Search Results (767)

Agricultural production in southern Angola faces challenges due to unsustainable practices, including inefficient use of water, fertilizers, and machinery, resulting in low yields and environmental degradation. Therefore, clear and measurable indicators are needed to guide farmers toward more sustainable practices. The scientific literature insufficiently addresses this issue, leaving a significant gap in the evaluation of key performance indicators (KPIs) that can guide good agricultural practices (GAPs) adapted to the context of southern Angola, with the goal of promoting a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector. So, the objective of this study is to identify and assess KPIs capable of supporting the selection of GAPs suitable for maize, potato, and tomato cultivation in the context of southern Angolan agriculture. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, screening 2720 articles and selecting 14 studies that met defined inclusion criteria. Five KPIs were identified as the most relevant: gross margin, net profit, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and machine energy. These indicators were analyzed and standardized to evaluate their contribution to sustainability across different GAPs. Results show that organic fertilizers are the most sustainable option for maize, drip irrigation for potatoes, and crop rotation for tomatoes in southern Angola because of their efficiency in low-resource environments. A clear, simple, and effective representation of the KPIs was developed to be useful in communicating to farmers and policy makers on the selection of the best GAPs in the cultivation of different crops. The study proposes a validated KPI-based methodology for assessing sustainable agricultural practices in developing regions such as southern Angola, aiming to lead to greater self-sufficiency and economic stability in this sector. Full article

Indoor horticulture requires a substantial quantity of electricity to meet crops extended photoperiodic requirements for optimal photosynthetic rate. Simultaneously, global electricity costs have grown dramatically in recent years, endangering the sustainability and profitability of indoor vertical farms and/or modern greenhouses that use artificial lighting systems to accelerate crop development and growth. This study investigates the growth rate and physiological development of cherry tomato plants cultivated in a pilot indoor vertical farm at the Agricultural University of Athens’ Laboratory of Farm Structures (AUA) under continuous and disruptive lighting. The leaf physiological traits from multiple photoperiodic stress treatments were analyzed and utilized to estimate the plant’s tolerance rate under varied illumination conditions. Four different photoperiodic treatments were examined and compared, firstly plants grew under 14 h of continuous light (C-14L10D/control), secondly plants grew under a normalized photoperiod of 14 h with intermittent light intervals of 10 min of light followed by 50 min of dark (NI-14L10D/stress), the third treatment where plants grew under 14 h of a load-shifted energy demand response intermittent lighting schedule (LSI-14L10D/stress) and finally plants grew under 13 h photoperiod following of a load-shifted energy demand response intermittent lighting schedule (LSI-13L11D/stress). Plants were subjected also under two different light spectra for all the treatments, specifically WHITE and Blue/Red/Far-red light composition. The aim was to develop flexible, energy-efficient lighting protocols that maintain crop productivity while reducing electricity consumption in indoor settings. Results indicated that short periods of disruptive light did not negatively impact physiological responses, and plants exhibited tolerance to abiotic stress induced by intermittent lighting. Post-harvest data indicated that intermittent lighting regimes maintained or enhanced growth compared to continuous lighting, with spectral composition further influencing productivity. Plants under LSI-14L10D and B/R/FR spectra produced up to 93 g fresh fruit per plant and 30.4 g dry mass, while consuming up to 16 kWh less energy than continuous lighting—highlighting the potential of flexible lighting strategies for improved energy-use efficiency. Full article

The Po valley (northern Italy) is the leading European region for processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production. Although historically characterized by abundant water availability, this area is now increasingly affected by drought risk. This study presents a two-year evaluation of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) on processing tomatoes in northern Italy. In 2019 (Parma) and 2022 (Piacenza), full irrigation (IRR, restoring 100% crop evapotranspiration) and RDI (100% IRR until the color-breaking stage, followed by 50% IRR) strategies were compared within a completely randomized block design. Overall, RDI resulted in a 25% reduction in water use without compromising yield, which was maintained through unchanged plant fertility and fruit size compared to IRR. Remote sensing data from PlanetScope imagery confirmed the absence of water stress in RDI-treated plants. Furthermore, increased soluble solids and dry matter contents under RDI suggest a physiological adaptation of processing tomatoes to late-season water deficit. Remarkably, environmental and economic sustainability indicators—namely water productivity and yield quality—were enhanced under RDI management. This study validates a simple, sustainable, and readily applicable irrigation approach for tomato cultivation in the Po valley. Future research should refine this method by investigating plant physiological responses to optimize water use in this key agricultural region. Full article

