Agriculture

The abundance of nutrient accumulation in rhizosphere soils has placed the rhizosphere as an “epicenter” of bacterial concentrations. Nonetheless, over the years, little attention has been given to bacterial inoculants and soil-like substrates. The reason is that many farmers and experiments have focused on chemical fertilizers as an approach to improve plant growth and yield. Therefore, we focused on assessing the application of rhizosphere soil and its associated bacteria for biotechnological applications. This review has been structured into major subunits: rhizosphere soil as a treasure trove for bacterial community concentration, biodegradation of lignocellulose for biofuel production, rhizosphere soil and its bacteria as soil amendments, and the role of rhizosphere soil and its bacteria for bioremediation and biofiltration. Hence, the efficient use of rhizosphere soil and its bacteria in an environmentally friendly way can contribute to healthy and sustainable environments. Full article

Smooth golden fleece (Urospermum dalechampii (L.) F.W. Schmidt) and prickly golden fleece (Urospermum picroides (L.) Scop. ex F.W. Schmid) are two wild edible plants used in traditional cuisine and folk medicine. In this research, the domestication of both species was tested for the first time using a floating system and two plant densities (412 and 824 plants m⁻²) to evaluate yield and quality. Some quality traits were also compared in cultivated plants and wild ones gathered in grasslands. The results show that both species are suitable for cultivation, although prickly golden fleece showed highest total phenols (132 mg 100 g⁻¹ fresh weight—f.w.) and total antioxidant activity (0.19 mg 100 g⁻¹ f.w.). At low sowing density, smooth golden fleece showed a nitrate content of about 7200 mg kg⁻¹ f.w., 38% higher than plants of the same species grown at high density and plants of prickly golden fleece. These results suggest that high density can be used to optimize yield in two harvests. By permitting modulation of nutrients and a product without soil residues, the floating system used in this study proved suitable for growing U. dalechhampii and U. picroides as new vegetables for the ready-to-eat production chain. Full article

This paper establishes the determinants of the export durability of agriculture products in Zambia with specific attention to maize, sugar, cotton, and tobacco between 1996 and 2019. We find that approximately 39% of Zambia’s agricultural products were exported beyond the first year of trading and less than 10% lasted up to 6 years of trading. The mean and median duration of exporting agricultural products in Zambia was 1.7 years and 1 year, respectively. Among the products, maize had the highest export duration after the first year of trading, followed by sugar, tobacco, and cotton. Results of the discrete-time logit and probit models with random effects revealed that the duration of total agricultural products was significantly impacted by common colony, contiguity, partner’s gross domestic product (GDP), Zambia’s GDP, initial exports, and total exports. Of these factors, colonial history and Zambia’s GDP reduced export duration, while contiguity, partner’s GDP, initial exports, and total exports increased the durability of exports in Zambia. The effect of Zambia’s GDP was uniform across all individual agricultural products. Total exports also significantly impacted all other agriculture products in a similar manner except for maize. Export durability for cotton was significantly impacted by the Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), while the export durability of tobacco was significantly impacted by distance, contiguity, and partner’s GDP. To increase the duration of agriculture exports, we propose the exporting of finished agriculture products (and not just raw materials), which have a higher market value and duration probability. Farmers also need support with export subsidies, increased foreign market access (especially to economies with higher buying power), and negotiated favorable trade terms in the region and around the globe. Full article

