Search Results (13,432)

Local vegetables and spices are essential components of traditional food and health systems in northeastern Thailand, yet quantitative ethnobotanical evidence remains limited. This study documents the diversity, utilization, and cultural significance of vegetables and spices used in Sang Kho Sub-district, Phu Phan District, Sakon Nakhon Province. Ethnobotanical data were collected in 2025 through field surveys, voucher-based plant identification, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation involving 92 informants across 23 villages. Cultural significance and medicinal knowledge were evaluated using the Cultural Importance Index (CI), Informant Consensus Factor (FIC), and Fidelity Level (FL). A total of 113 taxa belonging to 94 genera and 49 plant families were recorded. Poaceae and Zingiberaceae were the most species-rich families. Native species slightly predominated (51.33%), and herbaceous taxa were most common. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part. Most taxa were used as vegetables (92 species), followed by traditional medicines (20 species), spices or seasonings (18 species), and food ingredients or culinary additives (18 species). The highest CI values were recorded for Allium ascalonicum L. (1.152), Capsicum annuum L. (1.098), and Coriandrum sativum L. (1.043). FIC values ranged from 0.60 to 1.00, with complete consensus for circulatory and neurological disorders. Cymbopogon citratus showed the highest FL (75%) for gastrointestinal uses. These findings demonstrate the close integration of food and medicine in local plant-use systems and provide baseline data for food system resilience and cultural knowledge conservation. Full article

Growing pressure on water resources and mineral fertilizer use calls for innovative and resource-efficient agri-food systems. Aquaponics, integrating aquaculture and hydroponics, represents a promising approach for sustainable greenhouse production. This study, aiming to explore alternative water and nutrient sources for greenhouse tomato production without compromising plant adaptability or yield, evaluated the co-cultivation of grape tomato and rainbow trout in a vertical decoupled aquaponic system under controlled greenhouse conditions. Two aquaponic nutrient strategies were tested: unmodified aquaponic water (AP) and complemented aquaponic water (CAP), with conventional hydroponics (HP) as a control, in a Deep Water Culture hydroponic system. Plant performance was assessed through marketable yield and physiological parameters, while system performance was evaluated using combined-biomass Energy Use Efficiency (EUE), Freshwater Use Efficiency (fWUE) and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), accounting for both plant and fish production. CAP significantly improved tomato yield (9.86 kg m⁻²) compared to AP (2.40 kg m⁻²), although it remained lower than HP (12.14 kg m⁻²). Fresh WUE was comparable between CAP and HP (9.22 vs. 9.24 g L⁻¹), demonstrating effective water reuse. In contrast, EUE and NUE were lower in CAP, reflecting the additional energy demand of the recirculating aquaculture system and nutrient limitations of fish wastewater. These results highlight aquaponics as a water-efficient production system while emphasizing that optimized nutrient management and energy strategies are critical for improving its overall sustainability and performance. Full article

Pod corn (Zea mays var. tunicata) bears leafy glumes that enclose kernels, resembling a partial reversion to wild-forms, yet remains poorly characterized in situ in Mexico. We evaluated Mexican accessions at two contrasting locations to quantify morphological/phenological diversity and to assess functional traits via proximate kernel composition. Standard descriptors captured variation in plant architecture, tassel/ear traits (including glume length), and reproductive timing. Accessions showed strong plasticity and significant accession × environment effects on ear morphology and maturation. Grain yield ranged from 6.32 to 10.78 t ha⁻¹, with peak values comparable to commercial hybrids and above-typical yields reported for native Mexican races (2.7–6.6 t ha⁻¹). Proximate analysis showed that milling with the tunic increased moisture/ash (up to 3.07% vs. 1.80% in dehulled grain), tended to lower fat and protein, and yielded lower crude fiber than dehulled samples (0.78–0.96% vs. 1.59–1.77%); protein varied widely (1.05–6.64%). Thus, the tunic modulates elemental composition, informing processing choices (with vs. without tunic). Our results document a spectrum of morphotypes and highlight developmental diversity and field adaptability. The observed accession × environment responses provide a practical baseline for comparisons with native and improved varieties, and help guide product development strategies. Collectively, these data underscore the high productive potential of pod corn (up to 10.78 t ha⁻¹ under optimal management) and show that including the tunic substantially alters proximate composition, establishing a quantitative foundation for genetic improvement and food applications. Overall, pod corn’s distinctive ear morphology and context-dependent composition reinforce its value for conservation, developmental genetics, and low-input systems. Full article

