Search Results (8,575)

Tree intercropping systems with leguminous cover crops and aromatic plants may provide sustainable yields, which could be improved by beneficial microbes (BMs) and zeolite, while their effects on young tree growth remain unclear. We tested whether such systems enhance early growth in young carob trees compared with conservation tillage (TLG) trees growing under rainfed semi-arid conditions. Intercropping included carobs with (i) Lathyrus ochrus, Trifolium squarrosum, and Lens culinaris combined (CC-System), (ii) Thymbra capitata planted between legumes (CCT-System), and soil amended with (iii) BM (Micosat-F-Olivo) and zeolite. All systems outperformed TLG in annual tree height increase with the CC-System excelling (TLG +13%, CC-System +42%; p < 0.05). The CC-System also significantly outpaced TLG in stem thickening (TLG 62%, CC-System 167%; p < 0.01) with BM and/or zeolite also appearing as beneficial. Improved performance was related to significantly higher dry season soil moisture, while a high L. ochrus abundance reduced thyme survival (p < 0.01). The CCT-System was also found to be less capable in weed suppression during a wet year. Thus, applying our legume intercropping system (with BM/zeolite) represents an effective nature-based solution for enhancing young carob tree growth under rainfed conditions, while adding thyme may somewhat trade productivity for biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Full article

The optimal timing of chemical defoliation is a critical bottleneck in stabilizing yield and fiber quality for short-season cotton, particularly under the intensifying pressure of mechanized global production. Current practices rely heavily on population-level boll opening rates, often overlooking the physiological maturity of late-season bolls. Here, we investigate the trade-offs between late-boll development and defoliation-induced senescence in short-season summer cotton. Our results demonstrate that defoliation timing based on a specific heat-unit or temporal threshold after flowering—rather than simple visual indicators—is essential for maximizing biological potential. We identified a critical physiological window (43 days post-anthesis) that synergistically optimizes boll weight, seed cotton yield, and fiber micronaire. Beyond this window, delayed defoliation leads to excessive fiber coarsening and reduced spinnability, while earlier application terminates dry matter accumulation prematurely, incurring significant yield penalties. These findings provide a mechanistic basis for synchronizing reproductive maturation with mechanical harvesting requirements. By establishing a precision defoliation framework, this study offers a scalable strategy to enhance the economic sustainability and resource-use efficiency of short-season cotton systems in double-cropping regions globally. Full article

Sandy soils in arid and semi-arid regions of Egypt are characterized by poor structure, low fertility, and a limited capacity to retain irrigation water, which collectively constrain nutrient availability and crop productivity under arid conditions. Despite these limitations, improving the performance and sustainability of sandy soils has become essential to meet increasing agricultural demands. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effects of biochar, mineral NPK fertilization, and seaweed extract on the growth performance, biomass production, nutrient status, and overall productivity of spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) cultivated in sandy soil. Field experiments were conducted over two successive growing seasons (2024 and 2025) at the Agricultural Research Station, Al-Marashda, Qena Governorate, Egypt, using a split-plot design with biochar application (0 and 12.5 ton ha⁻¹) as the main factor and foliar growth stimulants (control, NPK, NPK + 2 mL L⁻¹ seaweed extract, and NPK + 4 mL L⁻¹ seaweed extract) as sub-factors. Results revealed that biochar application significantly improved all vegetative growth parameters, herbage fresh and dry yields, essential oil percentage, oil yield per plant, photosynthetic pigment concentrations, and leaf N, P, and K contents compared with untreated soil. Foliar application of NPK fertilizer, particularly when combined with seaweed extract, further enhanced plant performance. The greatest improvements across all measured traits were consistently obtained from the integrated application of biochar at 12.5 ton ha⁻¹ combined with foliar spraying of NPK (5 g L⁻¹) and seaweed extract 4 mL L⁻¹. This treatment produced the highest biomass accumulation, essential oil yield, chlorophyll content, and nutrient uptake during both seasons. The findings conclude that integrating biochar with balanced mineral fertilization and natural biostimulants represents an effective and sustainable strategy for improving productivity and essential oil yield of spearmint grown in nutrient-poor sandy soils. Full article

