Search Results (30)

Recently, a new solarization method gained a great deal of attention thanks to various advantages in comparison with both the traditional one and soil fumigation (alternative soil treatment based on the use of chemical agents). This method implements traditional solarization by spraying a biodegradable black liquid over the soil surface before the application of a thermic film. This creates a thin black film that acts like a “black body”, significantly increasing soil temperatures at various depths. Thanks to higher temperatures, it is possible to eliminate most of the pathogens in shorter times compared to traditional solarization. In the present paper, the results of different trials carried out on green beans, Romanesco broccoli, and lettuce were reported. The aims of this work were to demonstrate the efficacy on soil borne pathogens, its lower impact on living soil fungal biodiversity and the agronomical performance of the new solarization method. All crops tested showed a significant yield increase when grown in soil treated with the innovative solarization method. Romanesco broccoli also exhibited improved inflorescence quality. Solarization had a positive impact on overall crop productivity: green beans showed a maximum yield increase of 165.3%, lettuce yields rose by 47.5%, and Romanesco broccoli yields were 111.5% higher compared to the non-solarized control. These results confirm that the new solarization method is more effective, as well as environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable compared to traditional methods. Full article

The significant demand for medicinal plants with special efficacy has prompted us to adopt appropriate processing methods to enhance the nutritional quality and flavor of raw materials. This study evaluated the impacts of freeze-drying (FD), hot-air drying (HAD), and spray drying (SD) on the bioactive compounds, flavor characteristics, and inhibition of starch digestion in mulberry leaf ethanol extract (MLE). Results indicated that FDMLE exhibited the highest total alkaloids content (TAC: 0.14 ± 0.02 mg/g) and total flavonoid content (TFC: 19.32 ± 0.58 mg/g), along with significant inhibitory effects on starch hydrolysis at 180 min (starch hydrolysis rate <50%). The microstructure of HADMLE was closest to that of the mulberry leaf powder (ML), but SD better preserved the color of ML (ΔE = 1.55 ± 0.04). Combined with the electronic nose and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) found HAD processing facilitated the conversion of flavor precursors in ML into Ethyl formate, rose oxide, and (Z)-3-hexenol (M). SDMLE contained higher levels of pentanal, (E)-2-hexenal (D), (E)-2-pentanone, 3-Methyl-2-butenal (D), ethyl butyrate, and 1-penten-3-one (D). FDMLE exhibited the highest diversity of novel volatile compounds (VOCs), with 18 newly identified species. In conclusion, FD is a potential method to effectively reduce the degradation of quality and efficacy of MLE during the drying process. Full article

This study details the manufacture of vanadium-doped ZnS thin films via a cost-effective spray pyrolysis technique at varying concentrations of vanadium (4, 8, and 12 wt.%). The XRD data demonstrate the hexagonal structure of the vanadium-doped ZnS layers. The analysis of their structural properties indicates that the crystallite size (D) of the vanadium-doped ZnS films decreased as the vanadium concentration rose. The strain and dislocation density of the analyzed films were enhanced by increasing the vanadium content from 4 to 12 wt.%. The linear optical results of the vanadium-doped ZnS films revealed that the refractive index values were improved from 2.31 to 3.49 by increasing the vanadium concentration in the analyzed samples. Further, the rise in vanadium content enhanced the absorption coefficient. The energy gap (Eg) study indicates that the vanadium-doped ZnS films exhibited direct optical transitions, with the Eg values diminishing from 3.74 to 3.15 eV as the vanadium concentration increased. The optoelectrical analysis shows that the rise in vanadium concentration increases the dispersion energy from 9.48 to 12.76 eV and reduces the oscillator energy from 3.69 to 2.17 eV. The optical carrier concentration of these layers was improved from 1.49 × 1053 to 2.15 × 1053, while the plasma frequency was decreased from 4.34 × 1013 to 3.67 × 1013 by boosting the vanadium concentration from 4 to 12 wt.%. Simultaneously, the increase in vanadium content improves the nonlinear optical parameters of the vanadium-doped ZnS films. The hot probe method identifies these samples as n-type semiconductors. The findings suggest that these samples serve as an innovative window layer. Full article

