Search Results (3,417)

Cabbage is a major leafy vegetable in China, but its post-harvest stubble—characterized by high lignification, a thick primary taproot, well-developed lateral roots, and strong root–soil anchorage—poses significant challenges for mechanical incorporation. To address this, a discrete element method (DEM) model of ‘Zhonggan 21’ cabbage stubble was developed. A geometric model was established using root depth as the primary characteristic dimension. Intrinsic physical properties and contact mechanical parameters were systematically measured. DEM parameters were calibrated against shear test results, yielding the following optimal parameter set: tangential stiffness per unit area of 5.54 × 10⁹ N·m⁻³, a tangential bond strength of 1.06 × 10⁶ Pa, and a bonding radius coefficient of 1.07. Under this configuration, the simulated peak shear force deviated from the experimental measurement by merely 1.77%. This work delivers a full-scale property profile of cabbage stubble and constructs a validated DEM model, providing a robust foundation for designing stubble incorporation machinery and advancing low-draft, energy-saving tillage equipment to support sustainable vegetable cropping systems. Full article

Protein hydrolysates (PHs) have emerged as a pivotal category of plant biostimulants in sustainable agriculture. They are derived from the enzymatic, chemical, or thermal hydrolysis of agro-industrial by-products of animal or plant origin. These complex mixtures of free amino acids, oligopeptides, and polypeptides enhance crop productivity, nutrient use efficiency, and abiotic stress resilience. This review examines and compares the production methods, chemical composition, agronomic performance, physiological mechanism, and safety profiles of animal-derived (A-PHs) and vegetal-derived (V-PHs) protein hydrolysates, with particular emphasis on hydrolyzed collagen (HC) as an emerging biostimulant. Furthermore, the specific physiological roles of proline in mediating plant stress tolerance and hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins in maintaining cell wall integrity are evaluated. Animal-derived sources, including collagen, keratin, and fish by-products, are characterized by elevated glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline concentrations, amino acids with established roles in root architecture promotion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, and osmotic adjustment under stress. Conversely, V-PH exhibit richer bioactive peptide profiles and superior environmental sustainability indices. Underlying mechanisms encompass hormone-like activities mimicking auxin and gibberellin signaling, transcriptional reprogramming of nitrogen assimilation pathways, antioxidant enzyme modulation, and rhizosphere microbiota stimulation. Full article

Accurate modeling and partitioning of forest evapotranspiration (ET) are essential for understanding water cycle processes in forest ecosystems. This study develops an improved three-source ET model by integrating a physically based canopy interception evaporation (Ei) scheme into the Shuttleworth–Wallace–Hu (SWH) model. A Monte Carlo stochastic parameterization scheme was applied to optimize model parameters. The proposed framework disaggregates the total ET flux into three distinct components: vegetation transpiration, soil evaporation, and Ei, thereby reducing uncertainties associated with the original SWH model in humid forest regions. The new model’s performance was assessed using flux observations from two subtropical forest sites and compared to the SWH model. The verification results indicate that the three-source model provided reliable estimates of daily ET. At the QYZ station (2004–2007) and the DHS station (2005–2007), the fitting slopes for simulating daily ET were 0.97 and 1.01, respectively, with corresponding coefficients of determination of 0.92 and 0.81. The root mean square errors (RMSE) for the three-source model were 0.38 mm day⁻¹ and 0.52 mm day⁻¹, respectively, with a reduction of 4.33% and 3.10% in RMSE compared to the SWH model. Additionally, the new model simulated the annual T/ET ratio more accurately, with values closer to site-measured data than the SWH model’s estimates. At both sites, the T/ET ratios simulated by the new model were closer to the observed values than those simulated by the SWH model, indicating an improved representation of ecohydrological processes. Furthermore, environmental analysis revealed that vapor pressure deficit and precipitation primarily govern the T/ET ratio, exerting the strongest positive and negative effects, respectively. Importantly, it requires only one additional precipitation parameter compared to the SWH model, yet achieves higher simulation accuracy and a more realistic representation of hydrological processes. Overall, the three-source model provides an improved framework for estimating ET in humid forest ecosystems. Ultimately, these results offer deeper insights into the coupled water and energy fluxes within forest ecosystems, thereby facilitating more effective water management and guiding sustainable forestry under a shifting climate. Full article