This paper presents a focused review of a closed-loop system for sustainable hydrogen production utilizing the reaction between metallic aluminum powders and water, coupled with renewable energy-driven recycling of aluminum hydroxide (or alumina) byproducts back to metallic aluminum powders. A green energy closed-loop system based on aluminum could be achieved if the converting process is accomplished by a green Hall–Héroult process, where a cermet inert anode was used. Meanwhile, the byproduct alumina is converted back to the liquid form of aluminum at high temperature (up to 960 °C), producing pure oxygen. A high-pressure atomization process is then used to break the aluminum droplets into powder using argon gas. The technical feasibility, thermodynamic efficiency, economic viability, environmental sustainability, and comparison of this green aluminum cycle with existing hydrogen production and energy storage technologies are discussed. The aluminum–water reaction offers exceptional energy density (29.7 kJ/g of Al), ambient temperature operation, and zero direct carbon emissions. However, commercial implementation faces substantial challenges including overall round-trip energy efficiency (estimated 34.5–46.6%), technological maturity of the recycling process, passivation layer management, and economic competitiveness with conventional water electrolysis. Despite these challenges, the system demonstrates advantages for seasonal energy storage, off-grid applications, and integration with intermittent renewable energy sources. This analysis provides a framework for researchers, engineers, and policymakers to assess the potential role of aluminum-based energy cycles in the global energy transition toward carbon neutrality. Full article

This article examines the everyday dynamics of informal activities in touristified urban environments through a qualitative case study of Porto, Portugal. Drawing on an urban ethnography combining observation and semi-structured interviews, we analyse how individuals providing tourism-related services perceive their role within informality, how they articulate their agency, and how their practices contribute to the everyday production of the tourist experience. The study shows that engagement in informal tourism work is structured by intersecting legal, economic and institutional constraints that channel professional trajectories into unregulated or semi-recognised forms of labor. Individuals display significant agency through adaptive strategies, craft-based skills and relational networks that enable them to navigate surveillance, seasonality and spatial exclusion. We argue that these practices operate as a form of urban tourism scaffolding, to conceptualise informal tourism practices as a contingent support structure that sustains tourist experiences beyond formal planning and infrastructure. Although situated in precarity and vulnerability, these practices produce structural effects on the urban tourism offer by filling gaps, organizing encounters and animating public space. By conceptualising informal tourism work as a processual and relational support structure rather than as marginal spontaneity or residual activity, the article highlights the need to reconsider informal labour as a constitutive dimension of tourist cities. Full article

Wheat is one of the world’s most important crops, cultivated across diverse ecogeographic zones on more than ~245 million hectares annually. Classified by vernalization requirement into spring, facultative, or winter types, the latter typically achieves higher yields due to its extended growing season, reaching ~18 t ha⁻¹ and 9–10 t ha⁻¹ as a national average for Western European countries such as Germany, France, and England, compared with the global average of barely above 3 t ha⁻¹. Despite this potential, winter wheat is largely confined to regions with relatively mild winters, while vast temperate zones with extremely cold winters rely on spring wheat. Breeding has traditionally targeted the vernalization–C-repeat Binding Factor (VRN–CBF) pathway, which confers tolerance to moderately severe winters but is insufficient for extreme cold, implying the need for additional layers of adaptive mechanisms. Using multiple genotypic datasets, we identified genomic regions underlying low-temperature tolerance. Genome- and chromosome-wide scans revealed strong differentiation on chromosome 5A (526–703 Mb), overlapping the VRN–CBF loci. SNP-level FST analysis between spring and winter cultivars highlighted the VRN-A1 (586–588 Mb) region and a locus spanning 549 and 559 Mb on chromosome 6A. Further comparisons between winter accessions adapted to extreme cold (≤−12 °C) and mild winters (>0 °C) revealed a differentiated region on chromosome 3B (561–564 Mb) harbouring two key genes conferring CBF-independent cold tolerance, TRAESCS3B02G351100 and TRAESCS3B02G354000, encoding diacylglycerol kinase1 (DGK1) and peroxidase 56 (PRX56), respectively. These findings underscore alternative pathways in shaping cold adaptation, highlighting the need to broaden breeding strategies for extreme environments. We further detected a pronounced haplotype divergence between Chinese and U.S. winter cultivars reflecting distinct breeding trajectories; notably, China, where ~90% of wheat production is of the winter type, achieves national yields >5 t ha⁻¹, compared with ~3 t ha⁻¹ in the United States, where over 70% of production is winter wheat. This contrast suggests that the haplotypes enriched in Chinese winter cultivars could represent valuable resources for enhancing winter wheat performance in other regions with comparable environments. Full article

