Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research

Investigation of A Multi-Pathogen Outbreak in Recently Transported Holstein Friesian Cattle, Andhra Pradesh, India

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Long-distance transport and adaptation to new management conditions can predispose dairy cattle to infectious disease outbreaks, particularly in high-yielding exotic breeds.

Aim: This investigation aimed to characterise a severe outbreak in recently transported Holstein Friesian cattle in Andhra Pradesh, India, and to assess the possible contributions of infectious agents, transport stress, management deficiencies and breed-associated susceptibility.

Method: A commercial dairy farm with 100 Holstein Friesian and 50 Gir cattle transported from Haryana was investigated after high mortality occurred among Holstein Friesian cattle. Twenty clinically affected animals were examined using clinical assessment, faecal examination, Giemsa-stained blood smears, ELISA, PCR and histopathology. Serum and whole-blood samples were tested for selected bacterial, viral, parasitic and haemoprotozoan infections.

Results: Within 3–4 weeks of arrival, 55 Holstein Friesian cattle died, whereas no clinical illness or mortality was observed among Gir cattle on the same farm. Faecal examination detected Balantidium spp. in all sampled animals (20/20), and microfilariae were identified in 3/20 blood smears. ELISA detected antibodies against Brucella spp. (4/20), BoHV-1 (2/20) and Chlamydia spp. (5/20), while Leptospira spp. was not detected. PCR identified Theileria annulata (2/20), BoHV-1 (3/20) and MCF virus (4/20), with two animals concurrently positive for these pathogens. Histopathology showed multisystem lesions involving major organs.

Conclusion: The outbreak was consistent with a multifactorial disease event associated with transport stress, inadequate management, vector exposure and concurrent infections. The findings emphasise quarantine, pre-purchase screening, biosecurity, vector control and breed adaptability in tropical dairy systems.

Adapting Microbial Inoculants, Plant Extracts, and Legume Intercrop to Mitigate Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and Improve Maize (Zea mays L) Performance

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Infestation by the invasive fall armyworm-FAW (Spodoptera frugiperda) pest has recently emerged as an important constraint for maize (Zea mays L) production, which is frequently managed using chemical pesticides. However, the inappropriate use of chemical pesticides can cause deleterious effects on the environment and humans, and enhance pest resistance. This study evaluated the potential of locally produced microbial inoculants and plant bioactive extracts, and push-pull strategy of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) intercropping as control measures for FAW infestation on maize plants, while serving as nutrient replenishing source via biological nitrogen fixation. This field study was setup as split plot in two alternate cropping seasons (September 2021 and April 2022) and cropping systems (mono- and inter-cropping) as main plots, and seven treatments as sub-plots (Control, chemical–NPK+Lamida gold, Tithonia diversifolia–Ti+Piper guineense–Pi, Plant growth-promoting bacteria–PGPB+Endophytic fungi–EF, EF+Pi and PGPB+EF+Ti+Pi). Results highlight statistical identical performance of microbial inoculants or plant bioactive extracts and chemical pesticides in reducing FAW infestation by 13-73.9 %. Bio-amendments significantly (P<0.05) increased maize height, 1000 maize grain weight, cob length and degree of filling compared to the untreated control. Maize-cowpea intercrop significantly increased FAW infestation in some treatments when compared to maize monocrop. In September 2021, FAW infestation correlated (P<0.05) negatively with 1000 maize grain weight (r = -0.7), cob length (r = -0.7), number of grains on the longest line (r = -0.8) and degree of filling (r = -0.7) in the monocrop plot. These findings highlight the ability of locally produced microbial inoculants and plant bioactive extracts as sustainable alternatives to mitigate FAW infestation on maize. Thereby, opening up possibilities for further investigation on mechanisms of action that can be explored for biological pest control.

Smart and Controlled-release Hydrogels for Fertilizer and Pesticide Delivery: A Comparative Review of Synthetic and Bio-based Systems

Gözde Çetin — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Global food security depends increasingly on the efficient use of agrochemicals, yet conventional fertilisers and pesticides are characterised by poor nutrient and active-ingredient use efficiency, with substantial losses through leaching, volatilisation, and runoff. Hydrogel-based delivery systems have emerged as a versatile platform for controlling the release of nutrients and crop-protection agents in response to environmental and biological cues, offering a route towards reduced input loss, improved soil water retention, and lower ecological burden. This review critically compares synthetic polymer hydrogels, principally based on polyacrylamide and polyacrylate chemistries, with bio-based systems derived from polysaccharides, chitosan, and proteins, with particular attention to their swelling behaviour, release kinetics, and agronomic performance. Stimuli-responsive or "smart" hydrogels that modulate release in response to pH, temperature, light, redox potential, or enzymatic activity are examined as a distinct and rapidly advancing subclass applicable to both synthetic and bio-based matrices. The review further considers comparative loading capacities, release efficiencies under simulated soil and aqueous conditions, environmental fate and biodegradability, and the practical and regulatory barriers that continue to limit field-scale adoption. While synthetic hydrogels generally offer superior mechanical robustness and tunable release profiles, their persistence in soil and association with microplastic accumulation raise legitimate environmental concerns. Bio-based hydrogels, by contrast, offer biodegradability and lower toxicity but often suffer from batch-to-batch variability and weaker mechanical performance. The review concludes that hybrid and composite formulations, combining biopolymer matrices with engineered nanoscale reinforcements or stimuli-responsive moieties, represent the most promising direction for reconciling release precision with environmental compatibility. Persistent gaps remain in long-term field validation, standardised release-testing protocols, and life-cycle assessment, which together constrain confident scale-up of these technologies.

Transforming Agriculture through AI, IoT, and Blockchain: Opportunities and Barriers in the Shift to Agriculture 4.0

Sujoita Purohit, Santanu Purohit — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Agriculture faces mounting pressure to increase productivity while reducing its environmental footprint, coping with climate variability and meeting the food demands of a growing global population. Digital transformation, commonly framed under the banner of Agriculture 4.0, offers a pathway through which artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and blockchain technology converge to reshape farming systems, from field-level decision-making to end-to-end supply chain governance. This review critically synthesises the peer-reviewed literature on the application, integration and diffusion of these three technology families across crop production, livestock management and agri-food supply chains. It examines how machine learning and deep learning models support yield forecasting and pest and disease diagnostics, how sensor networks, unmanned aerial vehicles and wireless communication architectures underpin precision agriculture and precision livestock farming, and how blockchain-enabled traceability and smart contracts are reshaping trust and transparency in supply chains. The review further considers the structural, economic, infrastructural and social barriers that constrain adoption, with particular attention to smallholder and low- and middle-income contexts, data governance and privacy concerns, and gender and digital-literacy gaps. Evidence indicates that although individual technologies have matured considerably, their convergence into interoperable, farmer-centred systems remains uneven and is shaped as much by institutional and economic conditions as by technical readiness. The review concludes by outlining priority research directions and policy considerations for equitable and sustainable technology-enabled agricultural transformation.