Search Results (79)

The uptake of textile dyes from water using activated carbon has become a key topic because of its fast sorption capacity, easy handling, and high removal efficiency. Biomass-based activated carbon is a good adsorbent because of its easy accessibility and renewability. In this study, the adsorption capacity of activated carbon from potato peel waste was investigated. The potato peels were carbonized at 550 °C and activated with three different acids, namely hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitric acid (HNO₃), and sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). The prepared adsorbents were analyzed for their adsorption capacity to remove methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) from water. Although chemical activation by various acids has already been explored by other researchers, there are few studies in which potato peel waste has been converted to carbon and used for the uptake of MO dye. The adsorbents were characterized using XRD, FTIR, and SEM. Effects of pH, time, temperature, and dye concentration were investigated. The data from the isotherms indicated that the uptake of MB takes place on heterogeneous surfaces and MO on homogeneous surfaces. The thermodynamic parameters for both dyes showed that both the ΔS° and ΔH° values were negative, indicating that the sorption process of MB and MO on all adsorbents was exothermic and that the randomness increased during the removal process. ΔG° values indicated that physisorption was important during the sorption process. This work shows a great possibility of activated carbon from potato peels for the uptake of dyes. Full article

The addition of potato and maize powders to wheat-based dough systems has been identified as a common practice for enhancing the dietary fiber content of cereal products. However, their product quality remains problematic due to inadequate comprehension of the manner in which starch granules regulate disulfide bond formation within wheat gluten proteins. In order to address this evident gap in the existing literature, this study investigated the effects of different starch granules—including potato, maize, and wheat—on disulfide bond formation of urea-solubilized glutenin (USG). The experimental results indicate that the optimal conditions for enhancing disulfide bonding in potato, maize, and wheat granules (from 0.2162 to 0.5319, 0.3502 and 0.9488 μmol/g, respectively) were as follows: a USG: granule ratio of 3:1 (w/w), a temperature of 45 °C for 30 min, a USG: granule ratio of 3:1 (w/w), a temperature of 35 °C for 120 min, a USG: granule ratio of 1:2 (w/w), a temperature of 25 °C, and a duration of 60 min, respectively. Under low-granule conditions, the possible mechanism was that all granules might leach out predominantly amylopectin (no blue color is observed when attached to an iodine solution) to facilitate disulfide bond formation of USG. Conversely, under high-granule conditions, the interaction between granule proteins may be excessive, potentially leading to the precipitation of amylose (dark blue color is observed when attached to an iodine solution). This process may result in a reduction in disulfide bond contents due to the competitive interaction of water molecules. Spectroscopic and structural analyses further indicated that the attenuation of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal of C1 hydroxyl groups of amylopectin/amylose and peptide amide bonds of USG arose from physical entanglement based on the hydrogen bonds between them. Upon interaction between USG and potato/maize starch granules, the X-ray diffraction pattern of USG vanished, and the intramolecular β-sheet conformation was markedly diminished. Collectively, these findings provide a mechanistic foundation for the rational design and optimization of high-fiber, high-quality cereal-based food products. Full article

Aeroponics is an important approach for the production of virus-free seed potatoes. The propagation efficiency of aeroponically grown potatoes is affected by light conditions. However, the effects of different supplemental light conditions on potato yield and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, multiple light conditions are applied to investigate their influences on potato minituber production. The results show that red–blue light supplementation significantly increases plant yield. Physiologically, it enhances chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, thereby increasing net photosynthetic rate and CO₂ utilization efficiency. Red–blue light temporally regulates hormone balance by increasing the GA/ABA ratio at the early stage to promote vegetative growth, and maintaining higher trans-zeatin content at the late stage, potentially sustaining cell division. These synergistic effects may enhance yield by delaying senescence and prolonging the tuberization period. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that red–blue light treatment enriches pathways related to hormone signaling, senescence-associated, and zeatin biosynthesis at the late growth stage, and upregulates key tuberization genes (StSP6A, StSP3D, StFTL1), which may be associated with tuber formation. Red–blue light treatment optimizes photosynthesis, remodels hormone networks, and induces temporal transcriptional reprogramming, while also increasing the yield of virus-free seed potatoes in aeroponic culture. This study provides theoretical and technical support for the efficient aeroponic breeding of virus-free seed potatoes. Full article

