Search Results (6,126)

The increasing shortage of drinking water, driven by reduced rainfall and the intensification of industrial and agricultural activities, has raised justified concerns about the quantity and quality of available water resources. These sectors not only demand high water consumption but also discharge large amounts of toxic substances such as organic matter, metal ions and inorganic anions, posing risks to both public health and the environment. This study evaluated the effectiveness of clay-based nanomaterials in the treatment of contaminated industrial wastewater from the mining sector. The materials tested included montmorillonite, high-loading expandable synthetic mica, and their organically functionalized forms (MMT, Mica-Na-4, C18-MMT, and C18-Mica-4). The experimental results show that these clays had minimal impact on the pH of the water, while a notable decrease in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was observed. Ion chromatography indicated an increase in nitrogen and sulfur compounds with higher oxidation states. Inductively coupled plasma analysis revealed a significant reduction in the calcium concentration and an increase in the sodium concentration, likely due to cation exchange mechanisms. However, the removal of copper and iron was ineffective, possibly due to competitive interactions with other cations in the solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the structural modifications and interlayer spacing changes in the clay materials upon exposure to contaminated water. These findings demonstrate the potential of clay minerals as effective and low-cost materials for the remediation of industrial wastewater. Full article

With the growth of the global population and the increasing scarcity of arable land, traditional agricultural production is confronted with multiple challenges, such as efficiency improvement, precision operation, and sustainable development. The progressive advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has created a transformative opportunity for the intelligent upgrade of agricultural equipment. This article systematically presents recent progress in computer vision, machine learning (ML), and intelligent sensing. The key innovations are highlighted in areas such as object detection and recognition (e.g., a K-nearest neighbor (KNN) achieved 98% accuracy in distinguishing vibration signals across operation stages); autonomous navigation and path planning (e.g., a deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-optimized task planner for multi-arm harvesting robots reduced execution time by 10.7%); state perception (e.g., a multilayer perceptron (MLP) yielded 96.9% accuracy in plug seedling health classification); and precision control (e.g., an intelligent multi-module coordinated control system achieved a transplanting efficiency of 5000 plants/h). The findings reveal a deep integration of AI models with multimodal perception technologies, significantly improving the operational efficiency, resource utilization, and environmental adaptability of agricultural equipment. This integration is catalyzing the transition toward intelligent, automated, and sustainable agricultural systems. Nevertheless, intelligent agricultural equipment still faces technical challenges regarding data sample acquisition, adaptation to complex field environments, and the coordination between algorithms and hardware. Looking ahead, the convergence of digital twin (DT) technology, edge computing, and big data-driven collaborative optimization is expected to become the core of next-generation intelligent agricultural systems. These technologies have the potential to overcome current limitations in perception and decision-making, ultimately enabling intelligent management and autonomous decision-making across the entire agricultural production chain. This article aims to provide a comprehensive foundation for advancing agricultural modernization and supporting green, sustainable development. Full article

The increasing demand for food necessitates that agri-food systems adopt innovative techniques to enhance food production while optimizing the use of limited resources, such as water. In agriculture, hydrogels are being increasingly used to enhance water retention and reduce irrigation requirements. However, most of these materials are based on synthetic polymers that are not biodegradable. This raises serious environmental and health concerns, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable, biodegradable alternatives. Biomass-derived from agro-industrial waste presents a substantial potential for producing hydrogels, which can effectively function as water collectors and suppliers for crops. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in the application of agro-industrial waste for the formulation of hydrogels. Additionally, it offers a critical analysis of the development of hydrogels utilizing natural and compostable materials. Agro-industrial and food waste, which are rich in hemicellulose and cellulose, have been utilized to enhance the mechanical properties and water absorption capacity of hydrogels. These biomaterials hold significant potential for the development of effective hydrogels in agricultural applications; they can be either hybrid or natural materials that exhibit efficacy in enhancing seed germination, improving water retention capabilities, and facilitating the controlled release of fertilizers. Natural hydrogels derived from agro-industrial waste present a sustainable technological alternative that is environmentally benign. Full article

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

The genus Trichoderma plays a pivotal role in sustainable agriculture through its multifaceted contributions to plant health and productivity. This review explores Trichoderma’s biological functions, including its roles as a biocontrol agent, plant growth promoter, and stress resilience enhancer. By producing various enzymes, secondary metabolites, and volatile organic compounds, Trichoderma effectively suppresses plant pathogens, promotes root development, and primes plant immune responses. This review details the evolutionary adaptations of Trichoderma, which has transitioned from saprotrophism to mycoparasitism and established beneficial symbiotic relationships with plants. It also highlights the ecological versatility of Trichoderma in colonizing plant roots and improving soil health, while emphasizing its role in mitigating both biotic and abiotic stressors. With increasing recognition as a biostimulant and biocontrol agent, Trichoderma has become a key player in reducing chemical inputs and advancing eco-friendly farming practices. This review addresses challenges such as strain selection, formulation stability, and regulatory hurdles and concludes by advocating for continued research to optimize Trichoderma’s applications in addressing climate change, enhancing food security, and promoting a sustainable agricultural future. Full article

