Search Results (178)

The widespread use of pesticides in modern agriculture has significantly enhanced food production by managing pests and diseases; however, their degradation in soil can lead to unintended consequences for soil fertility and nutrient cycling. This review explores the mechanisms of pesticide degradation, both abiotic and biotic, and the soil factors influencing these processes. It critically examines how degradation products impact soil microbial communities, organic matter decomposition, and key nutrient cycles, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients. This review highlights emerging evidence linking pesticide residues with altered enzymatic activity, disrupted microbial populations, and reduced nutrient bioavailability, potentially compromising soil structure, water retention, and long-term productivity. Additionally, it discusses the broader environmental and agricultural implications, including decreased crop yields, biodiversity loss, and groundwater contamination. Sustainable management strategies such as bioremediation, the use of biochar, eco-friendly pesticides, and integrated pest management (IPM) are evaluated for mitigating these adverse effects. Finally, this review outlines future research directions emphasizing long-term studies, biotechnology innovations, and predictive modeling to support resilient agroecosystems. Understanding the intricate relationship between pesticide degradation and soil health is crucial to ensuring sustainable agriculture and food security. Full article

Salt accumulation in arable lands causes significant abiotic stress, resulting in a 10% loss in global arable land area and jeopardizing food production and agricultural sustainability. In order to attain high and sustainable food production, it is imperative to enhance traditional agricultural practices with modern technology to enable the restoration of arable lands afflicted by salinity. This review consolidates recent rice-specific advancements aimed at enhancing salt stress resilience through integrated strategies. We explore the functions of primary and secondary metabolic pathways, organic amendments, microbial symbiosis, and plant growth regulators in reducing the negative impacts of salt. Furthermore, we highlight the significance of emerging genetic and epigenetic technologies, including gene editing and transcriptional regulation, in developing salt-tolerant rice cultivars. Physiological studies reveal salt stress responses in rice plants, biochemical analyses identify stress-related metabolites, microbial investigations uncover beneficial plant–microbe interactions, and molecular approaches enable the identification of key genes—together providing essential insights for developing salt-tolerant rice varieties. We present a comprehensive overview of the multilayered strategies—ranging from agronomic management and physiological adaptations to molecular breeding and microbial applications—that have been developed and refined over recent decades. These approaches have significantly contributed to understanding and improving salinity tolerance mechanisms in rice. This review provides a foundational framework for future research and practical implementation in stress-resilient rice farming systems. Full article

Biological research and agriculture are increasingly benefiting from the use of artificial intelligence algorithms, which are becoming integral to various areas of human activity. Fundamental knowledge of the mechanisms of plant germination, growth/development, and reproduction is the basis for plant cultivation. Plants provide food and valuable biochemicals and are an important element of a sustainable natural environment. An interdisciplinary approach involving basic science (biology and informatics), technology (artificial intelligence), and farming practice can contribute to the development of precision agriculture, which in turn increases crop and food production. Nowadays, a progressive elucidation of the mechanisms of plant growth/development involves studies of interrelations between electrical phenomena occurring inside plants and movements of plant organs. Recently, there have been increasing numbers of reports on methods for classifying plant electrograms using statistical and artificial intelligence algorithms. Artificial intelligence procedures can identify diverse electrical signals—signatures associated with specific environmental abiotic and biotic factors or stresses. At the same time, a growing body of research shows methods of precise and fast analysis of time-lapse videos via automated image analysis and artificial intelligence to study the movement and growth/development of plants. In both research fields, scientists introduce modern and promising methods of studying plant growth/development. Such basic research along with technological innovations will contribute to the development of precision agriculture and an increase in yields and production of healthier food in future. Full article

The growing demand for sustainable food production has driven significant advancements in modern agriculture, including increasing interest in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), a high-tech solution designed to provide fresh, local, and organic products. Although the integration of various technologies in agriculture continues to expand, many opportunities remain to improve environmental performance and operational efficiency. Recent advancements in Remote Sensing (RS) and Machine Learning (ML) offer promising tools for enhancing resource efficiency, improving sustainability, and optimizing processes across various agricultural settings. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of the application of Remote Sensing and Machine Learning in agriculture, highlighting publication trends, influential research contributions, and emerging themes in this interdisciplinary field. While the majority of the analyzed literature addresses general agricultural modernization, the growing relevance of RS and ML in artificial climate facilities and controlled environments has been evident in more recent research. Furthermore, we explore how RS and ML technologies contribute to real-time monitoring, precision agriculture, and decision-making in agriculture. Full article

