Raj Kishori Lal

Background and Objective: India’s agricultural sector remains a cornerstone of its economy and rural livelihood. However, the dynamics of sectoral growth, crop acreage shifts, and production trends require deeper analysis to inform sustainable development strategies. This study aims to examine the driving forces behind agricultural Gross Value Added (GVA) trends, assess the contributions of major crops, and highlight policy pathways to boost agricultural and allied sectors’ performance. Materials and Methods: The study adopts a quantitative approach using secondary data from reliable government sources covering 2011-12 to 2022-23. Trends in GVA share, sub-sectoral contributions, and crop-specific outputs were analyzed. Descriptive statistical techniques, including time-series comparisons and percentage change analyses, were employed to interpret sectoral performance and identify growth patterns. Results: Findings reveal a consistent rise in agriculture’s GVA contribution, particularly from food grains, fruits, and vegetables. Horticulture emerged as a key growth driver, underscoring the sector’s potential. Despite fluctuations in sub-sectoral performance, agriculture maintained a dominant share in GVA throughout the study period. The data highlight the pressing need for targeted investments in productivity, infrastructure, market access, and farmer training. Conclusion: Sustainable agriculture presents a viable path to enhancing GVA, ensuring food security, and promoting environmental conservation. By prioritizing fruit and vegetable cultivation and integrating food policy with rural development and climate resilience, India can foster inclusive growth and long-term sectoral viability. Limitations in data coverage suggest the need for further research into regional disparities and the socio-economic impacts of policy interventions. APA-7 Style Venugopal, S., Jnanesha, A., Kumar, S.R., Jena, S., Kumar, S.B., Chanotiya, C., Lal, R. (2025). Growing the Economy Through Sustainable Agriculture: Boosting Agricultural and Related Sectors’ Gross Value Added in India. Trends in Biological Sciences, 1(3), 249-259. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.249.259 ACS Style Venugopal, S.; Jnanesha, A.; Kumar, S.R.; Jena, S.; Kumar, S.B.; Chanotiya, C.; Lal, R. Growing the Economy Through Sustainable Agriculture: Boosting Agricultural and Related Sectors’ Gross Value Added in India. Trends Biol. Sci 2025, 1, 249-259. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.249.259 AMA Style Venugopal S, Jnanesha A, Kumar SR, Jena S, Kumar SB, Chanotiya C, Lal R. Growing the Economy Through Sustainable Agriculture: Boosting Agricultural and Related Sectors’ Gross Value Added in India. Trends in Biological Sciences. 2025; 1(3): 249-259. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.249.259 Chicago/Turabian Style Venugopal, S., A.C. Jnanesha, S. Ranjith Kumar, S.K. Jena, S. Bharath Kumar, C.S. Chanotiya, and R.K. Lal. 2025. "Growing the Economy Through Sustainable Agriculture: Boosting Agricultural and Related Sectors’ Gross Value Added in India" Trends in Biological Sciences 1, no. 3: 249-259. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.249.259

