J. C. Tarafdar

Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI) | CAZRI · Division of Natural Resources and Environment

Field trials were carried out during the rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20 to observe the combined impact of recommended fertilizer dose with or without nano zinc on lentils under residual soil status of preceding rice. The experiment was designed in split-plot with three replications holding sixteen treatment combinations viz. residual effect of...

Field trials were carried out during the rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20 to observe the combined impact of recommended fertilizer dose with or without nano zinc on lentils under residual soil status of preceding rice. The experiment was designed in split-plot with three replications holding sixteen treatment combinations viz. residual effect of...

Field trials were carried out during the rabi season of 2018-19 and 2019-20 to observe the combined impact of recommended fertilizer dose with or without nano zinc on lentils under residual soil status of preceding rice. The experiment was designed in split-plot with three replications holding sixteen treatment combinations viz. residual effect of...

The book entitled: Organic and Biogenic Nano-Agri-Inputs in Sustainable Crop Production: A Path to Food Safety and Security will provide applied knowledge of organic and nano-agri-inputs in fields of organic agriculture, production of safe crop produce, food safety and their processing. Production of organic and nano-agri-input products, their regu...

Chemical fertilizers are proved to be disrupting soil quality and structure as well as adversely affecting the entire ecosystems. Moreover, due to gradual climate change it may accelerate the detrimental effect on food production resulting increase in global hunger index. To cope up the present situation we need a versatile technology that can be e...

A major environmental issue that has posed substantial risks to both human health and agricultural production is chemical toxicant contamination. The two environmental toxins that pose the greatest threat to humans and wildlife are heavy metals and pesticides. Long-term,excessive fertiliser and pesticide use that causes heavy metal deposition in ag...

Abstract To understand the soil health under continuous cultivation after using organic and chemical inputs, a survey was conducted under Uttarakhand, Navdanya farm areas, where farmers were selected who were practicing both chemical and organic inputs under different crops at least more than 5 years. The effect of most important crops growing unde...

Increasing the nutrient use efficiency of the soil through Nanotechnological approach

Nanofertilizer: Key Player for Enhancing Food Production and Sustaining Environmental Protection J. C. Tarafdar Former UGC-Emeritus Professor & ICAR-Emeritus Scientist Jodhpur 342008, Rajasthan, India Abstract Nanofertilizers are at the leading age of a rapidly developing field of nanotechnology. It can be synthesized through physical, chemical,...

Rapid and uniform seed germination is important for adequate crop establishment to ensure economic sustainability and efficient use of production resources in commercial agriculture. This situation is particularly evident in high-value crops. Germination is one of the most important steps for the establishment of plants in agriculture and is fundam...

Four phosphate solubilizing/mobilizing fungi (Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus ustus, Curvularia lunata and Phoma species) were isolated and tested for their population growth and efficiency towards phosphorus solubilization and mobilization from the native soil under both sterilised and non-sterile soil conditions after taking wheat as a test cro...

It is important to know the relative contribution of phosphatases, phytase and organic acids which enable us to distinguish their individual importance in P mobilization. Therefore, we have developed a regression equation to understand the relative contribution of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, phytase and organic acids towards the P mobil...

Micro-organisms have immense potential for production of different nanonutrients for wide application in agriculture. The bio-synthesized nanonutrients are relatively stable as they are naturally encapsulated by mother protein. They can apply as foliage, in the soil, through drip, sprinkler or through hydroponic and aeroponic. Their requirements ar...

Four effective phosphatase and phytase-producing fungi, Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus ustus, Curvularia lunata, and Phoma species, were selected for their native P mobilisation under field conditions, using clusterbean and pearl millet as test crops. The main aim was to increase agro ecosystem productivity and get rid of the negative effects of...

The phytase enzyme was collected from plants (cereal, legumes and oilseeds) and fungal sources and compared their efficiency to release inorganic P from organic P compounds. In general, fungi released more phytase after 21 days of growth and their extracellular activity was more than their intra-cellular counterpart. Plants are releasing 4 to 43% m...

Abstract The phytase enzyme was collected from plants (cereal, legumes and oilseeds) and fungal sources and compared their efficiency to release inorganic P from organic P compounds. In general, fungi released more phytase after 21 days of growth and their extracellular activity was more than their intra-cellular counterpart. Plants are releasing 4...

More release of mineral-P from organic P compounds (phytin and glycerophosphate, 200 mg L-1) was observed due to the action of 10 mg L-1 organic acids (formic, citric, lactic, malic).Lactic acid was found to be most effective followed by formic and citric acid. In general, malic acid showed poor response as compared to the other organic acids teste...

