Search Results (224)

Myrciaria floribunda is a plant found in the Northeast region of Brazil with several insecticidal properties that remain little explored. In this sense, this study aims to investigate the harmful effects of essential oil (EO) from M. floribunda leaves against Sitophilus zeamais, an important corn pest. The EO was applied in toxicity tests by fumigation, contact, and ingestion, as well as in in vitro assays to evaluate its effects on the activity of the enzymes α-amylase, trypsin, and acetylcholinesterase. Chromatographic analysis of the oil revealed (E)-caryophyllene (56.41%), viridiflorol (4.02%) and α-selinene (3.85%) as the main compounds. The essential oil (EO) showed fumigation toxicity, with an LC₅₀ of 3.2 μL/L of air, and (E)-caryophyllene with an LC₅₀ of 3.97 μL/L of air. The EO inhibited insect feeding, altering growth rate and feed conversion efficiency starting at 62.5 μL/g. In this study, an increase in amylase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was observed. This increase in AChE activity may cause an imbalance in the nervous system, leading to insect death. Thus, the EO of M. floribunda may serve as an alternative for the control of S. zeamais in stored corn and help prevent significant post-harvest losses for farmers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Metabolic diseases are increasingly associated with diets low in bioactive compounds. Native maize varieties possess functional potential; however, they remain underutilized. Moringa oleifera leaf flour (MF), rich in protein and polyphenols, represents a promising functional ingredient. This study evaluated the incorporation of MF into red native corn tortillas and its effects on nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity, as well as assessed its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in Wistar rats. Methods: Tortillas were formulated with 5% MF. Nutritional composition was determined using standard AOAC methods, while bioactive compounds (total phenolics and flavonoids) and antioxidant activity were evaluated using Folin–Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) colorimetric, DPPH^•, and ABTS^•+ assays, respectively. Male Wistar rats (12 weeks old, with an approximate weight ofs 360 g; n = 5/group) were fed the experimental diets for 21 days with either a standard diet, a high-fat diet, or high-fat diets supplemented with MF or MF-enriched tortillas. Serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL were measured using enzymatic colorimetric methods. Data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (p < 0.05). Results: MF incorporation increased protein (+19.85%), dietary fiber (+18.51%), and mineral content (+41.03%) compared to control tortillas. Total phenolics and flavonoids increased by 114.0% and 184.7%, respectively. Antioxidant activity improved significantly, as evidenced by reductions in IC₅₀ values of 41.1% (DPPH^•) and 43.1% (ABTS^•). In vivo, MF-enriched tortillas reduced triglycerides by 68.4%, total cholesterol by 16.2%, and hepatic lipid accumulation by 31.8% compared to the high-fat diet group. Glucose levels showed a reduction of 8.5%, although not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The incorporation of MF into red corn tortillas significantly enhances their nutritional and functional properties. In vivo results also showed improvements in lipid profile and a non-significant reduction in glucose levels. These findings support the development of functional foods based on traditional staples with potential health benefits. Full article

Nutrients recovered from municipal and dairy wastewaters in a bioelectrochemical system constructed with terracotta and biochar were used in different soil amendments. These amendments included addition of terracotta (TS), biochar (BS), terracotta and biochar nutrient-rich mixtures from bioelectrochemical systems, DWW (dairy wastewater), and SWW (synthetic wastewater), respectively. Corn growth affected by these amendments was compared with control, termed straight soil (SS). The first experimental setup consisted of 60 plants, four replications per group, and nutrient loadings (0%, 50%, and 100% Hoagland Nutrient Solution, HNS) in the fall season. After harvesting, the plants and soil were analyzed for agro-physical characteristics by various methods. At the 100% nutrient treatment, the TS soil had the best yielding plants. Overall, plants grown in DWW and SWW soil amendments with 0% and 50% nutrient treatments had the best results in plant height, total plant dry weight, the average number of leaves per plant, leaf surface area, shoot dry weight, root/shoot ratio, root surface area, and NBI when compared to the control group. Another test was carried out with 80 corn plants grown using five different soil mediums and using four different nutrient treatments in the spring season. Twenty of the plants were put through a simulated drought to evaluate drought resistance (as measured by plant growth) in different soil amendments. In this test, the SWW soil amendment had a negative effect at 0% HNS and in warm weather. The SWW soil medium had large retention in soil moisture, which had a negative growth effect. It is recommended that the irrigation be monitored closely when applying the SWW soil amendment to avoid overwatering. This research provides critical insights into nutrient reuse in crop production. Full article

Mutants with a bright green appearance due to wax synthesis or deposition defects have been reported in various plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, corn, and rice, but they are relatively rare in broccoli (a brassicaceae crop). Here, we describe SY03, a natural mutant of broccoli with a glossy green phenotype owing to epidermal wax deficiency. Genetic analysis indicated that the leaf luster trait of SY03 was controlled by a single recessive gene. By using the F₂ generation and combining bulked segregant analysis and molecular marker techniques, the candidate gene BoFAR3a, homologous to the Arabidopsis FAR gene, was identified within a 96.678 kb interval of chromosome C01. The A→G point mutation in exon 1 of the BoFAR3a coding sequence substitutes the canonical ATG start codon with GTG, which is predicted to abrogate or severely reduce translation initiation. RT-qPCR indicated that the expression levels of BoFAR3a were significantly decreased in the leaves of the glossy green phenotype mutant. Heterologous expression of BoFAR3a in A. thaliana restored the phenotype of A. thaliana mutant FAR3. The discovery of BoFAR3a is of great significance for breeding lustrous and commercially appealing broccoli varieties. This study systematically analyzed the molecular basis of the lustrous green phenotype in broccoli, providing new insights into the epidermal waxy regulatory network of cruciferous crops. In the future, the wax synthesis pathway can be precisely improved through gene editing technology, achieving a coordinated enhancement of the appearance quality and stress resistance of broccoli. Full article

Mid- to late-season crop protection in tall crops like corn often relies on aerial spraying, including with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, information on UAV spray consistency remains limited. This study compared spray depositions from a DJI Agras T30 UAV, airplane, and ground sprayer on tassel-stage corn to simulate fungicide applications, while assessing the influences of key UAV operational parameters and the use of drift reducing agent (DRA). At the Alabama site, UAV applications without DRA increased spray dye concentration by 145.8% on upper leaves and 51.1% on ear leaves compared with airplane applications at 18.7 L ha⁻¹. DRA 1 reduced upper leaf deposition, but both DRAs improved ear leaf deposition relative to no DRA and airplane treatments. UAVs without DRA and airplanes showed similar variability in dye concentration, while DRA use enhanced deposition uniformity. At the Georgia site, no treatment differences were found on ear leaves, but UAV and ground sprayer treatments produced higher upper leaf deposits than airplane application. Increasing UAV swath by 1.5 m at 2.4 m height reduced deposition, while a 4.6 m swath increased it, regardless of altitude. Overall, results suggest that downwash from UAV propellers enhances spray deposition within the crop canopy, and DRAs further improve this effect and influence spray uniformity. Additional studies on UAV spray parameters and droplet size are needed to better understand downdraft influence. Full article

The rational use of reclaimed water for irrigation is a vital strategy to alleviate water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions. Assessing its impact on heavy metal behavior in soil–plant systems is crucial for ensuring agricultural safety. This study evaluated the effects of four irrigation water sources—well water (CK, control), river water (R0), a 1:1 mixture of river and reclaimed water (R1), and reclaimed water (R2)—on the distribution of heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cu) in soil profiles and their accumulation in corn organs across growth stages. Results indicated that soil Mn content increased over time, whereas Zn and Cu levels generally decreased, with the smallest reduction observed in the R2 treatment at deeper soil layers. In corn, Mn and Cu were primarily concentrated in roots and leaves, while Zn accumulated notably in grains. Plant heavy metal content was generally lower under R2 than CK. Risk assessment indicated slight Mn pollution in soil, whereas Zn and Cu remained within safe limits. Health risk indices (THQ) for R1 and R2 were lower than CK. Overall, the mixed water treatment (R1) showed the strongest potential for controlling heavy metal contamination, suggesting that blended reclaimed water can support sustainable irrigation with long-term Mn monitoring recommended. Full article

