Browsing by Author "Anil Barla"

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An assessment of arsenic hazard in groundwater–soil–rice system in two villages of Nadia district, West Bengal, India
(Springer Netherlands, 2019) Munish Kumar Upadhyay; Arnab Majumdar; Anil Barla; Sutapa Bose; Sudhakar Srivastava
The present study measured arsenic (As) concentrations in soil, groundwater and rice grain samples in two villages, Sarapur and Chinili, under Chakdaha block, Nadia district, West Bengal, India. This study also included a survey of the two villages to understand the knowledge among villagers about the As problem. Soil and groundwater samples were collected from fields in two villages while rice grain samples were collected from villagers’ houses. The results revealed the presence of As in higher concentrations than the maximum permissible limit of As in drinking water (10 µg L−1 and 50 µg L−1 by WHO and Indian standard, respectively) in groundwater [124.50 ± 1.11 µg L−1 (Sarapur) and 138.20 ± 1.34 µg L−1 (Chinili)]. The level of As in soil was found to range from 47.7 ± 0.14 to 49.3 ± 0.19 mg Kg−1 in Sarapur and from 57.5 ± 0.25 to 62.5 ± 0.44 mg Kg−1 in Chinili which are also higher than European Union maximum acceptable limit in agricultural soil (i.e. 20 mg Kg−1). The analysis of As in rice grains of five varieties, collected from residents of two villages, showed the presence of higher than recommended safe level of As in rice by FAO/WHO (0.2 mg Kg−1). The As concentration order was Gosai (0.95 ± 0.044 mg kg−1), Satabdi (0.79 ± 0.038 mg kg−1), Banskathi (0.60 ± 0.026 mg kg−1), Kunti (0.47 ± 0.018 mg kg−1) and Ranjit (0.29 ± 0.021 mg kg−1). Importantly, Gosai and Satabdi were the most popular varieties being consumed by local people. The data of consumption of rice per day in the survey was used for the measurement of average daily dose and hazard quotient. It was seen that the As hazard was negatively correlated to the age of residents. Therefore, children and toddlers were at higher risk of As exposure than elderly people. In addition, people with skin related As toxicity symptoms were also cited in the two villages. The study emphasized the severity of As problem in remote areas of West Bengal, India where people consume As tainted rice due to lack of awareness about the As problem and associated health issues. © 2019, Springer Nature B.V.
Assessing Morphological and Physiological Crop Functional Traits of Underutilized Crops in Response to Different Nutrient Amendments in Vindhyan Highlands, India
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2024) Sanoj Kumar Patel; Anil Sharma; Anil Barla; Gopal Shankar Singh
The cultivated crop is frequently subjected to a variety of environmental challenges including drought, salinity, extreme temperature and low moisture levels. In which, drought stress is major factor, which significantly reduces crop survival and productivity, particularly in semi-arid region of the Vindhyan highlands. In response to this stress, millets and traditional crops have evolved a range of morphological and physiological adaptations to withstand these phenomenon. Therefore, the aim of this study is to characterize the morphological and physiological traits of underutilized crops under different nutrient amendments towards the dry conditions. A plot experiment with four treatments viz. control, compost, fertilizer and compost + fertilizer was conducted for eight crop landraces. The results demonstrate plant morpho-physiological traits as well as production were develop in accordance with following trends such as compost + fertilizer > fertilizer > compost > control. This trend was continued in percentage change of production and highest in white maize (41.97%) and ramrahar (36.93%) compared to control. Soil total nitrogen, organic carbon and available phosphate contents were shown a consistent increase from pre-sowing to post-harvest conditions for both cropping seasons in all the treatments. In the context of eco-physiological traits relation, PSR (Photosynthetic rate) was positively associated with plant height in black maize (R = 0.69 P < 0.01), baturi (R = 0.79 P < 0.01), masoor (R = 0.74 P < 0.01) and senduri (R = 0.78 P < 0.01). However, photosynthetic pigment such as, chl a (R = 0.66 P < 0.05) chl b (R = 0.78 P < 0.01) carotenoids (R = 0.71 P < 0.01) in white maize, while chla (R = 0.84 P < 0.001), chlb (R = 0.82 P < 0.01) and carotenoids (R = 0.76 P < 0.01) in baturi positively related with PSR. This study can help policymakers to make a climate-adaptive crop system for better production in dry climatic conditions and livelihood improvement of the local community. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.
