Search Results (154)

Seedling transplantation, a pivotal component in advancing the cultivation of vegetables and cash crops, significantly bolsters crops’ resilience against drought, cold, pests, and diseases, while substantially enhancing yields. The implementation of transplanting machinery not only remarkably alleviates the labor-intensive nature of transplantation but also elevates the precision and uniformity of the process, thereby facilitating mechanized plant protection and harvesting operations. This article summarizes the research status and development trends of mechanized field transplanting technology and equipment. It also analyzes and summarizes the types and current status of typical representative automatic seedling picking mechanisms. Based on the current research status, the challenges of mechanized transplanting technology were analyzed, mainly the following: insufficient integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy; the standards for each stage of transplanting are not perfect; the adaptability of existing transplanting machines is poor; the level of informatization and intelligence of equipment is low; the lack of innovation in key components, such as seedling picking and transplanting mechanisms; and the proposed solutions to address the issues. Corresponding solutions are proposed, such as the following: strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration; establishing standards for transplanting processes; enhancing transplanter adaptability; accelerating intelligentization and digitalization of transplanters; strengthening the theoretical framework; and performance optimization of transplanting mechanisms. Finally, the development direction of future fully automatic transplanting machines was discussed, including the following: improving the transplanting efficiency and quality of transplanting machines; integrating research and development of testing, planting, and seedling supplementation for transplanting machines; unmanned transplanting operations; and fostering collaborative industrial development. Full article

The conventional agricultural industry largely relies on pesticides to maintain healthy and viable crops. Application of fungicides, both pre- and post-harvest of crops, is the go-to method for avoiding and eliminating Botrytis cinerea, the fungal pathogen responsible for gray mold. However, conventional fungicides and their residues have purported negative environmental and health impacts. Natural products, such as essential oils, are viewed as a promising alternative to conventional fungicides. The current research is an in vitro study on the antifungal activity of a natural water-based fungicide (N.F.), which uses a blend of essential oils (ajowan, cassia, clove, eucalyptus, lemongrass, oregano) as the active ingredients against B. cinerea. Compared to conventional fungicides tested at the same concentration (50 μL/mL), those with active ingredients of myclobutanil or propiconazole; the N.F. demonstrated significant (F(3,16) = 54, p = <0.001) and complete fungal growth inhibition. While previous research has largely focused on the antifungal properties of single essential oils and/or isolated compounds from essential oils, this research focuses on the efficacy of using a blend of essential oils in a proprietary delivery system. This research is of importance to the fields of agronomy, ecology, and health sciences. Full article

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is experiencing escalating climate variability, land degradation, and food insecurity, which threaten livelihoods and economic stability. Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs), including climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, and agroecology, offer promising strategies to boost productivity while enhancing ecological stability. This review proposes that multidisciplinary integration of SAPs, encompassing agronomy, socioeconomics, and governance, is the most promising route to achieving climate-resilient food systems in SSA by 2030. Despite its proven benefits, the use of SAPs remains limited. This is largely because of financial constraints, weak institutional frameworks, and inadequate infrastructure. To address these challenges, this review evaluates the role of SAPs in mitigating climate risk, improving soil health, and enhancing food security. It also identifies systemic adoption barriers and examines the effectiveness of policy and financing frameworks. Drawing on evidence from across SSA, including Ethiopia’s agroforestry success and Senegal’s millet resilience, this review highlights how integrating sustainable practices with postharvest innovation and community-driven approaches can strengthen food systems. Ultimately, the findings underscore that weaving science, policy, and grassroots action is essential for building a resilient and food-secure SSA, particularly within the context of the 2025 global adaptation agenda. Full article