Constructing a scientific and quantitative quality-assessment model for farmland is important for understanding farmland quality, and can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for formulating rational and effective management policies and realizing the sustainable use of farmland resources. To more accurately reflect the systematic, complex, and differential characteristics of farmland quality, this study aimed to explore an intelligent farmland quality-assessment method that avoids the subjectivity of determining indicator weights while improving assessment accuracy. Taking Xiangzhou in Hubei Province, China, as the study area, 14 indicators were selected from four dimensions—terrain, soil conditions, socioeconomics, and ecological environment—to build a comprehensive assessment index system for farmland quality applicable to the region. A total of 1590 representative samples in Xiangzhou were selected, of which 1110 were used as training samples, 320 as test samples, and 160 as validation samples. Three models of entropy weight (EW), backpropagation neural network (BPNN), and random forest (RF) were selected for training, and the assessment results of farmland quality were output through simulations to compare their assessment accuracy and analyze the distribution pattern of farmland quality grades in Xiangzhou in 2018. The results showed the following: (1) The RF model for farmland quality assessment required fewer parameters, and could simulate the complex relationships between indicators more accurately and analyze each indicator’s contribution to farmland quality scientifically. (2) In terms of the average quality index of farmland, RF > BPNN > EW. The spatial patterns of the quality index from RF and BPNN were similar, and both were significantly different from EW. (3) In terms of the assessment results and precision characterization indicators, the assessment results of RF were more in line with realities of natural and socioeconomic development, with higher applicability and reliability. (4) Compared to BPNN and EW, RF had a higher data mining ability and training accuracy, and its assessment result was the best. The coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.8145, the mean absolute error (MAE) was 0.009, and the mean squared error (MSE) was 0.012. (5) The overall quality of farmland in Xiangzhou was higher, with a larger area of second- and third-grade farmland, accounting for 54.63%, and the grade basically conformed to the trend of positive distribution, showing an obvious pattern of geographical distribution, with overall high performance in the north-central part and low in the south. The distribution of farmland quality grades also varied widely among regions. This showed that RF was more suitable for the quality assessment of farmland with complex nonlinear characteristics. This study enriches and improves the index system and methodological research of farmland quality assessment at the county scale, and provides a basis for achieving a threefold production pattern of farmland quantity, quality, and ecology in Xiangzhou, while also serving as a reference for similar regions and countries. Full article

Girdling (a ring of bark approximately 5 mm wide) was applied on olive mother plants to investigate its effect on the rooting ability of cuttings. Treatment was applied in autumn and in spring. The cuttings were then immersed for 5 s into 2000 mg L⁻¹ indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in a 45% v/v ethanolic solution. Thirty days after girdling, cuttings were taken from girdled and control shoots from the part just above the girdle zone (basal), as well as from the part right above (middle). The base of the cuttings was collected, and the concentration of polyamines, phenolic compounds and soluble carbohydrates was determined. Girdling enhanced the rooting performance of the cuttings, while autumn proved to be a better season for rooting compared to spring. Girdling positively affected the concentration of all the measured parameters. The main characteristics of autumn cuttings were the high levels of glucose, mannitol, free and total polyamines, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, verbascoside, oleuropein, quercetin and luteolin. The cuttings taken from the middle part of the girdled shoot exhibited high sucrose, glucose, mannitol, free polyamines, hydroxytyrosol, luteolin-7-glucoside, total phenols and flavanol concentrations. Nonetheless, further research is needed in order to draw conclusions on the overall efficiency of girdling on inducing rooting of olive cuttings. Full article

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for the growth and development of both humans and plants. Increasing the accumulation of Zn in rice grains is important for the world’s nutrition and health. In this study, we used a multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) population constructed using four parental lines and genotyped using a 55 K rice SNP array to identify QTLs related to Zn²⁺ concentrations in shoots at the seedling stage and grains at the mature stage. Five QTLs were detected as being associated with shoot Zn²⁺ concentration at the seedling stage, which explained 3.7–5.7% of the phenotypic variation. Six QTLs were detected as associated with grain Zn²⁺ concentration at the mature stage, which explained 5.5–8.9% of the phenotypic variation. Among the QTLs, qSZn2-1/qGZn2 and qSZn3/qGZn3 were identified as being associated with both the shoot and grain contents. Based on gene annotation and literature information, 16 candidate genes were chosen in the regions of qSZn1, qSZn2-1/qGZn2, qSZn3/qGZn3, qGZn7, and qGZn8. Analysis of candidate genes through qRT-PCR, complementation assay using the yeast Zn-uptake-deficient double-mutant ZHY3, and sequencing of the four parental lines suggested that LOC_Os02g06010 may play an important role in Zn²⁺ accumulation in indica rice. Full article

