Search Results (13,108)

As a globally significant food crop, the assessment of wheat quality is essential for ensuring food security and enhancing the processing quality of agricultural products. Conventional methods for assessing wheat kernel quality are often inefficient and markedly subjective, which hampers their ability to accurately distinguish the complex and diverse phenotypic characteristics of wheat kernels. To tackle the aforementioned issues, this study presents an enhanced recognition method for defective wheat kernels, based on the EfficientNet-B1 architecture. Building upon the original EfficientNet-B1 network structure, this approach incorporates the lightweight attention mechanism known as CBAM (Convolutional Block Attention Module) to augment the model’s capacity to discern features in critical regions. Simultaneously, it modifies the classification head structure to facilitate better alignment with the data, thereby enhancing accuracy. The experiment employs a self-constructed dataset comprising five categories of wheat kernels—perfect wheat kernels, insect-damaged wheat kernels, scab-damaged wheat kernels, moldy wheat kernels, and black germ wheat kernels—which are utilized for training and validation purposes. The results indicate that the enhanced model attains a classification accuracy of 99.80% on the test set, reflecting an increase of 2.6% compared to its performance prior to the enhancement. Furthermore, the Precision, Recall, and F1-score all demonstrated significant improvements. The proposed model achieves near-perfect performance on several categories under controlled experimental conditions, with particularly high precision and recall for scab-damaged and insect-damaged kernels. This study demonstrates the efficacy of the enhanced EfficientNet-B1 model in the recognition of defective wheat kernels and offers novel technical insights and methodological references for intelligent wheat quality assessment. Full article

This paper analyzes the implementation of the Geoportal SIG FESBAL–UPM, a Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) developed within the Master’s and Doctorate programs in Rural Development Project Planning and Sustainable Management at UPM. The study introduces a model integrated with Project-Based Learning (PBL), the Working With People (WWP) framework, and the CFS-RAI principles to address challenges in responsible food systems. The geoportal designed to be applied at the Food Bank–UPM Chair–FESBAL, acts as an innovative instrument for participation among the different stakeholders enabling the spatialization and analysis of data across social, environmental, and governance dimensions. Functionally, it offers a robust foundation for evidence-based decision-making, systematizes geographic information, and visualizes data via the web, supporting research, training, and community engagement actions. Furthermore, this study details the specific projects and activities developed under the three involved action lines: research, training, and community engagement, identifying strengths and weaknesses in each. The findings affirm that this participatory approach ensures that the proposed solutions are aligned with local needs and priorities, increasing the sustainability and long-term success of the projects implemented through the geoportal. Full article

Insects are increasingly recognized as sustainable protein sources due to their high feed conversion efficiency and low environmental impact. Among them, the superworm, Zophobas morio (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), has strong potential for large-scale production; however, optimized feeding strategies under tropical conditions remain limited. This study aimed (1) to determine the optimal feed formulations and feeding rate using wheat bran supplemented with the KMITL Protein Innovation source (a protein feed ingredient developed by the School of Agricultural Technology, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, KMITL), and (2) evaluate the influence of plant-based supplementary foods on larval performance. In Phase I, larvae were reared on 13 formulations with three protein levels (CP00, CP21, and CP24) and five feeding rates (A–E). Diets CP21–21 and CP24–21 (21 and 24% CP; wheat bran/protein = 2:1) resulted in the highest survival (83.4–84.1%) and the lowest feed conversion ratios (FCR = 2.29–2.34). Moderate feeding rates (C–D; 925–1110 g feed per tray for 50 days) produced the greatest larval weights (700–760 mg), whereas ad libitum feeding provided no additional benefit. In Phase II, larvae reared on CP21–21 with a restricted rate of 1100 g per tray and supplemented with ten plant-derived foods achieved comparable final weights (716–760 mg), but survival varied significantly among treatments. Mulberry leaf yielded the highest survival (95.3%), followed by banana, watermelon rind, winter melon, and jicama (>90%). Pumpkin and jicama accelerated pupation and adult emergence, showing a female-biased sex ratio among emerged adults (59.2–65.5%), suggesting enhanced developmental rates. These results establish a practical framework for cost-effective and sustainable Z. morio production under tropical conditions, contributing to circular bioeconomy strategies and supporting insect-protein innovation. Full article

