Drought stress is an alarming constraint to plant growth, development, and productivity worldwide. However, plant-associated bacteria, fungi, and viruses can enhance stress resistance and cope with the negative impacts of drought through the induction of various mechanisms, which involve plant biochemical and physiological changes. These mechanisms include osmotic adjustment, antioxidant enzyme enhancement, modification in phytohormonal levels, biofilm production, increased water and nutrient uptake as well as increased gas exchange and water use efficiency. Production of microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) and induction of stress-responsive genes by microbes also play a crucial role in the acquisition of drought tolerance. This review offers a unique exploration of the role of plant-associated microorganisms—plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and mycorrhizae, viruses, and their interactions—in the plant microbiome (or phytobiome) as a whole and their modes of action that mitigate plant drought stress.
Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) which is commonly known as Drumstick tree or Horse radish tree, is an angiospermic plant which belongs to family Moringaceae. This plant typically belongs to sub-himalayan Northen India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Tropical and subtropical area of the world is suitable for the growth of this plant. The Terai, Siwalik, and Middle Mountain regions are the best-suited regions of Nepal for Moringa cultivation due to their elevation and climate conditions. It is commonly referred as "The Miracle Tree" due to its extensive practical and nutritional benefits as well as a remedy to cure many fatal diseases. Moringa is also a great supplement to provide essential amino acids, micronutrients, and protein to the typically nutrient-lacking rural Nepalese diet. Especially, pregnant women and infant are benefitted more through high nutrient content of leaves. Every part of Moringa has useful properties which can serve mankind and it can be one of the promishing plant for further research activities. The main purpose of this review was to highlight the nutritional, medicinal and commercial properties of Moringa, to know the potentiality of Moringa cultivation in the context of Nepal, to suggest future directions for research, market and development strategies and to assess the published scientific journal, article on multipurpose use of Moringa oleifera.
A study was conducted to analyze the economics of production of chhari and marketable-size carps in Bara, Nepal. All total 90 farmers; 45 chhari producing and 45 marketable-size carps producing farmers were selected randomly and surveyed through pre-tested semi-structured interview based schedule on the month of March, 2019. Data was entered and analyzed using STATA 12.1 and SPSS 25. Findings of the study revealed that the total cost of fish production per hectare of pond area was 971927 NRs/year. Chhari production was profitable in the study area as compared to marketable-size carps with a Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.97 and 1.67 respectively. Production function analysis including six explanatory variables, showed significant effect of feed, labour (p<0.01), maintenance, fuel and electricity (p<0.05) and lime, fertilizer and medicine costs (p<0.1) but seed cost was insignificant. The return to scale was found to be 0.906 and at II stage of Production. According to estimated allocative efficiency indices, it is suggested to reduce seed; and lime, fertilizer cum medicine cost by 159% and 72% respectively, and increase the maintenance; feed; fuel cum electricity; and labour cost by about 95%, 33%, 95%, and 50% respectively for chhari producers. Similarly for marketable-size carp producers, it is suggested to decrease fuel and electricity cost by 176% and increase maintenance; seed; feed; lime, fertilizer and medicine; and labour cost by 95%, 86%, 13%, 29%, and 30% respectively. Thus, fishery enterprise is in the stage of higher potentiality to increase the production in the study area.
Invasion of alien weed species is one of the most serious global problems. Different bioclimatic conditions of Nepal favor the introduction of different invasive alien weeds. Mikania micrantha (L.) Kunth is one of the well-established invasive alien weeds in the tropical and subtropical parts of eastern and central Nepal. M. micrantha was first reported in 1963 in the eastern part of Nepal and then spreading towards the western part, which is now recorded in over 20 Terai districts of Nepal. Its spread is causing a serious threat to native ecosystem and in the protected areas too, such as the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and the Chitwan National Park. It invades new areas by seed dispersal and, once established, it spreads locally by ramets produced by penetrating rosette caudices and ramet caudexes. This neotropical vine supplants other plants and reduces biodiversity significantly by swamping vegetation and out competing native plants. Regeneration of other plants in its invaded area is restricted due to its high dispersal ability and adaptability to colonize in new habitat and difficult to control if once established. Several measures have been attempted in controlling this weed, but till date little success has been achieved in Nepal. It is important to identify the control measures which are: socially acceptable; economically viable and spatially suitable. There is consumption of extra human resources and time for clearance of Mikania in their cultivated lands and also an extra expenditure is required to avoid the impact of Mikania which is affecting livelihood of local people. As M. micrantha grows rapidly and conventional control measures are costly and time consuming, biological control is seen as a feasible, environmentally friendly and self-sustaining option to control large stands of M. micrantha. Coevolved rust pathogen, Puccinia spegazzini has been reported to be able to control the weed and introduced in countries like India, Taiwan, China, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
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