Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth

This study was conducted to identify the energy alternative by using different kinds of de-oiled cakes which are considered as waste and produce pellets. The bamboo biomass dust used in this study was Bambusa balcooa and the binders are de-oiled cakes of Sal (Shorea robusta), Karanj (Millettia pinnata), Mahua (Madhuca longifolia) and Rice bran. Different aged bamboo biomass dust viz., one-year-aged, two-year-aged and three-year-aged was used in the pellet production. The experiment was designed in Factorial Randomized Block Design in which two factors are involved i.e., different binders are considered as Factor A and different ages of bamboo biomass dust was considered as Factor B. Based on the results obtained from the study for physical properties, proximate analysis, combustion properties and economics of the pellets showed that the pellets would be the proposed new biomass solid fuel (suitable for burning purpose) and can be used for commercial purpose. In case of bamboo biomass dust, the analyzed parameters are moisture content (%), ash content (%) and gross calorific value (Cal g-1). The data showed that, as the age of bamboo biomass increases, the moisture content (%) and ash content (%) decreases but the gross calorific value (Cal g-1) increased. The depicted results of different parameters for bamboo pellets are studied and resulted that, in particle density (g cm-3) and combustion rate (g s-1), the highest values were showed by 2-year-old bamboo biomass followed by 3-year-old bamboo biomass and lowest value was observed in 1-year-old bamboo biomass. Meanwhile, the properties such as bulk density, percentage volatile matter and percentage ash content showed gradual decrease in values as the age of bamboo biomass increased.

Foam mat drying is a new and very effective process for converting liquid into stable fruit powders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of microwave drying parameters on the foam-mat drying behavior and quality of mandarin juice powder. The research findings are based on the production of a high-quality, color-retentive, and energy-efficient fruit powder. Mandarin juice was foamed with guar gum as an emulsifier (0.45 g 100 g −1 ), soy protein isolate (3.30 g 100 g −1 ), and sugar (10 g 100 g −1 ) and whipped for 6 min. The prepared foam was dried under different microwave power levels (from 180 to 900 W) with varied foam thicknesses of 2, 4, and 6 mm. The combination of raised power from microwaves with reduced foam thickness in layers leads to a faster rate of moisture evacuation. The eleven drying models were fitted, and among all models investigated, the Midilli model best represented the drying curves under all conditions studied. The moisture diffusion varied between 0.041 × 10 −9 and 3.29 × 10 −9 m 2 s −1 , and the corresponding energies of activation were found to be 19.68, 19.29, and 18.94 Wg −1 for 2, 4, and 6 mm thicknesses, respectively. The light-yellow hue (L value) of the mandarin powder was found to be between 51.57 and 38.61 at microwave power levels ranging from 180 to 900 W. Ascorbic acid retention rose as microwave power climbed from 180 to 540 W (24.45 mg/100 g to 29.02 mg/100 g), but declined when microwave power increased from 540 to 900 W. Water activity ranged from 0.40 to 0.57. The findings of this study will be valuable to the food processing industry, particularly in the creation of an efficient foam-mat drying process for citrus products. Under these optimum conditions, large-scale productions of good-quality mandarin powder may be achieved, retaining more nutrients, with improved color and increased shelf stability, appropriate for usage in beverages, confectionery, nutraceuticals, and instant food premixes.

Tillage and organic nutrient management play a pivotal role in improving soil fertility, nutrient availability and crop performance, particularly in heavy-textured Vertisols. The present study evaluated the effect of different tillage systems and organic manures on macro and micronutrient uptake by cotton grown under Vertisols conditions. The experiment was conducted using a factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with combinations of conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), minimum tillage (MT) and zero tillage (ZT), along with FYM, Vermicompost, phosphocompost and no manure as organic inputs. Plant uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) were quantified. Results indicated that conservation tillage combined with high-quality organic manures significantly enhanced nutrient uptake compared to conventional tillage with no organic inputs. Application of phosphocompost recorded to the highest N uptake (38.82 kg ha-1), P uptake (8.02 kg ha-1), K uptake (32.08 kg ha-1) and micronutrients uptake followed by vermicompost (M2) and FYM (M2). No manure (M4) resulted in the lowest uptake. Conventional tillage combined with FYM application significantly enhanced N, P, K and micronutrient absorption, which significantly improved yield. Improved soil structure, higher organic carbon levels, and increased microbial activity were linked to better nutrient absorption when soil disturbance was minimized. The research shows that combining conservation tillage with organic inputs effectively enhances nutrient uptake and soil health in Vertisols.