Exposure to short-wavelength light, including UV-A and blue light, can degrade high-value products like rosé wine, which are usually packaged in colourless bottles. This study investigates the optimisation of sol–gel coatings enhanced with UV-absorbing additives (Tinuvin 479 and semaSORB 20109) to provide photoprotection for rosé wines. Coatings with varying additive concentrations (0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, and 1.5%) were applied to glass substrates via spin coating and cured with UV light. Then, optical and mechanical characterisation was performed. The 1.5% concentration semaSORB 20109 bilayer coating demonstrated improved photoprotective properties without compromising colour properties, leading to successful application on glass bottles by spray coating. Accelerated degradation tests confirmed that the optimised coating effectively protected against photodegradation, as indicated by the stability of polyphenol levels and colour parameters in rosé wines. The results suggest that these coatings could be a suitable option for commercial-scale applications, enhancing the light resistance of colourless-bottled products. Full article

Effective tools to prevent mosquito bites are essential for malaria control. The Lehmann Funnel Entry Trap (LFET), a window screen proven effective in reducing mosquito density, was tested for its large-scale impact on malaria vector control and community acceptance. A total of 1313 traps were deployed in Vallée du Kou 3 (VK3), with 12 traps randomly selected for detailed evaluation against untrapped houses in Vallée du Kou 5 (VK5). Traps were placed in windows with doors blocked by curtains. From July to October, mosquitoes were collected for nine days per month from VK3 traps and VK5 control houses. Morphological identification, density analysis, resistance gene screening, and female age structure determination were conducted. The trap’s impact was assessed via pyrethrum spray catch (PSC) and for nine days per month, while trap fabric integrity and community perceptions were also evaluated. Traps reduced mosquito entry density by more than 90% in VK3 houses. VK3 had 33% higher house mosquito density pre-intervention and 47% lower house mosquito density post-intervention than VK5. Old female mosquito numbers rose in VK5 but not VK3. Pyrethroid resistance was high (kdr mutation frequency > 0.9) in both control and intervention sites. VK3 residents appreciated the traps for reducing bites and improving sleep. The LFET effectively controls malaria vectors and is well-suited for widespread use in malaria elimination efforts. Full article

This study examines the impact of various abrasive balls and sliding loads on WC-12Co coatings. For this purpose, 4 N, 8 N, and 12 N loads were applied to the WC-12Co composite coatings with Al₂O₃ and Si₃N₄ balls. WC-12 Co composite was deposited by the high-velocity oxygen fuel method on the AISI 304 substrate. The wear tests were conducted in accordance with ASTM G99 on a ball-on-disc tribometer at room temperature. In order to study the results of the coating tests, wear volume loss was measured against each counter body. Surface roughness and microstructure changes before and after wear were examined by electron microscopy. The resulting wear tracks were examined with an optical profilometer and the wear amount was calculated. When comparing the Al₂O₃ ball with the Si₃N₄ ball, the Al₂O₃ ball corrodes WC-12Co coatings more and is most susceptible to abrasive grooving, brittle cracking, and spalling. Wear rates rose by 77%, 58%, and 67% when the Si₃N₄ abrasive sample and the samples with Al₂O₃ coating were subjected to 4 N, 8 N, and 12 N loads, respectively. WC-12Co coating layers and powders were subjected to X-ray diffraction analyses, which revealed that coarse WC-12Co powder underwent less decarburization due to HVOF spraying. Full article

The wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) is crucial for the ultra-purification of blast furnace gas in gas-fired generator units. To address issues like high water consumption, poor atomization leading to spark discharge, and uneven water mist distribution, a water mist testing system using a laser particle-size analyzer was established. Eight spray nozzles were tested to identify the optimal atomization performance and operating parameters. The effect of chemical agglomeration agents on nozzle atomization and particle capture efficiency was also examined. The results show that the atomization effect was the best when the operating water pressure was 0.5 MPa. The D₅₀ of the blast furnace dust increased from 8.529 μm to 20.30 μm after electrostatic precipitation when the 1/8 rotating core nozzles were installed in the WESP, and the proportion of dust particles whose diameter is ≤5 μm decreased by 20.09% compared with the dust emitted from the inlet. The total dust removal efficiency reached 83.41%. With chemical agglomeration, the D₅₀ reached 24.88 μm, and removal efficiency rose to 96.98%. Among the tested nozzles, the 1/8 rotating core nozzle was the most effective, combining superior atomization, maximum dust removal efficiency, and minimal water consumption, making it ideal for blast furnace gas purification. Full article

Addressing the current reliance on manual sorting and grading of spray rose cut flowers, this paper proposed an improved YOLOv5s model for intelligent recognition and grading detection of rose color series and flowering index of spray rose cut flowers. By incorporating small-scale anchor boxes and small object feature output, the model enhanced the annotation accuracy and the detection precision for occluded rose flowers. Additionally, a convolutional block attention module attention mechanism was integrated into the original network structure to improve the model’s feature extraction capability. The WIoU loss function was employed in place of the original CIoU loss function to increase the precision of the model’s post-detection processing. Test results indicated that for two types of spray rose cut flowers, Orange Bubbles and Yellow Bubbles, the improved YOLOv5s model achieved an accuracy and recall improvement of 10.2% and 20.0%, respectively. For randomly collected images of spray rose bouquets, the model maintained a detection accuracy of 95% at a confidence threshold of 0.8. Full article

The foliar application of biostimulants at specific concentrations under magnetic–electric water irrigation has a positive effect on water and fertilizer use efficiency and yield of cotton, which is crucial for green and sustainable agricultural development. As a new type of fertilizer, biostimulants have demonstrated remarkable effects in improving crop yield and quality by enhancing nutrient uptake, promoting plant growth, and increasing resilience to environmental stress. In this study, the effects of magnetic–electric-activated water irrigation and foliar biostimulant application on cotton growth and yield were investigated, with the aim of understanding the underlying mechanisms. The field experiment included various irrigation treatments (brackish water, fresh water, magnetic–electric brackish water, and magnetic–electric fresh water) and biostimulant concentrations (1600, 1200, 800, 400 times dilution, and no spraying). SEM analysis indicated that under magnetoelectric water irrigation, the foliar application of biostimulants enhances physiological growth of cotton, improving the water and nutrient uptake efficiency, and thereby increasing yield. Specifically, the effective boll number and single boll weight under magnetic–electric fresh water irrigation with an 800 times biostimulant concentration increased by 21.84–48.78% and 5.50–18.91%, respectively, compared to the no-spraying treatment. The seed cotton yield rose by 16.61–38.63%, water-use efficiency improved by 24.35%, the harvest index reached 0.33, and nitrogen absorption increased by 76.21%. Thus, integrating magnetic–electric water irrigation with foliar biostimulants offers a theoretical and technical foundation for advancing green, high-quality agriculture and sustainable production. Full article

Although the petals of Rosa rugosa are rich in flavonoids and their bioactivity has a significant impact on human health, the flavonoid content decreases during flower development. In this study, R. rugosa ‘Feng hua’ was used to investigate the effects of the melatonin foliar spray on enhancing the quality of rose by focusing on major flavonoids. The results showed that the contents of total flavonoids in rose petals at the full bloom stage induced by melatonin obeyed a bell-shaped curve, with a maximum at 0.3 mM, indicating the concentration-dependent up-regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis. In the treatment with 0.3 mM melatonin, metabolomic analyses showed that the concentrations of ten main flavonoids were identified to be increased by melatonin induction, with high levels and increases observed in three flavonols and two anthocyanins. KEGG enrichment of transcriptomic analysis revealed a remarkable enrichment of DEGs in flavonoid and flavonol biosynthesis, such as Rr4CL, RrF3H, and RrANS. Furthermore, functional validation using virus-induced gene silencing technology demonstrated that Rr4CL3 is the crucial gene regulating flavonoid biosynthesis in response to the stimulant of melatonin. This study provides insights into the exogenous melatonin regulation mechanism of biosynthesis of flavonoids, thereby offering potential industrial applications. Full article

