Search Results (341)

Urban wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance, carbon sequestration, and water purification. Sediments are key carriers for wetlands to store elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the aquatic environment. This study analyzed different sediment layers of seven wetlands in Yangzhou, aiming to explore the relationship between physicochemical factors and microbial communities in wetland sediments, as well as to predict the functions of microbial communities. Functional prediction of microbial communities was conducted based on amplicon sequencing analysis, and the neutral community model was used to determine the formation and evolution process of microbial communities. The results showed that in three wetlands, namely Zhuyu Bay (ZYW), Luyang Lake (LYH), and Runyang Wetland (RYSD), the contents of carbon components (total carbon, total soluble carbon, microbial biomass carbon) in the 0–20 cm sediment layer were higher, while the carbon component contents in Baoying Lake (BYH) showed the opposite trend. Among them, the contents of total nitrogen, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, total potassium, and available potassium in the 0–20 cm sediment layer of Runyang Wetland (RYSD) were significantly the highest. This indicates that in Runyang Wetland (RYSD), the 0–20 cm layer has more abundant carbon components and mineral nutrients compared to the 20–40 cm layer. Among the seven wetlands, it was found that the content of total potassium was all greater than 10 g/kg, which was much higher than the contents of total phosphorus and total nitrogen. Analysis of microbial communities revealed that the dominant archaeal phyla were Thaumarchaeota and Euryarchaeota, and the dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria. The distribution of functional genes was mainly concentrated in Zhuyu Bay (ZYW) and Luyang Lake (LYH). Zhuyu Bay Wetland (ZYW) had potential advantages in light utilization function, and Luyang Lake (LYH) had potential advantages in carbon and nitrogen cycle functions. The assembly process of the archaeal community was mainly affected by stochastic processes, while the bacterial community was mainly affected by deterministic processes. However, water content, total phosphorus, and available potassium all had strong correlations with both archaeal and bacterial communities. The research results preliminarily reveal the connections between the physicochemical properties of sediments, microbial communities, and their potential functions in Yangzhou urban wetlands, providing an important scientific basis for the protection and management of wetland ecosystems. Full article

Nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) are essential macronutrients for plants whose functions and interactions profoundly influence plant physiological metabolism, environmental adaptation, and agricultural production efficiency. This review summarizes research advances in plant N and K nutrition and their interaction mechanisms, elucidating the key physiological functions of N and K individually and their respective absorption and transport mechanisms involving transporters such as NRTs and HAKs/KUPs. The review discusses the types of nutrient interactions (synergism and antagonism), with a primary focus on the physiological basis of N–K interactions and their interplay in root absorption and transport (e.g., K⁺-NO₃⁻ co-transport; NH₄⁺ inhibition of K⁺ uptake), photosynthesis (jointly optimizing CO₂ conductance, mesophyll conductance, and N allocation within photosynthetic machinery to enhance photosynthetic N use efficiency, PNUE), as well as sensing, signaling, co-regulation, and metabolism. This review emphasizes that N–K balance is crucial for improving crop yield and quality, enhancing fertilizer use efficiency (NUE/KUE), and reducing environmental pollution. Consequently, developing effective N–K management strategies based on these interaction mechanisms and implementing Balanced Fertilization Techniques (BFT) to optimize N–K ratios and application strategies in agricultural production represent vital pathways for ensuring food security, addressing resource constraints, and advancing green, low-carbon agriculture, including through coordinated management of greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

This study optimizes the production of activated carbons from hydrothermally carbonized (HTC) biomass using potassium hydroxide (KOH) and phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) as activating agents. A 2³ factorial experimental design evaluated the effects of agent-to-precursor ratio, dry impregnation time, and activation duration on mass yield and iodine adsorption capacity. KOH-activated carbons achieved superior iodine numbers (up to 1289 mg/g) but lower mass yields (18–35%), reflecting enhanced porosity at the cost of material loss. Conversely, H₃PO₄ activation yielded higher mass retention (up to 54.86%) with moderate iodine numbers (up to 1117.3 mg/g), balancing porosity and yield. HTC pretreatment at 190 °C reduced the ash content, thereby enhancing the stability of hydrochar. These findings highlight the trade-offs between adsorption performance and process efficiency, with KOH suited for high-porosity applications (e.g., water purification) and H₃PO₄ for industrial scalability. The study advances biomass waste valorization, aligning with circular economy principles and offering sustainable solutions for environmental and industrial applications, such as water purification and energy storage. Full article

