Cold Arid Agro-Animal Technologies

Ensuring the nutritional security of combatants guarding the extreme altitudes along the Himalayan frontiers remains a daunting task owing to the harsh cold desert climatic conditions, landlocked terrain and sparse vegetation. These cold arid regions are characterised by rugged topography, extreme temperature variations, low precipitation, high wind velocity, thin atmosphere with high UV-radiation and fragile ecosystem. The Defence Life Science Journal decides to bring out a special issue on the theme ‘Cold Arid Agro-Animal Technologies’ focusing on the significance of agro-animal technologies for nutritional security of the soldiers deployed in inhospitable environments as well as the local population who have been living and thriving in these harsh conditions of high altitude

Effect of Cladding Material and Date of Transplanting on Growth and Yield of Greenhouse Broccoli During Winter in High Altitude Ladakh, India

Broccoli is a cool-season crop. The optimum temperature for initiation of flowering and head growth is 15-20°C. Due to subfreezing temperatures at night, the crop is not traditionally cultivated in winter in the high-altitude Ladakh region. We found that growing broccoli in a passive solar greenhouse in winter is feasible. The choice of greenhouse cladding material and the date of transplanting are important factors that need to be considered. The mean marketable head weight of the cv. Fiesta and KTS-1 in a passive solar trench greenhouse with polycarbonate cladding material transplanted on 8 September were 403±106 and 169±100 g, respectively. Delayed transplanting on 8 October did not produce any marketable head. Covering the greenhouse with a polyethylene sheet did not result in marketable heads on both transplanting dates. We anticipate our study to be a starting point for researchers and the farming community to optimize the greenhouse production of broccoli during freezing winter-months in high-altitude regions

Size of Passive Solar Greenhouse Determine Growth and Yield of Cauliflower and Cabbage During Winter in High Mountain Ladakh Region, India

The length and span of passive solar greenhouse are important factors that determine greenhousemicroclimate. However, there are no established length and span recommendations for guiding construction of passive solar greenhouse in high altitude regions, especially above 3000 m asl. Majority of the farmers in trans- Himalayan regions have preference for low-cost small size (<10 m length) passive solar greenhouses. We studied two different sized greenhouses and found that a large greenhouse (27.4 m length, 8.2 m width) was better than a small greenhouse (9.8 m length, 5.5 m width) for growing cauliflower and cabbage in winter. The large greenhouse remained 1.5±0.3 to 7.4±2.1 °C warmer during daytime, and 0.6±0.1 to 1.5±0.8 °C warmer at night. All the recorded plant growth parameters were higher in the large greenhouse. The mean marketable weight of cauliflower cv. Shantha was 599±35 g in the large greenhouse as against 537±42 g in the small greenhouse. Similarly, the marketable weight of cabbage cv. Golden Acre in the large greenhouse was significantly higher (619±53 g) than the small greenhouse (523±121 g). Therefore, large passive solar greenhouses are recommended for farmers in high altitude trans-Himalayan Ladakh regions

Growing Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var capitata L.) in Cold Winter under Passive Solar Greenhouse in Trans Himalayan Ladakh Region

Greenhouse experiments were conducted in three seasons (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20) to study the feasibility to grow cabbage, a temperature sensitive crop, during freezing winter months at high altitude (elevation 3340 m) trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. Three varieties viz. Golden Acre, Videshi and Megaton were studied under an improvised passive solar greenhouse. Head was formed in all the varieties despite the temperature extremes (0.0±1.6 to 39.5±0.9 ºC) inside the greenhouse. The mean marketable head weight ranged from 428.6±72.1 g to 831.2±193.0 g, depending on the variety. The mean head weight of Golden Acre was 831 g, which is 15-fold higher as compared to that of the crop grown under traditional greenhouse in Ladakh. However, the marketable head weight was lower as compared to the yield potential of the varieties. It took 133-163 days for Golden Acre to reach maturity for harvest as compared to the expected 60-65 days. Dramatic declines in intercellular CO2 concentration, photosynthesis rate and water-use efficiency were observed at 2:00 PM, which indicated that the plants were severely affected by high temperatures inside the greenhouse. High temperature inside the greenhouse resulted in bolting, head-splitting and loose head forming, and it ranged from 8-36% of the crop depending on the year and variety. The study suggested that cabbage can be successfully grown under improvised passive solar greenhouse during severe winter months in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh

Growing Cauliflower in Winter under Passive Solar Greenhouse in Trans Himalayan Ladakh, India

Traditionally cauliflower is not grown during winter months in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region due to sub-zero degree celsius at night. Accordingly, the feasibility of growing cauliflower, a temperature-sensitive crop, was studied during winter months in a passive solar greenhouse in the high altitude (elevation 3340 m) trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. Studies were conducted during 2017-2020 with three commercial varieties. Curd was formed in all the varieties despite the temperature extremes (0.0±1.6 to 39.5±0.9 ºC) in the greenhouse. Harvesting was done in the month of February. The mean marketable curd weight ranged from 258±113 to 743±62 g depending on variety and year, which suggested that cauliflower can be successfully grown during winter months in the trans-Himalaya. However, the marketable curd weight was significantly lower as compared to the yield potential of the varieties. High temperature inside the greenhouse resulted in the occurrence of fuzziness, and it ranged from 0-35% of the harvested curd depending on the year and variety. Fuzziness was not observed in cv Shentha while 10.4-35% of cv Amazing exhibited fuzziness

Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) in trans-Himalayan Ladakh, India

