Browsing by Author "Singh, Ajeet"
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Publication Animal manures and plant residue-based amendments for sustainable rice-wheat production and soil fertility improvement in eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Chaurasia, Rajan; Pandey, Krishna Kumar; Bundela, Amit Kumar; Singh, Gopal Shankar; Abhilash, Purushothaman ChirakkuzhyilAgroecological interventions are imperative for boosting agricultural productivity and soil fertility while increasing profitability of subsistence farmers in low-income countries by replacing synthetic fertilizers. With this context, the present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of animal manures (sheep and poultry manure) and plant residue-based organic amendments (rice husk biochar and sugarcane pressmud) on soil quality, nutrient uptake and balance, yield, and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping in alluvial (rainfed) and red lateritic soil (dryland) of middle Gangetic plains (Narayanpur) and Vindhyan region (Rajgarh) of Mirzapur district in eastern UP. The field experiments were conducted for three years at the above two sites and amendments were done at a rate by replacing 30% standard recommended doses of fertilizer (RDF) for rice-wheat cropping system. Field trials were conducted with the 100% RDF as control, and 70% RDF with sheep manure, poultry manure, rice-husk biochar and sugarcane pressmud in a randomized block design. The organic amendments were done during the rice cultivation stage and the residual effect was observed during the subsequent wheat cultivation. Though soil organic carbon (SOC) was found to show significant (p ? 0.05) increase in biochar amended plots, animal manures followed by pressmud showed year wise increase in both SOC and microbial biomass carbon. In rainfed areas, plant growth and yield attributes for both rice and wheat were at par in amendments than control while in dryland, the 100% RDF showed better performance during the first year, after that amended plot showed better performance. All amendments resulted in higher benefit: cost ratio except biochar addition in Narayanpur, whereas in Rajgarh, the poultry manure resulted in significant improvement in benefit: cost ratio from second year onward. Our study advocates that validation of suitable amendment packages based on organic inputs are imperative for improving the yield, soil quality and nutrient balance of rice-wheat cropping system and thereby attaining the UN-SDGs at the village/local level. � 2022 Elsevier B.V.Publication Double transplantation as a climate resilient and sustainable resource management strategy for rice production in eastern Uttar Pradesh, north India(Academic Press, 2023) Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Chaurasia, Rajan; Pandey, Krishna Kumar; Bundela, Amit Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Singh, Gopal Shankar; Mall, Rajesh Kumar; Abhilash, Purushothaman Chirakkuzhyil-Enhancing the productivity of rainfed crops, especially rice, while coping with climate adversities and saving critical natural resources is essential for ensuring the food and nutrition security of a growing population. With this context, the present study was undertaken to validate promising farm innovation and adaptation practices used by small-medium landholding farmers for rice cultivation in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP), north India, as well as to examine the sustainability of innovative practices for large-scale adoption. For this, a 3-year study comprising extensive field surveys and experiments was undertaken to compare single transplantation (ST) and double transplantation (DT) in rice along with organic addition (farm-yard manure, FYM) on crop growth, yield, climate resilience, soil quality, and overall sustainability i.e., social (women involvements and labour productivity), environmental (water productivity and nutrient use efficiency), and economic (benefit:cost ratio) dimensions of sustainability. Field experiments were conducted in triplicate using two local rice varieties (MotiNP-360 and Sampurna Kaveri) in two agroclimatic zones, namely the middle Gangetic plains and the Vindhyan zone, in the Mirzapur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. The DT practices of rice with and without farm yard manure (FYM) (replacing at a dose of 25% NPK) were evaluated over conventional methods of rice cultivation (i.e., ST, as control) and analysis was done periodically. The DT practice improved growth (p < 0.05), percent fertile tiller and grain (p < 0.05), and rice yield (15�20% higher than ST), while also improving soil quality, yield indices, water and labour productivity, and the benefit-cost ratio. The DT practice also resulted in early maturity (10�15 days earlier than ST), created more labour days for women, decreased lodging and pest/disease incidence, as well as a subsequent reduction in the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and associated environmental costs. Importantly, the residual effects of FYM application significantly improved (p < 0.05) the grain yield in subsequent years of cropping. Optimizing DT cultivation practices, preferably with FYM input for various agro-climatic regions, is essential for large-scale sustainable rice production under changing climatic conditions. � 2022 Elsevier LtdPublication Managing agroecosystems for food and nutrition security(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Merah, Othmane; Abhilash, P.C.This editorial article provides a brief overview of various articles published in the Special Issue: Managing Agroecosystems for Food and Nutrition Security. � 2022 The AuthorsPublication Multipurpose Benefits of an Underexplored Species Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.): A Critical Review(Springer, 2023) Srivastava, Rajani; Srivastava, Vineet; Singh, AjeetSustainable food production through integrating knowledge of indigenous