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Biofilms are highly organized, surface-attached microbial communities embedded within an extracellular polymeric matrix that enhance microbial survival, adaptability, and ecological success. Originating over 3.4 billion years ago, biofilms represent the dominant mode of microbial life and provide cells with protection from environmental stress, antimicrobial agents, and host immune responses. Biofilm development proceeds through sequential stages, initial attachment, irreversible adhesion, microcolony formation, maturation, and dispersion. Each regulated by complex molecular networks involving quorum sensing, second messengers such as c-di-GMP, and stress-response pathways. The biofilm mode of growth supports metabolic cooperation, efficient nutrient retention, and elevated horizontal gene transfer. Biofilms play critical roles across natural ecosystems, industrial systems, and clinical environments, contributing to both beneficial outcomes (e.g., wastewater treatment, bioremediation, plant growth promotion) and detrimental effects such as biofouling, corrosion, and persistent infections. Understanding the structural, molecular, and functional aspects of biofilms is essential for developing effective strategies for their control and harnessing their potential in environmental and biotechnological applications.

Dogs? extraordinary sense of smell is being harnessed in groundbreaking ways to detect human diseases, including cancer, Parkinson?s disease, and COVID-19. Recent studies demonstrate that trained detection dogs can identify unique volatile organic compound (VOC) signatures associated with illnesses, achieving sensitivities and specificities comparable to or sometimes exceeding standard diagnostic methods. This article explores the science behind canine olfaction, recent high-impact findings, real-world applications, and the potential and challenges of integrating detection dogs into modern healthcare.

Egg shell plays an important role influencing consumer attraction and purchasing decision towards egg. Egg shell colour may not directly cause a significant in hatchability of egg, rather the shell colour may be an indicator of some of the traits of eggs such as shell quality and thickness, breaking strength and freshness of egg etc. Hatchability itself is a broad term which depends on many factors such as on age of birds at the time of collection of eggs, shell cleanliness, shell quality, storage position and period, storage temperature and humidity, and other factors necessary for incubation of eggs.

The impact of silicon (Si) is dependent upon crop system. In rice it minimises the damage caused by the stem borer and the planthopper, in sugarcane and wheat it minimises borers and aphids, and in cucumber and tomato it suppresses whiteflies, thrips and leaf miners. After reinforcing physical barriers, silicon activates systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and precondition plants to accelerate response to defense by jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene signalling. This two-fold action limits the use of chemical pesticides, dealing with resistance and environmental issues. Incorporation of silicon in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) provides an effective and sustainable solution and this can be used together with biological manipulation, resistant varieties, cultural management and judicious application of insecticides. Silicon contributes to such strategies as increasing pest suppression, protecting the health of the soil, and improving the stability of yields, which means it is an important part of modern, environmentally safe agriculture.

Carbon credits play a vital role in combating climate change by enabling both regulatory and voluntary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation rise, carbon credits offer a market-driven solution to support clean energy, reforestation, and sustainable practices. This report outlines how carbon credits function, their role in compliance and voluntary markets, and the impact of emerging technologies like blockchain, AI, and satellite monitoring in enhancing transparency and efficiency. It also addresses key challenges and highlights the growing importance of diversified, tech-enabled carbon markets in achieving global net-zero goals.

Wheat straw, a major lignocellulosic residue generated after wheat harvest, is often underutilized or burned, causing severe environmental and health impacts. This research examines sustainable methods for enhancing wheat straw by converting it into high-value products such as eco-textiles, activated carbon, decorative crafts, and biochar. These methods provide a circular and climate-smart alternative that is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Evidence from scientific research and field trials shows that these methods can greatly diminish open-field burning, boost soil fertility, improve air quality, and create jobs in rural areas. Eco-textile production uses cellulose from straw as a sustainable fiber source; activated carbon derived from straw aids in environmental remediation; straw crafts bolster rural economies; and biochar plays a role in soil carbon sequestration and climate mitigation efforts. The suggested integrated business model highlights decentralized processing units, cooperative marketing efforts, and public procurement connections to guarantee economic viability. The valorization of wheat straw, through the merging of scientific innovation and rural entrepreneurship, bolsters environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and economic resilience. This research promotes policy measures, awareness initiatives, and technological adoption to convert wheat straw from agricultural waste into a valuable bioresource in the context of India?s circular bioeconomy.