This study develops an integrated environmental–economic assessment framework to evaluate the life cycle environmental impacts and economic costs of CO₂ geological storage and produced water treatment in saline formations in China. Using a case study of a saline aquifer carbon storage project in the Ordos Basin, eight full-chain carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) scenarios were analyzed. The results indicate that environmental and cost performance are primarily influenced by technology choices across carbon capture, transport, and storage stages. The scenario employing potassium carbonate-based capture, pipeline transport, and brine reinjection after a reverse osmosis treatment (S5) achieved the most balanced outcome. Breakeven analyses under three carbon price projection models revealed that carbon price trajectories critically affect project viability, with a steadily rising carbon price enabling earlier profitability. By decoupling CCUS from power systems and focusing on unit CO₂ removal, this study provides a transparent and transferable framework to support cross-sectoral deployment. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers aiming to design effective CCUS support mechanisms under future carbon neutrality targets. Full article

Liquid calcium aluminate cement (LCAC) is an innovative material technology with significant potential for varied applications in civil engineering. However, despite its promising results, a significant gap remains in the direct application of LCAC as a concrete binder. The primary catalysts for LCAC are sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH). Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the effects of sodium and potassium ions on alkali–aggregate reactions in concrete structures. This study evaluated the durability of liquid calcium aluminate cement concrete catalyzed using four different concentrations of NaOH (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) as experimental variables, incorporating a control group of traditional concrete with a water–cement ratio of 0.64. The findings indicate that NaOH catalysis in the concrete significantly trigger alkali–aggregate reactions, leading to volume expansion. Furthermore, it increased chloride ion penetration and porosity in the concrete. These effects were more notable with the increase in NaOH concentration. The results suggested that NaOH catalysis can enhance certain chemical reactions within the concrete matrix; however, its concentration must be carefully controlled to mitigate adverse effects. The NaOH dosage should be limited to 0.5% to ensure optimal durability of the concrete. This study emphasizes the crucial importance of precisely balancing catalyst concentration to maintain the long-term durability and performance of liquid calcium aluminate cement concrete in structural applications. Full article

In response to the challenges posed by soil degradation in the arid regions of Xinjiang, China, green and organic management practices have emerged as effective alternatives to conventional agricultural management methods, helping to mitigate soil degradation by promoting natural soil recovery and ecological balance. However, most of the existing studies focus on a single management practice or indicator and lack a systematic assessment of the effects of integrated orchard management in arid zones. This study aims to investigate how different agricultural management practices influence soil physicochemical properties and inter-root microbial communities in apple orchards in Xinjiang and to identify the main physicochemical factors affecting the composition of inter-root microbial communities. Inter-root soil samples were collected from apple orchards under green management (GM), organic management (OM), and conventional management (CM) in major apple-producing regions of Xinjiang. Microbial diversity and community composition of the samples were analyzed using high-throughput amplicon sequencing. The results revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in soil physicochemical properties across different management practices. Specifically, GM significantly reduced soil pH and C:N compared with OM. Both OM and GM significantly decreased soil available nutrient content compared with CM. Moreover, GM and OM significantly increased bacterial diversity and changed the community composition of bacteria and fungi. Proteobacteria and Ascomycota were identified as the dominant bacteria and fungi, respectively, in all management practices. Linear discriminant analysis (LEfSe) showed that biomarkers were more abundant under OM, suggesting that OM may contribute to ecological functions through specific microbial taxa. Co-occurrence network analysis (building a network of microbial interactions) demonstrated that the topologies of bacteria and fungi varied across different management practices and that OM increased the complexity of microbial co-occurrence networks. Mantel test analysis (analyzing soil factors and microbial community correlations) showed that C:N and available potassium (AK) were significantly and positively correlated with the community composition of bacteria and fungi, and that C:N, soil organic carbon (SOC), and alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN) were significantly and positively correlated with the diversity of fungi. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further indicated that SOC, C:N, and AK were the primary soil physicochemical factors influencing the composition of microbial communities. This study provides theoretical guidance for the sustainable management of orchards in arid zones. Full article

