Beneficial Effects of Garlic in Livestock and Poultry Nutrition: A Review Abstract The ban on the use of synthetic antibiotics in feed by the European Union has pushed animal nutritionists to use natural alternatives as growth promoters, such as prebiotics, probiotics, organic acids, herbs and several others. Garlic (Allium sativum), one of such natural alternative growth promoters, is used globally as a spice in human food preparation. Garlic belongs to the genus Allium and family Liliaceae and is grown in tropical and subtropical countries. Studies have revealed that garlic is a rich source of essential nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals that can be incorporated in animal feed to enhance gut activity and promote growth in livestock and poultry. Research abounds that indicates that garlic phytochemicals have antibacterial, antifungal, hypocholesterolemic and antioxidant effect in animals. This review intends to showcase the importance of adding garlic in livestock and poultry nutrition, so as to promote its use in animal nutrition as an alternative phytochemical source for better growth, health and production performance. The use of garlic in feed as replacement of antibiotics will reduce antimicrobial resistance and ensure safe, organic and healthy food for humans.

Potential Role of Appropriate Technological Interventions in Enhancing Income of Sugarcane Farmers in Subtropical India Abstract The rise in farmers’ income has been much less compared to many other sectors in India. This huge disparity in income has led to a level to require policy-level action to raise their income at a much faster rate. On account of the small holdings, a large number of farmers cultivating cash crops like sugarcane that is mostly procured by the sugar factories are feeling the brunt. It is realized that present business as usual approach is not going to achieve it. New innovative ways of incorporating appropriate technological interventions in a holistic framework and in a participatory mode are required. This paper describes some useful technologies that need promotion besides enforcement of farmer-friendly provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order 1966 in the context of significant improvement in sugarcane farmers’ income in the subtropical India.

Biochemical Responses of Wheat Plants Primed with Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense and Subjected to Salinity Stress Abstract A large number of bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of Imperata cylindrica, a facultative halophyte, and the most tolerant one with an ability to grow under 10% sodium chloride in vitro was selected and designated as IP8. This was identified to be Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense on the basis of 16SrDNA analysis and showed positive plant-growth-promoting traits in vitro. Growth of wheat was enhanced by the bacterium under both non-stressed and salt-stressed conditions. Alleviation of salt stress by the bacterium was evident by the biochemical responses such as reduction in hydrogen peroxide accumulation as well as enhanced proline accumulation and antioxidative mechanisms. Activities of peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were enhanced after salinity treatment, but that of superoxide dismutase was not. Treatment with IP8 and sodium chloride showed enhanced activities, and when compared to sodium chloride alone, peroxidase showed further up-regulation in some cultivars and superoxide dismutase also showed significantly increased activities. Salinity had no effect on activities of defense enzymes in general. Activities of defense enzymes were significantly enhanced by IP8 alone or in addition to salinity treatment. Microarray analysis revealed that 282 genes were down-regulated and 6022 up-regulated after application of O. pseudogrignonense under salt stress induction by 200 mM sodium chloride. Among the up-regulated genes were those of peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chitinase, glucanase, as well as germin-like proteins, histone H2B, and sulfur-rich thionin-like proteins. Genes for ascorbate peroxidase, lipid transfer proteins, and salt stress responsiveness were among the down-regulated ones.