African Swine Fever (ASF), a highly lethal viral disease affecting domestic pigs and wild boars, has emerged as a major global and national concern. On the world stage, recent breakthroughs such as a reverse-genetics system for ASF virus (ASFV) developed in 2025 are revitalizing vaccine research. In India, ASF was first detected in 2020 in northeastern states, and has since spread to additional regions including Goa and Kerala. Molecular studies confirm that Indian ASFV strains predominantly belong to genotype II, with unique genetic mutations. Aggressive outbreaks have caused significant economic losses. However, Indian scientists are responding: rapid antigen-detection kits developed in Assam (2025), PCRbased molecular surveillance in Karnataka (2024-25), and epidemiological assessments in the northeast are improving detection and control. Still, challenges remain like no licensed vaccine, weak biosecurity in small-scale farms, and potential wildlife reservoirs in wild boar. Addressing ASF in India will require a coordinated strategy combining diagnostics, biosecurity, surveillance, and research support to protect food security and rural livelihoods.

Trichomes are specialized epidermal structures that exhibit remarkable diversity in form and function across plant species. They play vital roles in defence, temperature regulation, water conservation, and metabolite production. Depending on their structure and function, trichomes are broadly classified as non-glandular, which provide mechanical protection and glandular, which secrete valuable secondary metabolites such as essential oils, resins and alkaloids. Their development is regulated by complex genetic networks involving transcription factors like GLABRA1 (GL1), GLABRA3 (GL3) and TTG1, along with hormonal control from gibberellins, cytokinin and jasmonic acid. Trichomes contribute significantly to plant adaptation under both biotic and abiotic stresses acting as physical barriers, reflecting radiation and secreting defence compounds. Advances in molecular genetics and biotechnology have enabled the exploitation of trichome traits for crop improvement, pest resistance and metabolite enhancement, positioning them as key targets for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture.

The increasing global population and climate variability have intensified the demand for sustainable food production, necessitating innovative approaches for crop improvement. Among modern biotechnological tools, proteomics has emerged as a powerful platform to study the complete set of proteins expressed under specific physiological conditions. Unlike genomics and transcriptomics, proteomics provides direct insight into functional molecules that regulate plant responses to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, cold, waterlogging and toxic metal exposure. These stresses drastically reduce crop productivity by disrupting cellular homeostasis, metabolic pathways and signaling networks. Through advanced analytical techniques like mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and isotopic labeling, proteomics enables the identification, quantification and characterization of stress-responsive proteins. Such information facilitates the discovery of biomarkers, validation of stress-associated genes and understanding of tolerance mechanisms. The integration of proteomic data into breeding and genetic engineering programs offers promising avenues for developing resilient, high-yielding crop varieties adaptable to changing environmental conditions.

To sustain global food security under the growing pressures of population expansion, economic development, and climate change, agricultural productivity must be enhanced through sustainable and innovative approaches. Genetic crop improvement integrating advances in molecular biology, biotechnology, genomics and plant physiology offers a powerful means to achieve this goal. However, the development of superior crop varieties often encounters the challenge of trait trade-offs, where the expression of one desirable characteristic can compromise another. In this context, microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, have emerged as precise and versatile molecular tools. Since their discovery in Caenorhabditis elegans in 1993, miRNAs have been recognized as master regulators influencing plant development, signal transduction, stress tolerance and disease resistance. Their ability to fine-tune gene expression without permanently altering genomic sequences makes them valuable targets for molecular breeding strategies aimed at achieving high yield, resilience and sustainability in crops.

Transcriptomics, the study of the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by the genome, has become a central tool in the post-genomic era for understanding gene expression and regulation. It provides critical insights into cellular functions, developmental processes and responses to environmental or physiological stimuli. Techniques such as microarrays and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) have revolutionized transcriptome profiling by enabling comprehensive quantification of both coding and non-coding RNAs. These methods not only identify novel transcripts and splicing variants but also uncover expression patterns underlying disease mechanisms, stress tolerance and developmental regulation. Transcriptome data further support integrative analyses in systems biology, linking gene activity to protein networks and metabolic pathways. Thus, transcriptome analysis serves as a foundational approach for discovering biomarkers, functional genes and therapeutic targets, significantly advancing personalized medicine and crop improvement.

The use of drone technology combined with deep learning is revolutionising the way plant diseases are detected and assessed in agriculture. Drones, equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced imaging sensors, enable rapid and extensive monitoring of crop fields, capturing crucial visual and multispectral data from above. Deep learning models then analyse this information to accurately and swiftly identify early disease symptoms, even across vast and varied terrains. This synergy significantly reduces the need for manual field inspection, supports precise disease mapping, and enables timely, data-driven interventions. Integrating AI-powered systems with drones is also vital in regions with limited access to expert plant pathologists, democratizing disease management tools for all scales of farming. Ultimately, this integration enhances crop health monitoring efficiency, supports sustainable and productive farming practices and resilience in agricultural systems by empowering farmers with actionable intelligence for better disease management.

The advanced technology by using Artificial intelligence in chicks hatching incubator allows Real-time monitoring the vital signs such as temperature, humidity, and oxygen levels remotely by using a smart phone. This technology can improve the survival rate of the chicks and thereby increase the hatchability percentage of the chicks by incorporating IoT and Arduino with a digital camera, it is possible to designed a smart incubator which are not only useful to farmers but also to those researchers who wants to study and monitor embryonic development of chicks accurately.