Soil salinization poses a significant constraint to agricultural productivity. However, certain plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can mitigate salinity stress and enhance crop performance. In this study, a bacterial isolate, R-18, isolated from saline-alkali soil in Ningxia, China, was identified as Enterobacter bugandensis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The isolate was characterized for its morphological, biochemical, and plant growth-promoting traits and was evaluated for its potential to alleviate NaCl-induced stress in maize (Zea mays L.) under hydroponic conditions. Isolate R-18 exhibited halotolerance, surviving at NaCl concentrations ranging from 2.0% to 10.0%, and alkaliphilic adaptation, growing at pH 8.0–11.0. Biochemical assays confirmed it as a Gram-negative bacterium, displaying positive reactions in the Voges–Proskauer (V–P) tests, catalase activity, citrate utilization, fluorescent pigment production, starch hydrolysis, gelatin liquefaction, and ammonia production, while testing negative for the methyl red and cellulose hydrolysis. Notably, isolate R-18 demonstrated multiple plant growth-promoting attributes, including nitrogen fixation, phosphate and potassium solubilization, ACC deaminase activity, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis. Under 100 mM NaCl stress, inoculation with isolate R-18 significantly enhanced maize growth, increasing plant height, stem dry weight, root fresh weight, and root dry weight by 20.64%, 47.06%, 34.52%, and 31.25%, respectively. Furthermore, isolate R-18 improved ion homeostasis by elevating the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in maize tissues. Physiological analyses revealed increased chlorophyll and proline content, alongside reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating mitigated oxidative damage. Antioxidant enzyme activity was modulated, with decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities but increased catalase (CAT) activity. These findings demonstrated that Enterobacter bugandensis R-18 effectively alleviated NaCl-induced growth inhibition in maize by enhancing osmotic adjustment, reducing oxidative stress, and improving ion balance. Full article

Introduction: The sodium-to-potassium (Na:K) ratio in the diet is a critical biomarker for cardiovascular and metabolic health, yet global adherence to recommended levels remains poor. Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify dietary determinants of the dietary Na:K ratio and its associations with micronutrient intake and diet quality. Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted in a representative sample of manufacturing workers through a combined stratified proportional and two-stage probability sampling plan, with strata defined by company size and industrial sector from the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Dietary intake was assessed using 24 h recalls via the Multiple Pass Method, with Na:K ratios calculated from quantified food composition data. Diet quality was assessed with the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze associations of Na:K ratio with the study variables. Results: The survey was conducted in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in 921 randomly selected manufacturing workers. The sample mean age was 38.2 ± 10.7 years, 55.9% males, mean BMI 27.2 ± 4.80 kg/m². The mean Na:K ratio was 1.97 ± 0.86, with only 0.54% of participants meeting the WHO recommended target (<0.57). Fast food (+3.29 mg/mg per serving, p < 0.001), rice, bread, and red meat significantly increased the ratio, while fruits (−0.16 mg/mg), dairy, white meat, and coffee were protective. Higher Na:K ratios were associated with lower intake of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamins C, D, and E, as well as poorer diet quality (DQI-I score: −0.026 per 1 mg/mg increase, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings highlight the critical role of processed foods in elevating Na:K ratios and the potential for dietary modifications to improve both electrolyte balance and micronutrient adequacy in industrial workers. The study underscores the need for workplace interventions that simultaneously address sodium reduction, potassium enhancement, and overall diet quality improvement tailored to socioeconomic and cultural contexts, a triple approach not previously tested in intervention studies. Future studies should further investigate nutritional consequences of imbalanced Na:K intake. Full article

