Agriculture, Volume 14, Issue 6 (June 2024) – 148 articles

In the period of 2016–2018, two series of field studies on organic sugar beet growing (Beta vulgaris L.) were carried out in northern Poland on Luvisol loamy soil (medium–heavy) soil in Bałcyny and Płonne. The aim of this study was to decrease the yield gap between organic and conventional beets. Factors to increase the yield of organic beet were differentiated fertilization (cattle farmyard manure (FYM), compost, and Bioilsa) and choice of varieties (Eliska, Jampol, and Sobieski). The reference point was the conventional cultivation of the same sugar beet varieties, fertilized with manure and NPK mineral fertilizers, the prevailing standard of sugar beet cultivation in Poland. High sugar beet root yields exceeding the average yield in Poland by 25–30% were obtained in both studies, both in conventional and organic cultivation. Higher root and white sugar yields were obtained in the study conducted at Płonne (with similar soil conditions to those at Bałcyny), but they were characterized by higher temperatures during the growing season. The lowest root yields in both experiments were obtained by fertilizing the organic beet with compost (66.1 t per ha in Bałcyny and 78.13 t per ha in Płonne), which were 10.8% and 8.5% lower than the conventional crop, respectively. Higher root yields in organic cultivation were obtained by fertilizing the sugar beet with FYM, which reduced the differences from conventional beet to 7.7% in the study in Bałcyny and 2.1% in the study in Płonne. Thus, the results showed no need to convert cattle FYM to compost. The highest root yields in organic cultivation were obtained by fertilizing the sugar beet with Bioilsa N 12.5 supplemented with mineral fertilization of K, Mg, and S (Patentkali). This fertilization provided a yield of 78.1 t of roots per ha in Bałcyny, which is a reduction in the yield gap to 1.4%, a statistically insignificant value. Moreover, in the study at Płonne, organic sugar beet fertilized with Bioilsa and Patentkali yielded 86.7 t of roots per ha, compared to 85.6 t per ha of conventional beet, so a yield gap was not seen here. The choice of varieties was also of great importance for root and pure sugar yields in both farming systems. The lowest yields were obtained from the Eliska variety, and at Bałcyny, a change of beet cultivar to Jampol increased the organic root yield from 68.8 t per ha to 76.0 t per ha, while reducing the yield gap from 10.1% to 2.2%. At Płonne, replacing the Eliska variety with Jampol reduced the yield gap between organic and conventional roots from 6.6% to 0.3%. Full article

Resveratrol (RES) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other beneficial properties. Here, we hypothesize that supplementation with RES and HMB could affect the rumen function in Tibetan sheep. This study aims to explore the effects of RES and HMB supplementation at different protein levels on the rumen microbial and metabolite compositions of Tibetan sheep. Four treatments (n = 30) were prepared according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two dietary protein levels (12% and 14%) and two feed additives (RES 1.50 g/day and HMB 1.25 g/day). The experimental treatments were fed diets with 12% CP level non-supplemented (L), 12% protein with RES and HMB (L-RES-HMB), 14% CP level non-supplemented (H), and 14% protein with RES and HMB (H-RES-HMB), respectively. Our results indicated that the trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase were significantly increased in the H-RES-HMB group (p < 0.05), while the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentration was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The alpha diversity analysis found that the ACE indices of the L-RES-HMB, and H-RES-HMB groups was significantly higher than that of the L group (p < 0.05). Additionally, compared with the L, L-RES-HMB, and H groups, it was found that the abundance of Euryarchaeota, Spirochaeota, and Metanobrevibacter was significantly increased in the H-RES-HMB group, while the abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly decreased (p < 0.05). A total of 745 significantly different metabolites were identified, of which 14 metabolites were common among the three comparative groups. Differential metabolites were mainly enriched in pathways including the pyrimidine metabolism, the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolisms, and ABC transporters. Overall, CP level and RES/HMB exhibited positively interaction effect on digestive enzyme activity and antioxidant capacity. Dietary RES and HMB supplementation on 14% CP level improved the ruminal digestive enzyme activity and antioxidant capacity through modulating the microbial community and regulating the metabolism. Full article

