Search Results (3,356)

Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is a dominant technique for gene expression analysis in medicinal plants, and accurate qRT-PCR data normalization strictly relies on stably expressed reference genes (RGs). However, systematically validated RGs for Panax quinquefolius L. across diverse tissues, abiotic stresses, and hormone treatments are still lacking. In this study, 15 candidate RGs with FPKM values ranging from 7.21 to 210.56 were selected from RNA-Seq datasets based on expression abundance, coefficient of variation, and homology to commonly used reference genes. The expression stability of candidate RGs was evaluated under tissue-specific, drought, waterlogging, gibberellin A3 (GA3), and melatonin (MT) treatments using ΔCt, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and RefFinder methods. UBC28 and EF1-α ranked as the top two most stable reference genes across all tested conditions, with stability values of 2.21 and 2.38, respectively. Subsequent qRT-PCR validation of eight ginsenoside biosynthesis-related genes using the UBC28 and EF1-α normalization system showed that drought and waterlogging stresses induced significant expression fold changes (1.5–4.8-fold) in most ginsenoside synthetic genes, while exogenous GA3 and melatonin treatments caused no significant transcriptional regulatory effects under the tested experimental conditions. This study provides a set of reliable, condition-adaptive RGs for P. quinquefolius and establishes a robust molecular tool for future studies on ginsenoside biosynthesis and stress response mechanisms in American ginseng. Full article

Brassica crops, including collard greens, are economically important vegetable crops cultivated worldwide. Among the major pests affecting these crops, the aphids Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are particularly relevant due to the direct and indirect damage they cause. Increasing consumer demand for sustainable agricultural practices and pesticide-free produce has intensified the search for environmentally friendly pest management alternatives. In this context, plant-derived insecticides have emerged as promising sources of bioactive compounds because of their biodegradability, selectivity, and generally low toxicity to non-target organisms and mammals. Likewise, agro-industrial residues such as avocado seeds have attracted attention as sustainable raw materials with potential bioactive and insecticidal properties. In the present study, biopolyols produced from avocado and neem seeds through a liquefaction process based on green chemistry and waste valorization principles were evaluated for their insecticidal activity against B. brassicae and M. persicae. A series of laboratory and field bioassays were conducted to assess toxicity and repellency effects on aphids. Among the tested formulations, the AAA avocado seed biopolyol (2:1/30 min) showed the highest insecticidal activity, possibly due to better preservation of bioactive compounds under the liquefaction conditions tested. Dose–response and lethal-dose (LD) analyses estimated an LD50 of 64 mg/mL and an LD90 of 429 mg/mL (p < 0.001) for the AAA biopolyol. In addition to its lethal effects, the LD90 concentration of the AAA biopolyol exhibited significant repellency against aphids and outperformed Azamax^®applied at the recommended field rate. Field bioassays further demonstrated that both the AAA biopolyol at LD90 and Azamax^® significantly reduced aphid abundance in collard greens of the ‘Manteiga’ cultivar under field conditions, compared to the control. Nonetheless, there was no difference in the efficacy of the AAA biopolyol and Azamax^® in the field study. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the potential of seed-derived biopolyols as sustainable bioinsecticides for aphid management in Brassica crops, while also highlighting the value of agro-industrial waste as a source of novel bioactive compounds for integrated pest management programs. Full article

Climate-induced floods increasingly disrupt agricultural production systems, posing escalating threats to food security and economic stability in climate-exposed and trade-integrated regions. This study examines the relationship between flood shocks and agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) change across China and ten ASEAN economies and investigates whether public service capacity and structural conditions attenuate this negative association. A country–year panel dataset covering 1993–2024 is constructed by aggregating event-level flood records from EM-DAT and matching them with World Bank indicators of agricultural production, population, public services, and industrial structure. Agricultural TFP change is measured using the DEA-Malmquist index, with arable land, agricultural land, agricultural employment, fertilizer use, agricultural freshwater use, and rural electricity access as inputs and crop production and agricultural value added as outputs. A two-way fixed-effects model is then applied to examine the conditional association between flood mortality severity and agricultural TFP change. The empirical results show that greater flood mortality severity is significantly associated with lower agricultural TFP change. This negative contemporaneous association remains evident across the reported alternative specifications and sensitivity analyses. Current health expenditure per capita, energy use per capita, access to basic drinking-water services, and medium- and high-tech manufacturing value added are positively associated with an attenuation of the negative association between flood mortality severity and agricultural TFP change. These findings suggest that agricultural productivity performance under climate-related disturbances is shaped not only by exposure to flood shocks but also by policy-relevant capacities embedded in public service provision and structural conditions. A notable finding is that the marginal association becomes positive and statistically significant at high observed levels of health expenditure per capita and energy use per capita, whereas the corresponding estimates for drinking-water services and medium- and high-technology manufacturing remain statistically indistinguishable from zero. Full article

