Innovation is a product of collaborative effort and processes that make use of the expertise of and involves multiple stakeholders in its engineering. Most current studies focus on challenges, opportunities, and strategies for innovation. However, the role of support organisations and their specific innovative practices that foster sustainability in organic farming remain scantly researched and unknown. This study investigated innovative practices emanating from collaboration between support organisations/groups and farmers. Also, the question on how these practices influence the sustainability of organic farming was answered. A cross-sectional explorative research design was applied to collect data through semi-structured questions using interviews and focus groups in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg federal states, Germany. Innovative practices were performed at three key organisational levels namely; compliance with organic farming standards; production processes as well as marketing and consumer engagement. The findings revealed that collaborative innovative practices by support organisations/groups at the market and consumer engagement level was greater compared to other levels. The importance of innovative practices varied across the four dimensions (environmental, social, political, and economic) of organic farming sustainability. Organic farming innovations must be enhanced to improve the organic farming situation like improving area productivity, balancing for environmental friendly and safer agricultural practices as well as food security.

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a Lepidopteran moth of Noctuidae family. Due to its polyphagous characteristic with a large host range, strong migration ability, high fecundity (average egg production per female is about 1500) and lack of diapause has already contributed to its invasiveness in America and Africa. Recently it has been introduced in Asia in the year 2018. Though it has been only around three years of Fall armyworm (FAW) introduction, it has already spread into many Asian countries and on the way to cause havoc. Though it can infest many crops, its main target and maximum yield loss has occurred in case of Maize. In America and Africa, farmers are already well known to this pest and have adapted themselves to reduce crop loss to some extent by undertaking several management options. As this pest is completely new to Asia, farmers do not know much about its biology, nature of damage and control measures. And their misdiagnosis of the pest leads to panic and increased crop loss. Therefore, it is very important to increase awareness among the farmers to identify its attack on the right time to take suitable control measures as well as preventive measures for upcoming cropping seasons. Some of the cultural, mechanical, biological and chemical control measures those were effective in reducing its infestation outside Asia, has also found to be effective inside Asia. Collaboration of these control measures according to the field condition is main concern for the cultivators. But the integrated pest management option alone can also help to keep FAW population much below economic injury level and prevent its invasiveness as a tool of sustainable management for ensuring food security.

The study; conducted from January, 2020 to June, 2020; focuses on the comparative study of the area, production, and productivity trend of potatoes over 50 years in Sindhuli district and Nepal and a brief overview on quantity supply to the Kalimati fruits and vegetable market. The time-series data from 1968/69 to 2017/18 of Sindhuli and Nepal along with 6 years supply data (2013/14-2018/19) from different districts to Kalimati market were collected from reliable sources (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board) and analysis was done using Microsoft Excel. Between 1968/69 and 2017/18, the area under potato cultivation in Nepal and Sindhuli has changed by 573 percent and -46 percent respectively while production increased by 907.6 percent in Nepal and 46 percent in Sindhuli. After 1982 dramatic shift in production was observed in Nepal as there was 7 percent of growth rate while in Sindhuli, the production trend highly fluctuates throughout the period. The average yield was 9.75mt/ha and 8.75mt/ha for Nepal and Sindhuli district. Sindhuli district contributes 1.16 percent of Nepalese potato growing area and 0.91 percent of Nepalese potato production. The trend of quantity supply reveals that during 6 years, Indian potato contributes 58 percent of the total amount that came into Kalimati market, while within-country Kavre has the largest share of 19 percent followed by Kathmandu-6 percent and Dolakha-4 percent. However, the trend of quantity supply of potatoes seems highly fluctuating and the Nepalese market is dominated by Indian imports.