Developing precision models to describe agricultural growth is a necessary step to promote sustainable agriculture and increase resource circulation. In this study, the researchers hydroponically cultivated Bibb lettuce (Lactuca sativa) across a variety of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK)-limited treatments and developed robust data-driven kinetic models observing nutrient uptake, biomass growth, and tissue composition based on all three primary macronutrients. The resulting Dynamic μ model is the first to integrate plant maturity’s impact on growth rate, significantly improving model accuracy across limiting nutrients, treatments, and developmental stages. This reduced error supports this simple expansion as a practical and necessary inclusion for agricultural kinetic modeling. Furthermore, analysis of nutrient uptake refines the ideal hydroponic nutrient balance for Bibb lettuce to 132, 35, and 174 mg L⁻¹ (N, P, and K, respectively), while qualitative cell yield analysis identifies minimum nutrient thresholds at approximately 26.2–41.7 mg-N L⁻¹, 3.7–5.6 mg-P L⁻¹, and 17.4–31.5 mg-K L⁻¹ to produce compositionally healthy lettuce. These findings evaluate reclaimed wastewater’s ability to offset the fertilizer burden for lettuce by 23–45%, 14–57%, and 3–23% for N, P, and K and guide the required minimum amount of wastewater pre-processing or nutrient supplements needed to completely fulfill hydroponic nutrient demands. Full article

Eco-enzymatic stoichiometry provides a basis for understanding soil ecosystem functions, with implications for land management and ecological protection. Long-term climatic factors and human interferences have caused significant land-use transformations in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau region, affecting various ecological functions, such as soil nutrient cycling and chemical element balance. It is currently unclear how large-scale land-use conversion affects soil ecological stoichiometry. In this study, 763 soil samples were collected across three land-use types: farmland, grassland, and forest land. In addition, changes in soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activity and stoichiometry were determined. The soil available phosphorus (SAP) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were the highest in farmland soil. Bulk density, pH, SAP, TP, and NO₃⁻-N were lower in forest soil, whereas NH₄⁺-N, available nitrogen, soil organic carbon (SOC), available potassium, and the soil nutrient ratio increased. Land-use conversion promoted soil β-1,4-glucosidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, and alkaline phosphatase activities, mostly in forest soil. The eco-enzymatic C:N ratio was higher in farmland soils but grassland soils had a higher enzymatic C:P and N:P. Soil microorganisms were limited by P nutrients in all land-use patterns. C limitation was the highest in farmland soil. The redundancy analysis indicated that the ecological stoichiometry in farmland was influenced by TN, whereas grass and forest soils were influenced by SOC. Overall, the conversion of cropland or grassland to complex land-use types can effectively enhance soil nutrients, enzyme activities, and ecosystem functions, providing valuable insights for ecological restoration and sustainable land management in alpine regions. Full article

The growing demand for functional and sustainable foods has driven food innovation, enhancing its nutritional value. This study aimed to develop a nutritious bread using local rye from the Trás-os-Montes region of Portugal and incorporating whey, a by-product of the dairy industry, as a replacement for water. Three bread formulations were tested: a traditional recipe with 37.5% rye flour and water (Control—CTR); the same recipe using whey instead of water (Rye Whey—RW); and a formulation with 100% local rye and whey replacing water (Full Rye Whey—FRW). Nutritional composition was assessed, including moisture, ash, protein, dietary fiber, sodium, potassium, lipids, and carbohydrates. Sensory analysis included both quantitative descriptive analysis and consumer acceptance testing. Microbiological quality was also evaluated. Whey-containing samples showed lower moisture and increased levels of ash, lipids, carbohydrates, and potassium. RW had the highest protein content (6.54 ± 0.28 g/100 g, p < 0.05), while FRW exhibited the highest dietary fiber (6.96 ± 0.15 g/100 g, p < 0.05). RW demonstrated a balanced nutritional and sensory profile, with high consumer acceptance. Overall, the combination of local rye and whey presents a promising strategy for producing nutritious bread while valorizing local agricultural resources and dairy by-products. These findings support sustainable food production practices and contribute to circular economy approaches. Full article