Liquid organic manures (LOMs) are gaining prominence as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fertilizers in modern agriculture. Derived from organic wastes, plant residues and animal excreta, these nutrient-rich formulations provide essential macro- and micronutrients, beneficial microorganisms and bioactive compounds that enhance soil fertility and plant growth. Common types such as jeevamrutha, panchagavya, vermiwash and cow urine-based manures improve soil biological activity, nutrient cycling and disease resistance while maintaining ecological balance. The application of LOMs through soil drenching, foliar spray, seed treatment, and fertigation promotes root development, chlorophyll synthesis and yield improvement. Environmentally, they minimize pollution, recycle farm wastes and enhance sustainability at low cost. However, challenges such as low nutrient concentration, lack of standardization, and limited shelf life hinder their large-scale adoption. Integrating LOMs with other organic practices offers a viable pathway toward sustainable and eco-friendly agriculture.

Cotton, tobacco and sugarcane are among the most economically important industrial crops that have undergone extensive domestication and evolutionary diversification across tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The genus Gossypium (cotton) includes about 50 species, of which four?G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboreum and G. herbaceum are cultivated. Cotton was independently domesticated in both the Old and New Worlds, with tetraploid species evolving through allopolyploidy between A- and D-genome progenitors. Tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), represented mainly by N. tabacum and N. rustica, originated in South America, with N. tabacum evolving through hybridization between N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis. The crop spread globally through early human trade and colonization. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), belonging to the Poaceae family, originated in the Indonesia? New Guinea region and was later hybridized with wild species to enhance yield and adaptability. Modern commercial cultivars are complex interspecific hybrids, primarily derived from crosses between S. officinarum and S. spontaneum. Collectively, these crops illustrate how natural evolution, polyploidy and human selection have shaped their domestication histories and global agricultural importance.

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the most economically important fiber crops worldwide, providing raw material for the textile industry. Upland cotton (G. hirsutum) accounts for about 90% of global production. Cotton fiber, a single elongated epidermal cell derived from the seed coat, undergoes a complex developmental process consisting of initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, and maturation. This process is regulated by intricate molecular networks involving various transcription factors (TFs) and metabolic pathways. Among these, MYB and HD-ZIP transcription factors play pivotal roles in epidermal cell differentiation, trichome and fiber initiation, and secondary wall biosynthesis. Carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism contribute to fiber cell elongation and wall formation by supplying essential substrates and energy. Additionally, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with fiber quality traits such as length and strength have been identified, offering valuable targets for genetic improvement. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms provides important insights for enhancing fiber yield and quality through molecular breeding and biotechnological approaches.

Orphan genes, also known as taxonomically restricted genes (TRGs), represent speciesspecific coding sequences with no detectable homologues in other organisms. These genes are key drivers of evolutionary innovation and adaptation, often arising through mechanisms such as gene duplication, divergence, fusion, fission, horizontal gene transfer and retro position. While many orphan genes originate de novo from non-coding regions, others evolve beyond recognizable similarity to ancestral genes. The concept of orphan genes was first introduced during the yeast genome sequencing project in 1996, where they accounted for about 26% of the genome. Subsequent research established their widespread presence across taxa and highlighted their roles in lineage-specific traits and functional diversification. Identification of orphan genes primarily relies on computational approaches such as BLAST and phylostratigraphy, which detect sequence homology and estimate gene age, respectively. Despite challenges in detecting short or rapidly evolving sequences, orphan genes continue to provide valuable insights into genome evolution, species diversification, and the emergence of novel biological functions.

Plants encounter a wide range of abiotic and biotic stresses throughout their life cycle, necessitating precise regulation of gene expression for adaptation and survival. Gene expression is primarily controlled by specific genomic sequences known as cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which serve as binding sites for transcription factors and cis-regulatory modules (CRMs), which are clusters of CREs that include promoters, enhancers, silencers, and insulators. CRM?s are stretches of DNA, usually 100-1000 DNA base pairs in length, where a number of transcription factors can bind and regulate expression of nearby genes and regulate their transcription rates. Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are short DNA motifs in gene promoters that act as molecular switches, controlling stress-responsive gene expression through transcription factor (TF) binding. In abiotic stress, pathways such as ABAdependent (AREB/ABF) and ABA-independent (DREB/CBF, NAC and MYB/MYC) regulate gene activation, as exemplified by the 116 to 2 bp promoter region of HRE2 in Arabidopsis bound by HAT22/ABIG1. Under biotic stress, CREs coordinate defence via., salicylic acid (SA), masonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) signaling, with NPR1 interacting with TGA TFs to activate pathogenesis-related genes and systemic acquired resistance.