Thangaraj Praveen

Agriculture is being revolutionized through the integration of cutting-edge technologies that support efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. Recent trends in transforming traditional agriculture into smart agricultural systems through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, and drone technology are gaining popularity worldwide. In this context, the current study developed an integrated artificial intelligence-based farming system incorporating Internet of Things sensors, drones, deep learning, and web/mobile applications for timely monitoring of crop and aquatic health. Data were collected using IoT sensors and drones equipped with high-resolution cameras to monitor soil and water parameters, including temperature, humidity, and pH, under various climatic conditions. A dataset of 70,000 images was used for system training, validation, and testing with an 80:10:10 split, together with three months of IoT sensor data. Models including YOLOv8, CNN, Faster R-CNN, ResNet50, MobileNet, EfficientNet, DenseNet, LSTM, and Random Forest were used for pest and disease detection, fish classification, fish disease detection, shrimp disease detection, and monitoring of climatic factors. Data pre-processing included denoising, normalization, missing-value handling, and feature extraction. The designed model showed reliable performance across the tasks, with 88.4% accuracy for shrimp detection, 92.1% for pest detection using YOLOv8, and 93.4% accuracy for plant disease detection using the CNN model. Overall performance was recorded at 97% accuracy, with high precision, F1-score, and mAP, and an RMSE of 1.2 for sensor-based prediction and validation. The current findings indicate the potential of using AI, IoT, and drone technologies to detect biotic and abiotic stresses during farming and support a sustainable agricultural system.

Trichoderma, a prominent genus of fungi within the Hypocreales order, is widely used in agriculture due to its effectiveness in managing phytopathogens and insect pests. sect pests. Furthermore, Trichoderma species improve soil fertility and structure, playing a vital role in overall ecosystem health. The capacity of certain species to control specific insect pests makes them an important part of integrated pest management approaches. This review provides a comprehensive overview of Trichoderma spp.'s biological potential and its mechanisms for controlling phytopathogens and insect pests. Known for their mycoparasitic, biocontrol, and plant growth-promoting properties, Trichoderma species can suppress a broad spectrum of insect pests through several mechanisms. This review explores the specific strategies Trichoderma employs in pest management, including the production of secondary metabolites, competition for resources, and disruption of pest life cycles. It also looks at how well Trichoderma-based biocontrol agents work with other biological control methods. This is done to highlight the potential for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that better get rid of pests while having less of an effect on the environment. Beyond their direct effects on insect pests, Trichoderma species are also beneficial for plant health and growth. This review addresses how Trichoderma improves plant resilience, potentially lowering crop vulnerability to insect infestations. In addition, the use of biocontrol agents underscores their promise in sustainable agriculture by minimizing the need for chemical pesticides and supporting eco-friendly farming methods to develop new and innovative solutions.

The split gill mushroom, Schizophyllum commune Fr., naturally occurs on decaying wood during the rainy season and is consumed as a food source in many parts of North-East India due to its medicinal properties. In the present study, an isolate of S. commune was analysed for its proximate composition and nutraceutical potential to support the development of biofortified products. The proximate composition analysis of dried and fresh mushrooms of S. commune revealed the following results: carbohydrate content (74.00% and 30.51 %, respectively), calorific value (358.00 and 148.84 Kcal/100g, respectively), crude fiber (3.08 % and 1.20% respectively), crude protein content (13.70 % and 6.18%, respectively), and total antioxidant activity (1267.00?g/g and 1090.76?g/g, respectively). Glycemic potential assessments indicated that S. commune exhibited a low glycemic index of 10.33 and total starch digestibility of 7.65%. The nutraceutical analysis of dried S. commune powder in different solvent extracts (methanol, ethanol, and ethyl acetate) demonstrated that methanolic extracts recorded the highest DPPH inhibition percentage (89.60%), reducing power (37.20%), and phenolic content (0.230±0.005 mg/mL). Methanolic extracts also exhibited higher flavonoid content (0.455±0.003mg/mL). Ethanolic extracts were found to have the highest total tannin (0.250±0.001mg/mL) and saponin content (0.303±0.001mg/mL). A herbal infusion formulated with S. commune dried powder, dried basil leaf powder, and dried ginger powder demonstrated high antioxidant and phytochemical properties. Sensory evaluation of two treatments of the herbal infusion indicated good overall acceptability, highlighting its potential as a commercially viable fortified product with significant antioxidant properties.

