Search Results (234)

The extensive use of conventional pesticides has been a fundamental strategy in modern agriculture for controlling pests and increasing crop productivity; however, their improper application poses significant risks to human health and environmental sustainability. This review compiles scientific evidence linking pesticide exposure to oxidative stress and genotoxic damage, particularly affecting rural populations and commonly consumed foods, even at levels exceeding the maximum permissible limits in fruits, vegetables, and animal products. Additionally, excessive pesticide use has been shown to alter soil microbiota, negatively compromising long-term agricultural fertility. In response to these challenges, recent advances in nanotechnology offer promising alternatives. This review highlights the development of nanopesticides designed for controlled release, improved stability, and targeted delivery of active ingredients, thereby reducing environmental contamination and increasing efficacy. Moreover, emerging nanobiosensor technologies, such as e-nose and e-tongue systems, have shown potential for real-time monitoring of pesticide residues and soil health. Although pesticides are still necessary, it is crucial to implement stricter laws and promote sustainable solutions that ensure safe and responsible agricultural practices. The need for evidence-based public policy is emphasized to regulate pesticide use and protect both human health and agricultural resources. Full article

Fruits and vegetables are crucial components of a healthy diet, which are susceptible to pests. Therefore, the application of pesticides is a basic manner of crop chemical protection. The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of pesticide occurrence in 1114 samples of fruits and vegetables. A unified multi-analytical protocol was used composed of primary–secondary amine/graphitized carbon black/magnesium sulfate to purify samples with diversified profile of interfering substances. Moreover, the obtained analytical data were used to evaluate the critical acute health risk in subpopulations of children and adults within European limits criteria. Out of 550 pesticides analyzed, 38 and 69 compounds were noted in 58.6% of fruits and 44.2% of vegetables, respectively. Acetamiprid (14.1% of all detections) and captan (11.3%) occurred the most frequently in fruits, while pendimethalin (10.6%) and azoxystrobin (8.6%) occurred the most frequently in vegetables. A total of 28% of vegetable and 43% of fruit samples were multiresidues with up to 13 pesticides in dill, reaching a final concentration of 0.562 mg kg⁻¹. Maximum residue level (MRL) was exceeded in 7.9% of fruits and 7.3% of vegetables, up to 7900% MRL for chlorpyrifos in dill (0.79 mg kg⁻¹). Notably, 8 out of 38 pesticides found in fruits (21%; 1.2% for carbendazim) and 24 out of 69 compounds in vegetables (35%, 7.4% for chlorpyrifos) were not approved in the EU. Concentrations of pesticides exceeding MRL were used to assess acute health risk for children and adults. Moreover, the incidence of acute health risk was proved for children consuming parsnip with linuron (156%). In other cases, it was below 100%, indicating that Polish food is safe. The work provides reliable and representative scientific data on the contamination of fruits and vegetables with pesticides. It highlights the importance of legislative changes to avoid the occurrence of not approved pesticides in the EU, increasing food and health safety. Full article

Accurate estimation of winter wheat yield under saline stress is crucial for addressing food security challenges and optimizing agricultural management in regional soils. This study proposed a method integrating Sentinel-2 data and field-measured soil salt content (SC) using a random forest (RF) method to improve yield estimation of winter wheat in Kenli County, a typical saline area in China’s Yellow River Delta. First, feature importance analysis of a temporal vegetation index (VI) and salinity index (SI) across all growth periods were achieved to select main parameters. Second, yield models of winter wheat were developed in VI-, SI-, VI + SI-, and VI + SI + SC-based groups. Furthermore, error assessment and spatial yield mapping were analyzed in detail. The results demonstrated that feature importance varied by growth periods. SI dominated in pre-jointing periods, while VI was better in the post-jointing phase. The VI + SI + SC-based model achieved better accuracy (R² = 0.78, RMSE = 720.16 kg/ha) than VI-based (R² = 0.71), SI-based (R² = 0.69), and VI + SI-based (R² = 0.77) models. Error analysis results suggested that the residuals were reduced as the input parameters increased, and the VI + SI + SC-based model showed a good consistency with the field-measured yields. The spatial distribution of winter wheat yield using the VI + SI + SC-based model showed significant differences, and average yields in no, slight, moderate, and severe salinity areas were 7945, 7258, 5217, and 4707 kg/ha, respectively. This study can provide a reference for winter wheat yield estimation and crop production improvement in saline regions. Full article