This study examines the traditional food exchange practice carried out between villages in the Aşağıırmaklar basin in the Ardanuç district of Artvin and villages around Ardahan during the autumn months in the context of rural sustainability, alternative economy, and livelihood strategies. The aim of the research is to reveal the structure, functioning, and sustainability of this exchange system, which has not been documented in the literature before, in its socioeconomic, cultural, and managerial dimensions. The barter practice in question involves exchanging fruits such as apples, pears, plums, and mulberries that grow naturally in the Ardanuç region, along with molasses and dried products made from them, for wheat, barley, and various animal products grown in the surrounding villages of Ardahan. The barter process operates without any official institution, written contract, or formal organization, based on reciprocity, trust, and unwritten rules. The research was structured as an interpretive case study within the framework of a qualitative research approach. Data were obtained through semi-structured in-depth interviews and field observations with five individuals actively involved in the barter process. The collected qualitative data were analyzed to reveal the analytical dimensions through which the exchange practice functions as a strategy for life and livelihood. The findings show that food exchange offers an alternative exchange mechanism that reduces food waste in rural areas and utilizes local production surpluses. Furthermore, it was found that the practice is sustained within an informal yet functional coordination structure that adapts to geographical and seasonal conditions, and is transmitted across generations through social relationships based on mutual trust. The study highlights the strategic importance of non-market exchange practices in rural areas in terms of sustainability, local economy, and community resilience. Full article

The emission of greenhouse gases associated with the combustion of hydrocarbons is a key factor in climate change, and in this context, increasing emphasis is being placed on the development of clean energy sources. The novel contribution of the article lies in identifying the energy potential of surface waters within energy systems transitioning away from fossil fuels. In the case of Poland, whose energy system has been based on coal for many decades, there are still many opportunities to expand energy production from renewable sources. One such source is the heat contained in surface waters. The research presented in this article focuses on the thermal structure of nine stratified lakes in Poland, examining changes over time and across different spatial profiles. Considering all temperature profiles, values ranged from 8.3 °C in May to 10.1 °C in September. In general, water warming occurs from May to the July–August transition, reaching a maximum of over 6 °C, while cooling takes place in the later phase of the analyzed season at a lower level, not exceeding 6 °C. It was found that the most thermally stable part of the water body was the layer between 15 m in depth and the bottom of the lakes, for which the heat resources were calculated. Using the basic physical properties of water, the amount of heat for this layer was determined. Assuming that technological processes do not reduce the water temperature below 4 °C (maximum water density), the hypothetical amount of available energy ranges from 630 to 101,000 MWh. The results indicate the high energy potential of lakes, which could be utilized in the future, provided further legal and economic analyses are conducted for specific cases. The study highlights the need to expand the long-term thermal monitoring of lakes, covering their entire vertical structure. Priority for such measurements should be given to lakes located near human settlements, as these have the highest potential for practical use. Full article