The impact of combined use of inorganic and organic nutrients in supplementation with foliar spray of zinc in nanoform on rice has never been studied to date. It was postulated that such combination could ensure better growth and yield in Inceptisols through better availability of nutrients and also enhanced soil biological activities. Eight treatm...

Nanofertilizers application in agriculture may serve as an opportunity to achieve sustainability towards global food production. Important benefits of nanofertilizers over conventional chemical fertilizers rely on nutrient delivery systems. For example, the nutrient can be released over 40–50 days in a slow-release fashion rather than 4–10 days by...

Role of Soil Biology on Soil Health for Sustainable Agricultural Production J. C. Tarafdar Chapter First Online: 04 June 2022 1 Accesses Abstract For tenable agriculture production and soil health maintenance, microbial and faunal activity is very important which helps to maintain ecology in soil with minimal effect on environment. Soil biology c...

Direct-seeded rice (DSR) seeds are often exposed to multiple environmental stresses in the field, leading to poor emergence, growth and productivity. Appropriate seed priming agents may help to overcome these challenges by ensuring uniform seed germination, and better seedling stand establishment. To examine the effectiveness of sodium selenite (Na...

Use of Biogenic Nanomaterial for Sustainable Agriculture

Biogenic nanofertilizer for sustainable green future J. C. Tarafdar Former UGC Emeritus Professor & ICAR Emeritus Scientist, Jodhpur 342008, Rajasthan, India ABSTRACT Number of agriculturally important nanomaterial can be synthesized through biological means to enhance plant productivity, nutrient use efficiency, stress management, soil health mana...

Sonochemistry shall revolutionize the agricultural systems through nanofertilizers. Nanoparticles follow the mechanism of targeted delivery of controlled and conditional release of the active ingredients for triggering the environmental and biological demand more precisely. The nanoparticles make the supply of nutrients more precise for maximum pla...

Direct-seeded rice (DSR) seeds are often exposed to multiple environmental stresses in the field, leading to poor emergence, growth and productivity. Appropriate seed priming agents may help to overcome the challenges by ensuring uniform seed germination, and better seedling stand establishment. To examine the effectiveness of sodium selenite, sodi...

The present chapter deals with the importance of biostimulants, their sources and method of application. Role of biostimulants for sustainable and quality crop production including abiotic stress management and nutrient use efficiency. Their role on antioxidant properties as well as enhanced crop growth and yields. Their role on physical and chemic...

For tenable agriculture production and soil health maintenance, microbial and faunal activity is very important which helps to maintain ecology in soil with minimal effect on environment. Soil biology can find a good balance between the requirement of food production and the protection of the ecological system within the environment. Good and healt...

Title: Nanonutrients for crop production and plant protection Authors: J. C. Tarafdar Affiliations: Former UGC-Emeritus Professor and ICAR-Emeritus Scientist Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, Rajasthan-342008, India Contact email address: jctarafdar@yahoo.in Abstract Different nanoparticles can be synthesized through physical, chemical...

Nanotechnology application in agriculture may serve to achieve sustainability towards global food production by enhancing more native nutrient mobilization, nutrient use efficiency, and maintaining soil health. Nanoparticle farming requires less nutrient, is less expensive, and produces more yield as compared to the conventional farming. It can reg...

Based on long experience in nanofertilizer research, the author has prepared this excellent book for the academician, students, researchers, farmers and industries. The purpose of this book is to draw attention on Nanofertilizer which has the potential to replace chemical fertilizer with balanced nutrient supply, high efficiency with better crop yi...

This book is about Nanofertilizers, their scope and potential, different synthesis methods as well as factors of nanofertilizer production, characterisation of nanofertilizers, application procedures, nanofertilizer effects on soil and plants including plant physiology, nutrient uptake efficiency of nanofertilizers, effect on stress tolerance and c...

Nanofertilizer technology is very innovative and has the opportunity to impact on agriculture. The nanoparticles were applied to leaf surfaces at recommended concentration (10-80 ppm) and enter through the stomata/cuticle, avoiding direct interaction with soil system. The results reveal that the nanoparticles could significantly enhance the root ar...

Biosynthesized nanofertilizer (bionanofertilizer) is a group of nanotechnology-based environment friendly efficient fertilizers which are cost effective, growth and yield enhancer, nutrient use efficient, and soil health maintainer. It is an enzyme-mediated process to breakdown the salts into their respective nanoparticles through catalytic effects...