Seabuckthorn (SBT) is an ecologically and economically important plant species of trans-Himalayan Ladakh. Once considered a thorny menace, SBT is now looked upon as a means for sustainable development of the trans-Himalayan region. Several antioxidant rich SBT-based products are being developed and commercialized. SBT berry collection from natural habitat has become an important activity in the region since the year 2001. Currently, the demand for SBT exceeds the supply capacity of the region. Cultivation of SBT on 2500 ha would result in annual net income of Rs 491 crore. Anticipating the high demand for SBT, studies are underway to meet the long term goal to introduce plantation of SBT on vast barren land. Potential of the lesser-known shrub has been recognized by several R&D organizations. In recent years a number of research institutes in India are working on the lesser known shrub. This article summarizes the advancement of research on SBT of trans-Himalayan Ladakh origin

Passive Solar Greenhouse for Round The Year Vegetable Cultivation in Trans Himalayan Ladakh Region, India

The trans-Himalayan Ladakh region remains cut-off for over six months in a year due to heavy snowfall. Availability of locally grown fresh vegetables is restricted to summer months and therefore, there are seasonal differences in dietary intake of food. Passive solar greenhouse has played a significant role not only in production of leafy vegetables in sub-zero temperature during winter months but also helped in extending the growing season in Ladakh. It is now a common practice to raise vegetable nurseries in spring and grow leafy vegetables during winter months in the greenhouse. Each year an average of 733 greenhouses covering 44313.4 m2 area are being established in Leh district. Passive solar greenhouse structures such as Ladakhi greenhouse, trench, polytrench, polyench, polycarbonate, FRP and polynet have been designed and tested in the inhospitable environment of trans–Himalaya. The greenhouse is used mainly during winter, and majority of farmers (91.7 %) do not use the structures in summer. Insect-pest, irrigation in winter and frequent replacement of cladding materials are the major problems being faced by the farmers in the region. There is a need to improvise the greenhouse design to make it economically viable and technologically feasible to grow a variety of crops, especially during winter months

Growing Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) under Low-input System in Arid trans-Himalayan Ladakh, India

Feasibility of growing muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), a warm season crop, was studied under a low-input cultivation system in open field condition in high altitude (elevation 3344 m) trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. The marketable yield of five cultivars in different treatments varied from 5.4±0.4 t.ha-1 to 18.8±1.7 t.ha-1 and 4.0±0.2 t.ha-1 to 15.8±1.0 t.ha-1 in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Treatment of black polyethylene mulch (BPM) increased marketable yield by 25 per cent to 155 per cent depending on year and cultivar. The marketable yield of the best performing cultivar (Pusa Madhuras) under BPM was 17.3 t.ha-1, which suggested that muskmelon can successfully be grown in open field condition in trans-Himalaya. The fruit become ready for harvest in mid-August. Number of fruit per plant ranged from 2.3 to 6.3, and TSS ranged from 8.9 to 14.1 °Brix depending on cultivar. Temperature 10 cm beneath the BPM was 2.9±0.4 ºC higher than in bare soil. BPM reduced 74 per cent weed and save 77 per cent time in manual weeding

Antimicrobial activity of seed, pomace and leaf extracts of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) against foodborne and food spoilage pathogens

The present study was conducted to evaluate the total phenolic content (TPC) and antibacterial properties of crude extracts of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) pomace, seeds and leaves against 17 foodborne pathogens. The methanolic extract of leaves exhibited high total phenolic content (278.80 mg GAE/g extract) and had low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 125 μg/ml against Listeria monocytogenes. Salmonella typhimurium strain was found to be resistant against all tested extracts. The antilisterial activity of the methanolic extract of leaves was tested on carrots. Bacterial enumeration was significantly reduced by 0.15 to 0.31, 0.26 to 1.72 and 0.59 to 4.10 log cfu/g after 0 to 60 min exposure when treated with 125, 2500 and 5000 μg/ml extract, respectively. Thus, in addition to its use as a functional food ingredient, leaves extract from sea buckthorn (SBT) can possibly be used as a biosanitizer in food industries.Key words: Antimicrobial activity, Hippophae, Listeria monocytogenes, natural sanitizer, seabuckthorn

Attributes of Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) to Meet Nutritional Requirements in High Altitude.

The diet of humans living in different geographical and climatic regions of the earth varies greatly in both quantity and composition of foods. Evidence is accumulating that indicates that there is a high risk of malnutrition at high altitude because of the usual lack of fresh food and environmental factors. Lack of nutritious diet in the difficult terrain is a potential stressor that elicits oxidative stress. The excretion of minerals from the body is higher in high altitude condition. The altered nutritional requirement can be met to a large extend by regular consumption of locally grown fruits and vegetables. Results of analysis of Seabuckthorn growing in Leh valley of Trans-Himalaya showed the presence of high content of multivitamins including vitamin C (275 mg/100g), vitamin A (432.4 IU/100g), vitamin E (3.54 mg/100g), Riboflavin (1.45 mg/100g), Niacin (68.4 mg/100g), Pantothenic acid (0.85 mcg/100g), vitamin B-6 (1.12 mg/100g), and vitamin B-2 (5.4 mcg/100g). Similarly, mineral elements composition revealed high amount of minerals including potassium (647.2 mg/l), calcium (176.6 mg/l), iron (30.9 mg/l), magnesium (22.5 mg/l), phosphorous (84.2 mg/l), sodium (414.2 mg/l), zinc (1.4 mg/l), copper (0.7 mg/l), manganese (1.06 mg/l) and selenium (0.53 mg/l).Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(2), pp.226-230, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.34