Search Results (1,687)

Memory forensics is an essential cybersecurity tool that comprehensively examines volatile memory to detect the malicious activity of fileless malware that can bypass disk analysis. Image-based detection techniques provide a promising solution by visualizing memory data into images to be used and analyzed by image processing tools and machine learning methods. However, the effectiveness of image-based data for detection and classification requires high computational efforts. This paper investigates the efficacy of texture-based methods in detecting and classifying memory-resident or fileless malware using different image resolutions, identifying the best feature descriptors, classifiers, and resolutions that accurately classify malware into specific families and differentiate them from benign software. Moreover, this paper uses both local and global descriptors, where local descriptors include Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB), Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT), and Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) and global descriptors include Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), GIST, and Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM). The results indicate that as image resolution increases, most feature descriptors yield more discriminative features but require higher computational efforts in terms of time and processing resources. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a novel approach that integrates Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) with deep learning models to automatically identify and crop the most important regions of memory images. The LIME’s ROI was extracted based on ResNet50 and MobileNet models’ predictions separately, the images were resized to 128 × 128, and the sampling process was performed dynamically to speed up LIME computation. The ROIs of the images are cropped to new images with sizes of (100 × 100) in two stages: the coarse stage and the fine stage. The two generated LIME-based cropped images using ResNet50 and MobileNet are fed to the lightweight neural network to evaluate the effectiveness of the LIME-based identified regions. The results demonstrate that the LIME-based MobileNet model’s prediction improves the efficiency of the model by preserving important features with a classification accuracy of 85% on multi-class classification. Full article

Biochar amendment has been widely recognized for its potential to promote soil carbon sequestration and improve crop productivity; however, the microbial mechanisms underlying carbon sequestration at varying biochar application rates remain insufficiently understood. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in a typical fluvo-aquic soil region of the North China Plain under a maize–wheat rotation, with one-time biochar application at four levels: CK (0 t ha⁻¹), B5 (5 t ha⁻¹), B10 (10 t ha⁻¹), and B20 (20 t ha⁻¹). The effects of these treatments on soil physicochemical properties, organic carbon fractions, microbial community structure, and enzyme activities were systematically examined. The results showed that soil total nitrogen (TN) and pH increased consistently with higher biochar application rates, reaching maximum values under B20 treatment, where TN and pH rose by 35.56% and 7.00% relative to CK, respectively. In contrast, the contents of NH₄⁺-N, available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium were mostly enhanced under B5 during the maize season, while in the wheat season, NH₄⁺-N peaked under B10 and AP peaked under B5. Biochar addition significantly increased soil organic carbon fractions and the carbon pool management index (CMI). In the maize season, soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and CMI under B20 rose by 55.99%, 39.67%, 79.69% and 180.54% over CK, respectively, whereas dissolved organic carbon (DOC) peaked under B5. Throughout the wheat season, SOC, MBC, and POC contents under B20 were 53.70%, 64.31% and 147.81% higher than CK, while DOC peaked under B5 (+56.98%). Soil enzyme activities, including catalase, urease, invertase and alkaline phosphatase, were strongly stimulated by biochar, with B20 increasing their activities by 4.49–18.18%, 3.19–19.77%, 6.14–26.14% and 12.25–33.19%, respectively. Biochar also reshaped microbial community structure: the during maize season, it reduced the relative abundance of Glomeromycetes (65.31%) and Oligohymenophorea (51.64%) while enhancing Deltaproteobacteria (46.15%) and Gammaproteobacteria (29.03%); during wheat season; it enhanced Eurotiomycetes (85.77%) and Dothideomycetes (16.28%) but suppressed Deinococci (74.08%) and Alphaproteobacteria (4.39%). Pathway analysis further indicated that biochar amendments indirectly increased SOC fractions and CMI by simultaneously altering nutrient availability, regulating microbial community structure, and stimulating soil enzyme activities. Collectively, these findings highlight that the effects of biochar are dosage-specific: moderate rates (e.g., 5 t ha ⁻¹) are more suitable for the short-term improvement of soil fertility, while higher rates (e.g., 20 t ha⁻¹) are more effective for long-term carbon sequestration; depending on the objective, biochar application can thus substantially modify soil physicochemical and biological processes to promote agroecosystem sustainability in the North China Plain. Full article