Potato late blight, Phytophthora infestans, remains a major global threat to potato production due to the rapid genetic change, long-distance dispersal and fungicide resistance. To clarify the genetic structure and phenotypic characteristics of P. infestans populations in southwestern China during 2019–2025, this study analyzed 241 isolates collected from Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and Hubei. The isolates were characterized using 14 SSR markers, together with mating-type determination, metalaxyl sensitivity assays, mitochondrial haplotype identification and virulence profiling. A total of 70 alleles and 118 multilocus genotypes were detected, with certain genotypes (SW-40, SW-48 and SW-81) broadly distributed across regions, while the simultaneous presence of numerous low-frequency genotypes reflected high overall genetic diversity. Population genetic analyses revealed weak regional differentiation and strong genetic connectivity, with most genetic variation occurring within regional populations, where self-fertile isolates, metalaxyl-resistant phenotypes and mitochondrial haplotype Ia were predominant. Cluster and principal component analyses separated the isolates into three major genetic groups, with the largest group containing most isolates and showing close genetic similarity to the Blue_13 reference genotype. These findings indicate that southwestern China harbors a highly diverse and admixed P. infestans population, likely driven by frequent pathogen movement among potato-growing regions. Full article

In this work, we introduce the novel possibility of producing blue fluorescent ultraviolet pigments from phosphogypsum. The obtained materials are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The formation of the CaS phase in the sample during the reduction of calcium sulfate was established. Thermal treatment of phosphogypsum in the presence of a reducing agent (potato starch) under environmental isolation conditions is found to yield high-quality products with high added value. The highest luminosity is established in samples containing 0.6 mol. %, which were heat-treated under a temperature of 1100 °C for 60 min. The synthesized CaS:Cu materials are shown to emit light in the blue region of the spectrum, with an emission maximum at a wavelength of 480–490 nm. The developed technological methods open the possibility to recycle chemical industry waste, which contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals, in particular, the goal of ensuring rational consumption and production patterns. Full article

Timely detection and monitoring of diseases in sweet potato crops are important for hunger alleviation and food security. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the optimized field spectrometric reflectance thresholds in spatially partitioning sweet potato crops on the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery based on infection types. A field survey was carried out to sample deformed leaves for laboratory diagnosis of possible identification of sweet potato leaf infection types. Laboratory analysis results revealed nutrient deficiency, SPVC-positive, fungi isolates (i.e., alternaria, bipolaris, fusarium, phoma), and mechanical damage as the causes of leaf deformation. Overlap analysis results revealed reflectance overlaps across all leaf deformation types, making it difficult to spatially partition sweet potato crops based on deformation types. Instead, sweet potato crops were spatially partitioned by considering the minimum and maximum thresholds acquired from the whole dataset. Area covered by deformed sweet potato leaves in blue, green, red, red edge and NIR were found to be 11.91%, 28.71%, 43.66%, 46.41% and 30.6% respectively. Coefficient of determination results revealed poor classification results, with R² value of 0.23, 0.19, 0.28, 0.17 and 0.63 for blue, green, red, red edge and NIR respectively. However, the NIR spectral band yielded R² value closer to the acceptable value of 0.7. Full article

For agricultural films, spectral matching, UV protection, and environmental durability are essential for efficient crop production. A self-cleaning silane-crosslinked red/blue dual-emission carbon dot/polyvinyl alcohol composite film (KH/RB-CQDs/PVA) was fabricated via a covalent anchoring strategy. RB-CQDs were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method using o-phenylenediamine: initial blue-emitting carbon cores formed, then phosphoric acid-assisted secondary treatment covalently bridged residual precursor-derived red fluorophores onto cores through pyrophosphate bonds, as evidenced by TEM, XPS, ³¹P NMR, HPLC-MS and DFT. This rigid bridging suppressed excessive core growth and energy transfer while spatially separating dual emission, endowing excellent photostability (>95% fluorescence retention after 50 min UV and 30 d storage). Subsequently, KH-560 was employed to construct a robust covalent crosslinked network anchoring RB-CQDs in PVA and forming rough Si-O-Si surface structures, confirmed by SEM and XPS. The resulting film exhibited 16.16% quantum yield, 291% tensile strength enhancement, 95% UV shielding, and <1% contaminant residue. Chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics, gas-exchange analyses, and photosynthetic response curves demonstrated that KH/RB-CQDs/PVA increased the potato net photosynthetic rate by 55.46% and tuber yield by 76% through synergistic optimization of photosystem II electron transport and RuBisCO-mediated carbon assimilation. This work provides a molecular design principle for high-performance intelligent agricultural films. Full article