Improvement in Rheological, Safe Handling and Formulation Characteristics of Viscous Cypermethrin Through Co-inclusion in Urea Abstract A steep improvement in rheological, safe handling and formulation characteristics of cypermethrin has been undertaken through co-inclusion in urea. The current investigation describes conversion of viscous cypermethrin into a three-component powder form that is easier to use and safer to handle. The bioactive compound is converted into urea co-inclusion complex in the presence of oleic acid. Insects will be exposed to insecticide only after co-inclusion complex of cypermethrin comes in contact with water in soil/crops following switching on of water sprinkling system in fields. This prevents direct ingestion, inhalation or dermal exposure of insecticides. Therefore, human beings dealing with toxic insecticide will not be exposed after its entrapment in urea hexagonal lattice. Cypermethrin is formulated into human guarded free flowing solids to facilitate ease in packaging/transportation/use. Cypermethrin urea co-inclusion complex (CYUCIC) formation was evidenced by XRD, DSC, FTIR and 1H-NMR techniques. Regression analysis on thermal data depicted gradual rise in heat of decomposition and better physical stability in CYUCICs with increase in relative fraction of RCG. CYUCIC complex revealed improved dissolution rate and uniform composition. Studies indicate insecticide–fertilizer amalgamation to be a fruitful approach for conversion of hazardous insecticide into human guarded formulation with improved dissolution profile, uniform composition and better flow properties.

The Role of Tillage, Allelopathy, Dormancy-Breaking Mechanisms and Wind in the Spread of Purple Nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus ) in Zimbabwe Abstract Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) is an invasive weed in tropical cultivated lands and propagates through tubers, rhizomes, seed and corms. Weedy invasive plants have unique functional traits that enable their invasiveness. The objectives of this study were to determine the drivers of the purple nutsedge invasion in the Zimbabwe’s agricultural systems among allelopathy, dispersal and dormancy-breaking mechanisms. Three experiments were carried out each in the laboratory, greenhouse and field. All the experiments were in completely randomised design replicated six times. Results showed that purple nutsedge leaf, stem and tuber extracts successfully (P < 0.001) inhibited germination and radical extension of Sorghum bicolor. Cutting the seed, which mimics the plough action on tubers gave the highest (P < 0.05) sprouting compared to exposure to freezing temperatures. There was a direct relationship between dispersal distance and wind speed (R2 = 0.907). The purple nutsedge plants attached to the plough were related (R2 = 0.515) to the number of plough passes. This study confirmed that allelopathy, easiness for dispersal and dormancy-breaking by the cutting action of the plough were the drivers of the weed’s invasiveness. Therefore, allelopathy, ploughing, dispersal by wind and plough contribute to invasiveness of the weed.

Varietal Response to Benzylaminopurine and Chlorocholine chloride on In Vitro Tuberization of Potato Abstract The potato varieties, Asterix, Granola and Diamant produce microtubers that are in high demand in Bangladesh. To achieve the full yield potentials of these varieties, an experiment was carried out to determine the efficient protocol for microtuberization. The results showed a wide range of variation in the response of the potato varieties to the addition of chlorocholine chloride [(2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride] (CCC) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) to the microtuberization medium. Potato varieties Asterix and Diamant were more efficient to microtuberization.

Rapid Detection of Shiga toxin-Producing E. Coli in Animal Origin Foods Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay Abstract The aim of this study was comparative evaluation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for rapid and inexpensive detection of shiga toxin-producing E. coli in animal origin foods by targeting stx1 and stx2 genes. The LAMP assay was performed using a water bath. The standardized LAMP assay was evaluated on 122 E. coli field isolates obtained from various animal origin food samples to ensure its reliability and usefulness. The result showed that conventional PCR could detect 68 (55.73%) and 75 (61.47%) positive E. coli isolates for stx1 and stx2 genes. Whereas, LAMP showed higher sensitivity by detecting 79 (64.75%) and 87 (71.31%) positive isolates of E. coli for stx1 and stx2 genes, respectively. LAMP assay was found to be highly specific and 10 times more sensitive as it could detect 1.11 × 102 cfu/ml for both stx1 and stx2 genes of E. coli isolates, whereas conventional PCR could detect 1.85 x 103 cfu/ml for both stx1 and stx2 genes of E. coli isolates. The rapidness, sensitivity, specificity, easiness and cost-effectiveness of LAMP assays will be very useful for the detection of foodborne pathogens for improving food sanitation and maintaining food safety.