Increasing planting density is one of the key management practices to enhance soybean yield. A 2-yr field experiment was conducted in 2018 and 2019 including six planting densities and two soybean cultivars to determine the effects of planting density on branch number and yield, and analyze the contribution of branches to yield. The yield of ZZXA12938 was 4389 kg ha⁻¹, which was significantly higher than that of ZH13 (+22.4%). In combination with planting year and cultivar, the soybean yield increased significantly by 16.2%, 31.4%, 41.4%, and 46.7% for every increase in density of 45,000 plants ha⁻¹. Yield will not increase when planting density exceeds 315,000 plants ha⁻¹. A correlation analysis showed that pod number per plant increased with the increased branch number, while pod number per unit area decreased; thus, soybean yield decreased. With the increase of branch number, the branch contribution to yield increased first, and then plateaued. ZH13 could produce a high yield under a lower planting density due to more branches, while ZZXA12938 had a higher yield potential under a higher planting density due to the smaller branch number and higher tolerance to close planting. Therefore, seed yield can be increased by selecting cultivars with a little branching capacity under moderately close planting. Full article

Calotropis procera (commonly known as Swallow wort) is described in the Ayurvedic literature for the treatment of inflammation and arthritic disorders. Therefore, in the present work, the antiarthritic activity of potential fractions of Swallow wort leaf was evaluated and compared with standards (indomethacin and ibuprofen). This study was designed in Wistar rats for the investigation of antiarthritic activity and acute toxicity of Swallow wort. Arthritis was induced in Wistar rats by injecting 0.1 mL of Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA) on the 1st and 7th days subcutaneously into the subplantar region of the left hind paw. Evaluation of our experimental findings suggested that antiarthritic activity of methanol fraction of Swallow wort (MFCP) was greater than ethyl acetate fraction of Swallow wort (EAFCP), equal to standard ibuprofen, and slightly lower than standard indomethacin. MFCP significantly reduced paw edema on the 17th, 21st, 24th, and 28th days. It also showed significant effect (p < 0.01) on arthritic score, paw withdrawal latency, and body weight. The inhibition of serum lysosomal enzymes and proinflammatory cytokines along with improvement of radiographic features of hind legs was also recorded with MFCP. Finally, it was concluded that MFCP can be a feasible therapeutic candidate for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Full article

Ten willow cultivars grown in experimental plots were evaluated for performance, attractiveness to foragers, and the content and composition of soluble carbohydrates. The survival of willow cuttings in a thicket and in browse plots differed subject to cultivar, soil quality, and soil moisture content. The number of stump sprouts varied considerably, from 1.1 shoots in the weakest soils in Słonin, Poland, to 3.43 in the plot in Czempin, Poland. Browse plots were established in 2017. They were cut, and fencing was removed in early spring of 2019. Young shoots (10 cm shoot tip with buds, preferably eaten by animals) were sampled for analyses of soluble carbohydrates as potential attractors for foraging cervids. All willow cultivars contained the same soluble carbohydrates: glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, myo-inositol, galactinol, and raffinose. Total carbohydrate content ranged from 21.31 (S. amygdalina 1045) to 69.37 mg/g⁻¹ DM (dry matter) (S. purpurea). Glucose was the predominant soluble sugar in the shoots of all willow cultivars, excluding S. viminalis. The fructose content of the shoots was approximately twice lower than their glucose content in all willow cultivars. Smaller differences were observed in the content of myo-inositol, which ranged from 4.61 (S. amygdalina 1045) to 8.26 mg/g⁻¹ DM (S. fragilis cv. Kamon/Resko). The phloem of all willow species contained small quantities of galactinol and trace amounts of raffinose. Weak negative correlations were noted between total carbohydrate content, the content of glucose, fructose, and galactose vs. the attractiveness of willow shoots to foraging cervids. The remaining carbohydrates that occurred in smaller quantities in willow shoots were not correlated with their attractiveness to cervids. Full article