Soil erosion on sloping farmland impairs cultivated land quality, food security, and watershed ecological sustainability across China. Vegetation serves as a core erosion buffer, yet how nitrogen–phosphorus (N-P) stoichiometry shapes coordinated maize growth to regulate multi-stage runoff–sediment coupling remains underexplored. This study reveals the complete mechanistic chain linking N-P ratios, crop growth synchrony, and hillslope erosion dynamics via 60 mm·h⁻¹ simulated rainfall experiments at three key summer maize stages, with six N/P gradients (0–3.75) in an eastern China brown soil zone. An N/P ratio of 2 optimized maize biomass, canopy cover, and root soil-binding capacity, yielding the lowest sediment concentrations. Excess nitrogen (N/P = 3.75) triggered spindly, mechanically weak maize growth, elevating runoff volume and sustaining high-variability sediment transport. High-frequency runoff–sediment signals maintained a consistent positive correlation, while mid/low-frequency components decoupled under imbalanced N-P supply. Moderate balanced N-P fertilization (N/P = 1–2) stabilized hillslope hydrological-erosion processes throughout the growing cycle, whereas surplus nitrogen induced asynchronous erosion responses. This research delivers quantitative evidence for coordinated high-yield and erosion-control nutrient management. Full article

The AP2/ERF transcription factor family is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and plays essential roles in growth and development. Chili pepper, as a representative member of the Solanaceae family, is an important vegetable crop with enormous economic value. In this study, using the recently released gap-free telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of pepper, we re-annotated the AP2/ERF transcription factor family and identified 155 high-confidence members. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into five subfamilies: AP2 (19), ERF (82), DREB (51), RAV (1), and Soloist (2). Comprehensive analyses of gene structure, conserved motifs, chromosomal distribution, collinearity, cis-elements, and expression profiles revealed substantial structural conservation and functional diversification within the family. Expression profiling highlighted CaBBM, a key member of the AP2 subfamily, as a candidate developmental regulator, prompting further functional characterization. Expression analyses using qRT-PCR and promoter–GUS assays showed that CaBBM was preferentially expressed in stamens, while subcellular localization assays confirmed its nuclear localization. Preliminary analysis of biological functions suggests that heterologous expression of CaBBM in Arabidopsis can lead to phenotypes such as shorter primary roots, smaller leaves and floral organs, and decreased pollen number. In addition, yeast two-hybrid screening identified 12 candidate interacting proteins. These results provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the AP2/ERF family in chili pepper and lay a foundation for elucidating the function and regulatory mechanisms of CaBBM. Full article

Identifying the main drivers of soil CO₂ emissions in tropical agroecosystems is essential for balancing productivity and climate mitigation. This study evaluated the effects of crop type, irrigation, phenological stage, fertilization, soil cover condition, and season on total soil respiration in a humid marshland system in Rwanda using a two-season field experiment. Five crops (maize, soybean, common bean, Irish potato, and Brachiaria) were grown under irrigated and rainfed conditions, and total soil CO₂ emissions were measured across 19 sampling campaigns in both crop-covered and adjacent non-vegetated conditions in all plots using the closed static chamber method. Crop type and growth stage were the dominant drivers of soil CO₂ emissions (p < 0.001), while irrigation had no significant direct effect despite increasing yields (p < 0.001). As a result, irrigation reduced yield-scaled CO₂ emissions for beans and Irish potato (p < 0.05). Brachiaria showed higher emissions, particularly during the development stage, but its high biomass led to lower emissions per unit yield. Fertilization significantly increased total soil respiration (p < 0.001), and emissions were higher under crop-covered soil than non-vegetated soil conditions (p < 0.001). Season did not significantly affect soil CO₂ emissions (p = 0.123), and similar emission patterns were observed across the two cropping seasons. Because the measurements represented total soil respiration, the observed differences reflect the combined contributions of autotrophic (root) and heterotrophic (microbial) respiration and do not distinguish between these individual components. These findings indicate that crop traits, plant developmental stage, vegetation cover, and nutrient inputs are the primary factors associated with variation in total soil CO₂ emissions under moisture-sufficient tropical conditions and highlight the importance of biological drivers in regulating carbon dynamics in marshland agroecosystems. Full article

