Search Results (928)

Microgreens are nutrient-dense functional foods whose yield and phytochemical composition can be regulated through light management in controlled-environment agriculture. This study evaluated species-specific responses to light intensity by analysing growth, nutrient uptake, and phytochemical accumulation in carrot, basil, arugula, and radish microgreens grown under LED lighting at four photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD: 67, 100, 140, and 174 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹). Drainage pH and electrical conductivity remained stable across treatments, indicating consistent fertigation conditions. Increasing light intensity enhanced water, nitrate, and potassium uptake and promoted biomass accumulation in all species, although responses varied in magnitude. Phytochemical profiles were strongly modulated by irradiance. Intermediate PPFD levels (100–140 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹) generally maximised carotenoid, sterol, and squalene accumulation, whereas lower irradiance (67 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹) increased vitamin C and tocopherol contents, indicating activation of antioxidant defence mechanisms. Principal component analysis showed that species identity was the primary driver of phytochemical variability, with light intensity acting as a secondary modulator. Carrot and basil responded most strongly to intermediate irradiance, while arugula and radish exhibited greater vitamin C accumulation under lower light. These results support the use of species-specific light strategies to optimise microgreen yield and nutritional quality. Full article

Soil alkalinization constitutes a significant abiotic stress factor that severely constrains global agricultural productivity. The application of alkali-tolerant endophytes represents a promising strategy for enhancing crop resilience. This study focused on the isolation and characterization of alkali-resistant endophytic fungi derived from wild soybean (Glycine soja), aiming to elucidate their potential in promoting host plant growth and to investigate their molecular responses to alkali stress. From an initial collection of 39 wild soybean endophytic fungal isolates, 12 strains demonstrated significant alkali tolerance, as evidenced by increased mycelial dry weight under both mild and intense alkali stress. Among these, two strains, designated WDR2 and WDR5, demonstrated particularly pronounced biomass enhancement and were taxonomically identified as Fusarium verticillioides through comprehensive morphological and molecular analyses. Subsequent inoculation assays conducted on maize (Zea mays) revealed that both fungal strains significantly alleviated the inhibitory effects of alkali stress on root system architecture. Comparative evaluations in soybean indicated that the growth-promoting effects of these endophytes were host-specific and varied according to fungal strain, stress intensity, and inoculation timing. Transcriptomic profiling via RNA-Seq under mild alkali stress identified 589 and 182 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in WDR2 and WDR5, respectively, with only 43 DEGs shared between the two strains, indicating largely strain-specific transcriptional adaptations. Functional enrichment analysis revealed several shared mechanisms underlying alkaline adaptation in both fungi species, including the maintenance of ion homeostasis, remodeling of the cell wall, and regulation of protein complex assembly and oxidative stress responses. Moreover, distinct metabolic adaptations were identified: WDR2 exhibited significant enrichment in cellular integrity and modulation of membrane-related processes, as well as amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism pathways. In contrast, WDR5 was enriched in phosphate ion transport and related transporter functions, glycerol kinase activity, and glycerolipid and glutathione metabolism. In summary, this study successfully identified two novel alkali-tolerant wild soybean endophytic fungi, WDR2 and WDR5. The results provide valuable insights into their divergent molecular adaptation strategies and highlight their potential application as bio-inoculants to enhance crop productivity in alkaline soils. Full article

Eutrophication is a form of pollution caused by elevated nutrient concentrations in water bodies, leading to excessive algal growth and subsequent oxygen depletion. This process poses significant risks to aquatic ecosystems and overall water quality. This study investigates the spatial distribution of eutrophication in the Almyros Stream, aiming to develop a rapid and high-resolution approach for identifying eutrophication patterns and selecting representative sampling sites. Almyros is an urban stream in the western Heraklion Basin (Crete, Greece) that is subjected to considerable pressures from agricultural, industrial, urban, and tourism-related activities. Data for this study were collected using a drone equipped with a multispectral sensor. The multispectral bands, together with remote sensing indices associated with chlorophyll presence, served as input data. Chlorophyll presence is a key indicator of phytoplankton biomass and is widely used as a proxy for nutrient enrichment and eutrophication intensity in aquatic ecosystems. The k-means clustering algorithm was then applied to classify the data and reveal the eutrophication spatial patterns of the study area. The results show that the methodology successfully identified spatial variations in eutrophication-related conditions and generated robust eutrophication pattern maps. These findings underscore the potential of integrating remote sensing and machine learning techniques for efficient monitoring and management of water bodies. Full article

