Search Results (83)

Removing subsoil compaction caused by agricultural traffic is energy-demanding and therefore expensive. Experimental work was undertaken on a Typic Argiudoll to quantify the energy required to remove subsoil compaction and determine the associated effects on yield and profitability. The following treatments were compared: (T1) soil under no-tillage for 20 years, which was used as a control; (T2) deep tillage performed with a paratill on soil that had had no-tillage in the 20 years prior to this study; and (T3) deep tillage performed with a chisel plow on soil that had had no-tillage in the 20 years prior to this study. The paratill and chisel plow were operated at depths of 400 and 250 mm, respectively, and the energy required to perform both (deep tillage) operations was determined. Soil cone index and maize yield were measured over three growing seasons and compared with T1. Results showed that the effect of deep tillage lasted for two years, after which the soil reconsolidated reaching soil strength values comparable to their pre-treatment condition. The reconsolidation of tilled soil over this period was due to both natural settlement and post-treatment (random) machinery traffic. The paratill treatment significantly increased maize yield compared with no-tillage, which therefore improved crop gross margins across all three seasons. The chisel plow treatment increased crop yields compared with no-tillage, but yield differences were small and therefore the average crop gross margins were not significantly different. Deep tillage with paratill costed US$76 per ha and generated an average gross income of US$1134 per ha, whereas deep tillage with chisel plow costed US$29 per ha and generated an average gross income of US$1027 per ha. These results compared with an average gross income of US$1001 per ha obtained under no-tillage. If (strategic) deep tillage needs to be performed on long-term no-tillage soil to remediate compaction, paratill may be preferred to chisel plow, but care should be exercised not to re-compact the soil after the operation has been performed. One effective way to do this is by implementing controlled traffic. Full article

The variation in annual cone and seed production was examined for three natural seed stands of Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich., Pinaceae), each with distinct structural characteristics, sampled from 35 trees for three consecutive years. Fertility variation (Ψ), estimated by cone (Ψ_C) and seed (Ψ_S) yields per tree, was also analyzed to contribute to the management and development of silvicultural practices for the seed stands of the species. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were recorded in cone and seed production across years, between populations, and between trees within a population. Population x year interactions were also significant (p < 0.05), highlighting the importance of seed harvesting year in cone collection. Fertility variation in cones and filled seeds showed only small deviation [Ψ_C = 1.10 (91% of census number)–1.71 (59%), Ψ_s = 1.25 (80%)–1.71 (59%)] among the seed stands in different years, except Ψ_S = 2.38 (42%) in a population in one year. The cone and seed fertility were at acceptable levels for an ideal natural population (Ψ ≤ 3). Figures of parental balance curves showed that the contribution to the gamete gene pool was much closer to equal for cone production across the years than for filled seed production in both individual stands and pooled stands, suggesting that the number of cones is a good indicator of overall seed production. Difference in gene diversity (GD) was 0.005 from individual year (GD = 0.992 and 0.993) to pooled years of the populations (GD = 0.997 and 0.998) for both cone and seed yields, while it was higher among years within population (e.g., 0.017 for cone yield and 0.026 for seed yield in a population). Full article

This study explores how extreme heat, farm design, and genotype interact to shape the growth, yield, and quality of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) in semi-arid Mediterranean environments, supporting climate-resilient expansion of high-value specialty crops beyond traditional production regions. Field performance of Cascade and Chinook was evaluated across contrasting management settings in inland Sicily during the 2023 growing season. Microclimatic observations from the Sicilian Agrometeorological Information Service (SIAS) were coupled with the quantitative heat-stress indicator Extra Degree Days (EDD) to link thermal exposure to phenology and quality outcomes. Results suggest that hop performance under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions is shaped by cultivar choice and management-defined environments, with cone yield and, especially, resin and essential oil traits varying across trellis and soil cover settings. Using phase-specific heat exposure as an interpretable indicator of thermal pressure, this study provides a decision-oriented framework to relate heat conditions to phenology and quality outcomes and to support the selection of cultivar–management combinations suited to heat-prone regions. Overall, the findings inform climate-smart hop management strategies to sustain cone quality amid increasing temperature variability in semi-arid environments. Full article

Soil tillage practices play a key role in controlling soil’s physical properties, water infiltration, and runoff generation, particularly in erosion-prone cropping systems such as maize monocultures. The cultivation of wide-row crops is restricted on erosion-prone land; however, these crops constitute a fundamental basis for livestock feed and represent a key input raw material for biogas plants. This 4-year study evaluated the effects of three tillage practices—conventional ploughing, shallow tillage, and no tillage—on selected soil’s physical and chemical properties and on water infiltration processes in a maize (Zea mays L.) monoculture. Experimental maize stands were established in a field with a silty clay Luvic Chernozem. Field measurements were performed over multiple years and included soil bulk density, macroporosity, cone index, soil organic carbon, soil pH, soil aggregate stability, and water infiltration. Infiltration processes were assessed using a combination of double-ring infiltrometers, rainfall simulation, and dye tracer experiments to characterize water flow patterns under controlled conditions. The results demonstrated that soil tillage significantly influenced the vertical distribution of soil organic carbon and pH, soil aggregate stability, soil compaction, and pore characteristics, with the most pronounced differences observed in the upper soil layers. Soil aggregate stability in the 0–0.10 m layer showed a clear numerical trend, with the highest mean value under ST (0.42) compared with PL (0.28) and no tillage (NT) (0.26). Topsoil Cox was the highest under ST (3.591%) compared with PL (2.838%) and NT (2.634%). Differences among tillage practices were particularly evident during simulated rainfall events, affecting infiltration rates, runoff initiation, and preferential flow patterns. Ring infiltrometer measurements indicated higher infiltration in PL (e.g., 21.1 mm min⁻¹ at minute 1 in PL vs. 11.1/11.9 mm min⁻¹ in ST/NT; 10.9 mm min⁻¹ at minute 10 in PL vs. 5.3/7.6 mm min⁻¹ in ST/NT). However, rainfall simulation showed the highest runoff in PL, including the earliest runoff onset (4.5 min). Despite the soil’s high infiltration capacity due to low bulk density and higher porosity, the decisive factor promoting water infiltration into the soil is the condition of the soil surface, which is influenced by the stability of soil aggregates; this stability was enhanced by the input of organic matter from plant residues. The findings confirm that long-term soil tillage management substantially modifies soil hydraulic behaviour and highlight the importance of tillage system selection for improving soil water infiltration and reducing runoff risk in maize monoculture systems. Full article

Dodder (Cuscuta campestris) is a parasitic plant that causes severe economic losses to crops such as mung bean (Vigna radiata), although some species, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), exhibit varying degrees of resistance. Dodder parasitism begins with the development of the haustorium, whose endophytic primordium undergoes intrusive growth to penetrate host tissues. While the cell walls of endophytic cells are essential for invasion, the sequential changes occurring in these cell walls are not fully understood. This study aims to characterize cell wall modifications in Cuscuta campestris haustoria during parasitism of a susceptible host (Vigna radiata) and a resistant host (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Minibel’), using histochemical and immunohistochemical approaches focused on homogalacturonan (HG) and arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs). In both hosts, AGPs and HG (predominantly in their demethylesterified form) increased in the host-facing epidermal walls, the aligned file cells of the haustoria, and the boundary layer surrounding the haustorial cone. The boundary layer was enriched in AGPs and initially showed massive HG deposition, later incorporating lignin and callose. In tomato, lignin-based resistance was associated with the outermost cortical cells and did not substantially affect the overall dynamics of the dodder cell walls. These findings highlight the central role of coordinated cell wall remodeling in dodder invasion and reveal broadly similar developmental trajectories of HG and AGPs in haustoria formed on susceptible and resistant hosts. Full article