This study sought to better understand how time of day (ToD) or turgor pressure might affect the flexural stiffness of sweet sorghum stalks and potentially regulate stalk lodging resistance. Stalk flexural stiffness measured across a 48 h period in 2019 showed a significant diurnal association with leaf water potential and stalk flexural stiffness. While the correlation between stalk flexural stiffness and this proxy for internal turgor status was statistically significant, it only accounted for roughly 2% of the overall variance in stiffness. Given that turgor status is a dynamic rather than fixed physiological variable like the cellular structure, these data suggest that internal turgor plays a small yet significant role in influencing the flexural stiffness of fully mature stalks prior to a stalk lodging event. The association was assessed at earlier developmental stages across three distinct cultivars and found not to be significant. Panicle weight and stalk basal weight, but not stalk Brix or water content, were found to be better predictors of stalk flexural stiffness than either ToD or turgor status. Observation across three cultivars and four distinct developmental stages ranging from the vegetative to the hard-dough stages suggests that stalk flexural stiffness changes significantly as a function of time. However, neither ToD nor turgor status appear to meaningfully contribute to observed variations in stalk flexural stiffness in either individual stalks or across larger populations. As turgor status was not found to meaningfully influence stalk strength or flexural stiffness at any developmental time point examined in any of the three sweet sorghum cultivars under study, turgor pressure likely offers only inconsequential contributions to the biomechanics underlying sweet sorghum stalk lodging resistance. Full article

This study investigates the implications of implementing simplified, highly specialized, non-rotational farming practices in Ukraine within the framework of sustainable development goals. The background highlights the need to address soil preservation and food security concerns in agricultural practices. The hypothesis suggests that such practices may lead to adverse environmental and socioeconomic consequences, including soil degradation and heightened reliance on imported agricultural products. The methods involve a comprehensive review of existing research, analyzing crop diversity, soil degradation, climate variability and agricultural employment dynamics using agroeconomic analytical methods. The results indicate adverse environmental ramifications associated with non-rotational practices, including soil degradation and heightened reliance on imported agricultural products. Conversely, transitioning towards crop rotation systems was found to potentially mitigate these outcomes by restoring soil fertility and enhancing food security. This study concludes that tailored crop rotation approaches are necessary to address soil health and food security concerns in Ukraine, thereby promoting sustainable agricultural development. Overall, the findings underscore the critical importance of implementing diversified crop rotation systems to achieve sustainable food production and environmental conservation goals in Ukraine and beyond. Full article

The new technique of filming in autumn and planting directly through the plastic film in spring is an effective method for water-saving and drought-resistant commercial potato production. However, there are currently no supporting film-drilling seeders available. To address this, a new potato seeder machine has been specifically designed for planting potatoes in the dryland, hilly, and mountainous areas of northwest China. This machine can perform top mulching and hole planting in both the autumn and spring seasons. This innovative potato seeder accomplishes several tasks simultaneously: seeding, inoculation (if desired), hole punching through the mulch film, seed placement, and soil covering. The machine features an optimized spoon-chain seeder with an eccentric coupling mechanism that ensures the hole-punching device stays perpendicular to the ground throughout planting, minimizing damage to the mulch film. Additionally, a dedicated seeding valve opening and closing mechanism was designed to extend the opening time of the hole-forming device’s movable mouth beyond the potato’s falling time, guaranteeing successful seed placement. Furthermore, a soil-covering device specifically designed for use with mulch film ensures proper soil retention after seeding. Through computer-aided design (RecurDyn V9R5 software) analysis, the hole-punching device’s penetrating angle was optimized to minimize the tearing of the mulch film during entry into and exit from the soil. Rigorous field testing demonstrated the machine’s effectiveness. The seeder achieved a 92% success rate for proper planting depth, an 88% success rate for accurate seed potato spacing, a 98% success rate for avoiding overplanting, and a 99% success rate for eliminating missed planting spots. These field test results meet or exceed national and industry standards, validating the machine’s design goals. In essence, this innovative potato seeder, with its eccentric coupling mechanism, offers a one-pass solution for potato seeding, inoculation (optional), planting, and soil covering, significantly improving efficiency. Full article

Botrytis cinerea, a necrotrophic fungus responsible for grey rot disease, causes substantial economic losses. However, recent studies have discovered distinct non-sporogenic and non-infective isolates of this species, such as the B459 field strain. Examination of these isolates is particularly intriguing in the context of the development of methodological applications that could be useful in the biocontrol of this phytopathogenic species. This investigation revealed that B459 exhibited a reduced growth rate yet displayed enhanced resilience to stressors like oxidative stress agents, SDS, ethanol, and PhITC. Notably, its ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and acidic compounds, crucial in plant–pathogen interactions, was impacted. Bio-targeted toxin identification assays and the metabolomic study of extracts obtained from fermentations at seven and fourteen days revealed that this strain does not biosynthesize botrydial and derivatives neither botcinin family toxins. Furthermore, its inability to infect tomato fruits, grape, and gerbera petals coincides with its lack of toxin production under culture conditions typically adapted for reference strain B05.10. Full article

Agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), increasingly integral to crop protection through spraying operations, are significantly influenced by their downwash fields, which in turn affect the distribution of spray droplets. The key parameters impacting spray deposition patterns are the velocity of the downwash airflow and its spatial extent. Understanding the interplay of these parameters can enhance the efficacy of UAV applications in agriculture. Previous research has predominantly focused on downwash airflow velocity, often neglecting the spatial scope of the downwash. This paper presents an applied foundational study grounded in the compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. Leveraging a dependable - turbulence model and dynamic mesh technology, it develops an effective three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach to analyze the downwash field’s distribution characteristics during UAV hover. To validate the CFD method, a visualization test was conducted using EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) balls dispersed in the airspace beneath the UAV, illustrating the airflow’s spatial distribution. Additionally, a parameter η was introduced to quantify changes in the wind field’s range, enabling the mapping of the cross-sectional area of the downwash airflow at various velocities within the UAV’s airspace. The study reveals that the downwash field’s overall shape evolves from a “four-point type” to a “square-like” and then to an “ellipse-like” configuration. Lower downwash airflow velocities exhibit a more rapid expansion of the wind field area. High-velocity downwash areas are concentrated beneath each rotor, while lower-velocity zones coalesce under each rotor and extend downward, forming a continuous expanse. Within the UAV’s downwash area, the deposition of droplets is more pronounced. At a given nozzle position, an increase in downwash airflow velocity correlates with greater droplet deposition within the downwash field. This research bridges a gap in downwash field studies, offering a solid theoretical foundation for the development of future UAV downwash field models. Full article

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal regulators of the abiotic stress responses in plants, yet their specific involvement in salt/alkali stress during alfalfa germination remains incompletely understood. Here, we subjected Zhongmu No.1 alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seeds to salt stress (20 mM NaCl and 20 mM Na₂SO₄ solutions) or alkali stress (5 mM NaHCO₃ and 5 mM Na₂CO₃ solutions) treatments for 3 days, followed by total RNA extraction and RNA-seq analysis to delineate stress-responsive alfalfa lncRNAs. We identified 17,473 novel alfalfa lncRNAs, among which 101 and 123 were differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) under salt and alkali stress, respectively, compared to the control. Furthermore, we predicted 16 and 237 differentially expressed target genes regulated by DElncRNAs through cis/trans-regulatory mechanisms under salt or alkali stress, respectively. A functional enrichment analysis of DElncRNA target genes indicated that lncRNAs were implicated in the fatty acid metabolism pathway under salt stress, while they played a significant role in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathway under alkali stress. Notably, lncRNAs were found to participate in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, a common regulatory mechanism in both salt and alkali stress responses. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying alfalfa’s response to salt and alkali stresses. Full article

Bee organisms need nutrients to function properly. Deficiencies of any nutrients decrease the condition and shorten the lifespan of insects. Moreover, protein deficiency decreases honey bee queen productivity and increases aggression in bee colonies. All of these aspects affect the efficiency and the economic aspect of beekeeping production. Limited access to sustainable feed sources for bee colonies during the season forces beekeepers to search for new sources of nutrients, particularly protein. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of brewers’ spent grain, which is a by-product of beer production, as a source of protein additive in bees’ diet. Two types of brewers’ spent grain were examined: that from light beer and that from dark porter beer. The spent grains, especially porter spent grains, improved the hemolymph protein content compared to bees fed with sugar cake without additives. It did not fully correspond to the protein levels obtained from bees fed cake with the addition of pollen, but it may be a substitute. The studies showed that brewers’ spent grain has the potential to be used as an alternative plant protein component of honey bee feed. Full article

Organic residues, as a nutrient source suitable of producing solutions for hydroponic crop production, have the potential to reduce the dependence on mineral fertilizers. Especially in remote and resource-constrained regions, organic residues might be the only option to produce hydroponic nutrient solutions. However, nutrient solutions made from organic residues, called bioponic solutions, are usually unbalanced in their nutrient composition, which leads to deficiencies and poor plant growth. This study aimed to experimentally develop a low-tech approach to produce bioponic stock solutions rich in NO₃⁻, P, and K, to create a balanced bioponic solution. The mixed bioponic solution contained 58 mg L⁻¹ NH₄⁺-N, 43 mg L⁻¹ NO₃⁻-N, 50 mg L⁻¹ PO₄³⁻-P, and 246 mg L⁻¹ K⁺. This approach resulted in satisfactory levels of P, K and micronutrients. The solution was tested pure and spiked with Ca(NO₃)₂ on lettuce in comparison with a mineral Hoagland nutrient solution. Neither the bioponic nor the spiked bioponic solution achieved comparable lettuce yields to the Hoagland solution. The poor growth of the plants in the bioponic solution was attributed to an unfavorable NH₄⁺:NO₃⁻ ratio, high microorganism load, and elevated pH levels. However, the approach of preparing bioponic stock solutions could be promising for future research into the production of balanced bioponic nutrient solutions from organic residues. Full article

