Thanakkan Ramesh

A comprehensive bibliometric review was conducted to evaluate the most relevant literature retrieved from the Scopus database, resulting in the identification of 125 relevant publications from an initial pool of 1948 records through a screening process based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The bibliometric analysis revealed a significant increasing trend in year-wise publications and citations, wherein India and the US emerged as the leading contributors with total publications of 34 and 25 respectively. Notably, the systematic narrative review highlights that agro-advisory systems (AAS) have increased farmer income by 83 %, improved crop yields by 6–25 % and enhanced farm profitability by 15–26 % in India. Despite these achievements, conventional AAS frameworks that rely predominantly on automatic weather stations (AWS) continue to face critical limitations, including sparse spatial coverage, restricted agro-meteorological observations, data discontinuities and inadequate representation of local microclimatic variability. To address these limitations, the study highlights the importance of integrating AWS observations with high-resolution satellite products through downscaling and subsequent assimilation within the Weather Research and Forecasting Data Assimilation (WRFDA) framework to improve the spatial accuracy of weather forecasts and facilitate the delivery of reliable block-level and village-level agro-advisories. However, the operational implementation of satellite-assisted weather forecasting using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is often constrained by latency in data availability, as many high-resolution satellite products require several hours to multiple days for processing and dissemination. In order to overcome this limitation, the review further demonstrates the considerable potential of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models trained using historical satellite observations along with meteorological predictors derived from numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems for enhancing downscaling capabilities and improving forecast accuracy. The results inferred that the satellite-based weather forecasting using ML and DL architectures achieved strong predictive performance, with reported R² values of up to 0.982, 0.976 and 0.95 for rainfall, temperature and aerosol concentration respectively. These findings demonstrate the increasing potential of satellite-driven ML and DL approaches for high-resolution weather forecasting and their applicability to next-generation, location-specific agro-advisory services. However, their operational utilisation depends on the availability of adequate computational infrastructure, skilled human resources, economic feasibility, institutional coordination and farmer acceptance. Therefore, the future of satellite-based AAS lies in developing computationally efficient, economically viable and farmer centric decision support platforms capable of translating complex forecast information into timely, understandable and actionable recommendations for climate-resilient agriculture.

Hidden hunger refers to micronutrient deficiencies affecting nearly two billion people globally, especially in regions dependent on calorie-rich but nutrient-poor staple diets. Legumes, termed as the "poor man's meat" for their high protein content and low cost, are critical for enhancing nutritional security in resource-limited communities. This review emphasises agronomic biofortification as a rapid, promising and versatile strategy for enhancing essential micronutrients, particularly iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), in legume grains. It discusses different agronomic strategies such as soil and foliar fertilisation, seed priming and biological interventions. Unlike conventional breeding and genetic methods, which require longer to develop, these agronomic techniques can increase nutrient density within a single cropping cycle. It also focuses on the scope of agronomic biofortification and addresses its challenges related to nutritional bioavailability, notably the inhibitory effect of anti-nutritional factors such as phytates and discusses strategies to enhance nutrient absorption through promoter compounds. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as nanotechnology and precision agriculture are recognised as promising innovations to enhance nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and ensure environmental sustainability. Overall, agronomic biofortification provides a sustainable pathway to combat micronutrient malnutrition and this approach requires integration with genetic advancements and supportive agricultural policies for its long-term success.

Climate change has a major impact on the global agricultural production as it influences crop productivity, soil stability and dynamics of the ecosystem. In this context, the crop microbiome has emerged as an important biological factor for enhancing agricultural sustainability and climate resilience. This review examines recent field and experimental studies on sustainable farming practices that utilise microbiome dynamics to develop climate-smart farming systems. It outlines the importance of essential processes such as nutrient cycling, disease resistance, stress tolerance and soil carbon stabilisation are impacted by plant-associated microbiomes in the rhizosphere, endosphere and phyllosphere. Farming practices such as conservation tillage, intercropping, cover cropping, irrigation management, organic amendmentsand integrated nutrient management (INM) have considerable impacts on microbial diversity, structure and function. These practices promote the healthy populations of microbes, with changes in the pattern of root exudation and soil condition, which enhance the health of the soil. Biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilisation, hormone regulation, induced systemic resistance (ISR) and osmotic regulation processes are microbiome mediated, leading to increased crop productivity and adaptation to environmental changes. Moreover, microbiome-driven function enhances plant defence, increase fertiliser and water use efficiency (WUE) and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and carbon sequestration. Sustainable farming practices can enhance the resilience of agroecosystems and decreasedependence on synthetic inputs through beneficial crop microbiome interactions. Understanding and managing crop microbiome dynamics offers a promising approach for achieving climate-smart and sustainably intensified agricultural systems.

The deterioration of soil quality has been a severe problem in recent years. The employment of Green Revolution techniques has raised production to an excessive degree by using a vast quantity of nitrogen (N) fertiliser. However, these techniques have led to soil quality degradation and land deterioration which harms human health and environment. Much of these losses to the environment are nitrate leaching to groundwater and greenhouse gas emissions. As agrochemicals accumulate in the soil, soil quality deteriorates, resulting in lower soil fertility. Green manure refers to crops that are cultivated and incorporated into the soil to improve soil fertility, enhance soil structure, increase water-holding capacity and enrich nutrient content. It can help restore soil fertility, minimise soil erosion and improve soil physico-chemical characteristics. Also, it has the potential to partially substitute the inorganic N fertilisers under specific conditions, thereby reducing the chemical input in agriculture. They are also improving the soil’s physical and biological properties. As a result, it also aids in plant protection. Green manuring function in sustainable soil health is examined through several research papers and research initiatives.