Insect pests cause severe damage and yield losses to many agricultural crops globally. The use of chemical pesticides on agricultural crops is not recommended because of their toxic effects on the environment and consumers. In addition, pesticide toxicity reduces soil fertility, poisons ground waters, and is hazardous to soil biota. Therefore, applications of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are an alternative, eco-friendly solution to chemical pesticides and mineral-based fertilizers to enhance plant health and promote sustainable food security. This review focuses on the biological and ecological aspects of these organisms while also highlighting the practical application of molecular communication approaches in developing a novel plant health product. This insight will support this innovative approach that combines PGPR and EPNs for sustainable crop production. Several studies have reported positive interactions between nematodes and bacteria. Although the combined presence of both organisms has been shown to promote plant growth, the molecular interactions between them are still under investigation. Integrating molecular communication studies in the development of a new product could help in understanding their relationships and, in turn, support the combination of these organisms into a single plant health product. Full article

Ammonia emissions in poultry houses are common and pose health concerns for animals and workers. However, effective control of these emissions with sustainable products is lacking. Therefore, we investigated if an agricultural byproduct, cottonseed hulls, could be recycled through pyrolysis and used to remove ammonia from air. In this study, the efficacy of ammonia removal was observed using cottonseed hull biomaterials pyrolyzed at seven different temperatures: 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C. In this study, ammonia was passed through a column filled with pyrolyzed material, and ammonia in the filtered air was monitored. The results showed that materials pyrolyzed at intermediate temperatures of 350 and 400 °C were the most efficient at ammonia removal and were able to adsorb approximately 3.7 mg NH₃/g of material. Despite extensive characterization, ammonia adsorption could not be linked to intrinsic material properties. Evaluation of the materials showed that the carbon in the pyrolyzed materials would be stable over time should the spent material be used as a soil amendment. Full article

Soil structural instability in reservoir riparian zones, induced by water level fluctuations, threatens sustainable land use by accelerating land degradation. This study examined the impact of water-level variations on soil aggregate composition and stability based on key indicators, including water-stable aggregate content (WSAC), mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD). The Savinov dry sieving, Yoder wet sieving, and Le Bissonnais (LB) methods were employed for analysis. Results indicated that, with decreasing water levels and increasing soil layer, aggregates larger than 5 mm decreased, while aggregates smaller than 0.25 mm increased. Rising water levels and increasing soil layer corresponded to reductions in soil stability indicators (MWD, GMD, and WSAC), highlighting a trend toward soil structural instability. The LB method revealed the lowest aggregate stability under rapid wetting and the highest under slow wetting conditions. Correlation analysis showed that soil organic matter positively correlated with the relative mechanical breakdown index (RMI) (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the relative slaking index (RSI), whereas soil pH was negatively correlated with both RMI and RSI (p < 0.05). Comparative analysis of aggregate stability methods demonstrated that results from the dry sieving method closely resembled those from the SW treatment of the LB method, whereas the wet sieving method closely aligned with the FW (Fast Wetting) treatment of the LB method. The Le Bissonnais method not only reflected the outcomes of dry and wet sieving methods but also effectively distinguished the mechanisms of aggregate breakdown. The study concluded that prolonged flooding intensified aggregate dispersion, with mechanical breakdown influenced by water levels and soil layer. Dispersion and mechanical breakdown represent primary mechanisms of soil aggregate instability, further exacerbated by fluctuating water levels. By elucidating degradation mechanisms, this research provides actionable insights for preserving soil health, safeguarding water resources, and promoting sustainable agricultural in ecologically vulnerable reservoir regions of the Yangtze River Basin. Full article

The health of crops is a major challenge for productivity growth in agriculture, with plant diseases playing a key role in limiting crop yield. Identifying and understanding these diseases is crucial to preventing their spread. In particular, greenhouse pepper leaves are susceptible to diseases such as mildew, mites, caterpillars, aphids, and blight, which leave distinctive marks that can be used for disease classification. The study proposes a seven-class classifier for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of pepper diseases, with a primary focus on pre-processing techniques to enhance colour differentiation between green and yellow shades, thereby facilitating easier classification among the classes. A novel algorithm is introduced to improve image vibrancy, contrast, and colour properties. The diagnosis is performed using a modified VGG16Net model, which includes three additional layers for fine-tuning. After initialising on the ImageNet dataset, some layers are frozen to prevent redundant learning. The classification is additionally accelerated by introducing flattened, dense, and dropout layers. The proposed model is tested on a private dataset collected specifically for this study. Notably, this work is the first to focus on diagnosing aphid and caterpillar diseases in peppers. The model achieves an average accuracy of 92.00%, showing promising potential for seven-class deep learning-based disease diagnostics. Misclassifications in the aphid class are primarily due to the limited number of samples available. Full article

