No abstract

Malnutrition is a very big issue in poor nations, particularly in Asia and Africa, where millions of pre-school-aged children with pregnant women suffer from it. Because they eat a carbohydrate-rich but micronutrient-scant plant-based diet, poor individuals are more vulnerable to malnutrition and hidden hunger. The spread of high-yielding varieties but low-micronutrient cultivars exacerbated the malnutrition. Supplementation & food fortification of staple foods with minerals are two ways that can be used to track the issue of proper nutrition safety. However, fortified and dietary supplements are also not possible or cost-effective for iodine, particularly iron. To treat micronutrient deficiencies, genetic biofortification of crops has recently developed as a self-targeted and non-recurrent strategy. Because there wasn't enough genetic variation in the crossable gene pools, most traditional breeding methods were limited. Furthermore, it lacks the micronutrient and iodine accumulation-related modulation of target gene expression. At this point, genetic engineering-based food biofortification appears to be a potential strategy to solve hidden hunger, particularly in areas where breeding is difficult due to a scarcity of genetic diversity. If there is insufficient genetic variability and fixable major gene effects, genetic engineering will be a viable option for enhancing micronutrients at targeted levels. Transgenic technologies are one method that can be used to improve genotypes by changing specific metabolic pathways with different genes.

The investigation entitled “Identification and evaluation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes/ varieties for drought tolerance: growth & yield approaches” was conducted during Kharif season, 2020-21 and 2021-22 at the field of SIF at A.N.D.U.A&T, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Twelve elite rice genotypes were shown in RBD with three replications. Among all the genotypes plant height was observed highest in Nagina 22 and lowest was found in NDR 97 under drought condition. Drought stress affects the tiller number/ plant and panicle bearing/ plants and flag leaf. Panicle length of Nagina 22, Sahbhagi Dhaan and Sukha Dhaan was affected during drought stress condition and RWC affected from genotype to genotype. With respect to grain yield per plant Nagina 22, Sushk Samrat and Sukha Dhaan performed extremely well under the drought condition. Result suggested that plant height and yield/ plant can be used as selection indices for drought tolerance.

A Comparative study was carried out to evaluate the newer insecticides and botanicals as seed protectants for long term ambient storage of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek ) against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) under ambient condition use Complete Randomized Design (CRD) at Seed Entomology laboratory of Seed Science and Technology, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agricultural and Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya during 2019-2020. Sixteen included control newer insecticides and botanicals viz. Emamectin benzoate @ 40.0 mg/kg1 seed, Spinetorum @ 8.5 mg/kg-1 seed, Sivanto prime @ 0.01 ml/kg-1 seed, Karanj oil@ 5ml/kg seed, Castor oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Sunflower oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Mustard oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Sesamum oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neem oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neemoz gold @ 5 ml/kg-1 seed , Coconut oil @ 5 ml/kg seed, Neem leaf powder @ 5g/kg seed, Neem kernel powder @ 5g/kg seed and Gorakhmundi powder @5g/kg seed as seed protectants along with Deltamethrin 2.8 EC @ 0.04ml/kg seed as check were tried to evaluated under ambient condition. Among tested seed protectants, Emamectin benzoate @ 40.0 mg/kg1seed followed by Sivanto prime @ 0.01 ml/kg-1 seed, Spinetorum @ 8.5 mg/kg-1 seed, Neemoz gold @ 5 ml/kg-1 seed and Karanj oil@ 5ml/kg seed was found most effective treatment against Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) due to least seed damage (1%) and weight loss (0.84%) with high germination percent (86.83%) in mungbean for long term (upto 6 months) under ambient storage condition.

The investigation on effect of foliar application of GA3, on biochemical changes of Indian mustard under sodic soil, was conducted during the rabi season, at the Main Experiment Station Farm of   ANDUAT, Kumarganj, Ayodhya-224229 (UP) in randomized block design with 8th treatments, three replications & variety Narendra rai (NDR-8501). Different concentrations of GA3 (15ppm, 30ppm, 45ppm, 60ppm, 75ppm, 90ppm, 125ppm) were taken along with Distilled water  control. Foliar spray was done at 30 Days after sowing. Observations to be recorded at 40, 60, 80 days after sowing of biochemical parameters like chlorophyll content, nitrate reductase, peroxidase, and catalase activities in green leaves were taken. Sprayed of different concentrations of GA3 increased all characters of the crop. All the parameters viz.  To the studies of biochemical parameters were high recorded with foliar spray of GA3 125ppm followed by foliar spray with GA3 90ppm over rest of the treatments together with control, during the analysis.