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Plant tissue culture is an important biotechnology for rapid multiplication, production of disease-free planting material and improvement and conservation of crop plants. The process involves in vitro culture of plant cells, tissues or organs on suitable nutrient media and provides powerful techniques like micropropagation, somatic embryogenesis, embryo rescue, haploid production and in vitro selection for crop improvement. Plant tissue culture has been increasingly used for the regeneration of plants difficult to propagate by seed and for facilitating rapid multiplication schemes. Further, plant tissue culture techniques can be employed to support modern biotechnological approaches like genetic transformation and genome editing. Thus, despite challenges posed by contamination, browning and genotype specificity, tissue culture has great potential to supplement traditional breeding methods for the development of improved varieties with higher yield, disease resistance and climatic adaptation.

Climate change, declining soil fertility, water scarcity and malnutrition are interconnected challenges confronting modern agriculture. Millet-based agroforestry systems offer a promising nature-based approach that can address these challenges simultaneously by combining nutrient-dense, climate-resilient cereal crops with trees. Millets are characterized by short duration, relatively low water requirements and tolerance to heat and moisture stress. Their cultivation can contribute to climate-change mitigation through biomass production, carbon fixation, root-derived carbon inputs and the return of crop residues to the soil. When integrated with trees, these benefits are strengthened because carbon is stored in both above- and below-ground biomass and in soil organic carbon pools. Agroforestry systems can also improve nutrient cycling, reduce erosion and enhance soil biological activity. From a nutritional perspective, millets are rich sources of dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids and bioactive compounds, making them valuable for dietary diversification and nutritional security. Thus, millet-based agroforestry represents more than an alternative cropping system: it is a strategy for building resilient farms, healthier diets and more sustainable soils.

The increasing occurrence of bacterial diseases in freshwater aquaculture has become a major concern due to the substantial economic losses affecting the fisheries sector. Bacteriocin-producing probiotics have emerged as a promising approach for reducing fish mortality and disease incidence, as they are generally regarded as safe and produce fewer side effects compared to conventional treatments. In aquaculture, it is crucial to understand the mode of action by which bacteriocins are effective against pathogens in order to utilize them as a biopesticide, particularly as a prophylactic biopesticide. Antibiotics, chemotherapy and vaccination are usually the techniques used, but they may have negative effects on cultured organisms and the aquatic environment and are not often used in field conditions. These bacteriocins are environmentally friendly alternative to chemical treatment in the freshwater aquaculture industry for bacterial disease management if properly up used. Bacteriocins and their modes of action against the major pathogens of the aquaculture industry are emphasized.

Agriculture and nature conservation are deeply interconnected because agricultural productivity depends heavily on healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. However, modern intensive agricultural practices have resulted in habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water pollution and climate change. In response to these challenges, researchers and policymakers have increasingly emphasized the integration of conservation principles into agricultural systems. This review paper examines the relationship between agriculture and nature conservation by synthesizing findings from fifteen major research papers and review articles related to agroecology, conservation agriculture, agroforestry, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, climate resilience, and farmer participation. The review highlights the role of farmers as custodians of natural resources and discusses how sustainable agricultural practices contribute to environmental protection while maintaining food security and rural livelihoods. The paper also evaluates challenges such as economic limitations, policy barriers, lack of awareness and climate uncertainty that hinder the adoption of conservation-oriented farming. The recommendations are proposed to strengthen the integration of conservation and agriculture through policy reforms, financial incentives, farmer education, and community participation. The findings indicate that sustainable farming systems can support biodiversity conservation, improve ecosystem services, and ensure long-term agricultural sustainability.