Ammonia (NH₃) is an environmental pollutant that enters ecosystems as a result of agricultural activities, industrial accidents, leaks of ammonia-based rocket fuel, and explosions at chemical plants. Temperature changes can alter the toxicity of ammonia to invertebrates. This study investigated the effect of ammonia on the relationship between Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and its parasites at temperatures of 21–23 °C and 26–28 °C. We used 150 T. molitor larvae, which were divided into five groups of ammonia concentrations (0–4000 mg NH₃/kg of substrate) at two temperatures (21–23 °C, 26–28 °C). During a 10-day exposure, mortality, body weight changes, and the intensity of parasitic invasion by three species of Gregarina were assessed. The results showed a concentration-dependent effect of ammonia on the physiological state and parasitic systems of T. molitor (body weight changes: p = 2 × 10⁻¹⁶; intensity of parasitic invasion: R² = 0.13–0.87), while mortality increased from 0% in the control groups to 40–60% at maximum concentration. Contrary to expectations, temperature did not alter the toxicity of ammonia in the studied range of 21–28 °C (all p > 0.18). Parasitological parameters showed higher sensitivity to ammonia stress compared to physiological indicators, forming 4–5 concentration groups versus 2 groups for body weight changes. The observed absence of temperature-dependent changes in ammonia toxicity in the range of 21–28 °C contrasts with the known effects in aquatic invertebrates and may reflect the physiological characteristics of terrestrial insects. The higher sensitivity of parasitological parameters confirms their suitability as indicators of sublethal toxicity for monitoring ammonia pollution in industrial insect breeding systems. Full article

Biocontrol, a practice for using living organisms to target plant pathogens, offers a promising, sustainable agricultural strategy. This study involves epiphytic yeasts isolated from Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris and ssp. vinifera as natural antagonists against Aspergillus carbonarius, Botrytis cinerea, and Penicillium expansum. Twenty-one of 37 yeasts were chosen based on the Pathology Intensity (PA) score during preliminary in vivo screening. Following identification, dual-culture assays, VOC production, copper tolerance, and commercial fungicide resistance were assessed. On YPD and GJ medium, Saccharomyces isolates were the strongest antagonists, whereas P. terricola UMY197 inhibited Penicillium and Aspergillus. H. uvarum UMY1473 was notably effective against B. cinerea. VOC analysis confirmed that S. cerevisiae UMY1430 was the most effective against Aspergillus, likely owing to its production of oxalic acid, while S. cerevisiae UMY1438 was a producer of various esters and phenylethyl alcohol. C. intermedia UMY189, M. pulcherrima UMY1472, H. uvarum UMY1473, and S. cerevisiae UMY1436 were the most copper-resistant. Yeast activity on chemical fungicide SWITCH (up to 1 g/L) depended on culture media usage; in fact, a higher viability on YPD than on GJ was observed, where only 4 yeasts were able to grow. Thus, since several yeasts exhibit promising inhibitory activity through various mechanisms and against different molds, the use of synthetic consortia could represent a powerful and essential tool in field trials to limit fungicide use while preventing the emergence of resistance. Full article

Promoting the clean energy transition in rural areas is essential for achieving China’s “dual carbon” goals and advancing rural revitalization, with important implications for ecological sustainability and household welfare. However, empirical evidence on rural household energy transitions remains limited, largely due to the scarcity of high-quality micro-level data. Using household survey data from Jiangxi Province, this study applies binary and ordered Probit models to examine the mechanisms underlying rural households’ clean energy adoption and usage intensity. The results indicate that modernity-related mechanisms, including education level and non-agricultural employment experience, as well as capability-based mechanisms such as participation in commercial and industrial activities, significantly increase both the probability of adopting clean energy and the intensity of its use. By contrast, identity-based mechanisms, including party membership and village cadre status, do not exhibit statistically significant effects on adoption decisions, suggesting a limited role. In addition, proximity-related factors reflecting transportation accessibility and infrastructure conditions exert the strongest influence on usage intensity. Marginal effects analysis supports these findings, while heterogeneity analysis reveals clear age-based differences: younger households respond more strongly to modernity and accessibility, whereas older households rely primarily on economic capacity and logistical convenience. This study underscores the importance of infrastructure conditions and household endowments in shaping rural clean energy transitions and offers policy-relevant insights for promoting inclusive and low-carbon household energy use in China and other developing economies. Full article