Given the problem that traditional garlic cultivation patterns in China have difficulty in achieving comprehensive mechanized production, an experimental investigation on mechanization-friendly cultivation agronomy was conducted. In this study, an orthogonal experimental method was used to conduct continuous tracking experiments for three years in three major garlic production regions of China. All the experiments were used to verify the impacts of sprout orientation, planting mode, planting density, and row spacing on garlic bulb yield per hectare. For every impact, nine experiments were processed. The results indicated the following: (1) planting density influenced the garlic bulb yield per hectare extremely significantly, followed by row spacing, planting pattern, and sprout orientation; (2) the combination of sprout orientation (1–45°), planting pattern (large ridge), a planting density (42.75)/10,000 plants per hectare, and row spacing (26 + 10) led to the largest garlic bulb yield per hectare, which means this combination was the best form of cultivation agronomy. This study will provide a valuable reference for China’s farmland suitability for agricultural machinery operation (FSAM) production program. Full article

Changing climatic conditions are significant determinants of agricultural productivity. Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state and the second-largest agricultural producer in Brazil. The suitability of its land for farming can be used as a proxy for agricultural and economic success, making it a pertinent case for exploring the consequences of climate change on major crop production. The latest available climate and environmental data was used to develop an agricultural Suitability Index (SI) that quantifies the suitability of land for rice, tobacco, soybean, and corn production in 2020 (present), 2050 (near-future), and 2100 (far-future) under moderate (SSP245) and extreme (SSP585) climate scenarios. SI scores for each municipality of Rio Grande do Sul consider inputs from a three-layer framework (climatic, non-climatic, and current production) to provide critical insight into potential shifts in agricultural productivity. While terrestrial suitability for crop growth varies both spatially and temporally, widespread decreases in suitability for all four crops are expected across the state under both scenarios. Soybean is expected to be the least affected crop, and rice is the most affected crop, tied to shifting patterns in precipitation, which significantly determines suitability. Local and state governments, agribusinesses, and family producers will have to adapt to environmental challenges to ensure the provision of food, labor, and economic security. Full article

The harvesting of castor is highly seasonal and labor-intensive, necessitating a reliance on mature mechanical harvesting equipment. Castor harvesting machinery is a weak link in the castor industry chain, severely constraining the development of China’s castor industry. This article elaborates on the current status of the castor industry and the harvesting modes, which mainly include combined harvesting and segmented harvesting. It systematically summarizes the harvesting platforms, cleaning technologies, and shelling technologies of castor harvesting machinery in China and internationally. It analyzes the main structural forms and working principles of the harvesting platforms of castor harvesters. The cleaning technologies and different types of shelling technologies of harvesters are also analyzed and summarized. Finally, this article identifies the existing problems in castor harvesting in China and provides an outlook on future development trends. It suggests that China’s castor cultivation will strengthen the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, while harvesting will develop in the direction of combined harvesting. In the future, the focus will be on the development of high-efficiency harvesting, specialized low-loss shelling machines, and breakthroughs in key core technologies to promote the development of mechanized castor harvesting technology in China. Full article

This study investigated the perceptions of animal welfare and the consumption of alternative protein sources among future professionals in agronomy, food science, and veterinary medicine. A sample of 769 participants from three faculties [ESALQ (“Luiz de Queiroz” College of Agriculture), FZEA (School of Animal Science and Food Engineering), and FMVZ (School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science)] of the University of São Paulo was used. These faculties have different teaching focuses: agronomy, food and animal production, and veterinary, respectively. A relationship between the perception of animal welfare and alternative sources of protein based on the participants’ educational background was verified, specifically: (i) participants from the FZEA (food science) and FMVZ (veterinary) units would be interested in consuming farmed meat and expressed interest in trying it; (ii) students from the ESALQ (agronomy) have a low level of knowledge about animal welfare and are not very interested in knowing how animals are reared, and few participants attribute the presence of the health inspection seal as influencing their purchasing intention; (iii) participants, regardless of their academic background, did not express an intention to reduce their red meat consumption; (iv) the ESALQ was the campus which showed the most skepticism about animal sentience; (v) most participants from the FMVZ and FZEA reported being willing to pay 4–5% more for products that guarantee animal welfare. The findings suggest that the academic context influences individuals’ perceptions and food choices, highlighting the need for educational strategies that foster a greater awareness of animal welfare, encourage the adoption of more sustainable practices, and promote the acceptance of alternative protein sources within the agri-food sector. Full article

