Search Results (7,916)

Silkworm-rearing residues are an underused biomass resource that can be converted into value-added products. In this study, a condensable liquid product (SWP-Liq) was produced from these residues by pyrolysis at 325 ± 5 °C and evaluated for its chemical composition and in vitro biological activities. SWP-Liq yielded phenolic-, flavonoid-, and triterpenoid-equivalent values of 218.47 ± 22.40 mg GAE/g, 79.13 ± 3.55 mg QE/g, and 55.54 ± 6.15 mg EE/g, respectively. The ABTS•⁺ assay showed a higher radical-scavenging response than DPPH, while Fe³⁺- and Cu²⁺-reducing activities were also observed. SWP-Liq inhibited 5-LOX with an IC₅₀ of 33.05 ± 1.10 µg/mL, whereas α-glucosidase inhibition was weaker. Antibacterial activity against all four tested bacterial species was observed at 8 mg/mL but not at 4 mg/mL. Targeted LC–MS/MS quantified five phenolic constituents, with p-coumaric acid (1599.71 µg/g), chlorogenic acid (871.43 µg/g), and ferulic acid (285.50 µg/g) being the most abundant. Overall, these findings support the further investigation of silkworm feeding waste as a feedstock for thermochemical valorization into chemically and biologically evaluable bio-based fractions. Full article

Agroindustrial residues represent heterogeneous biomass resources whose anaerobic conversion can be strongly influenced by pretreatment. This study evaluated seven residues: banana peel, potato peel, pineapple peel, coconut fiber, maize cob, coffee parchment, and cocoa parchment, under untreated, organosolv-treated, and precomposted conditions. Physicochemical and bromatological properties were characterized across the three biomass conditions, whereas baseline lignocellulosic composition was determined only for untreated materials. Methane production and biogas composition were assessed for the organosolv-treated and precomposted residues. Organosolv and precomposting produced contrasting compositional responses. Precomposted materials showed lower chemical oxygen demand and volatile-solid proportions, whereas organosolv largely preserved the organic fraction and increased the relative contribution of fiber and carbohydrates. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) differed markedly between pretreatments (p < 0.001), with organosolv-treated residues showing an average BMP 62.2% higher than that of precomposted residues. Methane concentration remained close to 50% and did not differ significantly between pretreatments. The first two principal components explained 79.2% of the compositional variation and showed distinct multivariate patterns among biomass conditions. Exploratory calculations based on experimental BMP and solids data estimated methane recoveries of 305.25 and 155.74 Nm³ CH₄ t⁻¹ wet biomass for organosolv-treated and precomposted materials, respectively. Under the conditions evaluated, organosolv showed greater potential for methane-oriented valorization and provides a basis for subsequent semi-continuous and pilot-scale evaluation. Full article

Accurate yield mapping is essential for precision viticulture, but direct yield measurement during mechanical harvesting remains difficult because of the heterogeneous harvested biomass. This study evaluates the use of images acquired during harvesting to estimate grape yield through features extracted from pre-trained deep learning models. Images were collected over two seasons in a commercial Merlot vineyard using action cameras mounted on a grape harvester. Five pre-trained models, including one convolutional neural network and four Vision Transformer architectures, were compared. The extracted features were related to measured yield using regularized regression models. The results show that pre-trained visual features can reliably estimate grape yield despite the presence of berries, grape clusters, leaves, shoots and motion blur. The convolutional neural network achieved prediction accuracy comparable to the Vision Transformer models, indicating that local image features remain highly informative for biomass-flow estimation. A sparse fusion approach identified more stable features, supporting improved model stability under the investigated conditions. This work demonstrates that general-purpose pre-trained visual embeddings provide an effective basis for grape yield estimation without task-specific model training. The proposed method, not depending on dedicated sensors, specific calibration or model tuning, offers a practical and scalable solution for integration into commercial grape harvesters, including aftermarket installations. Full article

