Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. var. bulbosa is a threatened medicinal geophyte native to the arid regions of the Thar Desert, exhibiting unique adaptations such as tuber formation and Crassulacean Acid Metabolism for survival under extreme environmental conditions. Due to overexploitation and habitat degradation, its natural populations are declining, necessitating efficient conservation and propagation strategies. The present study evaluates aeroponic propagation using auxins (IBA, NAA and IAA) at 500 and 1000 μM with 5-and 10-min treatment respectively. Stem cuttings were assessed for rooting, growth and tuber development under controlled conditions. Auxin treatments significantly improved rooting induction compared to control. The fastest root initiation was observed in IBA (1000 μM) (2.47 ± 0.52 days), followed by IBA (500 μM) (2.53 ± 0.52 days) and NAA (1000 μM) (4.33 ± 0.49 days), whereas control required 9.27 ± 0.46 days. At one month, IBA (500 μM) showed maximum root length (6.13 ± 1.27 cm), followed by NAA (5.99 ± 1.09 cm) and IAA (4.96 ± 1.39 cm), while control showed limited elongation (2.61 ± 0.66 cm). Control plants produced higher root number (17.93 ± 5.57) but with shorter roots. Tuber formation was observed only in control and IBA treatments, The results indicate that aeroponics combined with IBA enhances rooting efficiency, root growth and tuber development, and can be used for rapid propagation and conservation of this threatened species.

An experiment was conducted with 40 genotypes of Brassica species (Brassica juncea-15, Brasica rapa var. yellow sarson-10, Brassica rapa var. toria-5, Brassica tournefortii-5, Brassica nigra-2 and Brassica carinata-3) in Rabi season 2021-22 at College of Agriculture, Jodhpur (Rajasthan). The experiment was put out in randomized block design (RBD) with 3 replications. For all the traits the difference among all the genotypes were significant. The high value of PCV and GCV was recorded for number of siliqua per plant and the low value for days to maturity. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean were observed for all the characters except days to maturity, which has high heritability coupled with moderate genetic advance as percent of mean. The genetic divergence calculated by Mahalanobis D2 statistics, grouped 40 genotypes into 3 cluster and as per Ward’s D coefficient the 40 genotypes of Brassica were grouped in 6 different clusters.

The Thar Desert of Rajasthan, particularly the Barmer district, presents extreme climatic conditions characterized by erratic rainfall, low soil fertility, and scarce livelihood options. Traditional agriculture and livestock rearing in this region are highly unstable. To address these vulnerabilities, Agriculture University, Jodhpur, implemented a project titled “Integrated Livelihood Approach for Enhancing Rural Income” from 2023–24 to 2025–26. This paper evaluates the multi-dimensional impact of introducing Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) across the region. The project focused on crop diversification, livestock health management, kitchen gardening, and women empowerment. Over a three-year period, the intervention successfully doubled vegetable incomes, increased livestock returns by over 30%, and generated a substantial regional economic benefit of `79.5 lakh. The results demonstrate that combining scientific knowledge with local resources can transform fragile desert environments into resilient, sustainable livelihood systems

The continuous intensification of agriculture and excessive use of chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals have resulted in significant deterioration of soil health, including nutrient imbalances, declining soil organic carbon, reduced factor productivity and environmental degradation. Organic farming offers a sustainable alternative by focusing on soil nourishment through the recycling of organic resources and enhancement of soil biological activity. Organic nutrient management primarily relies on green manures, farmyard manure, compost, vermicompost, crop residues, liquid manures, bio-fertilizers and agro-industrial wastes as major nutrient sources. These organic inputs not only supply essential macro and micronutrients but also improve soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, thereby supporting long-term soil fertility and sustainable crop production. In addition, cultural practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, incorporation of legumes, residue recycling, and soil and water conservation further strengthen the effectiveness of organic nutrient management systems. The integration of organic nutrient sources with suitable cultural methods enhances nutrient availability, promotes microbial activity, and reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers. Therefore, organic nutrient management plays a crucial role in restoring soil health, improving crop productivity and ensuring environmental sustainability under changing climatic conditions.

The increasing concerns associated with the excessive use of synthetic pesticides, including environmental contamination, pest resistance and adverse effects on non-target organisms, have intensified the search for sustainable alternatives for insect pest management. Botanical oils derived from tree-borne oilseed species possess a wide range of bioactive compounds with insecticidal, antifeedant, repellent and growth-regulating properties, making them promising candidates for eco-friendly pest control. The present study evaluated the efficacy of oil-based preformulations of Mahua oil (Madhuca longifolia) and Jatropha oil (Jatropha curcas) against Patialus tecomella, an important defoliating insect associated with Tecomella undulata plantations in arid and semi-arid regions of India. Laboratory bioassays were conducted to assess the effects of different concentrations of the formulations on larval mortality and feeding behaviour. The results demonstrated varying levels of insecticidal activity among the tested formulations, indicating the potential of botanical oils as effective biopesticidal agents. The observed bioactivity may be attributed to the presence of secondary metabolites, fatty acids and other bioactive constituents known to interfere with insect physiology and metabolism. The findings highlight the potential integration of Mahua and Jatropha oil pre-formulations into environmentally sustainable pest management programs.

A field experiment was conducted during rabi, 2019-20 to 2021-22 to evaluate different botanicals and bio-pesticides against aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover infesting isabgol at Seed Spices Research Station, S. D. Agricultural University, Jagudan (Gujarat). Among them, neem leaf extract 10% was proved to be the most effective insecticide (3.28) for the management of isabgol aphid and it was followed by the treatments of Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP, Lecanicillium lecanii 1.15 WP, custard apple leaf extract 10%, garlic bulb extract 5% and ipomoea leaf extract 10%, respectively. Neem leaf extract 10% had obtained the highest seed yield of isabgol (511 kg/ha), but it was statistically at par with Beauveria bassiana 1.15 WP (476 kg/ha), Lecanicillium lecanii 1.15 WP (457 kg/ha) and garlic bulb extract 5% (439 kg/ha).

In the present investigation, eighteen chickpea genotypes, were evaluated under normal and late- sown environments with two different dates of sowing during Rabi 2023 using RBD. A total seven different heat-tolerance indices were employed to assess genotypic performance and identify promising lines based on grain yield under both conditions. It was found that all the genotypes under both environments were evaluated revealed substantial variability across all seven stress indices such as Yp, Ys, SSI, TOL, MP, GMP, YI, STI and YSI. Among 18 genotypes, only six genotypes viz., ICP-17-292, ICP-17-253, ICPMB-19-1, GG-7, Chaffa and JG-18 has recorded higher stress-environment yield (Ys), lower SSI, and superior MP, GMP, STI and YSI values, indicating their moderate to high heat-tolerance potential. The correlation coefficient analysis showed that Yp exhibited strong positive associations with Ys, MP, YI, GMP, SSI and TOL, while Ys correlated highly with MP and GMP, confirming the reliability of these indices in stress-based selection. Overall, the combined performance of MP, GMP, YI, STI and YSI highlighted these indices as most efficient indicators of heat tolerance.