Mukesh Kumar

Soil degradation, driven by intensive tillage and faulty agronomic management practices, poses a major challenge to sustainable agriculture in South Asia. Conservation agriculture (CA) has been proposed as a viable strategy to restore soil health; however, long‐term evidence from calcareous soils is limited. A 17‐year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of CA on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, and system productivity under a rice–maize system. This study provides novel long‐term evidence from calcareous soils by integrating soil health indicators with multivariate analyses, which remain limited in rice–maize systems. The experiment comprised four treatments in a randomized complete block design: zero tillage with residue (ZT + R ; T1), permanent bed with residue (PB + R ; T2), permanent bed without residue (PB − R ; T3), and conventional tillage (CT; T4). After 17 years, CA treatments (T1 and T2) significantly ( p < 0.05) improved soil properties compared with conventional tillage (T4) at two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm), with the strongest effects under PB + R (T2). Bulk density under T2 decreased by 12.1% and 10.3%, while water‐stable aggregates increased by 48.8% and 36.6% at 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively. Soil organic carbon increased by 44.1% and 39.8% across the respective depths, accompanied by improved nutrient availability. CA treatments also enhanced cationic micronutrients (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) and reduced soil pH and electrical conductivity relative to T4. Biologically, fluorescein diacetate activity increased by 78.2% and 53.2%, and fungal populations by 174% and 152% at 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively. System productivity was highest under T2, with a 40.2% increase over conventional tillage. Soil organic carbon showed strong positive correlations with wet aggregate stability ( r = 0.75**), micronutrients (Mn: r = 0.81**, Fe: r = 0.80**, Cu: r = 0.85**, Zn: r = 0.65**), fluorescein diacetate activity ( r = 0.73**), and bacterial population ( r = 0.70**). Multivariate analyses further supported these findings, with principal component analysis explaining 77.4% of total variance and clearly separating CA‐based treatments from conventional systems, while heatmap clustering indicated strong co‐association of soil quality indicators and productivity under PB + R . Overall, the study provides long‐term evidence that conservation agriculture, particularly permanent beds with residue retention, influences soil health and productivity in calcareous soils, with implications for sustainable intensification in South Asia.

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) is a climate-resilient and nutritious crop; however, imbalanced nutrient application and inadequate weed management can limit productivity. A field experiment conducted at Pusa Farm, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University , Samastipur, Bihar, during kharif 2024. The experiment conducted in a split plot design with two nutrient sources (N1: 100 % Recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) via chemical fertilizer, N2: 75 % RDN + 25 % RDN via farmyard manure (FYM)) as main plot factor and four weed management practices (W₁: Butachlor at 1.0 kg ha-1 (Pre-emergence (PE)) followed by 2,4-D at 0.5 kg ha-1 (Post-emergence (PoE)); W₂: Oxyfluorfen at 0.1 kg ha-1 (PE) followed by 2,4-D at 0.5 kg ha-1, W3: Weedy check and W4: Weed free as sub-plot factor. Results showed that 100 % RDN increased plant height (101.79 cm), dry matter accumulation (897.8 g m-2) and no. of tillers (5.18 plant-1). Weed-free plots exhibited more tillers (5.76 plant-1) and accumulation (827.1 g m-2). The weed-free plots suppress weed by 75.4 %. In weed-free plots, nitrogen, phosphate and potassium consumption rose 19.4, 16.8 and 18.7 %, respectively. Application of oxyfluorfen (0.1 kg ha-1) fb 2,4-D (0.5 kg ha-1) resulted in highest net returns Rs. 88881 ha-1 with benefit-to-cost ratio (2.61). This 1 season study supports long-term experimentation, but it shows that 75 % RDN along with 25 % FYM and oxyfluorfen at 0.1 kg ha-1 (PE) followed by 2,4-D at 0.5 kg ha-1 (PoE) can boost finger millet productivity and profitability.

Weed management strategies across diverse cropping systems must address weed seed distribution and emergence behaviour. Various agronomic practices, including tillage, have been documented to influence these factors, thus assuming a critical role in the formulation of weed management strategies. In a study during the rainy (Kharif) seasons of 2021 and 2022, the impact of different crop establishment methods: puddled transplanted rice (PuTTR); direct-seeded rice on permanent beds (PBDSR)-with residue (+R); zero till direct-seeded rice (ZTDSR)+R/-R; ZTDSR with inversion (+I)+R/-R; unpuddled transplanted rice (UPTR); (+R); ( R) on the vertical spatial distribution of weed seeds within the soil and the emergence dynamics of distinct weed species was systematically assessed. The results unveiled that vertical distribution in PBDSR+R and ZTR +R/-R had 84% of beads (simulated weed seeds) in 0-3 cm and 16% in 3-6 cm. None of the beads were found in the lower depth of lesser disturbed soil. In contrast, conventional tillage (PuTTR and UPTR) had higher soil disturbance resulting in only 12.75% and 22.5% beads on top layer (0-3 cm) and 19.4 % and 34.5 % in 3-6 cm, 36.16 % and 24.8 % in 6-9 cm, 28 % and 14.3% in 9-12 cm, respectively. PuTTR and UPTR systems reduce the weed incidence by bury the high proportion of weed seeds below 3 cm. Furthermore, the study delineated that the maximal seedling emergence of Leptochloa cheninsis, Ammannia baccifera, Echinochloa crus-galli and Caesulia axillaris in ZT without residue followed by ZT+R. R egardless of weed species, the average emergence was 14%. The minimal germination of weeds was in PuTTR and UPTR. This investigation furnishes invaluable insights that may inform judicious decision-making in the realm of weed management, with an emphasis on the judicious integration of tillage methodologies and complementary weed control measures.

