Central Agricultural University

About: Central Agricultural University is a education organization based out in Imphal, Manipur, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Agriculture. The organization has 1116 authors who have published 1157 publications receiving 9217 citations.

Fungal Exopolysaccharides: Types, Production and Application

Abstract: Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) may be regarded as extracellular metabolites of living organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and animals, etc.) associated with adaptation, survival and functionalities. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced from fungi have been documented as high worth molecules for the recent few decades. A wide array of fungal exopolysaccharides is reported to exhibit numerous applications in pharmaceuticals, industries, medicine, foods and other sectors, viz. scleroglucan, botryosphaeran, pestan, pullulan, etc. Although fungal EPSs are exceptionally relevant, to date data concerning fungal biosynthesis is scant and a broad chase for new fungal species which could create novel EPSs is as yet required. As a rule, the molecular weight disparities and sugar syntheses of fungal EPSs are needy to culture medium synthesis and distinctive states of being given during maturation. An accentuation is likewise given to drilling down various parasitic strains that can deliver effective EPSs. The variable synthetic and biochemical engineering that describes an EPS preset its organic usefulness and potential biotechnological benefits. It is agreeable to hereditary, biotechnological and biochemical mobility for sought bioactivity or application during their production and extraction. A brief idea regarding fungal EPS is an insight into this chapter. The overall chapter describes the concept of fungal EPS, their production confirmation and wide applications.

Millets for Life: A Brief Introduction

Abstract: Millets or nutri-cereals are high-energy foods; that were domesticated and cultivated as early as 10,000 years ago. The millets cultivation is taken up usually in degraded and marginal lands that receive very less rainfall and are poor in soil nutrient content. Seven important millets cultivated globally are finger millet, pearl millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, proso millet, kodo millet, and little millet. Overdependence on cereals after the green revolution and the present-day sedentary lifestyle of people has proliferated health-related disorders like obesity, diabetes, coronary diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and risk of colon, breast, and oesophageal cancer. The only way to fight back is through the introduction of nutritionally rich millets in our daily diets. Millets are unique for their richness in dietary fibers, antioxidants, minerals, phytochemicals, polyphenols, and proteins; that act as elixir to fight against health-related disorders. Recent global phenomenon of climate change has lead to a decrease in the yield of major staple cereals and has paved path for introduction of millets into agriculture production system to formulate climate resilient cropping systems because millets are C4 plants with very superior photosynthetic efficiency, short duration, higher dry matter production capacity, and a high degree of tolerance to heat and drought. Keeping the above advantages of millets, the efforts have hastened to collect, conserve, and utilize germplasm of millets in breeding programs. Of late, several private and government agencies have ventured into value addition of millets to manufacture food and non-food products. But, the governments have a key role in formulating policies to promote cultivation and consumption of millets.

Millets, Phytochemicals, and Their Health Attributes

Abstract: Robust small-grained crops are consumed as staple food in developing Asian and African countries, millets are highly rich in health-promoting bioactive compounds. Not only are millets resistant to a number of abiotic stresses they are also an extremely rich source of micronutrients and phytochemicals that have been reported to possess antioxidant, anticancerous, antidiabetic, antiaging, antihypertensive, cardioprotective, and many other health attributes. Their hardy nature coupled with exceptional nutritional value makes them highly valuable crops of modern agroecosystems. This chapter provides basic information on the various kinds of phytochemicals present in millets and their beneficial effects on human health. This chapter will also provide a comprehensive account of synthesis, structural and nutraceutical aspects, and bioavailability of different types of phytochemicals with special emphasis on polyphenols, flavonoids, phytosterols, and bioactive peptides.

Influence of Organic Matter Vis-à-Vis Humic Acid on the Transformation of Inorganic and Organic Forms of Nitrogen in a Typic Haplustept Soil

Abstract: A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the changes in inorganic and organic forms of nitrogen (N) in a Typic Haplustept soil treated with mustard cake vis-a-vis humic acid in the presence and absence of inorganic N. Results revealed that irrespective of treatments, significantly higher amount of soluble nitrate (NO3-), hydrolysable ammonium (NH4+), non-hydrolysable and total N were accumulated in the soil treated with mustard cake in the presence of inorganic N. However, on the other hand, a humic acid-treated system showed significantly higher content of exchangeable NH4+ and hexosamine N. Application of humic acid alone leads to the accumulation of a significantly higher amount of total hydrolysable and unidentified N in the soil. Among the different treatments, NH4+ fixation was more in mustard cake followed by humic acid-treated soil. Humic acid is more susceptible to mineralization than mustard cake, particularly with respect to total N accumulation in soils.