Agriculture must balance productivity with greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, and resource concerns. This study examined how tillage (conventional, CT; minimum, MT), nitrogen fertilisation (0–221 kg N ha⁻¹), and herbicide rates (0–100%) interactively affected soil CO₂ emissions, vegetation vigour, and weed diversity in maize production during 2022. A factorial experiment was conducted on a 1 ha with 40 plots monitored soil temperature, moisture, penetration resistance, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), weed diversity (Simpson’s Index), and CO₂ emissions (closed-chamber method). Minimum tillage increased soil water retention (9.3 ± 6.5% vs. 5.4 ± 4.3%), soil temperature (28.0 ± 1.5), and compaction (0.6 ± 0.3 vs. 0.1 ± 0.0 MPa), while enhancing weed diversity (0.53–0.80 vs. 0.38–0.67). MT produced higher CO₂ emissions than CT, especially at 147 kg N ha⁻¹ (49.9 ± 15.7 vs. 29.1 ± 11.6 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹), peaking under MT-147 kg N ha⁻¹-H75 (79.4 ± 1.2 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹). NDVI responses varied between tillage systems; under CT, vegetation vigour peaked at 75% herbicide application, while under MT vegetation was more responsive to nitrogen and more sensitive to herbicide, highlighting nitrogen × herbicide interaction trade-offs. Overall, MT enhanced water conservation and weed diversity but increased short-term CO₂ emissions. This study reports first-year, site-specific results from an ongoing multi-year field experiment; therefore, the findings were interpreted as short-term, season-specific responses. This highlights the need for site-specific, climate-smart management that integrates emissions, soil health, biodiversity, and productivity. Full article

Cassava is an economically important crop in Colombia, particularly along the Caribbean Coast, where major processing industries are located. Seasonality in cassava production poses a major challenge for both industry and farmers, as current commercial varieties exhibit a pronounced decline in dry matter content (DMC) when harvest is extended beyond 10–12 months after planting (MAP). To address this issue, several experimental genotypes and three commercial checks were evaluated in multi-location trials across the Caribbean Coast under several harvest ages and specially after 10, 14, and 18 MAP. Genotype SM2828-28 emerged as a promising candidate due to its adequate sprouting, plant height, first branching height, fresh root yield, and low susceptibility to root rot and lodging. A key advantage of this clone is the stability of its DMC across different harvest ages. Extending the harvest period with appropriate germplasm may increase farmers’ income and reduce the downtime of processing facilities caused by seasonal production gaps. The evidence also suggests that DMC stability is under genetic control, indicating that it can be effectively improved through targeted breeding. However, research involving extended harvest intervals poses considerable logistical challenges. Full article

In early-stage product ideation, generative AI has emerged as a design support tool, yet most prompts still rely on designers’ subjective intent with limited grounding in user context. Therefore, we developed a user-centered prompting method, introducing a context-based prompt derived from field data, alongside narrative-based and keyword-based prompts as controls. Using these prompts, 15 conceptual images of farming tools for elderly users were generated via DALL·E 3 and evaluated by seven seasoned experts across five criteria. The results show that context-based prompts outperformed others, especially in practicality and intent alignment. A thematic analysis of qualitative feedback further reveals that user-grounded prompts enhance design resonance and usability. This workflow offers implications for improving human–AI co-creation, especially in socially sensitive design contexts. Full article

Durum wheat productivity in Mediterranean regions faces growing challenges from drought and heat stress. Understanding the genetic architecture of diverse germplasm is therefore essential to support pre-breeding efforts and enhance stress adaptation. In this context, 125 durum wheat genotypes were evaluated for agro-morphological traits across two contrasting Algerian locations over two growing seasons. A subset of 94 genotypes, selected on the basis of phenotypic characterization, was genotyped using the Illumina 7K SNP array. Population structure analysis revealed two to four subgroups, with linkage disequilibrium decaying at 4.09 Mb. Genome-wide association analysis identified 27 distinct significant SNPs associated with eight traits, with most associations detected for spike length, thousand-kernel weight, and plant height. The marker TGWA25K-TG0010 on chromosome 4A showed pleiotropic effects on plant height and peduncle length and co-localized with the Dwarf8 and gibberellic-acid-insensitive genes. Additionally, wsnp_Ex_c2033_3814035 on chromosome 2A was associated with heading earliness and the number of fertile spikelets per spike, and wsnp_Ku_c51039_56457361 on chromosome 5A with plant height and peduncle length in a single site and season. Several other environment-specific associations were also identified. These results support future studies in which the identified markers may be deployed in breeding strategies aimed at improving yield stability and stress adaptability in durum wheat under Algerian conditions. Full article