In agricultural practice, in addition to determining the nitrogen (N_f) dose, it is necessary to effectively control its effect on currently grown crops. Meeting these conditions requires not only the use of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), but also nutrients such as magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S). This hypothesis was verified in a single-factor field experiment with winter wheat (WW) carried out in the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 growing seasons. The experiment consisted of seven variants: absolute control (AC), NP, NPK-MOP (K as Muriate of Potash), NPK-MOP+Ki (Kieserite), NPK-KK (K as Korn–Kali), NPK-KK+Ki, and NPK-KK+Ki+ES (Epsom Salt). The use of K as MOP increased grain yield (GY) by 6.3% compared to NP. In the NPK-KK variant, GY was 13% (+0.84 t ha⁻¹) higher compared to NP. Moreover, GYs in this fertilization variant (FV) were stable over the years (coefficient of variation, CV = 9.4%). In NPK-KK+Ki+ES, the yield increase was the highest and mounted to 17.2% compared to NP, but the variability over the years was also the highest (CV ≈ 20%). The amount of N in grain N (GN) increased progressively from 4% for NPK-MOP to 15% for NPK-KK and 25% for NPK-KK+Ki+ES in comparison to NP. The nitrogen harvest index was highly stable, achieving 72.6 ± 3.1%. All analyzed NUE indices showed a significant response to FVs. The PFP-N_f (partial factor productivity of N_f) indices increased on NPK-MOP by 5.8%, NPK-KK by 12.9%, and NPK-KK+Ki+ES by 17.9% compared to NP. The corresponding N_f recovery of N_f in wheat grain was 47.2%, 55.9%, and 64.4%, but its total recovery by wheat (grain + straw) was 67%, 74.5%, and 87.2%, respectively. In terms of the theoretical and practical value of the tested indexes, two indices, namely, NUP (nitrogen unit productivity) and NUA (nitrogen unit accumulation), proved to be the most useful. From the farmer’s production strategy, FV with K applied in the form of Korn–Kali proved to be the most stable option due to high and stable yield, regardless of weather conditions. The increase in the number of nutritional factors optimizing the action of nitrogen in winter wheat caused the phenomenon known as the “scissors effect”. This phenomenon manifested itself in a progressive increase in nitrogen unit productivity (NUP) combined with a regressive trend in unit nitrogen accumulation (NUA) in the grain versus the balance of soil available Mg (Mg_b). The studies clearly showed that obtaining grain that met the milling requirements was recorded only for NUA above 22 kg N t⁻¹ grain. This was possible only with the most intensive Mg treatment (NPK-KK+Ki and NPK-KK+Ki+ES). The study clearly showed that three of the six FVs fully met the three basic conditions for sustainable crop production: (i) stabilization and even an increase in grain yield; (ii) a decrease in the mass of inorganic N in the soil at harvest, potentially susceptible to leaching; and (iii) stabilization of the soil fertility of P, K, and Mg. Full article

Straw mulching is an important strategy for regulating soil moisture, nutrient availability, and thermal conditions in agricultural systems. However, the mechanisms by which the mulching period, thickness, and planting density interact to influence yield formation in wheat–soybean rotation systems remain insufficiently understood. In this study, we systematically examined the combined effects of straw mulching at the seedling and jointing stages of winter wheat, as well as varying mulching thicknesses and soybean planting densities, on soil properties and crop yields through field experiments. The experimental design included straw mulching treatments during the seedling stage (T₁) and the jointing stage (T₂) of winter wheat, with soybean planting densities classified as low (D₁, 1.8 × 10⁵ plants·ha⁻¹) and high (D₂, 3.6 × 10⁵ plants·ha⁻¹). Mulching thicknesses were set at low (S₁, 2830.19 kg·ha⁻¹), medium (S₂, 8490.57 kg·ha⁻¹), and high (S₃, 14,150.95 kg·ha⁻¹), in addition to a no-mulch control (CK) for each treatment. The results demonstrated that (1) straw mulching significantly increased soil water content in the order S₃ > S₂ > S₁ > CK and exerted a temperature-buffering effect. This resulted in increases in soil organic carbon, available phosphorus, and available potassium by 1.88−71.95%, 1.36−165.8%, and 1.92−36.34%, respectively, while decreasing available nitrogen content by 1.42−17.98%. (2) The T₁ treatments increased wheat yields by 1.22% compared to the control, while the T₂ treatments resulted in a 23.83% yield increase. Soybean yields increased by 23.99% under D₁ and by 36.22% under D₂ treatments. (3) Structural equation modeling indicated that straw mulching influenced yields by modifying interactions among soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, bulk density, soil temperature, and soil water content. Wheat yields were primarily regulated by the synergistic effects of soil temperature, water content, and available potassium, whereas soybean yields were determined by the dynamic balance between organic carbon and available potassium. This study provides empirical evidence to inform the optimization of straw return practices in wheat–soybean rotation systems. Full article