A novel technique has been developed for synthesis of nano-phosphorus by microbial protein. The particles are stable due to natural encapsulation by mother protein. The bioformulated nano-phosphorus can preferably be applied as foliage with the optimum concentration of 40mg/L, it can also be applied through drip, sprinkler, hydroponic and aquaponic...

Carbon, phosphorus and potassium stock for a meter soil profile were determined in 2002 for a 22860 km2 area under pearl millet (pm) -pearl millet (pm) (pennisetum americanum Linn.) cropping system and the results were compared with the database of 1975. The influence of alternate land use systems on organic carbon, phosphorus and potassium density...

More than 96% of the total native phosphorus present in any agricultural soils is in unavailable inorganic or organic forms. They may be utilized by the plants through the activity of efficient fungi which are secreting/producing/releasing huge amount of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, phytase, and organic acids. The important fungi capable...

This book is organized into 18 chapters covering the following subjects: history (Chapter 1); use of nanomaterials in agriculture (Chapter 2); green nanotechnology (Chapter 3); nanonutrients (Chapter 4); enhanced productivity (Chapter 5); synthesis and applications of nanoparticles in agriculture (Chapter 6); toxicity, fate and transport of nanomat...

In this work, we have synthesized molybdenum nanoparticles using a fungus Aspergillus tubin-genesis TFR29. The mechanism for nanoparticle synthesis has been described. The characterization of nanoparticles were performed using particle size analysis/Dynamic light scattering analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy an...

Fifteen polysaccharide-producing micro-organisms were developed and their polysaccharide production has been induced from 10-18 times by applying bio-inspired Zn and Fe nanoparticles. An eco-friendly low cost protocol for biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles ( Patent No. : 149/DEL/2012) was unfolded. A methodology has been developed ( Patent No. : 4...

Biosynthesis of nanomaterial is of particular attention for material scientists due to its environmentally benign perspective and durability in a natural medium. Nanoparticles synthesized by using the whole cell, either inside the biological entity (intracellular) or extract/lysate/peptide-template (extracellular) believed to have a wide range of b...

The plant and microbial contribution towards different plant beneficial enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, esterase, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and phytase) was partitioned under four arid crops (pearl millet, clusterbean, mung bean, moth bean) at critical growth stage. The experiment was conducted at Aridisol under five different organ...

Nanoparticles are considered as the protagonist of the nanotechnology revolution. Inorganic nanoparticles like nitrogen are of special importance due to their role as major plant nutrient. In the present paper an eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of nitrogen nanoparticles was described by selecting a promising fungal isolate Aspergillus tubin...

Biosynthesis of nanomaterial is of particular attention for material scientists due to its environmentally benign perspective and durability in a natural medium. Nanoparticles synthesized by using the whole cell, either inside the biological entity (intracellular) or extract/lysate/peptide-template (extracellular) believed to have a wide range of b...

The efficiency of acid and alkaline phosphatase toward hydrolysis of different P fractions was studied under fallow, rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of crops, trees and grasses from Aridisol, and forest rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils of Inceptisol. Native P of soil was fractioned into four different pools: water-soluble inorganic phosp...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with Ailanthus excelsa Roxb (Ardu) were assessed for their qualitative and quantitative distribution from eight districts of Rajasthan. A total of three species of Acaulospora, two species of Gigaspora, fourteen species of Glomus, four species of Sclerocystis and two species of Scutellospora were recorde...

Microbiological synthesis of nanoparticles has emerged as rapidly developing research area in nanotechnology across the globe with various biological entities being employed in production of nanoparticles constantly forming an impute alternative for conventional methods. Simple prokaryotes to complex eukaryotic organisms including higher plants are...

Phosphorous (P) is a limiting factor to plant growth and productivity in almost half of the world's arable soil, and its uptake in plants is often constrained due to low solubility in the soil. To avoid repeated and large quantity application of rock phosphate as a P fertilizer and enhance the availability of native P acquisition by the plant root...

A number of laboratory studies were conducted to know the condition favorable for resin-P adsorption under arid environment. Several type of ion exchange resins were used for the study. The results clearly demonstrated more P accumulation by resin bag at pH 7.8. Resin bag adsorbed maximum P when soil EC was 2 dSm-1. In low organic matter soil chela...

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi associated with Acacia nilotica subsp. indica (Babul) were assessed for their qualitative and quantitative distribution from nine districts of Rajasthan. A total of one species of Acaulospora, two species of Gigaspora, seventeen species of Glomus, four species of Sclerocystis and two species of Scutellospora were r...

A unique bacteria Bacillus megaterium JCT13 was isolated purified and cultured from arid soils which are secreting a large amount of phytase along with phosphatases. The bacteria have the ability to breakdown P nanoparticles of 50 nm size from phytin salts (0.1mM concentration) within 24 hours. The characterization of nanoparticles were carried out...