With the advancement of modern agriculture, intelligent laser robots driven by deep learning have emerged as an effective solution to address the limitations of traditional weeding methods. These robots offer precise and efficient weed control, crucial for boosting agricultural productivity. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent research on laser weeding applications using intelligent robots. Firstly, we introduce the content analysis method employed to organize the reviewed literature. Subsequently, we present the workflow of weeding systems, emphasizing key technologies such as the perception, decision-making, and execution layers. A detailed discussion follows on the application of deep learning algorithms, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), YOLO, and Faster R-CNN, in weed control. Here, we show that these algorithms can achieve high accuracy in weed detection, with YOLO demonstrating particularly fast and accurate performance. Furthermore, we analyze the challenges and open problems associated with deep learning detection systems and explore future trends in this research field. By summarizing the role of intelligent laser robots powered by deep learning, we aim to provide insights for researchers and practitioners in agriculture, fostering further innovation and development in this promising area. Full article

Albi-boric argosols, mainly distributed in the Sanjiang Plain of Heilongjiang Province, China, accounting for over 80% of the total cultivated land area, is characterized by a nutrient-deficient layer beneath black soil. This study addresses the challenges of modern agriculture by investigating the impact of straw incorporation on soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and its structures in albi-boric argosols, profiles, using fluorescence excitation–emission spectroscopy and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Three treatments were applied: undisturbed albi-boric argosols (C), mixed albic and illuvium layers (M), and mixed albic and illuvium layers with straw (MS). Results showed that the yield of M and MS increased by 9.9% and 13.0%, respectively. There was a significant increase in DOC content, particularly in the MS treatment. Fluorescence index (FI) values ranged from 1.65 to 1.86, biological index (BIX) values were less than 1, and humification index (HIX) values were below 0.75, indicating a mix of plant and microbial sources for DOC, autochthonous characteristics, and weaker humification degree. PARAFAC identified two/three individual fluorophore moieties that were attributed to fulvic acid substances, soluble microbial products, and tyrosine-like substances, with microbial products as the dominant component. This study demonstrates the effect of improving barrier soil and maintaining sustainable agriculture by enhancing soil quality. Full article

Soil health is the cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, serving as the foundation for crop productivity, environmental resilience, and long-term ecosystem stability. Contemporary agricultural methods, characterized by excessive pesticide and fertilizer application, monoculture, and intensive tillage, have resulted in extensive soil degradation, requiring novel strategies to restore and sustain soil functionality. This review examined sustainable practices to enhance soil health and improve crop quality in modern agricultural systems. Preserving soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics is essential for its health, achievable through various agronomic strategies. Practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, no-till or carbon farming, conservation agriculture (CA), and the use of organic amendments were explored for their ability to restore the soil structure, increase organic matter, and promote biodiversity. These initiatives seek to preserve and enhance soil ecosystems by aligning agricultural practices with ecological principles, ensuring long-term productivity and environmental stability. Enhancing soil health will improve soil functions, supporting the concept that increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) is necessary. This study determined that conservation tillage is more advantageous for soil health than conventional tillage, a topic that is still controversial among scientists and farmers, and that various tillage systems exhibit distinct interactions. These strategies, through the integrated management of the interaction of plant, soil, microbial, and human activities, would enhance soil health. Full article

Facing the widespread cooperation among different agribusiness entities in China, this study explores the impact mechanism of land scale on farmers’ cooperation with new agricultural business entities (abbreviated as NABEs), including family farms, cooperatives, and agribusinesses. The effects of income within the cooperation mechanism are further analyzed. Based on survey data from 1558 farmers in 10 provinces, applying binary Logit regression and mediation effect models, the study finds the following: (1) The current land area, past growth of land, and future willingness to expand land all positively affect farmers’ cooperation with new agricultural business entities; (2) An inverted U-shaped relationship exists between land size and the proportion of farmers joining new agricultural business entities. The probabilities of joining family farms, cooperatives, and agribusinesses peak at land sizes of 2.65, 6.82, and 7.04 acres, respectively; (3) The current income situation has an intermediary effect on the cooperation between farmers and family farms, while the future income expectation has an intermediary effect on the cooperation between farmers and cooperatives and agribusinesses; (4) The effect of land scale on cooperation is more significant for farmers of village officials or agricultural organization members, full-time farmers, and those with green production and modern sales. This study proposes a development growth curve of farmers, which can be divided into “self-development–cooperation–transformation” stages, and gives solutions for each stage, to facilitate moderate-scale operations and long-term cooperation among various entities in the context of market reforms and social division of labor. Full article

