Asian Research Journal of Agriculture

Recent Research on Improved Management Technologies for Blackgram: A Review

K. Kalaichelvi, G. Porkodi, C. Harisudan, P. Murali Sankar — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) is an important pulse crop whose productivity is influenced by genotype, sowing environment, crop geometry, weed pressure, nutrient supply, and biotic and abiotic stresses. This review synthesises recent management findings reported for blackgram production under diverse growing conditions. Evidence reviewed in the manuscript indicates that genotype performance varies with environment and that suitable sowing time and plant spacing are important determinants of growth and yield. Weed management using pre- and post-emergence herbicides, together with intercultural practices, can reduce weed competition, while intercropping may contribute to system productivity and soil fertility under appropriate crop arrangements. Nutrient management studies show responses to balanced fertilisation, organic manures, biofertilisers, potassium, sulphur, and foliar nutrient application, with benefits depending on local production conditions. The reviewed studies also demonstrate the importance of timely management of insect pests, including sucking pests and borers, and diseases such as yellow mosaic and dry root rot. Integrated approaches combining seed treatment, need-based foliar application, and other crop-management practices were generally associated with improved crop performance in the studies reviewed. Overall, the evidence supports the use of location-specific combinations of suitable genotypes and agronomic, nutrient, weed, insect, and disease-management practices. Wider field validation across seasons and production environments remains important before broad recommendations are made.

Nutrient Management in Sugarcane: A Critical Review of Productivity, Nutrient-Use Efficiency, Soil Health and Environmental Trade-offs

K. Kalaichelvi, G. Porkodi, C. Harisudan, P. Murali Sankar — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sugarcane is a high-biomass, long-duration crop whose nutrient management is complicated by large and changing nutrient demand, differences between plantandratoon crops, residue retention, variable soil fertility, and a substantial risk of nutrient loss when supply is poorly synchronised with crop uptake. This critical narrative review evaluates contemporary evidence on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), secondary nutrients, micronutrients, organic and recycled nutrient sources, and precision nutrient management in sugarcane. Literature was selected from accessible scholarly databases and indexes, with emphasis on peer-reviewed field evidence published between 2000 and 24 June 2026 and inclusion of earlier foundational studies where required. The synthesis indicates that no universally optimal fertiliser rate exists: economically and environmentally defensible management depends on soil nutrient supply, expected yield, crop class, residue regime, water availability, nutrient source, placement and timing. Nitrogen shows the greatest mismatch between blanket recommendations and site-specific crop response; split application can improve performance at responsive sites, whereas surface-applied urea over retained straw can incur appreciable ammonia loss. Enhanced-efficiency N products can reduce specific nutrient loss pathways, but yield benefits are inconsistent and depend on product, weather and application context. Phosphorus management is constrained by fixation and legacy pools, while K management requires close attention to soil exchange capacity, yield level, residue export and recycled K from vinasse or other by-products. Integrated use of organic amendments can support soil carbon, biological activity and nutrient cycling, but nutrient release is less predictable than from mineral fertilisers and should not be assumed to replace balanced mineral nutrition automatically. Emerging canopy sensors, remote sensing and variable-rate systems are promising, although calibration, transferability and evidence for long-term economic and environmental benefit remain limited. The strongest strategy is therefore adaptive nutrient stewardship that combines diagnosis, locally validated response functions, balanced nutrition, recycling with safeguards, and monitoring of both productivity and environmental losses.

Climate-Smart Rice Production through Integrated Water and Carbon Management: Methane Mitigation, Biochar and Yield Resilience

