Innovations in Agricultural and Environmental Science
Innovations in Agricultural and Environmental Science (IAES) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research that advances the understanding and application of agricultural and environmental sciences. The journal serves as a platform for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to share innovative methodologies, empirical studies, and theoretical analyses addressing critical issues in sustainable agriculture, environmental management, climate change, soil science, water resources, agroecology, and biodiversity conservation. IAES welcomes original research articles, review papers, case studies, and short communications that contribute to the development of sustainable practices and policies in agriculture and the environment. Interdisciplinary studies that integrate technology, social sciences, and environmental economics are especially encouraged. The journal aims to foster knowledge exchange between academia and industry, providing insights that support food security, environmental sustainability, and rural development globally.
SYNAPSE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (SMC-PRIVATE) LIMITED
HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT IN DAIRY CATTLE : A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Climate has raised the severity and frequency of incidences of heat stress as a phenomenon that is a significant challenge to dairy production systems in the world. The lactating dairy cows are very vulnerable to the condition with high Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) since they generate much heat metabolically and have little ability to sustain normal thermoregulatory temperature. The available evidence that was published until the date was integrated in the systematic review and meta-analysis to measure the physiological, productive, reproductive, and health effects of heat stress and evaluate the efficacy of mitigation measures. Abiding by PRISMA 2020, were transferred to qualitative synthesis, and were taken into quantitative meta-analysis. The results indicated that heat stress significantly increased rectal temperature, respiratory rate, but decreased the dry matter intake and milk yield on a per unit of THI basis above the levels of threshold, respectively. The severe heat stress was associated with milk reduction in the conception rate. Mechanistic data showed that the activation of the HPA axis, oxidative stress, systemic inflammation and intestinal permeability contribute to the production and welfare decrease. It was demonstrated that combined environmental cooling systems have the most short-term beneficial impacts on physiological stability and retention of milk yield despite moderate nutritional support, in comparison with nutritional interventions. The long-term adaptive potential of genetic selection and precision livestock farming technologies could be developed. Overall, heat stress has multi-systemic effects that decrease productivity, reproduction, and animal welfare, and thus solutions to mitigate heat stress should be developed that will integrate mitigation strategies and be evidence-based to ensure dairy production in the future amid climatic changes.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE RUMINANT PRODUCTIVITY: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
It has a two fold dilemma of producing more ruminant livestock to meet the growing protein demand in the world market and to minimize the adverse effect on the environment such as the enteric production of methane. It was a systematic literature review, which involved evidence in control trials, meta-analyses and genomic studies published after 2000 and 2026 respectively, to establish the effectiveness of nutritional interventions to enhance productivity and methane efficiency in the ruminal. These interventions were categorized into ionophores, phytogenic feeds, probiotics and enzymes, rumen-protected amino acids, precision feeding system, optimum forage quality, alternative sources of proteins, methane inhibitors and mineral vitamin supplementation. Research has shown beneficial impacts of moderate/extreme positive to productivity and they included improvement in feed efficiency, milk production, rate of growth and nutrient utilization. Ionophores and rumen sheltered amino acids did not only improve the feed ratio and lactation but probiotics and phytogenic supplements improved the fermentation dynamics of rumen. An individualization diet formulation was also identified to lead to the improved nutrient partitioning and feed waste reduction in the form of precision feeding strategies. Asparagopsis-compounds, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), tannins, saponins, high-sugar forages strategies were also found to be relevant in order to lower the generation of the methane in the enteric system without having any adverse effect on the animal performance. Additional support on breeding-based mitigation in the long term would be offered by new genomic selection applications and the resulting residual phenotypes of methane. Even though variability of the studies was a measure of variability in the composition of the diet, species and the stage of production, the net effect is that, integrated nutritional management can be used as a measure to not only increase productivity, but also environmental sustainability. The results have shown the pivotal role as taken by the advanced nutrition strategies in determination of the climate smart and economically viable ruminant production systems.
ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICES: INFLUENCES ON SOIL, PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITE PROFILES, CROP QUALITY, AND STRESS RESISTANCE
Organic farming is increasingly recognized as a sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture; however, its mechanistic effects on soil functionality, plant secondary metabolism, crop quality, and stress resistance remain incompletely understood. This study employed an integrated experimental framework combining multivariate soil analyses, biochemical profiling of plant secondary metabolites, physiological stress indicators, and yield stability assessments to compare organic and conventional farming systems. The results demonstrate that organic management significantly enhances soil biological activity, enzymatic efficiency, and carbon–nitrogen coupling, leading to more efficient nutrient cycling. These soil-level improvements were strongly associated with increased accumulation of phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant enzymes in crops, indicating elevated biochemical defense capacity. Graphical and three-dimensional analyses further revealed tightly coupled interactions among soil fertility, metabolic flux, and stress tolerance under organic practices. Yield analyses showed greater stability and reduced variability under abiotic stress in organic systems, despite comparable or moderately lower absolute yields. Collectively, the findings indicate that organic farming promotes metabolic plasticity, physiological resilience, and functional stability by reinforcing natural soil–plant feedback mechanisms. This study highlights the potential of organic agriculture to sustain productive, resilient, and environmentally compatible agroecosystems while enhancing crop biochemical quality and long-term system robustness.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ijaz Ahmad https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
EPIGENETIC REGULATION AND STRESS MEMORY MECHANISMS IN SEEDS: IMPLICATIONS FOR GERMINATION BEHAVIOR, SEEDLING VIGOR, AND CROP ADAPTATION
Plants are continuously exposed to fluctuating environmental stresses that severely constrain growth and productivity. This study investigated the role of epigenetically mediated stress memory in seeds and its contribution to plant performance and transgenerational stress resilience. Using a mixed experimental approach, parental plants were subjected to controlled abiotic stress treatments, and the resulting progeny were evaluated through integrated epigenetic, transcriptomic, metabolic, and physiological analyses. The results revealed that stress priming induced stable epigenetic modifications, including altered DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA activity, which were partially retained in seeds. Progeny derived from primed plants exhibited faster and stronger stress-responsive gene activation, reduced transcriptional variability, enhanced metabolic efficiency, and significantly improved germination, growth, and yield stability under repeated stress conditions. Quantitative performance indices demonstrated strong correlations between epigenetic memory strength and phenotypic resilience. Furthermore, transgenerational analyses confirmed the persistence of stress-adaptive traits across multiple generations, despite gradual attenuation of epigenetic signals. These findings provide compelling evidence that epigenetic stress memory represents a heritable and exploitable mechanism for improving plant adaptability. The study highlights the potential of epigenetic priming and epibreeding as innovative strategies to enhance crop resilience and sustain agricultural productivity in the face of climate change.
Copyright (c) 2025 Habib-ur-Rehman Athar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ROLE OF CROP DIVERSIFICATION AND ON FARM BIODIVERSITY IN ENHANCING AGROECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE,SOIL HEALTH AND USTAINABLE YIELD HEALTH PERFORMANCE
Climate variability and input-intensive agricultural practices pose increasing risks to soil health, ecosystem stability, and sustainable crop production. This study evaluated the role of crop diversification and on-farm biodiversity in enhancing agroecosystem resilience, soil functionality, and sustainable yield performance using an integrated experimental framework combining quantitative soil–crop measurements with biodiversity and resilience indicators. Comparative analyses across diversified and monocropping systems revealed that diversified systems achieved higher mean yields with lower temporal variability, indicating improved yield -stability. Significant gains in soil organic carbon, microbial and functional diversity, and nutrient-use efficiency were consistently observed under diversified management. Resilience metrics demonstrated stronger resistance and faster recovery of diversified systems under stress conditions, while greenhouse gas emissions were substantially reduced relative to conventional systems. Multivariate and graphical analyses confirmed strong coupling between biodiversity, soil biological activity, and productivity outcomes, highlighting the mechanisms through which diversification enhances system performance. Overall, the results demonstrate that crop diversification enables ecological intensification by simultaneously improving soil health, stabilizing yields, and reducing environmental impacts. These findings provide compelling evidence that biodiversity-based management is a viable and scalable strategy for achieving resilient and sustainable agroecosystems in the face of climate change and resource constraints.
