Search Results (2,361)

Technosols are artificial soils produced from organic and inorganic solid waste to improve soil fertility and functionality. This study evaluated the potential of Technosols produced from household waste from the Altos de Guadalupe residential complex in Colombia to fertilize green areas and promote the growth of Duranta erecta. A physical characterization of waste from 46 houses was performed to estimate per capita production (PPC) and waste composition. Technosols were produced in 20, 50, and 200 L bioreactors using recyclable organic and inorganic waste arranged in 10 layers and composted for three months. A field trial was established with two treatments, soil without Technosols (T1) and soil with Technosols (T2), with three replicates and ten plants per plot (60 plants total). Soil fertility parameters and plant growth variables were evaluated over 300 days. The PPC reached 0.56 kg·capita⁻¹·day⁻¹, and 56.4% of the residues were suitable for Technosol production. Technosol exhibited a pH of approximately 7.1, an organic matter content of 11.1%, and phosphorus and potassium concentrations of 50.3 mg·kg⁻¹ and 2573 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively. Technosol increased soil organic matter by 5.4 percentage points and improved nutrient availability. After 300 days, plant height and root dry matter in T2 were 30% and 41% higher, respectively, than in T1 (p < 0.05). These results show that the use of Technosols on a residential scale can improve urban soil fertility and plant productivity, contributing to the principles of the circular economy and Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 12. Full article

Genetically modified (GM) forage crops engineered to accumulate elevated levels of lipids offer potential benefits for ruminant nutrition and greenhouse gas mitigation. However, robust and reproducible workflows for producing, harvesting, and preserving GM forage biomass under containment remain a critical bottleneck, particularly where regulatory constraints preclude field-scale evaluation. Here, we describe a controlled-environment workflow for the repeated cultivation, harvesting, and ensiling of GM high-metabolizable-energy (HME) perennial ryegrass and corresponding null controls. Plants were grown under greenhouse containment, subjected to multiple regrowth cycles, and harvested biomass was wilted and ensiled using small-scale laboratory silos. Silage fermentation characteristics, total lipid content, and fatty acid (FA) composition were assessed following short- and long-term storage. Over 16 months, approximately 130 kg dry matter (DM) of each genotype was produced across multiple harvests and ensiling batches. Seasonal variation strongly influenced herbage composition, with water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations 4–5-fold higher in spring–summer than autumn–winter. Following ensiling, HME silage consistently retained elevated FA content compared with null controls (4.85% vs. 2.75% DM) and higher gross energy (18.1 vs. 17.5 MJ kg⁻¹ DM). FA profiling indicated that major FA classes in HME were preserved across storage durations. After 342 days of storage, HME silage maintained 76% higher FA content, 4% greater DM digestibility, and 0.3–0.8 MJ kg⁻¹ DM higher metabolizable energy. Both genotypes exhibited good fermentation quality, with pH consistently below 4.1 and adequate lactic acid production. This study does not evaluate animal performance or methane mitigation outcomes but establishes a practical and reproducible methodology for generating characterized GM silage material under containment suitable for subsequent in vivo studies, addressing a key translational gap between GM forage development and animal-based evaluation. Full article