The acquisition of plant phenotypic traits is essential for selecting superior varieties, improving crop yield, and supporting precision agriculture and agricultural decision-making. Therefore, it plays a significant role in modern agriculture and plant science research. Traditional manual measurements of phenotypic traits are labor-intensive and inefficient. In contrast, combining 3D reconstruction technologies with autonomous vehicles enables more intuitive and efficient trait acquisition. This study proposes a 3D semantic reconstruction system based on an improved ORB-SLAM3 framework, which is mounted on an unmanned vehicle to acquire phenotypic traits in tomato cultivation scenarios. The vehicle is also equipped with the A * algorithm for autonomous navigation. To enhance the semantic representation of the point cloud map, we integrate the BiSeNetV2 network into the ORB-SLAM3 system as a semantic segmentation module. Furthermore, a two-stage filtering strategy is employed to remove outliers and improve the map accuracy, and OctoMap is adopted to store the point cloud data, significantly reducing the memory consumption. A spherical fitting method is applied to estimate the number of tomato fruits. The experimental results demonstrate that BiSeNetV2 achieves a mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 95.37% and a frame rate of 61.98 FPS on the tomato dataset, enabling real-time segmentation. The use of OctoMap reduces the memory consumption by an average of 96.70%. The relative errors when predicting the plant height, canopy width, and volume are 3.86%, 14.34%, and 27.14%, respectively, while the errors concerning the fruit count and fruit volume are 14.36% and 14.25%. Localization experiments on a field dataset show that the proposed system achieves a mean absolute trajectory error (mATE) of 0.16 m and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.21 m, indicating high localization accuracy. Therefore, the proposed system can accurately acquire the phenotypic traits of tomato plants, providing data support for precision agriculture and agricultural decision-making. Full article

Vegetables and fruits grown in urban areas pose a potential threat to human health due to contamination with heavy metals (HMs). This study aimed to identify and quantify the concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) in tomatoes, leafy vegetables, and fruits collected from 16 allotment gardens (AGs) located in Warsaw. A total of 112 samples were analyzed (72 vegetable and 40 fruit samples). Vegetables from AGs accumulated significantly higher levels of HMs than fruits. Leafy vegetables, particularly those cultivated near high-traffic roads, exhibited markedly elevated levels of Pb, Cd, and Zn compared to those grown in peripheral areas. Lead concentrations exceeded permissible limits by six to twelve times, cadmium by one to thirteen times, and zinc by 0.7 to 2.4 times. Due to high levels of Pb and Cd, tomatoes should not be cultivated in urban environments. Regardless of location, only trace amounts of HMs were detected in fruits. The greatest health risk is associated with the consumption of leafy vegetables. Lettuce should be considered an indicator plant for assessing environmental contamination. The obtained Hazard Index (HI) values indicate that only the tested fruits are safe for consumption. Meanwhile, the values of the Hazard Quotient (HQ) indicate no health risk associated with the consumption of lettuce, cherries, and red currants. Among the analyzed elements, Pb showed a higher potential health risk than other metals. This study emphasizes the need for continuous monitoring of HM levels in urban soils and the establishment of baseline values for public health purposes. Remediation of contaminated soils and the implementation of safer agricultural practices are recommended to reduce the exposure of urban populations to the risks associated with the consumption of contaminated produce. In addition, the safety of fruits and vegetables grown in urban areas is influenced by the location of the AGs and the level of industrialization of the agglomeration. Therefore, the safety assessment of plant products derived from AGs should be monitored on a continuous basis, especially in vegetables. Full article

Tomatoes are among the most widely consumed and economically significant fruits in the world. However, the extensive use of pesticides in their cultivation has led to the contamination of the peels, posing potential health risks to consumers. As one of the top global producers, consumers, and exporters of tomatoes, Mexico requires rapid, non-destructive, and real-time methods for pesticide monitoring. In this study, a detailed characterization of six pesticides using Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopies was carried out to identify their characteristic vibrational modes. The pesticides examined included different chemical classes commonly used in tomato cultivation: organophosphorus (dichlorvos and methamidophos), pyrethroids (lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin), and carbamates (methomyl and benomyl). Tomato peel samples were examined both before and after pesticide application. Prior to treatment, the peel exhibited a well-organized polygonal structure and showed the presence of carotenoid compounds. After pesticide application, no visible structural damage was observed; however, distinct vibrational bands enabled the detection of each pesticide. Organophosphorus pesticides could be identified through vibrational bands associated with P-O and C-S bonds. Pyrethroid detection was facilitated by benzene ring breathing modes and C=C stretching vibrations, while carbamates were identified through C-N stretching contributions. Phytotoxicity testing in the presence of pesticides indicates no significant damage during the germination of tomatoes. Full article

Aphis gossypii is a significant global pest that impacts numerous agricultural crops and vegetables, causing direct damage to food plants and indirect damage through the transmission of phytopathogenic viruses, primarily begomoviruses. In Panama, particularly in the Azuero region, viral infections transmitted by this aphid can affect a substantial share of tomato crops cultivated for industrial use. A traditional alternative to synthetic pesticides involves exploring plant extracts with insecticidal properties derived from wild plants found in our tropical forests, which can be easily prepared and applied by farmers. In this context, the present research aimed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of ethanolic extracts from the stems and leaves of Sphagneticola trilobata on both nymphs and adults of A. gossypii. Mortality was assessed at 24, 48, and 72 h after applying three doses of each extract (25, 50, and 100 µg/L). A standard phytochemical analysis to determine insecticidal activity revealed that both extracts exhibited significant efficacy at the highest concentration tested; however, the leaf extract demonstrated greater effectiveness at lower concentrations. A comprehensive metabolomic study indicated that the active compounds are diterpenes derived from the pimarenyl cation. These compounds have been extensively documented for their insecticidal potential against various insect species, suggesting that ethanolic extracts from this plant could serve as viable candidates for agricultural insecticides to combat aphid infestations. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an essential vegetable crop cultivated worldwide, but its production is highly vulnerable to tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD), which is transmitted by whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci). Management strategies typically focus on controlling either the virus or its vector. This study evaluates the effectiveness of multi-disease and insect-resistant tomato lines, developed by the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), which integrate Ty-1/Ty-3 genes for virus resistance and WF2-10 and WF3-09 genes for whitefly resistance. Virus accumulation, whitefly settling behavior, and adult mortality were assessed among multi-resistant lines, a Ty-resistant line, a whitefly-resistant line, and a susceptible check using preference bioassays, controlled inoculation experiments, and acylsugar quantification. Multi-resistant lines exhibited significantly higher acylsugar concentrations, reduced whitefly preference for settling, and increased whitefly adult mortality. Additionally, these lines displayed less severe disease symptoms and lower virus accumulation over time than Ty-resistant, whitefly-resistant, and susceptible controls. These findings highlight the superior efficacy of combined virus and vector resistance in mitigating tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV) transmission. This research underscores the importance of integrated genetic resistance as a key element of sustainable integrated pest management strategies, offering an environmentally friendly solution for safeguarding global tomato production. Full article

Tomato is the most widely cultivated fruit–vegetable worldwide, and the tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) is the primary pest of this crop. In this context, biological control using parasitoids belonging to the genus Trichogramma is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the biological characteristics of T. pretiosum strains collected from different locations and exposed to eggs from various T. absoluta populations/generations, using parameters such as parasitism capacity, viability (percentage of emergence), sex ratio, and female longevity. The presence of endosymbionts in the T. absoluta populations was also assessed. The experiment followed a randomized design, with treatments consisting of eggs from T. absoluta populations collected in different years (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023) and different strains of T. pretiosum. We used 20 replicates, with one female per replicate in each treatment, organized in a 5 × 4 factorial scheme (five populations of T. absoluta × four strains of T. pretiosum). The S2 strain of T. pretiosum was found to be the most efficient in terms of biological characteristics for parasitism of T. absoluta eggs, especially in T. absoluta populations collected in recent years (2022 and 2023). These results suggest that S2 is the preferred strain for future studies aimed at using this parasitoid as a control agent to combat T. absoluta. The endosymbionts Arsenophonus and Serratia were identified in T. absoluta populations collected in 2019–2020 and 2020–2021, respectively. These findings highlight the presence of these microorganisms in pest populations in different years. Full article