Copyright (c) 2025 Arshad Javed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
OPTIMIZING PLANT NUTRITIONAL PHYSIOLOGY AND GROWTH IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT HORTICULTURE FOR HIGH-VALUE CROP PRODUCTION
Controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming have emerged as critical solutions to address food security challenges driven by urbanization, climate change, and declining arable land. This study experimentally evaluated plant growth performance, physiological efficiency, and resource-use dynamics under adaptive controlled environment systems integrating real-time sensing, automated regulation, and data-driven optimization. The results demonstrate that dynamic environmental control significantly improves biomass accumulation, nutrient use efficiency, and stress resilience compared to static cultivation regimes. Performance comparison analyses revealed enhanced photosynthetic response, optimized carbon utilization, and reduced physiological variability across treatments employing adaptive feedback mechanisms. Predictive modeling showed strong agreement with observed growth trajectories, confirming the reliability of intelligent control strategies for anticipating plant responses. Importantly, productivity gains were achieved alongside improved sustainability metrics, including reduced resource waste and stabilized energy demand. These findings highlight the critical role of integrated environmental management in maximizing yield quality and system efficiency. Overall, the study provides robust evidence that intelligent controlled environment horticulture can deliver high-value crop production while supporting sustainable and resilient food systems.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Azam Khan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ROLE OF VERMICOMPOST ON SOIL AND PLANT HEALTH AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Vermicompost has emerged as a promising organic amendment for improving soil health, enhancing crop productivity, and promoting sustainable agricultural systems. This review synthesizes and critically evaluates published literature on the role of vermicompost in modifying soil physicochemical properties, stimulating biological activity, improving plant growth and yield, and contributing to environmental sustainability. studies published over the last two decades were systematically analyzed to assess the influence of vermicompost on soil nutrient dynamics, microbial diversity, enzyme activities, soil structure, and plant physiological responses across diverse cropping systems. The compiled evidence demonstrates that vermicompost consistently increases the availability of essential macro- and micronutrients, enhances cation exchange capacity, improves soil aggregation, reduces bulk density, and significantly increases water-holding capacity. Moreover, vermicompost application promotes soil biological activity by increasing microbial biomass, respiration rates, and key enzyme activities such as dehydrogenase and phosphatase. These improvements translate into enhanced seed germination, vegetative growth, root development, chlorophyll content, and yield across cereals, vegetables, fruits, and ornamental crops. In addition, vermicompost exhibits strong biocontrol potential by suppressing soil-borne pathogens and pests through microbial antagonism and induced systemic resistance. Beyond agronomic benefits, vermicomposting contributes to sustainable waste management, carbon sequestration, and reduction of reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Despite its proven advantages, variability in feedstock composition, earthworm species, and application rates remains a limitation to large-scale adoption. Overall, the review highlights vermicompost as a multifunctional biofertilizer and soil conditioner with significant potential to support regenerative and climate-resilient agricultural practices, while identifying key research gaps for optimizing its effectiveness under diverse agro-ecological conditions.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Adeel Ahmad, Qudrat Ullah khan, Sibghtullah, Saleem Nawaz, Muhammad Arshad Khan, Muhammad Ammar, Zubair Rehman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
PARASITOLOGY AND WILDLIFE EPIDEMIOLOGY: A ZOONOTIC ANALYSIS
Parasitology and wildlife epidemiology is a vital subject of study in determining the spread of zoonotic diseases. This study involved mixed-method experimental design which employed parasitological monitoring and genetic diagnostics to quantify the likelihood of sick odds between people and animals when the two entities came into contact with each other. Field study of several ecotones showed that over 40 percent of some sentinel species possessed parasites and their severity of infection differed extensively about the type of habitat. The presence of several zoonotic taxa confirmed by molecular identification included helminths and protozoa known to induce disease in human beings. We modeled space using MaxEnt and kernel density and identified high-risk clusters that were associated with dense vegetation cover, high humidity, and indices of human disturbance. R 0 values measured in the hot spot’s locations exceeded 1.2. Interviews in the community revealed that individuals are frequently exposed to wildlife, poach traditionally, and do not have a lot of information on the transmission of zoonotic diseases. This is congruent with quantitative factors of transmission risk. It was through the One Health framework that ecological, biological, and social datasets were combined, thus allowing significant intervention locations to be identified. This demonstrated the significance of having monitoring and preventive methods that bring in the involvement of people in a multiplicity of fields. The said results do not only allow individuals to comprehend the concept of zoonotic crossroads, but they also provide effective insights into how to manage animals, make public health policy, and prepare against new infectious diseases.
