Volume-12, Issue-10, October 2026

Abstract

A field investigation was undertaken at KVK, Katni, Madhya Pradesh, from September 2025 to January 2026 to characterize the population dynamics and damage potential of fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.) in a guava (Psidium guajava L.) orchard. Seasonal activity was monitored using fruit fly traps with a methyl eugenol-based biodegradable lure. The relationships between fruit fly population and weather parameters were also examined. Fruit fly abundance exhibited a progressive increase from the 36th SMW, attaining a maximum of 42.50 flies/trap/week in the 43rd SMW, and subsequently declined gradually. A comparable pattern was observed in fruit infestation, which increased from 8.33 per cent to 41.67 percent during the study period. Significant positive correlations were observed between fruit fly population and maximum temperature, minimum temperature and relative humidity, whereas rainfall and wind speed showed non-significant relationships. The regression model accounted for approximately 81 per cent of the variation in fruit fly population through the selected weather parameters. These findings establish a close relationship between fruit fly population abundance and fruit infestation and support the use of methyl eugenol traps for monitoring seasonal activity and facilitating timely management of fruit flies in guava orchards. 

Keywords: Bactrocera spp., Guava, Population dynamics, Methyl eugenol, Fruit infestation, Weather parameters, Fruit fly trap.

References

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Abstract

The fabrication of a rapid, simple and cost-effective method for soil fertility assessment is crucial for sustainable agricultural practices. Since nitrogen is an essential nutrient for soil fertility, its detection in soil helps to quickly identify the quality and fertility of the soil. In this study, two different composite films comprising polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–ninhydrin and PVA–nano zinc oxide (ZnO)–ninhydrin were prepared and evaluated for their soil fertility sensing ability. Both films were prepared by the solution-casting method and dried under sunlight. The fabricated films were well characterized and investigated for thermal stability, mechanical properties, and antibacterial activities. The simple and rapid method of soil fertility testing was carried out with different soil samples. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that ZnO incorporation enhanced the thermal stability of the composite films by delaying thermal degradation and increasing the residual mass. Mechanical studies proved enhanced flexibility and durability of the ZnO-containing film compared to the PVA–ninhydrin film. Similarly, the nano ZnO-containing film exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity, attributed to the intrinsic antimicrobial properties of ZnO nanoparticles. 
The soil fertility sensing ability of the films was tested using four different soil samples: chicken manure-amended soil, cow dung-amended soil, black soil, and normal soil. The rate and intensity of colour development followed the order: chicken manure-amended soil > cow dung-amended soil > black soil > normal soil, reflecting their fertility order. The PVA–ninhydrin film exhibited a faster colour response, whereas ZnO incorporation slightly delayed colour formation, suggesting that ZnO influences reactant diffusion and the reaction kinetics within the polymer matrix. 
Altogether, both films exhibited excellent potential as simple, portable, and low-cost colourimetric sensors for the rapid qualitative detection of soil fertility. Although the PVA–ninhydrin film provided a faster sensing response, the PVA–nano ZnO–ninhydrin composite film offered superior thermal stability, mechanical robustness, and antibacterial performance, making it a promising candidate for practical agricultural sensing applications. 

Keywords: Polyvinyl alcohol; Ninhydrin; Zinc oxide nanoparticles; Colourimetric sensor; Ruhemann's purple; Soil fertility; Nitrogen-containing compounds; Nanocomposite film.