Food security remains a critical challenge in Nigeria. As a result, this research examines the impact of fertilizer use, economic expansion, population growth, and methane emissions on food security in Nigeria from 1970 to 2022. The methodologies used include the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, Wald Test, and the Spectral Granger Causality test. The ARDL results demonstrate that in the long run, fertilizer use spurs food security, although not significantly, while population growth reduces food security insignificantly. On the other hand, economic expansion and agricultural methane emissions are positively associated with food security, likely reflecting scale effects of agricultural production rather than a direct beneficial role of emissions. In the short run, fertilizer use and methane emissions drive food security. The Wald Test also confirms the short-run findings. Furthermore, the Spectral Granger Causality test showed that fertilizer use and economic expansion Granger-cause food security in the long, medium, and short term. Population growth, however, Granger-causes food security only in the long term, while methane emissions Granger-cause food security in the medium and long term. Based on these results, policies are recommended, and their further implications are discussed. Full article

Rice is a vital staple food crop worldwide and also one of the major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, generating substantial methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O). As one of the key management practices for rice production, the GHG mitigation potential of water management has attracted extensive attention, whereas its global scalability remains to be further investigated. Based on 15,458 global observations of field experimental data, we employed advanced machine learning methods to quantify the GHGs and soil carbon sequestration of global rice systems around 2020. Furthermore, we identified the optimal spatial distribution of GHG mitigation for five rice water management practices (continuous flooding (CF), flooding–midseason drainage–reflooding (FDF), alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD), flooding–midseason drainage–intermittent irrigation (FDI), and rainfed cultivation (RF)) through scenario simulation, under the premise of no yield reduction. The results of machine learning simulation showed that optimizing water management could reduce global rice greenhouse gas emissions by 39.17%, equivalent to 340.46 Mt CO₂ eq, while increasing rice yields by 3.55%. This study provides valuable insights for the optimization of agricultural infrastructure and the realization of agricultural sustainable development. Full article

Aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), are among the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens and remain a major food-borne hazard in parts of Asia and Africa. China has generated a uniquely cohesive body of evidence connecting aflatoxin contamination to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in settings where chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is highly prevalent and acts synergistically with aflatoxin exposure. Over five decades, field investigations and laboratory innovations—exemplified by long-term work in Qidong—have assembled a multi-layered causal chain spanning the following: (i) contamination monitoring in staple foods; (ii) quantification of internal dose and biologically effective dose using validated biomarkers (e.g., urinary AFB₁–N⁷–guanine, AFM₁, and serum AFB₁–lysine albumin adducts); (iii) a characteristic molecular fingerprint in tumors and circulation (TP53 R249S); (iv) reversibility demonstrated through randomized intervention trials and policy-driven natural experiments. Chemoprevention and dietary interception studies (e.g., oltipraz, chlorophyllin, and broccoli sprout beverages) showed that enhancing detoxication pathways can lower biomarker burdens in exposed populations. At the population level, a sustained dietary transition from maize to rice, together with strengthened food governance, was accompanied by marked decreases in biomarker distributions and subsequent declines in HCC mortality in endemic regions. Nevertheless, regional heterogeneity, multi-mycotoxin co-exposure, and climate variability are expected to increase exposure volatility and complicate surveillance. Here, we translate and synthesize the Chinese evidence base, highlight biomarker-enabled monitoring and policy evaluation, and propose an integrated “5+1” prevention framework spanning source control, process detoxification, tiered governance, short-course interception, precision follow-up of high-risk individuals, and climate-sensitive early warning along the climate–agriculture–storage–processing–population (CAT–CSPP) chain. Full article

Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, is usually grown on a large scale, with pest control based on chemical insecticides. However, the overuse of chemicals has led to several adverse effects requiring more sustainable approaches to pest control. Results from Integrated Pest Management (IPM) employed on Brazilian soybean farms indicate that adopters of the technology have reduced insecticide use by approximately 50% relative to non-adopters, with yields comparable to or slightly higher than those of non-adopters. This reduction can be explained not only by the widespread use of Bt soybean cultivars across the country but also by the adoption of economic thresholds (ETs) in a whole Soybean-IPM package, which has reduced insecticide use. However, low refuge compliance has led to the first cases of pest resistance to Cry1Ac, thereby leading to the return of overreliance on chemical control and posing additional challenges for IPM practitioners. The recent global agenda for decarbonized agriculture might help to support the adoption of IPM since less chemical insecticides sprayed over the crops reduces CO₂-equivalent emissions from its application. In addition, consumers’ demand for less pesticide use in food production has favored the increased use of bio-inputs in agriculture, helping mitigate overdependence of agriculture on chemical inputs to preserve yields. Despite the challenges of adopting IPM discussed in this review, the best way to protect soybean yield and preserve the environment remains as IPM, integrating plant resistance (including Bt cultivars), ETs, scouting procedures, selective insecticides, biological control, and other sustainable tools, which help sustain environmental quality in an ecological and economical manner. Soon, those tools will include RNAi, CRISPR-based control strategies, among other sustainable alternatives intensively researched around the world. Full article