Improving the productive performance of agricultural residue silage has practical relevance to sustaining livestock production. Sweet corn stover (SCS) and cassava pulp (CSVP) are widespread in the tropics as low-cost feed resources. To efficiently prepare SCS and CSVP silage, the impact of adding Acremonium cellulase (AC), Lactobacillus casei strain TH14 inoculant (TH14), and their combination (AC+TH14) on ensiling characteristics, microbial population, chemical compositions, and in vitro digestibility were tested in comparison to control (no additive). After 60 d of ensiling, the pH value and ammonia nitrogen content of silage were lower (p < 0.05) when AC was used as the additive. Compared with other treatments, TH14 provided abundant lactic acid fermentation in silage. All tested additives increased the crude protein (CP) content and decreased the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of SCS silage. In CSVP silage, only AC and AC+TH14 altered the CP and NDF content. In addition, AC and AC+TH14 provided greater in vitro dry matter digestibility and a lower in vitro fiber digestibility. Overall, optimized either AC or TH14 can be recommended as an attractive additive to improve the ensiling characteristics of SCS and CSVP silage. AC significantly modifies the in vitro digestibility of silage. Full article

Agriculture in Myanmar has substantial development potential given the abundance of land, water, and labor resources in the country. Despite this, agricultural productivity in Myanmar is low and farm incomes are amongst the lowest in Asia. The underperformance of crops and low yield is widely reported to be due to low fertilizer use by smallholders. This study investigated the perceptions of smallholders about fertilizer use for cereal crops by considering their motives and decision making. We reported results of a 600 smallholders’ survey and tested whether the reportedly low fertilizer use by smallholders is generally true for central Myanmar. We compared the fertilizer application timing against recommended “good management practices”. Among the surveyed rice farmers, the average fertilizer applied was much higher than previously reported national average fertilizer rates while the majority of the surveyed maize farmers were found to be applying less than the national recommended rates. With respect to timing, nearly half of the surveyed smallholders were not applying nitrogen at the estimated panicle initiation stage, which is often crucial to increase yield, and the majority (82%) of smallholders were applying phosphorus throughout the growth stages, when earlier applications are desirable. Smallholders may be able to reduce the cost of labor by reducing the number of P applications and avoiding late applications. Full article

Reproductive stage drought stress (RSDS) is detrimental for rice, which affects its productivity as well as grain quality. In the present study, we introgressed two major quantitative trait loci (QTLs), namely, qDTY2.1 and qDTY3.1, governing RSDS tolerance in a popular high yielding non-aromatic rice cultivar, Pusa 44, through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). Pusa 44 is highly sensitive to RSDS, which restricts its cultivation across drought-prone environments. Foreground selection was carried out using markers, RM520 for qDTY3.1 and RM 521 for qDTY2.1. Background selection was achieved with 97 polymorphic SSR markers in tandem with phenotypic selection to achieve faster recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovery. Three successive backcrosses followed by three selfings aided RPG recoveries of 98.6% to 99.4% among 31 near isogenic lines (NILs). Fourteen NILs were found to be significantly superior in yield and grain quality under RSDS with higher drought tolerance efficiency (DTE) than Pusa 44. Among these, the evaluation of two promising NILs in the multilocational trial during Kharif 2019 showed that they were significantly superior to Pusa 44 under reproductive stage drought stress, while performing on par with Pusa 44 under normal irrigated conditions. These di-QTL pyramided drought-tolerant NILs are in the final stages of testing the All India Coordinated Rice Improvement Project varietal trials for cultivar release. Alternately, the elite drought-tolerant Pusa 44 NILs will serve as an invaluable source of drought tolerance in rice improvement. Full article

