The presence of enormous numbers of microbial populations and species in the soil, especially in the rhizosphere and their intensive and extensive interactions with flora and fauna and plant roots, leads to plant growth promotion by rhizosphere phenomenon.

Biofertilizers have emerged as a potential environment friendly inputs that are supplemented for proper plant growth. They hold vast potential in meeting plant nutrient requirements while minimizing the use of chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers are defined as preparations containing living cells or latent cells of efficient strains of microorganisms that help crop plants in uptake of nutrients by their interactions in the rhizosphere. They accelerate certain microbial processes in the soil which augment the extent of availability of nutrients in a form easily assimilated by plants. They help in restoring soil health and thus provide a cost effective way to manage crop yield along with balancing the environment.

Rice is the second most important cereal crop in the world covering 155 mha with the annual production of 596 mt. Rice is one of the most important cereals that hold the key for food security. Increasing water scarcity is becoming a real threat for rice cultivation. About 80 per cent of fresh water is being used for agriculture and out of this more than 50 per cent is consumed by the rice crop alone. The system of rice intensification originated in Madagascar and developed by the late father Henry de Laulanie in 1983. SRI is not a new variety or a hybrid. It is only a method of cultivation. SRI has proved to be a promising system under all kinds of rice varieties whether local or improved. SRI has showed great promise of saving water, seed, pesticides, fertilizers, etc producing yields more than or equal to that of traditional cultivation.

Long before the invention of agricultural implements, earthworms ploughed the soil, mixing, tilling and building topsoil as they burrowed through the earth. Earthworms are such important biological resources that play a major role in the proper functioning of the soil ecosystem at no cost and so referred as farmer’s friend even though most people pay little attention to this productive and beneficial animal. An agro-ecosystem which is a subset of a conventional ecosystem, earthworms have tremendous potential therein acting as scavenger, helping in recycling of dead and decayed plant material by feeding on them and thus significantly affecting organic matter dynamics in soil and promoting plant growth. An acre of soil may hold up to eight million of earthworms adapted to a wide range of soil and ecosystems habitats throughout the world.

The amount of carbon in the soil is a direct indication of good quality of soil. Higher carbon stocks have a direct correlation with increased agricultural yields through improved soil health. In the current scenario of climate change and global warming, much of carbon in atmosphere has to be sequestrated into soil carbon pool so that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere and resulting warming could be reduced. Biochar is a solid material obtained from thermal decomposition of organic materials, in the process much of the carbon becomes “fixed” into a more stable form, and when the resulting biochar is applied to soils, the atmospheric carbon is effectively sequestered and soil carbon pool is increased, making soil of a good quality. Thus, the use of biochar can be a simple yet powerful tool to combat climate change by sequestering much of atmospheric carbon into soil as well as providing an opportunity for the processing of agricultural and other waste into useful clean energy.

Commonly known as Jangli Arandi in the State of Rajasthan, Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) has very promising scope for cultivation on wastelands because of its various benefits like wasteland reclamation and reforestation, soil improvement, income generation from unusable areas and providing opportunities for sustainable and renewable land resources management etc. Rajasthan is the leading state in Jatropha cultivation covering 90% of total area in the country. Rajasthan government is promoting its production on waste lands through various central government schemes.

Boro is a winter season, photo-insensitive, transplanted rice cultivated under low laying residual soil moisture condition with supplemental irrigation. This gives the farmers a chance to grow a rabi season crop which normally they could not grow. This practice is emerging as a new cropping system by its spreading even to those non-traditional areas where irrigation is available.

This article focuses on compatibility of bio-agents with chemical pesticides as a component of the Integrated Pest Management System in Indian agriculture. So far, use of synthetic chemical pesticides had been the widely used approach for reducing the estimated 45% gross crop loss due to pests and diseases, amounting to around Rs. 290 billion per annum. More and more quantities of chemicals are used for agricultural intensification to feed an ever growing population. In fact, the pest induced loss is on the rise despite increasing usage of pesticides. Biopesticides could play a crucial role in IPM strategies although they cover only about 4% of the global pesticide market. Compatibility is the ability to mix different pesticides without physical or chemical interactions which lead to enhance biological efficiency or reduce phytotoxicity. Compatibility of bio-agents with chemical pesticides is very important for effective pest management.

Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur, India developed a successful technique for tree exudates gum tapping which has been very effective for gum Arabic production from Acacia senegal which is wide spread in western part of India particularly in Rajasthan. The technique proved to be very fruitful and got wide spread popularity in western Rajasthan where the gum tappers of the region produced about 23.59 t gum Arabic and earned about 235.9 thousand US$ gross income in 3 years (2009-2011) by sale of gum Arabic in local markets. Adoption of this technique by all gum tappers of gum producing belts of the world will result in enhanced production of gum Arabic in the world and provide better livelihood option for the community.

Beushening, commonly practiced in submerged lowlands of eastern India, is a traditional cultural practice of cross-ploughing the dry-seeded (broadcast) standing crop of rice 25-35 days after seeding when 15-20 cm of rainwater gets impounded in rice fields, followed by laddering and seedling redistribution which facilitates stable rice yields under low levels of inputs and uncertain climatic conditions.

In recent decades, the endo- and rhizobacteria have been exploited as potential biofertilizers and biocontrol agents for sustainable production and productivity of non-leguminous crops. The present article highlights the functional role of PGPR (phytoharmone production, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, antibiotic production, siderophore production etc) in major crops viz., rice, wheat, maize and sugarcane.

Hilly region states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Jammu and Kashmir are also called as natural greenhouses of the country. Scattered and small land holdings, difficult terrain, fluctuating and unpredictable weather, prevalence of low and variable seasonal and diurnal temperature during autumn, winter and spring seasons in North-western Himalayan region affect productivity and quality of the produce which consequently results in low profit margin of the hill farmers in open environment. Protected cultivation of high value crops has emerged as the single most important technology for ensuring nutritional security, high productivity, improved quality and lucrative returns in these regions of the country.

Plastic low tunnels are highly suitable and profitable for off-season cultivation of cucurbits like summer squash, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, muskmelon, watermelon, round melon and long melon in peri-urban areas of northern plains of India. The yield of some cucurbits like cucumber can be increased manifold compared to their open field cultivation. The economics of protected cultivation directly depends upon the initial cost of fabrication of the protected structure, its running cost and the available market for high quality produce. Therefore, plastic low tunnels which can generally be fabricated with low cost and the running cost of such structures is also very low are highly suitable.

The term 'salinity' strikes fear into the hearts of many farmers. Some call it the white death because it conjures up images of lifeless, shining deserts studded with dead trees. Fears of the 'white death' seem justified. It threatens agricultural productivity in 77 m ha of agricultural land of which only 45 m ha (20% of irrigated area) is irrigated. Salinity affects the growth, development and productivity of crops worldwide. In India, more than 8.6 m ha of lands are salt affected and poses problem to productivity of crops. Wheat, the second important staple food crop of India, faces salinization problem resulting in decrease in average yield by more than 50%, due to which stable supply of food becomes a question mark in light of increasing global population which is expected to touch 9 billion in 2050.

Aconitum ferox is referred to as "vatsanabha" in the Shushrutasamhita. It is used in treatment of cough, asthma, leprosy, fever, muscular rheumatism as well as against snake bite, neuralgia, skin disease, acute gout, etc. Because of its over exploited in Himalayan region for medicinal use, it has become present day an endangered plant of Sikkim. Recently its population is very scanty in nature, so its ex-situ and in-situ conservation is necessary. One another plant Aconitum chasmanthum is an alternative source of this plant and it is usually sold under the name "vatsanabha".