Vegetation is a fundamental component of terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding how vegetation changes and what drives these evolutions is crucial for developing a high-quality ecological environment and addressing global climate change. Extensive evidence has shown that China has undergone substantial vegetation changes, characterized primarily by greening. To quantify vegetation dynamics in China and assess the contributions of various drivers, we explored the spatiotemporal variations in the kernel Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (kNDVI) from 2001 to 2020, and quantitatively separated the influences of climate and human factors. The kNDVI time series were generated from the MCD19A1 v061 dataset based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. We employed the Theil-Sen trend analysis, the Mann-Kendall test, and the Hurst index to analyze the historical patterns and future trajectories of kNDVI. Residual analysis was then applied to determine the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to vegetation dynamics across China. The results show that from 2001 to 2020, vegetation in China showed a fluctuating but predominantly increasing trend, with a significant annual kNDVI growth rate of 0.002. The significant greening pattern was observed in over 48% of vegetated areas, exhibiting a clear spatial gradient with lower increases in the northwest and higher amplitudes in the southeast. Moreover, more than 60% of vegetation areas are projected to experience a sustained increase in the future. Residual analysis reveals that climate change contributed 21.89% to vegetation changes, while human activities accounted for 78.11%, being the dominant drivers of vegetation variation. This finding is further supported by partial correlation analysis between kNDVI and temperature, precipitation, and the human footprint. Vegetation dynamics were found to respond more strongly to human influences than to climate drivers, underscoring the leading role of human activities. Further analysis of tree cover fraction and cropping intensity data indicates that the greening in forests and croplands is primarily attributable to large-scale afforestation efforts and improved agricultural management. Full article

The Saiss plain in northern Morocco covers an area of 2300 km² and is one of the main agricultural contributors to the national economy. However, climate change and water scarcity reduce the region’s agricultural yields. Conventional methods of estimating evapotranspiration (ET) provide localized results but cannot capture regional-scale variations. This study aims to estimate the spatiotemporal evolution of daily crop ET (olives, fruit trees, cereals, and vegetables) across the Saiss plain. The METRIC model was adapted for the region using Landsat 8 data and was calibrated and validated using in situ flux tower measurements. The methodology employed an energy balance approach to calculate ET as a residual of net radiation, soil heat flux, and sensible heat flux by using hot and cold pixels for calibration. METRIC-ET ranged from 0.1 to 11 mm/day, demonstrating strong agreement with reference ET (R² = 0.76, RMSE = 1, MAE = 0.78) and outperforming MODIS-ET in accuracy and spatial resolution. Olives and fruit trees showed higher ET values compared to vegetables and cereals. The results indicated a significant impact of ET on water availability, with spatiotemporal patterns being influenced by vegetation cover, climate, and water resources. This study could support the development of adaptive agricultural strategies. Full article

The search for waste management opportunities is crucial for achieving environmentally friendly waste practices and ensuring the country’s energy security. This research aimed to valorize biomass and waste generated in greenhouses and to analyze the potential for electricity production from this waste. The analyses compared the situations in Turkey and Poland, where greenhouse production of vegetables is developing and constitutes an important link in agricultural activities, despite differences in climatic conditions. The cultivation of vegetables and flowers under cover is rapidly expanding in both countries and, with changing climatic conditions, is expected to shape the future of agriculture. In addition to estimating the energy that can be obtained, the study also evaluated the economic benefits of such a solution and the volume of avoided CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels. The issue of utilizing these wastes is significant because current methods of their management do not lead to energy production, so their considerable energy potential is wasted, as highlighted in this study. Moreover, there is a lack of similar studies in the literature. The plant species chosen as materials in this study were tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, watermelon, and melon in the case of Turkey. For Poland, the analysis was conducted for tomatoes and greenhouse cucumbers. These crops represent the largest cultivated areas under cover in the respective countries. Results indicated that the average yearly amount of vegetable residue is approximately 463 thousand Mg in Turkey, and 77 thousand Mg in Poland. The estimated annual electricity potential is 430 GWh in Turkey and 80 GWh in Poland. Considering the efficiency of power generation in a typical power plant, the real amount of electricity to be obtained is 0.46 MWh per Mg of waste in Turkey and 0.52 MWh in Poland. Full article