A biosynthesis process was developed for synthesis and delivery of magnesium nanoparticlesto wheat plants through foliar application. This is an efficient technique capable of generating magnesium nanoparticles by fungal protein Aspergillus brasiliensis TFR 23 with controllable particle sizes (<5.9 nm). The nanoparticles were characterized, applied...

In the current literature, the impact of nano-particles (NPs) on growth of higher plants has scantly been reported. An investigation was carried out to study the effect of zinc oxide nano-particles (Zea mays L.) plant, as one of the major agricultural crops, in a solution culture system. Various concentrations of zinc (Zn) were applied through nano...

TiO2 nanoparticle (NPs) biosynthesis is a low cost, ecofriendly approach developed using the fungi Aspergillus flavus TFR 7. To determine whether TiO2 NPs is suitable for nutrient, we conducted a two part study; biosynthesis of TiO2 NP and evaluates their influence on mung bean. The characterized TiO2 NPs were foliar sprayed at 10 mgL−1 concentrati...

In context to environmentally benign technology, present study was made for biosynthesis of zinc nanoparticles which were used as nanofertilizer to enhance crop production in pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L.) cv. HHB 67. Synthesized zinc nanoparticles were characterized for confirmation of size, shape, surface structure, crystalline nature, a...

With the advancement of nanotechnology, increasing use of commercial nano materials in many products is obvious and thus it is critical to identify potential impact of nano materials on different organisms. In the present investigation, the effect of different metal oxide nano particles was evaluated on filamentous cyanobacteria. Different growth p...

Fungus mediated biological synthesis of MgO nanoparticle is a new approach for environmentally benign protocol in context to green nanotechnology. The fungal isolate was identified on the basis of morphological and molecular parameters. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) were...

The present study aims to extend the current knowledge of secondary metabolite acquisition of plants by the establishment of an AM symbiosis. Antioxidant compounds especially polyphenols resulting from phenylpropanoid metabolism and terpenoids derived from the mevalonate pathway, play an important role in the protection of organisms, cells and cell...

Present investigation demonstrate the synthesis of magnesium oxide nanoparticle using fungus Aspergillus tubingensis TFR-3 (NCBI GenBank Accession No. JN126255). Identification of fungus isolate was carried out on the basis of morphological and molecular characteristic. Purified extra-cellular enzymatic secrets were used for the reduction of precur...

In the present study, zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg) and titanium (Ti) nanoparticles synthesized using fungus by employing various precursor salts of sulfate salts, nitrate salts, chloride salts and oxide salts. To access the nanoparticle production potential, over a hundreds of fungi were isolated from the soil and tested with precursor salts of the Zn...

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Biological synthesis of nanoparticles has emerged as rapidly developing research area in nanotechnology across the globe with various biological entities being employed in production of nanoparticles constantly forming an impute alternative for conventional methods. Simple prokaryotes to complex eukaryotic organisms including higher plants are used...

Scientific collaboration has become inevitable, especially when advanced facilities along with expertise are to be brought into the project for advancing the scope of research and for fostering innovation. Notwithstanding these, scientific collaboration also brings along many challenges and difficulties during different stages of collaboration, viz...

Chilli, Capsicum annuum (var. RCH 1) was tested for susceptible response to two species of Glomus, i.e. Glomus fasciculatum and G. mosseae. The experiment was conducted in specially made earthen tubes of 100 cc soil capacity. AM spores we inoculated to roots @ 1 spore/ g soil. Observations on various plant growth parameters and biochemical studies...

Biological synthesis of gold nanoparticle is a new approach for environmentally benign protocol in context to green nanotechnology. In present investigation, gold nanoparticles were synthesized using extracellular secrets of fungi Rhizoctonia bataticola TFR-6. Valid characterization techniques employed for biotransformed gold nanoparticles includin...

To access the nanoparticle production potential over a hundreds of fungi were isolated from the soil and tested with precursor salts of Zn, Mg and Ti. Initially, the nanoparticle size was calculated by using the dynamic light scattering through particle size analyzer. Only 14 fungi isolate were found suitable for nanoparticle biosynthesis. All the...

A new and innovative approach was attempted for biosynthesis of TiO 2 nanoparticles which are rapid, cost effective, and environmentally benign in the context to green nanotechnology and may be directly used in agricultural, biomedical and engineering sector. The nanoparticle (< 100 nm) was synthesized from TiO 2 pre-cursor salt by employing Asperg...