Agronomy

Raphanus sativus, an important cruciferous vegetable, has been increasingly affected by clubroot disease. Establishing a stable and accurate resistance identification method for screening resistant germplasms is urgently needed in radish. In this study, the influence of inoculum concentration, inoculation methods, and pH of the substrate on disease occurrence was studied. The result showed that the disease index (DI) was highest at 2 × 10⁸ spores/mL, the efficiency of two-stage combined inoculation methods was higher than others, and pH 6.5 was favorable for the infection of P. brassicae. By using this new method, DIs of 349 radish germplasms varying from 0.00 to 97.04, presented significantly different levels of resistance. Analysis showed that 85.06% germplasms from China were susceptible to P. brassicae, whilst 28 accessions were resistant and mainly distributed in east, southwest, northwest, and south-central China. Most of the exotic germplasms were resistant. Repeated experiments verified the stability and reliability of the method and the identity of germplasm resistance. In total, 13 immune, 5 highly resistant and 21 resistant radish accessions were identified. This study provides an original clubroot-tolerance evaluation technology and valuable materials for the development of broad-spectrum resistant varieties for sustainable clubroot management in radish and other cruciferous crops. Full article

Copper is an element necessary for the proper growth and development of plants, but when taken in excess amounts, it can be toxic. Its availability for plant can be reduced by using organic fertilizers or soil liming. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of increasing doses of copper (100, 200, and 300 mg Cu·kg⁻¹ of soil) application in combination with various organic amendments (cattle manure, chicken manure, and spent mushroom substrate) on the yield of cocksfoot and its content and uptake of this metal, and to determine its coefficient of bioaccumulation and tolerance indices. The toxic effect of copper manifested by significant decrease in the yield of the test plant was after the application of 300 mg·kg⁻¹ of soil. Increasing doses of copper application increased its content and uptake by the test plant, while observing the decreasing bioaccumulation factor. All the soil amendments reduced the toxic effect of copper on cocksfoot. The most effective organic amendment in terms of yield and protective effects against high levels of copper was cattle manure, in the case of which the Org/Cu and Cu/Org tolerance indices were highest. Full article

Soil salinity severely declines the availability of water and essential minerals to the plants, which hinders growth. The present study evaluates the potential roles of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 6-benzyladenine (BA) for mitigating the adverse effects of soil-salinity in faba bean (Vicia faba L.). Plants were exposed to 150 mM NaCl stress and were sprayed with IAA (1.15 mM) or BA (0.9 mM). Our results revealed that foliar application of IAA or BA improved the growth traits of salinized faba bean due to the increased uptake of K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ ions, accumulation of free amino acids, soluble sugars, and soluble proteins, and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase. The principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmap clustering indicated that salinity-exposed plants exhibited lower growth and biomass production, which correlated with higher accumulation of Na⁺ and malondialdehyde. Moreover, electrophoretic patterns of protein showed new bands in IAA- or BA-treated salt-stressed plants, indicating that IAA or BA treatment can reprogram the metabolic processes to confer salinity tolerance. We also found that IAA has a greater capacity to ameliorate the salt stress than BA, although there is no significant difference in yield between these treatments. Finally, these findings can be helpful for a better understanding of IAA- and BA-mediated salt tolerance mechanisms and increasing production of faba bean in saline soils. Full article

Exogenous application of RNA molecules is a potent method to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) in plants in a transgene-free manner. So far, all exogenous RNAi (exo-RNAi) applications have aimed to trigger mRNA degradation of a given target. However, the issue of concomitant epigenetic changes was never addressed. Here, we report for the first time that high-pressure spraying of dsRNAs can trigger de novo methylation of promoter sequences in plants. Full article