At present, agricultural non-point source pollution has become the main source of water pollution, which mainly comes from the excessive use of agricultural chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. The TRS is another land system reform in China after the household contract responsibility system, which relaxes the management rights of rural land and clarifies the ownership of land. Using this land reform in China as a case study, this paper constructs panel data for 30 provinces in China to explore the impact of land tenure intensification on agricultural non-point source pollution, using the difference-in-difference (DID) model to identify the causal relationship between the two. The results show that the coefficient of the TRS policy variable is −4.056 at the 1% significance level, indicating that this round of land reform has suppressed agricultural non-point source pollution. The provinces that have implemented TRS have seen an average annual reduction of 405,600 tons in Agnps emissions compared to those that have not implemented TRS, and the scale operation of agriculture and the size of the agricultural economy act as two paths. Moreover, heterogeneity analysis shows that the policy effect of the provinces in non-major food-producing areas is smaller than that of the provinces in major food-producing areas, and the path to realization is also different. Therefore, we should continue to encourage large-scale agricultural operations, cultivate new agricultural business entities, and strengthen the inhibitory effect of TRS on agricultural non-point source pollution. Full article

Drought poses a significant threat to global food security, particularly impacting rice cultivation during the germination stage. In this study, a soil-based system that utilizes soil moisture content was used to simulate optimal and stress conditions to assess the effect of the specific seed priming protocols on germination. Eleven rice varieties, representative of indica and japonica subspecies, grown in different ecosystems and having diverse nutrient contents, were treated with water or solutions of either poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) or denatured γ-PGA. Collected data regarding germinability and stress indices revealed different drought sensitivity between japonica and indica subspecies and genotype-specific responses to priming. Particularly, γ-PGA improved germination of highly susceptible indica varieties whereas water soaking was more effective for the moderately sensitive japonica varieties. Integrative analyses evidenced differences between biofortified and non-biofortified rice under γ-PGA treatment, suggesting a possible correlation between γ-PGA efficacy and Zn/Fe seed content. These findings underline that priming strategies should be tailored based on genotype and therefore this factor should be always taken under consideration for future works. The current study provides relevant information for optimizing seed priming techniques to sustain the development of drought-resilient crops as a sustainable strategy to address agricultural resilience and safeguard food security amidst environmental challenges. Full article

The expansion of food production is becoming more important due to a rising world population, which is relying on food security on regional and local scales. Intensive food production systems exert a negative impact on the regional ecosystem because of agrochemical pollution and nutrient-rich water discharging into nearby rivers. Furthermore, these systems highly depend on regional water resources, causing water scarcity and soil erosion due to the overexploitation of natural resources in general. The objective of this article is to review the water usage in the two most water-intensive food production systems, agriculture and aquaculture, showing lacking areas like system management and climate change, which must be considered in the implementation of a sustainable water footprint. In addition, the review includes an analysis of the combination of both production systems in aquaponic food production and the possibilities of water saving. There are a variety of analyses related to water usage for crop and aquatic animal production, but in these analyses, there is a lack of information about system management in general, which includes cleaning processes, water substitution, pond removal, water evaporation, and, especially in aquaculture, the water usage required for industrially elaborated fish feed. Full article

Insect farming is gaining attention as a promising area for exploring probiotic bacteria, which can benefit both insect health and various industries. Silkworm farming is a key industry in Thailand; however, challenges such as disease susceptibility and optimising growth require innovative solutions for sustainable practices. Our study addresses this by assessing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in native Thai silkworm faeces, which accumulate as natural by-products during the rearing process. We conducted biochemical tests, including those for catalase, haemolytic activity, bile salt tolerance, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, and cell surface hydrophobicity, along with taxonomic classification. Out of 102 isolates, eight potential probiotics were selected, with five showing strong probiotic traits like acid and bile salt tolerance and cell surface hydrophobicity, enhancing gut survivability. These isolates also displayed antagonistic activity against pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Safety assessments confirmed their safety, with no haemolytic activity and sensitivity to antibiotics like chloramphenicol and amoxicillin. These LAB isolates (SP04, SP06, SP44, SP64, and SP67), identified as Enterococcus faecalis strain NBRC 100481, show promise as in vitro probiotics for silkworm rearing, calling for further in vivo evaluation. Full article