The integration of new technologies in Industry 4.0 has modernised agriculture, fostering the concept of smart agriculture (Agriculture 4.0). Higher education institutions are incorporating digital technologies into agricultural curricula, equipping students in agriculture, agronomy, and engineering with essential skills. The implementation of targeted STEM activities has the potential to enhance the teaching of Agriculture 4.0 through the utilisation of practical applications that stimulate student interest, thereby facilitating more accessible and effective teaching. In this context, this study presents a system comprising retrofitted real-scale components that facilitate the understanding of digital technologies and automations in agriculture. The specific system utilises a typical centrifugal electric pump and a water tank and adds logic to it, so that its flow follows various user-defined setpoints, given and monitored via a smartphone application, despite the in-purpose disturbances invoked via intermediating valves. This setup aims for students to gain familiarity with concepts such as closed-loop systems and PID controllers. Going further, fertile ground is provided for experimentation on the efficiency of the PID controller via testing different algorithmic variants incorporating non-linear methods as well. Feedback collected from the participating students via a corresponding survey highlights the importance of integrating similar hands-on interdisciplinary activities into university curricula to foster engineering education. Full article

The 4th International Electronic Conference on Agronomy was organized by the MDPI open access journal Agronomy and held online from 2 to 5 December 2024. The conference spanned various key themes, including breeding/selection technologies and strategies, sustainable soil management and farming systems, crops, precision and digital agriculture, water use and irrigation, plant–crop biology and biochemistry, and biostimulation and microbial-based biocontrol strategies. This electronic conference provided a unique platform for researchers to showcase their work, discuss groundbreaking findings, and engage in meaningful conversations with fellow experts. Full article

Hydrogels have emerged as a transformative technology in agriculture, offering significant potential to enhance crop resilience, improve water use efficiency, and promote sustainable farming practices. These three-dimensional polymeric networks can absorb and retain water, making them particularly valuable in regions facing water scarcity and unpredictable rainfall patterns. This review examines the types, properties, and applications of hydrogels in agriculture, highlighting their role in improving soil moisture retention, enhancing nutrient delivery by, and increasing crop yield. The discussion extends to the economic and environmental implications of hydrogel use, including their potential to reduce irrigation costs by and minimize soil erosion. The review also explores the latest innovations in hydrogel technology, such as smart hydrogels and biodegradable alternatives, which offer new possibilities for precision agriculture and environmental sustainability. Despite promising benefits, challenges such as the higher cost of synthetic hydrogels, environmental impact, and performance variability across different soil types remain. Addressing these challenges requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates advancements in material science, agronomy, and environmental policy. The future outlook for hydrogels in agriculture is optimistic, with ongoing research poised to refine their applications and expand their use across diverse agricultural systems. By leveraging the capabilities of hydrogels, agriculture can achieve increase in productivity, ensure food security, and move towards a more sustainable and resilient agricultural landscape. Full article

Many sciences exploit algorithms in a large variety of applications. In agronomy, large amounts of agricultural data are handled by adopting procedures for optimization, clustering, or automatic learning. In this particular field, the number of scientific papers has significantly increased in recent years, triggered by scientists using artificial intelligence, comprising deep learning and machine learning methods or bots, to process field, crop, plant, or leaf images. Moreover, many other examples can be found, with different algorithms applied to plant diseases and phenology. This paper reviews the publications which have appeared in the past three years, analyzing the algorithms used and classifying the agronomic aims and the crops to which the methods are applied. Starting from a broad selection of 6060 papers, we subsequently refined the search, reducing the number to 358 research articles and 30 comprehensive reviews. By summarizing the advantages of applying algorithms to agronomic analyses, we propose a guide to farming practitioners, agronomists, researchers, and policymakers regarding best practices, challenges, and visions to counteract the effects of climate change, promoting a transition towards more sustainable, productive, and cost-effective farming and encouraging the introduction of smart technologies. Full article