Improving space use while reducing supplemental-lighting demand is important for compact hydroponic fodder production. We developed a cyclic movable cultivation rack with total internal reflection (TIR)-based supplemental lighting and evaluated its geometry, preliminary structural performance, device-level light distribution, and short-cycle crop response. Relative to a predefined double-sided static geometric reference, the cyclic configuration increased nominal tray cultivation area by 36.4%. A preliminary linear-static check under a 5850 N equivalent load gave a maximum von Mises stress of 108.8 MPa, maximum deformation of 3.307 mm, and a yield-based safety factor of 2.16 for Q235 steel. At comparable recorded input power, TIR increased mean PPFD by 93.1% within the prescribed 350 mm single-unit reference-plane grid. After calibration to reference-plane mean-PPFD equivalence, lighting-unit AC active power decreased from 25.41 to 13.10 W, a descriptive 48.4% reduction relative to the same lens-free WS2812-based prototype baseline. In cultivation, harvested fresh biomass differed by approximately 0.3%, and the retrospective one-sided confidence bound was compatible with an exploratory 5% engineering margin but not the stricter 2% sensitivity margin. The results support prototype feasibility while array-level canopy photon exposure, whole-facility energy performance, and long-term mechanical reliability require further validation. Full article

Excessive vegetative growth in sweet potato often disrupts source–sink relationships, reducing assimilate allocation to storage roots in containerized systems. This study evaluated the effects of paclobutrazol (PBZ)—a gibberellin biosynthesis inhibitor—on the vegetative growth, physiological parameters, and storage root yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) cv. Kuri Kogane grown in planting bags. A completely randomized design (CRD) was implemented using PBZ concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm. Applications at 100 and 200 ppm significantly suppressed leaf area and aboveground biomass at 2 months after planting (MAP). Conversely, 100 and 200 ppm PBZ enhanced photosynthetic pigments, significantly increasing SPAD chlorophyll meter readings (SCMRs), with 100 and 200 ppm yielding the highest chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll contents at 1 month after planting. Consequently, 100 and 200 ppm PBZ increased fresh tuber yields to 41,933 and 42,000 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Although the Harvest Index numerically increased to 0.61–0.63, this non-significant trend was driven primarily by the reduction in aboveground biomass rather than an increase in tuber yield. Furthermore, 200 ppm PBZ promoted foliar nutrient accumulation (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) and elevated tuber protein content to a maximum of 6.32%, while sweetness (°Brix) and carotenoid content remained unchanged. In conclusion, PBZ application effectively restricts excess shoot growth and enhances storage root yield and protein content in container-grown sweet potato. Full article

Developing sustainable and low-cost electrocatalysts is important to reduce platinum dependence in alkaline fuel cells and support green hydrogen technologies. In this work, nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) were synthesized through a green route using aqueous extracts of Sargassum spp. as reducing and stabilizing agents. The residual biomass was subsequently converted into activated biochar (BC) by KOH activation and pyrolysis at 700 °C, yielding a porous carbon support with a BET surface area of 1935 m² g⁻¹. Ni/BC electrocatalysts with nominal nickel loadings of 3, 5, 10, and 20 wt% were prepared and denoted BC–Ni3, BC–Ni5, BC–Ni10, and BC–Ni20. Physicochemical characterization confirmed the formation of Ni-based nanoparticles, graphitic carbon domains, and surface oxygen/nitrogen functionalities. Electrochemical evaluation in 0.1 M KOH showed that ORR performance depended on Ni loading. Among the Ni-based catalysts, BC–Ni20 delivered the highest current density (1.64 mA cm⁻² at 0.2 V vs. RHE), the most positive half-wave potential (0.67 V vs. RHE), and good durability after 5000 accelerated degradation cycles, with limited losses in onset and half-wave potentials. Although 10% Pt/Vulcan exhibited higher overall activity, the results demonstrate that Sargassum-derived Ni/biochar materials are promising platinum-group-metal-free electrocatalysts, offering a feasible route for biomass valorization and sustainable energy conversion. Full article

The global demand for sustainable resources highlights agricultural wastes for their valuable biomass content. Xylan, abundant in nature, offers biomedical applications in drug delivery, wound healing, and biodegradable food coatings. This study is the first in the literature to investigate the effect of microwaves on xylan extraction. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of microwave application and determine the purity of the extraction outcomes in terms of xylan content. The microwave-assisted extractions were performed with two different diluted alkali solutions, potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and corncob was the biomass source for xylan. Experiments were designed with response surface methodology (RSM) to find the optimum conditions. Microwave energy demonstrated a statistically significant impact on extraction efficiency and yield (p < 0.05). Maximum yielding conditions for xylan extractions were found as follows: 1200-watt microwave power for 20 min with 10% (w/v) alkaline solution. The results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the KOH extract showed more resemblance to the xylan standard, with fewer indicators of impurities. However, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and zeta potential analysis results of the two extracts did not differ from each other, showing similar thermal and suspension behavior. Xylan content of the KOH and NaOH extracts was determined as 77.82% and 72.01%, respectively. Full article