Context: For decades, maize monoculture practices dominated Northeast China, causing significant damage to the local soil and ecological environment. Crop rotation has, in recent years, been promoted as an environmentally friendly and sustainable technology in China. Despite its numerous benefits for the environment and crop productivity, farmers’ willingness to adopt crop rotation remains low. Objective: This study aims to investigate the social–psychological factors influencing farmers’ intentions to adopt maize–soybean rotation, with the goal of informing strategies for promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Methods: Based on a farm-level survey of 298 rural households in Northeast China, this study integrates value orientation into the Theory of Planned Behavior and employs structural equation modeling to investigate the social–psychological factors that affect farmers’ willingness to adopt soybean-based rotation. Results and Conclusions: The findings confirm the applicability of the extended Theory of Planned Behavior in explaining farmers’ decision-making. Farmers’ attitudes (0.384) and perceived behavioral control (0.323) had significant positive effects on adoption intentions, whereas subjective norms (0.018) were not significant. More favorable attitudes and greater perceived behavioral control, reflecting higher risk tolerance and better access to external support, promoted adoption. Value orientations strongly shaped farmers’ attitudes: altruism (0.148) and biospheric values (0.180) had positive effects, while egoism (0.044) showed no significant impact. These results offer guidance for policymakers to design targeted interventions promoting sustainable crop rotation. Significance: These results can help policymakers better understand what factors influence farmers’ adoption of rotation and what targeted measures can be taken to popularize the improved agricultural system. To foster farmers’ adoption of rotation, it is important to go beyond traditional supporting policies and to leverage innovative approaches to promote value orientation on sustainable farming practices. Full article

Continuous cropping of morel represents a crucial bottleneck that restricts the sustainable development of its industry. To explore the effects and mechanisms of crop rotations in alleviating continuous cropping obstacles, field experiments were conducted over two cropping years. With morel monoculture serving as the control (Control), four rotation patterns were established: tomato–morel (TM), pepper–morel (PM), watermelon–morel (WM), and cabbage–morel (CM). Soil physical and chemical properties, enzyme activities, phenolic acid substances, amino sugars, toxic metal contents, and morel yields were systematically measured. The soil quality index area (SQI-area) was employed for comprehensive evaluation. The results indicated that, in comparison to the control, rotation effectively mitigated soil salinization, optimized nutrient availability, and significantly decreased the accumulation of multiple auto-toxic phenolic acids (such as phthalic acid and benzoic acid) and toxic metals (As, Cd). All rotation treatments significantly enhanced the overall soil quality. Compared to the control, the SQI-area in rotation treatments increased by 25–137% in 2024 and 126–276% in 2025. Among these, the PM treatment exhibited the greatest increase. Furthermore, in both 2024 and 2025, the PM treatment exhibited the most substantial increase in yield. Specifically, it showed increases of 76% and 241% when compared to the control. In summary, crop rotations, particularly the pepper–morel rotation pattern, can effectively mitigate continuous cropping obstacles via multiple soil improvement mechanisms. This makes it an effective strategy for facilitating the sustainable production of morel. Full article