Flax is an important food and industrial crop. Linolenic acid (LIN) content of linseed oil differs greatly among varieties, ranging from 2% to 70%. In addition to genetic factors, environmental conditions can also significantly impact the fatty acid composition of linseed oil. Our study aimed to compare the effects of different temperature and watering conditions on the fatty acid composition of oil from nine flax varieties with diverse LIN content induced by genotype. Elevated temperature with reduced watering resulted in increased oleic acid (OLE) levels in all varieties. Decreases in linoleic acid (LIO) and LIN were also observed, though these trends were less pronounced in genotypes with low LIN content. Using our previously obtained transcriptomic data for seeds of the same flax varieties grown under the same conditions, we found that elevated temperature with reduced watering caused the maximum expression levels to shift to earlier development stages and shortened the period of high expression for the key fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes: FAD2a-1, FAD2a-2, and FAD2b-2 (OLE to LIO desaturation) as well as FAD3a and FAD3b (LIO to LIN desaturation). However, low-LIN flax genotypes have inactivating mutations in FAD3a and FAD3b, so FAD3d-1, FAD3d-2, FAD3c-1, and FAD3c-2 were likely the major contributors to LIN synthesis in these varieties. These FAD3 genes had low but relatively stable expression levels during seed development compared to FAD3a and FAD3b, which may explain why growth conditions had less effect on LIN content in low-LIN genotypes. High temperature with optimal watering also led to a significant increase in OLE content in flax seeds. Thus, the fatty acid composition of linseed oil is significantly altered at high temperature, which is associated with a shift to earlier stages and narrowing of the expression peaks of key FAD genes in seeds. These findings should be considered when cultivating flax and producing pharmaceuticals, food, paints, and other products from its seeds. Full article

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) stands as a critical crop in tropical and subtropical regions, contributing significantly to food security, rural livelihoods, and cultural food systems. Beyond its traditional role as a subsistence crop, yam represents a biologically complex and agro-industrially strategic resource, characterized by substantial species diversity, nutritional richness, and functional versatility. This review provides an integrated synthesis of current knowledge on Dioscorea spp., with particular emphasis on D. alata, D. rotundata, and D. cayenensis. It examines their origin and domestication, global and regional production systems, agronomic requirements, morphological and genetic diversity, and chemical composition. Special attention is given to the nutritional profile of yam tubers, including starch, dietary fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, as well as to their diverse array of bioactive compounds such as steroidal saponins, diosgenin, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and dioscorin that underpin both functional and health-related properties. The review also addresses antinutritional factors and highlights the critical role of processing in mitigating potential toxicological effects while preserving or enhancing nutritional and bioactive value. Furthermore, emerging industrial applications of yam flour, starch, and phytochemicals are discussed, alongside current challenges and research opportunities for crop valorization, particularly in the Colombian context. Overall, this review highlights the potential of yam as a multifunctional crop and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary strategies to advance its sustainable production, processing, and utilization in future agri-food systems. Full article

The LOR (LURP-one related) gene family encodes proteins containing conserved LOR domains; however, its functions in plant abiotic stress responses remain largely unexplored. In this study, we systematically identified and characterized the LOR gene family in the stress-tolerant wild tomato Solanum lycopersicoides using comprehensive bioinformatic analyses and conducted functional validation of the candidate gene ScLOR16. A total of 19 ScLOR members were identified and classified into eight phylogenetic subgroups. Numerous cis-acting elements associated with responses to abscisic acid (ABA), cold, and drought, including ABRE, LTR, and MBS, were detected in the promoter regions, suggesting that the ScLOR family may be broadly involved in ABA-mediated stress signaling pathways. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that ScLOR16 expression was significantly induced by both cold and drought treatments. Subcellular localization assays demonstrated that ScLOR16 is localized in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) was subsequently employed to generate ScLOR16-silenced plants. Following 24 h of cold treatment at 4 °C and four days of drought stress, ScLOR16-silenced seedlings exhibited significantly less severe wilting symptoms than empty-vector controls. Physiological analyses showed that silenced plants exhibited enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, increased proline accumulation, and decreased thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content. Collectively, these results indicate that reduced ScLOR16 transcript levels are associated with enhanced cold and drought tolerance, accompanied by alterations in antioxidant defense and osmoprotection-related physiological markers. This study yields new insights into the evolution and stress-related functions of the ScLOR family. Full article