COMPARATIVE REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF DOMESTICATED AND WILD MAMMALS
The research focuses on the variabilities in the reproductive physiology of animals in captivity compared to life in the wild using an interdisciplinary experimental design, involving both quantitative hormonal tests of ovarian, follicular, and reproductive biomarkers, qualitative assessments of gamete quality, and behavioral ethology. Sampling encompassed a number of representatives of each groups, and it encompassed the sampling across two breeding seasons to circumvent the season-induced bias. Progesterone, oestradiol, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured by ELISA. We also analyzed the shape and motility of gametes with the help of a microscope. The behavior was recorded using focal animal sampling and ethogram-based coding. Mixed linear models revealed that the mean progesterone (p < 0.05) and oestradiol and inter-estrus interval was much smaller and sperm motility was high in domesticated animals as compared to wild species. Conversely, those in the wild were more variable in terms of hormones and more complex in their mating behaviors implying that they have evolved in response to ecological dynamics to enable them to reproduce in an environment. Environmental correlation analysis revealed that the quality of fodder, and alteration of the weather influenced the reproductive parameters of wild species to a greater extent. Conversely, reproductive measures of the domesticated species remained unchanged despite the identical conditions. What these findings mean is that the domestication can increase the efficiency of the reproduction process because of the selective breeding, however, the domestication also reduces the adaptability to new environments in animals. The mixture of methodology and cross-species analysis presented here benefits the efforts of breeding programs employed in the real world as well as safeguarding of wild mammal populations.
BIOINFORMATICS ANALYSIS OF SECONDARY METABOLITE BIOSYNTHETIC PATHWAYS IN MEDICINAL PLANTS
We want to discover new drugs, carry out metabolic engineering, and synthesize phytochemicals in an environmentally friendly fashion and they require us to understand secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants. The integrative bioinformatics approach was employed to examine the secondary metabolic pathways of five common medicinal plants, namely Catharanthus roseus, Withania somnifera, Ocimum sanctum, Artemisia annua and Curcuma longa. High-throughput transcriptome data was annotated and mapped to KEGG and MetaCyc biosynthetic pathways on a functional basis. It emerged that there were 20 secondary metabolite (SM) highly-expressed genes. The majority of them were related to the production of alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The terpenoid backbone and phenylpropanoid routes exceeded the expectations (p < 0.01), significantly. They were also highly frequent among the species through GO and Pfam domain classification according to oxidoreductase or cytochrome P450 activity. Pathway coverage was even more affirmed when it was mapped in MetaCyc mapping of SM molecules finding 20 bioactive metabolites in the four main biosynthetic processes. The STRING was used to make protein-protein interaction networks which identified regulatory hubs which had high interaction scores like key oxidases and transferases. Expression study of correlation shows that there are co-expressed clusters of genes which are strongly correlated with values of r above 0.85 indicating that metabolic modules are transcriptionally co-ordinated. Overall, this research provides us with the entire genomic portraits of secondary metabolism of the medicinal plants. It also identifies potential candidates two genes and control points that can be exploited to enhance particular metabolic pathways. Such findings form the initial platform of higher level of genome-scale metabolic modelling, synthetic biology and precision breeding techniques in efforts to enhance yield of bioactive compounds in medically used species.
VETERINARY NEUROPATHOLOGY OF EXOTIC WILDLIFE
Neuropathological diseases of exotic animal species are difficult to diagnose because there are too many species, little reference material exists and the connection between anatomical lesions and behavioural manifestations is so complex. This research employed both approaches experimentally with mixed-methodology: quantitative examination, quantitative histology, immunohistochemistry, and morphometric analysis and the qualitative assessment of behaviour that was applied to investigate neurological disorders among birds, reptile and small mammals. To examine the presence of astrocytosis and microglial activation, we performed hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol blue stain and immunolabeling of the brain and spinal cord samples of patients with clinical manifestations with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1). We made quantitative optical density and lesion load measurements and found that the distribution of lesions across species were not the same and differed significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Functional deficits such as ataxia, aberrant movement and difficulty eating were observed repeatedly by theme and correlated with histologic data in behavioural observations. A mixture of expert neuropathologist ratings with morphometric and behavioural data resulted in more reliable and less observer biassed diagnoses. The findings demonstrate that combination of quantitative tissue data and qualitative behavioural evaluation amounts to a good approach in obtaining a complete profile of exotic animal neuropathology. The approach proposed in the study is accessible to a variety of species and allows diagnosing more reliably and includes a great potential in conservation medicine, prognosis of rehabilitation, and preventative veterinary practice.