The white muscardine fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is a well-known entomopathogenic fungus with great potential in integrated pest management strategies. Its ability to infect and control a wide range of insect pests and its environmentally friendly profile have positioned it as a valuable tool for sustainable agriculture. This review provides a concise overview of the techniques and considerations for the mass production and cultivation of Beauveria bassiana. The successful mass production of Beauveria bassiana relies on various factors, including strain selection, culture media, environmental conditions, and bioreactor design. This review also outlines vital methodologies and strategies to optimize the growth and sporulation of the fungus, ensuring a high-quality product for pest control applications. Furthermore, the cultivation of Beauveria bassiana in liquid fermentation, solid-state fermentation, and submerged fermentation systems is discussed, along with their respective advantages and limitations. Different substrates, nutritional requirements, and aeration parameters are highlighted in these cultivation methods, allowing for a better understanding of the most suitable approach for specific applications

The ethnomedicinal subtropical mushroom Lentinus squarrosulus Mont. is a polypore with high wood-degrading potential. This study aimed to collect L. squarrosulus isolates, analyze lignocellulolytic enzymes - Laccase (Lac), Lignin peroxidase (LiP) and Manganese peroxidase (MnP) and evaluate substrates for mass production. Sporophores of Lentinus sp. (Isolate L1 to L5) were collected from different regions of Tamil Nadu and characterized morphologically and molecularly. Qualitative screening tests with guaiacol substrate demonstrated the production of laccase by all the isolates; however, isolate L3 showed maximum reddish-brown zonation. Additionally, isolate L3 produced the highest green colouration on the ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) substrate. This confirmed the oxidation of ABTS to ABTS-azine in the presence of laccase, outperforming the other L. squarrosulus isolates. All the isolates tested with Azure-B agar for LiP and MnP showed faint discolouration, suggesting lower secretion of peroxidase enzymes. Quantitative analysis using a lignolysis basal medium also confirmed that isolate L3 secreted Lac predominantly, followed by LiP and MnP enzymes extracellularly. All isolates showed peak Lac activity at pH 4.5, while LiP and MnP production were highest at pH 5.0. The optimal temperature for all lignolytic enzymes was 28±2ºC. Maximum laccase secretion occurred between the 5th - 7th day after inoculation (DAI), with LiP and MnP peaking at 7 DAI. Nine agro-waste substrates were evaluated, with isolate L3 showing the highest biological efficiency on Paddy straw (99.62%), followed by Arecanut sheath (97.43%) and Groundnut shell (95.15%). This study enhances our understanding of L. squarrosulus enzymatic capabilities. It provides insights for mass production, which has strong potential for industrial bioremediation and waste management due to its high laccase production.

Mushrooms are low-calorie foods with a high content of proteins, vitamins B and D, minerals, carbohydrates and fibers (1). Many researchers have shown that edible mushrooms contain numerous bioactive compounds with multiple health-promoting effects such as antiulcer, antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory antitumor, anticholesterol, anti-inflammatory and antihaemorrhagic effects (2). There arises a pressing need to tap into the potential of medicinal mushrooms like L. squarrosulus which has ethnomedicinal values and are used in treating anaemia, ulcer, fever, cough, infertility and fungal infections, as well as to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases (3-5). Global multidrug resistance calls for a search for new potential lead compounds as therapeutic agents. Many macromycos still remain understudied as sources of bioactive compounds. Further investigation of bioactive components found in L. squarrosulus, will be informative regarding the biological activity of the organisms as medicinal agents. The ethanol extract of the ethnomedicinal macromycos L. Squarrosulus was subjected to GC-MS analysis for bioactive compounds among these thirteen compounds of hits were achieved with bioactive compounds in the ethnomedicinal macromycos. Of these compounds (2E)-Dodec-2-en-1-yl methyl ether (13.95%) formed the largest number while 1,2-15,16-Diepoxyhexadecane (9.03%) constituted the next high number of such compounds. Other amino acids, fatty acids, ethyl esters and other compounds identified included 2-Methyl-4-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-4-oxo-2-butenoic acid (2.12%), L-Alanine, N-L-alanyl- (0.94%), Benzofuran, 3-methyl- (1.63%), Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (3.75%) and 2'-Hydroxy-à-naphthoflavone (2.53%). Some of these compounds have antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypocholesterolemic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiarthritic, anticoronary and immune suppression as well as cancer preventive activities. The present study has identified bioactive components with therapeutic potential in L. squarrosulus; it forms a basis for screening, isolating and identifying various bioactive compounds which may be valuable in treating a wide range of ailments, disorders and diseases soon.