Market gardening plays a central role in food security and improving household income in Ziguinchor, Senegal. Faced with growing environmental and socio-economic challenges, agroecology emerges as a sustainable pathway for strengthening this agro-economic activity. This study evaluates the adoption of agroecological practices by urban and peri-urban market gardeners, identifying influencing factors and constraints. A survey of 300 farmers was conducted in Ziguinchor, and data were analyzed using Excel. Relative Importance Index (RII), Weighted Average Index (WAI), and Problem Confrontation Index (PCI) ranked the most used practices, influencing factors, and adoption barriers. Results show that 79.67% of respondents were women, mostly over 45, with secondary education. Most of market gardeners consider this activity main source of income, and have been doing so for more than 10 years. Common agroecological practices include: removing weeds and diseased plants, organic fertilization, watering, crop rotation, and recommended fertilizer application, with relative importance indices of 0.75, 0.75, 0.72, 0.73, and 0.62, respectively. Key constraints include the lack of labor (PCI = 789), lack of information and training (PCI = 597), high cost of improved seeds (PCI = 549), and limited access to organic fertilizer (PCI = 538). Reinforcing extension services, capacity building, and both technical and financial support is essential to promote agroecological practices. Full article

To provide a scientific basis for rational nitrogen application under the rice–wheat rotation (R-W rotation) system, this study examined crop yield, NUE, and changes in soil nitrogen pools in response to different nitrogen application rates for rice (0–420 kg ha⁻¹) and wheat (0–360 kg ha⁻¹) from 2020 to 2022 in Jiangsu Province, China. Rice and wheat yields, along with their yield components, exhibited similar responses to nitrogen fertilization. In both cropping seasons, not only did current-season nitrogen application (CN) significantly affect yields but previous-season nitrogen application (PN) and the interaction between CN and PN also had notable effects. For both crops, the impact of CN on yield was greater than that of the CN × PN interaction, which in turn exceeded the effect of PN alone. These effects diminished with an increasing number of rice–wheat rotation cycles. The yields of rice and wheat initially increased and then declined with rising rates of both CN and PN. The maximum combined yield (14,459.9 kg ha⁻¹) was achieved with nitrogen application rates of 265.7 kg ha⁻¹ in the rice season and 257.1 kg ha⁻¹ in the wheat season. Yield responses to CN were primarily driven by panicle number, spikelets per panicle, and crop-specific traits, grain filling efficiency for rice, and grain weight for wheat. PN effects were mediated through its interaction with CN, with panicle number serving as the main pathway. However, when nitrogen application rates fell below 300 kg ha⁻¹ for rice and 240 kg ha⁻¹ for wheat, a reduction in soil nitrogen content was observed. Therefore, to achieve high yields while maintaining soil nitrogen pool stability, recommended nitrogen application rates are 300 kg ha⁻¹ for the rice season and 257.1 kg ha⁻¹ for the wheat season. Full article

Background: Rainfed rice–potato cropping systems represent an emerging agricultural pattern in Yunnan Province. This study investigates the dynamics of soil nutrient release and microbial community structure under rainfed rice–potato cropping systems. Methods: Four experimental treatments were established using two rice cultivation methods (flooded and rainfed cultivation) as the preceding crop, followed by two distinct potato cultivars: rainfed rice–potato Dianshu 23 (DR), rainfed rice–potato Dianshu 1418 (DY), flooded rice–potato Dianshu 23 (WR), and flooded rice–potato Dianshu 1418 (WY). Soil samples were collected before rice planting and at harvest, as well as before potato planting and at 40-, 80-, and 120-days post-planting. Soil nutrient release dynamics and microbial community composition were analyzed across all treatments. Results: Flooded rice cultivation as the preceding crop exhibited higher soil nutrient depletion compared to rainfed systems, accompanied by more pronounced increases in soil urease and invertase activities. Following potato establishment, rainfed rice–potato systems demonstrated an accelerated release of available nitrogen and potassium during the initial growth period relative to flooded rice–potato systems. At potato harvest, soil urease and invertase activities increased in rainfed rice–potato systems compared to pre-planting levels, while decreasing in flooded rice–potato systems. Proteobacteria constituted the dominant bacterial phylum across all treatments. Rainfed rice cultivation significantly enhanced Cyanobacteria relative abundance, whereas flooded rice cultivation promoted increased Thermodesulfobacteria abundance. Ascomycota dominated fungal communities, with flooded rice showing significantly greater reductions in Ascomycota relative abundance compared to rainfed systems. Rainfed rice–potato systems exhibited superior soil microbial community richness, diversity, and species abundance relative to flooded rice–potato systems. Bacterial genera associated with nitrogen metabolism showed higher relative abundance in rainfed rice–potato systems, as did pathogenic fungal genera. Conclusions: Soil nutrient characteristics and microbial community profiles in rainfed rice–potato cropping systems differ markedly from traditional flooded rice–potato rotation practices. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing water and nutrient management strategies in rainfed rice–potato cropping systems. Full article

