National Institute of Plant Health Management

Ashwagandha is a significant medicinal plant that is a member of the Solanaceae family. Its qualities include aphrodisiac, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, adaptogenic, and rejuvenating. It is a kharif crop that is planted late, ashwagandha is harvested 150–170 days after planting. The experiment was conducted in 2009–10 in the Herbal Garden in Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad. A completely randomized block design with a factorial concept was used to set up the experiment. The study included 18 treatments in total, with three replications, two sowing dates (August 15 and August 30), three seeds per hectare (10 kg/ha, 12 kg/ha, and 14 kg/ha), and three harvesting times (150 DAS, 180 DAS, and 210 DAS). Early flowering (72.22 days) and 50 per cent flowering (92.15 days) were recorded in the August 15th sown crop when compared to the August 30th crop. Among the seed rates, S2 (12kg/ha) recorded early flowering (73.17 days) and 50 per cent flowering (93.06days). Early fruit set (105.48 days) and 50 per cent fruit set (118.29 days) were recorded in the August 15th sown crop when compared to the August 30th crop. Among the seed rates, S3 (14 kg/ha) recorded early fruit set (106.67 days) and 50 per cent fruit set (119.56 days). The present study clearly demonstrated that sowing time plays a dominant role in regulating the flowering and fruiting behaviour of Ashwagandha. From the present investigation, sowing ashwagandha during mid-August with a seed rate of around 12 kg/ha can be recommended for achieving timely flowering and fruiting under the agro-climatic conditions of South India.

Extension personnel serve as vital intermediaries between research institutions and farming communities, and understanding the scientific production surrounding their training, capacity-building, and performance is essential for improving agricultural outcomes. The study applied the PRISMA methodology for a systematic literature review and employed R-studio for bibliometric analysis to examine global research trends on the capacity management of extension personnel, with particular attention to their role in agricultural development and knowledge dissemination. The study examined the literature published between 2020 and 2025. Well-screened data were obtained from the Scopus database with inclusion as well as exclusion criteria results of 65 relevant studies being reviewed. The annual scientific production analysis indicates fluctuating research activity, with a notable peak in 2021 followed by a gradual decline. This suggests that while scholarly interest in extension capacity remains significant, research may be shifting toward more specialized or applied approaches. Citation analysis reveals Ghana and Belgium as the most influential contributors, followed by the United States, South Africa, India, and Nigeria. This distribution highlights both developed and developing countries as key drivers of discourse, reflecting the global recognition of extension services in addressing agricultural and climate challenges. Keyword and thematic analyses further highlight “capacity building,” “adaptation,” and “sustainability” as central concepts, reinforcing the relevance of professional training and institutional support. Overall, the findings demonstrate that strengthening extension personnel capacity is critical to bridging knowledge gaps, enhancing farmer decision-making, and fostering sustainable agricultural development. Future research should emphasize cross-country collaboration, context-specific training, and innovative extension strategies to meet evolving global challenges.

Aims: To understand the role of detoxifying enzymes in resistance development in Spodoptera litura against emamectin benzoate Place and Duration of Study: This experiment was carried out in the laboratory of Department of Entomology and Central Instrumentation Cell, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar during kharif, 2022 Methodology: Quantitative alterations in detoxification enzymes linked to emamectin benzoate resistance were evaluated in S. litura field populations collected from Chevella and Maheshwaram mandals and compared with a susceptible reference strain. The activities of esterase, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (MFO) were measured in third-instar larvae that survived LC₅₀ exposure, using standard biochemical assay methods. Results: The activity of detoxifying enzymes in emamectin benzoate–treated F1 third instar larvae of S. litura revealed that GST and esterases were significantly higher in Chevella and Maheshwaram field populations compared to the susceptible population, while MFO activity did not differ significantly. GST showed the highest increase (2.84–2.86-fold) followed by esterases (1.63–1.74-fold), indicating their major and partial roles, respectively, in detoxification of emamectin benzoate. Correlation analysis further confirmed a strong positive relationship between GST and esterase activities with resistance ratios (R² = 0.95–0.99), whereas MFO showed negligible correlation. Overall, GST emerged as the key enzyme conferring resistance to emamectin benzoate in field populations of S. litura, with esterases contributing to a lesser extent. Conclusion: Understanding the enzymatic basis of resistance highlights the need for proper insecticide rotation and integrated pest management strategies to sustain its effectiveness.

ABSTRACT The increasing incidence of mosquitoes and household pests has led to widespread use of transfluthrin-based products, making reliable quality control essential. At present, no Indian Standard Method is available for the analysis of transfluthrin, and many pesticide quality control laboratories have limited access to advanced analytical instruments. The study aimed to develop and validate a simple, robust and standardised Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionisation Detector method for the determination of transfluthrin in technical material and formulations using commonly available laboratory equipment. A novel Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionisation Detector method was developed for the quantification of transfluthrin in technical material and formulations. The method employs dichloromethane as solvent and dioctyl phthalate as an internal standard, with separation achieved on a 3% OV-17 packed column (2 m × 2.5 mm) under optimised temperature programming. Well-resolved and symmetrical peaks were obtained, with retention times of 14.9–15.1 min and 18.9–19.2 min for transfluthrin and the internal standard, respectively. The method was validated according to Collaborative International Pesticides Analytical Council (CIPAC) recommendation no. 3807. Linearity was demonstrated over five concentration levels with a regression coefficient of R2 = 0.999. Repeatability and reproducibility conditions showed % RSD values within acceptable CIPAC limits (predicted by the modified Horwitz equation), confirming good method precision. Specificity, accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification were also satisfactory. The validated Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionisation Detector method is fit for routine quality control of transfluthrin and is especially suited for basic quality control laboratories, state government laboratories and manufacturing units with restricted access to advanced instrumentation. In the absence of an Indian Standard Method, the proposed method offers a reliable, standardised, and readily implementable approach for transfluthrin analysis.