Subsoiling is a highly effective deep tillage method used to mitigate soil compaction in orchard rows, a condition frequently resulting from repeated passes of agricultural machinery. This compaction can reduce water infiltration into deeper soil layers, leading to excessive surface water stagnation and a subsequent reduction in soil fertility. Subsoiling restores the structure of compacted soil by creating a vertical cut and lifting the ground without inverting the soil layers. This action promotes stable soil porosity and enhanced drainage, effectively eliminating the plough sole, and consequently improving root growth and nutrient absorption. Despite its benefits, subsoiling is an energy-intensive practice. Vibrating subsoilers can significantly reduce the high traction force required by conventional subsoilers, thereby enabling the use of smaller, less powerful tractors. This study investigated the performance of a single-shank subsoiler equipped with an innovative oscillating working tool, focusing on its dynamic-energy requirements, tillage quality, and the whole-body vibrations (WBV) transmitted to the tractor driver. Comparative tests were conducted in a compacted poplar grove using two 4WD tractors of different power and mass, with the subsoiler’s oscillating tool alternately activated and deactivated. The results demonstrated that the oscillating tool reduced draft force, traction power requirement, fuel consumption, and tractor slip, while maintaining tillage efficiency, displacing a greater mass of soil. However, a comparison of the measured vibrations indicated that their level reached a hazardous condition for the driver of the lower-power, lower-mass tractor when the oscillating tool was active. Full article

Forests face significant pressures from human activities, mainly through deforestation and land-use changes driven by agricultural expansion. This study aims to conduct a literature review to identify and analyze the primary factors that have driven farmers to engage in deforestation and agricultural expansion over the past 25 years. The review followed the methodology proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, with an initial broad search followed by article selection and exclusion. The analysis of the results revealed interacting factors with varying intensities by region, extending to different levels. At the demographic level, factors such as gender, age, household composition, and education play a significant role. At the social level, factors are mainly related to migration, population growth, and the phenomenon of “imitation”. At the economic level, poverty, unemployment, the need for supplementary income, and the growing demand for cash crops are key drivers of agricultural expansion in forests. At the political level, state licensing of deforestation, either as part of poverty reduction strategies or to meet market demand, and the inability to impose sanctions, reinforce deforestation for agricultural cultivation. Finally, at the environmental level, factors such as climate change and soil fertility decline constitute another critical area of pressure on forest ecosystems. Full article

Land degradation issues are getting complicated worldwide. Kazakhstan’s land use has sharply deteriorated over several decades, necessitating comprehensive assessment and restoration. Farmlands in Kazakhstan are grappling with multiple challenges related to climate change, intense anthropogenic disturbances, and aggressive industrial agricultural practices involving monoculture crop production. Soil depletion is widespread in Kazakhstan due to flood erosion and drought expansion, causing desertification. The land sustainability of farmland improvement, including the soil, geology, and water retention assessment, is currently under investigation through our project activities in North Kazakhstan. Nature-based methods for forest plantation along contour strips and topography-based design landscapes are rarely applied or are absent in many rural areas these days. The land use issues have resulted in the loss of the soil moisture protective functions and a reduction in agricultural efficiency. Geodesy geomatics tools were applied for a topography investigation with digital elevation, digital terrain model preparation, and potential retention ponds’ location identification for managed aquifer recharge introduction. The combination of effective water accumulation methods, considering topography, with the development of protective forest shelterbelts should enhance the land use strategies for sustainable development. This strategy is expected to reduce soil erosion, promote moisture accumulation, by improving the soil’s quality as a sponge in water collection, and increase crop yields. Alongside this, a system for developing the retention ponds with managed aquifer recharge locations for proper water collection to improve the agrolandscapes was presented. Full article