A hybrid AI and LLM-enabled architecture is presented for real-time decision support in industrial batch processes, where supervision still relies heavily on human operators and ad hoc SCADA logic. Unlike algorithmic contributions proposing novel AI methods, this work addresses the practical integration and deployment challenges arising when applying existing AI techniques to safety-critical industrial environments with legacy PLC/SCADA infrastructure and real-time constraints. The framework combines deterministic rule-based agents, fuzzy and statistical enrichment, and large language models (LLMs) to support monitoring, diagnostic interpretation, preventive maintenance planning, and operator interaction with minimal manual intervention. High-frequency sensor streams are collected into rolling buffers per active process instance; deterministic agents compute enriched variables, discrete supervisory states, and rule-based alarms, while an LLM-driven analytics agent answers free-form operator queries over the same enriched datasets through a conversational interface. The architecture is instantiated and deployed in the Clean-in-Place (CIP) system of an industrial beverage plant and evaluated following a case study design aimed at demonstrating architectural feasibility and diagnostic behavior under realistic operating regimes rather than statistical generalization. Three representative multi-stage CIP executions—purposively selected from 24 runs monitored during a six-month deployment—span nominal baseline, preventive-warning, and diagnostic-alert conditions. The study quantifies stage-specification compliance, state-to-specification consistency, and temporal stability of supervisory states, and performs spot-check audits of numerical consistency between language-based summaries and enriched logs. Results in the evaluated CIP deployment show high time within specification in sanitizing stages (100% compliance across the evaluated runs), coherent and mostly stable supervisory states in variable alkaline conditions (state-specification consistency ${\Gamma }_s\ge 0.98$), and data-grounded conversational diagnostics in real time (median numerical error below 3% in audited samples), without altering the existing CIP control logic. These findings suggest that the architecture can be transferred to other industrial cleaning and batch operations by reconfiguring process-specific rules and ontologies, though empirical validation in other process types remains future work. The contribution lies in demonstrating how to bridge the gap between AI theory and industrial practice through careful system architecture, data transformation pipelines, and integration patterns that enable reliable AI-enhanced decision support in production environments, offering a practical path toward AI-assisted process supervision with explainable conversational interfaces that support preventive maintenance decision-making and equipment health monitoring. Full article

Increases in global temperatures, due to the climate change, are generating stress in most plant species. We hypothesize that young plants of Opuntia spp. adjust their Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to the increase in nighttime temperature, allowing them to continue growing. The study was carried out in a greenhouse and laboratory of the Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Mexico. Three-month-old greenhouse-grown plants remained in a control environment with an average day/night temperature of 19.1/12.3 °C or were maintained in a chamber with increased nighttime temperatures averaging 19.1/18.9 °C day/night for 70 days. The experimental design was completely randomized with two treatments (control and high nighttime temperatures). After 70 days of high nighttime temperatures (HNT), at dawn (end of CAM phase I), plants had a 45% decrease in glucose (2.9 to 1.5 mg/100 mg dry tissue; dt) concentration and doubled and tripled fructose (0.43 to 0.95 mg/100 mg dt) and sucrose (0.47 to 0.09 mg/100 mg dt) concentrations. Glucose consumption may be related to the plant’s metabolic energy expenditure to overcome stress. The significant increase in fructose and sucrose is explainable by their function as signaling molecules among others. In contrast, photosynthetic efficiency, i.e., increased compared to the control, but the difference of acidity (end of phase I less phase III), the concentration of starch (1 mg/100 mg dt), free amino acids and soluble protein (1.2 mg/100 mg dt), wet and dry matter, stem height (60 cm) and width of the stem at dawn were not significantly affected. The adjustments in C and N metabolism and the non-significant effect on growth promoted by 70 HNT days may be related to adjustments in enzyme activities without changes in protein concentration. Young Opuntia spp. plants adjust their metabolism in response to increased nighttime temperatures, allowing them to maintain growth similar to that of the control. The results confirm the great potential of using the Opuntia genus in agriculture and genetic improvement in the face of the challenges posed by climatic change. Full article

Farmland N₂O emissions exhibit significant fluctuations in subtropical regions due to notable seasonal rainfall and temperature variations. The dominant factors influencing N₂O emissions in red-soil sloping farmland, which is widely distributed and actively cultivated in the region, remain uncertain. To investigate N₂O emission characteristics of red-soil sloping farmland and responses to meteorological and soil environmental variables and tillage practices, a typical planting system (summer peanut-winter rapeseed rotation system) in southern China was selected. Two common soil micro-environments (conventional tillage, CT, n = 6; and conventional tillage with straw mulching, MT, n = 4) were established within this system, and in situ N₂O emissions were monitored over two consecutive years using the static chamber–gas chromatography method. The N₂O emission peaks across various growing seasons occurred primarily within 1 to 16 days after fertilization. The N₂O emission hotspot periods were observed during the first month following fertilization, accounting for 74.13–91.01% of the total emissions during each growing season. Significant interannual variations in seasonal N₂O cumulative emissions were observed, whereas no significant difference in cumulative N₂O emissions was observed between MT and CT. Changes in weather and soil environment jointly drive the dynamics of N₂O emissions from red soil sloping farmland. Rapeseed-season N₂O emissions were driven mainly by rainfall and air temperature, whereas peanut-season N₂O emissions were also influenced by soil temperature and NO₃⁻-N content at 0–10 cm depths. These findings provide a sound basis for developing eco-agricultural mitigation pathways in subtropical red-soil hilly regions. Full article