More food with high nutritional content will be needed to feed the growing global human population, which is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. Fruits and vegetables contain most of the minerals, micronutrients, and phytonutrients essential for human nutrition and health. The quantity of these phytochemicals depends on crop genetics, weather and environmental factors, growth conditions, and pre-harvest and post-harvest treatments. These phytochemicals are known to have anti-cancer properties and to regulate immunity, in addition to hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-aging, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, and other pharmacological properties. Physical treatments have been reported to be effective for managing several post-harvest diseases and physiological disorders. These treatments may affect the external, internal, and nutritional qualities of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the information recently reported regarding the use of physical treatments applied either directly or in combination with other means to maximize and maintain the phytochemical content of fresh and fresh-cut or processed fruits and vegetables. Full article

Vineyards are among the land uses with the highest soil degradation rate in Mediterranean Europe, mainly due to intensive tillage management. Therefore, practices able to foster soil health are critical to promote sustainable wine production. We studied the following treatments in two organic farms in Chianti Classico (Italy): conventional tillage, spontaneous vegetation, pigeon bean (Vicia faba var. minor) incorporated in spring and a mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and squarrosum clover (Trifolium squarrosum), both incorporated and left as mulch. An innovative approach, based on gamma-ray and apparent electrical conductivity, was used to account for the fine-scale soil variability that was included in the statistical model. Mulched groundcovers were associated with higher soil organic matter compared to tillage, already after two years. An increased N availability was found under all groundcovers compared with tillage. The effect of soil management practices on P₂O₅ strongly varied across farms and years, while it was not statistically significant on K availability. Spontaneous vegetation positively influenced the soil structure index, soil penetration resistance and soil biological health. The results show that mulched groundcovers can improve soil health already in the short term, thereby potentially increasing the sustainability of the wine sector. Full article

Fertilization of willow with nitrogen is an important issue with economic and environmental implications. The study was aimed at determining the effect of nitrogen fertilization and white clover on weed infestation, morphology, biomass and chemical composition of willow. A field experiment was established at Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland) during the years 2013–2017 with the use of a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The results showed that the number and dry mass of weeds per m², the number of willow shoots and the fresh weight yield of willow were smaller where the clover was sown. The plants were found to be higher after applying nitrogen fertilization. The dry mass yield and shoot diameter did not depend on the cultivation method. Nitrogen fertilization increased the ash content. Undersowing willow with white clover, higher nitrogen content was found. Nitrogen fertilization increased the content of ash, and in undersowing cultivation, the willow stems had higher nitrogen content than in monoculture. On average, the phloem had 5.6 times higher crude ash content and 4.6 times higher nitrogen content than wood. On the basis of the conducted research, it can be concluded that in the first years after planting, the undersowing growing of willow with white clover can be an alternative to plantations fertilized and non-fertilized with nitrogen. Full article

For more than 40 years, farmers in Germany have used the fertilization recommendation schema provided by the Association of German Agricultural Investigation and Research Institutions (VDLUFA) to quantify the required lime (CaO) demand of arable mineral soils. To be applicable as guidelines in practice, the results of 30 years of fertilization experiments that studied the correlation between crop yields and the actual soil pH, the soil texture, and the soil organic matter (SOM) content were finally condensed into a look-up table system. However, because the original experimental data are no longer accessible, the purpose of this study is to reconstruct the interaction between the three soil parameters and their appropriate lime demands. Therefore, the class-based, stepwise approach of the look-up table system is transferred into a continuous, stepless approach using mathematical models. Under the precondition to preserve the pH-, texture- and SOM-dependent CaO amounts recommended in the look-up system (n = 317) to the greatest extent possible, the algorithm was successful; more than 99% of their variability could be explained by the models. This adaptation helps to meet the accuracy of present-day requirements of precision farming. Full article

Domestication is one of the fundamental process that has shaped our world in the last 12,000 years. Changes in the morphology, genetics, and behavior of plants and animals have redefined our interactions with our environments and ourselves. However, while great strides have been made towards understanding the mechanics, timing, and localities of domestication, a fundamental question remains at the heart of archaeological and scientific modelling of this process—how does domestication fit into a framework of evolution and natural selection? At the core of this is the ontological problem of what is a species? In this paper, the complicated concepts and constructs underlying ‘species’ and how this can be applied to the process of domestication are explored. The case studies of soybean and proto-indica rice are used to illustrate that our choice of ‘species’ definitions carries with it ramifications for our interpretations, and that care needs to be made when handling this challenging classificatory system. Full article