Excessive chemical fertilizers degrade soil and increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Organic substitution of nitrogen fertilizers is recognized as a sustainable agricultural-management practice, yet its dual role in carbon sequestration and emissions renders the net GHG balance (NGHGB) uncertain. To assess the GHG mitigation potential of organic substitution strategies, this study analyzed GHG fluxes, soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics, indirect GHG emissions, and Net Primary Productivity (NPP) based on a long-term field positioning experiment initiated in 2016. Six fertilizer regimes were systematically compared: no fertilizer control (CK); only phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (PK); total chemical fertilizer (NPK); 1/3 chemical N substituted with sheep manure (OF1); dual substitution protocol with 1/6 chemical N substituted by sheep manure and 1/6 substituted by straw-derived N (OF2); complete chemical N substitution with sheep manure (OF3). The results showed that OF1 and OF2 maintained crop yields similar to those under NPK, whereas OF3 reduced yield by over 10%; relative to NPK, OF1, OF2, and OF3 significantly increased SOC sequestration rates by 50.70–149.20%, reduced CH₄ uptake by 7.9–70.63%, increased CO₂ emissions by 1.4–23.9%, decreased N₂O fluxes by 3.6–56.2%, and mitigated indirect GHG emissions from farm inputs by 24.02–63.95%. The NGHGB was highest under OF1, 9.44–23.99% greater than under NPK. These findings demonstrate that partial organic substitution increased carbon sequestration, maintained crop yields, whereas high substitution rates increase the risk of carbon emissions. The study results indicate that substituting 1/3 of chemical nitrogen with sheep manure in maize cropping systems represents an effective fertilizer management approach to simultaneously balance productivity and ecological sustainability. Full article

This study investigated the effects of macronutrient type and concentration on the biomass yield and biochemical composition of hydroponically grown wheat sprouts (HWS), with the aim of identifying fertilization strategies that optimize both productivity and feed quality. HWS were cultivated using a nutrient film technique over a 7-day period under controlled environmental conditions, with treatments including calcium nitrate (CN1–CN3), potassium phosphate (CP1–CP3), potassium sulfate (CK1–CK2), and a balanced NPK 20–20–20 fertilizer (NPK1–NPK3), each applied at three increasing concentrations. The quantitative parameters assessed included biomass yield per unit of dry seed (DP, kg kg⁻¹) and dry matter content (DM, %), while qualitative traits included crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), and ash content. Results indicated that balanced NPK fertilization significantly enhanced performance, with NPK3 achieving the highest biomass yield (6.39 kg kg⁻¹), CP (24.26%), CF (5.63%), and ash (16.0%) content. In contrast, CN3 treatments reduced yield (4.84 kg kg⁻¹) despite increasing CP (19.65%), indicating trade-offs between nitrogen enrichment and vegetative expansion. Phosphorus-based treatments (CP2–CP3) improved nutrient density without suppressing yield. Regression analyses revealed strong correlations between DM and both CF (R² = 0.81) and ash (R² = 0.71), supporting their utility as indirect indicators of feed quality. EE content remained stable (2.07–2.67%) across all treatments, suggesting its limited responsiveness to macronutrient manipulation. These findings highlight the importance of nutrient synergy in hydroponic systems and provide a practical framework for tailoring fertilization regimes to meet specific agronomic and nutritional objectives in precision livestock feeding and provide practical guidance for optimizing hydroponic livestock feed production. Full article