With the continuous development of the livestock industry, the availability of high-quality roughage is becoming increasingly constrained. Therefore, the exploitation of unconventional feed resources is crucial for the sustainable development of the sector. Grape branches and leaves are a major by-product of viticulture, abundant in supply but currently underutilised. Their ensilage presents potential feed value and ecological benefits. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with grape branch and leaf silage on the growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, gut microbiota, and metabolomic profiles of Kazakh rams. Sixty Kazakh rams aged 6.0 ± 0.5 months with similar initial body weight (34.21 ± 2.13 kg) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatment groups: the control group (CG) fed whole-crop corn silage, the EG50 group where grape branch and leaf silage replaced 50% of the whole-crop corn silage, and the EG100 group where grape branch and leaf silage entirely replaced the whole-crop corn silage. Each treatment comprised four replicates with five rams per replicate. Following a 7-day adaptation period, a formal feeding trial was conducted for 120 days, after which relevant parameters were measured. Results: (1) Compared with the CG, the dressing percentage was significantly increased in the EG100 group (p < 0.05), while tail fat weight and tail fat percentage were both markedly decreased (p < 0.01). (2) Serum immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG) levels and antioxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT) activities were significantly elevated in the EG100 group (p < 0.05), accompanied by enhanced total antioxidant capacity. Concurrently, levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) and the oxidative damage marker malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). (3) Based on slaughter performance, jejunal microbiota analysis was performed for the CG and EG100 groups. The relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes increased in the EG100 group, with beneficial genera such as Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus becoming predominant. (4) Metabolomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of pathways including primary bile acid biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism in the EG100 group, with 20 key differential metabolites identified. Dietary supplementation with grape branch and leaf silage may improve slaughter performance and reduce fat deposition in Kazakh rams, potentially by modulating the gut microbiota structure and its metabolic functions, thereby synergistically enhancing nutrient utilisation, anti-inflammatory capacity, and antioxidant status. This study provides a theoretical basis for the feed-oriented and value-added utilisation of grape processing by-products. Future research should further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between its active components and host metabolism. Full article

Corn processing generates substantial volumes of agricultural by-products, collectively referred to as corn stover, comprising husks, cobs, stalks, leaves, and silks. Although rich in bioactive compounds, these by-products are still predominantly destined for low-value uses such as landfilling and open-field burning. They contain valuable biomolecules such as lignocellulosic fibers, starch, pectin, proteins, and polyphenols, all of which hold significant potential for applications in agricultural and food industries. These compounds offer opportunities as sustainable alternatives to conventional ingredients and as novel functional additives. However, utilization of corn stover remains focused on biofuel production, limiting the development of applications in broader, high-value fields such as functional food ingredients. This review aims to highlight the opportunities that corn stover presents for developing solutions for food production, which is becoming increasingly important as the global population continues to grow and food demand rises, particularly in regions where access to sufficient and nutritious food remains limited. It also considers the challenges to be solved in order to incorporate corn stover in circular economies, like the impact of pesticide presence on derived products and gaps of emerging strategies for scaling up production in alignment with circular economy goals and the high-value utilization of corn stover. Full article

This paper examines decision-making challenges that arise when information is incomplete, specifically when judgments are missing or unavailable in the context of individual and group applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Two illustrative examples are provided. The first, adapted from a recently published study in the field of artificial intelligence, demonstrates how different methods for generating missing judgments can affect the outcomes of an individual decision-maker. The second example addresses a real-world problem of allocating farmland among three crops, wheat, corn, and soybeans, using four evaluation criteria: expenses, labor, reliability, and market considerations. In this example, two decision-makers form a group, and their incomplete judgments leave gaps in pairwise comparison matrices at different levels of the hierarchy. The solution incorporates both transition-based approaches (general transition rule and First-Level Transition Rule) and established methods such as Harker’s and van Uden’s. In addition, aggregation of individual judgments (AIJ) is applied where at least one judgment exists, while geometric aggregation is used when multiple judgments are available. This enables prioritization of decision elements in both examples, with particular attention to cases requiring a priori and a posteriori aggregation of individual judgments across hierarchical levels. A critical analysis of the results highlights key differences between methods, revealing ongoing controversies regarding their reliability in practice. Although it is shown that the First-Level Transition Rule method in the presented examples and other authors’ tests outperforms other methods used, the findings suggest that further research is needed to refine and establish more trustworthy procedures for handling incomplete information in AHP applications. Full article