Agriculture faces increasing challenges in ensuring food security under a changing climate, where abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought represent major constraints to crop productivity. These stresses induce complex physiological and biochemical alterations in plants, including osmotic imbalance, oxidative damage, and disruption of metabolic pathways, ultimately impairing growth and yield. In this context, the application of biostimulants has emerged as a sustainable strategy to enhance plant resilience. While synthetic products are widely available, growing attention is being directed toward natural bio-based products, particularly those derived from renewable biomasses and organic wastes, in line with circular economy principles. This review critically examines the current literature on bio-based products with biostimulant properties, with particular emphasis on vermicompost-derived extracts, humic-like substances, and macro- and microalgae extracts, focusing on their role in mitigating salt and drought stress in plants. The reviewed studies consistently demonstrate that these bio-products enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stress by modulating key physiological and biochemical processes, including hormonal regulation, activation of antioxidant defence systems, accumulation of osmoprotectants, and regulation of secondary metabolism. Moreover, evidence indicates that these bio-based inputs can improve nutrient use efficiency, photosynthetic performance, and overall plant growth under stress conditions. Overall, this review highlights the potential of non-microbial bio-based biostimulants as effective and sustainable tools for climate-resilient agriculture, while also underlining the need for further research to standardize formulations, clarify mechanisms of action, and validate their performance under field conditions. Full article

Lignans are naturally occurring compounds found in a wide variety of plant species, including flaxseed, soybean, pumpkin seed, broccoli, sesame seed, and some berries. Lignans have been used for centuries in both food and traditional herbal medicine. Recently, numerous new lignans and lignan derivatives with diverse biological properties have been identified. Lignans are considered promising for human health due to their hydrogen-donating antioxidant activity together with their ability to complex divalent transition metal cations. They have demonstrated beneficial effects for cardiovascular disease, as well as in maintaining blood glucose levels, supporting cardiac health, promoting anti-obesity effects, decreasing the risk of renal diseases, enhancing brain function, improving skin and gut health, among others. This review explores the biosynthesis and biological effects of lignans, with a particular focus on their antihypertensive and anti-obesity properties, as well as the molecular mechanisms involved. It also highlights recent advances in sustainable lignan extraction techniques that are suitable for human use. The mechanisms underlying these bioactivities are thought to involve hormonal metabolism and availability, antioxidant action, modulation of angiogenesis, and more. However, further research is needed to fully elucidate the molecular pathways through which lignans exert their therapeutic effects. Overall, lignans from various plant sources hold significant potential for application in functional foods, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical products aimed at preventing and managing a range of health conditions, including hypertension and obesity. Full article

Salinization is a growing global problem, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas, where salt concentration interferes with the soil structure, altering natural cycling, decreasing agricultural outputs, and threatening food security. Although many soil amendments have been studied, there is still a limited understanding of their interaction with soil after mixture application and the geochemical processes and long-term sustainability that govern their effects. To address this knowledge gap, this review elucidated the effectiveness and sustainability of soil amendments, biochar, humic substances, and mineral additives in restoring saline and sodic soils of arid and semi-arid region to explore the geochemical processes that underlie their impact. A systematic search of 174 peer-reviewed studies was conducted across multiple databases (Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus) using relevant keywords and the findings were converted into quantitative values to evaluate the effects of biochar, gypsum, zeolite, and humic substances on key soil properties. Biochar significantly improved cation exchange capacity, nutrient retention, microbial activity, and water retention by enhancing soil porosity and capillarity, thereby increasing plant-available water. Gypsum improved phosphorus availability, while zeolite facilitated the removal of sodium and supported microbial activity. Humic substances enhanced soil porosity, water retention, and aggregate stability. When applied together, these amendments improved soil health by regulating salinity, enhancing nutrient cycling, while also stabilizing soil conditions and ensuring long-term sustainability through improved geochemical balance and reduced environmental impacts. The findings highlight the critical role of multi-functional amendments in promoting climate-resilient agriculture and long-term soil health restoration in saline-degraded regions. Further research and field implementation are crucial to optimize their effectiveness and ensure sustainable soil management across diverse agricultural environments. Full article

