Micronutrient malnutrition or hidden hunger remains a major global challenge for human health and wellness. The problem results from soil micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies combined with imbalanced fertilizer use. Micronutrient-embedded NPK (MNENPK) complex fertilizers have been developed to overcome the macro- and micro-element deficiencies to enhance the yield and nutritive value of key crop products. We investigated the effect of foliar applications of an MNENPK fertilizer containing N, P, K, Fe, Zn and B in combination with traditional basal NPK fertilizers in terms of eggplant yield, fruit nutritive quality and on soil biological properties. Applying a multi-element foliar fertilizer improved the nutritional quality of eggplant fruit, with a significant increases in the concentration of Fe (+ 26%), Zn (+ 34%), K (+ 6%), Cu (+ 24%), and Mn (+ 27%), all of which are essential for human health. Increasing supply of essential micronutrients during the plant reproductive stages increased fruit yield, as a result of improved yield parameters. The positive effect of foliar fertilizing with MNENPK on soil biological parameters (soil microbial biomass carbon, dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase) also demonstrated its capacity to enhance soil fertility. This study suggests that foliar fertilizing with a multi-nutrient product such as MNENPK at eggplant flowering and fruiting stages, combined with the recommended-doses of NPK fertilizers is the optimal strategy to improve the nutritional quality of eggplant fruits and increase crop yields, both of which will contribute to reduce micronutrient malnutrition and hunger globally.

Site-specific-nutrient-management (SSNM)-nutrient expert (NE) is the recently developed precision nutrient management technology guided by decision-support system software for improving crop yields, environmental-quality and overall agricultural sustainability specifically in South-Asian Indo-Gangetic Plains Region (IGPR). SSNM-NE in maize-wheat cropping system (MWCS) assumes a great-significance to restore soil-fertility and enhance farm nutrient-use efficiency with minimal deleterious effects on environment. Therefore, an attempt was made to develop and standardize SSNM-NE technology in MWCS. Results indicated that system-productivity in terms of wheatequivalent yield (WEY) with SSNM-NE + FYM @ 5 tonnes/ha (9.60 Mg/ha) and with 125% recommended NPK(RDF) (9.33 Mg/ha) was ~38.8; 12.3% and 36.8; 9.8% higher over control and 100%RDF (2 years’ av.), respectively. Among nutrient-management schedules, SSNM-NE + FYM registered highest available N, K and soil organic carbon (SOC) in 0-15 cm soil-depth which was closely followed by 125%RDF and SSNM treatments while plots under 125%RDF registered significantly highest available P over other treatments. SSNM-NE alongwith FYM led to highest soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and dehydrogenase-activity which was 9.25 and 11.6% higher over 125%RDF. However, non-significant variation was observed in bulk density at both soil-depths (0–15; 15–30 cm). SSNM-NE +FYM experienced highest root-length density and root-surface area (RSA) in both crops followed by 125%RDF. SSNM-NE + FYM and SSNM-NE treatments exhibited significantly higher agronomic–efficiency of applied-N and P over rest of the treatments in both crops. Overall, SSNM-NE in combination with FYM led to significant improvement in soil physico-chemical and microbial properties as well as nutrient use-efficiencies; which assume paramount importance for long-term soil productivity that may translate into sustained MWCS productivity in South-Asian IGPR. Besides, this SSNM-NE decision support system software is easy to handle and operationalizable by the field extension functionaries, progressive farmers and through custom hiring services to illiterate and resource poor farmingclientele at village level in developing world.