The overuse of pesticides has led to resistance in phytopathogens, posing significant threats to global food security and environmental health. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), small molecules produced by various organisms as part of their innate immune defense, exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity with a lower risk of resistance development. These properties make AMPs promising candidates for sustainable agricultural practices. However, challenges such as high production costs, instability, and potential toxicity to plant cells have hindered their widespread application. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the discovery, classification, and antimicrobial mechanisms of AMPs, focusing on their roles in plant protection. It also explores strategies for identifying and optimizing AMPs, including structural modifications, targeted delivery systems, and production methods using plant- and microbe-based expression systems. Additionally, the review highlights the potential of transgenic approaches to enhance crop resistance by expressing AMP genes in plants. Despite the challenges, AMPs offer a transformative opportunity for modern agriculture, providing innovative solutions to combat plant diseases while reducing reliance on conventional pesticides. Continued research and technological advancements are essential to fully realize the potential of AMPs in sustainable plant protection. Full article

Amid escalating global demands for both enhanced agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability, biochar-based fertilizers have emerged as a promising solution in modern agriculture. These fertilizers, made from biochar derived from agricultural residues, have shown considerable potential in improving soil quality, enhancing nutrient release dynamics, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This review systematically examines the production technologies, application strategies, and potential environmental and agronomic benefits of biochar-based fertilizers. Studies highlight their ability to improve soil structure, increase soil organic matter, and boost nutrient utilization efficiency, which contribute to higher crop yields and better crop quality. Moreover, biochar-based fertilizers have demonstrated notable environmental advantages, such as reducing the emissions of methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), while promoting sustainable resource recycling. However, challenges such as production costs, variability in efficacy across different soil types, and the need for further optimization in formulation and application remain. Future research should focus on improving production efficiency, optimizing biochar-based fertilizer formulations, and conducting long-term field trials to validate their ecological and agronomic performance. This review provides valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, offering a comprehensive theoretical framework for the integration of biochar-based fertilizers into sustainable agricultural practices. Full article

As a unit, housing is one of the most important elements affected by social, economic, and cultural changes in every period of human history. In all ages, from ancient times to the present, housing has not only met the need for shelter, but also reflected people’s lifestyles and values and the technological developments of the period. Housing architecture emerges as a type of structure that has been continuously evolving in every period and is affected by the changes experienced by societies. In this study, the idea that houses are not only structural products, but the structures that have become homes for humans, is approached and discussed through concepts such as spatial organization, relationality, accessibility, visibility, density of use, depth, privacy, and belonging. The Yenişehir district in Karabük province, which is thought to have been transformed into design by considering these concepts, also constitutes the focus area of the study idea in this sense. The houses located in the Yenişehir district, which was selected because it contains concrete examples of the modernization efforts of the Early Republican Period of Türkiye and is an example of industrial housing production, have been numerically evaluated within the scope of this study with the data obtained from the space syntax analysis and the depthMapX program (v0.8.0). In this way, it raises the question of whether it is possible to create housing settlements for people in the transition from agricultural society to industrial society without disrupting the socio-cultural structure of society. As a result, it has been seen that the houses in Yenişehir are designed functionally and human-oriented, and they also consider the dynamics of society. Full article