Abhishek Kumar Sinha, Sanchita Sarkar, Srinivasa Rao Meesala — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rice production occupies a difficult position in climate-smart agriculture because flooded paddy soils support high and stable yields yet create conditions favourable to methane formation, consume substantial irrigation water, and can alter the availability of potentially toxic elements in grain. This critical narrative review evaluates whether methane mitigation, water management, biochar amendment and yield resilience can be integrated into a coherent management strategy rather than treated as separate objectives. Literature published from 2000 to 3 July 2026 was considered, with earlier foundational evidence retained selectively where necessary. The strongest and most consistent evidence supports non-continuous flooding, particularly well-managed alternate wetting and drying (AWD), as the principal near-term field lever for lowering methane emissions and irrigation demand. Across recent meta-analyses, methane reductions are substantial, but nitrous oxide commonly increases, and yield responses depend strongly on drying severity, timing, soil properties, nitrogen supply and cultivar. Mild AWD is therefore better supported than severe drying as a production-compatible mitigation practice. Biochar can improve rice yield, nitrogen-use efficiency and soil carbon status while moderating greenhouse-gas emissions, but average methane mitigation is less consistent than that achieved through water management and is highly contingent on feedstock, pyrolysis conditions, application rate, soil properties and mineral nitrogen input. Direct factorial evidence combining AWD and biochar is still limited, although several multi-year field studies indicate that biochar can partly buffer nutrient losses, contaminant trade-offs and physiological constraints associated with soil drying. Evidence that AWD itself increases yield resilience to drought or heat is mechanistically plausible but remains cultivar- and experiment-specific; it should not yet be equated with proven long-term yield stability under climate extremes. The synthesis supports a hierarchical strategy in which water regime is the primary control, biochar and nitrogen management are context-dependent modifiers, and cultivar choice provides a resilience layer. Future progress requires multi-site factorial trials, explicit life-cycle accounting, multi-contaminant grain-safety assessment and measurement frameworks that verify water status, greenhouse gases and yield stability together.

Reviving Indigenous Rice for Modern Health: A Review

Mrinmoyee Sen, Natasha R. Marak — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Indigenous rice in India is increasingly recognised as a resource for cultural continuity, agricultural resilience, and dietary diversification. This review critically examines relationships among Indian rice landrace diversity, grain composition, processing, glycaemic response, potential health relevance, sustainability, and livelihood value. It also considers how conservation, farmer knowledge, and value-chain development relate to the continued use of locally adapted rice diversity. The terms indigenous, traditional, native, and landrace are treated as related but distinct concepts to avoid broad category-level assumptions. Evidence indicates that genotype, pigmentation, grain fraction, processing, and preparation influence fibre, phenolic and anthocyanin content, starch digestibility, and glycaemic response. However, these differences do not justify assigning a uniformly low-glycaemic or superior nutritional profile to all landraces. Human evidence concerning pigmented rice remains encouraging but inconsistent and largely short-term, while traditional medical uses are best interpreted as cultural knowledge rather than established treatments. The review therefore applies an evidence-graded perspective that links food-matrix characteristics and dietary exposure with health-related outcomes while considering agroecological context. Major research needs include authenticated variety-specific compositional data, standardised glycaemic testing, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies, adequately powered human interventions, and integrated farm-economic and sustainability comparisons. Conservation and responsible commercialisation may support continued use when accompanied by participatory characterisation, varietal verification, transparent value chains, traceability, and equitable benefit sharing.

Biodiversity and Ecological Dynamics of the Asian Rice Gall Midge (Orseolia oryzae) in Paddy Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review

A. Bhargavi, Siva Ram Tejomoortula — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood-Mason), is an important insect pest of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and a significant component of rice agroecosystems. Its importance is associated with characteristic silver-shoot formation, yield reduction, geographical variation, differences in virulence, and complex interactions with rice plants, natural enemies, and environmental factors. This review synthesises current knowledge on the biodiversity, biology, ecology, population dynamics, host-pest interactions, natural enemies, resistance, and management of O. oryzae in paddy ecosystems. Particular emphasis is given to geographical and genetic diversity, gall-midge biotypes, seasonal incidence, weather influences, host-plant resistance, and rice-gall-midge interactions. Molecular and genomic studies have provided valuable insights into population differentiation, virulence, insect-plant interactions, and resistance-associated traits, while recent research has expanded opportunities for molecular breeding and improved resistance screening. The review also highlights the ecological importance of parasitoids and other natural enemies and discusses the influence of crop establishment, nutrient management, planting synchrony, and insecticide use on gall-midge populations. Although substantial progress has been made, important gaps remain in understanding population connectivity, biotype evolution, host adaptation, climate-related changes in population dynamics, and the durability of resistance. Future research should integrate population genetics, molecular biology, rice breeding, field ecology, environmental monitoring, and integrated pest management (IPM). An ecosystem-based approach combining resistant cultivars, conservation of natural enemies, appropriate agronomic practices, systematic monitoring, and need-based chemical intervention offers a more sustainable strategy for managing O. oryzae while supporting productive and ecologically resilient paddy ecosystems.