Evaluating variability in soil attributes and forest vegetation in a degraded dry tropical region: an ecological restoration perspective
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024) Anil Sharma; Sanoj Kumar Patel; Anil Barla; Gopal Shankar Singh
The land use change pattern from disturbed tropical dry forests has significant impact on vegetation and soil physico-chemical properties, leading to alterations in vegetation structure and diversity. Thus, aim of this study was to better understand how disturbances affect forest vegetation and soil physico-chemical attributes under varied land uses in the deciduous forest region of Vindhyan highlands, India. Soil samples and vegetation analyses were conducted across three distinct disturbed forest sites on three land use types using the quadrate method. The study documented 45 species in the tree layer, with 37 in least disturbed, 33 in moderate disturbed, and 28 in highly disturbed stands. Shannon, Simpson, Evenness, Margalef and β-diversity indices exhibited pronounced variations among the three disturbed stands. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant difference in soil physico-chemical properties (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) due to various disturbed forest stands and land use types. Micronutrients such as zinc, copper, and nickel showed significant variation, with higher concentrations in least disturbed stands. Pearson’s correlation analysis indicated strong relationships between vegetation characteristics and soil physico-chemical attributes, consistent across disturbances. Additionally, the principal component analysis indicated that the first four principal components accounted for 77.7% of the total variation in the data. The comprehensive research will add forest managers in developing long-term eco-restoration plans that will result in reduced soil loss and degradation. This study contributes to more effective forest management and conservation efforts by providing essential insights into the interactions between disturbances, vegetation, and soil properties. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2024.
Heavy metal dispersion in water saturated and water unsaturated soil of Bengal delta region, India
(Elsevier Ltd, 2017) Anil Barla; Anamika Shrivastava; Arnab Majumdar; Munish Kumar Upadhyay; Sutapa Bose
[No abstract available]
Socio-ecological Challenges and Adaptation Strategies of Farmers Towards Changing Climate in Vindhyan highlands, India
(Springer, 2025) Sanoj Kumar Patel; Anil Sharma; Anil Barla; Amit Kumar Tiwari; Rinku C. Singh; Sudhanshu Kumar; Gopal Shankar Singh
The Indian agriculture is highly vulnerable to climate change which adversely affects crop production and livelihood of farmers. The effect is more intensified in Vindhyan highlands, where prolong drought and high rate of poverty exist in depredation environment. In this context, present study conducted to explore farmers’ perception, attitude about climate change and adaptive capabilities. We undertook an interview schedules survey through structured questionnaire in Duddhi block of Sonbhadra district. A total of 400 households were selected in which 347 (86.75%) male and 53 (13.25%) female respondents have participated. The perception of farmers on climate change is presented in SI (severity index) which varies from 36% to 68.63%. The statement ‘rainy season decreases’ ranked first with SI (68.63%) followed by ‘temperature increases’ SI (66.06%). This investigation identified 17 types of adaptive practices which are frequently performed in the Vindhyan highlands. Based on the WAI (Weighted Average Index) score, crop diversification (2.0), cultivation of drought-adapted crop varieties (1.99), changing plantation calendar (1.95) were the most adopted practices. Multiple regression analysis between the socio-economic status of farmers and the adaptation practices, recorded a significant positive relationship with age (P < 0.01), family size (P < 0.05), education (P < 0.01), caste categories (P < 0.05) and livestock ownership (P < 0.01) of farmer. This study will be helpful in developing drought resilience farming practices for sustaining the livelihood of farmers and inform policy making. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2023.
Thiourea supplementation mediated reduction of grain arsenic in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars: A two year field study
(Elsevier B.V., 2021) Munish Kumar Upadhyay; Arnab Majumdar; Anil Barla; Sutapa Bose; Sudhakar Srivastava
The present study delineates the interactions of arsenic (As), a carcinogenic metalloid, and thiourea (TU), a non-physiological reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, in rice plants grown in As contaminated fields in West Bengal, India. The study was performed for four consecutive seasons (two boro and two aman) in 2016 and 2017 with two local rice cultivars; Gosai and Satabdi (IET-4786) in a control and two As contaminated experimental fields. Thiourea (0.05% wt/vol) treatment was given in the form of seed priming and foliar spray. Thiourea significantly improved growth and yield of rice plants and reduced As concentration in root, shoot, husk and grains in both cultivars and fields. The reduction in As concentration ranged from 10.3% to 27.5% in four seasons in different fields. The average (four seasons) increase in yield was recorded about ~8.1% and ~11.5% in control, ~20.2% and ~18.6% in experimental field 1, and ~16.2% and ~24.1% in experimental field 2, for gosai and satabdi, respectively. Mean hazard quotient (HQ) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values of As reduced upon TU supplementation for both cultivars as compared to that of non-TU plants. Hence, TU can be effectively used to cultivate rice safely in As contaminated fields. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
Traditional Farming in the Indian Himalayan Region: Preserving Agro-Biodiversity and Future Food Security