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves are widely used as functional food and medicinal-food raw materials, yet the influence of soil microplastic contamination on their quality formation remains insufficiently understood. In this study, a 45-day pot experiment with 3–4 biological replicates was conducted to compare the effects of conventional polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) microplastics at graded soil application rates on mulberry seedling growth, tissue ultrastructure, antioxidant-related quality attributes, and metabolic profiles. PE and PBS suppressed mulberry height, stem diameter and biomass in a dose-dependent way (p < 0.05). At 400 mg/kg, PE reduced plant height, stem diameter and fresh biomass by 34.7%, 30.8% and 31.4%, while PBS caused larger declines of 45.5%, 39.8% and 42.5%; total dry biomass dropped maximally by 34.2% under PE and 46.8% under PBS. Both treatments triggered 31.8% compensatory root elongation potentially for nutrient capture, yet PBS induced more severe root pore blockage and leaf cuticle damage than PE across tested concentrations. MP exposure raised leaf total flavonoids and phenolics markedly. At 400 mg/kg, PE and PBS boosted flavonoids by 82.8% and 90.9%, phenolics by 90.1% and 100.8%. Meanwhile, 400 mg/kg PE and PBS increased DPPH activity by 65.9% and 73.5%, ABTS activity by 66.3% and 74.4% relative to the control. Non-targeted metabolomics demonstrated pronounced shifts in the leaf metabolic profiles, characterized by the accumulation of coumaric acid, quercetin, and rutin, while glutathione levels declined. KEGG analysis identified phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis as core responsive pathways; high PBS levels strongly disturbed lipid and stress metabolism. Overall, microplastic stress induced a trade-off between vegetative growth and antioxidant-oriented secondary metabolism in mulberry leaves. These findings suggest that biodegradable PBS residues can induce prominent physiological variations during the initial crop production stage, which highlights the need to closely track their temporal effects on functional raw materials. Full article

Soil ecosystems generate a wide variety of biological and physical sounds, yet the temporal organization of soil acoustic environments remains poorly understood. This study investigated seasonal and daily dynamics of soil acoustic activity using continuous recordings collected over an entire calendar year at four soil stations subjected to different vegetation management regimes. Custom-built piezoelectric probes were used to record vibrations within the upper soil layer. Two complementary analytical approaches were applied. Conventional Acoustic Features (Root Mean Square, Zero Crossing Rate, Spectral Centroid, Spectral Bandwidth, Spectral Entropy, and Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients) were used to characterize monthly and solar-phase variability, whereas Sonic Heterogeneity Indices (SHI_ft and SHI_tf) were employed to investigate seasonal organization and climatic forcing. Climatic variables and solar phases were analyzed using correlation analyses, clustering procedures, machine learning models, and seasonal and sinusoidal frameworks. Acoustic Features revealed a clear seasonal organization, with winter and early spring months forming coherent acoustic regimes across most stations. Responses to solar phases were detectable but strongly dependent on local site conditions. SHI_ft and SHI_tf metrics showed higher heterogeneity during autumn and winter than during spring and summer. Climatic variables emerged as important drivers of acoustic heterogeneity, while sinusoidal models generally described annual SHI_tf dynamics better than conventional seasonal classifications. These findings indicate that soil acoustic environments are structured by interacting seasonal, climatic, and astronomical processes operating across multiple temporal scales and support the development of soil ecoacoustics as a non-invasive tool for investigating ecosystem functioning. Full article

The therapeutic use of Taraxacum officinale L. remains a challenge due to its chemical profile shifting dramatically, markedly with seasonal variation and processing techniques. To address this, the paper evaluated how the plant organ, harvest season, and extraction technique as ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and solid–liquid extraction in a Soxhlet system (both using hydroalcoholic solvent concentrations of 70:30 (v/v) ethanol) and conventional cold maceration, at solvent concentration 50:50 (v/v) ethanol, respectively 70:30 (v/v) ethanol, could have impact both metabolite yield and biological activity. The findings show that a single, uniform extraction protocol is inefficient; instead, the data support a dual-harvest approach of vegetal product. Autumn harvests are ideal for extracting tannins and anthocyanins, while spring harvests maximize flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids. In terms of methodology, UAE, with 70:30 (v/v) ethanol, consistently outperforms other approaches because it prevents thermal degradation of Soxhlet extraction and improves the recovery of intermediate-polarity compounds. As a result, UAE extracts showed the strongest antimicrobial action, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, and notable effectiveness against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition, brine shrimp lethality screening confirmed the safety of all extracts (LC₅₀ > 1000 µg/mL). Notably, the root extracts induced a specific, non-lethal delay in larval development, likely tied to their unique bitter principles. This research provides a practical framework for tailoring harvest and extraction parameters to target specific compounds for clinical and nutraceutical use. Full article