AI-Driven Agricultural Advisory and Diagnostic Systems for Smallholder Farming: Technical Architectures, Evidence and Deployment Priorities for North-East India

Pravangkar Boruah, Rubul Kumar Bania — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being introduced into agricultural advisory services through machine learning, computer vision, conversational large language models, retrieval-augmented generation and multimodal interfaces. For smallholder farming, the central question is not whether these technologies can produce technically plausible outputs, but whether they can provide locally correct, actionable and safe recommendations under heterogeneous agronomic, linguistic and connectivity conditions. This critical narrative review integrates evidence on digital extension, AI-enabled agricultural advice, image-based diagnosis and responsible digital agriculture, with particular reference to North-East India. Literature published from 1 January 2010 to 17 July 2026 was considered, with emphasis on peer-reviewed field evaluations, technical validation studies, reviews and regionally relevant research. Evidence from digital extension provides the strongest causal baseline: mobile and personalised advisory services frequently improve information recall, agronomic knowledge and adoption of recommended practices, yet effects on yield, profit and welfare are inconsistent. Recent generative-AI studies show that large language models can produce useful agricultural responses, but site-specific rates, timing and local practice remain recurrent failure points. Retrieval grounding and expert feedback improve local relevance, although multi-season farm-level effectiveness evidence remains scarce. Image-based plant-disease systems achieve high accuracy in curated datasets, but performance can deteriorate sharply under field domain shift, class novelty and variable image quality. North-East Indian studies of mobile advisory systems in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura demonstrate a valuable institutional foundation based on interactive voice response, local expert networks and user-centred service design; they do not, however, establish the effectiveness of autonomous AI. The most defensible deployment model is therefore an offline-tolerant, multilingual, multimodal and human-supervised architecture that grounds recommendations in curated regional knowledge, represents uncertainty, preserves provenance and escalates high-risk or out-of-distribution cases. Future research should prioritise prospective district- and season-spanning evaluations that connect model quality to farmer decisions, agronomic outcomes, equity, safety and cost-effectiveness.

Role of Oxidative Enzymes and Biochemical Constituents in Imparting Resistance to Clusterbean Varieties against Bacterial Blight (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Cyamopsidis)

Prahlad, Shankar Lal Godara, Ashok Kumar Meena, Preeti Vashisht — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Bacterial blight is associated with physiological and biochemical changes in clusterbean, and differences among varieties may be reflected in oxidative-enzyme activity and biochemical constituents. This study compared four clusterbean varieties representing susceptible (RGC-986), moderately susceptible (RGM-112), moderately resistant (RGC-1017), and resistant (RGC-1066) reactions. Healthy and diseased leaves collected 40 days after sowing were analysed for polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, chlorophyll, total phenolic compounds, total soluble, reducing and non-reducing sugars, soluble protein, and proline. Oxidative-enzyme activities generally increased in diseased leaves. The highest polyphenol oxidase activity in diseased leaves was recorded in RGM-112, the highest peroxidase activity in RGC-1017, and the highest catalase activity in RGC-986. Total chlorophyll declined after disease development, with the highest healthy-leaf value recorded in RGC-1017. Total phenolic content increased after infection and was highest in RGC-1066. Total, reducing, and non-reducing sugars decreased in diseased leaves, while RGC-1017 retained the highest total sugar content. Soluble protein also decreased following infection, with RGC-1066 showing the highest protein content in both healthy and diseased leaves. Proline increased in diseased leaves of all varieties and was highest in RGC-1066. Overall, the contrasting varietal responses were associated with differences in oxidative-enzyme activities and biochemical constituents, indicating that these traits accompany differential bacterial blight reactions in clusterbean.