Drought is temporary reduction in water or moisture availability significantly below the normal amount for a spe- cific period. It is a climatic anomaly characterized by deficient supply of moisture resulting either from sub-normal rainfall, erratic rainfall distribution, higher water need or a combination of all the 3 factors. Droughts, in general, are extreme hydrologic events causing acute water shortages which persist long enough to trigger detrimental effects on human, vegetation, animals and ecosystem over a considerable area. To a meteorologist, drought is the ab- sence of rain, while to the agriculturist it is the deficiency of soil moisture in the crop root zone to support crop growth and productivity. Based on the criteria, concept of its utilization and different schools of thought, drought is broadly categorized into meteorological drought, hydrological drought, agricultural drought and socio-economic drought. In rainfed areas, drylands are more prone to drought. Since last one decade of 21st Century, it has been observed that monsoon rains are deviating much from its predictions and the states/regions which never experi- ence such a natural calamity comes under mild to acute droughtprone regions. In cases of field crops and other vegetation, it creates moisture-stress conditions when the amount of water needed for evapotranspiration exceeds the total amount of moisture available in soil. To define, drought is taken to have occurred over an area where the annual average rainfall is less than 5075% of the normal southwest (SW) monsoon rains. Delayed onset of S W monsoon rains or early receding of monsoon rains towards halfway of the season or long gaps between 2 heavy and effective rains during rainy season are the general phenomenon of agricultural drought in India. The In- dia Meteorological Department (IMD) generally predicts the monsoon status (weak or normal) 34 months before for each state/region. In this article, the nature, impacts of recent agricultural droughts in India and mitigation strat- egies are reviewed.

Identification of cropland suitability is obligatory to adapting to the increased food needs driven by population expansion, environmental contamination, and climate change. Given this, the present study was conducted to assess cereal crops’ suitability in India’s Haryana state by integrating Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS) technique. Multiple factors were considered for this study, such as rainfall, temperature, soil texture, drainage density, pH, organic carbon, electrical conductivity, and slope. The AHP technique was utilized to decide the weights of each individual parameter using experts’ opinions. The crop-suitability model was developed using the model builder module in ArcGIS 10.8, and each input parameter was reclassified as per the optimum crop-growth requirement and overlaid utilizing the reclassify tool and weighted overlay analysis. The crop suitability classes were estimated as highly suitable, S1 (6%); moderately suitable, S2 (71%); and marginally suitable, S3 (23%) for the calculated arable land for the wheat crop. Similarly, the crop suitability class of rice S2 (28%); S3 (72%), for sorghum S1 (28%); S2 (71%); S3 (1%), for maize S2 (85%); S3 (15%) and for pearl millet S1 (60%); S2 (40%) were also estimated. The study has observed that, as per the soil physico-chemical characteristics and climate, the area is moderately fertile. Therefore, agricultural production can be improved by cultivating the crop in highly and moderately suitable zones. Diversification of marginally suitable regions for crops other than that for which it is not suitable can be taken up, which will also ensure the income security of marginal farmers.

‘Participatory-mode’ adaptive research was conducted in wheat in north-western Himalayas (NWH) during 2008–2014 to develop an improved chemical weed management (ICWM) technology. First of all, two years ‘on-farm experimentation’ was performed in a randomized block design at 10 locations in NWH using seven treatments (Clodinafop @ 60 g a.i./ha (Clod); Clod followed by 2,4-D (Na-salt) @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (Clod-fb-D); Isoproturon 75 WP @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (Iso); Iso + D; Sulfosulfuron 75% WG @ 25 g a.i./ha + Metsulfuron 5% WG @ 2 g a.i./ha (Sulf + Met); weed-free-check; and un-weeded-check). In this study, the post-emergence application of Sulf + Met reported the lowest weed-index and NPK depletion by weeds with higher weed control efficiency (86.4%), weed control index (81.1%) and herbicide efficiency index (2.62) over other herbicides. Sulf + Met exhibited significantly higher wheat productivity (3.57 t/ha), protein yield, net-returns and water-productivity, which was followed by Iso + D and Clod-fb-D, all of which remained statistically at par with each other. An impact assessment of intensive technology-transfer programme (2008–2014) revealed a higher technology adoption rate (71–98%) of ICWM leading to higher wheat productivity (~22%) and net income gains (2.8–26.4%) in NWH. Overall, Sulf + Met proved highly effective against mixed weed flora in wheat to boost wheat productivity, profitability, quality and water productivity in addition to a higher technology adoption rate and NIGs to transform rural livelihoods in NWH.