematode food web

Long-term continuouscroppingcan lead to the deterioration of soil environment and the decrease of soil productivity. However, the biological mechanism on the negative effects of long-term continuous cropping has not been extensively explored. Soil nematode food web with multiple trophic levels play critical roles in nutrient cycling and energy flowing in the agroecosystem. Quantifying the carbon flux through different trophic channels within the nematode food web can indicate how continuous cropping influences carbon cycling in the agroecosystem by altering soil biota communities. Therefore, the effects of continuous peanut cropping with different years (1, 5, 20, and 30 years) on soil properties, soil nematode community composition, carbon flux within nematode food web and crop yields were investigated. Results showed that soil pH significantly decreased with increasing continuous cropping years. Differently, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen were the highest in 20-year, and decreased in 30-year of continuous cropping. As continuous cropping years increased, the relative abundance of microbivorous nematodes decreased and that of plant parasites reached as high as 76.11 % and 68.22 % in 20- and 30-year, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis revealed the nematode diversity, the carbon flux uniformity and peanut yield had a significant negative correlation with continuous cropping years. The random forest model indicated that the soil pH and the relative abundance of plant parasites were the key influence factor of the carbon flux uniformity within soil nematode food web. Outbreaks of plant parasites lead to the disruption of carbon flux uniformity within soil nematode food web, which can increase the risk of peanut yield decline after long-term continuous cropping. In conclusion, continuous peanut cropping changed soil properties, reduced soil nematode diversity, and disturbed the multitrophic carbon flux complementarity and uniformity in soil nematode food web, ultimately limiting the crop productivity. This study enhances our understanding of the importance of the resource transfers among soil food web in maintaining sustainable agroecosystem productivity.

Virome Characterization of Native Wild-Rice Plants Discovers a Novel Pathogenic Rice Polerovirus With World-Wide Circulation.

Pandemics originating from zoonotic viruses have posed significant threats to human health and agriculture. Recent discoveries have revealed that wild-rice plants also harbour viral pathogens capable of severely impacting rice production, a cornerstone food crop. In this study, we conducted virome analysis on ~1000 wild-rice individual colonies and discovered a novel single-strand positive-sense RNA virus prevalent in these plants. Through comprehensive genomic characterization and comparative sequence analysis, this virus was classified as a new species in the genus Polerovirus, designated Rice less tiller virus (RLTV). Our investigations elucidated that RLTV could be transmitted from wild rice to cultivated rice via a specific insect vector, the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi, causing less tiller disease symptoms in rice plants. We generated an infectious cDNA clone for RLTV and demonstrated systemic infection of rice cultivars and induction of severe disease symptoms following mechanical inoculation or stable genetic transformation. We further illustrated transmission of RLTV from stable transgenic lines to healthy rice plants by the aphid vector, leading to the development of disease symptoms. Notably, our database searches showed that RLTV and another polerovirus isolated from a wild plant species are widely circulating not only in wild rice but also cultivated rice around the world. Our findings provide strong evidence for a wild plant origin for rice viruses and underscore the imminent threat posed by aphid-transmitted rice Polerovirus to rice cultivar.

High-yield rice with rich nutrition and low toxicity can be obtained under potato-rice cropping system.

Rice is often rotated with dryland crops to produce sufficient foodstuff, as rice is the main food crop of humans. In order to verify whether under the intensive rice-based cropping system, high yield and good quality of rice can be achieved simultaneously to ensure food security. Five long-term paddy-upland rotations - wheat-rice (WR), rapeseed-rice (RR), garlic-rice (GR), broad beans-rice (BR) and potato-rice (PR) - were conducted from 2014 to investigate rice yield, along with the profiling of 24 elements in rice grain. Mg, Zn, Cu, As, Mo and Sb concentrations were highest in the aleurone layer, and Ag and Cd concentrations showed little variation among different parts of the rice grain. Al, Ti, V, Si, Fe and Tl concentrations in the endosperm under GR were higher, while the Se concentration under PR was the highest. Furthermore, the yield of GR and PR were higher than the other three rotations with N supplementation, and the sustainable yield index of PR and WR were larger than 0.8. When we consider the concentration of toxic (As, Cd and Pb) and nutrient elements (Ca, Fe, Zn, Se, Cu and Mg) in the endosperm and grain yields, PR can simultaneously achieve high yield, high nutrition and low toxicity with different nitrogen treatments. Here we provide novel insights regarding the selection of rice-based cropping systems, focused on producing nutritious and safe rice with high grain yield. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

DNA Damage, Cell Death, and Alteration of Cell Proliferation Insights Caused by Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Using a Plant-Based Model.

