Current Issue

Insect Pest Challenges and Sustainable Management under Climate Resilient Regenerative Agricultural Production System

Abstract

Development of Climate-Resilient quality Rice Seeds through Integrated Soil– Plant Health Management under Net-Zero Production Systems in Eastern India

Abstract

Climate change poses a serious threat to global food security, particularly for rice-based production systems dominated by smallholder farmers. Seed quality is a foundational determinant of crop establishment, yield stability, and climate resilience. This study documents a farmer-participatory field experiment undertaken during 2022–23 in Nadia district, West Bengal, India, aimed at developing climate resilient, ‘Net Zero’ Paddy Seeds using Integrated plant and soil health management technology (based on Inhana Rational Farming (IRF) Technology). The program integrated organic soil health management through waste bio converted compost with intensive plant health management protocols. Results indicated a significantly higher seed yield (4021 kg ha⁻¹) under the Net Zero Clean Seed system compared with conventional seed production (≈2850 kg ha⁻¹). Seed quality evaluation showed superior germination (92%), viability (98.4%), seed vigour indices, and markedly improved performance under water stress, salt stress, and accelerated ageing. A composite Climate Resilience Index (CRI), primarily derived from abiotic stress germination parameters, was 35.5% higher than conventional seeds. The treatment-wise carbon footprint assessment further indicated that the Net Zero Clean Paddy Seed system recorded a negative net carbon balance (−30.13 t CO₂ ha⁻¹) with a carbon footprint of −7.49 kg CO₂ kg⁻¹ grain, whereas conventional management showed positive emissions per unit grain produced. The same treatment also showed lower incidence of major insect pests and significantly reduced white ear formation (4.1%) compared to the conventional system (11.8%), indicating better crop performance under field conditions. The study establishes that climate resilient seed development requires an integrated focus on plant metabolic health in addition to soil fertility, offering a scalable pathway for safe, sustainable, and low carbon rice production. Keywords: Carbon footprint, Climate resilient seeds, Net Zero agriculture, Paddy; Seed Vigour, Integrated plant- soil health management, Organic seed systems, Sustainability.

Collective Action for Change: SHGs as Catalysts of Social and Financial Inclusion

Abstract

Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are now transformative institutions of grassroots, promoting social and financial inclusion of rural women in India. Through the strength of collectivity, SHGs enable women to generate benefits through provision of a system of savings pool, access to credit, participative income generating activities, and decision making in community affairs. The chapter under consideration discusses the versatile nature of SHGs as the agents of social and financial empowerment, emphasizing the role of such small groups in the inclusive rural development. Using both primary and secondary sources, the chapter discusses how SHGs contribute to agency building in women, financial independence, and social cohesion. SHGs achieve financial inclusion by establishing a platform to access savings, internal lending, and formal banking services, which allow women to invest in household goods, entrepreneurial capital and livelihoods. There is also evidence that SHGs participation increases household income, helps create assets and increases economic resilience to external shocks. In addition to economic benefits, SHGs provide social inclusion through confidence, leadership and mobility of the rural women so they can participate in community activities and local forms of government. Mutual support, peer monitoring, and trust in SHGs strengthen the social capital and collective problem-solving enables women to deal with health, education, and sanitation challenges in their communities. Although these gains are immense, SHGs are not without their problems such as access to the market, skills deficiencies, cultural influences and institutional bottlenecks that could pose challenges to the sustainability and long-term effectiveness. The chapter provides the necessity of capacity-building initiatives, skills development, digital literacy, and favorable policy frameworks to enhance the performance of SHGs and guarantee long-term social and financial empowerment. The case studies in different regions demonstrate how SHGs can transform lives of individuals and show that collective action is not only beneficial in enhancing individual livelihoods but also community development. Having combined the financing services with social empowerment, SHGs also show a comprehensive idea of inclusive rural development, which emphasizes the role of women as change agents. The final part of the chapter reiterates the importance of collective action in the process of systemic change, policy interventions, and innovative approaches in order to amplify the beneficial effect of SHGs on rural women and their communities. Keywords: SHGs, Community activities, Rural women, Economic benefits, Skills development.

Management Strategies for Major Sucking Insect Pest of Green Gram: Progress and Prospects

Abstract

Green gram (Vigna radiata L.) is an important short duration pulse crop widely cultivated across South and Southeast Asia for its nutritional value, contribution to soil fertility and role in smallholder livelihoods. However, its productivity is severely constrained by a complex of sucking pests including aphids (Aphis craccivora), jassids (Empoasca spp.), whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), thrips (Thrips spp.) and spider mites (Tetranychus spp.). These pests cause yield losses through direct sap feeding and indirectly by transmitting viral diseases, particularly yellow vein mosaic disease, often leading to serious economic damage. Prolonged dependence on chemical insecticides has resulted in resistance development, pest resurgence and negative impacts on natural enemies and the environment. This review summarized recent developments in the sustainable management of the main green gram sucking insect pests, with a focus on integrated pest management strategies that incorporate host plant resistance, biological control and natural enemy conservation, behavioural and ecological engineering techniques, the use of botanical and microbial biopesticides, selective application of reduced risk insecticides guided by economic threshold levels and cultural and agronomic practices. In order to increase productivity while maintaining the sustainability of the environment and human health, the analysis also highlighted future opportunities such as climate smart Integrated Pest Management (IPM), landscape-level biological management and breeding for lasting resistance. Keywords: Aphid, Biocontrol, Sustainable management, Vigna radiata, Whitefly.