(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2024) Sanoj Kumar Patel; Anil Sharma; Anil Barla; Gopal Shankar Singh
Globally, traditional agricultural knowledge has been established through careful examination of methods and practices, demonstrating ingenuity and tenacity of humankind. The Himalayan region of India is renowned for its unique and varied agroecosystems, which have been formed by centuries old traditional knowledge and methods. These diverse and tribe-specific traditional farming methods contributed a rich cultural and agro-biodiversity in the region. A wide range of traditional millet, cereal, vegetable, pulse and fruit varieties have dominated in these cultivation, that provide adaptations to extreme environmental events and climate change. However, increasing global food and nutritional demand is a major challenge for both present and future production systems. The variable climate, along with population growth, always raises demands and supplies of food. The Green Revolution increased agricultural production worldwide by employing high-yielding varieties, excessive amounts of inorganic fertilizer, high groundwater utilization and heavy machinery use. These advanced activities simultaneously cause negative environmental consequences by disrupting the production system, causing soil degradation and chemical runoff, which leads to desertification of cultivated land.. To achieve a sustainable cultivation system along with an expanded production system, a new sustainable green revolution is needed. This revolution can only be achieved by traditional knowledge of sustainable cultivation, which is mostly spread in remote and hilly areas of India, such as the Himalayas. The present chapter reviews and describes the unique traditional agricultural practices of the Himalayan region of India. This further describes the sustainable production potential and traditional cultivation techniques of these farming systems. It also provides a list of traditional knowledge of sustainable agriculture that plays a significant role in adaptation strategies as well as in designing a new policies for sustainable food production. Moreover, it attracts the global community with the prospect of enhancing the production of agricultural systems through the use of traditional practices. Heightened production will plays a significant role in climate change vulnerability assessments and policy frameworks for sustainable food production. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
Ultra-structure alteration via enhanced silicon uptake in arsenic stressed rice cultivars under intermittent irrigation practices in Bengal delta basin
(Academic Press, 2019) Arnab Majumdar; Munish Kumar Upadhyay; Jisha Suresh Kumar; Sheena; Anil Barla; Sudhakar Srivastava; Manoj Kumar Jaiswal; Sutapa Bose
The study implements a periodical intermittent water cycle during rice cultivation providing insight potential in minimizing soil bio-available arsenic. Soil As concentrations were 34 ± 0.49 and 72.03 ± 0.54 mg kg-1 As respectively in two selected fields with rice cultivars gosai and satabdi, in comparison to 42.26 ± 0.37 and 83.69 ± 0.48 mg kg-1 in continuously flooded field soil, determined through ICP-MS. The study found higher translocation of silicon from soil to rice plant parts under intermittent irrigation having pH range of 7.6–9.4 and greater availability of soil organic content that in turn release more labile silicon from soil to aqueous phase for plant accumulation. This increased uptake of silicon strengthens rice shoots, nodes and leaf xylem-phloem integrity compared to conventional continuously flooded rice cultivation approach, suppressing the arsenic translocation, as observed under FE-SEM real-time imaging. Fresh plants were analysed for bioaccumulation and translocation factors of arsenic and silicon to justify the enhanced silicon uptake under proposed practice. Plant stress regulator enzymes viz. malondialdehyde (MDA), total protein, superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) from both conditions and found to be better in intermittent method over conventional practice with higher productivity. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.
Vermiremediation of metal(loid)s via Eichornia crassipes phytomass extraction: A sustainable technique for plant amelioration
(Academic Press, 2018) Arnab Majumdar; Anil Barla; Munish Kumar Upadhyay; Dibyarpita Ghosh; Punarbasu Chaudhuri; Sudhakar Srivastava; Sutapa Bose
Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth), imparts deficiency of soluble arsenic and other toxic metal (loid)s through rhizofiltration and phytoaccumulation. Without proper management strategy, this phytoremediation of metal (loid)s might fail and get reverted back to the environment, contaminating the nearby water bodies. This study, focused on bio-conversion of phytoremediating hyacinths, spiked with 100 times and greater arsenic, lead and cadmium concentrations than the average water contamination, ranging in 58.81 ± 0.394, 16.74 ± 0.367, 12.18 ± 0.153 mg Kg−1arsenic, 18.95 ± 0.212, 9.53 ± 0.054, 6.83 ± 0.306 mg kg−1 lead and 2.79 ± 0.033, 1.39 ± 0.025, 0.92 ± 0.045 mg kg−1 cadmium, respectively in root, shoot and leaves, proving it's phytoaccumulation capacity. Next, these hyacinths has been used as a source of organic supplement for preparing vermicompost using Eisenia fetida following analysis of total metal content and sequential extraction. Control soil was having 134.69 ± 2.47 mg kg−1 arsenic in compare to 44.6 ± 0.91 mg kg−1 at premature stage of compost to 23.9 ± 1.55 mg kg−1 at mature compost indicating sustainable fate of phytoremediated vermicompost. This vermiremediation of arsenic and other toxic elements, restricted the bioavailability of soil pollutants. Furthermore, processed compost amended as organic fertilizer, growing chickpea, coriander, tomato and chilli plant, resulted in negligible metal(loid)s in treated samples, enhancing also plant's growth and production. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd