Search Results (1,784)

Climate change poses significant challenges to agricultural production, water availability, and food and nutrition security, particularly in semi-arid regions where rural livelihoods depend heavily on rain-fed agriculture. In Eswatini, increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall, and recurrent droughts have intensified pressures on smallholder farming systems; however, limited empirical research has examined how climate variability simultaneously affects agriculture, water resources, and household food security within an integrated food–water–nutrition nexus framework. Therefore, this study assessed the impacts of climate change on agricultural production, water availability, food security, and access to nutritious food among smallholder households in the Lubombo Region of Eswatini. A concurrent triangulated mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data from 880 households with qualitative insights from open-ended responses. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, binary logistic regression, and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings reveal that climate change significantly affects both agricultural and water systems, which in turn directly influence household food security outcomes. The majority of households reported declining crop yields (56.5%), widespread food shortages (79.5%), meal skipping (69.0%), and high levels of food-related anxiety (87.6%). Water insecurity is also prevalent, with over 83% of households experiencing water shortages and nearly all respondents indicating that climate change has affected water access. Correlation and regression analyses demonstrate that drought frequency and reduced rainfall are the strongest predictors of both water insecurity and food insecurity, highlighting the central role of climate variability. Water scarcity emerged as a critical pathway linking climate change to food insecurity, with strong associations between water shortages and reduced crop yields, food shortages, and coping strategies such as skipping meals. Qualitative findings further highlighted declining agricultural productivity, loss of traditional foods, reduced dietary diversity, and increased psychological stress associated with food insecurity. The study concludes that food insecurity in the Lubombo region is multidimensional, driven by the interconnected effects of climate variability, water scarcity, and socio-economic constraints. The findings emphasise the need for integrated, climate-resilient strategies that simultaneously address agricultural production, water resource management, and household adaptive capacity to enhance food and nutrition security. Future research should evaluate the effectiveness of nexus-based adaptation strategies and climate-smart interventions in enhancing long-term food, water, and nutrition security in vulnerable smallholder farming systems. Full article

The Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor is a migratory passerine whose steep decline has been linked to agricultural intensification and the loss of crop heterogeneity. Using 15 years of data (2010–2024), we sought the optimal crop type composition capable of boosting the breeding success (number of young fledged per pair) of the Lesser Grey Shrike population dwelling in province of Parma (northern Italy). We found two optimal crop type compositions: (a) heterogeneous pattern (35% of the buffer surface at alfalfa, 7% at fallow land, 12% at soybean, 46% at wheat; expected breeding success = 5.38); and (b) homogeneous pattern (70% of the buffer surface at alfalfa, 6% at fallow land, 12% at soybean, 12% at wheat; expected breeding success = 5.21). Since effective conservation of the Lesser Grey Shrike relies on targeted agri-environment payments that maintain the low-intensity farmland mosaics essential for breeding and foraging, our study delivers sharp knowledge of the requirements of this species with regard to the optimal crop type compositions that lead to an elevated breeding success. Full article

Freshwater scarcity can weaken water governance when hydrological pressure interacts with intensive agricultural demand, regulatory weakness, and political conflict. This research evaluates whether Irrigation District 005 (IR 005) in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, demonstrates local water-governance fragility across three domains: public security, the rule of law, and the ability to sustain water access and food production. A mixed-methods approach integrates legal and human rights documentation, institutional records, published studies, and a structured media review with hydrological, agricultural, climatic, and reservoir data. Water balances were analysed for 1998–2023, precipitation trends for 1980–2020, and crop water requirements were estimated using the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56 (FAO-56) Penman–Monteith framework, the crop coefficient (Kc), the water-stress coefficient (Ks), the United States Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number method, and application-efficiency assumptions. The 2020 water conflict resulted in fatalities, injuries, arrests, and documented human rights violations. Rule-of-law capacity was further diminished by unauthorised withdrawals, cultivation beyond authorised irrigation plans, and limited enforcement. The annual water balance shifted to persistent deficits after 2016, reaching an estimated deficit of 2268 cubic hectometres (hm³) in 2020. Annual precipitation did not exhibit a statistically significant monotonic decline during 1980–2020 (Mann–Kendall Z = −0.79, τ = −0.0878, p = 0.4251; Sen’s slope = −1.1628 mm yr⁻¹; Mann–Whitney p = 0.5313), indicating that recent stress is more closely linked to production scale, crop mix, governance conditions, and irrigation efficiency than to a long-term reduction in rainfall. Sensitivity analysis revealed that ±15% changes in Kc and Ks altered gross water requirements by approximately ±16–17%, while equivalent changes in effective precipitation produced changes of only 1–3%. These results demonstrate heightened water-governance fragility resulting from mutually reinforcing hydrological, institutional, and conflict-related pressures. Future research should refine locally calibrated water-demand parameters and develop reproducible monitoring systems that combine hydrological, institutional, satellite, and participatory data to support anticipatory, transparent, and rights-based water governance. Full article

This examines the development of the saltpeter industry in Chile after the War of the Pacific (1879–1883), a conflict between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance. Chile’s victory meant the annexation of the territories of Antofagasta and Tarapacá, effectively controlling the production of sodium nitrate and the global saltpeter monopoly. Industrial development was reflected through changes in foreign and Chilean capitals, technologies, and work practices. In Tarapacá, the most important investments in the 19th century were British and German. In Antofagasta, Chilean, English, German, and Croatian investments were prominent in the 19th and 20th centuries. And since 1926, American capitals have occupied the spotlight. The dominant technologies were the Shanks system between 1880–1926, the Guggenheim from 1926–1954, and the introduction of Solar Evaporation in the 1950s. Work evolved from manual artisanal labor without legal protection to mechanization under social laws. Saltpeter represented, in the social and economic history of Chile, the rise of the proletariat, communal social movements, a strong labor press, and a series of strikes and massacres. From the saltpeter era sprouted powerful literature, poetry, and music throughout the 20th century until today. The nitrate industry reached its peak between 1881 and 1917. During this period, it had to confront competition from synthetic nitrate and ceased to be the main source of revenue for the national treasury of Chile. This was followed by a period of decline and crisis from 1918 to 1931, the latter intertwined with the global financial crisis. Various state and business measures made it possible for a small number of nitrate oficinas (processing plants and settlements) in Tarapacá and Antofagasta to continue operating until the nationalization of the nitrate industry in 1971. The nitrate industry took place during the first globalization of liberalism, one that brought flows of capital, migration from Europe to the American Continent, changes to marine navigation, and the opening of various markets in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Nitrate became the most effective fertilizer for agriculture and replaced guano in crop production. In order to analyze this topic, we will utilize the results of the main monographic studies, texts used for historical and political context, and works with interpretative theses about specific periods of nitrate production. Full article

As a major beef cattle producing country, China’s beef industry is expanding and undergoing structural transformation. A systematic assessment of the spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of its water footprint is of great significance for the green and sustainable development of the beef cattle industry, and also provides a reference for understanding the current status of beef cattle water footprint, formulating environmental policies, and supporting the sustainable development of other livestock and poultry species. Based on the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, quantified the green, blue, and grey water footprints of China’s beef cattle industry “from cradle to farm gate” across 31 provinces from 2002 to 2022, covering three farming scales (small-scale, medium-scale, and large-scale) classified according to the proportion of beef cattle slaughter numbers (1–49 head, 50–500 head, and >500 head), and encompassing four stages: feed crop cultivation, beef cattle farming, manure leaching, and transportation and processing, covering three farming scales (small-scale, medium-scale, and large-scale) classified according to the proportion of beef cattle slaughter numbers (1–49 head, 50–500 head, and >500 head), and encompassing four stages: feed crop cultivation, beef cattle farming, manure leaching, and transportation and processing. Furthermore, kernel density estimation and standard deviational ellipse methods were employed to reveal the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, and a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) was constructed to identify the driving factors. The findings indicate that the total water footprint of China’s beef cattle industry first decreased and then increased, reaching 918.70 km³ in 2022. The grey water footprint accounted for an average of 90.85% annually, and the manure leaching stage contributed the largest share (averaging 62.24% annually), suggesting that this stage warrants priority attention from the perspective of this indicator. Large-scale farming exhibited the lowest water footprint per unit of beef (averaging 29.39 m³/kg), while small-scale farming had the highest (54.65 m³/kg). The spatial pattern showed a trend of “high in the west and low in the east, rising in the west and declining in the east.” The spatial model results revealed that the water footprint per unit of beef exhibited significant spatial agglomeration and spatial spillover effects. Full article