Nitrogen (N) is the most widely used nutrient in agriculture in the form of urea, yet it is one of the least efficient in terms of application due to losses through volatilization and leaching. The combination of urea with micronutrient sources, especially in the form of nanoparticles, is a promising technology for reducing these losses. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted with the objective of evaluating the influence of coating urea with zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPZnO) and iron oxide nanoparticles (NPFe₂O₃), associated with elemental sulfur (S°), on the leaching of mineral nitrogen and the production of dry mass and accumulation of N in young corn plants. The coating (0.26% w/w) of urea with elemental sulfur (S°) and NPZnO and NPFe₂O₃ reduced N losses through leaching (−21.3%) and delayed the nitrification process of N in the soil (−71.8%). This coating increased the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization in young corn plants, boosting the production of dry mass in leaves (+39.4%), stems (+68.8%), and roots (+61.6%), as well as the absorption of N in the above-ground biomass (+64.1%), compared to conventional urea. The use of urea coated with NPZnO and NPFe₂O₃ associated with S° is an environmentally sound solution for supplying N and micronutrients such as Fe and Zn in a more efficient and sustainable manner, especially in sandy soils with low organic matter content, which are common in the semi-arid region of Brazil. Full article

Plant volatiles play a critical role in mediating insect host location behavior and offer eco-friendly alternatives for chemical control. Monolepta signata is a widespread phytophagous pest in East Asia that poses a significant threat to various crops. In this study, we evaluated the electrophysiological and behavioral responses of adult M. signata to 26 binary and ternary mixtures of 13 plant-derived volatile compounds extracted from cotton and corn leaves. Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings revealed that females exhibited the strongest responses to mixtures 20, 23, and 12, whereas males were the most responsive to mixtures 26, 19, and 4. Y-tube olfactometer assays showed significant behavioral attraction of females to mixtures 1, 20, 23, and 26, and males to mixtures 19, 22, and 23. Field trials demonstrated that mixtures 22, 23, and 26 attracted significantly more adults than the control, with mixture 23 (α-phellandrene + trans-2-hexen-1-ol + 1-heptene) achieving the highest trap capture. These findings highlight the potential of specific volatile blends, especially ternary mixtures, as effective attractants of M. signata, and support their application in environmentally sustainable pest monitoring and management strategies. Full article

The research on cadmium (Cd) pollution remediation technologies in farmland is of great significance for ensuring food security. However, there is currently a lack of empirical research on the passivation effects of the related repair materials on alkaline farmland in arid regions. This study selected a typical experimental area in a dryland corn farmland in Ningxia, Northwest China. Field experiments were conducted on four typical remediation materials: mercapto clay minerals, sepiolite remediation materials, microbial inoculants, and bio-organic fertilizers. The effects of these four materials on the available cadmium in the soil, cadmium content in corn stems and leaves, and enrichment coefficients were analyzed. The results show that the four types of remediation fertilizers have significant differences in their effects on the available Cd content in the soil, with a reduction range of 3.33–60.94%. The order of the inhibitory effect from strong to weak is as follows: mercapto clay mineral passivation material, bio-organic fertilizer, sepiolite, and microbial inoculant. The cumulative distribution pattern of Cd in the organs of corn plants is leaf > stem > grain. It reduces the cadmium content in corn stems by 7.01–37.16% and reduces the cadmium content in corn leaves by 1.45–26.56%. Under the four types of remediation fertilizer treatments, the enrichment coefficients of corn stems and leaves all decreased. The enrichment coefficient of stems decreased by 3.78% to 29.42%, and the enrichment coefficient of leaves decreased by 3.41% to 31.92%. The mercapto clay minerals passivation material has the best effect on reducing the available cadmium in the soil of dryland corn in the arid areas of Northwest China and also has the best effect on inhibiting the absorption of cadmium by various organs of corn. It can be further verified in the field and promoted for application, providing support for the restoration of heavy metal pollution in farmland based on local conditions and differentiated measures. Full article