Understanding the coupling mechanisms between vegetation phenology and carbon productivity is essential for assessing ecosystem responses to climate change and guiding sustainable grassland management. This study focuses on stable alpine grasslands on the southern slope of the Qilian Mountains from 2001 to 2020, a climatically sensitive but relatively under-investigated transition zone on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. We utilized MODIS NDVI time-series (MOD13Q1) and the latest PML V2 gross primary productivity (GPP) product at 500 m resolution to quantify changes in the start (SOS), end (EOS), and length (LOS) of the growing season. A pixel-wise linear regression approach was applied to evaluate the sensitivity of GPP to phenological metrics, explicitly characterizing how much GPP changes in response to unit shifts in SOS, EOS and LOS. Compared with previous studies that mainly described large-scale correlations between phenology and GPP or relied on coarser GPP products, this study provides a pixel-level, sensitivity-based assessment of phenology–carbon coupling in alpine grasslands using a long-term, phenology–GPP dataset tailored to the Qilian alpine region. The results revealed trends of earlier SOS, delayed EOS, and extended LOS, accompanied by a gradual increase in GPP. However, phenology–GPP coupling exhibited notable spatial heterogeneity. In mid- and low-altitude areas, extended growing seasons enhanced GPP, whereas high-altitude zones showed limited or even negative responses, likely due to climatic constraints such as cold stress and thermal–moisture mismatches. To better understand these spatial differences, we constructed a three-dimensional phenology–GPP sensitivity space and applied k-means clustering to delineate three ecological functional zones: (1) high carbon sink potential, (2) ecologically fragile regions, and (3) neutral buffers. This sensitivity-based functional zonation moves beyond traditional correlation analyses and provides a process-oriented and spatially explicit framework for ecosystem service assessment, carbon sink enhancement and adaptive land-use strategies in sensitive mountain environments. Full article

This study analyzed how climate variability affects lactation yield and reproduction in Holstein cows in a continental climate. It specifically compared Wet-Bulb Temperature (T_wb) with the standard Temperature–Humidity Index (THI). We conducted a retrospective study on a dairy farm in Konya, Türkiye, analyzing a total of 144 complete lactation records from a herd of 90 cows calving between 2022 and 2023. To rule out nutritional factors, a consistent TMR diet without pasture access was maintained in both years. Average Daily Milk Yield (ADMY) was calculated to adjust for lactation length. Climatic data showed a distinct contrast. Ambient temperatures and THI were similar between years (p > 0.05). However, 2022 was characterized by “humid heat” (high T_wb), while 2023 presented a “dry heat” profile with significantly lower T_wb (p < 0.001). This difference significantly impacted performance. Cows in the 2023 group produced much higher milk yields (50.55 ± 3.01 kg) than the 2022 group (30.74 ± 0.81 kg) (p < 0.001). Unexpectedly, milk yield peaked during the Autumn and Summer seasons of the low-humidity year. In contrast, fertility declined with thermal load. Poor winter fertility suggested a “carry-over” effect of previous heat stress. These findings show that T_wb is a better indicator of thermal comfort than THI in continental climates. Furthermore, low humidity can significantly reduce the negative impact of heat on milk production. Full article

We investigated the effects of a root-restricted cultivation experiment of netted melons in a greenhouse in south China over two cropping seasons (autumn–winter and spring–summer) with three root-zone volumes (R1: 15 L/plant, R2: 5 L/plant, and R3: 0.75 L/plant) on fruit production and quality. Seasonal temperature and light conditions significantly regulate the balance between yield and quality of netted melons. The high-temperature and strong-light environment in summer promotes vigorous plant growth, fruit expansion and the formation of coarse reticulation, achieving high yield, but it leads to a significant reduction in the content of soluble solids, Vc, soluble protein and antioxidant substances. Under the low-temperature and weak-light conditions in autumn, plants increase the angle between stems and leaves to enhance light interception. Although the fruits are small and the reticulation is fine, they accumulate higher levels of sugar, nutrients and antioxidant substances due to the large diurnal temperature difference. Furthermore, the effect of root restriction cultivation is significantly climate-dependent: severe root restriction (R3) can increase the harvest index in both seasons and improve the fineness of the reticulation in autumn, but it inhibits growth. Therefore, root-zone volume is the key to regulating comprehensive performance, and strategies should be optimized in combination with the climate background: moderate (R2) root restriction in autumn is suitable for improving quality and yield, while severe root restriction (R3) in summer has potential applications in specific quality indicators. Full article