Browsing by Author "Ashish Rai"

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Advance technology for biostimulants in agriculture
(Elsevier, 2022) Ayush Bahuguna; Sachin Sharma; Ashish Rai; Reshu Bhardwaj; Sanjib Kumar Sahoo; Astha Pandey; Bharti Yadav
Biostimulants are substances, different from fertilizers, which stimulate plant growth when applied in minute quantities. They are increasingly used in worldwide agricultural production and can effectively contribute to overcoming challenges imposed by the increasing world population. These environmentally friendly and natural substances promote vegetative growth, mineral nutrient uptake, and tolerance of plants to abiotic stresses. In the modern agriculture system, biostimulants are obtained from the different communities of naturally occurring microorganisms and the biochemical products produced by them such as organic acid, proteins, enzymes, and hormones. These substances when interacting with the plant-soil continuum enhance the availability or uptake of essential nutrients that are applied in the form of fertilizers or that are already existing in soil or crop residues. The other advanced technology used by different manufacturers is nanosurfactant additives, protein hydrolysates, humic acid, and seaweed with their different modes of action. So, in the current perspective, the use of these advanced technologies in organic farming will help to increase crop productivity, and soil fertility, protect against pathogens, and in turn, increase the income of the farmer. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Conservation Agriculture for Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration in the Indian Himalayan Region
(Springer Singapore, 2023) Ashish Rai; Sumit Tripathi; Ayush Bahuguna; Sumit Rai; Jitendra Rajput; Anshu Gangwar; Rajeev Kumar Srivastava; Arvind Kumar Singh; Satish Kumar Singh; Dibyanshu Shekhar; Rahul Mishra; Eetela Sathyanarayana; Supriya Pandey
Mountains the most significant agro-ecosystems that directly or indirectly support human life. The areas surrounding the hills are abundant in biodiversity and have enormous potential for sustaining Indian agriculture. It has been widely recognised that the ecological fragility and sensitivity of the Himalayas to climatic aberrations, topography, peculiar geographical features, and some of the particular identified problems, which may be soil loss, runoff, steep slopes, acidity of soils, and loss of soil nutrients, form it a very distinct region as opposed to plains in terms of socioeconomic situation. Conventional agriculture was one of the best aspects of food production during the green revolution and after India gained its independence for securing food and nutrition through intensive agricultural practices, but on the flip side, it has simultaneous effects on resource degradation and soil biodiversity. The need for food and fodder, an ever-growing population, the preservation of soil biodiversity, declining soil health, climate change, the use of unbalanced fertilisers, and decreased farm profitability all call for a paradigm shift in the agriculture sector. On the other hand, increasing the intensity of the hillside agriculture system without implementing any conservation measures greatly increases the likelihood of disastrous conditions. Conservation agriculture has long been known to improve soil health and sustain agricultural production systems by reducing environmental footprints. Between the atmosphere and the lithosphere, numerous biological and physical processes are regulated by soils. An integral aspect of soil that promotes agricultural sustainability is soil health. However, each measurement of a specific soil health parameter is always tied to a unique set of circumstances. A fundamental concern in maintaining soil health to feed an expanding population is resource conservation. Climate change is a topic of discussion on a worldwide scale in the current globalisation context. The greenhouse effect is best for life but only up to a point beyond which it becomes dangerous. Due to urbanisation, changes in land use, cropping patterns, and other factors, human influences on climate change go beyond the range of natural fluctuation. Climate change in the soil system is significantly influenced by carbon regulation in the soil. The rate of organic matter decomposition is accelerated by an increase in mean annual temperature, which affects aggregate stability, water storage capacity, and nutrient balance— all of which are crucial for healthy soil structure, soil fertility, productivity, and sustainability. In actuality, soil bacteria break down organic materials, but a change in temperature regime may change the microbial population. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.
Detection of human papilloma virus 16 and 18 DNA sequences by southern blot hybridization in oral leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma
(2009) Rahul Khanna; G.R.K. Rao; S.K. Tiwary; Ashish Rai; Seema Khanna; A.K. Khanna
Background: The etiopathological role of human papilloma virus (HPV) in the causation of oral cancer is till a subject of speculation. Methods: We used the technique of Southern blot hybridization to detect the presence of HPV types 16 & 18 in biopsy specimens from oral cancer and leukoplakia patients as well as normal oral mucosal biopsies. Results: The prevalence of either HPV type 16 or 18 was found in 64.5% (29/45) of oral cancer, 40%(12/30) of leukoplakia and 20%(9/45) of normal oral mucosal biopsies. No association could be demonstrated between tobacco usage habits or a history of genital warts with HPV prevalence. Conclusion: A significant finding was that none of the oral cancer patients were negative for both: a history of tobacco usage as well as presence of HPV infection, on Southern blot hybridization. © 2009 Association of Surgeons of India.