Food security and income generation remain a critical issue for small-scale farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) due to population growth, climate change, and market instability. Indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) offer high nutritional value and have the capability to mitigate food insecurity but are underutilized due to social stigma. This review aims to systematically analyze the food and income contribution of cultivation and utilization of ILVs by small-scale farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa. This review analyses the literature on the role of ILV cultivation in enhancing food security and household income over the past two decades. A systematic search across five databases was conducted and identified 53 relevant studies. Findings indicate that ILVs contribute significantly to household nutrition and income through consumption and surplus sales. However, ILV cultivation faces barriers such as climate change, pest infestations, land degradation, water scarcity, insecure land tenure, limited agricultural training, poor communication networks, and restricted market access. Policy interventions are necessary to support small-scale farmers in ILV cultivation by providing agricultural extension services, promoting sustainable farming practices, and integrating ILVs into food security strategies. Further research should examine policy frameworks and supply chain mechanisms to enhance farmer participation and economic benefits from ILV production. Full article

Mycelium-based composites (MBCs)—biomaterials made from fungal-inoculated substrates—are promising candidates to replace conventional rigid thermal insulation panels. However, many MBCs are made from hemp, a plant material that is quite difficult to source in many countries for regulation reasons, and mobilizes agricultural fields at the expense of food and feed crops. Meanwhile, many of our natural and urban ecosystems are subject to invasion by plants that are just burnt or even left in place, while they may be very good substrate for MBCs. This study investigated the comparative physical and thermal properties of MBCs derived from two distinct lignocellulosic feedstocks: hemp shives (a traditional material) and biomass from the highly invasive species Reynoutria japonica. Polyisocyanurate (PIR) was included as a synthetic benchmark. The MBCs produced from R. japonica demonstrated as low a thermal conductivity as the hemp MBCs in our internally developed method, but also as the PIR standard. However, they exhibited suboptimal physical characteristics: higher bulk density (166 vs. 128 kg/m³ for hemp) and significantly higher water absorption (7.5% vs. 3.5% volume uptake after 2 min). This suggest that they are a less viable alternative to hemp-based MBCs for heat insulation applications. Full article

The essential prerequisite for the state to ensure the stable production and supply of grain and other key agricultural products is to enhance food security resilience and transform traditional agricultural production and management models. This study utilizes panel data from major grain-producing counties in China from 2012 to 2023. Adopting the 2020 “National Digital Rural Pilot Program” as a quasi-natural experiment, it applies a difference-in-differences (DID) model to assess the program’s impact on food security resilience and its underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrate that digital rural development has a significant driving effect on food security resilience, with more pronounced effects observed in Southern regions, areas endowed with abundant labor resources, and regions with lower economic development levels. Mechanism analyses indicate that digital rural development plays a role in enhancing food security resilience through scaled grain operations and agricultural technological progress. Furthermore, resource allocation efficiency and fiscal transparency exert a positive regulatory effect in impacting food security resilience through digital rural development. This study elucidates the mechanism through which digital rural development enhances food security resilience, offering valuable policy insights for the coordinated advancement of rural revitalization and agricultural digitization. Full article

Peach consumers demand good quality fruit, but premature harvests result in fruit that does not ripen properly and does not reach the required organoleptic quality, so consumers stop buying this product that does not meet their expectations. In our region, peaches are exported long distances, and it is required that when they reach the destination market their quality is adequate. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the storage capacity of commercial and delayed harvest in three peach cultivars. ‘Rich Lady’, ‘Summer Lady’, and ‘Merryl O’Henry’ were harvested at commercial maturity (H1) and, a few days later (H2), packed in passive modified atmosphere (PMA), and stored under refrigeration for up to 40 days to simulate marketing to distant markets. During storage and after three days of shelf-life, the physico-chemical characteristics, damage, and sensory quality of the fruit were analyzed. In general, after cold storage, peaches improve their sensory characteristics after three days at room temperature. PMA with refrigeration was suitable for exporting ‘Rich Lady’ peaches overseas for H1. The late harvest, H2, is recommended for ‘Summer Lady’, as it improves sensory quality without losing storability. ‘Summer Lady’ was the best-rated cultivar by the tasters, and ‘Merryl O’Henry’ the worst, due to its lack of ripening and high incidence of chilling injury. Full article