Light intensity and spectral composition regulate plant physiological processes and productivity, particularly under low-light greenhouse conditions. This study was designed to address two main objectives in aeroponically grown potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Agria). First, we evaluated the effects of supplemental light quality, focusing on different red (R), blue (B), and white (W) combinations at a constant intensity of 100 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Second, we assessed the specific effects of far-red (FR) light on plant performance and biomass allocation patterns. Potato plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in a completely randomized design consisting of eight supplemental LED spectral treatments and a natural-light control. Supplemental lighting increased net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and biomass compared to the control, demonstrating that moderate increases in light intensity improved plant performance under low-light conditions. Among the spectral treatments, W light and balanced R–B combinations increased net photosynthetic rate by 93.7–198.7% and total biomass by 23.8–132.1% relative to the control, suggesting improved coordination of stomatal activity, electron transport, and chlorophyll biosynthesis under the experimental light environment. In contrast, FR inclusion reduced the net photosynthetic rate and mini-tuber biomass by 15.0–38.6% relative to the corresponding FR-free treatments, particularly under treatments with lower red proportions, suggesting that FR effects are more likely associated with phytochrome-mediated regulation of photosynthetic efficiency and assimilate partitioning under modified red to far-red spectral balance rather than classical shade-avoidance responses. Mini-tuber yield was strongly affected by light treatments. White light and balanced R:B spectra produced the highest tuber number and biomass, increasing mini-tuber number and biomass by 26.6–62.5% and 15.4–87.7%, respectively, compared with the control, whereas FR reduced yield. Although FR appeared to increase the relative allocation of biomass to tubers, overall photosynthetic performance and biomass accumulation remained lower, resulting in lower productivity. Overall, mini-tuber production appeared to be associated with source–sink relationships, where light intensity enhanced photosynthetic performance and biomass production, light quality optimized photosynthetic performance, and FR light appeared to modify biomass allocation patterns. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing spectral composition and FR management in aeroponic seed potato production under low-light greenhouse conditions. Full article

Amid growing water scarcity, assessing agricultural water consumption and crop water footprint has become increasingly critical. This study aims to assess the water footprint of crops within the Shu–Talas River Basin, disaggregated into green and blue components. Using meteorological data from the 2000–2024 period, reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) and actual crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) were calculated according to the FAO methodology. The water footprint (WF_green, WF_blue, and WF_quant) was determined based on crop evapotranspiration, effective precipitation, and crop yields for maize, sugar beet, sunflower, and potato. It was found that total water consumption during the growing season ranges from 650 to 950 mm, with the blue water share exceeding 80%, reflecting the high dependence of agricultural systems on irrigation. The minimum WF_quant values were observed in sugar beet, while the maximum WF_quant values were recorded for sunflower. The study identifies crop yield, rather than absolute water consumption, as the key factor in water footprint formation. These findings and established patterns can be utilized to optimize cropping patterns and support sustainable agricultural water management in arid regions. Full article