Leaf is an important organ for photosynthesis and transpiration associated with the plants’ growth. Through the study of leaf phenotype, it the physiological characteristics produced by the interaction of the morphological parameters with the environment can be understood. In order to realize the assessment of the spatial morphology of leaves, a method based on three-dimensional stereo vision was introduced to extract the shape information, including the length and width of the leaves. Firstly, a depth sensor was used to collect the point cloud of plant leaves. Then, the leaf coordinate system was adjusted by principal component analysis to extract the region of interest; and compared with a cross-sectional method, the geodesic distance method, we proposed a method based on the cutting plane to obtain the intersecting line of the three-dimensional leaf model. Eggplant leaves were used to compare the accuracy of these methods in the measurement of a single leaf. Full article

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) fruit from ‘Orito’ cultivar were stored at 2 °C and 90% RH for 28 days plus three days at 20 °C (shelf life, SL). This research analysed the changes in fruit quality parameters (weight loss, firmness, color, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids), ethylene production, respiration rate, antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds (total phenols and carotenoids) of cactus pear fruit during cold and shelf life storage. Under cold conditions, CO₂ production decreased, and ethylene production increased slightly, while under shelf life conditions CO₂ production increased and ethylene production increased more sharply. Firmness increased under cold conditions and did not change during shelf life period. The content of total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), pH, total carotenoids, and lipo-antioxidant activity (L-TAA) remained stable under both conservation conditions. However, hydro-antioxidant activity (H-TAA) increased under both cold and shelf life conditions, and total phenols remained stable during cold storage and increased under shelf life conditions. Besides, weight loss was acceptable under both storage conditions, and color changes were more pronounced under shelf life storage. These results show that the marketability of cactus pear fruit from ‘Orito’ cultivar was acceptable until the end of the storage under cold and shelf life conditions. Full article

Root growth through biopores is facilitated by low mechanical impedance and nutrient enrichment due to the deposition of organic material at the biopore sheath. Plant roots and earthworms impact biopore sheath properties differently. However, the literature lacks a quantitative study of the root distribution within the sheath of pores, which were originated by taproots or earthworms. According to previous literature on pore connectivity, it can be hypothesized that precrops encourage root growth into the biopore sheath in comparison to an earthworm characterized sheath. A pot experiment was performed to compare the root distribution of spring oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) within the biopore sheath of two different biopore types. The biopore sheath was characterized by taprooted chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) or anecic earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris L.). Roots were sampled at the biopore lumen and at lateral distances of 0–2, 2–4, 4–8 (sheath) and 20–36 mm (bulk soil) from the biopore wall surface. In both pore types >50% of the root length (cm) and >70% fine roots of oilseed rape were found in a comparatively small soil area (Lumen + 2 mm). On the contrary, faba bean grew primarily through the bulk soil with >75% root length and rarely into the biopore sheath in both pore types. In both species there was a lateral decrease of the total nitrogen (N_t)-content from biopore wall (Mean ± SE: 0.061% ± 0.002%) to bulk soil (0.053% ± 0.002%), but no significant difference between the pore types. The results of the current study illustrate that the root growth of spring oilseed rape and faba bean was not encouraged by the precrop in comparison to the earthworm characterized sheath. Full article

The effects of earthworm inoculation and cropping systems on upland rice systems were examined over a four-year period in the Highlands of Madagascar. Each year, endogeic earthworms Pontoscolex corethrurus (Rhinodrilidae) were inoculated (EW+) at a density of 75 ind m⁻² or were not inoculated (EW0). Inoculation was tested in three cropping systems: conservation agriculture (CA) and traditional tillage with or without residues restitution. Soil and plant properties were measured during the first three years while soil biological properties were assessed at the fourth year. At the end of the experiment, earthworm density was three-fold higher in EW+ than in EW0, demonstrating the success of the inoculation. Earthworm density was more important in CA than in tillage systems. Earthworm inoculation had higher significant effects on soil and plant properties than cropping systems. Earthworm inoculation had positive effects on soil macroaggregation (+43%), aboveground biomass (+27%), rice grain yield (+45%), and N grain amount (+43%). Intensifying earthworm activity in field conditions to meet the challenge of ecological transition is supported by our study. Full article