Aim To find out the productivity and soil C and N sequestration of diverse intensive rice-based cropping systems under the appropriate nutrient management with different crop residue recycling Methods Field experiment was conducted in split-plot design with five cropping systems (CS) in main plot viz., rice- rice (RR), rice-wheat-jute (RWJ), rice-baby corn-jute(RBcJ), rice-vegetable pea- jute (RVpJ), rice-mustard-green gram-jute (RMGgJ) superimposed with four nutrients and crop residue management (NCRM) practices viz. 75% recommended doses of fertilizers/NPK (RDF) to all crops without crop residue (F₁R₀), 75% RDF with crop residue (F₁R₁), 100% RDF without crop residues (F₂R₀) and 100% RDF with crop residue(F₂R₁) in sub-plot. The rice, wheat and corn residue @ 4 t/ha and vegetable pea and green gram residue @ 2t/ha was incorporated yearly prior to sowing of jute in April. Results The highest system productivity was obtained in RBcJ cropping system with 100% RDF with crop residue practice whilst, the higher sustainability index in the RMGgJ and RVpJ cropping systems. RMGgJ and F₂R₁ practice recorded the higher carbon sequestration, carbon management index, nitrogen management index and nitrogen pool at 0–15 cm of soil and it was at par with RVpJ cropping systems. Conclusion Rice based intensive cropping systems having legume crop in rotation (RMGgJ and RVpJ) along with 100% RDF and crop residue incorporation sustained the system productivity and enhanced the soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration in soil.

Background: Acute anal fissure is a common and painful condition of ano-rectal region characterized by tear in the anoderm causing pain during defecation. Mainstay of its treatment is pharmacotherapy with lifestyle modification.Objective: Current study was undertaken to evaluate the role of add-on local antimicrobial in recovery and relief of symptoms of acute anal fissure in comparison to local anesthetic and vasodilator without any antimicrobial.Materials and Methods: It was a randomized, assessor-blinded, active-controlled clinical study in which data of 68 eligible participants were analyzed. Participants of both group received local lignocaine and nifedipine and the test group (Group B) received metronidazole ointment in addition. Healing was assessed by clinical examination and pain by Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Sample size was calculated based upon result of older pilot study and the proportion of recovery were assessed by Chi-square test.

A field experiment was carried out during rainy (Kharif) season 2019 at agricultural research farm of Trihut College of Agriculture (TCA), Dholi under Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, (India) to quantify the efficacy of sole and sequential application of herbicides in managing weeds and enhance the productivity of maize (xiZea mays L.). Eleven treatments were tested in randomised block design with three replications. Atrazine 1.0 kg/ha pre-emergence application (PE) followed by (fb) post-emergence application (PoE) of tembotrione 0.120 kg/ha at 25 days after seeding (DAS) significantly reduced weed density, weed biomass, N, P, K removal by weeds and increased the yield attributes, grain yield and benefit-cost ratio of maize compared to sole and tank mixed application of atrazine, topramezone and tembotrione.

Crop diversity through residue incorporation is the most important method for sustaining soil health. A field study was conducted over five consecutive years (2012–2017) to see the impact of residue incorporartions in Inceptisol of eastern India. The main plot treatments had five cropping systems (CS), namely, fallow−rice−rice (FRR), jute−rice−wheat (JRW), jute−rice−baby corn (JRBc), jute−rice−vegetable pea (JRGp), jute−rice−mustard−mungbean/green gram (JRMMu), which cinsisted of four sub-plots with varied nutrient and crop residue management (NCRM) levels, namely crops with no residue +75% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (F₁R₀), crops with the residue of the previous crops +75% RDF (F₁R₁), crops with no resiude +100% RDF (F₂R₀), and crops with residue +100% RDF (F₂R₁). The highest system productivity was obtained for JRBc (15.3 Mg·ha⁻¹), followed by JRGp (8.81 Mg·ha⁻¹) and JRMMu (7.61 Mg·ha⁻¹); however, the highest sustainability index was found with the JRGp cropping system (0.88), followed by JRMMu (0.82). Among the NCRMs, the highest productivity (8.78 Mg·ha⁻¹) and sustainability index (0.83) were recorded in F₂R₁. Five soil parameters, namely, bulk density, available K, urease activity, dehydrogenase activity, and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), were used in the minimum data-set (MDS) for the calculation of the soil quality index (SQI). The best attainment of SQI was found in the JRGp system (0.63), closely followed by the JRMMu (0.61) cropping system.