Faculty Publications

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Bioprocesses for Sustainable Management of Mine Waste in Contaminated Environmental Matrices
(CRC Press, 2024) Nair, V.; Singh, A.; Gowda, N.K.
Mining activities release heavy metals into the soil, which causes pollution, habitat loss, soil erosion, acid mine drainage, and serious threats to human health. Mining waste also includes waste rocks and slag, which accumulate toxins and have tailing effects. In recent years the accelerated growth in population and industrial production has made it impossible to restrict mining activities. Mining waste management needs to be redefined to become more sustainable. The use of conventional remediation methods requires use of expensive equipment and complex techniques and can led to the formation of noxious secondary pollutants. Continual efforts to develop biological treatment methods offer promising results using various alternatives like bacteria-assisted degradation, phytoremediation, phycoremediation, and modifications in the bioreactor system for the removal of pollutants from mining-contaminated sites. These methods have an innate ability to bioaccumulate the leached metals from the surroundings and build rich phytomass, which can be used for biofuel production. The zero-waste concept has been receiving a lot of attention in recent years since it helps in not only resolving the problem of mining waste accumulation but also reducing the demand for fossil fuels and their derivatives. This chapter focusses on biotechnological methods that can be applied to efficiently extract and treat mining waste from different industries in order to harness bioenergy from its by-products. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Alok Prasad Das, Eric D. van Hullebusch, and Ata Akçil; individual chapters, the contributors.
Advancing date palm cultivation in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond: Addressing stress tolerance, genetic diversity, and sustainable practices
(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Manikandan, S.K.; Jenifer A, D.; Gowda, N.K.; Nair, V.; Al-Ruzouq, R.; Gibril, M.B.A.; Lamghari, F.; Klironomos, J.; Hmoudi, M.A.; Sheteiwy, M.; El-Keblawy, A.
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivation in the Arabian Peninsula is crucial for regional agriculture and global markets. The Arabian Peninsula is dominant in date production, contributing approximately 34 % of the global output. Recent advancements in agricultural technologies have improved fruit yield and quality, expanding date palm cultivation globally. However, sustainability challenges persist due to various abiotic stresses, such as salinity, temperature extremes, drought, soil factors, and biotic stresses, including diseases and pests. This review examines key environmental factors affecting date palm cultivation, with a focus on soil salinity, water scarcity, and climate change-related stresses. The genetic diversity among date palm varieties is emphasized, highlighting the need for breeding programs aimed at improving stress tolerance and yield. Biotechnological advancements, such as genetic transformation and genome editing, are discussed for their potential to enhance crop resilience and productivity. Additionally, remote sensing techniques are explored for their application in precision agriculture, particularly in the mapping and monitoring of date palm health and soil conditions. The significant role of artificial intelligence in accurately mapping date palm trees using multi-platform remotely sensed data is also reviewed, illustrating its potential to enhance geospatial databases and support sustainable management practices. The review concludes with recommendations for optimizing cultivar selection and management strategies tailored to local conditions, emphasizing the need for ongoing research to advance date palm cultivation on a global scale. © 2024

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