Organic fertilization is a key strategy for improving soil structure and fertility in China’s Vertisols, yet the trade-offs among soil quality enhancement, grain yield performance, and nutrient use efficiency under different organic amendment regimes remain insufficiently elucidated. Based on a unique 43-year field fertilization experiment, this study systematically evaluated the effects of long-term chemical fertilization (NPK) alone, low-dose (NPKLS) and high-dose straw incorporation (NPKHS), combined chemical fertilizer with cattle manure (NPKCM), and pig manure (NPKPM) fertilization on soil physical, chemical properties, crop yields and plant nutrient utilization efficiency. The results showed that NPKCM and NPKPM significantly improved soil physical properties by reducing soil bulk density, improving soil pore structure, and enhancing soil water retention capacity and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Although long-term manure application led to slight soil salt accumulation, the rate of accumulation remained substantially lower than that associated with commercial organic fertilizers and did not approach the crop salinity damage threshold, suggesting low ecological risk. Compared with NPK treatment, manure amendment effectively counteracted soil acidification induced by prolonged chemical fertilization, while also significantly increasing soil total phosphorus and available phosphorus content, and elevated the proportion of active phosphorus (PAC). The improved soil phosphorus activation capacity and comprehensive soil quality further contributed to substantial increases in wheat grain yield under NPKCM and NPKPM treatments. Despite these agronomic benefits, the additional nitrogen and phosphorus inputs from manure resulted in soil nutrient surpluses, which considerably reduced nitrogen and phosphorus partial factor productivity as well as agronomic efficiency. In contrast, straw incorporation treatments (NPKLS, NPKHS) sustained stable crop yield without notable declines in nutrient efficiency, positioning them as a greener and more sustainable approach to balancing grain production with resource use efficiency. These findings highlight the need to integrate nutrient credits from manure into fertilization program. Given the 43-year evidence, fertilization strategy should consider not only the nutrients supplied by manure but also the quantities exported through harvested products, with adjustments based on annual soil fertility analyses. Such nutrient budgeting is essential to maximize fertilizer use efficiency, prevent excessive phosphorus accumulation, and maintain balanced soil fertility over time. Full article

Sustainable agriculture in water-limited regions requires understanding how future climate change may affect crop water use and productivity and whether locally feasible adaptations can offset adverse impacts. This study used an improved SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model to simulate multiple future climate scenarios—five single-factor adaptation scenarios, including early or late sowing, long- or short-season cultivars, and crop substitution, and one integrated scenario—in the Palo Duro Watershed of the Texas High Plains. Under future climate, yields declined by 6.7–13.1% for irrigated corn (Zea mays L.) and 11.6–34.1% for irrigated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), but increased by 8.0–32.8% and 8.4–33.7% for dryland and irrigated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively. Early sowing improved yields and water productivity (WP) for irrigated corn, irrigated sorghum, and dryland winter wheat. However, long-season cultivars increased corn and sorghum yields and WP with greater irrigation water use. Crop substitution was generally unfavorable under local conditions. A combined strategy of early sowing and long-season cultivars would increase yields and WP for irrigated corn, irrigated sorghum, and dryland winter wheat, whereas business-as-usual management remained appropriate for irrigated winter wheat. These findings support crop-specific adaptation planning for climate-resilient agriculture and water-resource management in semi-arid systems. Full article