Sweet sorghum is a renewable energy crop that offers a sustainable solution to global energy needs as fossil fuels become limited. Its stalks contain fermentable sugars that can be used to produce bioethanol, a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. Sweet sorghum grows quickly, requires less water than many other energy crops, and can be cultivated on marginal land. Using sweet sorghum for energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supports rural economies. Therefore, sweet sorghum is a promising renewable resource for future energy production. Sweet sorghum has several important biofuel applications that support renewable energy production. The sugary juice from its stalks is mainly used to produce bioethanol through fermentation. Its fibrous residue (bagasse) can be used to generate electricity or heat through biomass energy. Sweet sorghum can also be processed into biogas by anaerobic digestion. In addition, its residues can be converted into bio-based products, making it a versatile and sustainable biofuel crop.

The karonda pickle recorded overall acceptability of 8.0 on nine point Hedonic scale with 3.71 pH, 3.68 0Brix TSS, 1.95% titrable acidity, 2.13% total sugars, 1.22 % reducing sugars, 20.52 mg/100g ascorbic acid in freshly prepared Karonda pickle. The overall acceptability score remained in the "Like very much" range throughout the storage period of up to four months, transitioning to "Like moderately" in the subsequent period upto six months on a nine-point Hedonic scale.

The rapid growth of quick commerce (q-commerce) is changing urban grocery retailing by guaranteeing delivery of essentials, including fresh fruits and vegetables in 10-30 min. However, speed of delivery has implications for postharvest management of highly perishable food items such as leafy greens and climacteric fruits (i.e., bananas, mangoes, tomatoes and peaches). There is a significant lack of research examining how physiological quality preservation methods influence consumer preferences for highly perishable items such as leafy greens and climacteric fruits. This research fills this gap by investigating urban consumers' preferences regarding the trade-off between delivery speed, price and quality preservation on q-commerce platforms. The study was conducted in the Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu. A structured survey of 110 urban consumers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, was conducted using convenience sampling. Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) analysis under the Random Utility Theory framework was applied using an orthogonal design with three attributes: delivery speed, quality preservation methods and pricing. Consumer utility values were estimated using the Multinomial logit model (MNL) with significance testing at p<0. 05. The results indicated that delivery speed held the highest relative importance (38 %, p<0.001) in consumer preferences, followed by quality preservation methods (32 %, p<0.001) and price sensitivity (30 %, p<0.001). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed that physiological quality indicators such as freshness, ripeness and shelf life were the most influential latent factor (explaining 37.5 % of variance). Garrett Ranking identified inconsistent ripening (mean = 69.68) and high delivery charges (mean = 56.60) as the top barriers to purchasing fresh produce via quick commerce platforms.

The field experiment was carried out using 72 rice genotypes at Agricultural Research Station, Kampasagar, Nalgonda district which is located at geographical co-ordinates of 16.8536 N latitude and 79.4569 longitudes. Analysis of variance revealed significant genotypic difference for all the traits studied indicating that a large amount of variability present in germplasm and there is a scope for selecting promising genotypes to develop salinity tolerant rice varieties. The values of genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation (GCV and PCV) were moderate for Total no. of tillers/plant (16.72 and 17.70), No. of effective tillers/plant (15.82 and 17.90) and spikelet fertility (%) (19.14 and 20.38), grain length (mm) (12.83 and 13.62) and grain breadth (15.54 and 16.01); low for days to 50% flowering (6.72 and 696). Selection for these traits would offer better scope for genotypes A close difference between phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation revealed that there was a little influence of environment on the expression of the character studied. Selection for these traits would offer better scope for development of these traits. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for all the traits except for plant height and reproductive stage salinity stage scoring indicating the preponderance of additive type of gene action for the expression of this characters and selection may be effective for improving this character. The study of simple correlation in the present investigation suggested that positive and significant assosiation of yield with number of filled grains per panicle (0.8477**), spikelet fertility (0.6621**), productive tillers (0.4107**) test weight (0.4105**) panicle length (0.2864**), plant height (0.2815**). However, it exhibited significant and negative correlation with seedling mortality (-0.9124**Present study revealed that there was good amount of genetic variability in the traits number of effective tillers per plant, panicle length, grains/panicle and test weight, selection would be more effective for developing these traits.

Cucumis sativus f. hardwickii (Cucurbitaceae), a wild variant of cucumber, is reported as a new distributional record from the Adilabad and Komaram Bheem Asifabad districts of the newly formed Telangana State. The communication provides a detailed taxonomic description of the plant, phenology, and first-time distribution of the forma in Telangana.