Weeds are one of the most serious biotic constraints to rice production. In India, where rice serves as staple crop, weed can cause yield losses anywhere from half to nearly four-fifths through competition for nutrients, water, and light. Integrated Weed Management (IWM) offers a way around this problem by combining several approaches at once: prevention, cultural methods, mechanical tools, careful chemical application, and biological controls, all working together to keep weed populations under the threshold where they'd cause real economic damage. This layered approach also cuts down on how much farmers need to rely on herbicides, labour, and inputs that strain both budgets and the environment, while slowing the pace at which weeds develop resistance. For smallholder farmers working lowland rice systems, this framework offers a realistic, low-input route toward better and more consistent yields. This article highlights and recommends adaptive, site-specific combinations to combat evolving weed challenges in modern rice agriculture.

The recent breakthrough discovery with the suggested hypothesis of Dark Oxygen Production (DOP) led by Andrew Sweetman at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, United Kingdom in 2024 has sparked a debate amongst many science enthusiasts and specialists, leading to many critiques and arguments. Like every coin has two sides, this ?new? mechanism of dark oxygen production also unfolds at two fronts-one of exciting possibilities and other of careful skepticism. The new discovery has raised serious doubts or concerns about their observations. This article presents these observations about dark oxygen production.

Women constitute a significant proportion of the agricultural workforce and contribute extensively to crop production, livestock management and household food security. Despite their active involvement in farming activities, their participation in key agricultural decisions remains limited. Decision-making power is an important indicator of empowerment as it influences resource allocation, technology adoption, productivity and household welfare. However, factors such as limited land ownership, restricted access to credit and extension services, low educational attainment and prevailing socio-cultural norms continue to constrain women's role in agricultural decision-making. The study emphasizes that improving women's access to productive resources, information and institutional support can enhance agricultural productivity, promote gender equality and contribute to sustainable rural development.

Animal husbandry is one of the most feminized sectors of Indian agriculture and serves as a major source of livelihood, nutrition, and income for rural households. Women play a pivotal role across the livestock value chain, particularly in dairy farming, goat and sheep rearing, backyard poultry, and piggery. Women contribute substantially to livestock feeding, fodder collection, shed cleaning, animal healthcare, milking, processing, and marketing. Despite their significant contribution, they continue to face structural constraints related to ownership of productive assets, institutional credit, veterinary and extension services, improved technologies, markets, and decision-making. This paper examines the emerging role of women-led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Women?s Dairy Cooperative Societies (WDCS), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and gender-responsive government programmes in strengthening women?s participation in livestock-based enterprises. Women-led FPOs and cooperatives facilitate collective procurement, aggregation, processing, value addition, marketing, technical support, and access to institutional finance. Initiatives such as DAYNRLM, National Livestock Mission, Rashtriya Gokul Mission, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, Kisan Credit Card, and Nandini Sahakar, along with interventions by ICAR-CIWA, have expanded opportunities for women?s entrepreneurship and leadership. The convergence of SHGs, FPOs, cooperatives, community-based extension systems, and digital technologies is creating new pathways for women-led livestock enterprises. Strengthening asset ownership, financial and digital inclusion, leadership, climate-smart practices, women-friendly technologies, insurance, incubation, and market linkages will be critical. A coordinated gender-responsive institutional ecosystem is essential to transform women into recognized livestock entrepreneurs, producers, and decision-makers, thereby promoting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth of India?s animal husbandry sector.

Translucent Post-Larval Disease (TPD) is an emerging bacterial disease that poses a significant threat to the hatchery production of Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). The disease mainly affects early post-larval stages (PL2?PL7) and is characterized by a translucent body, pale hepatopancreas, empty gut, reduced feeding, and rapid mortality. Virulent strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus carrying the aerolysin toxin gene are considered the primary causative agents, while Baishivirus has also been implicated in some outbreaks. Although no confirmed large-scale outbreaks have been reported in India, the risk of disease introduction necessitates continuous surveillance and strong hatchery biosecurity. Early diagnosis using molecular techniques and the adoption of preventive management practices are essential for minimizing disease outbreaks and ensuring sustainable shrimp seed production.