Cassava is a crop of major socioeconomic and cultural importance in Colombia. One of the main challenges is production seasonality, driven by climatic conditions that constrain planting and harvesting periods. Currently, cultivated varieties exhibit a substantial reduction in root dry matter content (DMC) following the onset of the rains. This study evaluated the agronomic performance of genotype SM2828-28 under semi-commercial field conditions in the departments of Cesar, Bolívar, and Magdalena in the Colombian Caribbean region. This genotype exhibited greater stability and productivity, outperforming commercial checks. The genotype also showed high and stable DMC. Root quality and starch functional properties were also assessed. Starch from SM2828-28 exhibited numerically lower setback values and a relatively consistent rheological profile across harvest ages, indicating greater gel stability during cooling—an attribute desirable for industrial applications requiring consistent textural properties. The genetic progress achieved for key industrial traits highlights the potential of SM2828-28 for extended-harvest systems aimed at reducing seasonality in raw material supply for the cassava starch industry. These results suggest that genetic factors contribute to the stability of DMC under extended-harvest conditions and support the inclusion of this trait as a target in cassava breeding programs. Full article

Cassava is the sixth most important food crop globally, valued for its high starch accumulation in tuberous roots, which supports diverse applications in food processing and industrial production. Quality evaluation is vital for its utilization, yet rapid and efficient assessment methods remain underexplored. In this study, 67 cassava varieties were collected to assess their nutritional quality. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the wavenumber range of 11,000–4000 cm⁻¹ was applied to predict key quality traits of cassava flour from different varieties. Combined with partial least squares (PLS), principal component analysis (PCA), and internal cross-validation, a preliminary NIRS-based screening framework for cassava flour quality indicators was established. The protein and moisture models achieved an excellent quantitative prediction performance (${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{v}}^2$ > 0.82, RPD > 4.0), qualifying them as reliable tools for routine analysis. In contrast, the models for starch, amylose, and amylopectin showed substantial overfitting with low cross-validation accuracies (${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{v}}^2$ = 0.19–0.38), restricting their use to only preliminary screening. The fat model performed poorly (${\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{v}}^2$ = 0.16, RPD = 1.08), rendering it unsuitable for any quantitative or screening application. This study provides an exploratory screening framework for rapid multi-index evaluation of cassava flour quality. However, the marked variability in predictive performance across constituents highlights the critical need for external validation to improve model robustness. Full article

Antimony (Sb) is an emerging environmental pollutant due to its toxicity, persistence, and extensive industrial applications. Despite the growing need for sustainable remediation strategies, research on the potential of phytoremediation for Sb-contaminated soils remains limited. This study investigates the suitability of Cynara cardunculus (cardoon), a high-biomass bioenergy crop, for the remediation of Sb-polluted soils and evaluates the effect of Fe(II) supplementation on plant performance and Sb behavior. Pot experiments were conducted using soils amended with 10–40 mg Sb kg⁻¹, under treatments with and without Fe(II). In the absence of iron, cardoon showed high tolerance to Sb exposure, with no significant growth inhibition even at 40 mg Sb kg⁻¹ after 30 days of cultivation. Iron addition significantly enhanced plant growth, resulting in a 2.3-fold increase in aboveground biomass compared with non-amended soils under the 20 mg Sb kg⁻¹ treatment after 45 days of cultivation. Sb accumulation was mainly restricted to the root system, indicating limited phytoextraction capacity. However, the species demonstrated strong phytostabilization potential, as the presence of plants reduced the water-soluble Sb fraction in soil by up to 50% compared with unplanted controls. These results suggest that C. cardunculus is a promising candidate for phytostabilization of Sb-contaminated soils. Its combined use with iron amendments may enhance biomass production and support integrated soil remediation and bioenergy production strategies. Full article