The production of pre-basic (G0) seed tubers underpins the certified potato value chain. However, the transition from in vitro laboratory conditions to the ex vitro greenhouse environment remains a persistent production constraint, with reported mortality rates of 50–70%. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesizes data from 63 selected studies (spanning 2010–2026) to propose a conceptual “Physiological Competence Framework”. We introduce a conceptual hypothesis termed the “Nitrogen Paradox”, which suggests that excessive ammonium influx may inhibit lignin biosynthesis, explaining the structural vulnerability of the vitrotype. Our analysis proposes three pillars for acclimatization success: (1) Nutritional hardening and exogenous PGR modulation, characterized by reduced nitrogen and sucrose levels to mitigate hyperhydricity; (2) photo-autotrophic induction, where optimized LED spectra replace conventional lighting to stimulate stomatal functionality; and (3) rhizosphere engineering, utilizing bio-priming with Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) to create a biotic shield against transplant shock. Furthermore, we examine emerging evidence for nanoparticle-based stress priming (AgNPs, ZnNPs). The evidence supports replacing high-nitrogen multiplication media with reduced-nitrogen formulations, replacing fluorescent lamps with balanced Red–Blue LED spectra, and incorporating PGPR bio-priming before transplant. Full article

Foliar preparations are used in potato cultivation, and their use can affect starch properties, which are important for food production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of preparations (biostimulants, fertilizers) during the growing season of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), cultivar Concordia, on selected physicochemical, thermal, and rheological properties of starch. Eight commercial preparations (Basfoliar 12-4-6+S + ADOB PK (ADOB), Asahi SL, BlueN^®, Megafol^®, Quantis™, Qultivo, Rizoderma TSI, and Rizofos) were foliarly applied during the growing season. Potato starch was isolated using a laboratory method. Starch from potatoes grown without foliarly preparations served as a control sample. The research methodology included determination of amylose content and mean starch granule diameter. Thermodynamic characterization of gelatinization and retrogradation was performed using a DSC (differential scanning calorimeter), viscometric pasting characterization was performed with a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA), and flow curves were determined. A statistically significant effect of the type of foliar biostimulant/fertilizer applied on amylose content, starch grain size distribution, and rheological properties of the tested starches was observed. Amylose content ranged from 31.7% (BlueN) to 36.3% (ADOB). Starch from potatoes grown with ADOB had the largest grains, with the largest number of grains having a diameter >40 µm. The tested starches generally did not differ in terms of the onset, peak, and end temperatures of gelatinization determined using DSC. Similarly, slight differences were observed in the pasting temperature determined viscometrically. The RVA analysis showed that the highest maximum viscosity value was observed for starch obtained from the raw material stimulated with the Megafol preparation (3744 mPa·s), and the paste based on starch isolated from potatoes grown with the Asahi biostimulant was characterized by the highest rheological stability at 95 °C. The starch pastes obtained from the raw material stimulated with the Megafol and Quantis preparations were characterized by the lowest values of the consistency coefficient (15.7 Pa·sⁿ), and the control starch had the highest value of this parameter (21.7 Pa·sⁿ). Full article

This study aimed to investigate the changes in textural properties of two potato varieties (JZ-226 and XS-6) during boiling and to elucidate the interaction mechanisms within their starch–pectin composite systems, and their impacts on textural characteristics. The results showed that during the boiling process, both potato varieties exhibited decreased hardness and chewiness. As the boiling time lengthened, starch underwent gelatinization; the amylose content dropped; water solubility increased; and the swelling power, transparency, and iodine blue value reduced. Meanwhile, pectin degraded, with the degree of esterification increasing; the content of protopectin and other bound pectins decreased; and water-soluble pectin increased, along with molecular weight rising. In the early stages of gelatinization (15 min), the addition of pectin inhibited the short-range orderliness of starch, forming a relatively stable network structure. However, prolonged gelation disrupts the gel network structure of the starch–pectin complex, leading to further textural changes. Compared to XS-6, the pectin in JZ-226 demonstrated a stronger ability to inhibit starch short-range orderliness, forming a more stable network structure, thereby maintaining superior hardness. These findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying textural changes in potato processing and offer technical support for developing functional potato products. Full article