To determine the patterns and influencing factors of the mechanical properties of millet stems from different varieties during the maturity period, this study employed a complete block experiment method and conducted shearing and bending tests on millet stems using the INSTRON5544 electronic universal material testing machine. The research investigated the variation in the shear strength, specific shear energy, bending strength, elastic modulus, and bending stiffness at different internode positions of the stems of Changza 466, Zhangza 16, and Jingu 21 during their maturity period. The results indicated that the variety had a significant impact on the mechanical properties of millet stems: from largest to smallest, the order of shear and bending forces was Jingu 21, Zhangza 16, and Changza 466. The shear strength and bending strength of Jingu 21 were the greatest among the three stem samples. The internode position significantly affected the shear mechanical properties of the millet stems, showing a general trend of decreasing shear strength with ascending internode position. The effect of the internode position on the bending stiffness was highly significant, whereas its impact on the bending strength and elastic modulus was not significant. The shear strength of the millet stems ranged from 3.866 ± 1.086 to 6.953 ± 2.208 MPa, significantly lower than the bending strength, which ranged from 18.934 ± 4.374 to 34.286 ± 6.875 MPa. The lowest shear strength and specific shearing energy, recorded at the fifth internode, were 4.028 ± 1.918 MPa and 15.097 ± 12.633 MJ/mm², respectively. Jingu 21 and Changza 466 exhibit better lodging resistance than Zhangza 16. It is recommended to use a cutting-type platform for harvesting millet stems, with the cutting height set at the fifth internode position. This study provides a theoretical basis for the design of millet harvesting machinery and the selection of harvest parameters. Full article

Drying food stuffs and other materials belongs to one of the most commonly used feedstock processing techniques, featuring rather high energy consumption. The major disadvantage of conventional electric convective-type household dryers is substantial thermal energy emission into the environment with a wet exhaust, worked-out drying agent. Among other principal disadvantages common to all dryers of this type, the following have to be mentioned: spatial inhomogeneity of heating a product under processing and that of drying agent distribution due to its temperature reduction and relative humidity growth as it moves upwards. A block diagram and a breadboard model of a convective-type thermoelectric dryer employing a thermoelectric heat pump have been designed. In our approach, a product is treated with the help of a drying agent (normally, heated air) with partial exhaust-air recirculation and heat recovery. Laboratory studies of the drying process have been carried out using apple fruits as a test material in order to evaluate the power consumed for evaporation of 1 kg of water in the newly developed convective-type thermoelectric drying unit. Physical parameters of apple fruits before and after drying both in the thermoelectric drying unit and in a conventional series-produced convective-type domestic dryer have been reported. The energy efficiency of the newly designed drying unit has been compared with that of some series-produced samples. It has been found out that, unlike conventional convective-type dryers, the breadboard model of the developed thermoelectric drying unit features a smoother product drying process owing to the presence of side air channels and more effective drying agent path organization in the processing chamber. This conclusion was supported by the results of the carried out tests. Application of thermoelectric heat pumps with the function of the exhaust drying agent heat recovery will make it possible to reduce the drying agent heater installed capacity and the power consumed by the newly designed convective-type thermoelectric drying unit by up to 20% in the course of the drying process, compared to series-produced household convective-type dryers. Full article

The effect of climate warming on rice production in China is profound, yet there has been limited research on how it affects the grain yield, nitrogen (N) uptake, and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) of the double-cropping indica rice in South China. To address this gap, we conducted a free air temperature increase (FATI) experiment in Guangdong province during 2020 and 2021. Our findings revealed that warming led to a significant reduction in grain yield, with early rice (ER) and late rice (LR) experiencing average decreases of 5.2% and 6.3%, respectively, compared to control treatments. This decline was primarily attributed to the reduced grain weight of ER and the fewer spikelet numbers per panicle of LR under warming conditions. Although the dry matter translocation, harvest index, and N translocation efficiency of ER remained unchanged under warming conditions, these of LR decreased by an average of 58.1%, 8.8%, and 22.3%, respectively. Additionally, while warming did not affect the N uptake in ER at maturity, it significantly increased the N uptake in LR by an average of 11.0%. Therefore, under warming conditions, the NUtE of both ER and LR was markedly decreased by 6.9% and 15.5% over the two years. These results indicate that climate warming may have significant negative impacts on the grain yield and the NUtE of indica rice within double-rice cropping systems in South China. Understanding these dynamics is vital for maintaining the stability of rice yields in anticipation of future climate warming. Full article

Renewable energy from photovoltaic power plants has increased in amount globally as an alternative energy to combat global climate change by reducing fossil fuel burning and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) approach can be a solution to produce solar energy and crop production at the same time by installing solar panels on the same farmland to increase land use efficiency. This study aimed to compare the yield and yield components of rice (Oryza sativa L.) between a vertical APV system and a control field across two years. The solar panels were installed around the rice field in four directions of rice cultivation. Based on the analysis of variance, the primary factor influencing measured yield and yield components was the year effect, whereas the direction effect did not show significance, except for amylose content and ripened grains. Especially for rice production, the rice yield in 2023 was 6.8 t/ha, which was significantly higher by 0.8 t/ha than in 2022. Compared with the control condition, however, there was no significant negative impact on the year-to-year rice yield of the vertical APV system across two years. As rice yield was mainly affected by year, rice yield trials will be required for multiple years to understand the genetic and environmental factors influencing rice production under the vertical APV system. Full article