References

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Abstract

The study aimed to identify the level of importance of electronic communication among agricultural extension workers in using artificial intelligence (AI) programs and applications in the field of smart agriculture. It also aimed to identify the most frequently used electronic communication means by extension workers in employing AI programs and applications and rank them according to their relative importance; measure the contribution of electronic communication to improving extension workers' efficiency in using AI programs and applications in smart agriculture; identify individual differences in the importance of electronic communication and the use of AI applications according to selected independent variables, namely gender, educational qualification, years of service, training courses, level of Internet use, and willingness to use social networking sites concerning smart-agriculture technologies; and identify the obstacles facing extension workers in using AI applications in smart agriculture. To obtain the study data, a questionnaire consisting of five parts was used. The first part concerned the respondents' personal and occupational information. The second part included a scale measuring the importance of electronic communication among extension workers in using AI programs and applications in smart agriculture. The third part measured the electronic communication means most frequently used by extension workers in employing AI programs and applications. The fourth part measured the contribution of electronic communication to improving extension workers' efficiency in using AI programs and applications in smart agriculture. The fifth part contained 15 items measuring the major obstacles facing extension workers in using AI applications in smart agriculture. After establishing the face validity of the questionnaire, reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, which reached 0.95. The study population consisted of extension workers in the Nineveh Directorate of Agriculture and its 32 agricultural divisions, totaling 256 extension workers. A simple random sample of 128 extension workers, representing approximately 50% of the population, was selected. The data were coded, tabulated, and analyzed using SPSS. The results showed that the level of importance of electronic communication among extension workers in using AI programs and applications in smart agriculture was moderate and tended toward high, with a percentage of 48%. The item "Using electronic platforms belonging to agricultural institutions to obtain information related to AI programs and applications" ranked first, with a mean of 4.34. The contribution of electronic communication to improving extension workers' efficiency in using AI programs and applications in smart agriculture was high, with a percentage of 46%. No significant differences were found in the importance of electronic communication according to gender or training courses, whereas significant differences were reported according to educational qualification, years of occupational service, level of Internet use, and willingness to use social networking sites concerning smart-agriculture technologies. The item "Poor compatibility of some AI applications with the nature and needs of agricultural extension work in Nineveh Governorate" was identified as the most important obstacle. The major recommendation was for the Ministry of Agriculture to establish or develop official agricultural electronic platforms affiliated with agricultural and extension institutions and containing updated information on AI applications and their use in different agricultural fields. The main proposed future study was to investigate the obstacles to using AI applications in agricultural extension work in Nineveh Governorate from the perspective of extension workers. 

Keywords: Electronic Communication; Artificial Intelligence Applications; Smart Agriculture; Agricultural Extension Workers.

References

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Abstract

The present study entitled "Effect of weaning on growth performance and health status of crossbred calves" was performed at Livestock Farm Complex, College of Veterinary Science and A.H., Mhow. Twelve calves were selected at the age of 6 days after calving and divided randomly into two groups, control (suckled) and treatment (weaned), with six calves in each group. The duration of the study was 90 days. Growth performance values such as average body weight, daily gain, body length and height at wither were found to be significantly higher in suckled calves as compared to weaned calves, while the average incidence of diseases in weaned calves (50.00%) was found to be higher than in suckled calves (33.33%). The results indicate better performance of suckled calves than weaned calves. 

Keywords: Growth Performance, Health Status, Suckled Calves and Weaned Calves.

References

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Abstract

India produced an estimated 369.05 million tonnes of horticultural produce from 29.48 million ha in 2024–25. Its per-capita water availability, however, has fallen to about 1,486 m³ (2021) and is projected to reach 1,367 m³ by 2031, below the 1,700 m³ water-stress threshold. Greenhouse warming is expected to strengthen the inverse El Niño–monsoon relationship. Future El Niño years may therefore cause crop-yield losses about 30% larger than those observed historically, and nearly 200 Indian districts have been identified as highly vulnerable in 2026. This review examines two complementary pathways that decouple high-value horticulture from rainfall and groundwater: (i) air-to-water condensation farming, in which atmospheric water generators (AWGs), sorbent-based harvesters, dew condensers or fog collectors, preferably solar-powered, supply condensate to the root zone of sheltered crops; and (ii) fogponics, an aeroponic variant that delivers nutrient solution as a 5–30 µm fog to suspended roots. Published evidence shows that solar-driven atmospheric water can irrigate leafy vegetables with growth comparable to tap water, that fog collectors can yield 2.9–3.3 L m⁻² day⁻¹ (annual mean) at favourable coastal sites, and that aeroponic seed-potato systems are commercially established in India. Specific energy demand nevertheless ranges from about 0.02 kWh L⁻¹ in humid air to 3.64 kWh L⁻¹ in very dry air, and levelized water costs of US$ 0.09–0.40 L⁻¹ have been reported. These figures confine the approach, at present, to high-value, small-footprint protected cultivation, nurseries and propagation. A crop-suitability matrix for Indian fruits, vegetables and flowers, an agro-climatic zoning framework, a sizing procedure and a research roadmap are proposed. "Zero watering" is best understood as zero dependence on irrigation from surface or groundwater, not zero water input. The technology can serve as climate-insurance infrastructure for nurseries and protected horticulture during El Niño years. 

Keywords: Atmospheric water generator, Fogponics, Aeroponics, Protected cultivation, El Niño, Water scarcity, Solar energy, Indian horticulture.