Export Performance of Indian Sapota in Major International Markets

S. A. Jagtap, D. B. Malave, S. R. Torane, P. V. Phadte — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sapota (Manilkara achras) is an important tropical fruit crop in India with scope for expansion in international markets. This study evaluated the growth, variability and trade direction of Indian sapota exports across major destination countries using secondary country-wise export data for 2002-03 to 2024-25. The analysis was divided into Period I (2002-03 to 2011-12), Period II (2012-13 to 2024-25) and the overall period. Compound annual growth rate, coefficient of determination, Cuddy–Della Valle instability measures and Markov chain analysis were used to examine export quantity, export value and market retention. During Period I, export quantity recorded significant positive growth in Canada, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In Period II, significant declines were observed for Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Other destinations. Over the overall period, export quantity declined significantly for the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Other destinations. In contrast, export value increased significantly across all selected destinations, with the highest overall growth in Canada (12.56 per cent), followed by Bahrain (10.80 per cent). Markov chain results showed that the United Arab Emirates had the highest market-retention probability at 64 per cent, followed by Bahrain at 51 per cent. The findings indicate a divergence between export quantity and value and substantial instability across destinations, highlighting the importance of quality consistency, stable market linkages and destination diversification.

Economic Effects of Marketing Processed Soybeans on Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria

Zacharias Ternenge Nyiatagher, Anayo Michael Okeke, Pius Charles Okpe — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study analysed the economic effects of marketing processed soybeans on poverty alleviation in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of soybean processors; analyse the economic effects of marketing processed soybeans on poverty alleviation; examine the processing activities performed by respondents in the study area; determine the costs and returns associated with marketing processed soybeans in the study area; and identify the problems associated with soybean-processing enterprises in the study area. Purposive and random sampling techniques were employed to select a total of 480 soybean processors, comprising 240 soycake and 240 soymilk processors. Data were collected using well-structured questionnaires. The study identified the economic effects of marketing processed soybeans on poverty alleviation as increased market value (66.4%), higher income (72.20%), creation of small-scale jobs (73.2%), regular weekly profits (75.0%), extended shelf life (51.1%), and stronger trading ties (43.3%). Budgetary analysis showed that the soymilk enterprise generated a gross margin of ₦87,406.00 per processing round, whereas the soycake enterprise generated a gross margin of ₦40,080.40 per processing round. Soybean processing in the form of soycake and soymilk was profitable, with benefit-cost ratios greater than one (1.36 for soycake processors and 1.66 for soymilk processors). Multiple regression analysis showed that the most significant variables influencing returns to the soymilk enterprise were the cost of soybeans and respondents' years in the soybean processing business, while those influencing returns to the soycake processing enterprise were the cost of soybeans, technology, and the cost of other ingredients used in soycake processing. The study also revealed a positive and significant relationship between processing technique and enterprise returns. The study concluded that soymilk processing is more profitable than soycake processing in the study area. It is recommended that, to reduce rural poverty, local value addition be strengthened, cooperative networks be developed, and smallholders be connected directly to industrial buyers.

Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Post-harvest Soil Nutrient Status of Fodder Jowar (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Varieties as Influenced by Nitrogen Levels in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, India

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Fodder availability remains inadequate to meet the increasing demand for quality livestock feed in India. Fodder jowar (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is an important forage crop because of its high biomass production, drought tolerance and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic conditions. Optimising varietal selection and nitrogen management is therefore essential for improving fodder productivity, nutrient uptake and post-harvest soil nutrient status under rainfed conditions. A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2025 at the Agricultural College, Naira, Andhra Pradesh, to evaluate the performance of fodder jowar [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] varieties under different nitrogen levels with respect to yield, nutrient uptake and post-harvest soil nutrient status. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, comprising three fodder jowar varieties, viz., CSH-24 MF, CSH-43 MF and Pant Chari-6, as main-plot treatments and four nitrogen levels (0, 60, 80 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹) as sub-plot treatments. Among the varieties, CSH-43 MF recorded significantly higher green fodder yield (48,490 kg ha⁻¹), dry fodder yield (12,695 kg ha⁻¹) and nitrogen uptake (138.8 kg ha⁻¹), whereas Pant Chari-6 recorded significantly higher post-harvest soil available nitrogen (182.7 kg ha⁻¹). Application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ resulted in significantly higher green fodder yield (54,760 kg ha⁻¹), dry fodder yield (13,998 kg ha⁻¹), nitrogen uptake (157.3 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus uptake (28.4 kg ha⁻¹), potassium uptake (170.1 kg ha⁻¹) and post-harvest soil available nitrogen (198.5 kg ha⁻¹). However, post-harvest soil available phosphorus (26.7 kg ha⁻¹) and potassium (222.5 kg ha⁻¹) were higher under the control treatment (0 kg N ha⁻¹). The interaction between varieties and nitrogen levels was significant for green fodder yield, dry fodder yield and nitrogen uptake, with CSH-43 MF supplied with 100 kg N ha⁻¹ producing the highest green fodder yield, dry fodder yield and nitrogen uptake under the rainfed conditions of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Influence of Fertiliser Packages on Yield and Quality of Lembayung Sweet Potato Grown in BRIS Soil

