Soilless culture is defined as "any method where plants are grown without using soil as a rooting media and essential nutrients can be supplied through irrigation water. One of the soilless culture systems is hydroponics. By incorporating the fertilizers (which contain nutrients) in the irrigation water in the proper quantity, the fertilizers are supplied. It has been common practices for centuries to grow plants in various nutrient-rich water sources. Plants can be grown hydroponically using a variety of techniques, which can be divided into two categories: active and passive methods. The most widely used hydroponic mediums are perlite, honeycomb clay pebbles with ceramic shells, and Rockwool. In a hydroponic system, the nutrient solution provides all the necessary plant nutrients. Numerous plants, crops, or vegetables can be grown using hydroponics. In general, hydroponically grown produce has higher nutritional value, taste, and yield quality than naturally grown produce on the soil. This method of cultivation is economical, free of disease, environmentally friendly, and gaining popularity both in developed and developing nations worldwide. Along with advanced space research, it offers great potential in many nations to fill the gap left by a lack of suitable cultivable land. Therefore, hydroponics would be a better technique to produce various fruits, vegetables, and livestock feed as well as to meet the future demand for global nutrition. Hydroponics may become an emerging technique for feeding the world's population in the future. 

The paper illustrates local indigenous systems that have evolved along the years for collection and processing of Baichnadi (Dioscorea hispida Dennst. syn. D. daemona Roxb.) tubers through a case study from a village Bhanpurkheda in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh. The tubers are collected and processed by the local people by various indigenous methods since ages. Baiga (44% population) is one such primitive tribe that is involved in collection, processing and sale of Baichandi. The study has estimated that Baichnadi contributes to approximately 24.5% of the total annual income of a household. Traditional collection methods do not cause serious damage to the mother plants and thus ensure sustainability. Now due to poverty, the locals try to collect more and more quantity of Baichandi tubers in pursuit to enhance the income by sale. The study reveals that creating awareness on medicinal values of the plant, few small modifications in the processing and improved marketing would enhance the returns to the Baiga community in Mandla district.

The prestine mangrove resources of Orissa were remarkable. However, paradoxically due to lack of knowledge regarding their judicious exploitation and high socio-economic value, the mangrove biota were neglected and were ruthlessly devastated, in order to meet the various requirements of the nearby inhabitants.Reclamation of mangrove forest land for the settlement of immigrants, paddy cultivation and prawn culture have accelerated the depletion of mangrove biota. In recent time, mangrove conservation vis-a-vis prawn culture has become a debatable issue in Orissa.

As per an estimate provided by satellite data (LANDSATTMF) the total mangrove spread in Devi-Mahanadi Brahmani Baitarani - Subarnarekha deltaic complex sustained 217.93 Sq. Kms of mangrove in 1985 which has degraded to 199.19 sq.Kms in 1993 as per a report by (IRSLISSIIFCC) organisation. Hence, there is a significant depletion of 17.93 Sq. Kms of mangrove coverage during a period of eight years. And it is further degraded to 195 Sq. Kms in 1995 (Misra, 1999). Notwithstanding the variability in respect of the mangrove coverage in Orissa given by various agencies or research institutes it is evident that this plant community is degrading at an alarming rate (Map No. 1).

Yet, it is high time to develop appropriate strategies for sustainable exploitation of the mangrove biota which has got a significant bearing on the socio-economic development of the Orissa state. Concurrently, effective steps should be adopted for the natural regeneration of the mangrove taxa in the denuded area simply by giving protection. This should be supplemented with rehabilitation of the mangrove species basing on multidisciplinary scientific research data. In otherb words, conservation and judicious utilisation of the mangrove resources should proceed in a harmonious manner.