The shear characteristics of soil–root systems are dynamic indicators for assessing soil erosion resistance. Vegetation type influences shear characteristics by altering soil properties and root traits. However, the mechanisms by which mixed vegetation roots affect shear characteristics remain unclear. We selected naturally restored forestland (with Dicranopteris dichotoma, Baeckea frutescens, and their combinations) and artificially managed orchard systems (with Paspalum wettsteinii, Gardenia jasminoides, and their combinations) in the erosion-prone red soil region of southern China. In situ shear tests were conducted to explore the shear characteristics of soil–root systems under different vegetation types, identify the main influencing factors, and clarify the underlying mechanisms. Shear fracture energy (SFE), peak shear stress (PSS), and peak shear stress displacement (DPS) decreased with increasing soil depth across all sites. The average SFE and PSS in the forestland were 2.44 and 3.11 times higher, respectively, than those in the orchards. The main factors influencing shear characteristics in forestland included root volume density, tensile strength, bulk density, and mean weight diameter of aggregates (MWD), whereas those at the orchard sites included root length density, tensile strength, and organic matter content. Root factors had a stronger impact on shear fracture energy than soil properties. Shear fracture energy equations were constructed for forestland and orchard sites, showing high R² and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency values, indicating adequate predictive performance. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanical mechanisms of soils under vegetation restoration, provide scientific evidence for soil and water conservation evaluations, and help optimize vegetation restoration strategies in the Southern Red Soil Region. Full article

Grafting and foliar calcium application are common practices for improving vegetable crops, but their interactions in soil and soilless cultivation systems are not well understood. To address these knowledge gaps for sustainable greenhouse cucumber production, this study investigated the effects of calcium foliar application (control, 200 mg/L as nano-CaCO₃ or CaCl₂) and grafting (no grafting, grafting on Ganate rootstock or Routpower rootstock) on the growth and yield of greenhouse cucumber cv. Saba in soil and soilless systems. It should be noted that the two cultivation systems differed in several management factors (pot size, substrate, irrigation frequency, and fertilization method), and this study compares complete production packages rather than isolating individual factors. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a factorial design with four replications. The results showed that the cultivation system was the dominant factor. Soilless cultivation significantly increased shoot fresh weight (307–344 g), plant height (265–326 cm), number of fruits (36–54 per plant), and fruit yield (2.7–4.5 kg per plant) compared to soil cultivation (shoot fresh weight: 177–216 g; yield: 0.4–1.0 kg per plant). Conversely, plants grown in soil had higher leaf dry weight percentage, root dry weight percentage, chlorophyll, and carotenoids. The effects of grafting were system dependent, with non-grafted plants performing as well or better in soilless culture, while grafted plants (especially Saba/Routpower combination) showed some soil-based advantages, including greater root length. Foliar calcium did not significantly improve most parameters, indicating that standard nutrient management provided sufficient calcium or that the 200 mg/L concentration was insufficient. Under the conditions tested, ungrafted plants grown without foliar calcium supplementation in soilless culture achieved yields comparable to more complex treatments, suggesting a simpler and more cost-effective production strategy. Full article

Remote sensing has become an important tool for crop monitoring and precision agriculture, yet its applications in sugar beet production remain fragmented across sensing platforms, target traits and modelling strategies. This review synthesises the development, current applications and future directions of remote sensing in sugar beet production, with particular attention to the transition from crop monitoring to precision management. A structured search was conducted in Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection for publications from 2003 to 2025, and 181 relevant peer-reviewed articles were retained for thematic analysis. The literature shows a clear increase in sugar beet remote sensing studies, particularly after 2015, coinciding with the availability of Sentinel-2 imagery and, from 2016 onwards, the growing use of unmanned aerial vehicle-based sensing. It also indicates a gradual shift from crop mapping and canopy monitoring towards disease detection, weed mapping, yield prediction and management-oriented applications. Current studies demonstrate the value of satellite, unmanned aerial vehicle and proximal sensing for retrieving canopy traits, assessing biotic stresses, estimating root yield and supporting field-scale management. However, sugar beet presents specific challenges because its economic value depends not only on canopy development or root biomass, but also on sucrose concentration, recoverable sugar yield, and processing quality. These quality-related traits remain less studied and are difficult to infer directly from canopy observations. Modelling approaches have evolved from vegetation-index-based empirical models towards machine learning, deep learning, multi-temporal analysis, data fusion and crop model assimilation, but issues of model transferability, ground-truth availability and operational decision support remain unresolved. Future research should strengthen multi-source observations, external validation, quality-oriented prediction and decision-support workflows to promote robust, scalable and economically meaningful remote sensing applications in sugar beet production. Full article