and local communities has significance for meeting the UN-SDGs (sustainable development goals). The majority of the food supply comes from cereal crops, which are exceptionally delicate to changing weather and climate conditions. Therefore, climate-resilient underutilized local crops may be a good option to be considered as potential crops for dietary diversification. The present review on Portulaca oleracea L. commonly called Purslane, having remarkable nutritional, medicinal, and pharmacological, and phytoremediation properties show significance. It is highly nutritious and has all essential minerals, vitamins, and proteins. About 93% of water, 3% of carbohydrates, and 2% of protein are present in raw Purslane. It contains dietary minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. Potassium is the most abundant electrolyte present in Purslane. It contains the highest content of vitamin among green leafy vegetables. There are four different types of omega-3 fatty acids found in Purslane. This is required for typical wellbeing, improvement and anticipation of various cardiovascular illnesses, and upkeep of a sound resistant framework. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) species is highly nutritious and can be easily grown with high production efficiency in tropical, subtropical, and underdeveloped districts of the world. The species can be easily cultivated and act as an ideal substitute for resource-poor farmers in the developing region. Considering immense nourishing benefits, this species has great potential for its utilization in the future under changing climate. Further, the species has a huge scope that can be advantageous for accomplishing the food and health benefits at the local and regional levels and may preserve agro-biodiversity for sustainable development. � 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Publication Nutritional, Ethnomedicinal, and Agricultural Significance of Neglected and Underutilized Crops from Eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2023) Singh, Ajeet; Bundela, Amit Kumar; Abhilash, Purushothaman ChirakkuzhyilMeeting food and nutritional security needs for a growing population is a global sustainability challenge due to the heavy reliance on a few cultivated crops for dietary requirements across the world. To ensure local food security, it is imperative to diversify dietary options with locally available, neglected, and underutilized crops (NUCs) with nutritional and biocultural significance. In this context, the present study aims to explore the role of NUCs for nutritional, ethnomedicinal, and agricultural relevance in two districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, i.e., Mirzapur and Sonebhadra. Extensive field surveys were conducted in the study sites, and a total of 445 local respondents were interviewed based on structured questionnaires for calculating ethnobotanical indices, i.e., relative frequency of citation (RFC), frequency of citation (FC), use report (UR), and cultural importance index (CI) of NUCs. The study identified 116 NUCs belonging to 55 families and 103 genera. All reported NUCs had medicinal value; 55 were edible and used as food; and 41 had agricultural significance. Leaves were the most commonly used plant parts for medicinal purposes, followed by roots and stems, whereas flowers were the least commonly used parts. NUCs were used by the locals for their medicinal properties to treat various ailments, such as skin and eye problems, headaches, and liver problems. They were administered as decoction, paste, vapor inhalation, fruit juice, and poultice. The RFC, FC, UR, and CI values of the NUCs were in the range of 12 to 365, 0.03 to 0.82, 12 to 394, and 0.03 to 0.89, respectively. Fruits were the most commonly consumed part, followed by leaves, tubers, pods, and aerial bulbs, whereas the mode of consumption was stir-fry, soup, vegetables, salad, or in raw form. NUCs were bestowed with essential macro- and micronutrients and were found in the range of Ca (3.79�1147.3), K (2.6�1600.3), Mg (0.8�468.0), Na (0.4�270.8), P (1.15�305), Fe (0.1�327.6), Zn (0.1�84.6), Cu (0.047�33.3), Mn (0.1�62.3) mg/100 g, and vitamins like ascorbic acid (0.04�1561.1), thiamine (0.041�2.4), and ?-Carotene (0.2�93.6) mg/100 g. These NUCs were cultivated in different settings, such as kitchen gardens, backyard gardens, border crops, and sometimes agricultural fields. The current study reveals the rich diversity and varied use of these NUCs with respect to their ethnomedicinal, nutritional, and agricultural relevance. Sustainable utilization with large-scale cultivation of promising NUCs can lead to local food security and the subsequent attainment of the associated UN Sustainable Development Goals. � 2023 by the authors.Publication Planet friendly agriculture: Farming for people and the planet(Elsevier B.V., 2021) Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Chaurasia, Rajan; Pandey, Krishna Kumar; Bundela, Amit Kumar; Dubey, Rama Kant; Abhilash, Purushothaman ChirakkuzhyilAgriculture is central to overall development of humankind and plays a decisive role in the timely realization of several UN-Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, agriculture is the largest nonpoint source of pollution primarily due to rampant use of agrochemicals, and contributes ~34% of the annual greenhouse gases emission globally. Agricultural practices are also one of the major drivers of global biodiversity loss, and exerts a heavy footprint on water amounting to 70% of the world's freshwater withdrawal annually. As per projections of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, agricultural production has to be doubled by the year 2050 to feed a global population of ~9.7 billion. However, this intensification must be done in an ecological way (not at the cost of planetary resilience) while designing novel strategies to reinforce agriculture's crucial role in achieving Global Goals. Hence, the notion of �planet friendly agriculture� wherein food production has to be achieved within the planetary boundaries is getting global priority as a transitional as well as transformative solution for improving the wellbeing of people while safeguarding life-supporting systems of a heavily polluted, overexploited and resource crunched planet. This graphical review aimed to portray various planet friendly farming practices based on resource conservation and replenishment to strengthen food and nutrition security of the current and future generation while reducing pollution, greenhouse gases emission, biodiversity loss, and water footprint, even under changing climatic conditions. � 2021 The Author(s)Publication Steering the restoration of degraded agroecosystems during the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration(Academic Press, 2021) Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Raghubanshi, Apoorva; Abhilash, P.C.Agroecosystems are the largest human-natural coupled production system covering ~40% of the planet earth and provide essential ecosystem services for a good quality of life and human wellbeing. The sustainable management of agroecosystems are therefore essential for meeting the food, fuel, fiber, and fodder demands of the rapidly growing human population. Agroecosystems also play a key role in trace gases emission, and also affect the quality and usage of life-supporting resources such as air, water, soil etc. Though the sustainable management of agroecosystems are imperative for achieving UN-Sustainable Development Goals, they are frequently under degradation due to multiple drivers of changes such as unsustainable land-use practices, biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change, etc. Therefore, cordial efforts at national, regional and global levels are essential for managing agroecosystems to meet out the global goals and also the targets of the United Nations- Decade o-n Ecosystem Restoration (2021�2030). Here we opined various strategies for restoring degraded agroecosystems for sustainable development including the adoption of emerging paradigms such as micro-agriculture, urban agriculture, and landless agriculture for averting the mounting pressure on agroecosystems for the benefit of both people and the planet. � 2020Publication Tectona grandis L.f. mediated restoration of marginal lands in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, North India(John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2023) Edrisi, Sheikh Adil; Singh, Ajeet; Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Abhilash, Purushothaman C.Tectona grandis L.f. has considerable potential to restore marginal and degraded lands as it offers multiple co-benefits during the restoration venture. It provides good quality wood for multipurpose use, including biomass for bioenergy and noninvasive traits. For this, aboveground biomass (AGB) was assessed along with testing the critical soil properties (soil physicochemical and biological properties) across different plantation sites during a 4-year study period (2015�2018). The study suggested that the soil properties like bulk density, moisture content, pH, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium have shown significant mean improvement in all planted sites collectively. These were improved by ?0.21 g cm?3, 0.68%, ?0.68, 0.27%, 13.69 mg kg?1, 11.77 mg kg?1, 95.20 mg kg?1, respectively, in an arid area (Mirzapur, i.e., M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6 sites, representing a warm and tropical dry climate) from the unplanted control (CM1) during 2015�2018. Moreover, the microbial biomass carbon and dehydrogenase activity were significantly improved by 56.71 mg kg?1 and 6.92 ?g TPF g?1�hr?1, respectively, from CM1. Similar results were also observed in the semiarid areas of Varanasi, representing a humid subtropical climatic pattern (i.e., V4 and V5 sites) compared to the unplanted control in the (CV1). Furthermore, the AGB was found between 12.56 and 229.13 kg tree?1, representing 5 and 30 years of plantation, respectively, in 2018. Reference sites (V1, V2, and V3) were also considered that reflect a planted control, which helped assess the comparison between variable sites and the sites under restoration. Therefore, the study further suggested that this tree species has the tremendous potential to restore marginal and degraded lands in the arid and semiarid areas of North India with a significant biomass supply as an additional benefit. � 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Publication The Dasgupta Review: resetting the stage for a new paradigm(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2022) Priyadarshini, Priya; Dubey, Pradeep Kumar; Singh, Ajeet; Chaurasia, Rajan; Abhilash, Purushothaman ChirakkuzhyilAssessing the impacts of unprecedented biodiversity loss on planetary resilience, The Economics of Biodiversity: the Dasgupta Review (�Dasgupta Review�) asserts that sustainable engagement with nature is crucial for sustaining the livelihoods of present and future generations. It further urges the integration of biodiversity into national accounting and science-based decision-making processes in order to advance the well-being of both people and the planet. Here, we present the salient features of the Dasgupta Review along with several recommendations for strengthening global biodiversity and ecosystem conservation efforts. Although institutional transformations at regional and national scales are essential to facilitate the recognition of economies� dependence on nature, behavioral changes at the level of the individual are also needed to better understand, value, manage, and utilize biodiversity. Formulation of inclusive policies prioritizing biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource consumption is also essential for averting future public health risks associated with ecosystem degradation and species loss. � 2021 The Ecological Society of America.