The Hetao irrigation area is one of the largest irrigation areas in the Yellow River Basin and a typical salinized agricultural area. Crop type shifts in this area can alter soil phosphorus (P) morphology and microbial functional diversity, thereby influencing soil P losses. However, few studies have elucidated the underlying mechanisms. In this study, soil samples were collected from four different crop planting areas: sunflower field (SF), corn field (CF), wheat land (WL), and vegetable and fruit land (VFL). Subsequently, the physicochemical properties, P fractions, and phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) were analyzed. The results indicated that when other lands shifted to SF, the soil pH increased significantly. Simultaneously, SOM, TN, and TP decreased significantly during the crop type conversion. Analysis of P fraction revealed that moderately active P, including NaOH-P_i, NaOH-P_o, and HCl-P_i, were the dominant fractions in the tested soils. Among them, HCl-P_i was the major component of moderately active P. The soil P leaching change point in the tested are was 6.25 mg Olsen-P kg⁻¹. The probabilities of P leaching in WL, VFL, CF, and SF were 91.7%, 83.8%, 83.8%, and 66.7%, respectively. Additionally, the sum of the relative abundances of the three PSMs in SF, VFL, WL, and CF were 8.81%, 11.88%, 8.03%, and 10.29%, respectively. The shift in crop type to SF exacerbated the soil degradation process. Both TP and residual P in the soil decreased. However, the NaHCO₃ slightly increased, which may have been due to the increased abundance of Thiobacillus and Escherichia. Full article

Mesotrione is a triketone herbicide widely used for weed control in maize (Zea mays L.). In a bioassay conducted under controlled conditions, the simulated residual effects of mesotrione on leafy vegetables, including chard, lettuce, spinach, and endive were evaluated. The herbicide was applied at nine concentrations (0–240 µg a.i./kg soil), with the highest corresponding to the recommended field application rate. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to describe the relationship between morphological (shoot fresh weight) and physiological (pigment content) parameters as a function of herbicide dose. Shoot fresh weight was a more sensitive parameter than pigment content with mean EC₅₀ ± SE values of 23.9 ± 3.5 (chard), 34.3 ± 7.7 (lettuce), 13.2 ± 2.4 (spinach), and 990.3 ± 3921.5 (endive) µg a.i./kg soil, indicating that spinach is the most sensitive and endive the most tolerant species. A mesotrione residue level equivalent to EC₂₀ for shoot fresh weight corresponds to approximately 2, 4, 6, and 29% of the recommended application rate of mesotrione at which spinach, chard, lettuce, and endive (respectively) can be safely sown. Therefore, spinach, chard, and lettuce are not suitable substitutes for maize when the latter fails and should not be sown after silage maize. In such cases, only endive appears to be a viable alternative without the risk of crop injury. Full article

Background/Objectives: Globally, antibiotic contamination has become an emerging issue in agricultural lands. The presence of antibiotic residues in farmlands, especially through the application of manure fertilizers containing veterinary antibiotics, e.g., tetracycline (TC), can cause severe toxicity, which inhibits crop growth and performance, subsequently threatening human health via consumption of contaminated products. This study was conducted to evaluate the phytotoxicity of TC on Kimchi cabbage (Brassica campestris L.) during seed germination, seedling, and vegetative growth stages, along with its physiological responses and bioaccumulation under TC stress. Methods: The responses of cabbage plants to TC stress were assessed through a germination test and a pot experiment, conducted for three days and six weeks, respectively, under different doses of TC (0, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/L). Results: As a result of the germination test, higher TC doses (25 and 50 mg/L) tended to delay seed germination, but all treatments achieved a 100% germination percentage by Day 3 after sowing. Eight days after sowing, the length of shoots and roots of seedlings exhibited a TC dose-dependent decline, specifically under 50 mg TC/L, showing a considerable decrease of 24% and 77%, respectively, compared to control. Similar results were observed in the plants transitioning from the seedling to vegetative stages in the pot experiment. Four and six weeks after sowing, the 50 mg TC/L dose showed the strongest phytotoxicity in cabbage plants with physiological parameters, such as the maximum photosystem II quantum yield (F_v/F_m), pigment content (chlorophyll and carotenoid), biomass, and leaf number, significantly reduced by 26 to 60% compared to control. Interestingly, at lower TC doses (5 and 10 mg/L), a hormesis effect was observed in the phenotype and biomass of the plants. In addition, the degree of TC accumulation in the plants was highly dose-dependent at Week 4 and Week 6, but a temporal decline in TC accumulation was noted between these time points in all TC treatments. This phenomenon might affect the value of the bio-concentration factor (BCF) as an indicator of the plant’s tendency to uptake TC. That is, in Week 6, the dose-dependent reduction in BCF for TC in the plants was likely attributed to a dilution effect caused by plant biomass increase or a degradation mechanism within the plant. Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest that tetracycline toxicity induces seed germination delay and influences seedling elongation and photosynthetic functions, ultimately impairing crop growth and performance. Also, the antibiotic dynamics related to accumulation and degradation in plants were identified. These results will not only suggest the toxicity threshold of TC for cabbage but also provide insights into effective soil management strategies for food production safety and agroecosystem sustainability in antibiotic-contaminated soils. Full article

