Home / Current Article

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change, land-use changes and droughts, threatening global forests. Traditional detection methods lack speed and scalability. Smart forests, driven by machine learning (ML), utilize sensor networks and data analytics to facilitate early warning systems, risk evaluation and mitigation strategies. This article reviews recent ML advancements in wildfire detection, prediction and response, emphasizing current technologies, real-world applications and key challenges, while outlining future opportunities for enhancing forest resilience through intelligent, data-driven solutions.

This article investigates the potential of coastal fisheries to contribute to climate change mitigation through blue carbon ecosystems. It focuses on habitats like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, which not only capture atmospheric carbon but also support marine biodiversity and fishery productivity. The objective is to assess how integrating blue carbon science with fisheries resource management can enhance ecological sustainability and climate resilience. This article reviews blue carbon practices and policies, highlighting challenges like data gaps, weak coordination, and limited community involvement. It calls for integrated strategies that link climate goals, livelihoods, and carbon finance, emphasizing inclusive, science-based approaches to enhance both environmental sustainability and socioeconomic resilience in coastal regions.

Livestock are an invaluable asset to agro-based countries like India, providing power, transport, fertilizer, fuel, and nutrition. They serve as a vital source of food and economic security for many families. However, protozoan parasites pose a significant threat to livestock health, adversely affecting their well-being, productivity, and overall contribution to rural livelihoods. Common protozoan genera affecting livestock include Trypanosoma, Babesia, Theileria, Sarcocystis, Toxoplasma, Neospora, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and various species of Coccidia. These pathogens are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and reproductive disturbances. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis, followed by appropriate treatment, is crucial to prevent disease progression, reducing transmission, and minimizing the impact on animal health and agricultural output. The objective of this article is to explore effective diagnostic methods for key protozoan diseases in livestock, facilitating early detection and intervention to curb their spread and mitigate their pathological consequences.

The kennel business is emerging as a lucrative and welfare-oriented enterprise globally, including in India, due to changing lifestyles, urban nuclear families, and increased pet ownership. This article explores the concept and structure of kennel businesses, which encompass breeding, boarding, training, and integrated services. Several key factors are driving the popularity of kennel businesses, including urbanization, the demand for pure breeds, the need for trained dogs, and the increasing emotional bond people have with their pets. Successful planning for a kennel business requires thorough market research, adherence to licensing regulations, appropriate location selection, and well-designed infrastructure that ensures hygiene, good ventilation, exercise areas, and isolation wards for sick animals. Financial considerations include ongoing costs such as staff salaries, food, vaccinations, as well as potential revenue streams like puppy sales, boarding fees, training packages, and grooming services. The article emphasizes the importance of ethical practices for sustainability, such as responsible breeding, maintaining health records, and humane retirement of breeding dogs.It also covers marketing strategies, both online and offline, and the importance of branding to reach a wider audience. Challenges such as disease outbreaks, seasonal fluctuations in demand, regulatory compliance, and emotional challenges are discussed. Future prospects for the kennel business indicate immense growth potential in areas like luxury pet hotels, canine therapy training, security dog training, and dog sports coaching. Overall, when executed with compassion and transparency, the kennel business not only offers substantial financial returns but also promotes animal welfare and provides personal fulfillment for entrepreneurs.

Micronutrient seed priming is a sustainable agricultural practice aimed at addressing the widespread issue of micronutrient deficiency in soils, which impacts crop yields and quality. This article explores the mechanisms, benefits, and challenges of micronutrient seed priming, with a focus on its potential for enhancing yield and quality in various crops. By providing seeds with essential micronutrients at early stages, seed priming promotes better germination, vigor, and resilience to stress, making it an effective technique for improving agricultural productivity sustainably.

Integrated Farming System (IFS) offers a sustainable solution for today?s agricultural challenges, especially for small and marginal farmers. By combining crops, livestock, fishery, poultry and other enterprises, IFS maximize the use of available resources, minimizes waste and provides year-round income. This eco-friendly model reduces dependence on chemicals, enhances productivity and recycles farm residues, turning one enterprise?s waste into another?s input. With climate change, declining soil health and rising costs threatening traditional farming, IFS stand out as a smart, holistic approach. It not only supports environmental sustainability but also boosts food security, employment and economic resilience making it an ideal model for the next generation of farmers and agricultural enthusiasts.

Wool, a sustainable and versatile natural fiber derived primarily from sheep, has been an essential material throughout history for providing comfort, protection, and adaptability. With India being the third-largest sheep population country and a significant global wool producer, the wool industry contributes substantially to the textile sector. However, challenges like low per-sheep yield and textile waste require attention. Alongside wool production, the industry generates valuable byproducts such as lanolin, noils, keratin, and wool scouring sludge, each with immense potential for value addition. Lanolin, a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, lubricants, and agricultural applications, showcases its versatility. Noils are repurposed into textiles, blankets, and non-woven fabrics, while keratin finds advanced applications in biotechnology, tissue engineering, and wastewater purification. Waste wool is utilized for innovative solutions like composite materials, eco-friendly bricks, and nitrogen-rich fertilizers that improve soil health. Wool scouring sludge is transformed into compost, while wool fibers demonstrate excellent oil adsorption capabilities. Moreover, wool contributes to microbial peptone production, thermal and acoustic insulation, and handcrafted items. These innovations align with principles of circular economy and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of reusing, recycling, and repurposing wool and its by-products. By fostering innovative applications and sustainable practices, the wool industry can maximize its ecological, economic, and social value, advancing responsible resource management and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Tomato wild relatives hold invaluable genetic traits for disease resistance, stress tolerance, and improved yield. Exploring these untapped resources offers sustainable solutions to modern agricultural challenges. By integrating their genes into cultivated varieties, breeders can enhance crop resilience, ensuring food security and environmental sustainability in the face of climate change.