This research focused on improving the composting process of incense bamboo waste by analyzing compost maturity indicators and heavy metal concentrations. A large-scale experiment was set up using incense bamboo waste combined with different organic and biological amendments, including cow dung, poultry manure, and lignolytic fungi. The compost piles were manually turned every 15 days, and weekly samples were collected for monitoring. Among all treatments, the mixture containing 5 kg of cow dung, 2.5 kg of poultry manure, and 0.2 kg of lignolytic fungi resulted in the most effective breakdown of organic material. This treatment showed significant reductions in organic carbon, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose content, along with the lowest recorded levels of heavy metals such as iron, zinc, manganese, and copper. Additionally, the final compost from this treatment exhibited ideal characteristics in terms of pH, electrical conductivity, ash content, bulk density, and color. A notable improvement in seed germination and germination index (GI), with values exceeding 90%, indicated high compost maturity. While the results strongly support the effectiveness of using organic and biological additives, minor human errors—such as inconsistencies in turning, sampling, and measurement—may have affected some data points. Overall, the study confirms that using targeted additive combinations can enhance compost quality and maturity, and that selected parameters can reliably assess the readiness and safety of incense bamboo compost.

The cost economics of a self-propelled planter with an electronic seed metering system generally show promising benefits in terms of precision, operational efficiency, and economic viability. Such planters reduce seed wastage by providing precise seed metering, improve sowing efficiency, and reduce labor costs.The cost of the developed planter was assessed to be ₹ 32314.00 and the operational cost was observed to be ₹ 192.65 per hour. The saving over traditional planting was of 49.83% and payback period, break-even point and benefit-cost ratio were obtained to be 2-year, 50 h. yr-1 and 5.70. The self-propelled planter was precise in operation, ergonomically comfortable and cost effective. The initial investment cost of such planters is higher compared to conventional models, but savings on seeds, labor, and operational efficiency typically compensate over time. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comprehensive cost-benefit and investment analysis of the self-propelled planter with an electronic seed metering system, comparing it to traditional broadcasting method, in order to determine its economic viability and provide a practical decision-making framework for farmers and agribusinesses. By modeling the total cost of ownership—encompassing capital expenditure, operational costs, input savings, yield gains from improved accuracy, and the value of timeliness—the study aims to quantify key financial metrics such as payback period, break-even point and benefit cost ratio.

Carbon neutrality has emerged as a pivotal strategy in addressing the dual challenges of climate change mitigation and sustainable development. By balancing greenhouse gas emissions with removals, carbon neutrality directly contributes to the stabilization of global temperatures, thereby reducing climate-related risks for both human societies and natural ecosystems. This review synthesizes current scientific evidence on the multifaceted impacts of carbon neutrality, emphasizing its role in enhancing human well-being and promoting ecosystem resilience. For public health, the transition toward renewable energy and reduced fossil fuel dependency significantly lowers air pollution, preventing millions of premature deaths associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, limiting global warming mitigates heat-related illnesses, safeguards food and water security and curtails the spread of climate-sensitive infectious diseases. From an ecological perspective, carbon neutrality supports the conservation of forests, freshwater systems and marine environments by alleviating pressures from deforestation, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss. Moreover, it enhances the capacity of natural carbon sinks, such as grasslands and polar ecosystems, to sequester carbon and maintain ecological balance. Socioeconomically, carbon neutrality fosters green innovation, job creation and energy security, though challenges remain in ensuring a just transition for communities dependent on fossil fuel industries. Overall, the integration of carbon neutrality strategies presents a comprehensive pathway for achieving long-term human health benefits and ecological sustainability.

