September 2024 VOLUME:10, ISSUE-3

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL

Biotechnological Enhancement of Agricultural Waste into Valuable Bio Resources

Khushi Farhat, Samakshi Verma

  • Pages: 1-7
    • <p>The swift growth of the food processing and agricultural sectors has resulted in the production of large amounts of agro-industrial waste, creating significant environmental and economic issues. The improper disposal of waste from industries like sugar, dairy, fruit and vegetable processing, and oil extraction leads to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and the inefficient use of valuable biomass. Recently, there has been a growing focus on the sustainable management of these wastes by transforming them into value-added bio-products. Agro-industrial residues are abundant in lignocellulosic materials, proteins, and carbohydrates, making them ideal substrates for microbial fermentation and enzymatic processes. Bioconversion technologies enable the transformation of these wastes into a variety of valuable products, such as biofuels, organic acids, enzymes, bioplastics, and animal feed. This method not only alleviates environmental impact but also aligns with circular economy principles by encouraging resource recovery and minimizing waste. Consequently, the valorization of agro-industrial waste offers a promising and environmentally friendly approach for sustainable development and the advancement of industrial biotechnology.</p>

Comparative Evaluation of Pollen Viability and Germination under Heat Stress in Major Field Crops: Chickpea, Wheat, and Mustard

Nidhi Saroj & Abhilasha Gautam

  • Pages: 8-18
    • <p>The rising temperatures are becoming an important threat for the crop yield. The developmental phase is especially sensitive to changes in temperature. Among several physiological factors that may be considered, pollen fertility and germination are reliable indicators of heat-stress, due to their role in fertilization. Aim of present research includes a comparative study of pollen viability and pollen germination concerning heat stress in three crop plants grown in the field including Chickpea, Wheat, and Mustard. The effect of heat stress in plant flowering stages is negatively related to the development of anthers, pollen sterility, and pollen germination, thereby leading to a reduction in seed production. From the comparative analysis that was carried out for the crops undergoing heat stress condition, it can be observed that the Chickpea crop is less resistant to heat stress than the Wheat and Mustard crops. On the whole, viability of pollen grains and pollen germination can be highly beneficial and efficient approaches in the selection of heat stress-resistant crops from diverse crops. The utilization of such reproductive characteristics in breeding programs may result in crops resistant to the effects of elevated temperatures. The negative effect of heat stress on reproduction in the case of the Wheat leads to a reduction in the viability and germination of pollen grains, which has a direct relation to the decrease in grain production in high temperatures. The Chickpea is also sensitive to heat stress resulting in decreased pollen fertility and germination of pollen grains caused by disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism in plants and, consequently, a lower content of sucrose in anthers. As for the Mustard, heat stress causes negative effects on pollen viability and fertilization, yet the sensitivity is genotypic.</p>

WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF PONDS IN KANPUR NAGAR

Dheerendra Kamal and 1Shraddha Sahu

  • Pages: 19-24
    • <p>Water quality data paints a grim picture of this degradation. Researchers consistently find high levels of total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity within these stagnant pools. Low dissolved oxygen levels prevent aquatic life from thriving. Oxygen depletion stems directly from the massive organic load constantly flowing into the systems. Higher readings of biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand confirm that the water is actively suffocating. Beyond mere oxygen starvation, nutrient loading creates a different kind of disaster. Nitrates and phosphates surge into the ponds through runoff, triggering rapid, suffocating algal blooms. People often add to the problem through cultural practices or dumping trash during religious festivals. While algae look harmless on the surface, their decay strips every remaining bit of oxygen from the water beneath. Fish die off, foul odours fill the air, and the entire pond ecosystem collapses into a state of total imbalance</p>

Molecular Mechanisms of Probiotic Action in Gut Health and Immune Modulation

Swati Yadav, Sharda Yadav and Renu Varma

  • Pages: 25-44
    • <p>Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer health benefits to the host when administered in adequate amounts, particularly through their roles in maintaining gut homeostasis and modulating immune responses. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying probiotic activity in the gastrointestinal tract and immune system. Probiotics interact with intestinal epithelial cells via adhesion molecules, influencing gene expression to enhance barrier integrity, mucin production, and tight junction function. They contribute to microbial balance through competitive exclusion of pathogens, production of antimicrobial compounds, and modulation of the gut environment, including the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). At the molecular level, probiotics engage pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), activating key signaling pathways including NF-&kappa;B, MAPK, and JAK/STAT, which regulate inflammatory and immune responses. These interactions promote anti-inflammatory effects, enhance innate immunity, and modulate adaptive immune responses by influencing dendritic cell function, cytokine production, and regulatory T-cell differentiation. Despite significant advances, challenges remain due to strain-specific effects, host genetic variability, and microbiome diversity, which influence probiotic efficacy. Emerging omics technologies and personalized approaches offer promising avenues for advancing probiotic research and therapeutic applications. A deeper understanding of probiotic&ndash;host molecular interactions is essential for developing targeted strategies to manage gastrointestinal and immune-related disorders.</p>

Role of exopolysaccharides (EPS) in salt stress tolerance

Sharda Yadav, Swati Yadav and Renu Varma

  • Pages: 46-77
    • <p>Soil salinization has emerged as one of the most damaging environmental constraints facing modern agricultural systems, with an estimated 20% of irrigated farmland currently impaired by excessive salt accumulation. Among the diverse biological strategies that have attracted scientific attention, exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent a particularly promising avenue. These high-molecularweight biopolymers, secreted into the immediate surroundings of bacterial cells, fulfill a multitude of functions ranging from soil particle binding and water retention to direct ionic buffering and the modulation of plant physiological responses. This review synthesizes current knowledge on EPS structure, biosynthesis pathways, and the mechanistic roles these molecules play in alleviating salt stress in crop plants. We observe how EPS production is upregulated under saline conditions, how the resulting polymers modify soil physical properties, and how EPS-producing bacteria communicate with and protect host plants through phytohormone signaling, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and selective ion exclusion. Evidence from controlled greenhouse trials as well as field-scale experiments is evaluated critically, including instances where published findings appear contradictory. This concludes by identifying key research gaps and proposing directions for the practical deployment of EPS-producing bacteria in saline agriculture. this work aims to provide an agronomists, microbiologists, and plant physiologists seeking to leverage microbial biotechnology for sustainable crop production under salt stress.</p>
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