Eri silk, Samia ricini (Donovan) often referred as "Ahimsa silk," is one the important sources of livelihood in North Eastern states. Eri culture involves rearing of food plants viz., castor, kesseru, and tapioca, indoor rearing of eri worms, cocooning and raw silk production. Blend of indigenous and scientific advancements made eri culture sustain over long period of time. Sustainable management of pest and diseases of larvae, host plants and more scientific intervention helps boost eri culture to reach worldwide. For that to happen it becomes vital to study the activities undertaken in eri culture, which is dealt in the present article.

Seed priming is a pre-sowing technique that partially hydrates seeds to activate metabolic processes such as DNA repair, enzyme activity, and antioxidant buildup?leading to faster and more uniform germination after re-drying. While it improves seed performance and crop establishment, priming requires precise control over hydration and drying, posing challenges for small-scale farmers due to cost and complexity. In agriculture, seed priming is widely used to enhance germination, stress tolerance (drought, salinity, temperature extremes), disease resistance (via biopriming with beneficial microbes), and early crop establishment. It contributes to sustainable farming by reducing water, fertilizer, and pesticide use, ultimately increasing yields and supporting climate resilience and precision agriculture. A recent innovation in priming involves amphiphilic compounds like surfactants, which improve water uptake, break seed coat barriers, enhance nutrient delivery, and boost stress tolerance. These surfactants help in modifying seed-water interactions, enabling better germination, especially in hard-coated or dormant seeds. Looking forward, integrating seed priming with technologies like seed coating and genetic tools presents a promising approach for boosting productivity and ensuring food security. Continued research and optimization are crucial to fully exploit its benefits in sustainable and resilient agriculture.

Infectious Spleen and Kidney Necrosis Virus (ISKNV) is a very infectious virus with a large host range that includes over 50 freshwater and marine fish species and causes explosive and high-level mortality in those fish. It causes immune suppression and tissue damage, mainly targeting the spleen and kidney. ISKNV also poses serious economic threats to aquaculture globally, particularly in tropical areas. It is diagnosed predominantly by PCR and immunological techniques, while treatment is not effective. Prevention is dependent upon biosecurity, sound husbandry, and prompt detection. Constant vaccine development provides a promise of potential future control, so disease management is essential for sustainable aquaculture.

This article explores Nakshatra-based farming, an ancient Indian agricultural system that aligns crop activities with the moon?s transit through 27 Nakshatras (lunar constellations). Rooted in traditional texts like Vrikshayurveda, the practice associates specific lunar positions and phases with optimal times for sowing, transplanting, harvesting and pest control. Scientific evidence increasingly supports these traditions, linking lunar gravity and cosmic radiation to plant growth, soil moisture and seed germination. Though scalability and scientific validation remain challenges, integrating traditional lunar calendars with modern agri-tech offers a promising, sustainable path for enhancing crop health, biodiversity and resilience in uncertain climatic conditions.

Bamboo farming in Maharashtra offers a dual advantage?economic resilience and environmental sustainability. As one of the fastest-growing plants, bamboo matures in 3?5 years, sequesters up to 12 tons of CO? per hectare annually, and thrives with minimal water, making it ideal for drought-prone regions. The study highlights its significant income potential, supported by detailed cost?benefit analysis and schemes like MGNREGA, which covers nearly 100% of plantation costs. Government programs such as the National Bamboo Mission and State Bamboo Policy (2017) further enhance farmer participation and rural employment. With applications in construction, energy, handicrafts, and food, bamboo farming emerges as a viable agroforestry model aligned with climate goals and inclusive rural development.

Heavy metal contamination in aquatic ecosystems poses serious environmental risks due to their persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. This review outlines global regulatory benchmarks (WHO and USEPA) and identifies major sources such as industry, agriculture, wastewater, mining, and natural processes. Metals accumulate in sediments and organisms, causing physiological harm to aquatic life and disrupting food webs through bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Contamination also degrades water quality by altering pH, turbidity, and oxygen levels. Detection methods include AAS, ICP-MS, biosensors, and bioindicators. Remediation strategies involve physicochemical treatments, bioremediation, sediment management, constructed wetlands, and emerging technologies like nanotech and electrochemical processes. Integrated monitoring and mitigation are essential to restore aquatic ecosystem health.

With the increasing trend of urbanization and limited access to open farmland, container culture has emerged as a smart, space-saving, and sustainable method for growing vegetables. From apartment balconies to rooftops and small backyards, container gardening allows everyone?even those without traditional garden space?to enjoy the joy of homegrown vegetables. This article highlights the key aspects of container gardening, including its advantages, importance of selecting the right containers, role of an ideal potting mix and nutrient management strategies. Additionally, maintenance practices like proper sunlight exposure, timely watering, pruning, and organic pest management are emphasized to ensure long-term productivity. Container culture not only promotes home-grown, chemical-free vegetables but also contributes to sustainable urban agriculture and environmental conservation.

Azolla, a fast-growing aquatic fern, is gaining recognition as a sustainable and cost-effective feed supplement in aquaculture. Rich in protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, Azolla enhances fish growth, feed efficiency, and water quality through nutrient absorption. Its integration into aquafeeds, particularly at optimal inclusion levels, can reduce reliance on traditional protein sources and lower feed costs. However, challenges such as anti-nutritional factors and nutrient variability require further research and innovation in processing and cultivation. Overall, Azolla presents significant potential for advancing sustainable aquaculture practices and supporting environmental and economic benefits.