Although plant-based convenience foods have gained significant market share, many are high in fat, salt, and sugar while low in nutrients. The current study aimed to develop a vegan oyster mushroom soup powder enriched with moringa, mung bean, and pumpkin. These ingredients were chosen for their high nutritional value and availability. Four soup formulas, each containing varying amounts of moringa (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%), were prepared, and a sensory evaluation, proximate analysis, and total aerobic plate count were carried out. The 1% moringa formulation showed the highest consumer acceptance. In this formula, moisture, ash, protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrate, and energy content were reported as 13.6%, 7.6%, 16.3%, 2.2%, 9.8%, 50.5%, and 287 kcal/100 g, respectively. The novel powdered soup product had higher amounts of phenolic compounds, total antioxidants, and iron compared to local, commercially available equivalents. Total aerobic plate counts remained below 10⁵ CFU/g; a common acceptability limit for dried soups, throughout the 4-month storage study under ambient conditions. Overall, the developed soup powder demonstrated superior nutritional quality and could support consumers in meeting their daily nutrient requirements. With further refinement, particularly by optimizing the drying process to better retain heat-sensitive nutrients, this product shows potential as an affordable and nutritious option to address inadequate protein intake and iron deficiency in Sri Lanka. Full article

The response of selected physiological parameters to water deficit was investigated in three grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L.): ‘Blue Portugal’, ‘Müller Thurgau’, and ‘Sauvignon Blanc’. The aim of the greenhouse experiment was to evaluate genotype-specific responses to reduced water availability and to assess the effects of water deficit on gas exchange, pigment content, chlorophyll fluorescence, and leaf water potential. Grapevine plants were grown in pots filled with perlite and subjected to five irrigation treatments ranging from 15 to 120 mL per container, applied to create a gradient of water availability. Measurements were performed over a one-month period at regular weekly intervals. Reduced irrigation generally resulted in decreased physiological performance compared to control plants. ‘Müller Thurgau’ showed the strongest reduction in chlorophyll content and gas exchange parameters under low irrigation, indicating high sensitivity to water deficit. In contrast, ‘Blue Portugal’ exhibited relatively stable pigment content under reduced water availability. Differences among cultivars in leaf water potential and gas exchange suggest contrasting water-use strategies. Overall, the results indicate higher drought tolerance in ‘Sauvignon Blanc’, while ‘Müller Thurgau’ appears to be the most sensitive cultivar. Full article

Herbaceous plants from dry forests respond to different levels of light availability over time and space through strategies that promote their establishment and survival. This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of the perennial herb Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd., which is pantropically distributed and forms dense populations in the Caatinga, under varying light availabilities. The treatments applied were full sun and 70%, 50%, and 30% light availability, each with 30 replicates. Vegetative, reproductive, and phenological responses were monitored over six months, during which the plant’s reproductive cycle was completed and water availability was higher. In T100, plants showed greater height, diameter, leaf production, flowers, fruits, and seeds. In contrast, reduced light availability led to lower values in these traits but resulted in increased leaf area, seed viability, and higher fruit/flower and seed/fruit ratios as compensatory responses. These findings suggest that higher light availability increases the establishment success of the studied species, although reduced light does not necessarily limit its reproductive success. The study highlights its adaptability to different light conditions and its potential for continued population expansion in dry tropical forests, despite fluctuations in light availability. Full article