The house cricket, Acheta domesticus, is found globally. It is an agricultural pest causing economic damage to a wide variety of crops including cereal seedlings, vegetable crops, fruit plants, and stored grains. Additionally, crickets act as mechanical vectors of pathogens by harboring bacteria, fungi, viruses, and toxins, causing foodborne illnesses. They can contaminate stored grains, packaged foods, or animal feed due to deposition of their feces, lowering the quality of the food and creating food safety risks. Synthetic insect repellents, such as pyrethroids and carbamates, have been used previously in integrated pest management practices to control crickets. Though successful as repellents, they have been associated with health and environmental risks and concerns. The use of organic green repellents, such as plant essential oils, may be a viable alternative in pest management practices. In this study, we tested the effects of 27 plant-based essential oils on the behavior of A. domesticus. A. domesticus were introduced into an open arena to allow them unrestricted movement. A transparent plastic bottle containing an essential oil treatment was placed in the arena to allow voluntary entry by the crickets. Following a predetermined observation period, the number of crickets that entered the bottle was recorded, and percent entry was calculated as the proportion of individuals inside the bottle relative to the total number in the arena. Analysis of the percentage entry into the bottles allowed for a comparative assessment of repellency of the selected essential oils examined in this study. Essential oils that elicited high levels of entry into the bottle were categorized as having weak or no repellency, while those that demonstrated reduced entry were classified as moderate or strong repellents. Our results indicated that A. domesticus responded with strong repellent behavior to nearly half of the essential oils tested, while four essential oils and two synthetic repellents evoked no significant repellent responses. Four strong repellent essential oils, namely peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, and lemongrass, were tested at different concentrations and showed a clear dose-dependent repellent effect. The results suggest that selected essential oils can be useful in the development of more natural “green” insect repellents. Full article

Background/Objectives: Essential oils (EOs) from plants of the genus Cinnamomum have been widely used based on their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, their elevated volatility and limited aqueous solubility restrict their use in pharmaceutical and food formulations. Cyclodextrins (CDs) have emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations through the formation of inclusion complexes. Methods: In this study, inclusion complexes of essential oil from C. camphora L. (EOCNM) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were developed using physical mixing (PM), ultrasonic treatment (US), and freeze-drying (FD). The inclusion complexes were physicochemically characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate their physicochemical interactions and complexation efficiency. Results: Our results demonstrated successful complex formation, with the FD and US methods showing greater amorphization and stronger inclusion characteristics compared to the PM method. Thermal analysis confirmed improved physicochemical stability of the essential oil when complexed with β-CD. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assay of the complexes was assessed using the MTT assay and J774 macrophage cells. The complexes exhibited low cytotoxicity, indicating their potential biocompatibility for biomedical and food applications. Conclusions: Overall, β-CD encapsulation effectively enhanced the physicochemical stability and safety profile of C. camphora essential oil, providing a promising strategy for its controlled delivery and protection against degradation. Full article