Assessing soil fertility is a complex task as it is determined by natural and anthropogenic factors, including specific agronomic interventions (e.g., fertilization and crop rotation) and broader soil management (e.g., tillage and drainage). For agricultural management, soil represents a primary production factor whose chemical–physical characteristics and macro-elements content must be known. This work presents the maps of three macronutrients, i.e., N, K, and P, in the topsoils (0–30 cm layer) of the Emilia-Romagna (21,710.1 km²) region in NE Italy. The maps and associated uncertainty at 100 m resolution were obtained via digital soil mapping (DSM) resorting to Quantile Random Forests using topsoil data from the regional soil database (N = 34,750). As Emilia-Romagna is characterized by two distinct major landforms, i.e., the intensively cultivated alluvial plain and the extensively managed mountain range of the Northern Apennines, each representing nearly half of the region, two distinct sets of numerical and categorical covariates were used as predictors for the DSM estimation of each macronutrient. Results highlight an average N content of approximately 1.57 ± 0.83 (standard deviation) g kg⁻¹ in the alluvial plain and of 1.63 ± 0.49 g kg⁻¹ in the Apennines. For exchangeable potassium (K), concentrations were 275.90 ± 92.6 mg kg⁻¹ and 210.2 ± 86.3 mg kg⁻¹ in the plain and Apennines, respectively. A stark contrast was observed for available phosphorus (P), with mean values of 40.4 ± 11.0 mg kg⁻¹ in the alluvial plain, dropping to 15.2 ± 6.1 mg kg⁻¹ in the Apennines. Such results provide useful information for assessing the fertility of regional soils and provide a reference baseline for soil quality monitoring. The resulting macronutrient maps were eventually compared with those based on the Land Use and Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS), which represents the reference baselines at the EU scale. Full article

As climate conditions and agricultural technologies change, the soil seed bank may increase or decrease, which may affect the species composition and abundance of weeds in crops. The research was carried out in order to evaluate the influence of hillside parts on the number of viable seeds during different seasons (spring and autumn) in agrophytocenoses, which differ in the duration of the land’s covering with plants. Soil samples have been taken out in spring and autumn at the summit, midslope, and footslope of the hill. The time of the soil sample collection and covering of agrophytocenoses had a significant effect on soil seed numbers. In autumn, the average seed amount in the soil was higher by 6.38% than in spring. The largest seed number (in spring and autumn) was evaluated in the soil of cereal–grass crop rotation with a 2.0- and 6.9-times higher seed amount compared to the rotation with a row crop and permanent grassland. During the years, hill parts had a significant effect on the seed bank in autumn. In spring, the viable seeds comprised 67.10%, and in autumn, they comprised 65.33% of the total seed number. Significantly, the highest percentage of viable seeds was estimated in the footslope of the hill. This can be related to more favorable microclimatic conditions and higher soil moisture at the footslope, where more fertile soil and organic matter naturally accumulate, creating better conditions for seed viability preservation. Full article