Hydroxyproline O-arabinosyltransferase (HPAT), a critical enzyme in plant glycosylation pathways, catalyzes the transfer of arabinose to the hydroxyl group of hydroxyproline residues. This enzyme contains a canonical GT95 glycosyltransferase, a structural hallmark of this carbohydrate-active enzyme family. HPAT mediates arabinosylation of diverse cellular targets, including cell wall extension and small signaling peptides. Emerging evidence has shown that HPAT orthologs regulate plant development and symbiotic interactions through post-translational modification of CLV1/LRR Extracellular (CLE) peptides. Although the molecular functions of HPAT genes have been characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Lotus japonicus, their roles remain unexplored in Zea mays L. In this study, we used ZmHPAT2 homozygous mutants to explore the function of the maize HPAT gene. Sequence analysis identified a N-terminal signal peptide targeting the Golgi apparatus and promoter elements responsive to AM fungal colonization. Phenotypic analysis revealed its negative regulatory role: zmhpat2 promotes vegetative growth (increased plant height and accelerated flowering) and enhances AM symbiosis (increased colonization rate). Mechanistic studies demonstrated that ZmHPAT2 possesses dual regulatory functions—the activation of auxin signaling and repression of ZmMYB1-mediated arbuscular degradation pathways. In addition, overexpression of ZmHPAT2 in Lotus japonicus inhibits growth (reduced plant height) and impairs symbiotic interactions. Our findings establish ZmHPAT2 as a critical node to regulate auxin and symbiotic signaling, providing novel insights into plant glycosylation-mediated development. This work not only advances our understanding of maize growth regulation but also identifies potential targets for crop improvement through arabinosylation pathway manipulation. Full article

Within the Life-NADAPTA project (LIFE16 IPC/ES/000001), and in the framework of sustainable waste management, a study was carried out on the microbiological evolution during the composting process of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (FORSU) using aerated static piles and their agricultural application on a pilot scale. This is necessary to ensure effective sanitization of the compost and that its application does not pose any risk. The microbiological parameters considered were as follows: Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, total coliforms, and Enterococcus sp. The physicochemical parameters moisture, total solids, organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals were also evaluated. Salmonella sp. was not detected throughout the process, and the concentration of the three microbiological indicators decreased to the sanitary conditions recommended by legislation. As a result, the compost obtained complied with the requirements set out in the regulations on fertilizer products and was highly stabilized and mature for application on agricultural land. Tests were carried out on the soil before, during and after the vegetative cycle of the crop and on the irrigation water. The soil results showed that the addition of the organic amendment did not alter the populations of the tested micro-organisms at the end of the crop growing cycle. Thus, an adequate treatment of the residues allows them to be used in a sustainable way, but an adequate monitoring of the operational parameters is necessary to ensure this. Full article

Agricultural residues serve as a vast yet underutilized biomass resource with significant potential for bioenergy and biomaterial applications. Converting these residues into densified biomass pellets enhances energy density, handling efficiency, and transportability, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional feedstocks. While extensive research has focused on woody biomass, studies on the pelletization of vegetable crop foliage remain limited. This study examines the pelletability of foliage from corn, soybean, tomato, eggplant, cucumber, and summer squash, assessing their physical properties, bulk durability, bulk density, and energy consumption during pelletization. Results demonstrated that variation in biomass composition significantly influences pellet quality, with lignin content improving durability and ash content affecting moisture uptake and combustion properties. Cucumber had the highest pellet density (691.2 kg/m³) and durability (97.9%), making it suitable for long-term storage and transport. Sawdust exhibited the lowest moisture absorption (16–18% db), which is attributed to its highest lignin content. Pelletization energy requirements varied significantly, with cucumber (21.8 kWh/t) and summer squash (18.7 kWh/t) requiring the lowest energy input, whereas soybean (49.6 kWh/t) and sawdust (47.3 kWh/t) exhibited the highest energy demands due to greater resistance to densification. A predictive model was developed to correlate single pellet density and durability with bulk pellet properties—yielding high predictive accuracy, with R² = 0.936 for bulk density (BD_e) and R² = 0.861 for bulk durability (BD_u)—thereby facilitating process optimization for large-scale pellet production. This study demonstrated that foliage residues from greenhouse crops, such as cucumber and summer squash, can be effectively pelletized with low energy input and high physical integrity. These outcomes suggest that such underutilized agricultural residues hold promise as a densified intermediate feedstock, supporting future applications in bioenergy systems and advancing circular resource use in controlled-environment agriculture. Full article