Volatiles produced by the leaves of medicinal plants are increasingly used as a new plant disease management strategy due to their induction of diverse antimicrobial activities, it is highly essential for the development of a new phyto-fumigant product to sustain crop production. The present study attempted to find the active role of Mentha spicata-associated volatile formulation in the suppression of the growth of Pythium aphanidematum under pot culture and field conditions. Damping off disease-causing P. aphanidermatum is a devastating disease that infects the tomato crop from seed sprouting to the seedling stage. To mitigate the damping off incidence, the nature of volatile molecules produced by M. spicata was completely suppressed during di-trophic interaction with P. aphanidermatum. Molecular docking of volatile compound reported carvone as a ligand recorded with the highest binding energy of − 8.5 kcal/mol against the target protein structure of P. aphanidermatum. Application of M. spicata immobilized vermiculite ball in tomato revealed that pathogenesis-related protein (SlPR1) (2.69 folds) and jasmonic acid signaling (SlLOX) (2.65 folds) genes were highly expressed after 48 HPT on tri-trophic interaction of pathogen inoculated tomato plants while the gene SlWRKY and SlTLP exhibited a lower level of gene expression. A significant reduction in the severity of damping off incidence was observed due to the exposure of volatiles of M. spicata in the tomato plant’s raised beds with relatively abundant control of P. aphanidematum. This is the first study that attempted to develop the volatile-based formulation and its role in antifungal activities during di-trophic interaction with P. aphanidematum in tomato crops. The present study concludes that the volatiles produced from M. spicata leaves immobilized vermiculite ball could be explored for the management of soil-borne pathogens infecting vegetable crops.

Background: Volatilomes from natural plants and microbes imparts diverse antifungal properties to suppress the growth of plant pathogens and therefore can be a suitable alternative of chemical fungicides. The present experiment was to study effect of volatiles produced by natural plants and microbes on the fungal growth of Pythium aphanidermatum, which is a tomato seedling pathogen. Results: Isolate of P. aphanidermatum, causing damping off in tomato were isolated and incubated at 25 ± 2 °C. The isolate was tested for the anti-oomycetes activities of volatiles in vitro. The volatiles produced by the leaves of Mentha spicata and Cymbopogon citratus showed the maximum inhibitory effect of 45.56 and 24.70 percent, respectively on the mycelial growth of P. aphanidermatum, whereas, the pathogen was not inhibited on exposure to the volatiles of macro-basidiomycetes fungi. The volatiles of T. asperellum showed the maximum inhibitory effect of 69.26 percent against P. aphanidermatum. The study also included the identification of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) involved in the suppression of pathogens by Headspace Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (HS GCMS). The results revealed the production of carvone by the leaves of M. spicata; citronellol and geraniol by C. citratus; isopentyl alcohol and limonene by T. asperellum with increased peak area percentage and these compounds possessed antifungal properties. The vaporous action of isopentyl alcohol completely suppressed the mycelial growth of P. aphanidermatum, which is highly correlated to the T. asperellum extract on pathogenic growth. While the compounds, carvone, and citronellol showed the maximum inhibitory effect of 89.02 and 85.49 percent, respectively when used at 500 ppm and also altered the sporulation behavior of P. aphanidermatum. Conclusion: Results showed that volatiles of M. spicata and T. asperellum have anti-oomycetes action on pathogenic growth leading to a distortion of sporulation of P. aphanidermatum. High antifungal properties make VOCs suitable for incorporation as a new integrated plant disease management programs.

The present investigation is focused on exploring the possibilities of identifying biomolecules from the fruiting body of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum against the mango anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The fruiting body (cap and stipe portion) of G. lucidum extracted with ethyl acetate solvent at a maximum inhibitory concentration of 1 percent exhibited the maximum mycelial growth inhibition of C. gloeosporioides with 70.10 percent and 40.77 percent, respectively. Furthermore, subjecting the ethyl acetate extracts from the cap portion of G. lucidum through thin layer chromatography (TLC) revealed the presence of two bands with Rf values of 0.38 and 0.35. The compounds eluted from band 1 recorded with the maximum mycelial growth inhibition of C. gloeosporioides by 53.77 percent followed by band 2 (46.33 percent) using an agar well diffusion test. Similarly, the analysis of ethyl acetate extracts from the cap portion of G. lucidum through Gas Chromatography-Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) revealed the presence of the organoheterocyclic compound benzothiazole, as expressed in the highest peak area at 22.03 RT with the highest probability percentage (97%). Confirmation of the antifungal nature of benzothiazole was obtained by testing the standard sample of benzothiazole which showed a cent percent of inhibition on mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides at 50 ppm minimum fungicidal concentration. Furthermore, benzothiazole caused abnormality in the mycelial structures, viz., distortion, shrinkage, clumping of mycelium, conidial malformation, and complete arrestment of conidial germination of C. gloeosporioides as observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy. The research on biomolecular extract of G. lucidum could be a novel and interesting concept for the possibility in suppression of plant pathogenic microbes in the natural field.