Crop rotation is a cornerstone of sustainable agronomy, whereas continuous monoculture can degrade soil fertility and crop vigor. A three-year field experiment (2023–2025) in Lithuania compared winter rye grown in a long-term field experiment of continuous monoculture (with and without fertilizer/herbicide inputs) with five diversified rotation treatments that included manure, forage, or cover crop phases. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imaging was used to monitor crop health via the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, an indicator of plant vigor). NDVI measurements at three key developmental stages (flowering to ripening, BBCH 61–89) showed that diversified rotations consistently achieved higher NDVI than monoculture, indicating more robust crop growth. Notably, the most intensive and row-crop rotations had the highest canopy vigor, whereas continuous monocultures had the lowest. An anomalous weather year (2024) temporarily reduced NDVI differences, but rotation benefits re-emerged in 2025. Overall, UAV-based NDVI effectively captured rotation-induced differences in rye canopy vigor, highlighting the agronomic advantages of diversified cropping systems and the value of UAV remote sensing for crop monitoring. Full article

Soil erosion is a growing environmental issue around the world, including in Malta. This study focused on estimating soil loss in the San Blas and Binġemma valleys on the island of Gozo, the second largest in the Maltese archipelago. To do this, we used the RUSLE model combined with GIS tools, supported by fieldwork and lab testing of soil properties like texture and organic matter to ensure accurate, ground-based data. A key part of the research was also to understand how much the C-factor in RUSLE, which relates to crop cover, affects erosion in the area. We compared present-day erosion patterns with those from 1957 by analyzing old aerial photos and reconstructing land use back then. The findings show that in 1957, soil erosion was more widespread but generally milder, with most areas losing less than 2.0 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. In contrast, in 2021, erosion tends to be more intense but limited to specific areas, especially along the valley floor, where losses reached up to 13.0 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ compared to 5.5 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in 1957. The results also suggest that fields under cultivation are more prone to erosion compared to areas that have been abandoned. Based on these trends, this study recommends maintaining traditional erosion control methods like terraces and dry stone-walls, and encouraging farmers to adopt practices such as crop rotation, conservation tillage, contour planting, and strip cropping. It also suggests carrying out similar assessments in other valleys to guide valley-specific actions. Full article

Intensive land use in the Argentine Pampas has led to soil degradation, yet links between soil organic matter (SOM) composition, enzyme activity, and fungal communities remain unclear. This study compared contrasting ecoregions and land uses: pristine (PI), pasture (PA), crop rotation with cover crops (RO), and monoculture (MO). Infrared spectra showed that PI soils in Anguil had higher absorbance in hydroxyl/amine (3400 cm⁻¹: 0.90 ± 0.08) and carbonyl (1750 cm⁻¹: 0.52 ± 0.12) bands than MO soils (0.47 ± 0.30 and 0.35 ± 0.06; p < 0.05), indicating greater SOM diversity. Pergamino soils showed smaller differences, reflecting site-specific effects. Enzyme activities also responded to land use. In Anguil, xylosidase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and phosphatase peaked under PI (40, 127, and 443 nmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). In Pergamino, xylosidase and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase were higher under PA and PI, indicating enhanced microbial functionality under low disturbance. Fungal composition varied with land use and location: Mortierellomycetes dominated in Pergamino, while Leotiomycetes and Agaricomycetes were more abundant in PI and PA, and Dothideomycetes increased in MO and RO. Despite compositional shifts, fungal diversity changed little. Integrating chemical, biochemical, and molecular indicators revealed how land-use intensification modifies SOM and microbial processes in Pampas soils. Full article

