International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-003, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Microbial Diversity Conservation: A Cornerstone for Primary and Secondary Production

Vijai Singh¹*, Joshi, B. B.¹ and Awasthi, S. K.¹ and Bhatt, R. P.²

¹Crop Protection Division, Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow (U.P), India.
²Department of Botany, HNB Garhwal University, Uttarakhand, India.

Accepted 3 November, 2025

The microbial world is the largest unexplored reservoir of biodiversity on the earth. It is an important frontier in biology under intensive investigations. The exploration of microbial diversity has been spurred by the fact that microbes are essential for life since they perform numerous functions essential for the biosphere that include nutrient recycling and environmental detoxification. The management and exploitation of microbial diversity has an important role in sustainable development with the industrial and commercial application of microbial diversity worth millions of rupees. Given the heterogeneity of natural environments and the enormous potential of microorganisms to provide novel pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and new technologies, the biotechnology industry has a vast, largely untapped resource for the discovery of new chemicals and novel processes. However, despite the obvious economic value of microbial diversity, microorganisms have been largely ignored in debates on the conservation and management of global diversity. There is, therefore, an urgent need to persuade policy-maker to be more concerned about the conservation, management and exploitation of microbial diversity. There are a number of reasons why the conservation of microbial diversity has not received the same attention as plants and animals. For example, microorganisms are invisible, less familiar and perceived primarily as agents of disease. With respect to the role of microorganisms in sustainable development, little is known about the potential contribution of microbial diversity to the national economy, to wealth creation and to improvements in the quality of life. An appreciation of these factors might be one way of changing government and public perception of microorganisms by showing that the sustainable use of microbial diversity has positive economic value. This would help justify the costs involved in conserving microbial diversity, but equally provide a useful indicator of the costs of inaction. In terms of the scientific rationale needed to underpin policy, quantification of microbial diversity has been limited. This makes it difficult to indicate what needs to be conserved in order to support the biotechnology industries and to understand fully the interactions between organisms responsible for maintaining a functional ecosystem.

Key words: Plant diversity, microbial diversity, nutrient recycling, ecosystem functioning.
 

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of Biofertilizers on the Growth and Essential Components of Nigella sativa L.

Sayed Alireza Valadabadi¹ and Hossein Aliabadi Farahani²

¹Associate Professor, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Tehran, Iran.

²Young Researchers Club, Islamic Azad University, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Tehran, Iran.

Accepted 8 November, 2025

To reduce farmers’ dependency on mineral fertilizers, to increase water use efficiency, and to increase households’ incomes, participatory on-farm research trials to test the beneficial impact of biological fertilizers application on black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) some yield characters were investigated. Our objectives in this study were the interactive effects of biofertilizer application on quality and quantity yields at Iran in 2010. In this respect, the experimental unit had been designed by the achieved treatments in factorial on the basis of completely randomized block design with three replicates. Certain factors including four levels of animal manure (0, 10, 20 and 30 ton/ha respectively) and two levels of azotobacter (non-application and application) were studied. The final statistical analysis indicated that in the 20 ton/ha animal manure and azotobacter application, yield components were significantly higher. Those such as: biological yield, seed yield, essential oil yield, stem dry weight, capsule dry weight, leaf dry weight and plant height were higher in unites by 20 ton/ha animal manure and azotobacter application. The finding may give applicable advice to farmers for management and concern on fertilizer strategy and carefully estimate chemical fertilizer supply by biofertilizer application.

Key words: Azotobacter, animal manure, essential oil yield, Nigella sativa L.
 

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-007, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Yield and Disease Resistance of Transgenic Summer Squash in Commercial-Scale Trials

Ferdinand E. Klas1,2*, Marc Fuchs1 and Dennis Gonsalves1,3

1Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment
Station, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA.
3Anton de Kom University van Suriname Faculteit der Technologische Wetenschappen, Universiteitscomplex Leysweg,
Building XVII, P. O. Box 12292, Paramaribo Suriname, USA.
3USDA-ARS, Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center, 64 Nowelo Street, Hilo, HA 96720, USA.