Improving cropland carbon performance while maintaining food security is central to China’s agricultural transition and climate goals This study examines low-carbon cropland use performance (PCLU) and its model-implied interprovincial association network across 31 Chinese provinces from 2010 to 2023. A global super-efficiency slacks-based measure model estimated PCLU by incorporating agricultural output, carbon emissions, nonpoint-source pollution, and crop sequestration; annual directed networks were constructed with a modified gravity model and analyzed using social network analysis, a temporal exponential random graph model (TERGM), and complementary quadratic-assignment analyses. Mean PCLU increased from 0.524 to 0.861, while the interquartile range widened from 0.146 to 0.310; network density declined before partially recovering as hierarchy increased, indicating improvement without provincial convergence and reconnection within a more differentiated multi-hub structure. Persistence (β = 4.510) and reciprocity (β = 2.376) dominated network evolution, whereas shared partners produced neither additional triadic closure nor expanding open chains; similarities in urbanization and planting structure favored ties, while rural-income differences reflected socioeconomic complementarity. External validation showed moderate overall correspondence with green-technology patent collaboration (mean annual QAP r = 0.335) but limited overlap among the strongest dyads. Overall, China’s low-carbon cropland transition combined rising but increasingly uneven performance with a path-dependent and selective interprovincial structure, providing an empirical basis for differentiated coordination based on provincial performance and network position. Full article

Cereal production is increasingly constrained by soil degradation, water scarcity, climate variability, and rising disease and weed pressure. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of regenerative agronomic practices in cereal production, with particular emphasis on soil health, plant disease management, water-use efficiency, and yield stability. Available evidence consistently indicates that the greatest benefits arise not from individual practices but from integrated systems combining reduced tillage, crop residue retention, diversified crop rotations including legumes, cover crops, organic fertilization, and biologically based pest management. Such practices can increase soil biological activity and its ability to limit disease by enriching functionally beneficial microbial communities and limiting pathogens through competition for resources and niches, antibiosis, hyperparasitism, and the induction of plant resistance. They can also improve soil structure, water infiltration, water retention, and crop resilience to drought stress and, under certain conditions, reduce erosion, nutrient losses, and yield variability. However, the effects of regenerative practices are strongly dependent on soil type, climate, nitrogen balance, pest pressure, and the extent of adoption of regenerative practices. Risks may arise during the transition period, including yield declines, nitrogen immobilization, weed infestation, and increased disease pressure. Evaluation of these systems should encompass not only yield but also the grain quality and phytosanitary status, soil organic carbon stocks throughout the soil profile, N₂O emissions, and production profitability. The review covers cereal systems from temperate, humid, arid and semi-arid zones, and the results were interpreted considering climate, soil quality, water availability, and agronomic practices, as the same practice can produce different effects in different agroecological zones. Further research should prioritize long-term, multifactorial experiments conducted across diverse agroecological environments that integrate agronomic performance, environmental sustainability, and crop quality. Full article

Hydrothermal variability, rising evaporative demand, and drought extremes increasingly threaten crop production in semi-arid regions, yet their relative contributions to maize yield variability remain unclear. Here, we examined maize yield responses to growing-season climatic conditions in Lyuliang City, North China, during 2005–2024 using yield statistics and ChinaMet climate data. Trend analysis, Pearson correlation, candidate regression models, standardized coefficients, and generalized additive models were used to identify dominant climatic predictors. Maize yield showed no significant temporal trend during the study period (Sen’s slope = 0.01 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, p = 0.58), whereas growing-season potential evapotranspiration tended to increase (2.81 mm yr⁻¹, p = 0.06). Diurnal temperature range declined significantly (−0.04 °C yr⁻¹, p = 0.01), and minimum SPEI also decreased significantly (−0.04 yr⁻¹, p = 0.01), indicating intensified extreme dry conditions. Maize yield was most strongly correlated with aridity index (r = 0.72, p < 0.001) and water deficit (r = 0.72, p < 0.001), suggesting that hydrothermal balance explained yield variability better than precipitation or temperature alone. The highest-ranked regression model included aridity index, growing-season temperature, diurnal temperature range, and minimum SPEI, explaining 70% of interannual yield variation. Aridity index was the strongest positive predictor, whereas diurnal temperature range had a significant negative association with yield. Although extreme dry conditions intensified over time, minimum SPEI was not directly associated with annual yield, implying that drought impacts may depend on drought timing, crop phenology, and management buffering. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining favorable hydrothermal balance and reducing risks from increasing evaporative demand and temperature variability to support climate-resilient maize production in Lyuliang City and climatically similar rain-fed semi-arid regions of North China. Full article