This study aimed at the problems of dense distribution and different sizes of pests in cantaloupe fields, as well as the complex and variable characteristics of some pests. To improve the detection accuracy of pests in cantaloupe leaves, a multi-strategy dynamic feature fusion detection algorithm is proposed, which provides a reference for technological paths for pest control in cantaloupe fields. First, the Melon Cantaloupe Pest dataset, containing five types of cantaloupe pests from the Robotflow website, was used and processed for image culling and expansion. Second, the YOLOv12 model is improved by (1) adding the EMA attention mechanism at the end of its backbone network, (2) changing the fusion strategy of the Concat layer in the Neck network as well as the Detect layer in the Head network, (3) introducing the WIoU v3 loss function, and (4) improving the C3k2 module. The experiments showed that the model proposed in this study achieved 85.06%, 86.76%, 79.94%, 54.15% and 83.08% for mAP50, P, R, mAP50-95, and F₁, respectively. It outperformed all other comparative models in four metrics except the R. Additionally, compared to the original YOLOv12 model, the four metrics of the improved model were improved by 3.48%, 3.17%, 2.5%, 3.45% and 3.04%, while the number of parameters was reduced. In addition, ablation experiments as well as generalization experiments on rice pest and corn pest datasets were conducted in this study. The improved model proposed in this paper effectively enhances the performance of pest detection in different scenarios. Full article

Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), caused by Exserohilum turcicum, is a major foliar disease of maize worldwide. To develop sustainable alternatives that reduce chemical products, we evaluated Bacillus velezensis EM-A8 (GenBank accession number OL704805) as a biocontrol agent under greenhouse and field conditions. The aims of this study were as follows: (i) characterize phytohormone production in two formulations containing the BCA; (ii) assess the influence of the BCA on plant biomass and yield; (iii) compare the efficacy of both formulations in controlling NCLB under field conditions; and (iv) determine whether the treatments affected salicylic acid and phenolic compound levels in maize tissues. The strain synthesized a broad spectrum of phytohormones, including salicylic acid, indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid and gibberellic acid, as well as cytokinins such as kinetin, zeatin, and 6-benzylaminopurine. Foliar application increased maize dry biomass by 30%. In field trials, both formulations effectively suppressed NCLB, reducing the number of symptomatic leaves by 25–50% compared with controls. Furthermore, treated plants exhibited yield increases exceeding 1000 kg/ha. These findings demonstrate that B. velezensis EM-A8 provides effective biocontrol of E. turcicum while simultaneously enhancing maize growth and yield under field conditions. Future work should aim to scale up the use of B. velezensis EM-A8 in integrated pest management programs and evaluate its long-term impact on soil microbiota, plant health, and yield sustainability. Full article

Atmospheric deposition is considered a source of heavy metals in plants. However, research on the uptake pathways of atmospheric particulate matter by leaves and the subsequent translocation of heavy metals within plants remains limited. In this study, the foliar uptake and translocation of heavy metals in two maize cultivars (fresh corn and silage corn cultivars, called Baiyunuo909 and Qingzhu932, respectively) were investigated through foliar exposure using soil from a mining area to simulate dry deposition under controlled chamber conditions. The height and biomass of maize were inhibited after three and five exposures to fallout deposition, and this inhibitory effect became increasingly pronounced with prolonged exposure. Furthermore, the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), along with the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, significantly decreased in both cultivars relative to the control. This decrease was more significant in fresh maize, with the reduction ranges being 94.3%, 42.1%, and 40.8%, respectively. Fallout exposure elevated the contents of cadmium, lead, arsenic and zinc in the leaves, stems, and sheaths of both cultivars, despite no significant increase in the roots. The bioconcentration factors of leaves for heavy metals ranged from 0.0002 to 0.0007, representing a 3.5–fold variation; however, the overall low values showed no significant differences. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy revealed the accumulation of particulate matter on the leaf surface, with a higher density around the cuticle and stomata. Additionally, the fresh corn cultivar demonstrated greater sensitivity to fallout than the silage corn cultivar. In summary, heavy metals present in atmospheric particulate matter can be absorbed by leaves and subsequently translocated to other plant tissues. This study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the mechanisms of foliar heavy metal uptake in maize. Full article