The cultivation of potatoes is essential for rural food security, and the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Red-Green-Blue (UAV-RGB) imagery allows for precise and cost-effective estimation of yield and identification of varieties, overcoming the limitations of manual assessment. We evaluated four INIA varieties (Bicentenario, Canchán, Shulay and Tahuaqueña) by integrating agronomic measurements (height, number and weight of tubers, leaf health) with color and textural indices derived from RGB orthomosaics. Yield prediction was modeled using Random Forest (RF) and Gradient Boosting (GB); varietal identification was approached with (i) a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) that classifies RGB images and (ii) classical models such as Random Forest, Support Vector Machines (SVMs), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNNs), Decision Trees and Logistic Regression trained on EfficientNetB0 embeddings. The results showed significant genotypic differences in yield (p < 0.001): Tahuaqueña 13.86 ± 0.27 t ha⁻¹ and Bicentenario 6.65 ± 0.27 t ha⁻¹. The number of tubers (r = 0.52) and plant height (r = 0.23) correlated with yield; RGB indices showed low correlations (r < 0.3) and high redundancy (r > 0.9). RF achieved a better fit (Coefficient of determination, R² = 0.54; Root Mean Square Error, RMSE = 2.72 t ha⁻¹), excelling in stolon development (R² = 0.66) and losing precision in maturation due to foliar senescence. In classification, the CNN and RF on embeddings achieved F1-macro ≈ 0.69 and 0.66 (Receiver Operating Characteristic—Area Under the Curve, ROC AUC RF = 0.89), with better identification of Bicentenario and Shulay. We conclude that UAV-RGB is a cost-effective alternative for phenotypic monitoring and varietal selection in high Andean contexts. These findings support the integration of UAV-RGB imagery into breeding and monitoring pipelines in resource-limited Andean systems. Full article

Freshwater scarcity increasingly constrains agricultural sustainability and global food security, particularly where crop production and trade shape national water balances. This study quantifies Ecuador’s green (soil moisture/rainfall) and blue (surface and groundwater) virtual water flows associated with seven strategic crops (banana, cocoa, pineapple, maize, rice, barley and potato) from 2000 to 2023 using the Hoekstra–Mekonnen accounting framework, and FAOSTAT production and bilateral trade data. Furthermore, Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition analysis was applied to identify the key drivers influencing virtual water trade, including economic growth, population, product structure, and water intensity. Results reveal that Ecuador operates as a persistent net exporter of virtual water, with export flows dominated by green water, reflecting the country’s reliance on rainfall-supported production. Virtual water exports increased from 3000 to >15,000 Mm³·yr⁻¹ over the study period, while imports remained substantially smaller, confirming Ecuador’s structurally export-oriented agricultural economy. The LMDI outcomes show that export growth is driven primarily by economic expansion (8.28 × 10⁸ m³) and shifts in the crop export mix, partially offset by improvements in water intensity. These findings highlight Ecuador’s vulnerability to trade-related water pressures and demonstrate the value of virtual water indicators for guiding water governance and SDG-aligned trade strategies, thereby promoting the decoupling of economic growth from water resource consumption and connecting virtual water trade to domestic water scarcity. Full article

Bio-waste from potato shell agro-waste-based photocatalyst is introduced using potato shell integrated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles as a novel photocatalyst for photo-Fenton oxidation reaction. The catalyst was prepared via thermal activation of biochar, followed by co-precipitation of magnetite nanoparticles, resulting in a stable and reusable material. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques augmented with the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis with elemental mapping were used to assess the prepared sample. The prepared material, PtS200–Fe₃O₄, is then applied for oxidizing Procion Blue dye using biochar-supported magnetite catalyst. The oxidation process was evaluated under varying operational parameters, including pH, temperature, catalyst loading, oxidant dosage, and dye concentration. Results revealed that the system achieved complete dye removal within 20 min at 60 °C and pH 3, demonstrating the strong catalytic activity of the composite. Furthermore, the kinetic modeling is evaluated and the data confirmed that the degradation followed first-order kinetics. Also, the thermodynamic parameters indicated low activation energy with PtS200–Fe₃O₄ composite in advanced oxidation processes. The system sustainability is also assessed, and the reusability test verified that the catalyst retained over 70% efficiency after six consecutive cycles, highlighting its durability. The study confirms the feasibility of using biochar-supported magnetite as a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and efficient catalyst for the treatment of textile effluents and other dye-contaminated wastewater. Full article