Rice is a water-guzzling crop cultivated mostly through inefficient irrigation methods which leads to low water use efficiency and many environmental problems. Additionally, the export of virtual water through rice trading and the looming water crisis poses significant threats to the sustainability of rice production and food security. There are several alternative rice production methods to improve water use efficiency. These include aerobic rice, direct-seeded rice (DSR), alternate wetting and drying (AWD), saturated soil culture (SSC), drip-irrigated rice, a system of rice intensification (SRI), and smart irrigation with sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT). However, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, drip-irrigated rice and IoT-based automated irrigation are not feasible for poor farmers due to the high production costs associated with specialized machinery and tools. Similarly, aerobic rice, drip-irrigated rice, and the SRI are labor-intensive, making them unsuitable for areas with a shortage of labor. On the other hand, DSR is suitable for labor-scarce areas, provided herbicides are used to control weeds. In this article, the suitability of different water-saving rice production methods is reviewed based on factors such as climate, soil type, labor, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions, and their prospects and challenges are evaluated. Additionally, the article examines how cultural practices, such as seed treatment, weed control, and nutrition management, contribute to enhancing water use efficiency in rice production.

Agroforestry benefits farmers, making it a sustainable alternative to monoculture. To create a viable Eucalyptus clone-based agroforestry system, a field experiment was carried out in Tamil Nadu, India. The economics and changes in the soil qualities were evaluated by growing agricultural and horticultural crops, namely pearl millet, sorghum, maize, sesame, small onions, green gram, and red gram, as intercrops under eight-month-old eucalyptus clone trees using a randomised block design in three replications at a spacing of 3 m × 1.5 m. The plots for the intercrops and the eucalyptus clones were kept apart for comparison. Maize showed the greatest drop in plant height during all the phases, including 30 DAS, 60 DAS, and harvest, while small onions showed the least reduction in plant height. Sesame and small onions showed the greatest drop in dry matter production, whereas sorghum showed the least. In terms of the intercrop yield reduction, maize had the biggest reduction and green gram had the lowest. Red gram had the largest crop equivalent yield, whereas maize had the lowest. The volume of the trees was generally increased more favourably by red gram than by green gram. The intercrops had some effects on the nutrients in the soil. Red gram intercropping had the highest levels of EC, soil organic carbon, available soil nitrogen, available soil phosphorus, and available soil potassium, while the sole tree treatment had the lowest levels. Small onions, red gram, and sesame were the crops; tree + small onion, tree + red gram, and tree + sesame were the intercrop combinations with the highest gross income, net income, and B:C in the intercropping treatment alone. Tree + green gram had the highest land equivalent ratio (LER) and the red gram, sesame, and small onion intercrops were shown to be the most profitable. Although the present study supports a complementary relationship, the lack of awareness among farmers of Eucalyptus allelopathy formed the major limitation.

Groundnut is calorie-dense and packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients that are vital for maintaining good health. The human dietary system includes groundnut like energy that could prevent immune-based disorders, decrease chronic disease risk and promote longevity. Also, hunger and malnutrition are serious threats in developing countries which can be reduced by the food supplements like groundnut which are nutrient-rich as well as bioactive compounds for the growth and calorie absorption in living things. With these, groundnut is commercially important crops that contribute significantly to the food and feed industry in the future. This review focuses on the nutritional components of groundnut related to human health exclusively are presented.

Background: Irrigation and proper nutrient management that determines the productivity of the groundnut especially during the critical stages of the crop growth. Methods: The experiments laid out in split plot design comprising of three levels of irrigation scheduling [0.8 IW/CPE ratio (I1), 0.6 IW/CPE ratio (I2) and 0.4 IW/CPE ratio (I3)] in main plots and four nutrient management practices viz., N1- 75% of RDF with 5 t of charred rice husk, N2 - 50% of RDF with 5 t of charred rice husk, N3 - 75% of RDF with 5 t of charred rice husk along with seed treatment of Abuscular mycorrhiza and N4 - 50% of RDF with 5 t of charred rice husk along with seed treatment Arbuscular mycorrhiza in sub plots and replicated thrice. Result: Highest pod yield (2003, 2099 and 2063 kg ha-1 during summer, kharif and rabi 2017, respectively) of groundnut was registered with irrigation scheduling at 0.8 IW/CPE ratio along with 75% of RDF and 5 t of charred rice husk as basal with seed treatment of Arbuscular mycorrhiza. The maximum water use efficiency was also recorded under of the same treatment (4.16, 7.07 and 4.86 kg ha-1 mm-1 during the various seasons respectively). The highest B:C ratio of 2.2, 2.4 and 2.2 was recorded during summer, kharif and rabi 2017, respectively were also registered with same combination irrigation and nutrient management.

Background: Different levels of nutrient management practice and soil amendments charred rice husk with Arbuscular mycorrhizae during the critical stages of the crop growth enhances the productivity of the groundnut crop. Methods: The field experiments were conducted summer, kharif and rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-2018 at AC and RI, TNAU, Madurai. The main plots consisted of three levels of irrigation scheduling viz., I1- 0.8 IW/CPE, I2- 0.6 IW/CPE and I3- 0.6 IW/CPE ratio and sub plot comprised of four level of nutrient management practices viz., N1-75% of recommended dose of fertilizer with 5t of charred rice husk, N2- 50% of recommended dose of fertilizer with 5t of charred rice husk, N3-75% of recommended dose of fertilizer with 5t of charred rice husk along with seed treatment of Arbuscular mycorrhiza and N4- 50% of recommended dose of fertilizer with 5t of charred rice husk along with seed treatment Arbuscular mycorrhiza. Result: The study revealed that the highest plant height, dry matter production, leaf area index, leaf single photon avalanche diode value, pod yield and haulm yield, nutrient uptake (N,P,K) of groundnut crop and soil enzyme activities in soil was registered with the application of 75% recommended dose of fertilizer and 5t of charred rice husk as basal with seed treatment of Arbuscular mycorrhiza. The highest pod and haulm yield of 1783, 1935 and 1854 kg ha-1 and 4743, 4272 and 4338 kg ha-1 during summer, kharif and rabi’ 2017 seasons respectively of groundnut was registered with 75% of recommended dose of fertilizer and 5t of charred rice husk as basal with seed treatment of Arbuscular mycorrhiza.

Background: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important oil seed crops. It is nutritionally and economically a high value oil seed crop and is in the sixth most important in the world. It is also known as a “Wonder legume”. Methods: Based on the physical parameters the peanut varieties were classified as high oil content (50-53%) varieties viz.,VRI (Gn) 5, Co(Gn)4, Co7 and low oil content (44-49%). varieties viz., VRI 9, VRI10, BSR 2. Among the varieties, the best suited variety for secondary processed products namely, salted peanuts, peanut chikki, peanut butter, peanut chutney powder, masala peanut were assessed and evaluated for the nutrient composition and sensory evaluation. Result: All the varieties exhibited good source of protein, fat, crude fiber. free fatty acid and peroxide value and confirmed to the FSSAI standards. Developed secondary processed product has excellent keeping quality. scored maximum sensory score in terms of organoleptic attributes. The higher oil content peanut varieties are recommended for oil extractionand the varieties with oil content below 50% are well suited for secondary processed products. This paper gives the detailed report of choosing the suitable groundnut variety for different secondary processing. Training cum demonstration on selecting suitable variety for different processing was imparted to the farmers in improving the value chain and to get good returns. However, a diversity of value adding options are being promoted for adoption by farmers to sustainably improve and raise farmers’ household incomes livelihoods.