Farmers’ interest in producing sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), a berry species with a high nutraceutical value, has increased in Poland and several other European countries, particularly under organic management. However, the expansion of the crop area has been paralleled by a higher occurrence particularly of the sea buckthorn fruit fly (Rhagoletis batava Hering, 1958), a tephritid species potentially causing severe damage to the berries. Trials to evaluate the mass trapping efficacy of various kinds of traps were carried out for up to five years in different locations, testing several attractants known to be effective with other fruit fly species. A commercial cone trap with an attractant designed for Ceratitis capitata and a homemade plastic bottle trap containing a 4% ammonium phosphate solution were found to be the most effective in attracting the flies in a preliminary trial and were further tested in various orchards for four years. Improved attractants were also assessed, together with the ammonium phosphate solution, but resulted in a limited increase in trapping. A reduction in the share of damaged fruits was observed in all trials, but with a generally low positive correlation with the number of catches, statistically significant only for the cone and bottle traps. The outcomes are discussed in view of the various factors determining mass trapping efficacy against flies of the family Tephritidae and the potential adoption of this control measure by farmers within an integrated pest management strategy, suitable to reduce the damage of the R. batava fly in organic sea buckthorn orchards, with an approach pursuing circular economy principles. Full article

This study evaluated the agronomic performance and phytochemical stability of the ‘Comet’ hop (Humulus lupulus L.) under contrasting photoperiod management regimes (with and without supplemental lighting) in subtropical conditions over two consecutive crop cycles (2024–2025). The experiment, conducted at the School of Agricultural Sciences (FCA/UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil), followed a split-plot factorial design with ten replications. Supplemental lighting (50 W, 6500 K LED floodlights) extended the photoperiod to 17 h during the vegetative stage. Morphometric, phenological, and phytochemical parameters were analyzed, including α- and β-acid contents and essential oil composition by GC–MS and GC-FID. Supplemental lighting significantly increased plant height (590.9 cm), number of lateral branches (70.1), cone length (3.49 cm), and dry cone mass (374.6 g plant⁻¹) while reducing the insertion height of the first cone (99.0 cm). α-Acid content increased from 9.35% to 11.92%, and essential oil content from 1.34% to 1.90%, while β-acid levels showed no significant variation. Chemical analysis identified 31 compounds, predominantly β-myrcene (65–74%) and sesquiterpenes such as (E)-caryophyllene, α-selinene, and β-selinene, exhibiting remarkable compositional stability across years and treatments. Photoperiod extension delayed floral induction, promoted biomass accumulation, and increased cone yield without altering the characteristic herbaceous–resinous aromatic profile. These findings validate supplemental lighting as a decisive strategy to optimize hop production in subtropical regions, ensuring phenological regularity, higher yield, and consistent chemical quality, thereby strengthening the viability of domestic hop cultivation in Brazil. Full article

Background: Assessment of root development and apical closure is critical in dental disciplines, including endodontics, trauma management, and age estimation. This study aims to leverage advances in deep learning Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to automatically evaluate the apical region status of permanent first molars, highlighting a digital health application of AI in dentistry. Methods: In this retrospective study, 262 Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scans were reviewed, and 147 anonymized dental images were cropped from pseudopanoramic radiographs, including standard measurements. Tooth regions were resized to 471 × 1075 pixels and split into training (80%) and test (20%) sets. CNN performance was assessed using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under the curve (AUC), demonstrating AI-based image analysis in a dental context. Results: Precision, recall, and F1-scores were 0.79 for open roots and 0.81 for closed roots, with a macro average of 0.80 across all metrics. The overall accuracy and AUC were also 0.80. Conclusions: These results suggest that CNNs can be effectively used to assess apical patency from ROI images derived from pseudopanoramic radiographs. Full article

Soil compaction significantly affects crop growth and yield. Traditional methods for assessing soil density are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and provide limited coverage of the entire field. This study aims to evaluate an alternative method for measuring soil density in real time during standard cultivation operations. The proposed approach involves measuring the elastic deformation of the cultivator shank using strain gauges mounted on the working element. Simultaneous measurement of two separate working elements was tested. Data were recorded in real time and used to generate a soil compaction map of the test field. Soil density measurements obtained using a vertical cone penetrometer served as a reference for comparison. Analysis of the collected data revealed a strong correlation between shank deformation and measured soil density, with a Multiple R = 0.814 and R² = 0.662. The results demonstrate that elastic deformation of the cultivator shank can reliably indicate soil compaction. The tested methodology provides a practical, real-time assessment of soil density during cultivation. It can be integrated into various plows or cultivators, enabling continuous monitoring of soil compaction without the labor and fuel demands of traditional mechanical tests. This approach offers a promising tool for precision soil management and optimizing field operations. Full article