Sustainable livestock production is a critical component of global food security and environmental stewardship. Agricultural crop residues, such as cereal straws, stovers, and hulls, as well as agro-industrial by-products, including oilseed meals, distillery wastes, and fruit/vegetable processing residues, are generated in large quantities worldwide, and these residues can be used in the diet of the animals to reduce the feed production cost and sustainability. In this review, we found that the use of treated crop residues in the diet of animals increased the production performance without causing any side effects on their health. Additionally, we also noticed that using these crop residues also mitigates the methane production in ruminants and feed costs, particularly for harvesting the feed crops. Traditionally, these materials have often been underutilized or even disposed of improperly, leading to wastage of valuable nutrients and potential environmental pollution. By incorporating these materials into animal feed formulations, livestock producers can benefit from several key advantages. The review further discusses the challenges and considerations involved in the effective utilization of these alternative feed resources, such as variability in nutrient composition, anti-nutritional factors, and the need for appropriate preprocessing and formulation strategies. Emerging technologies and innovative approaches to optimize the integration of crop residues and by-products into sustainable livestock production systems and also reduce global warming, particularly methane, CO₂ and other particles that affect the environment after burning these crop residues, are also highlighted. By synthesizing the current knowledge and exploring the multifaceted benefits, this review underscores the vital roles that agricultural crop residues and agro-industrial by-products can play in fostering the sustainability and resilience of livestock production, ultimately contributing to global food security and environmental stewardship. Full article

The increasing demand for renewable energy has driven interest in utilizing agricultural residues for bioenergy applications. This study investigates the pelletization of foliage from six vegetable crops, including tomato, eggplant, summer squash, cucumber corn, and soybean, to assess their potential as bioenergy feedstocks. The physiochemical properties of these biomasses, including particle size and shape, lignin, and elemental composition, were analyzed to determine their impact on pellet density and durability. The results reveal significant variations in pellet quality across different biomasses. Cucumber and summer squash demonstrated the highest pellet densities (1.48–1.51 g/cm³) and superior durability (98.1% and 94.2%, respectively), making them the most promising candidates for pelletization. In contrast, eggplant exhibited the lowest density (1.14 g/cm³) and durability (47.2%), indicating poor pellet quality. The correlation between pellet durability and pellet density was positive and modest at $r=0.647$. The study further highlights the impact of inorganic elements on pellet properties, where the high silica and chlorine content of cucumber, summer squash, tomato, and eggplant reduced energy efficiency and increased ash-related challenges. The resulting color parameters analysis (L*, a*, and b*) shows that the pellets from eggplant, tomato, summer squash, and cucumber foliage are darker than pellets from sawdust, corn stover, and soybean residues. Full article

Soybean is a major vegetable protein crop often considered to be a sustainable alternative to animal products. Assessments of soybean sustainability often resort to Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), which are difficult to compare due to methodological inconsistencies. This study carried out an innovative method for harmonized comparisons of soybean production between farms assessed in different studies. Rather than collecting LCA results, we collected Life Cycle Inventories (LCIs) and then calculated the global warming potential (GWP) and land use impacts of each farm. For this, we carried out a systematic review following the PRISMA methodology to collect LCI data from 19 studies representing 126 farms in six countries. A comparable analysis of the farms showed a higher variability in GWP (0.27–1.53 kg CO₂e/kg of soybean) than previous reviews, but within a range similar to the results of original studies. As the same LCA method and data were used for all cases, this range can be explained by differences between production systems and locations, with a minimum contribution from methodological variability. Farms in Iran and the United States exhibited the highest emissions, primarily driven by synthetic fertilizer use, irrigation, and energy use. Using results from original studies, farms in Iran showed a substantially lower GWP. Farms in Brazil showed lower non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions but the highest soil biotic capacity loss due to land occupation, while Italian farms demonstrated minimal land use impacts. These findings underscore the need for region-specific mitigation strategies, despite being limited by data gaps on residue management, the global representativity of the sample of farms, and a lack of detail in fertilizer and irrigation data. There is a pressing need for more complete reporting of LCA study results. Full article