Rural communities in developing countries face rising livelihood vulnerability due to climate change, agricultural price volatility, and dependence on linear production systems. This study examines whether circular utilization of cashew by-products can strengthen rural economies through a field-based case study in rural Cambodia. Primary data were collected through on-site observations, semi-structured interviews with farm owners and rural workers, and farm-level economic assessments. The results indicate that cashew apple juice processing is not financially viable as a standalone activity under prevailing wage and market conditions, producing negative net profits across all examined processing volumes. By contrast, integrating cashew apple utilization with other by-products shows more favorable outcomes. Cashew nut shells and pruning residues generate relatively stable supplementary income for farm operators, while cashew apple collection creates additional employment opportunities, particularly during off-harvest periods and low-yield years, helping to stabilize household labor income. Rather than relying on capital-intensive technologies, the observed practices represent low-cost and locally feasible circular economy approaches suitable for medium-sized commercial farm-based systems, with potential analytical transferability to smallholder contexts. Overall, these findings suggest that integrated by-product utilization may reduce income volatility and support sustainable rural community development in similar cashew-producing contexts. Full article

Intensive agriculture has intensified soil acidification in southern China, threatening crop productivity and ecosystem sustainability. Biochar can neutralize acidity, improve pH buffering, and enhance nutrient retention and microbial habitat in acidic soils. Accordingly, we produced biochars from pruned eucalyptus (ABC), camphora (ZBC), and guava (FBC) branches via pyrolysis at 500 °C. The three biochars were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), and their effects on soil properties, enzyme activities, and bacterial communities were evaluated through a 56-day incubation experiment in an acidified, continuously cropped soil. Physicochemical characterization revealed that ZBC and FBC possessed more oxygen-containing functional groups and greater potential for pH buffering and nutrient release, whereas ABC exhibited higher aromaticity and structural stability. Biochar significantly increased soil pH by 0.62–1.42 units and improved nutrient availability and carbon pools (p < 0.05). Additionally, 4% ZBC increased urease and sucrase activities by 21.54% and 79.34%, respectively, while 2% FBC increased cellulase activity by 25.99%. High-throughput sequencing identified Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria as the dominant phyla; ZBC and FBC at 0.5% and 2% significantly increased Shannon and Chao1 indices. Redundancy analysis indicated that available potassium, pH, soil organic carbon, urease, sucrase, and cellulase were the primary drivers of bacterial community variation and positively associated with carbon-cycling phyla. These findings demonstrate that feedstock-specific biochar properties critically regulate soil biogeochemical processes, offering a sustainable strategy to remediate acidified soils and valorize agroforestry residues. Full article

Endophyte fungi (EF) are considered a new and valuable reservoir of bioactive molecules of biotechnological interest for pharmacy, agricultural and forestry industries. In this study, thirty EFs, isolated from three Chilean Nothofagus species (N. alpina, N. dombeyi, N. oblicua) were identified and cultured in submerged liquid fermentations aimed at searching for natural active substances. The extracts obtained were evaluated against pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Sixteen extracts (53.3%) presented antibacterial and fourteen (46.6%) presented antifungal activities in different intensities. Extracts from isolates Coryneum sp.-72 and P. cinnamomea-78 exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity. Using bioautography, the compounds responsible for the antimicrobial activity exhibited by Coryneum sp.-72 and P. cinnamomea-78 were detected and characterized. Coryneum sp.-72 showed bactericidal properties at 200 μg/mL and bacteriostatic effects at 50 μg/mL against B. cereus, B. subtilis, L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. MIC values indicated that P. cinnamomea-78 exhibited a strong fungistatic and fungicidal effect against B. cinerea and C. gloesporioides at 10–50 μg/mL. Isolates were grouped in the following order: Botryosphaeriales, Diaporthales, Eurotiales, Helotiales, Hypocreales, Pleosporales, Magnaporthales, Sordariales and Polyporales. EF isolated, identified and evaluated constitute the first report for Chilean Nothofagus genus. Full article