Accurate numerical simulations of soil-tire interactions are essential for optimizing agricultural machinery to minimize soil compaction and enhance crop yield. This study developed and compared two approaches for identifying and validating parameters of a LS-Dyna soil model. The laboratory-based approach derives parameters from triaxial, consolidation, and cone penetrometer tests (CPT), while the optimization-based method refines them using in-situ CPT data via LS-OPT to better capture field variability. Simulations employing Multi-Material Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (MM-ALE), Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), and Hybrid-SPH methods demonstrate that Hybrid-SPH achieves the optimal balance of accuracy (2% error post-optimization) and efficiency (14-h runtime vs. 22 h for SPH). Optimized parameters improve soil–tire interaction predictions, including net traction and tire sinkage across slip ratios from −10% to 30% (e.g., sinkage of 12.5 mm vs. 11.1 mm experimental at 30% slip, with overall mean-absolute percentage error (MAPE) reduced to 3.5% for sinkage and 4.2% for traction) and rut profiles, outperforming lab-derived values. This framework highlights the value of field-calibrated optimization for sustainable agriculture, offering a cost-effective alternative to field trials for designing low-compaction equipment and reducing yield losses from soil degradation. While sandy loam soil at 0.4% moisture content was used in this study, future extensions to different soil types with varied moisture are recommended. Full article

In the field of agriculture, various types of pesticides are used to control crop pests. These chemical agents are applied using nozzles with different geometries. Regardless of their configuration and operational liquid parameters, the applied liquid jet encounters issues with wind drift and penetration efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the spraying process. In this study, 3D numerical calculations were performed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A two-phase flow model based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method was used to simulate the mixing of water and air. The k-ω SST turbulence model was adopted to capture vortex phenomena. A hollow cone nozzle geometry, commonly used in orchards, was selected. Simulations allowed the analysis of pressure, velocity, and turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) in selected cross-sections. Results show that the maximum velocity of the liquid jet at the nozzle outlet exceeded 23 m/s, with the highest TKE reaching 35 m²/s² in the vortex chamber. The computed spray cone angle was approximately 88°, while the experimental value was 80°, and the simulated mass flow rate differed by 16.7% from the measured reference. The critical flow region was identified between the vortex insert and the ceramic stem, where the highest gradients of pressure and velocity were observed. Full article

This study investigates the use of hop cone residues as a sustainable alternative to peat in seed coating formulations for the delivery of biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma. Some native isolates, T. velutinum T029 and T. harzianum T019 and T059, were tested for their development on peat and hop residues using qPCR. The results showed significantly higher fungal growth in hop cones, indicating their value as a carbon-rich substrate. Seed germination tests on various species showed that hop-based coatings did not inhibit germination and in some cases improved it. Field trials confirmed that bean seeds coated with hops 24 h before sowing outperformed those coated with peat, particularly in integrated production systems, in terms of germination. The results of this study suggest a new area of research: using hop residues in sustainable seed treatments could promote the valorization of agricultural residues, while improving crop establishment and reducing the dependence on synthetic inputs. Full article