There is little evidence of the implementation of the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems between universities and businesses, and there is even less research that prioritizes people and implements sustainable development with a territorial focus. In this article, we address a form of collaborative work that integrates academia with business, where the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RIA) are seen as an opportunity to promote and strengthen the management of a business in the communities where it operates, and determine a new way of working from its links with the university. The experience is developed in the provinces of Santiago Rodríguez, Valverde (Mao), and Dajabón in the Dominican Republic, with the aim of contributing, using this new approach, to economic, social, environmental, and governance development in the territory. The conceptual and methodological basis for the university–business link is Working With People, a model that integrates key elements of planning such as social learning, collaborative participation, and project management models. The main catalysts of the experience are the business values and the stakeholders who insert the principles into their programs and projects. Among these is an innovative Family Social Responsibility Program with female entrepreneurs and organic banana production. It is concluded that the implementation of the CFS-RIA Principles has a significant impact on the sustainable development of the region and that the university–business link reinforces the social responsibility of companies, providing an opportunity for the entry of new actors. Full article

Achieving food and nutrition security remains a significant challenge for small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, indigenous vegetables offer a promising solution to this challenge. This systematic review used four databases and retrieved 38 studies published over the past 20 years for synthesis. These studies highlight the growing importance of indigenous vegetables grown in home gardens as a sustainable solution to improve livelihoods and dietary diversity. Indigenous vegetables are well-suited to local conditions, nutritionally rich, and were associated with improved household food availability and income. However, farmers face various risks, including environmental, technological, economic, institutional, and social risks, which threaten their production. To overcome risks, farmers adopt strategies such as training, cooperatives, improved storage, and better seed varieties. Indigenous vegetable cultivation also empowers women and marginalised groups who play key roles in home gardening. Despite their benefits, indigenous vegetables remain overlooked in mainstream markets and policies. The review recommends that policymakers and stakeholders must provide support to promote indigenous vegetables through training and market integration, helping farmers commercialise their produce, while simultaneously enhancing food and nutrition security. Further research is needed to explore the profitability of indigenous vegetable production, analyse supply value chains, and investigate processing and manufacturing opportunities to support their market potential and sustainability. Full article

Insects acting as agricultural pests or disease vectors represent some of the greatest challenges to global health, food security and economics. Diverse technologies to combat insects of economic and medical importance have been and are continually being developed. These include natural and synthetic chemical insecticides and repellents, mass-trapping approaches and, more recently, an increasingly wide range of biological as well as genetic manipulations of insect vectors/pests. The increase in biological resistance and cross-resistance to many insecticides and repellents, the rapid expansion of human populations, as well as escalating climate change have extended or shifted the active periods and habitats of many insect species, creating new hurdles for attempts to defend humans from insects. At the same time, environmental, ecological and socio-political concerns continue to impact the utility of both current interventions as well as newly emerging innovative strategies. The near exponential increase in insect-based threats highlights the importance of basic and translational studies to design and develop novel technologies to combat detrimental insect populations. This review outlines the history of these challenges and describes the evolution of chemical insect control technologies, while highlighting existing and contemporary approaches to develop and deploy chemical repellents to address this threat to human health and agriculture. Full article

Low salinity tolerance during germination and early seedling establishment limits large-scale cultivation of halophytes for forage, food, restoration, and conservation purposes. This study evaluates the potential of redox priming to enhance salt tolerance in the perennial C₄ halophyte grass Urochondra setulosa, which could be used as a revegetation and phytoremediation crop for coastal saline lands. Fresh seeds were found to be non-dormant with ~90% mean final germination (MFG) in distilled water. Redox priming, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), melatonin (MT), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; a nitric oxide donor), and ascorbic acid (AsA), significantly accelerated the germination rate index (GRI) and reduced mean germination time (MGT) without altering MFG under non-saline conditions. Salinity severely suppressed germination, as unprimed seeds reached only ~1% MFG with ~99% germination reduction (GR) and near-zero germination stress tolerance index (GSTI) at 200 mM NaCl. All priming treatments significantly improved MFG, GRI, and GSTI and decreased GR, with H₂O₂ priming showing the highest amelioration. Ungerminated seeds from all treatments recovered ~90% germination capacity in water, indicating enforced dormancy owing to osmotic constraints. Salinity did not impair growth in unprimed seedlings. However, MT priming uniquely enhanced total length, leaf area, and seedling vigor index (SVI) at 200 mM NaCl, while MT and SNP priming resulted in the highest chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Multivariate analyses confirmed MT’s consistent superiority across traits under stress. Thus, H₂O₂ priming optimizes germination, while MT priming improves seedling vigor and offers a practical, targeted strategy to improve early-stage salinity tolerance in U. setulosa for coastal revegetation and sustainable saline agriculture. Full article