Grain from improved varieties of the perennial grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey is marketed under the trade name Kernza (common name intermediate wheatgrass, IWG). While a growing body of evidence is available on the nutritional quality of Kernza, gaps exist for components such vitamins and minerals and protein quality. Therefore, we performed two studies on early-generation breeding program material, characterizing nutritional quality by quantifying macronutrients, sugars, dietary fiber, amino acid profiles, fat composition, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, antioxidants, and antioxidant activity. The IWG studied frequently had concentrations significantly different from the reference values for whole wheat flour. For example, IWG had 50% higher protein, 129% higher dietary fiber, and 65% higher ash content than reference whole wheat flour. Calcium and selenium were 267% and 492% higher, respectively, in IWG than whole wheat flour. Riboflavin and folate were 43% and 447% higher, respectively, and niacin 74% lower in IWG versus whole wheat flour. We identified lysine as the limiting amino acid, although its concentration was 33% greater in IWG than in whole wheat flour. These results support potential benefits of Kernza for human nutrition. This work supports ongoing studies to further characterize and evaluate nutritional quality during the domestication and breeding process. Full article

Accurately segmenting grape clusters and detecting grape varieties in orchards is beneficial for orchard staff to accurately understand the distribution, yield, growth information, and efficient mechanical harvesting of different grapes. However, factors, such as lighting changes, grape overlap, branch and leaf occlusion, similarity in fruit and background colors, as well as the high similarity between some different grape varieties, bring tremendous difficulties in the identification and segmentation of different varieties of grape clusters. To resolve these difficulties, this study proposed an improved Mask R-CNN model by assembling an efficient channel attention (ECA) module into the residual layer of the backbone network and a dual attention network (DANet) into the mask branch. The experimental results showed that the improved Mask R-CNN model can accurately segment clusters of eight grape varieties under various conditions. The bbox_mAP and mask_mAP on the test set were 0.905 and 0.821, respectively. The results were 1.4% and 1.5% higher than the original Mask R-CNN model, respectively. The effectiveness of the ECA module and DANet module on other instance segmentation models was explored as comparison, which provided a certain ideological reference for model improvement and optimization. The results of the improved Mask R-CNN model in this study were superior to other classic instance segmentation models. It indicated that the improved model could effectively, rapidly, and accurately segment grape clusters and detect grape varieties in orchards. This study provides technical support for orchard staff and grape-picking robots to pick grapes intelligently. Full article

As the expected cost of conservation agriculture (CA) inputs becomes an issue for farmers, financial institutions (FIs) play an essential role in promoting CA, a set of agricultural management practices with multiple positive effects. This research aimed to determine influencing factors, to rank challenges, and identify mechanisms for farmers to access agricultural credit for adoption of CA management practices in Cambodia. It was administered by conducting a survey of 242 randomly selected households for face-to-face interviews and conducting key informant interviews from purposive samples of 28 participants in Battambang and Preah Vihear provinces. The results indicated that influencing factors, including the family, adult labor and total farm size, had a positive relationship with farmers’ accessibility to agricultural credit, whereas age was negative. However, education year, farm size for main crops, on-farm income and farm experience were not significantly associated. High interest rates were the significant first-order challenge ranked, followed by document process complication, limited agricultural credit information, limited collateral security and a few other challenges. Support and improved process mechanisms to enhance credit accessibility are required to engage with multiple stakeholders, including farmers, FIs, non-government organizations (NGOs) and government officers. There has been a reduction in agricultural credit interest rates and incentives for importing CA inputs by the government, while provision of information support for agribusiness plans by NGOs which have implemented development project activities were considered as the main support mechanism. An improved process mechanism at the farmers’ level needs to include access to credit with low interest rates and a straightforward documentation process, whereas the FI level requires a business plan for lending decisions. It is evident that high lending rates hinder access to agricultural credit and the improvement of support and improved process mechanisms are necessary to better promote CA practices among farmers in Cambodia. Full article