In a greenhouse environment, the application of artificial intelligence technology for selective tomato harvesting still faces numerous challenges, including varying lighting, background interference, and indistinct fruit surface features. This study proposes an improved instance segmentation model called FGS-YOLOv8s-seg, which achieves accurate detection and maturity grading of tomatoes in greenhouse environments. The model incorporates a novel SegNext_Attention mechanism at the end of the backbone, while simultaneously replacing Bottleneck structures in the neck layer with FasterNet blocks and integrating Gaussian Context Transformer modules to form a lightweight C2f_FasterNet_GCT structure. Experiments show that this model performs significantly better than mainstream segmentation models in core indicators such as precision (86.9%), recall (76.3%), average precision (mAP_@0.5 84.8%), F1-score (81.3%), and GFLOPs (35.6 M). Compared with the YOLOv8s-seg baseline model, these metrics show improvements of 2.6%, 3.8%, 5.1%, 3.3%, and 6.8 M, respectively. Ablation experiments demonstrate that the improved architecture contributes significantly to performance gains, with combined improvements yielding optimal results. The analysis of detection performance videos under different cultivation patterns demonstrates the generalizability of the improved model in complex environments, achieving an optimal balance between detection accuracy (86.9%) and inference speed (53.2 fps). This study provides a reliable technical solution for the selective harvesting of greenhouse tomatoes. Full article

The domesticated species currently available in the market have been developed through the breeding of wild relatives. Breeding strategies using wild relatives with high genetic diversity are attracting attention as an important approach for addressing climate change and ensuring sustainable food supply. However, studies examining gene expression variation in multiple wild and domesticated species are limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the changes in gene expression associated with domestication. We performed a meta-analysis of public gene expression data of domesticated species of rice, tomato, and soybean and their presumed ancestral species using 21 pairs for rice, 36 pairs for tomato, and 56 pairs for soybean. In wild relatives, the expression of genes involved in osmotic, drought, and wound stress tolerance was upregulated, with 18 genes included in the top 5% of DW scores. In domesticated species, upregulated expression was observed in genes related to auxin and those involved in the efflux of heavy metals and harmful substances, with 36 genes included in the top 5% of DW scores. These findings provide insights into how domestication influences changes in crop traits. Thus, our findings may contribute to rapid breeding and the development of new varieties capable of growing in harsh natural environments. Hence, a new cultivation method called “de novo domestication” has been proposed, which combines the genetic diversity of currently unused wild relatives and wild relatives with genome editing technologies that enable rapid breeding. Full article

Greenhouse horticulture plays an important role globally by producing nutritious fruits and vegetables with high resource use efficiency. Modern greenhouses are large-scale high-tech production factories that are increasingly data-driven, and where climate and irrigation control are gradually becoming more autonomous. This is enabled by technological developments and driven by shortages in skilled labor and the demand for improved resource use efficiency. In the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge, it has been shown that controlling greenhouse cultivation can be done efficiently with intelligent algorithms. For an optimal strategy, however, it is essential that control algorithms properly account for crop responses, which requires appropriate sensors, reliable data, and accurate models. This paper presents the results of the 4th Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge, in which international teams developed six intelligent algorithms that fully controlled a dwarf tomato cultivation, a crop that is well-suited for robotic harvesting, but for which little prior cultivation data exists. Nevertheless, the analysis of the experiment showed that all teams managed to obtain a profitable strategy, and the best algorithm resulted a production equivalent to 45 kg/m²/year, higher than in the commercial practice of high-wire cherry tomato growing. The predominant factor was found to be the much higher plant density that can be achieved in the applied growing system. More difficult challenges were found to be related to measuring crop status to determine the harvest moment. Finally, this experiment shows the potential for novel greenhouse cultivation systems that are inherently well-suited for autonomous control, and results in a unique and rich dataset to support future research. Full article