Chemical fertilizers pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. To investigate the effect of substituting nitrogen fertilizer with vermicompost tea on wheat yield, shoot chemical constituents, and grain quality under clay-loam soil conditions, two field experiments were conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. A split-plot design in randomized complete blocks with three replications was employed. Vermicompost tea was assigned to the main plots, while wheat cultivars were assigned to the subplots. The cultivars were evaluated under four treatments involving partial substitution of mineral nitrogen (recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN%, 190 kg N ha⁻¹): a control (90% of RDN + 25 kg vermicompost tea), 80% of RDN + 37.5 kg vermicompost tea, and 70% of RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. Nitrogen fertilizer (RDN%) was applied at rates of 190 (control), 170 (90%), 150 (80%), and 130 (70%) kg N ha⁻¹. The results indicated that partially substituting mineral nitrogen with vermicompost tea significantly increased grain weight/Ha, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, carotenoids, nitrogen, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content in shoots, as well as ash, crude protein, crude fiber, total sugar, and N, P, and K content in wheat grains. The grain weight/Ha of the Sakha-95, Giza-171, and Sads-14 cultivars increased by 38.6%, 33.5%, and 39.3%, respectively, when treated with 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. The combination of the Sads-14 cultivar and 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea resulted in the highest values for grain weight/ha (9.43 tons ha⁻¹), chlorophyll A (1.39 mg/g), chlorophyll B (1.04 mg/g), N (5.08%), P (1.63%), and P (2.43%) content in shoots. The same combination also improved ash (2.89%), crude fiber (2.84%), and K (6.05%) content in grains. In conclusion, the application of vermicompost tea in conjunction with chemical fertilizers offers a viable alternative to using chemical fertilizers alone, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and improving wheat production. It is recommended that mineral nitrogen fertilizer be partially replaced with vermicompost tea to enhance both the productivity and grain quality of wheat while minimizing environmental pollution. Full article

Soil testing has long been used to optimize fertilization and crop production. More recently, soil health testing has emerged to reflect the growing interest in soil multifunctionality and ecosystem services. Soil health encompasses physical, chemical, and biological properties that support ecosystem functions and sustainable agriculture. Despite its relevance to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 13, and 15), comprehensive soil health testing is not widely practiced due to complexity and cost. The aim of the study presented here was to contribute to the further development, implementation, and testing of an integrated procedure for soil health assessment in practice. We developed and tested a rapid, standardized soil health assessment tool that combines near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and multi-nutrient 0.01 M CaCl₂ extraction with Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy analysis. The tool evaluates a wide range of soil characteristics with high accuracy (R² ≥ 0.88 for most parameters) and has been evaluated across more than 15 countries, including those in Europe, China, New Zealand, and Vietnam. The results are compiled into a soil health indicator report with tailored management advice and a five-level ABCDE score. In a Dutch test set, 6% of soils scored A (optimal), while 2% scored E (degraded). This scalable tool supports land users, agrifood industries, and policymakers in advancing sustainable soil management and evidence-based environmental policy. Full article

The extensive use of pesticides has significant implications for public health and the environment. Breeding crop plants is the most effective and environmentally friendly approach to improve the plants’ resistance. However, it is time-consuming and costly, and it is sometimes difficult to achieve satisfactory results. Plants induce defense responses to natural elicitors by interpreting multiple genes that encode proteins, including enzymes, secondary metabolites, and pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. These responses characterize systemic acquired resistance. Humic substances trigger positive local and systemic physiological responses through a complex network of hormone-like signaling pathways and can be used to induce biotic and abiotic stress resistance. This study aimed to assess the effect of humic substances on the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POX), and β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) used as a resistance marker in various plant species, including orange, coffee, sugarcane, soybeans, maize, and tomato. Seedlings were treated with a dilute aqueous suspension of humic substances (4 mM C L⁻¹) as a foliar spray or left untreated (control). Leaf tissues were collected for enzyme assessment two days later. Humic substances significantly promoted the systemic acquired resistance marker activities compared to the control in all independent assays. Overall, all enzymes studied in this work, PAL, GLUC, and POX, showed an increase in activity by 133%, 181%, and 149%, respectively. Among the crops studied, citrus and coffee achieved the highest activity increase in all enzymes, except for POX in coffee, which showed a decrease of 29% compared to the control. GLUC exhibited the highest response to HS treatment, the enzyme most prominently involved in increasing enzymatic activity in all crops. Plants can improve their resistance to pathogens through the exogenous application of HSs as this promotes the activity of enzymes related to plant resistance. Finally, we consider the potential use of humic substances as a natural chemical priming agent to boost plant resistance in agriculture Full article