Climate change is a substantial threat to worldwide food security, affecting the supply, stability, accessibility, and quality of food. This study aimed to explore the impact of climate change on household food security of farming communities in dry zones in Sri Lanka, focusing on water resource limitations and agricultural productivity, using a qualitative case study method with 13 cases. The impact of climate change on farming and food security was identified under the key themes of food production and yield, income and economic stability, water resources and management, food availability and access, nutrition quality, and dietary diversity. The findings revealed that climate change can indirectly affect food security by impacting household and personal incomes. It also influences health, access to clean water, and the ability to utilize food effectively. Such climatic changes significantly impact household food security and distinctly affect nutrition quality and dietary diversity, which are identifiable as the primary food security elements. This study suggests moving other income sources to enhance the economic stability of farming households, adopting new farming techniques, organizing government assistance programs, and establishing social safety nets such as food aid programs and financial support for affected households. Such activities will help to address the decline of yield production that is caused by climate change, and will mitigate the effect that climate change has on household food security. It further emphasizes the need to combine modern policy interventions and the existing domestic adaptation framework. This investigation employs a qualitative research method to explore how communities experience actual climate change effects, including water issues and farm failures. It effectively captures and contributes detailed knowledge to the current research on this subject. Full article

Commercial tomato hybrids exhibit robust performance in modern high-input agricultural systems. However, their suitability for low-input farming remains uncertain. With the goal that by 2030, 25% of European agricultural production must be organic as part of the European Green Deal, this study aims to assess whether existing commercial tomato hybrids can offer a viable solution for low-input farming. Additionally, the impact of beneficial microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), in relation to the growth and productivity of tomato hybrids under low-input cultivation is assessed. For this purpose, a well-defined microbial consortium, including Azotobacter chroococcum, Clostridium pasteurianum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and Acetobacter diazotrophicus, was applied as a liquid suspension to enhance root colonization and promote plant growth. Seven commercial tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hybrids—the most popular in the Greek market—were evaluated for their performance under high-input (hydroponic) and low-input cultivation systems (with and without the use of PGPR). Several parameters related to yield, fruit quality, nutritional value, descriptive traits, and leaf elemental concentration were evaluated. In addition, a techno-economic analysis was conducted to assess whether hybrids developed under high-input conditions and intended for such cultivation environments suit low-input farming systems. The results indicated that such hybrids are not a viable, efficient, or profitable strategy for low-input cultivation. These findings underscore the importance of breeding tomato varieties, specifically adapted to low-input farming, highlighting the need for targeted breeding strategies to enhance sustainability and resilience in future agricultural systems. Notably, this study is among the first to comprehensively assess the response of commercial tomato hybrids under low-input conditions, addressing a critical gap in the current literature. Full article

The European Green Deal creates both opportunities and challenges in the process of transition to sustainable farming models. In modern conditions, it is crucial that this transition leads to a higher degree of sustainability of a healthy and environmentally friendly food system. The role of farmers is becoming particularly prominent due to their efforts in introducing environmentally friendly agricultural practices for effective combat against climate change, protection and conservation of biodiversity and the environment. On the one hand, agriculture stands at the “front line” as regards the consequences of climate change and biodiversity loss, and on the other hand, unsustainable agricultural practices are a major factor in biodiversity loss. The aim of this study is to identify the differences or the regional specificities of an innovative agricultural model and its potential for developing and strengthening socioeconomic indicators on a national scale. The thesis of the study is that organic agriculture in Bulgaria, as a sustainable model for agricultural production, not only has the potential for development but is also an opportunity for diversification and development of agricultural business on the regional level, with a key role and priority in the national agricultural policy. Full article

Environmental sustainability is a crucial issue in modern agriculture and special attention needs to be paid to soil health preservation. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation implies the supply of relevant quantities of chemical fertilizers, since the crop has high nutrient requirements. This study investigated the combined effects of two common organic amendments—compost and digestate—and two types of biostimulant—a plant-based product and a microbe-based product—on fruit production and quality of eggplant, to highlight the potential synergistic effects of fertilization and biostimulation. The experiment was carried out in a Mediterranean greenhouse in the winter/spring period, assessing early and total marketable yield and fruit qualitative traits (firmness, color, nitrogen, ascorbic acid, carotenoid and phenol content, and antioxidant activity). Results showed that the fertilization strategy significantly influenced plant productivity, with digestate promoting the early fruitification and mineral fertilizers resulting in a higher total yield. Biostimulants, particularly the microbial type, improved the fruit quality in terms of carotenoid content and antioxidant activity. These findings highlight the potential benefits of combining organic amendments with biostimulants in eggplant cultivation, enhancing the economic value of the product through the increase in the early production and fruit nutraceutical value while realizing sustainable practices. Full article