Clonal propagation often must incorporate heaters to warm stock plants and stabilize growth. This study investigates the impact that different temperature regimes for stock plants have on the rooting capacity of mini-cuttings derived therefrom. Experiments were conducted in growth chambers using two clones of Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden, with clone A’s rooting being moderately better that that of clone B in commercial production. Root primordia differentiation and elongation were faster in clone A than clone B. Stock plants were maintained for one month under two temperature conditions: Δ0 (26/26 °C day/night) and Δ10 (26/16 °C). The main results indicate that rooting significantly decreased with the reduction in nocturnal temperature. Clone A exhibited a 38% reduction in rooting, whereas clone B showed a more pronounced decrease of 65%. In cold nights, soluble carbohydrates at the cutting bases dropped by approximately 25% considering both clones, and overall foliar nutrients also decreased. Cutting base transcript profiles revealed that cold nights decreased the expression of efflux auxin transporter PIN1, increased expression of auxin catabolism-related enzyme DAO, and that expression of auxin nuclear receptor TIR1 remained stable. Fine management of clonal gardens by adjusting thermal conditions can optimize the physiological status of donor plants and enhance the rooting potential and establishment of the derived cuttings. Full article

In the last decade, avocado production has increased in Italy due to the fruit’s high nutritional quality and economic value. During 2024, stem lesions, wood discoloration and dieback, often starting at the grafting point, were observed in young plants in a nursery in Sicily (Italy). Colletotrichum-like colonies were frequently isolated from symptomatic tissues. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (gapdh, chs-1, act, tub2, cal, gs and ApMat) was conducted on 11 representative isolates, identifying 6 as C. perseae and 5 as C. gloeosporioides sensu stricto (s.s.). Two representative isolates were selected for pathogenicity tests performed on 2-year-old avocado plants cultivated in a greenhouse. After two months, necrotic lesions, wood discoloration and reddish-brown streaking at the inoculation point were induced in both species. Additional inoculations of avocado fruit confirmed the ability of both species to cause fruit rot. All inoculated fungi were successfully re-isolated and identified, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This is the first report of stem lesions and dieback caused by Colletotrichum species and the first occurrence of C. perseae in avocado plants in Europe. The results highlight the importance of early monitoring in nurseries during the propagation process and contribute to a better understanding of fungal diseases in avocado crops in Italy. Full article

We used chlorophyll fluorescence techniques to investigate seasonal variations in photosystem II (PSII) quantum yield in five-year-old saplings of the sclerophyllous Peumus boldus Molina (evergreen) and Colliguaja odorifera Molina (semideciduous) planted in a semiarid site with a Mediterranean-type climate. Chlorophyll fluorescence rise kinetics (OJIP) were monitored monthly for one year (September 2024 to September 2025). With this information, we estimated the relative deviation of the performance index (PI_ABS) of each species from the average PI_ABS in each season (denoted as ∆PI_ABS). P. boldus was associated with destruction of PSII reaction centers and incapacity for electron transport, i.e., higher values of parameters ABS/RC (effective antenna size of an active reaction center) and F₀ (minimal fluorescence), whereas C. odorifera was associated with higher photosynthetic performance i.e., higher values of PI_ABS, PI_TOT (total performance index), F_V/F₀ (ratio between variable and minimal fluorescence), and F_V/F_M (maximum quantum yield of primary PSII photochemistry). P_IABS exhibited a 52 and 38% reduction (i.e., −∆PI_ABS) during spring and winter in P. boldus, but an increase (i.e., +∆PI_ABS) of 52 and 37% in the same seasons for C. odorifera. P. boldus was considerably more depressed during the winter–spring season than the summer months. This suggests that PSII function in P. boldus is more sensitive to low temperatures in winter and spring than the lack of water and high temperatures during summer. Full article