Effective management of fecal pollutants in rural sanitation is crucial for environmental health and public safety, especially in developing regions. In this study, temporal and regional variations in nutrient elements, heavy metals, pathogenic microorganisms (PMs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) of fecal samples from rural toilets in China were investigated. The moisture contents of the fecal samples average 92.7%, decreasing seasonally from 97.4% in summer to 90.6% in winter. The samples’ pH values range from 6.5 to 7.5, with a slight decrease in winter (6.8), while their electrical conductivity varies from 128.1 to 2150 μs/cm, influenced by regional diets. Chromium (9.0–49.7 mg/kg) and copper (31.9–784.4 mg/kg) levels vary regionally, with higher concentrations in Anhui and Guangxi Provinces due to dietary and industrial factors. Zinc contents range from 108.5 to 1648.9 mg/kg, with higher levels in autumn and winter, resulting from agricultural practices and Zn-containing fungicides, posing potential health and phytotoxicity risks. Seasonal and regional variations in PMs and ARGs were observed. Guangxi Province shows the high PM diversity in summer samples, while Jiangsu Province exhibits the high ARGs types in autumn samples. These findings highlight the need for improved waste management and sanitation solutions in rural areas to mitigate environmental risks and protect public health. Continued research in these regions is essential to inform effective sanitation strategies. Full article

The ecological rice–eel co-culture system is not only beneficial for enhancing productivity and sustainability in agriculture but also plays a crucial role in promoting environmental health. In the present study, based on the long-term positioning trial of the rice–eel co-culture system that began in 2016 and was sampled in 2023, the effects of reduced nitrogen fertilizer application on soil physico-chemical properties and the bacterial community were investigated. Treatments included a conventional regular fertilization treatment (RT), rice–eel co-culture system regular fertilization (IT), and nitrogen-reduction 10%, 30%, and 50% fertilization treatments (IT90, IT70, and IT50). Our research demonstrated the following: (1) Compared to RT, IT significantly increased soil water-stable macroaggregates (R0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and available phosphorus content, with the increases of 15.66%, 25.49%, 36.00%, and 18.42%, respectively. Among the nitrogen-reduction fertilization treatments, IT90 showed the most significant effect. Compared to IT, IT90 significantly increased R0.25, MWD, GMD, and available nitrogen content, with increases of 4.4%, 7.81%, 8.82%, and 28.89%, respectively. (2) Compared to RT, at the phylum level, the diversity of Chloroflexi was significantly increased under IT and IT50, and the diversity of Gemmatimonadota was significantly increased under IT90, IT70, and IT50. The diversity of Acidobacteriota was significantly higher in IT90 and IT70 compared to IT. It was shown that the rice–eel co-culture system and nitrogen fertilizer reduction could effectively improve the degradation capacity of organic matter and promote soil nitrogen cycling. In addition, redundancy analysis (RDA) identified total phosphorus, total nitrogen, and available nitrogen (p = 0.007) as the three most important environmental factors driving changes in the bacterial community. (3) The functional prediction analysis of soil microbiota showed that, compared to RT, the diversity of pathways related to biosynthesis (carbohydrate biosynthesis and cell structure biosynthesis) and metabolism (L-glutamate and L-glutamine biosynthesis) was significantly higher under IT70, IT90, IT, and IT50 (in descending order). However, the diversity of pathways associated with degradation/utilization/assimilation (secondary metabolite degradation and amine and polyamine degradation) was significantly lower under all the rice–eel co-culture treatments. In conclusion, the rice–eel co-culture system improved soil physicochemical properties and the soil microbial environment compared with conventional planting, and the best soil improvement was achieved with 10% less N fertilizer application. Full article

The genus Colletotrichum is widely known for its phytopathological significance, especially as the causative agent of anthracnose in diverse agricultural crops. However, recent studies have unveiled its ecological versatility and biotechnological potential, particularly among endophytic species. These fungi, which asymptomatically colonize plant tissues, stand out as high-yielding producers of bioactive secondary metabolites. Given their scientific and economic relevance, this review critically examines endophytic Colletotrichum species, focusing on the chemical diversity and biological activities of the metabolites they produce, including antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activity against cancer cells, and antioxidant properties. This integrative review was conducted through a structured search of scientific databases, from which 39 relevant studies were selected, highlighting the chemical and functional diversity of these compounds. The analyzed literature emphasizes their potential applications in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial sectors. Collectively, these findings reinforce the promising biotechnological potential of Colletotrichum endophytes not only as sources of bioactive metabolites but also as agents involved in ecological regulation, plant health promotion, and sustainable production systems. Full article