No abstract

The Indian livestock population is huge. Most (99%) of the livestock owners still follow traditional animal husbandry practices and graze their livestock, especially small ruminants, on natural pastures where no pesticides are used. In order to feed the everincreasing livestock population, efforts are being made to increase quality fodder productivity from limited land resources. In such situations, pesticides play an important role by minimizing the loss of green fodder due to disease and pest attack. In countries such as Canada, Israel, the UK, and other European countries, pesticides have been registered for forage crops; in India, however, although pesticides have been registered for cultivable grain, horticultural and cash crops, etc., there are no registration guidelines or authenticated information regarding pesticide use with regard to forage crops. Hence, there is a need to take necessary steps in this direction, keeping in view the importance of fodder and livestock in the country. In this review, detailed aspects of the status and use of pesticides in forage crops in India are discussed.

Silvopasture systems (SPSs) provide an opportunities for efficient use of lands, apportioning risk under adverse climate and giving higher returns than other systems. SPSs improve biomass production; however, yield sustainability, nutrient cycling capability and carbon capture capacity of SPSs have remained unexplored in semiarid India. For these, 10-year old SPS of Ficus infectoria, Morus alba, Acacia nilotica, and Madhuca latifolia comprising of three perennial grasses namely, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chrysopogon fulvus, Panicum maximum, and two perennial legumes namely, Clitoria ternatea and Stylosanthes seabrana in each system were evaluated. Among grasses, Panicum maximum had significantly (p < 0.05) higher mean yield than Chrysopogon fulvus and Cenchrus ciliaris (44% and 153%, respectively). Significantly, Stylosanthes seabrana had 2-times higher mean productivity than Clitoria ternatea. Among the trees, fodder availability from F. infectoria was ~8.65-and 1.07-times greater than M. latifolia and M. alba, respectively and similar to A. nilotica. Total tree carbon stock of A. nilotica was ~1.52-, 5.88-, and 2.16-times greater than F. infectoria, M. latifolia, and M. alba, respectively. Environmental benefits in terms of soil nutrient status and carbon sequestration were significantly greater under A. nilotica based SPS than others.A. nilotica and M. alba based SPSs had a discounted benefit-cost ratio ~2.2 and internal rate of return >12%. Overall, A. nilotica and M. alba based SPSs could augment yield sustainability, economic profitability and environmental benefit over other SPSs in semiarid India. Hence, they can be recommended as nature based solutions to restore degraded lands in semi-arid India.

Three proanthocyanidin fractions per species were sequentially extracted by 50% (v/v) methanol–water, 70% (v/v) acetone–water, and distilled water from leaves of Ficus racemosa (fractions FR) and F. religiosa (fractions FRL) to yield fractions FR-50, FR-70, FR-DW, FRL-50, FRL-70, and FRL-DW. Fractions were examined for their molecular structure, effect on ruminal enzyme activities, and principal leaf protein (Rubisco) solubilization in vitro. All fractions except FRL-70 contained flavonoids including (+) catechin, (−) epicatechin, (+) gallocatechin, (−) epigallocatechin, and their -4-phloroglucinol adducts. The fractions FRL-50 and FRL-DW significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the activity of ruminal glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase. All fractions inhibited glutamate dehydrogenase activity (p < 0.05) with increasing concentration, while protease activity decreased 15–18% with increasing concentrations. Fractions FRL-50 and FRL-DW completely inhibited the activity of cellulase enzymes. Solubilization of Rubisco was higher in F. religiosa (22.36 ± 1.24%) and F. racemosa (17.26 ± 0.61%) than that of wheat straw (WS) (8.95 ± 0.95%) and berseem hay (BH) (3.04 ± 0.08%). A significant (p < 0.05) increase in protein solubilization was observed when WS and BH were supplemented with FR and FRL leaves at different proportions. The efficiency of microbial protein was significantly (p < 0.05) greater in diets consisting of WS and BH with supplementation of F. racemosa leaves in comparison to those supplemented with F. religiosa leaves. The overall conclusion is that the fractions extracted from F. religiosa showed greater inhibitory effects on rumen enzymes and recorded higher protein solubilization in comparison to the F. racemosa. Thus, PAs from F. religiosa are potential candidates to manipulate rumen enzymes activities for efficient utilization of protein and fiber in ruminants.