Research Papers

Advancing Diagnostics for Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae: Challenges and Future Directions

Jain Raghav , Kochar Mandira , Dubey Mukul Kumar , Sharma Shayam Sundar , Yang Wenrong , Cahill David

| 2025

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a widespread bacterial pathogen in rice with worldwide implications. This pathogen causes bacterial blight in rice and is a concern for global food security, causing up to 50% yield loss. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of Xoo, including its global distribution, disease cycle, and current management strategies, while critically evaluating the limitations of existing diagnostic methods. By focusing on Xoo, the paper addresses a gap in research that mostly focuses on the wider Xanthomonas genus.

Bioeconomic Potential of Agro-residues: Agrotextiles in India

Kaushik Vanshika, Pawar Parikshit Abhimanyu , Wali Syed Arif , Sharma Jitendra Vir

| 2025

India, an agrarian economy, generates over 650 million tonnes of agro-residues annually, much of which remain underutilized, leading to environmental pollution and resource loss. Effective management of this biomass presents opportunities for bioeconomic applications, including biogas, bio-composites, fodder, fertilizers, and fibre-based products. Technological advancements have enabled the repurposing of agro-residues into sustainable agrotextiles, such as mulch mats and harvesting nets, fostering rural economic growth while reducing environmental impact.

Hydrogen Rotary Kilns for Ironmaking in India

Will Hall, Abhinav Bhaskar, Mårten Görnerup

| 2025

India’s iron and steel sector faces a significant challenge in decarbonizing over the coming decades, necessitating new technological solutions. A unique hurdle is India’s vast sector of small-scale sponge iron producers, who largely rely on coal-based rotary kilns to produce direct reduced iron (DRI).

The paper, ‘Hydrogen Rotary Kilns for Ironmaking in India: A novel solution for decarbonizing small-scale ironmaking,’ outlines a promising technological route for this segment of the industry.

Towards Earthquake Predictability: A Seismo-Ionospheric Approach Using TEC Anomalies and ARIMA Forecasting

Majumder Madhuparna , Ketholia Yateesh , Ghosh Sayanta

| 2025

Earthquakes have always been a permanent threat to humanity. Monitoring the earthquake precursors using space-based methods can be a new introduction to earthquake studies. The promising analysis of the earthquake precursors such as Ionospheric Perturbations is based on the detection of Ionospheric electron content. Within approximately 3 weeks before an event, negative TEC anomalies have been witnessed.

Promoting an Enhanced Learning About Environment Through a Whole-school Approach and Non-formal Education Tools: A Case Study of GREEN Olympiad

Kahlon Livleen K, Mehta Taru, Barua Monmi , Kazi Saltanat M. , Das Ravi S., Bhushan Kashish

| 2025

Holistic education empowers learners with a transformative impact and improves their living conditions by enhancing their core competencies. A project-based learning approach helps to further facilitate environmental improvement initiatives at individual and institutional levels through a whole-school approach, ensuring sustainability and contributing to measurable results. GREEN Olympiad is a step in this direction and an example of a programme transcending towards education for sustainable development goals.

GREEN Olympiad: A Case Study to Augment Learning through Non-formal Education

Mehta Taru , Kahlon Livleen K

| 2024

With an increase in human aspirations and urbanization, development is happening at a largely unsustainable pace. Hope still resides in the power of education to offset unsustainable actions by promoting Environmentally Responsible Behaviour (ERB) amongst our younger citizenry. ERB can put knowledge into practice, thereby ensuring sustainable environments, healthy communities, and social cohesion. Through programmes like GREEN Olympiad, students are sensitized to enhance their knowledge levels and pave the way to become environment-conscious citizens.

GIS & Machine Learning Based Approaches to Assess Forest and Biodiversity Vulnerability Under Climate Stress: A Case Study from Assam, India

Ghosh Sayanta

| 2025

The study presents an integrated geospatial and machine learning framework to assess forest and biodiversity vulnerability in Assam, India, under projected climate stress scenarios. Using multi-source remote sensing datasets and climate variables, the work applies GIS-based spatial modeling and machine learning algorithms to identify climate hotspots, evaluate forest resilience, and highlight biodiversity-rich yet highly vulnerable landscapes.

Sericin-based ‘green’ and sustainable biomaterial for waste-water purification as a bioremediation strategy

Koshy Divya Susan , Saxena Rohit , Agrawal Ruchi

| 2025

Silk protein sericin is a natural polymer extracted from the silkworm Bombyx mori, known for its eco-friendliness and biocompatibility. Silkworm cocoons, mainly composed of silk fibroin, possess excellent adsorption capabilities. The porous and fibrous nature of the cocoon provides a large surface area, offering a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to synthetic adsorbents and water treatment due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability.

Integrated assessment of ecological sustainability of urban and peri‑urban agricultural practices in Kolkata Metropolitan Area, India using Analytic Hierarchy Process

Datta Debajit , Mazumder Shrabana , Mrinmoyee ,Naskar Shovik Deb, Roy Asit Kumar , Maity Debapriya

| 2025

Urbanization presents multifaceted challenges to urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), disrupting the ecological balance and food security in rapidly expanding metropolitan regions. The Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) of India exemplifies these challenges, with its UPA system being increasingly pressurized by urban sprawl and environmental degradation. Within the broader discourse on sustainable urban food systems, prioritizing the ecological integrity of UPA is critical for promoting community resilience.

Assessment of the coral habitability status of marine ecosystems along the eastern coast of Andaman Islands, India

Majumdar Debaleena , Das Barnali , Roy Asit Kumar , Chakraborty Subha , Datta Debajit

| 2025

The Andaman Islands, hosting one of the most enriched marine ecosystems globally, have faced significant ecological threats due to various physico-climatic changes over recent decades, adversely impacting approximately 25 mangrove species and 135 coral species. To evaluate these impacts systematically on regional marine ecology, this study develops and applies a coral habitat quality index (CHI) along the eastern Andaman coast using an integrated approach combining key physico-climatic indicators, participatory coastal community appraisals, and geospatial analysis.