Mesozooplankton play a pivotal role in marine pelagic food webs, mediating energy and matter transfer between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Daya Bay, a semi-enclosed bay located in the northern South China Sea, has undergone significant environmental changes due to anthropogenic activities, such as thermal discharge from nuclear power plants and eutrophication. This study examined the mesozooplankton community structure, feeding preferences, and food web organization through four seasonal cruises (May 2022, February 2023, August 2023, and November 2023), employing stable isotope analysis and a Bayesian Isotopic Mixing Model. Results indicate that mesozooplankton abundance and diversity were lower in regions affected by thermal discharge, suggesting a suppressive effect of elevated temperatures. Seasonal shifts in dominant species were observed: Penilia avirostris and Dolioletta gegenbauri dominated the community in spring, while Noctiluca scintillans blooms occurred in summer and winter. Isotopic analysis revealed distinct trophic strategies: copepods exhibited omnivorous habits, whereas cladocerans and tunicates showed stronger herbivorous tendencies. N. scintillans functioned as a high-trophic omnivore, preying on copepod larvae and competing for food resources. Overall, the mesozooplankton community was characterized by an omnivory-dominated trophic network, which enhanced resilience yet remains sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances. This study clarifies how human-induced environmental changes reshape trophic pathways in subtropical coastal waters, providing a valuable reference for long-term monitoring and ecosystem management in Daya Bay. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable and functional plant-based foods has driven interest in 3D food printing technologies, which require bioinks with tailored rheological and structural properties. This study investigated the effects of transglutaminase (TGase) on the structure–function relationships of plant protein bioinks from fava bean, mung bean, pea, and soybean. TNBS assays showed a dose-dependent increase in crosslinking (27.46–64.57%), with soybean and pea proteins exhibiting the highest reactivity (p < 0.05). ¹H-NMR confirmed protein-specific ε-(γ-glutamyl)lysine bond formation, and synchrotron FTIR revealed TGase-induced α-helix reduction and β-sheet enrichment, indicative of network formation across all proteins. SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated TGase-mediated polymerization with high-molecular-weight aggregates, particularly pronounced in soybean, while SEM images revealed denser, more continuous protein networks compared to untreated samples. Rheological characterization showed enhanced viscoelasticity and shear-thinning behavior in all bioinks, supporting extrusion and post-printing stability. Textural analysis indicated improvements in hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness across all proteins, with soybean and fava showing the most pronounced increases. These results demonstrate that TGase is a versatile tool for reinforcing plant protein networks, improving printability, structural integrity, and texture in 3D-printed foods, while highlighting protein-specific differences in response. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder globally, relies primarily on dopamine replacement therapy for conventional treatment. This approach fails to reverse core pathological processes and is associated with long-term side effects. Recent research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) has revealed that PD pathology may originate in the gut, forming a vicious cycle from the gut to brain through α-synuclein propagation, gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier disruption, and neuroinflammation. This offers a novel perspective for managing PD through dietary interventions that modulate the gut microbiome. However, single probiotic or prebiotic interventions show limited efficacy. This review systematically introduces the novel concept of “synbiotics combining medicinal plant polysaccharides with probiotics,” aiming to integrate traditional “medicinal food” wisdom with modern microbiome science. The article systematically elucidates the pathological mechanisms of MGBA dysfunction in PD and the intervention mechanisms of probiotics and emphasizes the structural and functional advantages of medicinal plant polysaccharide as superior prebiotics. The core section delves into the multifaceted synergistic mechanisms between these two components: enhancing probiotic colonization and vitality, optimizing microbial metabolic output, synergistically reinforcing the intestinal and blood-brain barriers, and jointly regulating immune and neuroinflammation. This approach targets the MGBA to achieve multi-level intervention for PD. Full article

Elevated atmospheric CO₂ is known to alter plant physiology, yet its specific effects on nutrient-rich leafy vegetables remain insufficiently quantified. This study aimed to examine how eCO₂ influences yield and nutritional quality in kale (Brassica oleracea) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) through the first meta-analysis focused exclusively on these crops. Following the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) guidelines, we systematically reviewed eligible studies and conducted a random-effects meta-analysis to evaluate overall and subgroup responses based on CO₂ concentration, crop type and exposure duration. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges’ g with 95% confidence intervals. The analysis showed that eCO₂ significantly increased biomass in spinach (g = 1.21) and kale (g = 0.97). However, protein content declined in both crops (spinach: g = −0.76; kale: g = −0.61), and mineral concentrations, particularly calcium and magnesium, were reduced, with spinach exhibiting stronger nutrient losses overall. The variability in response across different CO₂ concentrations and exposure times further underscores the complexity of eCO₂ effects. These results highlight a trade-off between productivity and nutritional quality under future CO₂ conditions. Addressing this challenge will require strategies such as targeted breeding programmes, biofortification, precision agriculture and improved sustainable agricultural practices to maintain nutrient density. This research provides critical evidence for policymakers and scientists to design sustainable food systems that safeguard public health in a changing climate. Full article