The cost of chemical fertilizers is increasing and becoming unaffordable for smallholders in Africa. The present study aimed to assess the impact of combined fertilization strategies using urea and animal manure (beef cattle manure and poultry litter manure) on rice yield and nutrient uptake. For this, a field experiment was carried out on a loam sandy soil in the Chókwè Irrigation Scheme. We set seven treatments in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), namely: T0: no fertilizer, T1: 100% urea, T2: 100% beef cattle manure, T3: 100% poultry litter, T4: 50% urea + 50% beef cattle manure, T5: 50% urea + 50% poultry litter and T6: 40% urea + 30% beef cattle manure + 30% poultry litter, replicated four times each. All treatments, except T0, received an amount of nitrogen (N) equivalent to 100 kgN·ha⁻¹. Results revealed that the highest yield grain (425 g·m⁻²), plant height (115 cm), number of tillers (18) and thousand-grain weight (34g) were observed in treatments combining urea with manure (T4, T5 and T6) indicating that N supply in the mixture (urea + manure) is more efficient than in isolated applications of N (T1, T2 and T3). The data obtained in this study suggest that a combination of fertilizers (T6) lead to competitive yields and is thus recommended for best soil management practices. Full article

This article aims to analyze research trends on the role played by green infrastructures as a tool seeking to address current environmental challenges, such as climate change, that put human well-being at risk. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis was used on documents obtained from the WoS database, and selecting the combination of words “green infrastructures”, “ecosystem services”, and “climate change”. The results of this study point to the potential for Green Infrastructures to become a major strategic factor in addressing the global environmental and social challenges facing cities. The findings obtained are relevant to researchers, professionals, and others working on green infrastructure research as tools to address current global environmental problems, such as climate change, urban pollution, loss of biodiversity, or the risk of emergence of new epidemics or diseases. Full article

Compost teas (CTs) are organic solutions that constitute an interesting option for sustainable agriculture. Those that come from garden waste have been applied in vitro and in vivo on pepper plants to determine its suppressive effect against both Phytophthora capsici and Rhizoctonia solani. The studied CT showed relevant content in NO₃⁻, K₂O, humic acids, and microorganisms such as aerobic bacteria, N-fixing bacteria, and actinobacteria, which play a role in plant growth and resistance. This rich abundance of microbiota in the CT induced a reduction in the relative growth rate of both P. capsici and R. solani (31.7% and 38.0%, respectively) in in vitro assays compared to control. In addition, CT-irrigated plants displayed increased growth parameters and showed the first open flower one week before those treatments without CTs, which suggests that its application advanced the crop cycle. Concerning pathogen infection, damage caused by both pathogens became more apparent with a one-week inoculation compared to a four-week inoculation, which may indicate that a microbiological and chemical balance had been reached to cope with biotic stresses. Based on these results, we conclude that CT application induces plant growth and defense in pepper plants against P. capsici and R. solani because of its relevant soluble nutrient content and microbiota richness, which provides a novel point for plant nutrition and protection in horticultural crops. Full article

Salinity combined with a deficiency of potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) negatively affect sugar beet yield and quality. A two-year (2017/18–2018/19) field trial was undertaken to investigate the mediating role of soil-applied K [120 (K₁₂₀) and 180 (K₁₈₀) kg ha⁻¹] and foliar-applied Zn [0 (Zn₀), 150 (Zn₁₅₀), and 300 (Zn₃₀₀) ppm] in alleviating salt-stress (8.60 dS m⁻¹) based on sugar beet morpho-physiological responses, sugar yield and quality, and K-use efficiency in the BTS 301 and Kawemira cultivars. Application of K₁₈₀ × Zn₃₀₀ was more effective and resulted in 23.39 and 37.78% higher root yield (RY) and pure sugar yield (PSY), respectively, compared to control (K₁₂₀ × Zn₀). It also enhanced sucrose, pure sugar (PS), and purity but decreased impurities (α-amino N, K, and Na), alkalinity index, and sugar loss. However, the K₁₂₀ × Zn₃₀₀ recorded higher K-use efficiency. PSY correlated positively (r = 0.776 **, 0.629 **, 0.602 **, 0.549 **, and 0.513 **) with RY, root fresh weight (RFW), top yield, PS, and root diameter, respectively. The stepwise and path-coefficient analysis demonstrated that RY, PS, and RFW were the most influential PSY-affected attributes. Integration of K₁₈₀ + Zn₃₀₀ can correct K and Zn deficiencies in the soil and mitigate salt-stress effects via improving sugar beet growth, yield and quality, and K-use efficiency. Full article