The contact between a traditional crop divider and sugarcane is unstable, and the sugarcane easily slides off of its surface. By analyzing the movement process of sugarcane, the influence of traditional spiral flightings on lifting performance was studied, and shortcomings were also found. Based on previous research and analysis, the variable spiral spike-toothed crop divider was designed by research groups. For sugarcane with different lodging states, the contact separation rule between the sugarcane and the spike tooth was studied, and the action time and angle of the spike tooth on sugarcane were obtained. At the same time, the interaction mechanism between sugarcane and the spike tooth was analyzed, and the conditions for lodged canes to be lifted were obtained. The influence of the spike tooth on the lifting performance was explored, and the working advantages were found for the spike-toothed crop divider. Then, a simulation test was conducted to obtain the contact force between the sugarcane and the crop divider. Finally, the crop divider was optimized and integrated into the harvester, and a field harvesting test was carried out to verify the working performance of the crop divider. This study was expected to provide a reference for the design of crop dividers and a theoretical basis for the analysis of the lifting process. Full article

The Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) cascade plays a critical role in insect metamorphosis and involves cell-surface receptors known as type I and II, respectively (TβRI and TβRII). In Drosophila melanogaster, the TβRI receptor, Baboon (Babo), consists of three variants (BaboA, BaboB, and BaboC), each with isoform-specific functions. However, the isoforms and functional specifications of Babo in non-Drosophilid insects have not been established. Here, we examined babo transcripts from seven coleopteran species whose genomes have been published and found that mutually exclusive alternative splicing of the third exon produces three babo isoforms, identical to the Drosophila babo gene. The same three transcript variants were accordingly recognized from the transcriptome data of a coleopteran Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of all three babo transcripts at the fourth-instar larval stage hindered gut modeling and arrested larval development in H. vigintioctopunctata. All the resultant larvae became arrested prepupae; they were gradually dried and darkened and, eventually, died. Depletion of HvbaboA rather than HvbaboB or HvbaboC is similar to the phenotypic alterations caused by simultaneous RNAi of all three babo isoforms. Therefore, our results established diverged roles of the three Babo isoforms and highlighted the regulatory role of BaboA during larval-pupal transition in a non-Drosophilid insect species. Full article

Heavy metal pollution is a gradually growing environmental issue that hinders the growth and development of plants, and also destabilizes soil. Consequently, eco-friendly phytoremediation methods have gained traction, with energy crops emerging as a particularly effective solution. Energy crops not only provide high-quality plant materials for detoxification and remediation of heavy metal pollution, but also possess energy properties conducive to biofuel production. Therefore, this paper delves into the tolerance mechanism of energy crops towards heavy metal toxicity, elucidating processes such as root complex-mediated inhibition of metal migration and response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) through heavy metal-related proteins, enzyme systems, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and hormones. Moreover, it summarizes the heavy metals remediation mechanisms of energy crops, including uptake, translocation, chelation, immobilization, and sequestration. This paper explores applications of energy crops in heavy metal pollution remediation, emphasizing the methods for efficient biochar remediation and biofuel generation. Furthermore, potential challenges in using energy crops for heavy metal pollution remediation are outlined. By systematically examining the function mechanisms and prospective applications of energy crops in heavy metal pollution bioremediation, this paper serves as a valuable reference for both research and practical implementation in this field. Full article

The objective of this research is to explore the impact mechanism of agricultural digital transformation in alleviating the mismatch of agricultural land resources and provide an effective path for the formation of new quality agricultural productivity. Using the balance panel data of 29 provinces in China from 2011 to 2022, this paper analyzed the mitigation effect and mechanism of agricultural digitalization on agricultural land resource misallocation from the perspectives of land scale management and agricultural socialization services. The results indicate that agricultural digitalization can alleviate the misallocation of agricultural land resources, promote the large-scale management of agricultural land, and improve the level of agricultural socialization services, all significant ways to reduce the mismatch of agricultural land resources. The heterogeneity test showed that the mitigation effect of agricultural digitalization on the agricultural land resource mismatch in eastern and central China and major grain-producing areas was better than that in western China and non-major grain-producing areas. Hence, we ought to strengthen the construction of agricultural digital infrastructures and play into the role of agricultural land scale management and agricultural socialization services in slowing down the mismatch of agricultural land resources. Full article

The integration of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural areas, known as three-industry integration, is a crucial strategy for developing rural industries and implementing the rural revitalization initiative in China. The government’s fiscal support for agriculture serves as a cornerstone for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural regions. This study investigates the mechanisms through which fiscal support for agriculture facilitates the integration of the rural three-industry sectors by driving industrial innovation, enhancing the circulation of production factors, and optimizing resource utilization in rural areas. Using panel data from 30 provinces in China spanning from 2008 to 2020, we evaluate the level of three-industry integration in rural areas using an entropy method and analyze the effects of fiscal support for agriculture on this integration. Our findings reveal that: (1) fiscal support for agriculture significantly promotes the incorporated development of rural three-industry integration in China by acting as a catalyst for horizontal and vertical integration; (2) fiscal support enhances rural infrastructure quality, fosters market connectivity, and attracts business clusters, while also optimizing factor markets and facilitating the efficient allocation of land, finance, and resources, thereby enabling new business entities, such as leading enterprises, to benefit from economies of scale and to expand the rural industrial value chain; (3) the effects of fiscal support for agriculture exhibit significant regional and agricultural development heterogeneity, with Central China and major agricultural provinces demonstrating the most pronounced role in promoting rural three-industry integration. Full article

