Agronomy

The use of double-phase medium (2F) gave beneficial effects in the propagation of woody plants belonging to the Rosaceae family. Despite this, it appears that such research has not yet been carried out in relation to (Amelanchier sp.). Thus, the efficiency of such a technique in micropropagation of three cultivars of serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.)—‘Autumn Brilliance’, ‘Ballerina’, ‘Snowcloud’—was evaluated. The 2F medium was obtained by pouring the liquid MS solution (10 mL) onto the solid (1F) medium (50 mL) after inoculation of the explants. Generally, the response of the in vitro cultures to 2F medium was positive but clone-dependent. This medium stimulated, to various extents, the elongation and proliferation of the shoots. The use of 2F medium did not significantly increase hyperhydricity, whereas it lowered shoot tip necrosis frequency during the multiplication stage. However, the residual effect of 2F medium on the in vitro rooting of shoots and acclimation was adverse in the case of two out of three studied clones. Considering the efficiency of the three micropropagation stages, the use of 2F medium was only favorable in the case of one clone (‘Ballerina’), yielding over 90% more acclimated plantlets in comparison to the control (1F medium).

Seedling-stage weeds are one of the key factors affecting the crop growth and yield formation of soybean. Accurate detection and density mapping of these weeds are crucial for achieving precise weed management in agricultural fields. To overcome the limitations of traditional large-scale uniform herbicide application, this study proposes an improved YOLOv11n-based method for weed detection and spatial distribution mapping by integrating low-altitude UAV imagery with field elevation data. The second convolution in the C3K2 module was replaced with Wavelet Convolution (WTConv) to reduce complexity. A SENetv2-based C2PSA module was introduced to enhance feature representation and context fusion with minimal parameter increase. Soft-NMS-SIoU replaced traditional NMS, improving detection accuracy and robustness for dense overlaps. The improved YOLOv11n algorithm achieved a 3.4% increase in mAP@50% on the test set, outperforming the original YOLOv11n in FPS, while FLOPs and parameter count increased by only 1.2% and 0.2%, respectively. More importantly, the model reliably detected small grass weeds with morphology highly similar to soybean seedlings, which were undetectable by the original model, thus meeting agricultural production monitoring requirements. In addition, the pixel-level weed detection results from the model were converted into coordinates and interpolated using Kriging in ArcGIS (10.8.1) Pro to generate continuous weed density maps, resulting in high-resolution spatial distribution maps directly applicable to variable-rate spraying equipment. The proposed approach greatly improves both the precision and operational efficiency of weed detection and management across large agricultural fields, providing scientific support for intelligent variable-rate spraying using plant protection UAVs and ground-based sprayers, thereby promoting sustainable agriculture.

Intercropping medicinal and aromatic plants with other crops has demonstrated substantial potential for improving sustainable agricultural systems. Across a wide range of species, including yarrow, dill, wormwood, pot marigold, ajowan, coriander, saffron, cumin, lemongrass, Moldavian dragonhead, fennel, hyssop, dragons head, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, mint, black cumin, basil, rose-scented geranium, aniseed, patchouli, rosemary, sage, summer savory, marigold, thyme, fenugreek, and vetiver, integration with cereals, legumes, vegetables, and perennial trees enhanced both land use efficiency and overall crop productivity. These systems often resulted in improved essential oil (EO) yield and composition, optimized plant growth, and increased economic returns, particularly when combined with organic inputs or biofertilizers. In addition to productivity gains, intercropping provides important ecological benefits. It can enhance soil fertility, stimulate microbial activity, and contribute to effective pest and weed management. Incorporating medicinal and aromatic plants into orchards, vineyards, or agroforestry systems further supported biodiversity. It influenced secondary metabolite production in companion crops, demonstrating the multifunctional role of these species in integrated farming systems. Overall, intercropping medicinal and aromatic plants represents a versatile and economically viable approach for sustainable crop production. The selection of compatible species, careful management of planting ratios, and appropriate agronomic practices are critical to maximizing both biological and economic benefits. Such strategies not only increase farm profitability but also promote environmental sustainability and resilience in diverse cropping systems. This review explores the effects of MAP integration on agroecological performance and identifies key mechanisms and practical outcomes.