The content of organic matter in the soil, its labile (hot water extractable carbon–HWEC) and stable (soil organic carbon–SOC) form is a fundamental factor affecting soil productivity and health. The current research in soil organic matter (SOM) is focused on individual fragmented approaches and comprehensive evaluation of HWEC and SOC changes. The present state of the soil together with soil’s management practices are usually monitoring today but there has not been any common model for both that has been published. Our approach should help to assess the changes in HWEC and SOC content depending on the physico-chemical properties and soil´s management practices (e.g., digestate application, livestock and mineral fertilisers, post-harvest residues, etc.). The one- and multidimensional linear regressions were used. Data were obtained from the various soil´s climatic conditions (68 localities) of the Czech Republic. The Czech farms in operating conditions were observed during the period 2008–2018. The obtained results of ll monitored experimental sites showed increasing in the SOC content, while the HWEC content has decreased. Furthermore, a decline in pH and soil´s saturation was documented by regression modelling. Mainly digestate application was responsible for this negative consequence across all soils in studied climatic regions. The multivariate linear regression models (MLR) also showed that HWEC content is significantly affected by natural soil fertility (soil type), phosphorus content (−30%), digestate application (+29%), saturation of the soil sorption complex (SEBCT, 21%) and the dose of total nitrogen (N) applied into the soil (−20%). Here we report that the labile forms (HWEC) are affected by the application of digestate (15%), the soil saturation (37%), the application of mineral potassium (−7%), soil pH (−14%) and the overall condition of the soil (−27%). The stable components (SOM) are affected by the content of HWEC (17%), soil texture 0.01–0.001mm (10%), and input of organic matter and nutrients from animal production (10%). Results also showed that the mineral fertilization has a negative effect (−14%), together with the soil depth (−11%), and the soil texture 0.25–2 mm (−21%) on SOM. Using modern statistical procedures (MRLs) it was confirmed that SOM plays an important role in maintaining resp. improving soil physical, biochemical and biological properties, which is particularly important to ensure the productivity of agroecosystems (soil quality and health) and to future food security. Full article

Monitoring changes in the prevalence of Fusarium species and toxin production is an important tool for the integrated control of Fusarium head blight (FHB). However, methods for the high-throughput screening of Fusarium populations have been developed using isolates with limited geographic origins. In this study, we used species- and trichothecene-specific primers to monitor the F. graminearum species complex (FGSC) originating from Serbia. We also tested the applicability of the primers to the surveillance of FHB. We analyzed two hundred and ten isolates collected from thirty two locations and five winter wheat varieties over a three-year period. Using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), we investigated associations between Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) and location, variety, members of the FGSC, and their predisposition for mycotoxin production. The results revealed that the species-specific primers were not specific for 11% of the F. graminearum population. The primer sets were 98.5%, 95.2%, and 92.4% effective in the multilocus genotyping of Tri7, Tri3, and Tri5 genes, respectively. We found that individual wheat varieties were associated with isolates that could not be characterized using species- and trichothecene-specific primers. Alternaria spp. had a significant influence (p < 0.001) on grain infection with F. graminearum, indicating the necessity to further investigate its impact on the pathogenesis of the F. graminearum clade. Full article