References

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Abstract

India is a major producer of pomegranate, yet only a small proportion of its production enters international markets, indicating a persistent gap between production capacity and export performance. This review synthesizes evidence on the production, fruit quality, pesticide use, residue, post-harvest, phytosanitary, and market factors that shape the exportability of Indian pomegranate. India produced about 3.16 million tonnes of pomegranate in 2022-23, while only around 2.5% was exported, despite substantial growth in export value over the past decade. The review shows that export constraints begin at the farm level, where pest and disease pressure and frequent pesticide application can affect fruit quality and compliance with residue requirements, while inadequate farm-level documentation can limit traceability. Residue studies from India demonstrate considerable variation among regions and sampling periods, with both compliant samples and samples exceeding applicable MRLs reported. Importantly, regulatory compliance with MRLs and dietary-health risk are distinct considerations and should not be interpreted interchangeably. Beyond production, inadequate pre-cooling, grading, packhouse capacity, integrated cold chains and processing infrastructure can reduce the quality achieved in the orchard, particularly for highly perishable arils. Market access is further influenced by destination-specific sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, certification, traceability, labelling, tariffs and other non-tariff measures. Exports remain concentrated in regional markets, whereas substantially higher price realizations have been reported for selected high-value destinations. The evidence indicates that increasing exports therefore requires a coordinated value-chain approach rather than greater production alone. Priority areas include export-oriented crop protection, residue-compliant production, farm-level traceability, cluster-based post-harvest infrastructure, value addition, market diversification and stronger alignment between production systems and destination-market requirements. 

Keywords: Export competitiveness; Pesticide residues; Maximum residue limits; Traceability; Post-harvest management.

References

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Abstract

Late sowing of cotton is an increasing constraint in West and Central African countries due to irregular rainfall, which reduces the length of the growing cycle and limits the effectiveness of mineral fertilization. This study aimed to determine the most efficient and cost-effective mineral fertilization strategy for cotton cultivation under late-sowing conditions in the countries of the Regional Integrated Cotton Production Program in Africa (PR-PICA). Trials were conducted during the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons at ten experimental sites in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Four treatments were compared including a control with no fertilization (0% FMR), the recommended dose (100% FMR: 200 kg ha⁻¹ of NPKSB + 50 kg ha⁻¹ of urea), 75%, and 50% of this dose. Agro-morphological parameters, yield components, seed cotton yield, and the benefit/cost ratio were evaluated. The results show that application of mineral fertilization significantly improves plant growth, the number of bolls per hectare, and seed cotton yield compared to the unfertilized control. However, no significant difference was observed between doses of 100%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer for seed cotton yield. Country and year effects were significant for most of the variables studied, reflecting the influence of soil and climate conditions on crop performance. The economic analysis indicates that 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer dose offers the best economic efficiency by reducing the fertilization costs with no significant effect on seed cotton yield. These results show that under late sowing conditions, applying 50% of the recommended mineral fertilizer is an agronomically effective and economically advantageous strategy. This mineral fertilization dose represents a relevant option to improve the profitability of cotton cultivation while limiting input costs under late sowing conditions in PR-PICA member countries. 

Keywords: Cotton, late sowing, mineral fertilization, yield, economic profitability, PR-PICA.

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Abstract

Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) is an agroforestry commodity that provides ecological services, such as carbon uptake, erosion control, and habitat provision. However, its small, densely clustered flowers limit effective pollination by wild insects, so seed set and latex productivity often remain below their potential levels. This study reports a biodiversity conservation program carried out by PT Pertamina EP Sangatta Field, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, which introduced stingless bee (Trigona sp.) colonies in collaboration with partner farmer group, Trigona Reborn Group, as a natural pollinator for rubber trees grown under an agroforestry system together with citrus, mango, and papaya as companion crops. A suction-based honey-harvesting tool (Bee-Sap) was introduced to collect honey without damaging the comb, thereby allowing the colony to function as a pollinator. Monitoring conducted from January to June 2025 recorded the conservation of 250 rubber trees, an estimated colony population of 13,000 Trigona sp. individuals, and a program biodiversity index (H') of 0.90. The results indicate that the small body size and floral constancy behavior of Trigona sp. allow it to effectively reach the small rubber flowers, supporting cross-pollination, while the partnership also provides an additional income source for the farmer group through honey and propolis production.

Keywords: Agroforestry, Biodiversity conservation, Hevea brasiliensis, Natural pollinator, Stingless bee, Trigona sp.

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