Search Results (8)

Mediterranean regions are forecasted to be increasingly threatened by climate change, leading to the occurrence of extreme events. One strategy to improve the resilience of agricultural systems is to introduce rotations that combine legumes and crops with high intraspecific diversity such as evolutionary populations (EPs). These cropping systems may be characterized by lower external input needs and higher buffering capacity than traditional ones. Our objective was to test if the introduction of wheat EPs impacts soil microbial functions—including microbial biomass, community structure, and enzymatic activity—and soil organic matter composition within a crop rotation framework. We conducted a two-year field experiment at two sites in Italy comparing a modern bread wheat variety to two EPs, evolved in different areas, in rotation with legumes. The composition and processes of rhizosphere microbial communities were characterized using EL-FAME and enzyme activities. In addition, rhizosphere soil organic matter signatures were measured by mid-infrared spectroscopy, and their relationships with microbial parameters were investigated using principal component analyses. The results showed that the EP–rhizosphere relationship, as well as its influence on microbial abundance and activity, is dependent both on the site of origin and local pedoclimatic conditions, although no consistent response was observed across the two sites. These effects may be buffered by the choice of the preceding crop in rotation. Full article

Few-shot object detection (FSOD) in remote sensing remains challenging due to the scarcity of annotated samples and the complex background environments in aerial images. Existing methods often struggle to capture fine-grained local features or suffer from bias during global adaptation to novel categories, leading to misclassification as background. To address these issues, we propose a framework that simultaneously enhances local feature learning and global feature adaptation. Specifically, we design an Extensible Local Feature Aggregator Module (ELFAM) that reconstructs object structures via multi-scale recursive attention aggregation. We further introduce a Self-Guided Novel Adaptation (SGNA) module that employs a teacher-student collaborative strategy to generate high-quality pseudo-labels, thereby refining the semantic feature distribution of novel categories. In addition, a Teacher-Guided Dual-Branch Head (TG-DH) is developed to supervise both classification and regression using pseudo-labels generated by the teacher model to further stabilize and enhance the semantic features of novel classes. Extensive experiments on DlOR and iSAlD datasets demonstrate that our method achieves superior performance compared to existing state-of-the-art FSOD approaches and simultaneously validate the effectiveness of all proposed components. Full article

As renewable energy production grows, the photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing process has received worldwide attention. In 2019, the total sales of PV modules were 1.7 billion U.S. dollars, and 78.7% of PV modules were made in South Korea. However, Korean manufacturers are facing high production costs due to high domestic labor costs and long-distance raw material procurement, making it difficult to produce price-competitive PV modules. In this situation, the best alternative for Korean manufacturers to gain a competitive edge is to produce high-quality PV modules. To this end, this study is going to propose a novel data-driven machine vision framework for the quality management of a PV manufacturing process consisting of seven stages, including tabbing, auto bussing, electro luminescence (EL), laminating, fame station, frame, and junction box. Particularly, the framework uses machine vision to analyze image data collected from an actual PV module manufacturing facility in South Korea. Autonomous decision-making algorithms are devised to recognize incorrect patterns of PV modules in terms of product quality. This experiment shows that the proposed framework enables the detection of PV module defects in electroluminescence (EL) and tabbing operations with a fault detection accuracy of over 95%. Therefore, the proposed framework enables a reduction in the number of defects, and this helps to improve quality loss during the PV module manufacturing process. Full article

This study explores the impact of diverse organic fertilizers, including a non-traditional cyanobacteria-based alternative, on soil microbial communities in varying soil types and depths. The research aims to elucidate the effects of these fertilizers on soil microorganisms in certified organic cucumber (Cucumis sativus) field and peach (Prunus persica) orchard settings. Fertilizers were applied either on the soil surface or banded 5 cm below the soil surface, and microbial ester-linked fatty acids (EL-FAMEs) were analyzed in collected soils. Notably, cyanobacteria and Neptune hydrolyzed fish emulsion fertilizers induced significant alterations in the microbial communities of cucumber plots, enhancing microbial biomass and favoring the proliferation of Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and actinomycetes compared to other treatments. In the peach orchard, fertilizer choice differentially impacted microbial communities, especially in the first year and at greater soil depths. Notably, the supplementation of poultry manure with cyanobacteria fertilizer resulted in augmented microbial biomass and relative fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundances compared to poultry manure alone. These shifts have promising implications for organic vegetable and fruit cultivation. The study further underscores the potential of cyanobacteria-based fertilizers to reduce reliance on traditional options and minimize manure application, promoting self-sufficiency and benefiting soil microorganisms, plant growth, and the ecosystem. Thus, the research emphasizes the importance of exploring and adopting cyanobacteria-based fertilizers to bolster sustainable agricultural practices. Full article