A detailed experimental study of ethanol spray swirling flames was performed in an axial bluff body stabilized burner. The characteristics of the non-reacting and reacting sprays were recorded by particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) and planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of the OH radical. A few typical flames with different structures (outer-side-flame-lifting, stable, and near-blow-off) were compared and analyzed. The parameters of the spray, including the spray half-angle (α) and droplet number density (n_d), are quantified, and it has been found the flame structure and stability were strongly correlated with the droplet distribution. Several parameters of the flow field, such as velocity magnitude ($\left|U\right|$ vorticity (ω_z), and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), are quantitively analyzed, and it is observed that the local strain rate rose as the air flow rate increased, which is not conducive to local flame stability. Regarding the flame, quantities such as progress variable (<c>), flame height (L_f), lift–off height (h_lf), and symmetry factor (S_nd and S_<c>) are calculated, and it can be observed that the flame symmetry keeps worsening when approaching blow–off, and the inner flame branch exhibits a worse stabilization than the outer one. Our comprehensive investigations offer a deeper understanding of stable combustion in such two–phase flames. Full article

This study comprehensively investigates the physiological and molecular regulatory mechanisms of Camellia oleifera seedlings under drought stress with a soil moisture content of about 30%, where exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) was applied via foliar spraying at concentrations of 50 µg/L, 100 µg/L, and 200 µg/L. The results demonstrated that appropriate concentrations of ABA treatment can regulate the physiological state of the seedlings through multiple pathways, including photosynthesis, oxidative stress response, and osmotic balance, thereby aiding in the restructuring of their drought response strategy. ABA treatment effectively activated the antioxidant system by reducing stomatal conductance and moderately inhibiting the photosynthetic rate, thus alleviating oxidative damage caused by drought stress. Additionally, ABA treatment promoted the synthesis of osmotic regulators such as proline, maintaining cellular turgor stability and enhancing the plant’s drought adaptability. The real-time quantitative PCR results of related genes indicated that ABA treatment enhanced the plant’s response to the ABA signaling pathway and improved disease resistance by regulating the expression of related genes, while also enhancing membrane lipid stability. A comprehensive evaluation using a membership function approach suggested that 50 µg/L ABA treatment may be the most-effective in mitigating drought effects in practical applications, followed by 100 µg/L ABA. The application of 50 µg/L ABA for 7 h induced significant changes in various biochemical parameters, compared to a foliar water spray. Notably, superoxide dismutase activity increased by 17.94%, peroxidase activity by 30.27%, glutathione content by 12.41%, and proline levels by 25.76%. The content of soluble sugars and soluble proteins rose by 14.79% and 87.95%, respectively. Additionally, there was a significant decrease of 31.15% in the malondialdehyde levels. Full article

Low temperatures commonly delay flowering in cut roses but enhance final flower quality, i.e., biomass, petal doubling, and flower size. However, this information remains unclear for spray-type cut roses. This study was conducted to understand the effect of suboptimal temperatures on flower quality in the spray-type cut rose ‘Pink Shine.’ The 6-month-old rooted cuttings were cultivated in environmentally controlled growth chambers at four temperature levels: 25/20 °C (optimal temperature, OT) and 20/20 °C, 20/15 °C, and 15/15 °C (suboptimal temperatures, SOTs). As expected, SOTs significantly delayed the flowering time (11.2–25 days) but enhanced flower quality, with 51% and 160% increases in flower size and biomass, respectively. SOTs did not statistically amplify petal numbers, as expected, compared with OT. Instead, SOTs significantly increased stamen and carpel numbers by 1.3 and 2 times, respectively, resulting in a 1.4-fold increase in total floral organ formation. Moreover, SOTs increased the mRNA levels of A-function genes (RhAP1** and RhFUL**) and C-function genes (RhSHP*) but suppressed the B-function gene (RhPI*), which is linked to the development of plant reproductive structures (stamen and carpel) in spray-type cut roses. Conclusively, the growth temperature was more effective for quantity accumulation than for the number of petals but was similar in carpels. These results suggest that SOTs enhance carpel differentiation during flowering, implying that flowers may choose a reproductive strategy through carpels over petals. Full article