Zinc (Zn) is crucial for both plant metabolism and human nutrition, with its deficiency being a global health concern. Strategies to increase its availability in food, such as agronomic biofortification, have gained prominence. This study evaluated the impact of foliar spraying of Zn [at full bloom stage: 0 (control) and 600 g ha⁻¹, as ZnSO₄⋅7H₂O] on the nutritional quality of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) grains. Field experiments involving 20 cowpea genotypes were carried out over two seasons in a Typic Quartzipsamment under a no-tillage system. The photosynthetic responses of cowpea plants and the concentrations of Zn, amino acids, sucrose, total sugars, and storage proteins (glutelin, albumin, prolamin, and globulin) in grains were analyzed. All genotypes showed enrichment of Zn in grains in response to ZnSO₄⋅7H₂O application compared to untreated plants. Foliar spraying of ZnSO₄⋅7H₂O during initial grain filling was ideal for increasing Zn concentration in grains and improving plant physiological processes. Additionally, Zn fertilization led to higher concentrations of storage and total amino acids and proteins in the grains, supporting the rational application of Zn in cowpea production to improve the nutritional quality of grains and increase plant productivity. Full article

In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision agricultural protection method of weeding Veronica didyma in winter rapeseed fields in the Yangtze River Basin. A total of 234 Veronica didyma images were obtained to compile a database for a deep-learning model, and YOLOv7 was used as the detection model for training. The effectiveness of the model was demonstrated, with a final accuracy of 94.94%, a recall of 95.65%, and a [email protected] of 0.972 obtained. Subsequently, parallel-axis binocular cameras were selected as the image acquisition platform, with binocular calibration and semi-global block matching used to locate Veronica didyma within a cultivation box, yielding a minimum confidence and camera height values of 70% and 30 cm, respectively. The intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system was then built, and the experimental results indicated that laser weeding was practicable with a 100 W power and an 80 mm/s scanning speed, resulting in visibly lost activity in Veronica didyma and no resprouting within 15 days of weeding. The successful execution of Veronica didyma detection and laser weeding provides a new reference for the precision agricultural protection of rapeseed in winter and holds promise for its practical application in agricultural settings. Full article

Photosynthesis is one of the essential processes for life on the planet. Photosynthesis cannot be measured directly because this complex process involves different variables; therefore, if some variables of interest are integrated and measured, photosynthesis can be inferred through a mathematical model. This article presents a fuzzy mathematical model to estimate photosynthesis. This approach uses as input variables: Soil moisture, ambient temperature, incident radiation, relative humidity, and leaf temperature. The fuzzy system was trained through data obtained from experiments with jalapeño pepper plants and then validated against the LI−COR Li−6800 equipment. The correlation coefficient (R²) obtained was 0.95, which is a higher value than some published in the literature. Based on the Takagi−Sugeno method, the proposed model was designed and implemented on the MATLAB platform using ANFIS (adaptive neuro−fuzzy inference system) to determine the parameters, thus achieving a high−precision model. In addition, the fuzzy model can predict photosynthesis at different temperature changes, soil moisture levels, and light levels. The results of this study indicate the possibility of modeling photosynthesis using the fuzzy logic technique, whose performance is much higher than other methods published in recent articles. Full article

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a rainfed crop grown in both tropical and subtropical agro-climatic regions of the world where drought causes around 20% yield losses per year. In the United States, annual losses caused by drought are around $50 million. The objective of this research was to (1) identify genetic variation for the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), canopy temperature depression (CTD), relative chlorophyll content by SPAD reading (SCMR), CO₂ assimilation rate, and wilting among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from two diverse parents N08086olJCT and ICGV 86015, to (2) determine if the physiological traits can be used for expediting selection for drought tolerance, and (3) experimental validation to identify lines with improved yield under water-limited conditions. Initially, 337 lines were phenotyped under rainfed production and a selected subset of 52 RILs were tested under rainout shelters, where drought was imposed for eight weeks during the midseason (July and August). We found that under induced drought, pod yield was negatively correlated with wilting and CTD, i.e., cooler canopy and high yield correlated positively with the NDVI and SPAD. These traits could be used to select genotypes with high yields under drought stress. RILs #73, #56, #60, and #31 performed better in terms of yield under both irrigated and drought conditions compared to check varieties Bailey, a popular high-yielding commercial cultivar, and GP-NC WS 17, a drought-tolerant germplasm. Full article