Browsing by Author "Jancy Garg"

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Addressing stresses in agriculture through bio-priming intervention
(Springer Singapore, 2018) Deepranjan Sarkar; Sumita Pal; M. Mehjabeen; Vivek Singh; Sonam Singh; Subhadip Pul; Jancy Garg; Amitava Rakshit; H.B. Singh
Concurrent occurrences of different stresses, i.e. biotic and abiotic, are very common in the environment of plants which consequently reduce yield. As cost-effective options are very limited, bio-priming is a suitable tool to address the numerous challenges associated with agriculture. Plant growth benefits are easily attainable through this technique while managing the natural resources and enhancing the environmental sustainability. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2018. All rights reserved.
Bioenergy Crops: Challenges and Opportunities
(Springer Nature, 2023) Jancy Garg; Prabhakar Prasad Barnwal; Jarupula Suman; Amitava Rakshit
Alternative sources of energy are the need of the hour since we are dependent upon traditional resources like fossil fuel for fulfilling our energy demands, but how long? The time has come when traditional sources of energy are depleting day by day and we are getting out of stock in terms of our energy. Using plants for the production of energy can be a good and efficient alternative that will be ecologically sustainable as well as financially stable for the ever-increasing population. This chapter focuses on such types of bioenergy crops, which can be the heroes of the coming generation in terms of energy production. Energy generated using bioenergy crops will be cleaner and cheaper, produce fewer greenhouses gases, and also help in carbon sequestration. Based on the roles played, the bioenergy crops can be divided into first generation, second generation, third generation, dedicated plants, and halophytes. Along with the multifaceted benefits like climate change, carbon sequestration, reduction in nitrous oxide emission and nitrate leaching, and restoration of ecological balance, there can be some challenges also in growing bioenergy crops. The challenges that we might be facing in growing bioenergy crops can be the competition for land and water with our main food crops, instability of the market for bioenergy crops, less economic incentives to produce and transport the bioenergy crops, and also the socioeconomic impacts. Despite the challenges associated, growing bioenergy crops can be beneficial in fulfilling the energy requirement of future generations. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.
Compost Tea: An Emerging Nature-Based Supplement Strengthening Options for Durable Agriculture
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2024) Jancy Garg; Amitava Rakshit
The increasing use of agrochemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides, is causing considerable pressure on natural resources, specifically the rhizosphere. Chemicals are altering the chemistry and biology of the rhizosphere, thereby increasing its vulnerability to pests and diseases through the degradation of microbial activities and soil fertility. This subsequently influences the phyllospheric activities and capacity to withstand insect pests and diseases, thereby having an ultimate impact on human health and ecology. Therefore, there is an increasing need for affordable and eco-friendly alternatives, such as the use of farm-derived natural and organic materials, to enhance ecological conditions. Compost tea is an organic solution that can be used to improve soil and plant health. It functions as a nutrient source for the soil and plants, as well as a biocontrol agent for plant disease prevention. Implementing a leaf covering forms a protective barrier that hinders the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. This review presents a comprehensive examination of compost tea, encompassing its historical context, diverse preparation methods employed by researchers, factors influencing these methods, application techniques, nutrient profile, potential advantages for soil, plants, and the environment, as well as important limitations that should be considered. However, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the specific mechanism of action, the potential use as a plant nutrient source, metagenomic studies, and the microbial interactions related to compost tea. Additional research is required to investigate these aspects in subsequent studies. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedad Chilena de la Ciencia del Suelo 2024.
Microbially mediated silicon-based agro-wastes: a possible option in reducing bioaccumulation of arsenic
(Frontiers Media SA, 2025) Sabyasachi Koley; Jancy Garg; Krisanu Golui; Amitava Rakshit
Background: Arsenic (As), a class I carcinogen, affected 200 million people globally either through consumption of contaminated groundwater or food crops especially rice, leading to acute or chronic health issues including fatigue, respiratory diseases, liver fibrosis, and cancer. Research gap: For reclamation, majority of the efforts focused on single application of a particular amendment in reducing As levels in rice ecosystems. Methodology: This particular article comprehensively studied package of those amendments being used in reducing the bioaccumulation of As. Results: Consortia based package involving Si-rich agro-wastes (intact waste, compost, ash etc.) and agriculturally important microbes have the potential to reduce translocation of As to the above ground biomass by various mechanisms viz., competitive inhibition of transporters, iron plaque formation, anti-oxidant defense system, microbial oxidation etc. Rice straw compost (RSC) and husk composts (RHC) which are rich sources of Si (7–10%), Fe (700–900 ppm), Zn (40–60 ppm) and P (0.35–0.5%) have been explored owing the ability of Si and P to hinder the uptake of highly toxic As (III) and As (V) within plants by competitively inhibiting LSi1 and LSi2 for Si, and Pht4 and Pht8 transporters for P uptake with additional Fe released from amendments can form Fe-plaques that might work like As filters. Agro-wastes combined with silicate solubilizing bacteria significantly reduced As loading in final produce (25–52%), thereby reducing dietary exposure (ADI) even up to one third compared to control. Conclusion: This comprehensive review on understanding and validation of the mechanism provides a valuable insight in formulating a feasible As toxicity management strategy. © © 2025 Koley, Garg, Golui and Rakshit.