Search Results (159)

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is an important cool-season turfgrass species widely used for golf course putting greens; however, it experiences a summer stress-induced quality decline in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of five amino acid biostimulants on creeping bentgrass drought and heat stress tolerance. The five biostimulants, including Superbia, Amino Pro V, Siapton, Benvireo, and Surety, at the rate of 0.22 g of N m⁻², were applied biweekly to foliage, and the treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and were subjected to 56 days of heat and drought stress in growth chamber conditions. The amino acid biostimulants Superbia and Amino Pro V improved the turf quality, photochemical efficiency (PE), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase activity, root growth, and viability and suppressed leaf H₂O₂ levels when compared to a control. Among the treatments, Superbia and Amino Pro V exhibited greater beneficial effects on turf quality and physiological fitness. The results of this study suggest that foliar application of amino acid biostimulants may improve the summer stress tolerance of cool-season turfgrass species in the U.S. transition zone and other regions with similar climates. Full article

Urban gardens, including family allotment gardens (FAGs) and community gardens (CGs), play an increasingly important role in urban resilience to climate change—particularly through the delivery of regulatory ecosystem services. They occupy as much as 2.6% of Warsaw’s land area and thus have a tangible impact on the entire metropolitan system. These gardens are used in different ways, and each use affects the magnitude of the provided ecosystem services. This preliminary study explores how different types of allotment garden uses affect biodiversity and ecosystem services, addressing a critical knowledge gap in the classification and ecological functioning of urban gardens. We surveyed 44 plots in Warsaw, categorizing them into five vegetation use types: turf, flower, vegetable, orchard, and abandoned. For each plot, we assessed the floristic diversity, vegetation structure (leaf area index, LAI), and six regulatory services: air and soil cooling, water retention, humidity regulation, PM 2.5 retention, and nectar provision. Flower gardens had the highest species diversity (Shannon index = 1.93), while turf gardens had the lowest (1.43) but the highest proportion of native species (92%). Abandoned plots stood out due to the densest vegetation (LAI = 4.93) and ecological distinctiveness. Principal component analysis showed that the selected ecosystem services explained 25% of the variation in vegetation types. We propose a use-based classification of urban gardens and highlight abandoned plots as a functionally unique and overlooked ecological category. Full article

Background: Rumex patientia (Polygonaceae), a perennial herbaceous species predominantly found in northern temperate regions, has been historically utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for its hematological regulatory properties, including blood cooling, hemostasis, and detoxification. Despite the pharmacological value of this species, unvalidated reference genes compromise precise gene expression profiling. Methods: We initially selected eight candidate genes (ACT, GAPDH, YLS, SKD1, UBQ, UBC, EF-1α, TUA) from R. patientia transcriptomes and then assessed their transcriptional stability using RT-qPCR across root, stem, and leaf tissues under four abiotic stresses: cold, drought, salinity, and heavy metal exposure. Results: ACT emerged as the most stable reference gene in three specific scenarios: root/leaf tissues under cold stress, stems during drought exposure, and roots subjected to salt treatment, revealing distinct tissue–stress response patterns. TUA emerged as the most stable reference in cold- and salt-challenged stems, while SKD1 exhibited superior stability in drought-affected roots/leaves, heavy-metal-stressed tissues, and salt-treated leaves. Validation via the drought-inducible MYB transcription factor confirmed reference gene reliability. Conclusions: This work pioneers a standardized reference gene framework for R. patientia under multi-stress conditions, offering essential methodological foundations for subsequent molecular research in this medicinal plant. Full article

High-temperature stress is one of the main limiting factors for the cultivation and management of cool-season creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). The objectives of the current study were to compare physiological changes in heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE and heat-sensitive PENNEAGLE and further identify differential organic metabolites associated with thermotolerance in leaves. Two cultivars were cultivated under optimal conditions (23/19 °C) and high-temperature stress (38/33 °C) for 15 days. Heat stress significantly reduced leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, and photochemical efficiency, and also resulted in severe oxidative damage to PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE. Heat-tolerant PROVIDENCE exhibited 10% less water deficit, 11% lower chlorophyll loss, and significantly lower oxidative damage as well as better cell membrane stability compared with PENNEAGLE under heat stress. Metabolomic analysis further found that PROVIDENCE accumulated more sugars (fructose, tagatose, lyxose, ribose, and 6-deoxy-D-glucose), amino acids (norleucine, allothreonine, and glycine), and other metabolites (lactic acid, ribitol, arabitol, and arbutin) than PENNEAGLE. These metabolites play positive roles in energy supply, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant, and membrane stability. Heat stress significantly decreased the accumulation of tricarboxylic acid cycle-related organic acids in two cultivars, resulting in a metabolic deficit for energy production. However, both PROVIDENCE and PENNEAGLE significantly up-regulated the accumulation of stigmasterol related to the stability of cell membrane systems under heat stress. The current findings provide a better understanding of differential thermotolerance in cool-season turfgrass species. In addition, the data can also be utilized in breeding programs to improve the heat tolerance of other grass species. However, the current study only focused on physiological and metabolic responses to heat stress between two genotypes. It would be better to utilize molecular techniques in future studies to better understand and validate differential heat tolerance in creeping bentgrass species. Full article