The study entitled “Effect of Different Doses of Gamma Rays on M₂ Generation of Turmeric” was conducted during Kharif 2024–25 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. PDKV, Akola, using the turmeric variety PDKV Waigaon. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five treatments (0, 10, 15, 20, and 25 Gy) of gamma irradiation and four replications. Observations were recorded on growth, disease incidence and yield attributes. Results revealed that increasing gamma ray doses exerted a suppressive effect on vegetative growth, as evidenced by reduced plant height, number of leaves and leaf area. However, moderate doses (15–20 Gy) improved yield-contributing traits such as number, length and diameter of finger rhizomes, as well as yield per plant, per plot and per hectare. The highest rhizome yield (26.32 t ha⁻¹) was recorded at 20 Gy, compared to 21.81 t ha⁻¹ in the control. Further, gamma irradiation reduced the incidence of foliar diseases, with leaf spot minimized at 15 Gy (7.25%) and leaf blotch at 20 Gy (4.16%). These findings indicate that while higher doses (25 Gy) were detrimental to growth and yield, moderate doses, particularly 20 Gy, were effective in enhancing yield potential and disease tolerance in turmeric. Mutation breeding through gamma irradiation thus holds promise for inducing genetic variability and identifying superior mutants in clonally propagated crops like turmeric.

Abstract In any agricultural production system, harvesting and threshing are the two most labor-intensive operations. Sorghum is still mostly harvested manually in India, which is labor intensive and time consuming. It is a laborious and tedious task and existing machines are costly, so small and marginal farmers cannot afford it. In the view, present investigation have been undertaken to develop suitable sorghum harvester and optimize the it’s operational parameters. The optimized parameters were verified in the field on the developed harvester. The parameter optimization model of sorghum harvesting was established to obtain the optimal parameter combination where the cutting efficiency and conveying efficiency reach the maximum while the shattering losses reaches the minimum. The regression mathematical model of cutting efficiency, conveying efficiency and shattering losses was established and variance analysis was carried out. By analyzing the effect of interaction of various factors on responses by response surface methodology and performing multi-objective optimization on the regression model according to the importance of the optimization target, the optimal combination of the operating parameters of the cutting-conveying system of the developed sorghum harvester was obtained: The optimum parameters of sorghum harvester were found viz., forward speed 2.00 km/h, conveying speed 3.00 m/s and crop moisture content 25.88%. The performance trails of developed sorghum harvester were taken at optimized parameters. The average effective field capacity and field efficiency of the sorghum harvester was found to be 0.342 ha/h and 79.72% respectively. The average cutting efficiency, conveying efficiency and shattering losses of the sorghum harvester was found to be 98.34%, 96.72% and 0.41% respectively. The average fuel consumption of the sorghum harvester was found 4.70 𝑙/h and 13.35 𝑙/ha. The time required to accomplish one hectare sorghum harvesting with a tractor operated sorghum harvester was determined and found 2.92 hours. The average cost of operation of sorghum harvester was found Rs.750 per h and Rs.2200 per ha. The breakeven point and payback period of the developed tractor operated sorghum harvester was worked out as 216.25 ha per year and 397 h respectively.

The field experiment entitled “Growth, yield and economics in high density planting system and canopy management practices in Bt cotton under rainfed condition.” was conducted at Cotton Research Unit Field, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola during the Kharif season 2024-2025. Three separate trials were conducted using a Randomized Block Design to set up the experiment. Eight different treatments were applied, each involving different methods of managing the plant canopy and varying levels of HDPS. Experimental results revealed that, mepiquat chloride @45ppm at square initiation and 15 days after first spray had least crop growth namely plant height (75.20 cm), number of functional leaves, leaf area and highest chlorophyll content index (37.13), total dry matter accumulation at harvest (199.17 g/plant), also it recorded significantly higher quantity of sympodial branches per plant (17.77), no of bolls per plant (27.42), seed cotton yield per plant (103.67 grams), harvest index (42.15) which ultimately led to maximum seed cotton yield of 2781 kg per hectare, over all the other canopy management practices and control. However, the mepiquat chloride @45ppm at square initiation and 15 days after first spray registered 20% yield increase over control treatment.The highest feasible gross monetary return (Rs. 203720 ha-1), net monetary return (Rs. 133474 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.90) were recorded in mepiquat chloride @ 45 ppm at square initiation and 15 days after first spray over all the other treatments.