The speedy growth of copper oxide nanoparticle (CuO NP) manufacturing due to their wide application in industries has caused concerns due to their increased discharge into the environment from both purposeful and accidental sources. Their presence at an elevated concentration in the environment can cause potential hazards to the plant kingdom, specifically to staple food crops. However, limited research is available to determine the consequences of CuO NPs. The present study aimed to assess the morphological and cytological changes induced by CuO NPs on Pisum sativum L., a key staple food crop. Seeds of Pisum sativum were exposed to various concentrations of CuO NPs (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 ppm) for 2 h, and their effects on seed germination (SG), radicle length (RL), cell proliferation kinetics (CPK), mitotic index (MI), cell death (CD), micronucleus frequency (MNF), and chromosomal aberration frequency (CAF) were studied. The results indicate a significant reduction in SG, RL, CPK, and MI and a significant dose-dependent increase in CD, MNF, and CAF. CuO NP treatment has led to abnormal meiotic cell division, increased incidence of micronucleus frequency, and chromosomal aberration frequency. Additionally, the CuO NP-treated groups showed an increase in the percentage of aberrant meiotic cells such as laggard (LG), double bridge (DB), stickiness (STC), clumped nuclei (CNi), precocious separation (PS), single bridge (SB), and secondary association (SA). CuO NP treatment led to reductions in SG as follows: 55% at 24 h, 60.10% at 48 h, and 65% at 72 h; reductions in RL as follows: 0.55 ± 0.021 cm at 24 h, 0.67 ± 0.01 cm at 48 h, and 0.99 ± 0.02 cm at 72 h; reductions in CPK as follows: 34.98% at prophase, 7.90% at metaphase, 3.5% at anaphase, and 0.97% at telophase. It also led to a 57.45% increase in CD, a 39.87% reduction in MI, and a 60.77% increase in MNF at a higher concentration of 125 ppm. The findings of this study clearly show that CuO NPs have a genotoxic effect on the food crop plant Pisum sativum.

Pearl millet for good health and nutrition – An overview

Abstract Previously food was taken to satiate hunger and survival, but now it is for better health and wellbeing. It is imperative to take a healthy diet that includes energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and all essential vitamins and nutrients in optimum proportions. Millets have been acknowledged as climate-resilient crops and smart foods. Pearl millet is a C 4 plant grown mostly under scarce input and water supply conditions. Owing to high photosynthetic efficiency, it produces more dry matter and gives better economic returns even under adverse agro-climatic conditions. Globally, pearl millet is grown on 31.0 million ha, mainly in Africa and Asia and is a staple food for 90 million poor people. Among food crops (cereals and pulses), pearl millet is the cheapest energy source (361 kcal/100g), minerals, namely, phosphorus (296–360 mg/100g), iron (8–11 mg/100g), zinc (3.1–6.6 mg/100g), calcium (40–42 mg/100 g), magnesium (97–137 mg/100g) and vitamins, namely, vitamin A, E, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin K and niacin, etc. Besides, it also has significant amount of fiber, protein, antioxidants like phenolic acids, flavonoids and low fats. Because of its rich nutritional composition, Government of India has designated it as nutri-cereals (Gazette of India, No. 133 dated 13th April, 2018) for production, consumption and trade. Besides rich nutritional value, pearl millet improves our immunity through enormous health benefits like reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. It improves the digestibility and bioavailability of food nutrients by reducing anti-nutrients. Being non-acid forming, it is also helpful in gastrointestinal problems and is non-glutinous beneficial for people suffering from celiac diseases. With these properties, it is regarded as a significant grain worldwide, yet it is least exploited. However, because of numerous potential health benefits and contributions to national food security, millet grains are now getting the growing attention of food nutritionists, scientists, technologists and industrialists.

Analysis of Growth and Instability of Rice Production in Madhya Pradesh, India: A District Level Study

Rice is one of the important food crops cultivated in Madhya Pradesh state covering 4.55% rice area and 3.72% rice production of the country. Its contribution is very vital in agricultural growth of the country. But, yield of the state is less than the national average yield. So, for further improvement of its contribution in the agriculture sector of the country, it is essential to study the growth pattern of rice production in the state. Therefore the present study has been undertaken to examine the growth rate and instability in area, production and yield of rice in Madhya Pradesh state. The district-wise data on rice of Madhya Pradesh state was collected from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India and from the online sources of the state departments for the period 1992-93 to 2019-20. The data was divided into four periods for analysis. Compound annual growth rate and Cuddy-Della Valle Instability index have been computed for the four periods. The districts have been classified into five classes based on the classification of instability. These classes are very low instability, low instability, medium instability, high instability and very high instability. For the state, growth rate for area ranges from -0.80 to 4.23; for production ranges from 0.90 to 12.82 and for yield ranges from 1.31 to 8.24. The highest growth rate for area and production was observed in Hosangabad and Raisen districts respectively in period III; and for yield Datia district in period I. For the state instability ranges from 3.77 to 9.00 for area, 5.93 to 30.70 for production and 6.29 to 22.57 for yield. None of the districts were classified as very low instability for production and yield. Most of the districts recorded medium instability in period I, II and III for yield. The information about growth rate and instability may help the policy makers of Madhya Pradesh state to select the appropriate districts for enhancing the rice yield of the state.

Weed community differences in row crops with varying input levels in Ghana

Abstract Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) are essential crops for Ghana’s economy and food security, but weed infestation poses a significant threat to their cultivation. Crop rotations influence weed communities, but little is known about these processes in peanut-cropping systems in West Africa. This study investigated the impact of different crop rotations and input levels on weed communities in Ghana over 3 yr. Results showed that low inputs (absence of herbicide and fertilization) favored species richness, while higher input levels (weed control with herbicides and fertilizer use) reduced it. Diversity and evenness were also affected by inputs, with varying patterns across locations and seasons. Weed population growth rates (λ) varied significantly by location and treatment; all management programs resulted in increasing weed populations. Principal component analysis revealed distinct associations between weed species and crop management. The majority of weed species exhibited a generalist behavior and did not associate with a particular management. However, billygoat weed (Ageratum conyzoides L.) and Benghal dayflower (Commelina benghalensis L.) were positively associated with high-input systems, while purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) exhibited strong associations with low and medium inputs. The weed–crop rotation dynamics described here demonstrate how management drives the selection of weed species that are more pervasive and interfere with important food crops in Ghanaian agriculture.