Pelleted feeds ensure balanced nutrition, improved digestibility, long-term preservation and enhanced palatability, making them vital for livestock during lean seasons. With the growing demand for optimized feed formulations, evaluating complex nutritional data has become crucial. However, ranking feed combinations using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods remains a significant challenge. This study, conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during 2024–2025, assessed 27 fodder pellet combinations using a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework that integrated the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Pellets comprised Bajra Napier hybrid, Guinea grass, Fodder maize and legumes such as Lucerne, Desmanthus and Agathi, combined with crop residues from rice, maize and groundnut. Nutritional parameters, including crude protein, fibre fractions (ADF, NDF, ADL, cellulose and hemicellulose), crude fat, total ash, palatability and in vitro dry matter digestibility, were studied. AHP assigned weights to each parameter, while TOPSIS ranked combinations by closeness to the ideal solution. The Bajra Napier Hybrid + Agathi + Groundnut haulms combination had the highest TOPSIS score (0.8808), indicating superior nutritional performance. This study validates AHP-TOPSIS as a reliable tool for optimizing fodder pellet formulations. Correlation studies showed a negative relationship among various pellet formulations. Guinea grass + Desmanthus + Maize stover exhibited the highest crude fibre content (32 %) with moderate digestibility (66 %), indicating greater fibre accumulation. Conversely, Fodder Maize + Agathi + Groundnut haulms had a lower crude fibre content (28%) but achieved a digestibility of 64%, making it a favourable choice for improved nutrient bioavailability. The findings from this study can guide feed industries and farmers in selecting nutritionally balanced, cost-effective pellet combinations that contribute to local fodder availability and support sustainable livestock nutrition strategies.

In India, the transition from traditional agriculture to inorganic farming in the post-Green Revolution era has led to environmental degradation and adverse climatic changes. Eco-friendly farming method, such as organic farming, offers viable solutions to address these challenges. Organic farming has gained global popularity around the world due to consumer recognition for its health benefits and environmental sustainability. The area under organic farming in India has expanded significantly over the years. Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) plays a crucial role in the success of organic farming. ITK integrates traditional wisdom with scientific knowledge, offering locally adaptable, cost-effective, and sustainable solutions for organic agriculture. This paper provides an overview of traditionally prepared liquid formulations and their role in organic farming, focusing on their preparation methods, applications, and benefits. Various research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of these traditional liquid formulations in enhancing plant growth, improving yields, protecting crops from pests and diseases, enhancing soil fertility, as well as quality of agricultural products. Hence, there is an urgent need for further research, systematic documentation, and scientific verification of traditional liquid formulations to ensure its widespread adoption and effectiveness in promoting organic agriculture. An attempt has been made to review the information on the use of traditional liquid formulations, which are crucial for empowering rural communities and addressing the persistent challenges associated with conventional agricultural practices.

Nano urea technology is gaining importance mainly due to improvement in crop yields besides reducing environmental issues. It is essential to study the effect of foliar application of nano urea on reduction of conventional urea, growth, grain productivity and net profit of rice. A field experiment was carried out at ADAC & RI, TNAU, Tiruchirappalli during Rabi, 2023. The treatments consisted of three levels of nitrogen (100, 75 and 50 %), nano urea (0.4 %) foliar application in twice (Active Tillering (AI) and Panicle Initiation (PI) stages) and thrice (AT, PI and Flowering stages) combined with 75 and 50 % N and control. Rice variety TRY 5 was used. The results showed that 100 % N application as conventional urea registered significantly increased growth, grain productivity (5200 kg/ha) of rice over lower levels of N and control. However, it was statistically comparable with 75 % N + nano urea (0.4 %) foliar application either two times (AT and PI stages) or three times (AT, PI and Flowering stages). Reducing 25 % N and substituting with nano urea spray twice or thrice showed comparable results with 100 % N. Nano urea spray either two or three times were comparable with each other, indicated that two sprays were sufficient. Economics of nitrogen application found that higher BCR (2.62) was obtained with application of conventional urea at 100 % N over other treatments. 75 % N application in soil + nano urea foliar application twice (AT and PI stages) and thrice (AT, PI and flowering period) gave similar BCR of 2.41.

A field trial was conducted at the Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute (ADAC & RI), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Tiruchirappalli during the Samba season of 2020 and 2021 to evaluate the effect of foliar applications of vermiwash, panchagavya and jeevamrutha on rice productivity. The chosen experimental design was Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, comprising seven treatments. These included the standard recommended fertilizer dose (187.5:50:50 kg NPK ha-1) alone and in combination with either a 2.5 % or 5 % spray of vermiwash, panchagavya, or jeevamrutha. Foliar applications of vermiwash, panchagavya and jeevamrutha were applied at panicle initiation, tillering and flowering stages in the variety TNAU Rice TRY 3. The results demonstrated that combining the recommended dosage of the fertilizers (187.5:50:50 kg NPK ha-1) with 5 % vermiwash foliar spray remarkably enhanced growth parameters such as total number of tillers, plant height and total accumulation of dry matter while also improving physiological traits (e.g., SPAD value) and yield components, including productive tillers, test weight, grains per panicle and both grain and straw yield.