Soil microorganisms are essential for nutrient cycling, plant productivity, and soil health, yet the relative importance of land-use and soil depth in shaping agricultural microbiomes remains poorly understood. This study investigated soil microbial communities across uncultivated land, alfalfa fields, crop systems (feed corn and sweet corn), and orchard systems (walnut and quince) in the Hajdúnánás region of Hungary using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and soil physicochemical analyses. Microbial alpha diversity showed limited variation among land-use systems but declined significantly with soil depth in both bacterial (Kruskal–Wallis, p = 0.00054) and fungal (p = 0.00051) communities. Beta diversity analyses identified soil depth as the primary driver of microbial community composition in both bacterial (R² = 0.305, p = 0.001) and fungal (R² = 0.277, p = 0.001) communities. In contrast, land-use significantly influenced only fungal community composition (R² = 0.250, p = 0.005). Fungal alpha diversity showed significant negative relationships with soil pH and CaCO₃, whereas bacterial diversity exhibited only weak correlations. Crop soils contained the highest numbers of unique bacterial and fungal taxa. Functional analyses revealed significant differences in nutrient cycling, plant-growth-related, decomposition, and environmental adaptation functions among land-use systems. In crop soils, topsoil communities were enriched in oxidative stress-related pathways involved in reactive oxygen species detoxification (ROS), redox homeostasis, and stress regulation, whereas subsoil communities showed a greater representation of antioxidant metabolite production functions. Co-occurrence network analyses indicated greater connectivity in perennial systems, particularly alfalfa soils. Analyses of bacterial and fungal species with reported phytopathogenic potential identified stable cores of phytopathogenic species across agricultural systems, with soil pH emerging as the strongest environmental factor associated with the abundance of phytopathogenic species. Overall, soil depth was the primary driver of bacterial and fungal community assembly, whereas land-use primarily shaped fungal community composition and influenced ecological functions, microbial interaction networks, and the distribution of phytopathogenic species. Full article

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients influencing wheat growth, plant nutrition, and grain production. Appropriate timing of nitrogen application is essential to synchronize nutrient availability with crop demand. This study evaluated seven nitrogen management treatments, including a control (N0) and six split nitrogen application schedules (N1–N6), in durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions using an integrated approach combining ground-based hyperspectral sensing and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral imagery. Plant nutrient concentrations (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg), spectral reflectance, vegetation indices, plant height, and grain yield were evaluated at different phenological stages. Split nitrogen application significantly affected plant nutrient concentrations, spectral reflectance, vegetation indices, plant height, and grain yield. Plant nutrient concentrations generally declined with crop development, whereas spectral reflectance increased across the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum. Vegetation indices derived from both hyperspectral and UAV multispectral data successfully differentiated phenological stages and nitrogen treatments. UAV-derived plant height showed strong agreement with field measurements, confirming the reliability of photogrammetric measurements for monitoring crop development. Among the nitrogen treatments, the N3 split application schedule produced the most favorable overall crop response, with higher plant nitrogen concentration, stronger spectral responses, and the highest grain yield. In addition, UAV-derived NDVI measured at the booting stage showed the strongest relationship with grain yield (r = 0.717, p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that integrating ground-based hyperspectral sensing with UAV multispectral imagery provides complementary information for evaluating crop development and plant nutritional responses under different split nitrogen application schedules. Full article