Water deficit represents a major environmental constraint that severely limits the growth and yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Although inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate drought-induced stress, the efficacy of specific strains, such as Priestia aryabhattai CMAA 1363, remains to be fully elucidated. This study evaluated the morpho-agronomic and biochemical responses of common bean to seed inoculation with P. aryabhattai CMAA 1363 under two contrasting irrigation regimes: 100% (well-watered) and 40% (water-restricted) of available water capacity (AWC) under greenhouse conditions. Water restriction significantly compromised plant performance, reducing plant and pod length, root dry biomass, and yield components (pod and grain counts, and total grain mass). Conversely, bacterial inoculation enhanced vegetative traits, increasing plant length by approximately 15% and root dry biomass by approximately 25% compared to non-inoculated controls. Notably, under severe water deficit (40% AWC), inoculated plants achieved a 20% increase in total grain mass per plant relative to their non-inoculated counterparts. Biochemical profiling indicated that inoculation effectively attenuated oxidative stress, as evidenced by lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and modulated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, while water-stressed plants adapted by accumulating total soluble sugars and increasing peroxidase (POD) activity. Overall, P. aryabhattai CMAA 1363 promotes vegetative development, preserves grain production under drought, and orchestrates antioxidant defense mechanisms, highlighting its potential as a sustainable bioinput to improve common bean resilience in water-limited agricultural systems. Full article

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable cultivated globally, particularly under soilless systems to enable intensive and high-efficiency production. In these systems, precise nutrient solution management is essential, especially regarding calcium, an indispensable macronutrient involved in cell wall stabilization, membrane integrity, root development, and physiological responses to stress. This study evaluated the morphological and nutritional performance of crisp lettuce cultivars Mônica SF 31 and Veneranda grown using a nutrient film technique (NFT) system, using Calcário, Lithocal^®, and LT Supra^® as alternative calcium sources, alongside a control treatment. The experiment followed a randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement. Measured variables included root, leaf, and stem dry mass; stem length and diameter; and nutrient accumulation and gas exchange parameters. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared using Scott-knott test. Calcium supplementation significantly increased plant growth, with leaf fresh mass rising by 37% and root fresh mass by 56% compared to the control. Foliar calcium and magnesium concentrations were effectively enhanced by the treatments. Calcário, Lithocal^®, and LT Supra^® demonstrated effectiveness as calcium sources in soilless lettuce cultivation, promoting improved nutrient accumulation—particularly calcium and magnesium—and substantial gains in fresh biomass and root system development. Calcium supplementation is therefore recommended as a strategy to enhance productivity and crop quality in intensive soilless systems. Full article

⁹⁰Sr is a representative anthropogenic radionuclide, widely released into the environment through atmospheric nuclear tests, nuclear accidents, and routine operations of nuclear facilities, resulting in long-term residual contamination in soils worldwide. Its long half-life, high mobility, and chemical similarity to calcium make it easy to enter the food chain through the soil–plant system, thereby posing a persistent threat to ecosystems and human health. Conventional physical and chemical remediation approaches are often costly, ecologically disruptive, and inefficient for large-scale applications, highlighting an urgent need for sustainable, in situ strategies. Moreover, existing knowledge on ⁹⁰Sr behavior has largely been generated from isolated studies, lacking an integrated framework to guide remediation efforts. This review summarizes the migration mechanisms of ⁹⁰Sr in the soil–plant system and the main factors influencing its transport and accumulation. In soil, the migration of ⁹⁰Sr is jointly controlled by soil texture and mineral composition, competing cations, organic matter, soil pH, and moisture, with cation exchange acting as the main immobilization mechanism. Plant uptake and accumulation of ⁹⁰Sr show distinct inter- and intra-species differences, and the distribution generally follows the pattern of vegetative organs > reproductive organs. This process is regulated by root activity, transpiration, and competition with Ca²⁺ transport channels. Agronomic practices such as liming, deep plowing, and balanced fertilization can effectively reduce the phytoavailability of ⁹⁰Sr by promoting ion competition and modifying the rhizosphere environment. Meanwhile, phytoremediation offers a promising green approach for the remediation of contaminated soils. Overall, this review provides a theoretical basis and scientific reference for the risk management and bioremediation of ⁹⁰Sr in soil–plant systems. Full article