Phospholipids are fascinating natural compounds that occur in many foods, including milk, dairy products, eggs, meat, seafood, and plant-based foods. Although they are present in relatively small amounts, their importance extends far beyond their quantity. Dairy phospholipids, particularly those associated with the milk fat globule membrane, possess unique nutritional and functional properties and are attracting increasing attention for their potential roles in brain health, gut health, lipid metabolism, and overall well-being. They also act as natural emulsifiers, making them valuable ingredients for developing innovative and functional foods. This article explores the major dietary sources of phospholipids, with special emphasis on dairy sources, their key health benefits, and their growing applications in the food and health sectors. Understanding these naturally occurring ?hidden treasures? of milk can open new avenues for their sustainable utilization and value addition. Dairy phospholipids represent a promising link between nature, nutrition, and the future of functional foods.

The expansion of human activities beyond low Earth orbit will require sustainable approaches to food production and life-support, particularly for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. Astrobotany and space agriculture provide a foundation for developing plant-based systems capable of producing fresh food while contributing to atmospheric regeneration, water recycling, and crew well-being. This article reviews the biological and technological challenges associated with cultivating plants beyond Earth, with particular emphasis on microgravity, partial gravity, ionising radiation, altered atmospheric conditions, restricted root-zone environments, and plant?microbe interactions. It further examines the progression of plant research from early orbital experiments to advanced cultivation platforms such as NASA?s Veggie system and Advanced Plant Habitat aboard the International Space Station. Key approaches for extraterrestrial crop production, including hydroponics, aeroponics, substrate-based cultivation, precision LED lighting, and closed-loop resource recycling, are discussed. The selection of suitable crops is also considered in relation to growth duration, nutritional value, biomass productivity, resource-use efficiency, and space constraints. Beyond food production, plants have potential roles within bioregenerative life-support systems through carbon dioxide fixation, oxygen generation, and water recycling, although current systems remain insufficient to replace conventional life-support technologies completely. The article also highlights how technologies developed for space cultivation, including controlled-environment agriculture, sensor-based monitoring, resource-efficient hydroponics, and precision lighting, can contribute to sustainable agriculture on Earth. Future lunar and Martian cultivation will depend on advances in automation, radiation protection, microbial management, resource recycling, and reliable multi-crop production. Thus, space agriculture represents not only a pathway toward sustainable human exploration beyond Earth but also an important research frontier for developing resilient, resource-efficient agricultural systems on our home planet.

Millets were described as a diverse group of small-grained cereal grasses belonging to the family Poaceae and were classified into major and minor categories based on grain size. Millets were commonly referred to as coarse grains and were believed to be among the earliest crops domesticated by humans. Recently, the incorporation of millets into food products has gained attention. However, for incorporation of millets in food products, it is vital to understand the starches of millets, their characteristics and how they influence the product quality. Based upon these starch characteristics, one can choose the right millet starch for a particular application. These aspect of millet starches are discussed in this article.

Rapid urbanization has replaced natural landscapes with concrete infrastructure, leading to reduced green cover, higher temperatures, air pollution and biodiversity loss. The Miyawaki method has emerged as an effective urban greening approach by establishing dense, native mini-forests that replicate natural ecosystems. Unlike conventional tree planting, it promotes rapid growth and develops self-sustaining forests within a few years. These microforests mitigate the urban heat island effect, improve air quality by absorbing pollutants and enhance biodiversity by providing habitat for birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. In addition to ecological restoration, they create valuable green spaces that improve community well-being and contribute to the development of healthier, more sustainable and climate-resilient cities.

Soil acidification is a pervasive and progressive form of land degradation that constrains agricultural productivity worldwide. It results from natural pedogenic processes together with anthropogenic drivers such as nitrogen fertilization, legume cultivation, and acid deposition. This article synthesizes current understanding of the chemical mechanisms of soil acidification, its consequences for crop production and ecosystem health, and the amendment technologies now supported by global and Indian evidence for its mitigation.