Finger Millet in Tribal Farming Systems Contributes to Increased Availability of Nutritious Food at Household Level: Insights from India Abstract The challenge to food production posed by climate aberrations has been seeing increased attention to reviving millet-based farming systems. Millets are climate-resilient and nutritionally equivalent or superior to most other cereals, making them a favourable crop to address the prevalence of malnutrition. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is among the major crops cultivated in the undulating terrains of Koraput district of Odisha, India. It is consumed as a staple food and drink by the local tribal communities. However, over the years there has been rapid decline both in area and in production of the crop leading to reduced grain availability for household consumption. With a view to increase the productivity, the study assessed the effects of possible combinations of crop varieties and agronomic practices that can be customized for finger millet production system in Koraput over 2 years (2015–2017). The study focused on crop productivity, profitability and labour requirement along with nutrition awareness initiatives. On-farm trial with improved variety ‘GPU-67’ with line transplanting and recommended fertilizer management in 2015–2016 showed 31 and 50% higher grain yield and profit than that of farmers’ practice (1579 kg ha− 1 and ₹13,730 ha− 1, respectively) and was counted as a recommended cultivation package. In 2016–2017, the recommended practice showed 60% higher grain yield and 1.16 times more profit than farmers’ practice (1575 kg ha− 1 and ₹14,000 ha− 1, respectively) (P < 0.000). Both total and women’s labour requirement per ha was lower under recommended practice. An endline survey in 2017 revealed improved household consumption over baseline.

Winter Wheat Grain Yield and Quality Response to Straw Mulching and Planting Pattern Abstract In North China Plain, straw mulching affected wheat grain quality, but decreased grain yield. Improving planting pattern is a measure to increase winter wheat grain yield. It was hypothesized that under different planting patterns, winter wheat yield reduction with straw mulching would be compensated and improved grain quality. We conducted experiments with two straw mulching conditions (straw mulching and non-straw mulching) and two planting patterns (wide-precision planting and conventional-cultivation planting) in 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 winter wheat growing seasons to study grain yield, protein content, wet gluten content, and flour dough farinographic properties. The results showed that straw mulching significantly reduced winter wheat grain yield, while grain yield was increased with wide-precision planting compared to the conventional-cultivation planting. As such, winter wheat grain yield reduction with straw mulching was compensated by wide-precision planting. Straw mulching and planting patterns had significant effect on the processing quality of winter wheat. In 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 winter wheat growing seasons, both dough development time and dough stabilization time were significantly higher in WM treatment than in CN treatment. These results indicate that straw mulching combined with wide-precision planting is a suitable measure to compensate winter wheat grain yield reduction and increase grain quality in North China.

Regulation of Antioxidant Enzymes and Invertases by Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide Under ABA and Water-Deficit Stress in Wheat Abstract The present investigation reports the activities of different antioxidant enzymes and invertases (acid, alkaline and cell wall bound) in shoots and roots of 5.5-day-old seedlings of wheat cultivars PBW 644 (drought tolerant and ABA higher sensitive) and PBW 343 (drought susceptible and ABA lesser sensitive) under ABA and water-deficit stress in the presence of H2O2/nitric oxide (NO) donors as well as scavengers. Drought stress was produced by 20% PEG 6000. Sodium nitroprusside as NO donor and dimethylthiourea and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (PTIO) as H2O2 and NO scavengers, respectively, were used. Roots of PBW 644 increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and invertases (acid and alkaline) and sucrose content, while PBW 343 decreased these under PEG. This was related to the presence of endogenous H2O2/NO regulation of these parameters under PEG in roots of PBW 644 but deficient in roots of PBW 343 but improved under exogenous H2O2/NO for some parameters. However, compared to PEG, roots of PBW 343 showed endogenous H2O2/NO regulation of many these parameters under ABA. Under ABA, endogenous H2O2/NO regulation was comparable between cultivars. This study showed that H2O2/NO signalling plays an important role in drought tolerance by upregulating antioxidant enzymes and invertases under stress. ABA sensitivity level and ABA levels present in cells may help to produce an effective endogenous H2O2/NO signalling.