The acute phase of the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated the need for managerial skills of agricultural managers, provoked another wave of discussion on content of managerial competencies in times of crisis, and revealed a significant research gap. The main goal of our study is to identify the impact of competencies of agricultural crisis managers on the performance of employees in the acute phase of the crisis, when the performance was influenced by their subjective perception and evaluation of their working conditions, satisfaction and safety. We used statistical mediation to examine the connections and deeper relationships between several variables. The hypothesis of dependence between competencies of crisis management and performance of employees, mediated by information sharing, teamwork and cognitive diversity, has been confirmed. Partial mediation has been identified, when only part of the effect is mediated by the mediator variables, however the substantial one. The remaining, smaller part is transmitted directly. Employees’ performance in an acute crisis phase can be influenced by competent crisis management and enhance its effect through information sharing and teamwork support. The cognitive diversity of crisis management did not prove significant in our study. The emphasis is on consistency and the resulting sense of security and safety. Full article

This study was evaluated the effects of different carbohydrate sources on the fermentation profiles, chemical compositions, and correlation of fermentation profiles and chemical compositions with water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) silage. Alfalfa was harvested at early flowering stage from the third cutting in September 2018, wilted to 32% dry matter (DM) and chopped into 1–2 cm pieces. Treatments included the addition of pectin (PEC), starch (STA; powdered corn), molasses (MOL), and fructose (FRU), as well as distilled water as a control (CON). Afterward, 300 g of prepared alfalfa was packed into polyethylene bags, vacuumed, and sealed, after which they were stored at room temperature for 1, 3, 7, 15, and 30 d. FRU and PEC additions resulted in desirable fermentation profiles and chemical compositions throughout the ensiling period. FRU and PEC rapidly decreased the pH and increased Fleig’s point, exhibiting lower pH and higher Fleig’s point from 3 d to the end of ensiling. Acetic acid (AA), propionic acid (PA) and ammonia nitrogen (AN) contents of FRU and PEC were lower at 30 d after ensiling. Higher lactic acid (LA) contents were found in FRU and PEC from 7 d to the end of ensiling and higher LA:AA ratios from 15 d to the end of ensiling. Butyric acid (BA) was not detected at any point during the ensiling period. Additives exhibited higher DM content from 7 to 30 d after ensiling. The WSC content decreased as the number of ensiling days increased and was stable from 15 d to the end of ensiling. PEC, STA, and FRU exhibited higher WSC than CON. FRU and PEC improved the fermentation quality throughout the ensiling period. Thus, FRU and PEC or related agricultural byproducts may offer alternative additives for improving the alfalfa silage fermentation profile. Full article

The influence of replacing silage with sorghum silage in the diet of dairy buffalo cows on metabolic status and on milk yield, chemical characteristics, and fatty acid profile was studied. Forty dairy buffalo cows were included in the trial and divided into two homogeneous groups (SS, sorghum silage and CS, corn silage). Blood was collected at the end of the trial (120 days), individual milk yield was registered daily. Samples of milk were monthly collected and analyzed for fat, protein, and lactose. Moreover, fatty acid profiles of silages and milk were determined. Buffalo cows fed sorghum silage showed an average milk yield higher than group CS (kg/d 10.120 vs. 9.270; p < 0.05), probably due to the lower lignin content of sorghum silage (31.0 g/kg dry matter (DM)) compared to corn silage (47.0 g/kg DM) and, by consequence, to the higher digestibility of SS diet. The percentage of linoleic acid was significantly higher in milk of group CS (C18:2: 1.27 vs. 2.05%; p < 0.01) due to the higher content of these acids in corn than in sorghum silage. The omega 6/omega 3 ratio was significantly lower in milk from buffalo cows fed sorghum than those fed corn silage (7.8 vs. 12.9; p < 0.01). Serum biochemistry showed no negative effects of the corn replacing with sorghum. Full article