Many plant extracts could be considered as natural effective tool against yellow mite instead of synthetic chemicals. The research was aimed at studying the effects of plant extracts on Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks infestation and jute yield production. This experiment was conducted in Manikganj, Bangladesh following randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were Neem oil 3% (T1), Neem leaf extract @ 1:30 (T2), Mahagoni seed extract @ 1: 10 (T3) Turmeric powder extract @ 1: 40 (T4), Garlic paste extract @ 1:30 (T5) and control (T6). Percent reduction of mite population was found in neem oil (87.94%), neem leaf extract (85.76%) and garlic paste extract (86.48%) at 72 hrs after spray. After 7 days of spraying, Neem oil treated plot received the best reduction (89.05 %) followed by neem leaf extract (87.03%), Mahogany (79.60%), turmeric (78.02%), and garlic (80.06%), respectively. Neem oil treated plot showed highest fibre yield (2.95tha-1). Control plot showed highest mite infestation with lowest yield contributing attributes. Neem oil/leaf extract and mahogany seed extracts were found effective to control yellow mite infestation resulting higher fibre yield production.

Pesticides have been a major contributor to the growth of agricultural productivity and food supply. Pesticides were a key factor in significant agricultural productivity growth during the last century and continue to be a critical factor in reducing crop damage. Fifteen insecticides were investigated to select their effective and economic doses against Hairy caterpillar in a Tossa Jute variety during April-October’ 2020 at the Department of Entomology, Manikganj and Narayanganj, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), Bangladesh following Randomized Completely Block Design with three replications. All new insecticides with a standard were found effective for controlling jute hairy caterpillar giving 95.38, 94.55, 95.19, 92.85, 93.59, 94.22, 93.49, 93.62, 89.84, 95.72, 93.56, 93.38, 94.42, 95.39, 91.34 and 95.41 % at Manikganj; 95.78, 93.32, 93.97, 93.18, 92.09, 92.49, 93.74, 92.93, 92.29, 93.69, 93.95, 93.17, 95.31, 94.99, 92.11 and 94.53 % reduction of infestation at Narayanganj at 5th day after spray over control plot respectively. In Manikganj, the highest fibre yield (3.66 t/ha) was found in the plot treated with Rock 20 EC and the lowest (2.96t/ha) was found in Reset 20WDG treated plot. In case of Narayanganj, the highest fibre yield (3.85 t/ha) was found in the plot treated with Proxy 20 EC and the lowest (2.79t/ha) was found in Daman treated plot. These insecticides can be recommended for the farmer’s use to control jute hairy caterpillar.

For feed producers who suffer from high intolerance to production costs, the only way to cope with the condition is to avoid devices that drive up costs. Extruded feed processed from a clay-slate dryer through a fluidized bed could be used to make fish feed. The aim of the study was optimise the process conditions on the clay-slate fluidized bed dryer operating at a commercial production of fish feed using the response surface methodology. The fish feed composition were processed at bed height (50-200 mm), drying air temperature (60–120°C), airflow velocity (0.66-0.70 m/s), drying time (10–90 min) and extrudates size (4–8 mm). Product quality parameters such as moisture ratio and dryer efficiency were determined and analyzed. Second-order polynomial equations, containing all the process variables, were used to measured process. Moisture ratio was influenced mostly by linear relationship temperature and drying time. The temperature and the quadratic temperature conditions significantly affected the efficiency of the dryer. For the fluidized bed drying of extruded fish feed, optimal conditions were set for the bed height of 185.76 mm, a temperature of 97.2°C, an air flow rate of 0.67, a drying time of 65.36 min and an extrudate size of 7.40 mm recommended. At these conditions the moisture ratio and efficiency were 0.86 and 74.39, respectively. The influence of the various components of the fluidized bed dryer on the drying rate must be better understood so that control systems can be developed to take full advantage of this technology.

This study was conducted to assess the fertility status of different altitude of apple orchard and their effect upon soil nutrients and to study the relationship between different altitude and their availability. Seven different orchards located in 2800, 2700 2600, 2500, 2400, 2300 and 2200 at Apple Zone, Raskot, Kalikot were selected as treatments. They were replicated three times in Randomized Complete Block Design. Composite soil samples were collected in each study site from 0-3 ft soil depth in ‘W’ pattern from each plot. Analyses of soil samples were done in regional soil testing laboratory, Surkhet for chemical properties. There was a significant effect (p<0.05) of altitude on soil macronutrients except available potassium level. Maximum amounts of soil organic matter, acidic and soil rich in nitrogen and phosphorus were found in 2800 masl whereas more basic soil , poor soil organic matter and soil poor in nitrogen and phosphorus were found in 2200 masl. Result showed that in altitude of 2200 masl has poor soil nutrients compared to apple orchards in higher altitude. Kalikot is the top producer of apple in Nepal. This assessment will helps apple growers for adopting better nutrient management plan in their orchards according to the altitude in the district. Further, it is recommended to conduct soil nutrient assessments for all other apple growing regions in the country.