Background and Objective: Java citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus var. Bio-13) cultivation faces challenges in optimizing growth and essential oil yield under varying shade conditions, particularly in the Deccan Plateau Region. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of different shade levels on vegetative growth, essential oil yield, composition, and biochemical parameters to identify optimal cultivation conditions. Materials and Methods: A field experiment was conducted at CSIR-CIMAP Research Centre, Hyderabad (2023-24), using a randomized block design (RBD) with four replications. Shade levels of 0, 25, 50, 70, and 90% were applied to assess plant growth, herbage yield, essential oil content and composition, chlorophyll, and phenolic contents. Gas chromatography was used for essential oil analysis. Statistical analysis included Principal Component Analysis and standard ANOVA to determine treatment effects with 0.05 significance level. Results: Maximum vegetative growth was recorded under 90% shade (plant height:142.3 cm, leaf length:113 cm, canopy width:119.5 cm). However, 50% shade resulted in optimal essential oil production (0.95%; 156.7 kg/acre), fresh herbage yield (19.4 t/acre), and dry herbage weight (16.5 t/acre), outperforming full sunlight (0.94%; 35.96 kg/acre). Chemical composition was superior under 50% shade, with citronellal (35.32%) and geraniol (23.42%) reaching peak levels. Biochemical parameters, including total chlorophyll (2.5 mg/g FW) and phenolic content (30.4 mg GAE/g DW), were also maximized under 50% shade. Principal Component Analysis indicated that shade treatments accounted for 78.5% of the total variance. Conclusion: Moderate shade (50%) provides optimal conditions for maximizing essential oil yield, quality, and biochemical composition in Java citronella, while higher shade levels promote vegetative growth. These findings offer practical recommendations for improving citronella cultivation under Deccan Plateau conditions. APA-7 Style Sunkari, R.K., A.C., J., Bharathkumar, S., Lal, R.K., Chanotiya, C. (2025). Shade Effects on Growth, Yield, and Oil Quality of Cymbopogon winterianus in the Deccan Plateau. Trends in Biological Sciences, 1(2), 130-143. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.130.143 ACS Style Sunkari, R.K.; A.C., J.; Bharathkumar, S.; Lal, R.K.; Chanotiya, C. Shade Effects on Growth, Yield, and Oil Quality of Cymbopogon winterianus in the Deccan Plateau. Trends Biol. Sci 2025, 1, 130-143. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.130.143 AMA Style Sunkari RK, A.C. J, Bharathkumar S, Lal RK, Chanotiya C. Shade Effects on Growth, Yield, and Oil Quality of Cymbopogon winterianus in the Deccan Plateau. Trends in Biological Sciences. 2025; 1(2): 130-143. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.130.143 Chicago/Turabian Style Sunkari, Ranjith, Kumar, Jnanesha A.C., S. Bharathkumar, R. K. Lal, and C.S. Chanotiya. 2025. "Shade Effects on Growth, Yield, and Oil Quality of Cymbopogon winterianus in the Deccan Plateau" Trends in Biological Sciences 1, no. 2: 130-143. https://doi.org/10.21124/tbs.2025.130.143

R. officinalis is an ancient plant with medicinal properties that is used to cure a variety of ailments. Utilizing plant-based products such as phytocompounds, extracts, essential oils, and tinctures, has shown in research how successful it is in phytotherapy. Extracts from rosemary are used in a variety of natural products, medications, and food preservation techniques. Carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, flavonoids, and phenolic acids are among the 140 compounds found in the essential oil. As an antibacterial and bactericidal agent, rosemary is often utilized as a skin conditioner and scent in cosmetic products. Every year, 200–300 metric tons of oil are produced worldwide. In the right amounts, it is frequently utilized as a skin conditioner and scent in cosmetic products. It prevents makeup from deteriorating and has great potential for topical application. The proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals contained in rosemary are recognized as having disease-preventive properties. The main bioactive components and the mechanisms of action require more investigation. The present study aims to provide a consolidated knowledge base that can help researchers, farmers, and industry stakeholders fully exploit rosemary as a fragrant, medicinal, and industrial crop by combining multidisciplinary data using a systematic review strategy.

The exploration of seed priming techniques represents a critical avenue for enhancing agricultural productivity, particularly in leguminous cover crops like Mucuna pruriens L. DC. var. utilis is commonly known as the velvet bean. This spineless green manure legume has significant potential for sustainable agricultural systems, offering multiple ecosystem services including soil fertility improvement, erosion control, and nitrogen fixation. Over 2022–2023, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of diverse seed treatments on the germination dynamics and seedling growth of trichomeless (spineless) Mucuna pruriens. The experiment was designed in an RCBD with three replications, occurred under shaded conditions. Various treatments were applied, including scarification, soaking in hot and normal water, H₂SO₄, KNO₃ + HNO₃, GA₃, and thiourea. The results indicated that H₂SO₄ treatment significantly enhanced the germination rate (57.14% ± 2.49%) and reduced the mortality rate (42.86% ± 2.49%) compared with the other treatments. Additionally, the H₂SO₄ treatment exhibited higher values for VI I (2.91 ± 0.21) and VI II (51.18 ± 4.41) than the other treatments. Furthermore, the application of H₂SO₄ resulted in a greater seedling drying weight (0.90 ± 0.04 g) in comparison to other treatments, with GA₃ showing similar trend at 0.82 ± 0.02 g. The observed PCA plot indicates that PC-1 and PC-2 collectively explained 96.17% of the total variation. These findings highlight the effectiveness of H₂SO₄ in promoting favorable germination and seedling growth characteristics in spineless Mucuna pruriens.