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Lembayung is a purple-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) variety with potential for fresh consumption and food processing. However, its production on BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) soils is constrained by low soil fertility, poor nutrient-retention capacity, and rapid nutrient leaching. Appropriate fertiliser management is therefore required to improve crop performance and storage root quality under these marginal soil conditions. This study evaluated the effects of different fertiliser packages on the growth, yield, tuber quality, and sensory attributes of the purple-fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) variety Lembayung cultivated under nutrient-deficient BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales) soil conditions. The field experiment was conducted at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Bachok Research Station, Kelantan, Malaysia, using a Randomised Complete Block Design with three replications. Eight fertiliser treatments comprising conventional NPK fertiliser, specially formulated fertiliser, and two biofertiliser formulations were evaluated. Growth performance, storage root weight, total soluble solids (TSS), total sugar content, and sensory attributes were assessed at harvest. The results showed that fertiliser package composition significantly influenced crop performance and tuber quality. T7 (900 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 13:13:21 + Formulated fertiliser) produced the highest plant weight (1106.7 g plant⁻¹) and total sugar content (5.69 g 100 g⁻¹), indicating enhanced vegetative growth and carbohydrate accumulation under higher nutrient availability. However, the highest storage root weight was recorded in T4 (special formulation fertiliser), reaching 937.4 g per tuber, suggesting that a balanced nutrient supply was more effective in promoting storage root bulking. Although TSS did not differ significantly among treatments, T2 and T3 recorded the highest value of 12.2 °Brix. Sensory evaluation showed that T2 (600 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 13:13:21 + Formulated fertiliser) achieved the highest scores for aroma, texture, taste, sweetness, and overall acceptability. The findings demonstrate that moderate fertiliser application combined with biofertiliser supplementation can provide a favourable balance between crop productivity, tuber quality, and consumer acceptance. Overall, integrated nutrient management using biofertilisers and specialised fertiliser formulations shows strong potential for improving nutrient use efficiency and supporting the sustainable production of high-quality Lembayung sweet potato under marginal BRIS soil conditions.

Daily Mandi Price Retrieval through Open Government APIs: A Pilot Framework for Digital Agricultural Advisory in India

Suresh Kumar Sharma, Parul Dhull — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: To document a lightweight pipeline for retrieving current-day wholesale mandi prices from the Government of India's data.gov.in AGMARKNET resource and to assess its suitability as a potential data layer for digital agricultural advisory.

Study Design: Applied technical pilot using a single cross-sectional API retrieval.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Statistics, Mathematics and Computer Science (CIMCA), Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture University, Jobner, Rajasthan; retrieval and analysis were conducted on 19 August 2026.

Methodology: A Python client queried the resource "Current Daily Price of Various Commodities from Various Markets (Mandi)" (resource ID: 9ef84268-d588-465a-a308-a864a43d0070). The API reported 13,181 nationwide records for the date and returned up to 1,000 records on the retrieved page. A manually delimited, non-probability subset of 104 records from the first page was retained. Records were checked for field completeness and ordered prices. For each market-commodity-variety-grade-date record, a custom recorded price-range ratio was calculated as (maximum price - minimum price)/modal price x 100.

Results: The 104 retained records covered 13 states, 30 markets, and 53 commodities. The mean recorded price-range ratio was 22.7% (median 15.1%; standard deviation 24.3%), with values from 0.0% to 103.9%. Eighteen records (17.3%) had identical minimum, maximum, and modal prices. State and commodity-category summaries were descriptive only because the subset was neither exhaustive nor probabilistically sampled.
Conclusion: The live API supported programmatic retrieval and elementary validation of current-day mandi prices. The pilot does not evaluate an artificial-intelligence system, farmer use, temporal volatility, causal effects, or national representativeness. An operational advisory application would require exhaustive or prespecified sampling, scheduled longitudinal retrieval, immutable data and code archiving, and user-centred validation.