Changes in soil organic matter (SOM) are slow and difficult to monitor, usually apparent after few decades. Recent changes in the agriculture had its influence on soil, including the soil organic matter content. About 60% of soil in Nepal now have low organic matter content. Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) was focused more on the concept of green revolution to increase the chemical fertilizer inputs, however, the scenario is changing. Use of organic fertilizers is promoted extensively by government and different organizations with a target of increasing SOM content from 1.92% in 2015 to 4% by 2035. This paper aims at analysing the current status, targeted goal and the challenges faced in the augmentation of the soil organic matter using data available. Achieving this target requires an addition of extra 2.244 ton/ha of organic matter on a yearly basis for 20 years. The average amount of organic matter (2.5-3 ton/ha) applied is lesser than a single season grain harvest. 4.69% of sites had high soil organic matter in fiscal year 075/76 which slipped to 2.64% in 2076/77. The sites with low soil organic matter increased from 12.73% to 15.31%. The causes behind the SOM decline varies according to different agro-ecological zones like soil erosion, residue burning, imbalanced fertilizer use, defective FYM production etc. Findings suggest precise technologies required to be adopted to tackle with the different niche specific causes of soil fertility decline. Despite the complete nutrient content, bulky nature of organic fertilizers sets a major drawback regarding their transportation, distribution and commercialization. Government of Nepal is promoting organic fertilizer use by subsidizing their production cost by 50%. Following integrated nutrient management (INM) techniques, sustainable soil management practices (SSMP) and promotion of use of locally available resources can play a huge role in making the technology sustainable to the farmers.

Scarcity of water has been a serious agricultural hindrance to crop productivity since antiquity. Drought-stressed loss in wheat yield likely exceeds losses from all other causes, since both the severity and duration of the stress are censorious. Here, we have reviewed the effects of drought stress on the morphological, physiological, and biochemical attributes along with the growth impacts, water relations, and photosynthesis impacts in wheat. This review also illustrates the mechanism of drought resistance in wheat. Historical drought years in Nepal have been identified and the yield losses were assessed. Wheat encounters a variety of morphological, physiological, biochemical responses at cellular and molecular levels towards prevailing water stress, thus making it a complex phenomenon. Drought stress affects leaf size, stems elongation and root proliferation, imbalance plant-water relations and decline water-use efficiency. Different types of physiological research are ongoing to find out the changes occurs in the wheat plant as a result of drought stress. Morphological changes can be looked through two ways: changes in root system and changes in shoot system such as effects on height, leaf senescence, flowering, and so on. Physiological changes involve changes in cell growth pattern, chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic disturbances, plant-water relations, etc. Biochemical changes occur in different chemical, biomolecules, and enzymes. Plants portray several mechanisms to withstand drought stress which can be classified as Drought escape, Drought avoidance, and Drought tolerance. Selection of wheat genotype that can tolerate water scarcity would be suitable for the breeding program aiming to development of drought tolerant variety under water limited regions.

The study specifically investigated farm size efficiency differentials of bio-fortified cassava production in Nigeria. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of bio-fortified cassava producers in Nigeria. The estimated coefficients of the parameters of production variables for small scale bio-fortified cassava farm size (land, herbicide and fertilizer) played a major role in bio-fortified cassava production on a small scale in Nigeria. For the medium and large scale bio-fortified cassava farm size, production variables (land, labor and fertilizer) and (land, labor, herbicide and fertilizer) respectively played a major role in bio-fortified cassava production. The average economic efficiency of the small, medium and large scale bio-fortified cassava producers was 42%, 54% and 63% respectively. Policies intended to increase the popularization and cultivation of bio-fortified cassava in Nigeria should be targeted toward the small and medium scale cassava farmers since they carried the majority of the producer of bio-fortified cassava in Nigeria.