Detection of human papilloma viruses 16 and 18 DNA sequences in oral squamous cell carcinoma [4]
(2007) Rahul Khanna; G.R.K. Rao; Satyendra K. Tiwary; Ashish Rai; Seema Khanna; Ajay K. Khanna
[No abstract available]
Microbes and compost: an emerging role in climate resilience agriculture
(Elsevier, 2024) Ashish Rai; Rahul Mishra; Abhik Patra; Arvind Kumar Singh; Sachin Sharma; A. Arvind; Ayush Bahuguna; Sumit Rai; Jitendra Rajput; Anshu Gangwar; Shankar Jha; Sumit Kumar Tripathi; Rajeev Kumar Srivastava; Dibyanshu Shekhar; Satish Kumar Singh; Tejaswini Kapil; Ram Babu Sharma; Supriya Rai
Microbes and their metabolic activity are crucial for a healthy and functioning soil. The rhizosphere, where plant roots and microbes mingle, is a bustling hub for nutrient cycling, energy flow, and microbial activity. Sustainable farming prioritizes nurturing these rhizospheric processes. Biofertilizers, including symbiotic and nonsymbiotic microbial partnerships, plant growth-promoting microbes, and arbuscular mycorrhizal collaborations, all play diverse roles in soil health and plant growth. Some microbes like Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., and Streptomyces spp. help convert insoluble phosphorus into plant available forms. Composting, is another sustainable process, transforms organic waste into valuable compost, a dual-action fertilizer and soil amendment. Microbes decompose organic matter in compost, turning it into a stable, plant-friendly material. This aerobic process breaks down easy-to-digest molecules, generating CO2 and more durable substances. Composting effectively manages organic waste, reusing nutrients, reducing volume and moisture, and breaking down harmful organics plus, intricate humic-like chemicals form, boosting soil health. Thus, understanding and nurturing the vibrant microbial world in the rhizosphere through sustainable practices like biofertilizers and composting is key to healthy soil and a thriving future for farming. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Organic Amendments Application Increases Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Mustard (Brassica Juncea) Grown in Chromium-Contaminated Soils
(Taylor and Francis Inc., 2020) Vipin Kumar; Pramod Kumar Sharma; Hanuman Singh Jatav; Satish Kumar Singh; Ashish Rai; Surya Kant; Achin Kumar
A pot experiment (Net House) study was conducted in the Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Science, B.H.U. Varanasi to find out the effect of organic amendments in mustard grown in chromium (Cr)-contaminated soil during 2015–16 and 2016–17. There were five levels of Cr (Control, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/Kg soil) with and without three organic amendments (viz. Vermicompost (VC), FYM, and Sewage Sludge (Sl)) @ 5 t/ha, 10 t/ha and 20 t/ha, respectively. The maximum number of siliqua/plant (333 and 354), length of siliqua (5.43 and 5.53), number of seeds per siliqua (12.11 and 12.39), dry matter accumulation (50.76 and 54.65g/pot), biological yield (266.51 and 273.34g/pot), seed yield (62.63 and 66.96g/pot), stover yield (203.88 and 206.38g/pot), and harvest index (23.50 and 24.5%) were recorded when Cr-contaminated soil is treated with organic amendments mainly with vermin compost during 2015–16 and 2016–17. It is reported that significant nutrient uptake (N, P, S, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn) also increased with the application of organic amendments. It is reported that yield attributing characters are improved by the application of VC followed by farm yard manure then sewage Sl. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Response of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) to sulphur and boron in upland red soil of Vindhyan zone
(IndianJournals.com, 2018) Arvind; Surendra Singh; P.K. Sharma; Ashish Rai
[No abstract available]
Soil health and climate change
(Elsevier, 2020) V. Girija Veni; Ch. Srinivasarao; K. Sammi Reddy; K.L. Sharma; Ashish Rai
Soils regulate many biological and physical processes between the atmosphere and the lithosphere. Soil health is an integrative property of soil that supports agricultural sustainability. Measurement of a single property in concern with the soil health is nonetheless always being related to particular circumstances. Conserving natural resources is a major concern in sustaining soil health for feeding the increasing population. In the current scenario of globalization, climate change is discussed as a global issue. Human influences on climate change exceed the boundaries of natural variability consequently resulting in changes in atmospheric composition, urbanization land-use changes, cropping patterns, etc. Carbon regulation in soil plays a major role in climate change in the soil system. An increase in mean annual temperature accelerates the decomposition rate of organic matter that influences the water storage capacity, nutrient balance, and aggregate stability, which are important for good soil structure, soil fertility, productivity, and sustainability. As a matter of fact, soil microbes decompose organic matter, but a rise in temperature may alter the microbial population with changing temperature regimes. Hence, it is necessary to study the climatic impact of soil health to take necessary steps to overcome the negative effects. An integrated sustainable approach linked with soil health may contribute a significant resilience under adverse conditions. Increasing soil organic carbon is the best way to mitigate climate change and to ensure food security. Hence, COP 21 launched the “4 per mille Soils for Food Security and Climate” to increase global soil organic matter stocks by 0.4% per year to mitigate the global emissions of greenhouse gases by anthropogenic sources. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Use of biowaste to ameliorate chromium-contaminated soils to improve crop productivity
(Elsevier B.V., 2024) Anuradha Rai; Naveen Kumar Sharma; Vinod Kumar Singh; Ashish Rai; Vipin Kumar; Abhinav Kumar; Jay Shankar Singh; Sanjay Kudesia; Pradeep Kumar Rai
Increasing discharge of untreated industrial effluents has led to high metal loads in different environments. In the recent past Chromium (Cr) has emerged as a severe pollution to soil and aquatic ecosystems. Its global average load in soil is 54 ppm. Chromium has deleterious effects on crops and the subsequent food chain. If ingested, hexavalent chromium [Cr (VI)] is highly carcinogenic to faunal health. Here, we investigate the use of biowaste on chromium-contaminated soils to promote phytostabilization and overall improvement in crop productivity via decreased solubilization, restricted leaching, higher bioavailability of micronutrients, along with the efficient recycling of waste from the environment. Biowaste amendments facilitate complex processes such as stable compound formation after reacting to organic ligands, precipitation on surfaces, and ion exchange phenomenon; to improve fertility, physical health, and microbial activity in soil. The resulting improved soil quality promotes resettlement of vegetation and better plant growth and development. The potency of different biowastes to immobilize the hazardous metal(loid)s depends on their chemical nature, the extent of their degradation by microbes, their reaction in specific soil-type and concerned metal(loid)s. We need to develop different bio-remedial strategies to curtail the Cr-phytotoxicity, and ensure sustainable crop productivity. © 2024 The Authors