EXPLORING ALLELOPATHIC INTERACTIONS IN AGROECOSYSTEMS: ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS AND CROP DESIGN
Biochemical interaction, the interaction of plants (also known as allelopathy), exerts a large effect on agroecosystem functions. It influences the way plants compete against others, the growth of weed as well as the movement of soil micro-beings. This study was also aimed at studying carefully the allelopathic potential of some of the donor crops and the manner they impact the environment in controlled as well as in field conditions. We conducted a mixed-methods experiment in order to check on the influence of aqueous extracts of Sorghum bicolour, Helianthus annuus, and Secale cereale on the germination of wheat, lettuce and chickpea. It was seen that in sensitive species, significantly less (with more than 50 percent) germination time (mean germination time (MGT)) and the length of radicle occurred. The effects of allelochemicals on the soil microbes Click to see the test results showed that colony-forming units (CFUs), rate of nitrogen mineralisation and pH conductivity level were altered. It implies that there were functional alterations in the structure of the microbial community. Rotational crop field tests indicated that allelopathic donors altered the distribution of biomass as well as the root to shoot ratio and reduced average weeds by 38%. The addition of the biophysical data by semi-structured interviews with 25 local farmers reflected the usefulness and limited use of allelopathic crops in traditional farming. Through quantitative and qualitative data developed together, we were in a position to evaluate allelopathy completely as an ecological and agricultural instrument. These findings indicate that well-strategized crop rotations which utilize allelopathic effects could reduce chemical requirements and also enhance soil health as well as make farming system more sustainability oriented. The research provides practical knowledge regarding the development of crops, taking into consideration allelopathy, which has an impact on ecological agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON LIVESTOCK FEED AVAILABILITY: STRATEGIES FOR GOATS, SHEEP, AND CATTLE FARMING
This study investigates the impact of climate change on livestock feed availability, focusing on goats, sheep, and cattle farming systems in regions vulnerable to climate variability. Climate data collected over the past three decades indicate significant increases in temperature and erratic rainfall patterns, which have led to a marked decline in pasture productivity, ranging from 10% to 18% across the study areas. Surveys conducted with farmers reveal that 70% to 90% of respondents reported feed shortages, with drought and temperature rise identified as the primary drivers. Adaptive strategies employed by farmers include the use of drought-resistant forage varieties (up to 60% adoption), alternative feed sources such as agro-industrial byproducts (40-50%), and improved grazing management practices (40-65%). The success of these strategies relies heavily on regional support structures because inadequate policy backing and technical assistance persists mainly within Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia. Climate-induced feed shortages in arid regions create major economic harm to livestock health and milk production and meat production because they negatively affect animal well-being. Based on these findings it becomes essential to establish strong policy frameworks linked to increased technical resource access and expanded community-based initiatives for resilience development. The research adds to climate change-livestock feed availability studies by highlighting the necessity of unified adaptation approaches for sustaining livestock agriculture.
Copyright (c) 2024 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
THE ROLE OF VETERINARY CARE IN ENHANCING HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF LIVESTOCK IN SMALL-SCALE FARMING SYSTEMS
This study investigates the role of veterinary care in enhancing the health and productivity of livestock in small-scale farming systems. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys, interviews, and case studies to assess the impact of veterinary services on livestock health, productivity, and the economic stability of smallholder farms. Results indicate that farms receiving regular veterinary care showed significant improvements in livestock health, with a marked reduction in disease incidence and mortality rates, alongside enhanced reproductive success and higher productivity in terms of milk yield and meat production. However, barriers to effective veterinary care were identified, including financial constraints, limited infrastructure, and inadequate outreach, particularly in rural and remote areas. Higher economic profitability directly corresponds to strong veterinarian care providing benefits to farmers through increased marketable surplus and sustainable farming. The study results indicated that the barriers to veterinary care access were outweighed by economic accessibility problems. Research findings indicate that developing better veterinary service delivery methods remains essential because it maximizes the cost-effective benefits of medical treatment in small-scale farming systems. The research enhances practical knowledge for veterinary practitioners and policy creators to face existing challenges while improving livestock health management but simultaneously expands understanding about how veterinary interventions benefit farmer economic outcomes alongside productivity levels.