The agronomic knowledge graph can provide accurate and reliable service support for agricultural production management. Agronomic knowledge often comes from unstructured text data, and efficient annotation of agricultural text data and construction of knowledge extraction models suitable for the characteristics of agronomic knowledge are two key points to create an agronomic knowledge graph. The proportion of attributes in agronomic knowledge is relatively high, but currently, the attribute annotation function of existing annotation tools is incomplete, and the annotation function and process are unclear. A scalable natural language annotation framework was proposed, which was able to flexibly configure the annotation process and annotation objects as needed, and the named entity was annotated in the corresponding mode. The current knowledge extraction models are mostly based on input text sequences, which has the problem of low feature utilization. However, the entities and attributes in agronomic knowledge have high similarity, and the position and type of entities and attributes can be directly calculated through their common features. An entity and attribute recognition model based on target localization, EntityDetectModel, was proposed. Firstly, Bert was used to extract text features with contextual information. Then, convolutional neural networks were used to extract features at different depths, and inter layer feature fusion was used to improve feature expression ability. Finally, the corresponding positions and types of named entities with different sizes were calculated based on the features at different depths. EntityDetectModel was compared with the other entity and relationship extraction models published in recent years and the results showed that the precision, recall, and F1 of EntityDetectModel were 91.0%, 83.4%, and 87.0%, respectively, which were superior to other comparison models. Using EntityDetectModel, a wheat agronomic knowledge graph was constructed. Full article

This study investigates the effects of sensor-based, variable-rate mineral nitrogen (N) application (VRA) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the spatial variability of grain yield, protein content, N uptake, N balance, and N efficiency compared with uniform N application (UA). To analyze the effects of VRA and UA on yield and N balance parameters, on-farm strip trials were conducted on heterogeneous arable fields covering an area of 49 hectares. The trials were carried out over a four-year period, from 2020 to 2023, with crops under both application methods placed in strips side-by-side. The N fertilizer requirements for growth stages (GSs) 32 and 39 were determined using an online map-overlay VRA method. This method integrated the site-specific yield potential and current plant development derived from spectral reflectance measurements using a tractor-mounted sensor system. The results show that the application of N fertilizer can be reduced by up to 38 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. The N efficiency can be increased by 15% and a significant reduction in variability of N balances can be achieved. However, the effects on yield and N efficiency are highly dependent on the specific application conditions (weather conditions, disease occurrence, and crop development). Not every field trial showed advantages of VRA over UA fertilization. Overall, the VRA system demonstrated encouraging potential, functioning as intended. However, further adjustment and optimization are required to ensure that the VRA fertilization system works robustly and reliably under on-farm conditions. Full article

Red-leaf lettuces, rich in bioactive compounds like anthocyanins and flavonoids, offer health benefits by reducing oxidative stress and boosting immunity. This article provides an extensive review of the genetic, epigenetic, environmental, and technological factors influencing anthocyanin biosynthesis and leaf coloration in red-leaf lettuce, emphasizing its significance in agriculture and nutrition. The genetics of anthocyanin biosynthesis, environmental influences, practical applications, agronomic insights, and future directions are the main areas covered. Anthocyanin accumulation is regulated by structural, regulatory, and transporter genes, as well as the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) complex. Mutations in these genes impact coloration and stress responses. Advances in genomic studies, such as GWAS and QTL mapping, have identified key genes and pathways involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, aiding breeding programs for desirable traits. In addition, light intensity, stress conditions (e.g., drought, temperature), and phytohormones affect anthocyanin levels and photomorphogenesis in general. Controlled environments, like vertical farms, optimize these conditions to enhance pigmentation and phytochemical content. LED lighting and tailored cultivation techniques improve color intensity, antioxidant capacity, and yield in controlled settings. Sustainable production technologies for red-leaf lettuce in vertical farms are being developed to meet consumer demand and promote functional foods, integrating genetic, epigenetic, and environmental research into agronomy. This review highlights red-leaf lettuce’s aesthetic, nutritional, and functional value, advocating for innovative cultivation methods to enhance its market and health potential. Full article