Chrysanthemums represent the second most important cut flower after rose on the global commercial market. The phenomenal importance and global popularity of chrysanthemums have attracted breeders’ attention, resulting in the release of vast numbers of cultivars. Identifying these cultivars is crucial to protecting breeders’ intellectual property rights and improving the efficiency of breeding. Distinguishing chrysanthemum genotypes based on their morphological characteristics is challenging as they vary highly within this group, hence requiring the use of efficient molecular markers. In this study, we evaluated the genetic diversity of 57 spray-type chrysanthemum cultivars bearing white, ivory, and cream-colored flowers. A total of six loci were evaluated regarding their polymorphism efficiency across the tested cultivars. Allele numbers ranged from 2 to 6, with a mean of 3.5 alleles per locus. The average polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.53 for six SSR markers. Cluster analysis of genetic relationships using the UPGMA method showed a genetic distance of 0.31 to 1.00, and the 57 white variants of chrysanthemum cultivars were characterized using the tested SSR markers. However, two sets of cultivars, namely, Pure Angel–Neba and Ladost–White wing, exhibited total genetic similarity and hence could not be discriminated. These results provide efficient SSR markers that can be used to identify chrysanthemum cultivars (and assess their genetic relationships) that cannot be discriminated based on phenotype. Full article

One of the biggest environmental challenges that most of the traditional and modern grape-growing areas are facing is the frequency, severity, and unpredictability of extreme weather events as a result of climate change. Sustainable tools such as chemically inert mineral particles could be a valid alternative for the promotion of environmentally-friendly viticultural techniques to enhance yield, improve physiological processes, and increase tolerance to biotic/abiotic stressors and grape quality. In regard to this concept, the effects of kaolin (KL) and zeolite (ZL) application was tested in the rosé grapevine cultivar Roditis, field-and rainfed, under the Mediterranean conditions of central Greece. In a two-year trial, the whole vine canopy was sprayed with kaolin and zeolite until runoff at a dose of 3% (w/v) twice throughout the growing season; the first at the beginning of veraison and the second one week later; treatment of the untreated control plants was also performed (C). The assimilation rate in morning and midday, the stomatal conductance, and the WUEi of the leaves of the treated and untreated plants were monitored one day after each application and at harvest. During the same time period of the day (i.e., morning and midday) in July, August, and September, the leaf temperature near the fruit zone was also recorded. At harvest, the yield parameters, cluster characteristics, grape composition, and incidence (%) of sunburned and dehydrated berries as well as berries infected by Plasmopara viticola and Lobesia botrana were recorded. The results showed that KL and ZL application decreased leaf temperature during the growing season until harvest compared to the control treatment, which resulted in an improvement in physiological parameters such as net photosynthesis and intrinsic water use efficiency. At harvest, the KL- and ZL-treated vines showed increased yield due to an increasing cluster and berry fresh weight. On the other hand, the KL and ZL application did not affect the sugar concentration and pH of the must and increased the total acidity and decreased the total phenolic compound content, but only in the first year of the experiments. Furthermore, the incidence of sunburn necrosis, dehydrated berries, and infected berries was significantly lower in the treated vines compared to the control vines. These results confirm the promising potential of kaolin and zeolite applications as a stress mitigation strategy during the summer period, with the ability to protect grapevine plants, enhance yield, and maintain or improve fruit quality in rainfed Mediterranean vineyards. Full article