As global interest in sustainable nutrition grows, algae have emerged as a promising functional food resource. This review analyzes the nutritional value of edible algae, with a particular focus on protein-rich microalgae, and synthesizes current clinical evidence regarding their health benefits. Algae have been demonstrated to provide a broad spectrum of physiologically active nutrients, encompassing a range of vitamins and minerals as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids, antioxidant molecules and various bioactive compounds including dietary fiber. These nutrients have been linked to improved cardiovascular and metabolic health, enhanced immune function, and anti-inflammatory effects. A particular emphasis is placed on algal proteins as a novel alternative to traditional dietary proteins. Genera such as Spirulina and Chlorella offer high-quality, complete proteins with amino acid profiles and digestibility scores comparable to those of animal and soy proteins, thereby supporting muscle maintenance and overall nutritional status. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that the ingestion of microalgae can stimulate muscle protein synthesis and improve lipid profiles, blood pressure, and inflammation markers, indicating functional benefits beyond basic nutrition. Algal proteins also contain bioactive peptides with antioxidative properties that may contribute to positive outcomes. This review synthesizes current studies, which demonstrate that algae represent a potent, sustainable protein source capable of enhancing dietary quality and promoting health. The integration of algae-based products into plant-forward diets has the potential to contribute to global nutritional security and long-term public health. However, the available clinical evidence remains heterogeneous and is largely based on small, short-term intervention studies, with substantial variability in algae species, processing methods and dosages. Consequently, while the evidence suggests the possibility of functional effects, the strength of the evidence and its generalizability across populations remains limited. Full article

Sustainable food production for a growing population requires farming practices that reduce chemical inputs while maintaining soil as a living, renewable foundation for productivity. This review synthesizes current advances in understanding how endophytic fungi (EFs) interact with the soil microbiome and contribute to the physicochemical and biological dimensions of soil health in arable ecosystems. We examine evidence showing that EFs enhance plant nutrition through phosphate solubilization, siderophore-mediated micronutrient acquisition, and improved nitrogen use efficiency while also modulating plant hormones and stress-responsive pathways. EFs further increase crop resilience to drought, salinity, and heat; suppress pathogens; and influence key soil properties including aggregation, organic matter turnover, and microbial network stability. Recent integration of multi-omics, metabolomics, and community-level analyses has shifted the field from descriptive surveys toward mechanistic insight, revealing how EFs regulate nutrient cycling and remodel rhizosphere communities toward disease-suppressive and nutrient-efficient states. A central contribution of this review is the linkage of EF-mediated plant functions with soil microbiome dynamics and soil structural processes framed within a translational pipeline encompassing strain selection, formulation, delivery, and field scale monitoring. We also highlight current challenges, including context-dependent performance, competition with native microbiota, and formulation and deployment constraints that limit consistent outcomes under field conditions. By bridging microbial ecology with agronomy, this review positions EFs as biocontrol agents, biofertilizers, and ecosystem engineers with strong potential for resilient, low-input, and climate-adaptive cropping systems. Full article

Soybean is a key global crop for food and oil production, playing a vital role in ensuring food security and supplying plant-based proteins and oils. Accurate information on soybean distribution is essential for yield forecasting, agricultural management, and policymaking. In this study, we developed an Enhanced Chlorophyll Index (NRLI) to improve the separability between soybean and maize—two spectrally similar crops that often confound traditional vegetation indices. The proposed NRLI integrates red-edge, near-infrared, and green spectral information, effectively capturing variations in chlorophyll and canopy water content during key phenological stages, particularly from flowering to pod setting and maturity. Building upon this foundation, we further introduce a pixel-wise compositing strategy based on the peak phase of NRLI to enhance the temporal adaptability and spectral discriminability in crop classification. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on imagery from fixed dates, this strategy dynamically analyzes annual time-series data, enabling phenology-adaptive alignment at the pixel level. Comparative analysis reveals that NRLI consistently outperforms existing vegetation indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Greenness and Water Content Composite Index (GWCCI), across representative soybean-producing regions in multiple countries. It improves overall accuracy (OA) by approximately 10–20 percentage points, achieving accuracy rates exceeding 90% in large, contiguous cultivation areas. To further validate the robustness of the proposed index, benchmark comparisons were conducted against the Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm. The results demonstrated that the single-index NRLI approach achieved competitive performance, comparable to the multi-feature RF model, with accuracy differences generally within 1–2%. In some regions, NRLI even outperformed RF. This finding highlights NRLI as a computationally efficient alternative to complex machine learning models without compromising mapping precision. This study provides a robust, scalable, and transferable single-index approach for large-scale soybean mapping and monitoring using remote sensing. Full article