International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology 

About: International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology is an academic journal published by New Delhi Publishers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Biology & Population. It has an ISSN identifier of 0974-1712. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 887 publications have been published receiving 4269 citations.

Effects of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides on Human Health and Environment: A Review

Abstract: In developing country like India, a marketable surplus of agriculture is the most important factor which influences the economic development of a country. To meet the demands of agriculture goods adequately and to feed the increasing population, the phenomenon of Green Revolution came into existence. Green Revolution, allowed developing countries like India to overcome continual food scarcity by producing more food and other agricultural products by using high-yielding varieties of seeds, modifying farm equipment, and substantially increasing use of chemical fertilizers. For an optimum production of agriculture produce and to feed the growing population, application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has become necessary. Such type of agriculture practices allowed growth and sustainability of food grains but at the same time have the major impact on the environment and human health. This article provides a sketch of effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human health and environment.

Extremophiles: An Overview of Microorganism from Extreme Environment

Abstract: Extremophilic organisms are primarily prokaryotic (archaea and bacteria), with few eukaryotic examples. Extremophiles are defined by the environmental conditions in which they grow optimally. The organisms may be described as acidophilic (optimal growth between pH 1 and pH 5); alkaliphilic (optimal growth above pH 9); halophilic (optimal growth in environments with high concentrations of salt); thermophilic (optimal growth between 60 and 80°C); hyperthermophilic (optimal growth above 80°C); psychrophilic (optimal growth at 15°C or lower, with a maximum tolerant temperature of 20°C and minimal growth at or below 0°C); piezophilic, or barophilic (optimal growth at high hydrostatic pressure); oligotrophic (growth in nutritionally limited environments); endolithic (growth within rock or within pores of mineral grains); and xerophilic (growth in dry conditions, with low water availability). Some extremophiles are adapted simultaneously to multiple stresses (polyextremophile); common examples include thermoacidophiles and haloalkaliphiles. Extremophiles are of biotechnological interest, as they produce extremozymes, defined as enzymes that are functional under extreme conditions. Extremozymes are useful in industrial production procedures and research applications because of their ability to remain active under the severe conditions typically employed in these processes. The study of extremophiles provides an understanding of the physicochemical parameters defining life on Earth and may provide insight into how life on Earth originated. The postulations that extreme environmental conditions existed on primitive Earth and that life arose in hot environments have led to the theory that extremophiles are vestiges of primordial organisms and thus are models of ancient life.

Impact of Climate Change on Vegetable Cultivation - A Review

Abstract: Vegetables are an important component of human diet as they are the only source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. They are also good remunerative to the farmer as they fetch higher price in the market. Likewise other crops, they are also being hit by the consequences of climate change such as global warming, changes in seasonal and monsoon pattern and biotic and abiotic factors. Under changing climatic situations crop failures, shortage of yields, reduction in quality and increasing pest and disease problems are common and they render the vegetable cultivation unprofitable. As many physiological processes and enzymatic activities are temperature dependent, they are going to be largely effected. Drought and salinity are the two important consequences of increase in temperature worsening vegetable cultivation. Increase in CO2 may increase crop yields due to increased CO2 fertilization, but decreases after some extent. Anthropogenic air pollutants such as CO2, CH4 and CFC's are contributing to the global warming and dioxides of nitrogen and sulphur are causing depletion of ozone layer and permitting the entry of harmful UV rays. These affects of climate change also influence the pest and disease occurrences, host-pathogen interactions, distribution and ecology of insects, time of appearance, migration to new places and their overwintering capacity, there by becoming major setback to vegetable cultivation. Potato, among the all vegetables, is most vulnerable to climate change due to its exact climatic requirement for various physiological processes.

Co-inoculated Biopriming with Trichoderma, Pseudomonas and Rhizobium Improves Crop Growth in Cicer arietinum and Phaseolus vulgaris

Abstract: A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of three rhizosphere competent microbial strains, viz., Pseudomonas fluorescens OKC, Trichoderma asperellum T42 and Rhizobium sp. RH4, individually and in combination in bioprimed seeds of chickpea and rajma. Seeds were sown in pots and fields and the results demonstrated that bioprimed seeds showed higher germination percentage, and better plant growth in both the crops compared to non-bioprimed control plants. It was also observed that the combined application of the microbes enhanced seed germination and plant growth better than their individual application. Among the combinations all combinations comprising of Trichoderma showed better results compared to the others and the triple microbial combination demonstrated best results in terms of seed germination and seedling growth in both chickpea and rajma.

Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security in India

Abstract: This paper reviews evidences on the climate change challenge; and assesses the impact of climate change on agriculture and food security in India. This paper also estimates the impact of climate change on Indian agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy. Directly or indirectly 55% of the countries population depends on the climate sensitive sector agriculture. The agricultural sector is a driving force in the gas emissions and land use effects that causes climate change. In addition being a significant user of land and consumer of fossil fuel, agriculture contributes directly to greenhouse gas emissions through practices such as rice production and the raising of livestock (FAO, 2007). According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the three main causes of the increase in greenhouse gases observed over the past 250 years have been fossil fuels, land use, and agriculture (IPCC 2001).