Despite declining water availability in semi-arid environments, demand for high-quality forages by the livestock and dairy industries continues to grow. Researching alternative crops for high quality forage and water use efficiency remains a priority for these regions to meet this growing demand. Cereal grass-legume intercropping system may provide such a viable alternative to traditional sole cropping to improve nutritive value, while maintaining the current yield levels with limited supply of water. A study was conducted near West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX, USA. during 2020 and 2021 to evaluate forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] and pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) Leeke]-cowpea intercrops for forage production, nutritive value (crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVTDMD)), and water use efficiency (WUE) under limited irrigation. Treatments were sole pearl millet (PM), sole forage sorghum (FS), sole cowpea (C), or mixtures of either pearl millet-cowpea or forage sorghum-cowpea planted in the same row (PM-C or FS-C), alternating rows (millet-cowpea 1:1 (PM-C 1:1) or forage sorghum-cowpea 1:1 (FS-C 1:1), or two rows alternating (millet-cowpea 2:2 (PM-C 2:2) or sorghum-cowpea 2:2 (FS-C 2:2). Results from both study years indicated that FS-C 1:1 intercrop showed either greater or equal forage dry matter (DM) yield compared to sole FS or sole PM (14.5 Mg ha⁻¹ (FS-C 1:1) vs. 13.8 Mg ha⁻¹ (FS) vs. 11.9 Mg ha⁻¹ (PM)). Similarly, the relative advantage of FS-C 1:1 intercrop in improving WUE was also observed in the study compared to sole FS and sole PM (44 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (FS-C 1:1) vs. 41.6 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (FS) vs. 35.9 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (PM). CP yield per hectare (estimate based on DM yield and percent CP content) was also greater for the forage sorghum-cowpea planted in 1:1 alternate rows. This suggests that producers in the semi-arid USA, especially in the Southern High Plains, can be significantly benefited from the utilization of cereal grass-legume intercropping production systems in lieu of sole cropping as the basis for livestock rations without compromising yield and water productivity. Full article

Coconut is an important livelihood and industrial crop for coastal communities in Thailand; however, limited information is available on the phenotypic diversity of traditional aromatic coconut populations cultivated by smallholders in southern Thailand. An on-farm survey was conducted in Phang Nga, Trang, Krabi, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, evaluating 27 palms representing nine populations (three palms per population) for 28 quantitative morphological, reproductive, fruit, yield, and coconut-water quality traits. A hierarchical linear mixed model, with province treated as a fixed effect and populations nested within province, was used to characterize phenotypic variation and obtain adjusted population-level BLUPs. Substantial phenotypic variation was observed among the surveyed populations. Var7 in Krabi recorded the highest fruit weight (2039 g) and kernel thickness; Var6 in Trang had the highest number of fruits per bunch (13.3); Var2 in Phang Nga had the highest water volume (430 mL); and Var9 in Nakhon Si Thammarat had the highest number of female flowers (20). Principal component analysis showed that the first five components explained 72.6% of the total phenotypic variation, with fruit, reproductive, water, and vegetative traits contributing strongly to population differentiation. Correlation network analysis further identified coordinated associations among vegetative vigor, leaf morphology, and fruit and yield traits. The study provides a baseline phenotypic characterization of Nam Hom coconut populations under smallholder conditions and identifies population–province combinations with promising trait profiles for further evaluation. Full article

Almería’s high-yield Mediterranean agricultural model is based fundamentally on eight main greenhouse vegetables, with tomato, peppers, and cucumber identified as the principal crops. To facilitate regional diversification, the biological adaptation and techno-economic viability of Vanilla planifolia are examined. The physiological requirements of this orchid, an obligate CAM plant, regarding light intensity and water-use efficiency highlight the need to implement active heating systems, a double internal roof, high-density shading, and misting to emulate the tropical conditions required for this crop in Mediterranean-climate greenhouses. Globally, the market value fell from 898 million USD in 2020 to nearly 328 million USD in 2025, revealing extreme price volatility. Around 75% of global production is absorbed by European and North American markets. While primary production is concentrated in Madagascar, Indonesia, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea, strategic commercial roles are maintained by traders in non-producing nations such as France, the Netherlands, and Germany. Between 2022 and 2024, a systemic collapse was recorded in export revenues. During this period, mean prices fell from 130.83 USD/kg to 44.57 USD/kg. In 2025, wholesale prices rose slightly to 48.59 USD/kg, and global vanilla demand stands at around 6760 t, a volume similar to that of previous years. Viable cultivation of Vanilla planifolia in southeastern Spain and processing it into cured pods are favored by its geographical proximity to European markets. This strategic positioning can ensure optimal harvest maturity and achieve superior biochemical quality through the incorporation of agro-industrial procedures. This information will provide the knowledge necessary to design a field trial aimed at validating Vanilla planifolia as a crop of interest for Mediterranean greenhouses. Full article

