This is a comprehensive review of studies of nano-fertilizers for their efficacy in stimulating plant growth, facilitating higher nutrient uptake and thus enhancing overall crop yield and productivity. The intricate insights into the mechanisms through which nano-fertilizers ensure sustained nutrient release, optimize nutrient absorption and augment nutrient utilization efficiency, have been reviewed. Several scientific studies indicate the potential of nanotechnology to enhance crop performance in terms of better crop growth and higher productivity. Regarding the economic implications of adopting nano-fertilizers, several findings indicate that nano-fertilizers could offer cost advantages over conventional fertilizers, potentially alleviating the government's subsidy burden and reducing import expenses on huge quantities of major commercial fertilizers. This comprehensive review also explores the challenges faced by Indian agriculture in crop production and the potential of nanotechnology to revolutionize productivity on a sustainable basis. The study emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced and sustained crop production and highlights the significance of nano-fertilizer application as an innovative and environmentally friendly solution. In conclusion, this comprehensive overview of the status of stagnant crop production in India identifies the challenges in augmenting productivity and proposes nanotechnology-based fertilizers and their utility in major agricultural crops cultivation as a promising solution. The findings underscore the need for further research and the widespread adoption of nanotechnology-based fertilizers in Indian agriculture to ensure sustainable and enhanced production and productivity.

Abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, high temperatures and heavy metal toxicity significantly reduce crop yield and threaten global food security. Seed biopriming is an eco-friendly and sustainable pre-sowing strategy that enhances plant resilience to these environmental challenges. It involves the use of beneficial microorganisms to colonize seeds, triggering physiological, biochemical and molecular adaptations. Biopriming enhances seed germination, seedling vigour, root architecture and improves nutrient uptake by activating stress-responsive signalling pathways, antioxidant defence mechanisms, accumulation of osmolytes and production of secondary metabolites and plant hormones such as cytokinins and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Additionally, it promotes systemic resistance, leading to improved growth of plants and survival under adverse conditions. Compared to other priming methods, biopriming offers long- term benefits by establishing beneficial microbial associations that support plant health throughout the growth cycle. This review highlights the microbial agents used for biopriming, mechanism of action, benefits and current research trends of seed biopriming as a sustainable approach to mitigate abiotic stress in agriculture. Understanding and optimizing this approach can significantly contribute to sustainable agricultural practices by reducing reliance on chemical inputs, thereby preventing environmental hazards, ensuring food safety and mitigating the effects of climate change.

This review examines various weed control strategies for Direct Seeded Rice systems. The diverse weed flora in DSR includes grasses (Echinochloa colona), sedges (Cyperus iria) and broadleaf weeds (Ludwigia parviflora) being prevalent. Integrated weed management combining cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical methods is recommended for sustainable control. Cultural practices such as stale seedbed techniques, crop rotations and flooding help suppress the growth of weeds. Mechanical methods, including hand weeding and the use of weeders, are effective but labour-intensive. Chemical control via pre-emergence (pretilachlor) and post-emergence (bispyribac-sodium) herbicides has shown promising results optimally. This review highlights that an integrated approach utilizing multiple complementary weed management tactics is essential for effective and sustainable weed control in direct-seeded rice. The proper timing of interventions, combinations of methods, and consideration of local conditions are essential factors. Although chemical herbicides are still valuable tools, there is a growing emphasis on reducing their use by integrating alternative methods. Overall, continued review of innovative biological and ecological approaches can further enhance the existing options for weed management in DSR systems.

A field experiment was conducted at wetland farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during the summer season, 2022 to study the influence of integrated application of basal nitrogen and foliar feeding of nano and conventional urea on growth, physiology, yield parameters, yield and quality attributes of irrigated green gram. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with two factors viz, different basal nitrogen dose (N) and foliar supplementation of various concentration of nano and conventional urea at flower initiation (FI) stage and 15 days thereafter (F). There were four levels under each factor namely, N1 - 100 % RDN (Recommended Dose of Nitrogen) (25 kg N ha-1), N2 - 80 % RDN (20 kg N ha-1), N3 - 60 % RDN (15 kg N ha-1) and N4 - Nitrogen free control under factor I. Likewise, F1 - Nano urea @ 2 ml litre-1 of water, F2 - Nano urea @ 3 ml litre-1 of water, F3 - Nano urea @ 4 ml litre-1 of water and F4 - 1 % conventional urea under factor II. The experimental outcomes revealed that the treatment combination of 100 % RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 4 ml litre-1 of water at FI stage and 15 days thereafter significantly recorded superior values of plant height, leaf area index, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, chlorophyll content, soluble protein content, nitrate reductase activity, fertility co-efficient, grain yield, protein content and protein yield. Nevertheless, it was on par with basal application of 80 % RDN + foliar nutrition of nano urea @ 4 ml litre-1 of water at FI stage and 15 days thereafter. Thus, adoption of 80 % RDN as basal dose integrated with foliar feeding of nano urea @ 4 ml litre-1 of water at FI stage and 15 days thereafter could be the viable integrated nitrogen management practice to enhance the performance of green gram under summer irrigated conditions.

Pulses, a vital food crop in India, play a significant role in nutritional security and agriculture. Despite India's prominence in global pulse production, achieving self-sufficiency in pulse production is challenged by escalating drought and rising temperatures. This review examines the responses of pulse crops to drought and high temperatures, highlighting vulnerabilities that affect seed germination, growth, biomass and reproductive traits. Drought and heat stress adversely impact seed germination, vigor and biomass accumulation while altering root and shoot characteristics. Physiological responses, including changes in photosynthesis, nutrient absorption and oxidative damage are explored alongside the implications for root nodule development under water stress. Recent molecular studies identify specific genes and proteins linked to heat tolerance in various legumes, such as green gram, wild creole bean and chickpea. The roles of microRNAs and transcription factors in modulating heat stress responses are emphasized. Additionally, heat stress-induced differential gene expression in cowpea nodules and soybeans impacts flowering pathways and key regulatory genes. Understanding these complex interactions between environmental stressors and pulse crop physiology is crucial for developing resilient varieties and sustainable agricultural practices amid climate change-induced challenges. Future research should focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of drought and heat tolerance, particularly stress-responsive genes, transcription factors and microRNAs. Advances in gene editing and genomics will aid in creating resilient pulse varieties, while comparative studies can refine breeding strategies to enhance drought and heat tolerance, ultimately supporting sustainable pulse production.

Maize is the third important staple food crop grown globally. The demand for maize production has increased significantly due to its multiple uses, including food, feed and various industrial applications. As a result, the area under maize cultivation is expanding, driven by its lucrative market price. Being a highly adaptive crop, the development of high-yielding hybrids better suited to climate change will help bridge the gap between demand and supply. Maize is an allogamous crop, exhibiting greater genetic diversity compared to autogamous crops. Therefore, intensified exploration of maize genetic diversity and effective utilization of germplasm will enhance the maize breeding programs. However, the domestication of maize has led to a decline in genetic diversity and the loss of valuable alleles. Human selection has significantly altered the morphology of maize from its wild ancestor. CIMMYT currently maintains around 28000 maize accessions, including landraces and wild relatives. Genetic diversity can be analysed using D2 statistics and clustering methods, employing morphological, molecular, quantitative and qualitative data. Careful consideration is needed when selecting appropriate methods and software for such analyses based on available data. In recent years, SSR markers and SNPs have gained popularity for diversity analysis. Studying genetic diversity in maize is crucial for identifying novel traits and the introgression of these traits into new hybrids using advanced technology requires further attention.