Agriculture as A Catalyst for Rural Economic Development of Benue State, Nigeria

Zacharias Ternenge Nyiatagher, Anayo Michael Okeke, Stephen Aondoaseer Ashikegh — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The study examined agriculture as a catalyst for rural economic development in Benue State, Nigeria. The study provides an avenue for determining the contribution of agriculture to poverty reduction and rural development, the challenges faced by smallholder farmers, and strategies for overcoming these barriers. A multistage sampling technique was employed to select 387 respondents for the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to respondents in the study area. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Likert-scale ratings (mean scores). Findings on the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents revealed that the majority (68.2%) were aged 31–60 years, with a mean age of approximately 45 years; the majority (74.2%) were married; most (55.3%) were male; the majority (65.6%) had received some form of education; average farming experience was approximately 20 years; average household size was 8.4 persons; the majority (67.2%) had farming as their primary occupation; and average monthly income was ₦86,111.11, which was relatively low considering the average household size of 8.4 persons. The major contributions of agriculture to rural economic development in the study area included income generation (3.077), food security (3.895), employment creation (3.567), and enhanced resilience to shocks (3.298). The challenges faced by smallholder rural farmers included limited access to resources (3.731), technology (3.648), markets (3.565), and essential services (3.486). Strategies for overcoming these barriers included sustainable agricultural practices (3.682), value chain development (3.601), land tenure policies (3.519), input subsidy policies (3.504), trade policies (3.441), and climate policies (3.255). The study concluded that agriculture serves as a primary catalyst for rural economic development in the study area. It recommended that agricultural practitioners, policymakers, and researchers promote the sustainable and efficient use of resources, provide appropriate and affordable technologies, and facilitate access to competitive markets that offer fair and stable prices.

Performance of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) Varieties under Mulched Field Conditions in Nuwakot, Nepal

Sandesh Neupane, Salina Pant, Samir Pandey, Rukmani Adhikari — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study evaluated five watermelon varieties to identify high-yielding types with desirable fruit quality under the local agro-ecological conditions of Nuwakot District, Nepal. The experiment was conducted at Bidur Municipality-04, Nuwakot District, Bagmati Province, from February to June 2026 using a one-factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments and four replications. The varieties Aahana, Saraswati, Rato Lali, Kritika, and Dany were evaluated in 7.2 m² plots. Data were recorded for vegetative traits, including vine length, stem girth, and number of branches per plant; yield traits, including fruit length, fruit perimeter, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, and total yield (t ha⁻¹); and fruit-quality traits, including total soluble solids (TSS, °Brix) and titratable acidity (TA). Significant varietal differences were observed for vine length at 12 and 24 days after transplanting (DAT), stem girth, number of branches per plant, number of fruits per plant, TA, fruit perimeter, average fruit weight, and total yield, whereas vine length at 36 DAT, TSS, and fruit length did not differ significantly. Aahana recorded the highest TSS (13.20 °Brix), TA (0.384%), and number of branches per plant (11.94). Rato Lali recorded the highest yield (40.31 t ha⁻¹), stem girth (0.567 cm), and number of fruits per plant (2.20), while Dany recorded the largest fruit perimeter (54.82 cm) and highest average fruit weight (2.93 kg). Under the conditions of this trial, Rato Lali was promising for yield, whereas Aahana showed favourable fruit-quality attributes.

Popularity and Acceptance of KAU Rice Varieties: Farmers' Reasons for Cultivation and Non-Cultivation in South Kerala, India