Irrigation guidelines are needed for the field production of emerging specialty crops to support the sustainability and economic viability of small farms. The goal of this study was to establish crop coefficients (K_c) of dahlia (Dahlia × hybrida), a popular, profitable cut flower crop, while documenting virus infection. A two-year field study was conducted with two industry-important cultivars that vary in production timing and bloom: ‘Boom Boom White’, an earlier and mid-sized formal decorative, and ‘Café au Lait’, a later and large informal decorative bloom type. A field water balance was used to evaluate five irrigation rates (I), as a percentage of the estimated crop evapotranspiration, ET_c: 100% of ET_c (I₁₀₀), two deficit irrigation (DI) rates of 80 and 60% (I₈₀ and I₆₀), and two regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) rates during the vegetative stage (I_80/100 and I_60/100). The K_c of both cultivars were 1.0 during the vegetative stage and 1.1 during the reproductive stage and estimated to be 0.7 during establishment. Both DI and RDI delayed and reduced yields, while virus infection led to cultivar-specific responses. ‘Café au Lait’ had greater sensitivity to viral infection and water stress, particularly when under co-infection with two or more viruses; this occurred for ‘Boom Boom White’ with three viruses. Full article

Synthetic materials used to enhance the productivity of agricultural crops have, in turn, begun to exert negative impacts on soil ecology. This has led to an increased interest in environmentally safe biomaterials. In this context, an antibacterial biofilm was developed based on oxidized starch and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as well as cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) derived from corn husk (CH). According to the obtained results, the film containing 3% CNFs exhibited the highest mechanical strength, reaching 3.87 MPa. To impart antibacterial properties to the resulting biofilm, different volumetric amounts of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) synthesized via a green method were incorporated. As a result, the biofilm containing 1 mL of CuNPs demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity. It was also found that, compared to the pristine film, the mechanical strength of the CuNPs-immobilized biofilm decreased by threefold, while its flexibility increased. The antibacterial biofilm was comparatively characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TGA techniques, and its physicochemical properties were determined. The biodegradation behavior of the biofilm in soil was also investigated, revealing that 57% of its total mass degraded within 80 days. In this context, it was determined that the degradation of the biofilm did not significantly affect soil pH or the levels of macro- and microelements. Based on its physicochemical properties, the obtained biofilm demonstrates high potential for application in the agro-industrial sector as a mulching film, as well as in the production of food packaging materials and bioplastics. Full article

The European Commission’s decision to establish a 10% v/v volumetric ethanol cap in gasoline (E10) under Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II), further reinforced by the stricter sustainability criteria introduced in RED III, marks a critical turning point for the global ethanol industry. By 2023, worldwide ethanol production reached approximately 116–118 bn liters annually, with the United States dominating at 52% and Brazil contributing about 28%. First-generation (1G) ethanol is increasingly constrained in its expansion within the road transport sector, necessitating the identification of alternative markets to absorb surplus volumes. RED III emphasizes the deployment of advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), mandating either a 14.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions or a 29% renewable energy share by 2030, thereby encouraging sectoral diversification. The maritime sector emerges as a promising outlet to accommodate surplus ethanol. However, regulatory inconsistencies persist: ReFuel EU excludes crop-based biofuels, while Fuel EU Maritime permits certified options. Aviation remains limited to advanced biofuels. Meanwhile, IMO policies, including MEPC 83 and 84, introduce emissions pricing and lifecycle assessment frameworks, promoting low-emission fuels without clearly recognizing ethanol’s competitiveness. This study evaluates ethanol utilization in marine engines under these constraints. Full article