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) is an important cool-season turfgrass species that is not well understood. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the mechanisms underlying silicon (Si) on creeping bentgrass drought tolerance under field conditions from 2022 to 2023. Five treatments, including a control (potassium silicate at 0.95 and 1.90 mL m⁻²), Dyamin-OSA at 0.64 and 1.28 mL m⁻², and Agsil 21 at 0.35 mL m⁻², were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications and applied biweekly to creeping bentgrass putting greens during summer months. Deficit irrigation was applied to induce drought stress in June and July. The Si treatments exhibited beneficial effects on turf quality, physiological fitness, and root viability. K-silicate at 1.90 mL m⁻² and Agsil 21 at 0.35 mL m⁻² increased the leaf Si content by 32.0% and 22.8%, respectively, when compared to the control, as measured at the end of the trial. Among the treatments, K-silicate at 1.90 mL m⁻², Dyamin-OSA at 0.64 mL m⁻², and Agsil 21 at 0.35 mL m⁻² tended to have greater beneficial effects than other Si treatments. Exogenous Si may improve drought tolerance by enhancing root growth and viability, Si uptake by roots, and antioxidant capacity and by protecting photosynthetic function. Full article

While urban greenery is known to regulate microclimates and reduce air pollution, its integrated effects remain insufficiently quantified. Through field monitoring and ENVI-met 5.1 modeling of high-rise residential areas in Jinan, the results demonstrate that: (1) vegetation exhibits distinct spatial impacts in air-quality impacts, reducing roadside PM_2.5 by 26.63 μg/m³ while increasing building-adjacent levels by 17.5 μg/m³; (2) shrubs outperformed trees in PM_2.5 reduction (up to 65.34%), particularly when planted in inner rows, whereas tree crown morphology and spacing showed negligible effects; (3) densely spaced columnar trees optimize cooling, reducing T_a by 3–4.8 °C and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET*) by 8–12.8 °C, while planting trees on the outer row and shrubs on the inner row best balanced thermal and air-quality improvements; (4) each 1 m²/m³ leaf area density (LAD) increase yields thermal benefits (ΔT_a = −1.07 °C, ΔPET* = −1.93 °C) but elevates PM_2.5 by 4.32 μg/m³. These findings provide evidence-based vegetation design strategies for sustainable urban planning. Full article

Being an essential issue in global climate warming, the response of urban green spaces to air pollution and climate variability because of rapid urbanization has become an increasing concern at both the local and global levels. This study explored the response of urban vegetation to air pollution and climate variability in the Bucharest metropolis in Romania from a spatiotemporal perspective during 2000–2024, with a focus on the 2020–2024 period. Through the synergy of time series in situ air pollution and climate data, and derived vegetation biophysical variables from MODIS Terra/Aqua satellite data, this study applied statistical regression, correlation, and linear trend analysis to assess linear relationships between variables and their pairwise associations. Green spaces were measured with the MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf area index (LAI), photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR), evapotranspiration (ET), and net primary production (NPP), which capture the complex characteristics of urban vegetation systems (gardens, street trees, parks, and forests), periurban forests, and agricultural areas. For both the Bucharest center (6.5 km × 6.5 km) and metropolitan (40.5 km × 40.5 km) test areas, during the five-year investigated period, this study found negative correlations of the NDVI with ground-level concentrations of particulate matter in two size fractions, PM2.5 (city center r = −0.29; p < 0.01, and metropolitan r = −0.39; p < 0.01) and PM10 (city center r = −0.58; p < 0.01, and metropolitan r = −0.56; p < 0.01), as well as between the NDVI and gaseous air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide—NO₂, sulfur dioxide—SO₂, and carbon monoxide—CO. Also, negative correlations between NDVI and climate parameters, air relative humidity (RH), and land surface albedo (LSA) were observed. These results show the potential of urban green to improve air quality through air pollutant deposition, retention, and alteration of vegetation health, particularly during dry seasons and hot summers. For the same period of analysis, positive correlations between the NDVI and solar surface irradiance (SI) and planetary boundary layer height (PBL) were recorded. Because of the summer season’s (June–August) increase in ground-level ozone, significant negative correlations with the NDVI (r = −0.51, p < 0.01) were found for Bucharest city center and (r = −76; p < 0.01) for the metropolitan area, which may explain the degraded or devitalized vegetation under high ozone levels. Also, during hot summer seasons in the 2020–2024 period, this research reported negative correlations between air temperature at 2 m height (TA) and the NDVI for both the Bucharest city center (r = −0.84; p < 0.01) and metropolitan scale (r = −0.90; p < 0.01), as well as negative correlations between the land surface temperature (LST) and the NDVI for Bucharest (city center r = −0.29; p< 0.01) and the metropolitan area (r = −0.68, p < 0.01). During summer seasons, positive correlations between ET and climate parameters TA (r = 0.91; p < 0.01), SI (r = 0.91; p < 0.01), relative humidity RH (r = 0.65; p < 0.01), and NDVI (r = 0.83; p < 0.01) are associated with the cooling effects of urban vegetation, showing that a higher vegetation density is associated with lower air and land surface temperatures. The negative correlation between ET and LST (r = −0.92; p < 0.01) explains the imprint of evapotranspiration in the diurnal variations of LST in contrast with TA. The decreasing trend of NPP over 24 years highlighted the feedback response of vegetation to air pollution and climate warming. For future green cities, the results of this study contribute to the development of advanced strategies for urban vegetation protection and better mitigation of air quality under an increased frequency of extreme climate events. Full article