Bioavailable phosphorus is essential for sustaining high crop productivity, yet excessive inorganic P fertilization often leads to P accumulation in stable soil forms, reducing utilization efficiency. Straw serves as an organic P source and enhances P availability by stimulating microbial activity. However, systematic studies on how organic P inputs (straw returning) and inorganic P fertilizers regulate soil bioavailable P through microbial and enzymatic processes remain limited. A 16-year field experiment was carried out in a rice–wheat rotation system, including five fertilization treatments: no fertilization (CK), optimized fertilization (OPT), increased N (OPTN), increased P (OPTP), and optimized fertilization combined with straw mulching/returning (OPTM). This study evaluates the impacts of long-term organic and inorganic P sources on soil P fractions, extracellular enzyme activities, and the composition of microbial communities, alongside their collective contributions to crop yield. In this study, based on soil samples collected in 2023, we found that fertilization led to significant increases in Citrate-P and HCl-P, enhanced the activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), β-D-cellobiosidase (CBH), and β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), and altered both microbial diversity and co-occurrence network complexity. The OPTM treatment showed the highest yield and improved microbial diversity and network complexity, with Enzyme-P, Citrate-P, and HCl-P increasing by 62.64%, 11.24%, and 9.49%, and BG, CBH, and NAG activities rising by 22.74%, 40.90%, and 18.09% compared to OPT. Mantel tests and random forest analyses revealed significant associations between microbial community and biochemical properties, while partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) indicated that inorganic P source enhanced yield primarily through altering soil P dynamics and enzymatic processes, while microbial communities under organic P source acted as key mediators to increase crop productivity. These findings deepen insights into how microbial communities and enzymatic stoichiometry synergistically regulate phosphorus bioavailability and wheat yield, providing a theoretical basis for sustainable fertilization practices in rice–wheat rotation systems. Full article

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Linnaeus) is an important vegetable crop for food security and income generation for farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, production is severely undermined by a complex of insect pests. This study investigates farmers’ knowledge, perception, and pest management practices in key cabbage-growing areas surrounding Goma city in Eastern DRC. A total of 430 farmers were interviewed using a structured survey administered via the KoboToolbox platform. The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella Linnaeus, 1758) and the cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae Linnaeus, 1758) were identified as the main pests, with peak incidences reported during the dry mid-season. Pest damages are most frequently observed at the post-transplanting and heading stages of cabbage. Although chemical control was the dominant strategy (69.4%), concerns arise due to the widespread use of moderately to highly hazardous insecticides, including pyrethroid, organophosphorus, and avermectin-based formulations. The insufficient use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and limited training on safe pesticide handling remain further challenges. While indigenous practices, such as crop rotation, handpicking of insects, and the use of botanical extracts, are employed to a lesser extent, awareness and implementation of biological control are almost nonexistent. The findings underscore the need to promote integrated pest management (IPM) approaches based on agroecological principles, including the safe use of (bio-)pesticides, training programs, and stakeholder engagement to enhance sustainable cabbage production. Full article

Heavy metals in farmland soils pose severe threats to agricultural productivity and food safety. To investigate contamination in the soil–wheat/corn system, 24 sets of adjacent farmland soil, wheat, and corn plant samples were collected near metal smelting facilities in Jinchang City, a typical urban oasis in northwestern China. Concentrations of Ni (nickel), Cu (copper), and Co (cobalt) were measured. Results indicated mean soil concentrations of 143.66 mg kg⁻¹ (Ni), 130.00 mg kg⁻¹ (Cu), and 24.04 mg kg⁻¹ (Co), all exceeding background values for Gansu Province, confirming that the sampling sites exhibit varying degrees of contamination with Ni, Cu, and Co. Correlation analyses revealed strong intermetal relationships (Ni, Cu, Co; p < 0.01), while spatial distribution patterns showed that Ni in wheat and corn grains closely mirrored soil Ni distribution. The bio-concentration factor (BCF) for wheat roots surpassed that of corn roots, highlighting wheat’s greater susceptibility to heavy metal uptake. Heavy metal levels in crop organs exceeded limits set by the Safety Guidelines for Feed Additives. Geo-accumulation indices and potential ecological risk assessments demonstrated substantial metal accumulation and varying ecological risks, with contamination levels ranked as Cu > Ni > Co. Non-carcinogenic hazard indices indicated elevated health risks for children consuming locally grown wheat and corn. This study provides a scientific foundation for crop rotation strategies and soil remediation in the region. Full article