Maintaining soil health and sustainable crop production has been challenged by climate variability and wind erosion in semi-arid regions. To understand the initial effects of the transition of tilled cotton systems to no-tillage with winter wheat as a cover crop, we sampled 18 commercial grower sites from 2019 to 2022 in the Southern High Plains (SHP). We evaluated the soil biological component, which often responds rapidly to changes in residue additions or minimized soil disturbance providing an early indication of changes in soil health, especially in the low organic matter soils in this region. After two years, compared to tilled systems, no-till systems had significant increases in ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME) bacterial and saprophytic and AMF fungal markers, enzyme activities of nutrient cycling, and various SOM pools, under both center-pivot irrigation and dryland. Similar increases were also observed in two dryland sites sampled before and up to two years after transition to no-till. Our study demonstrates the potential of no-tillage and cover crops to improve soil health in cotton production in semiarid regions, and a framework for a soil health assessment that links different soil health indicators with functions related to soil organic matter, soil water, and biogeochemical cycling. Full article

Interactions between above- and below-ground monoculture forest plantation components are critical to tree growth and development. Within the Central Hardwoods Region (CHR), synergistic relationships between tree species and soil microbial community structure and function have received limited research attention. Soil microbes are integral to forest ecosystems as their activities intrinsically promote soil organic matter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem functioning. Here, we examined soils from two perfectly aligned stands of black walnut (BW, Juglans nigra L.) and Northern red oak (RO, Quercus rubra L.) trees. Measurements of selected soil chemical properties, microbial community structure using ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME), and soil enzyme activities (EAs) were used. Analysis of modifications within microbial communities showed a significant positive response to BW based upon soil EAs and microbial indicators, compared to RO. Seasonal comparisons predictably revealed higher microbial activities during summer. Fungi dominated the soil microbial community structure with a fungal/bacterial ratio of 2:1. Gram-positive rather than Gram-negative bacteria or actinomycetes dominated the bacterial community. The activity of the soil enzymes ß-glucosidase and arylsulfatase increased, but ß-glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase decreased. Additionally, acid phosphatase and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi revealed strong correlations. The differences observed in biological properties, specifically microbial communities and EAs, highlight the varied responses to BW and RO soil biology and subsequent soil ecosystem functions. These results indicate that variations in microbial abundance and soil functions occur throughout the course of an entire year. Full article

Since the passage of legislation in 1977, Appalachian mineland reclamation is typically completed using non-native C₃ grasses and forbs. Alternatively, reclamation with native prairie (C₄) grasses and forbs offers a more ecologically friendly alternative that can contribute to native plant conservation and potentially improve soil properties more quickly than shallower rooted C₃ cool-season grasses. We assessed the establishment of native prairie after reclamation, evaluating three treatments for six years after planting—traditional cool season planting, native prairie planted at light density, and native prairie planted at heavy density. All treatments reached the objectives of reclamation—percentage of ground covered by vegetation—within 2 years after planting. All treatments at all sites, except for one site by treatment combination near a forest, showed an increase in plant species richness and Shannon–Wiener diversity in the first four years of reclamation, a peak around 5 years, and subsequent decrease. Little difference in plant richness and Shannon–Wiener diversity among treatments was observed. However, the two native seed mixes quickly diverged from the traditional mix in terms of community structure and diverged further over time, with both native treatments heading towards a more desirable native prairie grassland state, while the traditional mix remained dominated by non-native cool season grasses. The native treatments also exhibited greater increase in microbial biomass and fungi:bacteria ratio over time compared to the traditional mix. Soil organic carbon increased over time regardless of seed mix treatment. Exchangeable base cations and phosphorus generally decreased over time, as expected, regardless of seed mix treatment, likely due to uptake from established plants. Native grassland species were able to establish despite inclusion of some traditional species in the native mix. Native plant establishment likely resulted in benefits including pollinator resources, bird and wildlife habitat, and increased soil health, and we recommend that native prairie mixes be used directly in reclamation moving forward, as they are able to meet reclamation goals while establishing a successful native prairie plant community. Full article

After strip mining, soils typically suffer from compaction, low nutrient availability, loss of soil organic carbon, and a compromised soil microbial community. Prairie restorations can improve ecosystem services on former agricultural lands, but prairie restorations on mine lands are relatively under-studied. This study investigated the impact of prairie restoration on mine lands, focusing on the plant community and soil properties. In southeast Ohio, 305 ha within a ~2000 ha area of former mine land was converted to native prairie through herbicide and planting between 1999–2016. Soil and vegetation sampling occurred from 2016–2018. Plant community composition shifted with prairie age, with highest native cover in the oldest prairie areas. Prairie plants were more abundant in older prairies. The oldest prairies had significantly more soil fungal biomass and higher soil microbial biomass. However, many soil properties (e.g., soil nutrients, β-glucosoidase activity, and soil organic carbon), as well as plant species diversity and richness trended higher in prairies, but were not significantly different from baseline cool-season grasslands. Overall, restoration with prairie plant communities slowly shifted soil properties, but mining disturbance was still the most significant driver in controlling soil properties. Prairie restoration on reclaimed mine land was effective in establishing a native plant community, with the associated ecosystem benefits. Full article