Growing spinach year-round via greenhouse hydroponics in warm climates can be challenging because of the intolerance of many spinach cultivars to heat. Root-zone cooling in hydroponic systems in warm climates may be a promising cooling method to alleviate heat stress; however, its effectiveness is still unknown in spinach plants. This study aimed to investigate the impact of root-zone cooling on the growth and physiological responses of four spinach cultivars (‘Lakeside’, ‘Hammerhead’, ‘Mandolin’, and ‘SV2157’) grown in deep water culture hydroponic systems in a greenhouse during the summer season in two growing cycles. The experiment consisted of the following three root-zone temperatures (RZTs): Control (ambient water temperature), RZT24 (24 °C), and RZT21 (21 °C). Among the four cultivars, ‘SV2157’ performed equally regardless of the treatment, demonstrating superior heat tolerance versus the other three cultivars. ‘Mandolin’ exhibited the greatest benefit from root-zone cooling, with increases in shoot dry weights of 87% and 94% under RZT24 and RZT21, respectively, compared to those under control treatment. Additionally, total leaf areas significantly increased under the two root-zone cooling treatments. ‘Lakeside’ and ‘Hammerhead’ generally benefited from root-zone cooling, although the magnitude of growth increases was small or statistically insignificant. However, ‘Lakeside’ and ‘Hammerhead’ were highly responsive to lower ambient air temperatures, as evidenced by increases of 121% and 90%, respectively, in shoot fresh weights across the treatments in Cycle 2 (average air temperature of 24.7 °C) compared to those in Cycle 1 (29.3 °C). Physiological responses to root-zone cooling varied among cultivars, with ‘SV2157’ exhibiting the highest chlorophyll, carotenoid, and anthocyanin levels. Higher total phenolic contents under control treatment in Cycle 1 in all three cultivars except for ‘SV2157’ suggested greater reactive oxygen species production, indicating oxidative stress. Root-zone cooling reduced oxidative stress indicators, including mortality (%), hydrogen peroxide content, and malondialdehyde content, and minimized cell leakage. Based on plant growth, physiological and biochemical traits, and electricity consumption, cooling the root zone to 24 °C rather than 21 °C is recommended for hot summers with high air temperatures. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of various supplemental lighting conditions on the growth and rhizome production of Wasabia japonica, a high-value crop. Its cultivation poses challenges due to specific environmental requirements, including cool temperatures and high humidity. By tailoring light spectra, we aimed to optimize photosynthetic efficiency and biomass accumulation. Seedlings (cv. ST1) were grown in a controlled plant factory (18 ± 2 °C, 90 ± 5% RH) using a Yamazaki tri-leaf nutrient solution (EC 1.5–2.0 dS/m, pH 5.8–6.8). Lighting was designed to convert blue (450 nm) to red (630–680 nm) wavelengths at 70–40% ratios, maintaining a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 50 ± 5 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ during a 12 h photoperiod. In the greenhouse, supplemental lighting (40% blue-to-red conversion) was applied for 4 h daily to complement natural light. After 140 days, the optimized 40% blue-to-red conversion lighting significantly improved plant length (34.4 cm), leaf length (15.3 cm), and photosynthetic rates (2.21 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹). When tested in the greenhouse, it increased rhizome fresh weight to 75.6 g compared to 30.0 g under natural light. These results indicate that supplemental lighting with specific spectral ratios and controlled intensities can enhance photosynthesis and rhizome production, providing a sustainable approach to wasabi cultivation. Full article