In this study, we aimed to improve rice farmers’ productivity and profitability in rainfed lowlands through appropriate crop and nutrient management by closing the rice yield gap during the dry season in the rainfed lowlands of Indonesia. The Integrated Crop Management package, involving recommended practices (RP) from the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), were compared to the farmers’ current practices at ten farmer-participatory demonstration plots across ten provinces of Indonesia in 2019. The farmers’ practices (FP) usually involved using old varieties in their remaining land and following their existing fertilizer management methods. The results indicate that improved varieties and nutrient best management practices in rice production, along with water reservoir infrastructure and information access, contribute to increasing the productivity and profitability of rice farming. The mean rice yield increased significantly with RP compared with FP by 1.9 t ha⁻¹ (ranges between 1.476 to 2.344 t ha⁻¹), and net returns increased, after deducting the cost of fertilizers and machinery used for irrigation supplements, by USD 656 ha⁻¹ (ranges between USD 266.1 to 867.9 ha⁻¹) per crop cycle. This represents an exploitable yield gap of 37%. Disaggregated by the wet climate of western Indonesia and eastern Indonesia’s dry climate, the RP increased rice productivity by 1.8 and 2.0 t ha⁻¹, with an additional net return gain per cycle of USD 600 and 712 ha⁻¹, respectively. These results suggest that there is considerable potential to increase the rice production output from lowland rainfed rice systems by increasing cropping intensity and productivity. Here, we lay out the potential for site-specific variety and nutrient management with appropriate crop and supplemental irrigation as an ICM package, reducing the yield gap and increasing farmers’ yield and income during the dry season in Indonesia’s rainfed-prone areas. Full article

Extracting allelochemicals from rice (Oryza sativa) straw and use for weed management is more sustainable than burning and reduces herbicide dependence. Water soluble compounds were extracted from shoots and roots of OM 5930, generating both a crystallized by-product and liquid extract. Crystallized product was applied to soil with pre-germinated barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli L. Beauv), red sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis L. Nees), and grass-like fimbry (Fimbristylis miliacea L. Vahl) seeds. As little as 9.4 g per pot (1 ton ha⁻¹ biomass) reduced survival of all species, with the order of sensitivity barnyardgrass (BG) < red sprangletop (RS) < grasslike-fimbry (GF). Increased rates or time of exposure (3 to 42 days after treatment; DAT) resulted in a stepwise reduction in seed survival. Using liquid extract, 5.33 g pot⁻¹ (3 tons ha⁻¹ biomass) reduced BG survival by 49.8%, while 2.67 g pot⁻¹ reduced survival of RS and GF by 49.7 and 54.3%, respectively at 42 DAT. A rate of 8 g pot⁻¹ reduced survival of BG seedlings by 78.3% but was lethal to RS and GF seedlings. The most abundant allelochemicals present were ergosterol peroxide, p-coumaric acid, and salicylic acid. OM 5930 rice is a promising variety for extraction of allelopathic compounds and application for extended herbicidal activity. Full article

The influence of salicylic acid (SA) on growth, yield, fruits’ quality and enzymes’ activities was monitored in strawberry plants cv. Camarosa grown under salinity stress via two pot experiments in two successive years of 2018 and 2019. The examined concentrations of SA were 30, 60, and 90 ppm, which foliary applied in addition to control (sprayed with water), while the used levels of salinity were 20, and 40 mM as NaCl as irrigation application in addition to control (without salinity). The results showed a significant effect of salinity at 40 mM where the mean values of shoot fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll, leaves’ NPK, yield plant⁻¹, yield ha⁻¹, and fruits’ ascorbic acid were significantly decreased. However, the 40 mM salinity resulted in a significant increase in leaves’ content of Na and proline as well as catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) enzymes’ activity and the fruits’ TSS and acidity. The application with 90 ppm SA was found to be the most significant positive treatment for all of the studied characters except the Na leaves’ content. Regarding tolerance index percentages (STI%), the high values of CAT, POD, and proline referred to the ability to use them as indicators for strawberry salinity response in other physiological and plant breeding studies. The findings of this study suggest that the 90 ppm SA foliar application can ameliorate the negative effect of salinity on the growth of strawberry cv. Camarosa. Full article