S. Shanila, B. Seema — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has released several rice varieties suited to the agro-climatic conditions of South Kerala, but their popularity and acceptance among farmers remain uneven. This study documented the KAU rice varieties cultivated by farmers, identified seed sources, assessed varietal popularity and acceptance, and ranked the reasons for cultivation and non-cultivation. An ex post facto research design was used. Data were collected during 2021–2022 from 105 rice farmers selected through simple random sampling from seven purposively selected panchayats across Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Idukki districts. A pre-tested personal interview schedule was used, and Weighted Mean Score analysis was applied to rank farmers’ reasons. Uma was the most widely cultivated KAU variety, grown by 78.09 per cent of respondents, followed by Jyothi at 20.00 per cent. Government institutions were the principal seed source for 59.05 per cent of farmers. Low popularity scores accounted for 40.95 per cent of respondents, while 48.57 per cent fell within the low-acceptance category. High yield ranked first among the reasons for cultivation, followed by extension support. High cultivation cost ranked first among the reasons for non-cultivation, while lack of availability of good-quality seed and agro-climatic non-suitability shared the second rank. The findings indicate that varietal uptake is shaped by yield, extension support, seed access, production costs, and agro-climatic suitability.

Economic, Technical and Institutional Constraints Faced by Potato Growers in Firozabad Districts of Uttar Pradesh, India

Raghvendra Singh, Vijay Kumar Sharma, Parth Prateek — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The present study was conducted in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh to identify the major constraints faced by potato growers and to collect their suggestions for overcoming these problems. An ex-post facto research design with a descriptive research approach was employed for the investigation. Firozabad district comprises five tehsils and nine development blocks. Among these, Tundla block was purposively selected because it has a comparatively larger area under potato cultivation. Within the selected block, five villages—Alai, Anwara, Baghai, Bankat, and Basai—were chosen based on their extensive potato-growing area. A total of 135 potato farmers were selected from these villages using proportionate sampling. Primary data were gathered through personal interviews with the help of a structured interview schedule. The collected data were classified, tabulated, and analyzed using frequency and percentage distributions to achieve the objectives of the study. The results revealed that the lack of scientific training was the most critical constraint perceived by the respondents, with 88.46 per cent of potato growers identifying it as a major problem. This was followed by inadequate facilities for long-term potato storage (86.16%), severe insect pest infestation (83.07%), and the limited availability of private cold storage facilities (75.38%). Additional constraints reported by the farmers included the non-availability of quality seed, inadequate government-supported storage infrastructure, reduced productivity due to climate change, and insufficient technical guidance from extension agencies. With respect to suggestions for overcoming these constraints, the majority of respondents emphasized the timely availability of improved quality seed (75.39%) as the most important measure. Other major recommendations included increasing the frequency of field visits by agricultural extension personnel (70.77%), establishing adequate storage and cold storage facilities (67.70%), ensuring the timely supply of fertilizers and other essential agricultural inputs (53.85%), and organizing scientific and technical training programmes for potato growers (52.30%). The study highlights the need to strengthen agricultural extension services, ensure the timely availability of quality agricultural inputs, and expand storage and cold storage infrastructure for potato growers. Addressing these constraints can significantly improve crop productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance the economic returns from potato cultivation. The findings offer valuable implications for policymakers, extension agencies, and development organizations in designing and implementing effective interventions that promote the sustainable development and long-term growth of the potato sector.

Design and Development of Semi-automatic Mulching Machine for Agriculture

A. Vivekanandhini, M. Amirthaswarna, R. Ajay, E. Moulishwaran, P. Sivaraman — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: To design and develop a semi-automated mulching machine and evaluate its performance in reducing labour requirements and operational time and improving mulching efficiency in agricultural fields.

Study Design: An experimental study was carried out involving the design, fabrication and field testing of a semi-automated mulching machine.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Paavai Engineering College, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, from January 2025 to May 2025.

Methodology: The semi-automated mulching machine was fabricated using locally available materials. The machine consisted of a frame, wheels, mulch roll holder, press wheels, shaft, bearings and handle arrangement. Field tests were conducted to evaluate machine performance under actual farming conditions. Parameters such as field capacity, field efficiency, labour requirement and time required for mulching were recorded and analysed. The results were compared with those of the conventional manual mulching method.

Results: The developed machine performed satisfactorily during field testing. The theoretical field capacity was 0.24 ha h⁻¹ and the effective field capacity was 0.167 ha h⁻¹, with a field efficiency of 69.58%. The machine covered one hectare of land in about 6 h with a labour requirement of 12 man-hours ha⁻¹. Compared with the traditional method, the developed machine reduced labour requirements and operational time while providing uniform mulch placement.