Soybean is a major legume crop in Togo. However, there is no scientific basis for guiding planting density recommendations to enhance yield. This study evaluated six soybean varieties across multiple planting densities in two major soybean-growing areas of Togo over two years. Data were collected on morphological traits and yield and were subjected to variance analysis, heritability estimate and mean comparison using R software version 4.4.1. Heritability was high (>0.8) for most traits except for number of branches per plant (0.54) and pod weight per plant (0.50). The local check variety (TGX1910) consistently outperformed introduced lines at all planting densities, except for hundred-seed weight. Plant height increased with density, whereas branch number, pods per plant, and grains per plant decreased, reflecting soybean’s self-regulation. Grain yield ranged from 1.17 t/ha at 200,000 plants/ha to 3.83 t/ha at 333,000 plants/ha. Despite reduced individual plant productivity at higher densities, plot yield increased up to an optimal density of ~333,000 plants/ha, before declining at the highest density of 450,000 plants/ha. Wider row spacing (60 cm) slightly enhanced yield compared to narrower spacing (40 cm). These results demonstrate that optimal planting density maximizes population-level yield, and planting soybean at 333,000 plants/ha with 60 cm row spacing is recommended for Togo. Full article

Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) is a high-value tropical fruit crop that has recently been cultivated on a commercial scale in Hainan Province, China. However, emerging diseases increasingly threaten sustainable production and fruit quality. Field surveys conducted in Sanya, Hainan, identified stem rot as the predominant disease affecting durian trees, with a disease incidence of approximately 26.6%. Affected trees exhibited necrotic lesions at stem-branch junctions, followed by leaf abscission and progressive decline. The causal agent was identified using morphological characteristics, phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene regions, and pathogenicity assays. Inoculated plants developed symptoms consistent with those observed under field conditions, thereby fulfilling Koch’s postulates. Both morphological and multilocus molecular analyses consistently identified the pathogen as Fusarium solani. A total of 20 Fusarium isolates were obtained from diseased durian stem samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. solani causing stem rot of durian in Hainan Province, China. In addition, Bacillus subtilis SYST2 exhibited strong antagonistic activity against F. solani isolates FS-1, FS-2, and FS-3 in vitro, with inhibition rates of 55.7%, 54.6%, and 53.3%, respectively. Field trials further demonstrated that application of SYST2 significantly suppressed disease development, achieving a biocontrol efficacy of 53.51%. These findings establish F. solani as a causal agent of durian stem rot in Hainan and highlight the potential of Bacillus-based biological control as a sustainable strategy for disease management in durian production systems. Full article

This study analyzed the dynamic variation in leaf ecological stoichiometry of lettuce during the whole growth period under the two different fertility levels, and explored the potential application of ecological stoichiometry theory for precise fertilization management of lettuce under the evaluated experimental condition. Taking the two critical leaf ages of 10.39 and 24.25 as dividing points, the growth process of lettuce can be divided into three stages: the initial slow growth stage—S1, mid-rapid growth stage—S2, and subsequent slow growth stage—S3. With plant growth, the contents of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in leaves kept increasing, while phosphorus (P) content showed a trend of rising first and then decreasing. The leaf C:N ratio declined steadily, and the C:P and N:P ratios decreased first and then increased. Most stoichiometric indicators exhibited significant differences among different growth stages (p < 0.05). Compared with the medium fertility level treatment, the aboveground biomass of lettuce under the higher fertility level treatment slightly increased, but the contents of C, N, and P in leaves all decreased, and no significant differences in various ecological stoichiometric indicators were observed between the two fertility level treatments (p > 0.05). The dynamic variation patterns of leaf C, N, and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios of the tested lettuce under the designed experimental conditions were consistent with the Homeostasis Theory and Allometric Growth Theory of ecological stoichiometry. Based on the above results, this study established ecological stoichiometric reference criteria suitable for dynamic nutrient regulation of lettuce. Collectively, the present findings not only established targeted ecological stoichiometric reference criteria for dynamic nutrient regulation of the lettuce cultivar used in the study under the tested fertility conditions, but also this research idea may be extended to nutrient regulation of other lettuce cultivars or other crop species. Full article