This study investigates the potential role of Acrocalymma dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi in promoting the growth of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). Recognized as important symbionts that enhance plant growth and resilience under stress, particularly Acrocalymma species, DSE fungi were the focus of this investigation. Specifically, four stains isolated from gramineous plant roots (Acrocalymma sp. E00677, Acrocalymma vagum E00690, Acrocalymma chuxiongense E01299A, and Acrocalymma chuxiongense E01299B) were examined. Morphological characteristics were observed using three different media, confirming typical DSE traits such as dark pigmentation and septate hyphae. Phylogenetic analysis using six genetic markers (ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1, rpb2, and tub2) placed the strains within the Acrocalymma genus. Co-culture test and physiological index measurements showed that all strains significantly enhanced root development, as evidenced by an increased root-to-shoot ratio and a higher number of lateral roots. Additionally, the Acrocalymma DSE strains elevated chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content, suggesting improved photosynthetic efficiency. Anthocyanin levels were also increased in the tomato leaves, indicating enhanced antioxidative defense mechanisms. Among these strains, Acrocalymma vagum E00690 exhibited the most substantial effect on root activity. The widespread presence of 325 Acrocalymma isolates from 25 countries underscores its broad ecological adaptability. These findings suggest that Acrocalymma DSE fungi positively influence tomato growth, with potential implications for improving plant resilience under environmental stress. This study highlights the importance of further exploring DSEs, particularly Acrocalymma fungi, to better understand their ecological roles in agricultural practices, particularly in tomato cultivation. Full article

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are widespread phytoparasites that cause a significant reduction in the yield of tomato Solanum lycopersicum. In the Russian Federation, where the use of chemical nematicides is limited due to environmental and toxicological risks, the cultivation of resistant varieties and hybrids remains the most effective and environmentally safe method to control Meloidogyne. In the course of this study, the resistance screening of 20 tomato varieties/hybrids and 21 mutant lines from the collection of the FSBSI FRCBPP to M. hapla was carried out using a comprehensive approach that included morphological and biochemical analysis methods. Resistance was assessed by calculating the gall formation index, the degree of root system damage, and biochemical parameters of fruits—vitamin C content and titratable acidity. In addition, molecular screening was carried out using the SCAR marker Mi23 to identify the Mi-1.2 gene, known as a key factor in resistance to a number of Meloidogyne spp. Although Mi-1.2 is not typically associated with resistance to M. hapla, all genotypes carrying this gene showed phenotypic resistance. This unexpected correlation suggests the possible involvement of Mi-associated or parallel mechanisms and highlights the need for further investigation into noncanonical resistance pathways. It was found that when susceptible genotypes were infected with M. hapla, there was a tendency for the vitamin C content to decrease, while resistant lines retained values close to the control. The presence of the Mi-1.2 gene was confirmed in 9.5% of samples. However, the phenotypic resistance of some lines, such as Volgogradets, which do not contain a marker for the Mi-1.2 gene, indicates a polygenic nature of resistance, alternative genetic mechanisms, or the possible influence of epigenetic mechanisms. The obtained data highlight the potential of using the identified resistant genotypes in breeding programs and the need for further studies of the molecular mechanisms of resistance, including the search for new markers specific to M. hapla, to develop effective strategies for tomato protection in sustainable agriculture. Full article

Cyanobacteria-based bioinoculants represent a sustainable solution for enhancing soil fertility and crop productivity. This research assessed the biofertilizing potential of two indigenous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria strains (Nostoc punctiforme Har. and Anabaena cylindrica Lemmerm.) on tomato growth and yield. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study their effects on soil properties, plant growth and physiology, and fruit yield/quality. The strains were applied individually, as a consortium, or combined with organic or mineral fertilizers at half the standard dose (50%). All bioinoculants improved soil fertility, plant growth, and fruit yield/quality compared to the control. The most significant improvement was observed in the consortium amended with 50% of conventional fertilizer (compost or NPK), compared with individual strains. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations between photosynthetic pigments, plant productivity, and fruit biochemical traits, indicating coordinated physiological responses under the applied treatments. The results demonstrated that the consortium of diazotrophic terrestrial cyanobacteria possesses tomato biofertilizer properties that can be efficiently used in crop production. These findings suggest that such formulations offer a cost-effective approach to tomato cultivation and present a sustainable alternative for integrated and optimized fertilizer management. Full article