Conclusion: The semi-automated mulching machine was found to be an effective and economical solution for mulching operations. It reduced labour dependency, saved operational time and improved field efficiency. The machine can be recommended for small- and medium-scale farmers to improve productivity and support agricultural mechanisation.

Profitability, Resource Use Efficiency and Marketing Constraints of Banana Farming in Nawalparasi West, Nepal

Samir Pandey, Sandesh Neupane, Dipendra Chauhan, Luv Majakoti, Sirjan Silwal — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aims: This study aimed to analyze the profitability and resource-use efficiency of banana (Musa paradisiaca) farming in Nawalparasi West District, Nepal. It also assessed the effects of farm size on profitability, marketing conditions, and major production and marketing constraints.

Study Design: A descriptive and analytical research design was employed.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted among commercial banana farmers in Susta and Pratappur Rural Municipalities, Nawalparasi West District, Nepal, from February to June 2026.

Methodology: Primary data were collected from 95 commercial banana farmers through household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and field observations. Data were analyzed using SPSS and MS Excel through descriptive statistics, benefit-cost analysis, farm-size comparison, marketing analysis, and the Cobb-Douglas production function.

Results: The average production cost was NPR 27,536.03 per kattha per production cycle, while gross revenue was NPR 47,671.58, resulting in a net return of NPR 20,135.54 and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.73. Labor, chemical fertilizers, irrigation, and propping had significant positive effects on gross returns, whereas planting materials had a significant negative effect. The estimated return to scale was 0.588, indicating decreasing returns to scale. Labor, chemical fertilizers, and propping were under-utilized, while planting materials, manure, micronutrients, plant-protection chemicals, and irrigation were over-utilized. Large farms achieved higher profitability than small farms. Marketing analysis revealed complete dependence on middlemen, with producers receiving only 25.73% of the final consumer price. Unstable prices, pest and disease incidence, and post-harvest losses were the major constraints.

Conclusion: Banana farming was economically profitable in the study area, but inefficient resource allocation, weak market access, pest and disease problems, and post-harvest losses limited profitability and sustainability. Improved input management, market regulation, technical support, and post-harvest infrastructure are recommended.

Performance of Maize (Zea mays L.)–Green Gram (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) Intercropping under Different Row Ratios with Uniform Organic Manure Application under Rainfed Conditions

S. S. Ghulaxe, V. Bharati, S Rakshit, G. Pandey, A. L. Sarda — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Intercropping cereals with legumes can improve resource-use efficiency, productivity and land-use efficiency, particularly under rainfed conditions. In maize–green gram intercropping, system performance is strongly influenced by the spatial arrangement and relative proportion of the component crops. Therefore, identifying an appropriate row ratio under uniform organic nutrient management is important for improving productivity, competitive balance and economic returns under rainfed conditions. A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2025 at the Bothiya Research Farm, School of Agricultural Sciences, G H Raisoni University, Saikheda, Pandhurna district, Madhya Pradesh, to evaluate maize–green gram intercropping under different row ratios with uniform organic manure application under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with seven treatments, each replicated three times: T1 – sole maize; T2 – sole green gram; T3 – maize + green gram (1:1); T4 – (1:2); T5 – (2:1); T6 – (2:2); and T7 – (3:1). All treatments received the same mixed organic manure comprising 50% poultry manure and 50% vermicompost at a total rate of 10 t ha⁻¹ (8 t ha⁻¹ before ploughing and 2 t ha⁻¹ as top dressing). The crop was completely rainfed; no irrigation, herbicide or fungicide was used. Thiamethoxam 25% WG was sprayed at 1 g L⁻¹ at 20 and 35 days after sowing. Sowing was carried out on 13 June 2025; green gram and maize were harvested on 14 and 15 August 2025, respectively. Using confirmed prices of ₹24.10 kg⁻¹ for maize and ₹66.27 kg⁻¹ for green gram, T6 (2:2) recorded the highest maize equivalent yield (MEY; 5357 kg ha⁻¹) and gross return (₹129,113 ha⁻¹). T4 (1:2) recorded the highest total land equivalent ratio (LER; 1.40), while T5 (2:1) recorded the highest net return (₹79,292 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (2.61). Because the same manure mixture and rate were applied to all treatments, the independent effect of organic manure was not tested; the study is therefore interpreted strictly as a row-ratio experiment under uniform organic nutrient management.