FOLIAR GIBBERELLIC ACID APPLICATION FOR MAXIMIZING RICE GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY
This study evaluated the impact of foliar-applied gibberellic acid (GA₃) on the growth and yield attributes of rice. Five GA₃ concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L⁻¹) were tested under field conditions. Results revealed alluring improvements in all growth and yield parameters with GA₃ application compared to the control. The 75 mg L⁻¹ GA₃ treatment (T₃) consistently outperformed other treatments, recording the highest plant height (92.4 cm), tillers per plant (6.2), leaf area index (4.2), chlorophyll content (50.3 SPAD), dry biomass (21.4 g plant⁻¹), spike length (11.3 cm), number of grains per spike (52.1), 1000-grain weight (45.7 g), and grain yield per plant (18.1 g). Although the 100 mg L⁻¹ treatment (T₄) also showed improvements, it resulted in a slight decline in performance compared to T₃, indicating that excessive GA₃ may reduce physiological efficiency. These findings suggest that 75 mg L⁻¹ is the optimal GA₃ concentration for enhancing rice growth and yield under the given conditions.
INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF SOIL ORGANIC MATTER FRACTIONS AND RHIZOBACTERIA ON SOIL FERTILITY
The rhizobacterial species (Rhizobium spp. and Bacillus spp.) used in a study to evaluate their impact on soil organic matter (SOM) fractions, the activity of microbial communes and specifically the nutrient dynamics. The applied Rhizobium spp. strains suggestively influenced three fractions of organic matter i.e., particulate organic matter (POM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and humic substances (HS). The other major fraction Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) was also pointedly enhanced by both bacterial treatments. The other soil characteristics i.e., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), N, P and K had been also highly improved, particularly in Rhizobium-treated soils. These conclusions underscore the role of rhizobacteria in cultivating soil quality, augmenting carbon sequestration, and auxiliary sustainable agricultural practices. Rhizobium spp. was predominantly effective, signifying its utility as a auspicious microbial amendment for soil fertility enhancement.
OPTIMIZING WHEAT YIELD AND SOIL NUTRIENT STATUS THROUGH INTEGRATED ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZATION STRATEGIES
A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of integrated nutrient management on rice growth, yield and soil fertility. The treatments included a control, recommended inorganic fertilizers (RD), poultry manure (PM) at 5 t ha⁻¹ combined with 50% RD, PM at 2.5 t ha⁻¹ with 75% RD, vermicompost (VC) at 5 t ha⁻¹ with 50% RD, VC at 2.5 t ha⁻¹ with 75% RD and farmers' practice (FP). The highest grain yield of 6.16-6.27 t ha⁻¹ was achieved with VC and PM at 2.5 t ha⁻¹ plus 75% RD, surpassing the RD treatment yield of 3.49 t ha⁻¹. Nutrient uptake was maximized in the 75% RD + 5 t FYM ha⁻¹ + PSB + BGA + Zn treatment, with nitrogen uptake at 75.6 kg ha⁻¹ compared to 64.3 kg ha⁻¹ in the RD treatment. Post-harvest soil analysis revealed that the PM at 5 t ha⁻¹ with 50% RD treatment enhanced organic carbon stock to 18.70 t ha⁻¹, while the control had 14.50 t ha⁻¹. These findings underscore the benefits of combining organic and inorganic fertilizers to improve rice yield and soil fertility.
BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN POULTRY BREEDING: GENETIC MODIFICATION FOR DISEASE RESISTANCE AND GROWTH EFFICIENCY
This study investigates the potential of genetic modification in poultry breeding, specifically focusing on enhancing disease resistance and growth efficiency. Utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 technology, we genetically modified poultry to target immune-related genes and growth hormone receptors. The results indicate significant improvements in both disease resistance and growth efficiency. Genetically modified fowl survived infections of Salmonella, E. coli and avian influenza more successfully compared to their wild-type poultry counterparts. The introduction of genetic modifications led to better development metrics that included larger muscle mass and lower feed conversion ratio and greater weight gain. Through genetic modification sustainable livestock farming methods become available because they produce enhanced results for poultry health and production capabilities. Multiple studies need to be conducted to understand the full-scale ecological and genetic modifications that genetically modified poultry create over extended periods of time. This investigation delivers essential findings regarding biotechnology potentials in poultry propagation together with its solutions for worldwide food availability and farming sustainability.