Accepted 13 December, 2024

Fruit yield of transgenic crookneck summer squash ZW-20 resistant to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) and of a susceptible nontransgenic lineage of the same genotype was compared over two consecutive years. Field trials relied on small-scale plantings that reflected commercial settings under conditions of severe disease pressure by ZYMV and WMV with infection achieved via aphid-mediated inoculation from virus source border plants. Across all trials, all transgenic plants were highly resistant to ZYMV and WMV, and the majority (79%, 331 of 421) produced 3 to 9 fruits per plant. In contrast, all control plants had severe systemic symptoms and the majority (80%, 336 of 421) produced 0 to 4 fruits per plant. In addition, all fruits of transgenic squash ZW-20H and ZW-20B were of marketable quality whereas most fruits of nontransgenic controls (96%, 947 of 989) were unmarketable. Differences in fruit number (P = 0.0001) and fruit weight (P = 0.0001) between transgenic and conventional squash plants were significant but not between ZW-20H and ZW-20B plants (P = 0.933 and P = 0.964, respectively). This is the first report on a comparative analysis of fruit yield of transgenic versus conventional summer squash under conditions approaching commercial plantings in which high infection rates of ZYMV and WMV were achieved via indigenous aphid populations.

Key words: Fruit yield, transgenic, high disease pressure, summer squash, virus-resistant
 

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Aqueous Ozone in Endodontic Root Canals

Thomas Graham*, Ping Zhang and Michael Dixon

School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada.

Accepted 16 January, 2025

Aqueous ozone (O3(aq)) solutions were applied to the rockwool substrate of hydroponically cultured tomato and cucumber plants. Single applications of high concentration solutions (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/L), as well as repeated application of lower concentration solutions (0, 2, 4, 6 mg/L), had no impact on leaf area and shoot dry weight accumulation. Repeated O3(aq) applications were also applied to cucumber plants inoculated with Pythium aphanidermatum. Pathogen levels were significantly reduced in all treatments containing O3(aq). The reduction in pathogen numbers did not necessarily affect plant productivity.

Keywords: Pythium aphanidermatum, irrigation water reuse, oxygenation, tomato, cucumber, rockwool, hydroponics, phytotoxicity.

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 13 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Optimizing Seed Extraction Processes to Mitigate Losses and Improve Quality in Egusi Melon (Colocynthis citrullus L.)

Ogbonna, P. E.* and Odo, L. C.

Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Nigeria.

Accepted 18 December, 2024

This study determines the effect of methods of seed extraction on seed loss and viability on Egusi melon (Colocynthis citrullus L). Three methods of fruit breaking; vertical cut with knife, horizontal cut with knife and hitting with wooden club were tested to determine their effect on seed damage. Three covering materials; grass straw, black polyethylene sheet and no cover were also tested to determine their effect on the number of days to fruit fermentation and seed germination. The result showed that percentage seed loss resulting from vertical cutting with knife was 16% and was significantly higher than 3.4% seed loss arising from horizontal cut with knife and 0% from hitting with wooden club. It was also discovered that fruits covered with grass straw took 8.67 days to complete fruit fermentation while under black polyethylene cover it occurred at 12 days. Fruits that were left uncovered fermented at 9.33 days. Seed germination was also significantly affected by covering materials. Seed germination of 85.3, 80.0 and 30.0 were recorded on seeds obtained from fruits that were fermented with no cover, grass straw and black polyethylene cover respectively.

Key words: Seed extraction, germination, seed loss.
 

International Journal of Agroforestry and Silviculture ISSN: 2375-1096 Vol. 13 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Comparative Analysis of Vermicompost and Conventional Fertilizers on Tomato Plant Growth

Goutam Kumar Chanda, Goutam Bhunia and Susanta Kumar Chakraborty*

Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University Midnapore, West Bengal, India.

Accepted 1 November, 2024

Field trials were conducted using different fertilizers having equal concentration of nutrients to determine their impact on different growth parameters of tomato plants. Six types of experimental plots were prepared whereT1 was kept as control and five others were treated by different category of fertilizers (T2-Chemical fertilizers, T3-Farm Yard Manure (FYM), T4-Vermicompost, T5 and T6- FYM supplemented with chemical fertilizers and vermicompost supplemented with chemical fertilizer respectively).The treatment plots (T6) showed 73% better yield of fruits than control, Besides, vermicompost supplemented with N.P.K treated plots (T5) displayed better results with regard to fresh weight of leaves, dry weight of leaves, dry weight of fruits, number of branches and number of fruits per plant from other fertilizers treated plants.

Key words: Tomato plants, vermicompost, chemical fertilizers.