Gentiana species are widely used in traditional and modern medicine, and Gentiana siphonantha is an important medicinal representative. To evaluate the quality characteristics of cultivated G. siphonantha roots, the accumulation patterns of iridoid glycosides and antioxidant activities across different cultivation ages and harvest months were investigated. Five major iridoid glycosides were quantified, and antioxidant capacity was assessed through DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. Quality was subsequently multidimensionally evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares–discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), membership function analysis, and entropy weight–TOPSIS analysis, and the relationship between iridoid glycoside content and antioxidant activity was analyzed. Results showed that 3-year-old cultivated roots had the highest total iridoid glycoside content (134.60 mg·g⁻¹ DW), indicating the optimal cultivation age. Peak glycoside accumulation occurred in 4-year-old plants harvested in June–July, identifying this period as the optimal harvest time, as supported by multivariate statistical and comprehensive evaluation. Antioxidant activity increased with cultivation age, with samples collected in June or August showing higher capacities, and it was positively correlated with total iridoid glycoside content, particularly with FRAP (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cultivated G. siphonantha exhibits stable quality and favorable antioxidant activity, providing a basis for standardized cultivation, quality evaluation, and rational utilization. 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

To investigate the effects of different Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. varieties on leaf nutrients, soil nutrients, and microbial community composition, this study selected Yuelou No. 3 and Huiji No. 2, two major cultivars from the primary production area of Shishou City. The two varieties were cultivated at different locations under standardized agronomic management practices, and a systematic comparative analysis was carried out over a 10-month sampling period from March to December 2024. The analysis encompassed their leaf nutrients (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, and relative chlorophyll content), soil nutrients (organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium), and microbial community characteristics. The results revealed significant varietal differences in leaf nutrient content: the average total phosphorus content of Yuelou No. 3 (0.44%) was higher than that of Huiji No. 2 (0.39%), while Huiji No. 2 exhibited higher total nitrogen (3.73%), total potassium (3.86%), and SPAD (44.72). Leaf nutrient content in both varieties followed a pattern of nitrogen > potassium > phosphorus, with peak phosphorus and potassium demand occurring earlier in Yuelou No. 3. Additionally, Yuelou No. 3 contained higher organic matter (12.73 g/kg) and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (103.02 mg/kg), while Huiji No. 2 showed enhanced soil pH (7.02), available phosphorus (6.96 mg/kg), and available potassium (180.00 mg/kg). Soil available nutrient dynamics displayed a pattern of slow change during the early stage, a rapid increase during the middle stage, and stabilization in the later stage. Microbial analysis revealed no significant differences in alpha diversity between the two varieties, although Yuelou No. 3 showed marginally higher diversity indices during early to mid-growth stages. In contrast, beta diversity showed significant separation in PCoA space. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Ascomycota were the dominant microbial phyla. Dominant genera included Kaistobacter, Mortierella, and Neocosmospora, among others, with variety-specific relative abundances. Redundancy analysis further supported the variety-specific influence of soil physicochemical properties on microbial community structure, with available phosphorus, available potassium, and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen identified as key factors shaping community composition. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the impact of different Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim. varieties on soil–plant–microbe interactions and suggests potential directions for future research on fertilization and management strategies tailored to varietal differences. Full article

Wood vinegar (WV), a by-product of woody biomass pyrolysis, is increasingly used in agriculture as a sustainable biostimulant, although its effects on plant stress resistance and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent studies propose that WV may act through a eustress-based mechanism, defined as a mild and controlled stress that activates adaptive physiological responses and enhances plant performance without causing structural or metabolic damage. This study investigated the physiological and biochemical effects of WV on strawberry plants grown under three water-deficit stress levels [no stress (NS), moderate stress (MS), and high stress (HS)] and treated with WV either via fertigation (0.5% v/v, WV₁) or foliar spray (0.2% v/v, WV₂). Gas exchange parameters (A, g_sw, E, Ci, WUE), total chlorophyll content, and nutrient balance ratios (Fe/Mn and K/Ca) were measured after a three-month growth period. PERMANOVA revealed significant effects of both WV and water-deficit stress, as well as their interaction, on most parameters. Under NS and MS conditions, WV reduced A, gsw, E, and Ci while increasing WUE, indicating enhanced water-use efficiency and improved physiological adjustment to water limitation. Chlorophyll content remained stable, demonstrating preserved photosynthetic integrity. Nutrient ratios further supported a controlled ion rebalancing associated with adaptive stress responses under NS and MS, whereas HS conditions indicated the onset of distress. Overall, the data demonstrate that WV enhances plant stress resistance primarily by inducing eustress-mediated physiological regulation rather than by directly stimulating growth. Full article