Climate change is a critical yield–limiting factor that has threatened the entire global crop production system in the present scenario. The use of biostimulants in agriculture has shown tremendous potential in combating climate change–induced stresses such as drought, salinity, temperature stress, etc. Biostimulants are organic compounds, microbes, or amalgamation of both that could regulate plant growth behavior through molecular alteration and physiological, biochemical, and anatomical modulations. Their nature is diverse due to the varying composition of bioactive compounds, and they function through various modes of action. To generate a successful biostimulatory action on crops under different parameters, a multi–omics approach would be beneficial to identify or predict its outcome comprehensively. The ‘omics’ approach has greatly helped us to understand the mode of action of biostimulants on plants at cellular levels. Biostimulants acting as a messenger in signal transduction resembling phytohormones and other chemical compounds and their cross–talk in various abiotic stresses help us design future crop management under changing climate, thus, sustaining food security with finite natural resources. This review article elucidates the strategic potential and prospects of biostimulants in mitigating the adverse impacts of harsh environmental conditions on plants.

The technological gap between existing and recommended technologies of greengram crop was studied during 2012, 2013 and 2014. The study in total 40 frontline demonstrations was conducted on farmers' fields in five adopted villages. The findings of the study revealed that improved technology recorded a mean yield of 982 kg/ha which was 35.5% higher than obtained with farmers' practice (755 kg/ha). The study exhibited mean extension gap of 267 kg/ha, technology gap of 368 kg/ha with mean technology index of 27.3%. An additional investment of Rs. 1470 /ha coupled with recommended nutrient, water management, plant protection measures, scientific monitory and non-monetary factors resulted in additional mean returns of Rs.10970/ha. Higher mean net income of Rs. 46030/ha with a Benefit: Cost ratio of 4.3 was obtained with improved technologies in comparison to farmers' practices (Rs. 38775/ha).The frontline demonstrations conducted on greengram at the farmers' field revealed that the adoption of improved technologies significantly increased the yield as well as yield attributing traits of crop and also the net returns to the farmers.

Micro-scale perspectives are seldom included in planned climate change adaptations, yet farmers' perceptions can provide useful insights into livelihood impacts of interactions between climatic and other stressors. This research aims to understand how climate variability and other stressors are impacting the livelihoods of small-holder farmers in Azamgarh district, eastern Uttar Pradesh India. Data from 84 smallholder farmers were collected using mixed qualitative and quantitative approaches, including interview and participatory methods, informed by multiple stressors and sustainable livelihood frameworks. Results revealed that farmers' are increasingly facing problems caused by the reduced duration and number of rainy days, and erratic rainfall. Anomalies in seasonal cycles (longer summers, shorter winters) seem to have altered the local climate. Farmers reported that repeated drought impacts, even in years of moderate rainfall, are adversely affecting the rice crop, challenging the formal definition of drought. Climate variability, identified as the foremost stressor, often acts as a risk multiplier for ecological (e.g. soil sodicity), socioeconomic (e.g. rising costs of cultivation) and political (e.g. mismatching policies and poor extension systems) stressors. In addition to climate stresses, resource poor marginal groups in particular experienced higher risks caused by changes in resource management regimes. This study provides an important cue to revisit the formal definitions of normal rainfall and drought, accommodating farmers' perceptions that evenly distributed rainfall and not total rainfall is a key determinant of crop yields. Though India has developed adaptive measures for climate change and variability, integration of farmers' perceptions of climate and other stressors into such policies can improve the resilience of small-holder farmers, who have hitherto depended largely on autonomous adaptation strategies.

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus infection is an important emerging disease of the tropical and subtropical regions and is mainly diagnosed by serological detection of NS1 antigen and IgM antidengue antibodies. Since enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) facilities are not easily available at most diagnostic centers, so most of them use various commercially available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) kits. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to access the diagnostic accuracy of four commercially available and widely used RDTs for serodiagnosis of dengue virus infection in Indian laboratories. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study was conducted at Department of Microbiology, G.S.V.M Medical College, Kanpur, India, to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of following RDTs: (1) Dengue Cassette (Panbio, Australia), (2) Bioline Dengue Duo (SD Diagnostics, Korea), (3) Dengue Day 1 test (J Mitra and Co., India), and (4) Dengucheck Duo (Tulip Diagnostics, India) on 72 confirmed dengue serum samples that were positive by dengue reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, dengue NS1, and IgM ELISA along with 80 serum samples from nondengue febrile illness patients. RESULTS: The majority of the RDTs demonstrated low sensitivity but good specificity for detecting NS1 antigen. Detection of antidengue IgM antibodies by RDTs demonstrated low sensitivity ranging from 27.8% to 77.7%. However, specificity was generally higher (50%–86.2%) and more consistent across the assays. CONCLUSION: The study results differed markedly from the RDTs manufacturers’ claimed performance characteristics. Therefore, the RDT results should be interpreted cautiously and ELISA should be performed as far as possible for serodiagnosis of dengue virus infection.