For crop protection, electrostatic spraying technology significantly improves deposition uniformity and pesticide utilization through the “wraparound-adsorption” effect of charged droplets. However, existing electrostatic nozzles using hydraulic atomization suffer from low charge-to-mass ratios due to unclear principles for optimizing electrode parameters. To this end, this study designs and evaluates a novel air-assisted hydraulic-atomization hollow-cone electrostatic nozzle. First, the air-assisted hollow-cone nozzle was designed. High-speed imaging was then employed to obtain morphological parameters of the liquid film (length: 2.14 mm; width: 1.96 mm; and spray angle: 49.25°). Based on these parameters, an electric field simulation model of the electrostatic nozzle was established to analyze the influence of electrode parameters on the charging performance and identify the optimal parameter combination. Finally, feasibility and efficiency evaluation experiments were conducted on the designed electrostatic nozzle. The experimental results demonstrate that cross-sectional dimensions of the electrode exhibit a positive correlation with the surface charge density of the pesticide liquid film. In addition, optimal charging performance is obtained when the electrode plane coincides with the tangent plane of the liquid film leading edge. Based on these charging laws, the optimal electrode parameters were determined as follows: 2.0 × 2.0 mm cross-section with an electrode-to-nozzle tip distance of 3.8 mm. With these parameters, the nozzle achieved a droplet charge-to-mass ratio of 4.9 mC/kg at a charging voltage of 3.0 kV. These charged droplets achieved deposition coverages of 12.19%, 5.72%, and 5.91% on abaxial leaf surfaces in the upper, middle, and lower soybean canopies, respectively, which is a significant improvement in deposition uniformity. This study designed a novel air-assisted hollow-cone electrostatic nozzle, elucidated the optimization principles for annular induction electrodes, and achieved improved spraying performance. The findings contribute to enhanced pesticide application efficiency in crops, providing valuable theoretical guidance and technical references for electrostatic nozzle design and application. Full article

Electrostatic spraying systems can improve the pesticide application efficiency by enhancing droplet deposition and coverage within crop canopies. This study evaluated the droplet size spectra and charge-to-mass ratio (CMR) of five electrostatically charged hollow-cone nozzles and one flat-fan nozzle paired with an electrode. Each nozzle was mounted on a moving boom in a wind tunnel and operated with the electrode and voltage that produced the highest CMR. Their effects on the spray coverage and deposition inside boxwood shrubs at wind speeds of 0 and 2.24 m s⁻¹ were assessed. The nozzles operated with the optimized electrode had average improvements in the canopy deposition and canopy coverage of 1.33 µg cm⁻² and 4.4% at a wind speed of 0 m s⁻¹ and 0.26 µg cm⁻² and 0.9% at a wind speed of 2.24 m s⁻¹. The airborne drift measurements at various heights above the wind tunnel floor showed an average 0.50 µg cm⁻² reduction in the drift at 0.1 m, variable results at 0.35 m, and minimal changes at heights of 0.7 m and above at a downwind distance of 2 m. These findings highlighted the potential of optimized electrostatic spraying systems to enhance pesticide deposition inside the crop canopy under various wind speeds while reducing the spray drift potential. Full article

We report a landscape-scale natural experiment that followed the abundance and demography of forest-floor small mammals and the activity of small mustelids over a 4-year period of an extreme heat wave and abundant coniferous cone crops. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and southern red-backed voles (Myodes gapperi) are major species in the coniferous forest-floor small mammal community near Summerland in southern British Columbia, Canada. Their major mammalian predators include the short-tailed weasel (Mustela richardsonii), long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata), and American marten (Martes americana). We evaluated three hypotheses (H) that may explain the changes in these mammals from 2021 to 2024: (H₁) that large coniferous cone crops in 2022 would have generated high populations of forest-floor small mammals in 2023 owing to enhanced reproductive output and overwinter survival; (H₂) that increased activity of mustelids would have followed population increases, resulting in the decline of small mammal prey in 2024; and (H₃) that the widespread occurrence of cone crops in 2022 would also have elicited the same mammalian responses in 2023 at a second study area (Golden, BC) 276 km and three mountain ranges from Summerland. During the summer periods of each year, small mammal populations were monitored by intensive live-trapping, and mustelid presence was measured via an index of activity based on live traps, fecal scats, and predation events. The mean abundance and reproductive performance of the P. maniculatus and M. gapperi populations increased in response to the coniferous seedfall, thereby supporting H₁. The activity of small mustelids responded positively to increased numbers of small mammal prey and potentially acted in a regulatory and top–down function in these communities, and hence partially support H₂. Similar responses at Summerland and Golden indicated that this seedfall event and changes in the mammalian community occurred at a landscape-scale, thereby providing partial support for H₃. Potential differential effects of large seed crops on consumers did not affect the mean abundance patterns for P. maniculatus but apparently reduced this metric for M. gapperi. Heat waves, induced by anthropogenic climate change, may alter the frequency of coniferous masting events, and their effects may temporarily change the number and species of mammalian seed consumers and their predators. Full article