A comprehensive investigation into the aero-thermodynamic impacts of UAV-generated airflow on the rice microclimate is essential to elucidate the complex relationships between wind speed, temperature, and temporal dynamics during the critical growth stages of rice. Focusing on the vulnerable stages of rice such as heading, panicle, and flowering, this research aims to advance the understanding of microclimatic influences on rice crops, thereby informing the development of UAV-based strategies to enhance crop resilience and optimize yields. By utilizing UAV rotor downwash, the research examines wind temperature and speed at three key diurnal intervals: 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. At 9:00 a.m., UAV-induced airflow creates a stable microclimate with favourable temperatures (27.45–28.45 °C) and optimal wind speeds (0.0700–2.050 m/s), which promote and support pollen transfer and grain setting. By 12:00 p.m., wind speeds peak at 2.370 m/s, inducing evaporative cooling while maintaining temperature stability, yet leading to some moisture loss. At 3:00 p.m., wind temperatures reach 28.48 °C, with a 72% decrease in wind speed from midday, effectively conserving moisture during critical growth phases. The results reveal that UAV airflow positively influences panicle and flowering stages, where carefully moderated wind speeds (up to 3 m/s) and temperatures reduce pollen sterility, enhance fertilization, and optimize reproductive development. This highlights the potential of UAV-engineered microclimate management to mitigate stress factors and improve yield through targeted airflow regulation. Key agronomic parameters showed significant improvements, including stem diameter, canopy temperature regulation, grain filling duration, productive tillers (increasing by 30.77%), total tillers, flag leaf area, grains per panicle (rising by 46.55%), biological yield, grain yield (surging by 70.75%), and harvest index. Conclusively, optimal aero-thermodynamic effects were observed with 9:00 a.m. rotor airflow applications during flowering, outperforming midday and late-afternoon treatments. Additionally, 12:00 p.m. airflow during flowering significantly increased the yield. The interaction between rotor airflow timing and growth stage (RRS × GS) exhibited low to moderate effects, underscoring the importance of precise timing in maximizing rice productivity. Full article

Grinding wheels are important tools for precision machining. Traditional grinding wheels have issues such as high grinding forces and temperatures on the machined surface, and excessive use of grinding fluids often leads to significant waste. To solve such problems, this paper proposes a self-inhaling internal cooling structured grinding wheel with a leaf order arrangement based on laser cladding technology, by which the “air barrier effect” in grinding is avoided. In this study, the structure of the grinding wheel substrate, as well as the arrangement of abrasive grain clusters, were optimized. The internal flow field and grinding zone flow field of the grinding wheel were simulated using the computational fluid dynamics method. To ensure stable grinding performance, the effects of different cooling hole positions and sizes on fluid motion were revealed, and the influence of grinding wheel rotational speed and coolant pressure on outlet velocity were analyzed. The results show that uniform coolant outlet velocity distribution can be achieved via matching the grinding wheel’s rotational speed with the initial pressure of the cooling fluid inside the grinding wheel. This study further explored the fluid motion patterns in the grinding zone for four differently structured surfaces. The advantages of using leaf order theory to arrange abrasive clusters were verified. Additionally, orthogonal experiments and range analysis were conducted to study the laser cladding preparation process of grinding wheels. With the optimal process parameters, a self-inhaling internal cooling grinding wheel with a leaf order arrangement structure was fabricated. Full article

Electric and hybrid vehicles have become widespread in large cities due to the desire for environmentally friendly technologies, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and fuel, and economic advantages over gasoline and diesel vehicles. In electric vehicles, overheating, vibration, or mechanical damage due to collision with an object or another vehicle can lead to the failure of lithium-ion batteries up to thermal runaway and fire. Therefore, the development of battery safety control systems is one of the most important factors contributing to the large-scale electrification of public and private transport. This review examines the design features of the location and management of the battery pack to achieve maximum safety and operational efficiency when using an electric vehicle. The power characteristics and life-cycles of various types of lithium-ion batteries depending on the chemical nature of their electrodes are considered, using the example of commercial vehicles’—Tesla, Nissan Leaf, Porsche Taycan, Zeekr, and Chevrolet Volt—strategic technologies for the placement and packaging of batteries, and battery cooling and monitoring systems (State of Health and State of Charge) are also discussed. In conclusion, the current challenges in the field are summarized and promising research directions are proposed. Full article