Nanoparticles have become more widely applied in industrial, consumer, and therapeutic products over the past decade, and this trend is presumed to persist due to the rapid population growth, industry, urbanization, and intensive agriculture. The manufacturing of nanomaterials is not necessarily accomplished through eco-friendly processes. Certain nanomaterials involve heavy metals. The release of nanomaterials into the environment could result in soil and aquatic system contamination. Once released into water and soil matrices, nanoparticles undergo dynamic transformations, including aggregation, dissolution, and surface modification, which determine their transport and bioavailability and their toxicological profiles. Different studies have consistently reported adverse impacts of metal, carbon, and plastic-based nanomaterials on aquatic organisms, soil microbial community, enzymatic activities, and nutrient cycling processes, mainly through oxidative stress, disruption of the membrane, and release of metal ions. These problems have stimulated intensive research aimed at the prediction of environmental concentrations of nanoparticles in water and soil and for their ecotoxicological effect on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. On the other hand, nanomaterials are also showing great potential for sustainable use, such as water purification, soil remediation, immobilization of contaminants, and geotechnical soil improvement, referring to soil stabilization, strength enhancement, permeability reduction, and ground improvement, where low dosages can improve the mechanical properties and respected environmental performance. This paper deals with current research on these competing roles, examining the causes of nanotoxicity as well as their positive geotechnical and remedial applications in water and soil systems. Full article

Water scarcity and ecological degradation driven by the expansion of irrigated agriculture in arid regions urgently necessitate a rigorous assessment of the combined impacts of climate change and crop-structure adjustments on irrigation water requirements (IWR). Taking the Qarqan River Basin as a case study, this study establishes an integrated framework that incorporates remote sensing (Landsat/MODIS), the AquaCrop-OS crop model, and a CNN-LSTM deep learning architecture to simulate historical IWR (2000–2024) and project future trajectories under CMIP6 climate scenarios. The results indicate that: (1) from 2000 to 2024, fruit tree area expanded from 120.3 to 320.3 km², cotton stabilized at approximately 165.3 km² after peaking at 187.9 km² in 2014, wheat recovered to 113.1 km², and maize varied between 23.7 and 85.0 km², indicating that fruit trees have become the dominant crop type. (2) Over the same period, total basin-wide IWR increased by 91% (3.7 × 10⁸ to 7.1 × 10⁸ m³), with fruit trees accounting for 44–68% of this growth. Logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) decomposition further shows that meteorological factors and human activities jointly drove the increase in IWR, with cultivated-area expansion and cropping-structure change contributing most, while improvements in agricultural water-use efficiency partially offset the rise. (3) Projections for 2025–2100 suggest stronger structural dominance of fruit trees and cotton; the growing share of water-intensive cash crops may further elevate irrigation pressure. Under SSP5-8.5, a 30% reduction in fruit tree area in the late century could save 4.3% of irrigation water (0.33 × 10⁸ m³). Overall, this study provides dynamic projections and decision support for adaptive regulation of agricultural water resources in arid regions. Full article

The agricultural industry faces increasing environmental degradation due to the intensive use of conventional chemical fertilizers, leading to water pollution and alterations in soil composition. In addition, root-knot and cyst nematodes are major constraints to cucumber production, causing severe root damage and yield losses worldwide, underscoring the need for sustainable alternatives to conventional fertilization and pest management. Under greenhouse conditions, a four-month cultivation trial evaluated vegetable oil-, micronutrient-, and activated flavonoid-based biostimulants, applying Key Eco Oil^® (Miami, USA) via soil drench (every 15 days) combined with foliar sprays of CropBioLife^® (Victoria, Australia) and KeyPlex 120^® (Miami, USA) (every 7 days). Results showed reduced parasitic nematodes by 66% in soil and decreased gall formation by 41% in roots. Chlorophyll fluorescence and infrared gas analysis revealed higher oxygen-evolving complex efficiency (38%), increased PSII electron transport, improved the fluorescence decrease ratio, also known as the vitality index (Rfd), and higher CO₂ assimilation compared to conventional treatments. Processed cucumbers showed higher sugar and nearly double ascorbic acid content, with improved flesh consistency and color. Therefore, the application of these bioactive products significantly reduced nematode infestation while enhancing plant growth and physiological performance, underscoring their potential as sustainable tools for crop cultivation and protection. These results provide evidence that sustainable bioactive biostimulants improve plant resilience, productivity, and nutritional quality, offering also an environmentally sound approach to pest management. Full article