AQUACULTURE AND WATER QUALITY: THE ROLE OF FILTRATION AND SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN FISH FARMING
This study investigates the role of filtration systems and sustainable practices in maintaining water quality and enhancing productivity in aquaculture. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining literature review, water quality monitoring, and interviews with farm operators. The study focused on farms employing various filtration technologies, including mechanical, biological, and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems. The results showed that biological filtration and IMTA systems significantly reduced ammonia and nitrate concentrations, with an average reduction of 64% and 60%, respectively, compared to pre-filtration levels. In contrast, mechanical filtration was effective in removing particulate matter but less efficient in nutrient removal. Sustainable practices, such as optimized feed management and waste reduction, were found to correlate strongly with improved water quality and increased farm productivity, with farms adopting these practices seeing up to a 25% increase in productivity. Water quality together with environmental impacts and operational efficiency of aquaculture systems improves when advanced filtration technologies merge with sustainable farming methods. Sustainable aquaculture methods require a perfect partnership between filtration technology developments and responsible production techniques to achieve seafood production targets for global markets while reducing pollution impacts.
EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF FARMYARD MANURE AND INORGANIC NITROGEN ON WILD OAT YIELD AND SOIL FERTILITY
The efficient use of fertilization is a grave challenge of today’s agriculture. This pot trial composed of five treatments i.e., control, different synthetic nitrogen fertilizers and FYM applications was intended to estimate the impact of amalgam of inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers and farmyard manure (FYM) on wild oat crop. The experiment was conducted at the Research Area of the Arid Zone Research Center, Dera Ismail Khan, during the 2022-2023 growing season. The results revealed that maximum grain yield and harvest indices (43.9 g/pot, 41.46%) was attained with 100% synthetic nitrogen fertilizer application, trailed meticulously by 75% fertilizer amalgamated with 2.5 t/ha FYM (41.5 g/pot, 40.46%). Straw and biological yields demonstrated similar trends, with significant increases in treatments receiving higher nitrogen levels. Statistical analysis inveterate momentous variances among treatments. The findings recommend that integrating organic and inorganic fertilizers boosts wild oat yield and nutrient efficiency while potentially tumbling chemical fertilizer dependency. These results emphasize the significance of balanced fertilization strategies to optimize productivity and soil health under arid conditions.
IMPACT OF COMPOST TEA FROM VARIOUS ORGANIC SOURCES ON ONION GROWTH, YIELD AND SOIL PROPERTIES
The use of liquid organic fertilizers especially compost tea has gained wider recognition as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers and is eco-friendly. This study examined the impact of compost tea derived from agro-waste compost (AWC), farm manure compost (FMC), vermicompost (VC), and general compost (GC) on onion (Allium cepa L.) growth, yield, and soil properties. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was implemented with four compost tea treatments. The results indicated that all compost tea applications improved soil quality by increasing organic matter content, enhancing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium availability, and lowering soil pH. Among the treatments, VC tea led to the highest plant height, leaf count, fresh and dry biomass, and bulb yield. These findings highlight the potential of compost tea, particularly VC tea, in promoting sustainable onion production.
EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF GREEN PEA (PISUM SATIVUM)
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of various organic amendments, including farm manure (FM), agro-waste compost (AC) , sewage sludge (SS) and poultry manure (PM), as well as synthetic fertilizer, on the agronomic performance of green pea (Pisum sativum). The study assessed plant growth, yield attributes and pod yield under different nutrient management treatments. The results demonstrated that all organic amendments significantly improved plant height, pod number, pod length and grain count per pod compared to the control. PM (5 t/ha) recorded the highest plant height (82.4 cm) and pod yield (8.32 t/ha), significantly outperforming the control (3.42 t/ha) and synthetic fertilizer (7.21 t/ha). SS (5 t/ha) showed highest pod yield (8.10 t/ha), followed by FM (7.45 t/ha) and agro-waste compost (7.22 t/ha). Statistical test revealed that PM and SS were superior (p < 0.05) to synthetic fertilizer in terms of yield and other agronomic attributes. These outcomes highlight the potential of organic alterations in enhancing green pea production.