Date palm tree (DPT) and pine tree (PT) needles in forests form a combustible mat, posing fire risks during summer in Pakistan that damage vegetation, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity and impact local livelihoods. In this article, sintered ceramic specimens were prepared at different weight concentrations (DPT5, DPT10, DPT20, and DPT 30 and PT5, PT10, PT20, and PT30) of date palm tree leaf ash and pine tree needle ash as secondary additives in ceramic manufacturing along with primary material kaolinite (China clay). Raw materials composition was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), taking loss on ignition, water absorption, bulk density, saturated surface dry density (SSD), weight per unit area, and thermal cycling as measurement indexes. The result indicates that loss on ignition increases while increasing the quantity of secondary additives and the maximum increase for DPT30 was 19.6% and for PT30, it was 22.1%. As the secondary additives increase, the water absorption rate also increases and the maximum increase for DPT30 and PT30 is 4.5%. Meanwhile, with the increase in secondary additives, the density decreased; for DPT 30, it was 1457.7 kg/m³ and for PT30, it was 1829.8 kg/m³. Thermal performance was investigated by heating and cooling cycles. It was observed that thermal performances increase with the increase in secondary additives. The results reveal this novel approach has the potential to form a ceramic and good properties can be achieved. The prepared specimens have the potential to be used in the fields of electronics, aerospace, construction, and building engineering, alleviating environmental strain, curbing the exhaustion of China clay reserves, and most importantly, lowering the risk of forest fires in Pakistan. Full article

Architectural vertical green walls can mitigate the urban heat island effect, provide shade and cooling, reduce energy consumption, improve a microclimate, and increase indoor comfort. However, an excessive pursuit of high coverage may diminish the benefit ratio and adversely affect ventilation and lighting. Field measurements were conducted in the hot and humid Guangzhou area to investigate the thermal benefits of external vertical green walls with varying green coverage and diverse layouts, encompassing effects such as shading, insulation, cooling, and humidification. Analyses were conducted using ENVI-met, orthogonal experiments, and SPSS to quantify the moderating effects of planted green coverage (PGC), leaf area density (LAD), and air interstitial layers on the environmental thermal benefits. The results indicated that the cooling and humidifying effects of 100% PGC and 75% PGC were comparable and superior to those of 50% PGC, yet 75% PGC outperformed 100% PGC in terms of indoor humidification. Among the layout modes, the horizontal layout was the most effective for cooling and humidification, followed by the point layout, with the vertical layout being the least effective. A global sensitivity analysis revealed that PGC had the greatest impact on wall cooling and outdoor humidification, LAD significantly influenced humidification, the width of air interstitial layers had a minor impact, and the two architectural vertical greening design ratios of 75% PGC × 4.60 LAD and 75% PGC × 2.70 LAD were particularly effective for cooling and humidification. Incorporating horizontal or point-like layouts can enhance façade design diversity while preserving the desired environmental thermal benefits, thereby contributing to the overall aesthetics of a building. Full article

The crystalline morphology and glaze color of Jian Kiln oil-spot glaze porcelain exhibit artistic beauty, making it one of the typical representatives of iron-based crystallized black porcelain from the Song Dynasty in China. This study sampled a series of specimens from key temperature points during simulation experiments, employing rapid air quenching to preserve the high-temperature state, capturing the formation process of oil-spot glaze crystals in Jian kiln ceramics. Key samples were subjected to microscopic structure and phase analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), revealing the formation mechanism of oil-spot glaze crystals in Jian kiln ceramics. The results indicate that the bubbles generated from the decomposition of iron oxide at high temperatures facilitate the migration and enrichment of iron-rich particles towards the glaze surface, laying a crucial material foundation for the subsequent crystallization process. The high-temperature reducing atmosphere accelerates the decomposition reaction of iron oxide, altering the concentration of Fe²⁺ in the glaze, the viscosity of the melt, and the surface tension, all of which are critical conditions that promote the formation of oil-spot glaze crystals. During the cooling phase, Fe₃O₄ nanocrystals oxidize into ε-Fe₂O₃ crystals, with external iron sources migrating inward to support ε-Fe₂O₃ crystal growth. This process gradually leads to the formation of micrometer-scale, leaf-shaped ε-Fe₂O₃ crystals that fully occupy the crystalline spots. The coloration of crystalline spots is closely tied to the size of the crystals. Thus, by adjusting the cooling regime, it is possible to create iron-based crystallization glazes with innovative color effects. Furthermore, this study offers significant insights for understanding the crystallization mechanisms of other ancient Chinese high-temperature iron-based crystallization glazes. Full article