Residue-derived biochar catalysts can couple catalyst manufacture with biomass valorization, but renewable origin does not guarantee catalytic superiority, durability, or circularity. This critical review examines reusable biochar catalysts and catalyst supports from lignocellulosic residues across biodiesel synthesis, catalytic pyrolysis, tar reforming, hydrodeoxygenation, and platform-chemical production. It focuses on the limits of feedstock–process correlations, the distinction between biochar as catalyst and as support, the strength of active-site evidence, and the effects of deactivation, regeneration, shaping, and material loss. A 23-case quantitative benchmark shows that catalyst loading and repeated-use performance are reported more often than recovered dry mass, cycle-resolved elemental balances, or continuous validation. Closed-loop metrics are defined for catalyst yield, cumulative productivity, regeneration efficiency, elemental retention, water and chemical intensity, and carbon efficiency. The strongest case for residue-derived catalysts is therefore an integrated material loop with measured durability and resource balances, not feedstock origin or surface area alone. Full article

The growing demand for renewable fuels has led to lignocellulosic biomass being turned to as a feedstock for fermentable sugars, yet its hierarchical structure severely limits enzymatic saccharification. In this study, a cascade of microwave-assisted alkali and ultrasound-assisted H₂O₂ pretreatment, combined with sophorolipid and BSA supplementation, was established to enhance glucose recovery from reed straw under mild conditions while substantially reducing enzyme and chemical inputs. The cascade pretreatment selectively removed lignin and hemicellulose, increasing the apparent cellulose crystallinity index from 58.77% to 69.16%. This apparent increase is attributed to the removal of non-cellulosic components rather than to enhanced cellulose crystallinity. This structural modification boosted glucose yield by 1.28-fold over single-stage alkali pretreatment and 6.29-fold over raw material. Supplementation with β-glucosidase, sophorolipid, and BSA further enhanced the yield by 20.34% at a reduced cellulase loading of 12 FPU/g. Fractal kinetic analysis showed that the combined addition increased the rate constant from 0.0067 to 0.0111 while reducing the fractal dimension from 0.7136 to 0.6787. Fed-batch hydrolysis at 25% solids achieved 128.71 g/L glucose, recovering 31.22 g per 100 g raw material. This integrated strategy offers a viable route for converting reed straw into high-titer fermentable sugars under mild conditions with substantially reduced enzyme and chemical inputs. Full article

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is an economically important industrial crop, and its productivity and sugar accumulation depend heavily on effective nutrient management. This study investigated how mineral fertilization combined with foliar applications of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) influences plant growth, photosynthetic performance, nutrient uptake, yield, and sugar production under irrigated alkaline soil conditions in southeastern Kazakhstan during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons. The field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications and five treatments: (1) control (CK), (2) N₃₀₀P₁₅₀K₃₀₀ (NPK), (3) NPK + B, (4) NPK + Zn, and (5) NPK + B + Zn. Mineral fertilization substantially enhanced plant growth and productivity compared with the unfertilized control, while foliar supplementation with B and Zn provided further improvements. Across both growing seasons, the combined NPK + B + Zn treatment consistently produced the greatest leaf area (55.6 × 10³ m² ha⁻¹), dry biomass (4.9 t ha⁻¹), photosynthetic potential (1631.5 × 10³ m² day ha⁻¹), and net photosynthetic productivity (7.7 g m⁻² day⁻¹). It also resulted in the highest total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, reaching 431.5, 64.7, and 761.4 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Foliar application of the combined micronutrients markedly increased their accumulation in plant tissues, with total B and Zn uptake rising to 874 and 1005 g ha⁻¹, respectively. Sugar content improved from 17.1–17.2% in the control to 17.9–18.1% under the combined micronutrient treatment. As a result, the NPK + B + Zn treatment achieved the highest mean sugar yield (15.12 t ha⁻¹), representing a 76.4% increase over the control and a 12.5% increase compared with NPK fertilization alone. The results demonstrate that foliar application of boron and zinc effectively complements mineral fertilization by enhancing photosynthetic activity, nutrient acquisition, and sugar accumulation. The combined application of NPK with foliar B and Zn can therefore be recommended as an effective nutrient management strategy for improving sugar beet productivity and sugar yield under alkaline soil conditions. Full article

Wheat cultivation has recently expanded into new agro-climatic regions of South Korea owing to increasing concerns about food security and changing climatic conditions. However, comprehensive evaluations of regional cultivation suitability remain limited. This study evaluated regional variations in wheat growth, yield, grain quality, and cultivation suitability across three agro-climatic groups classified primarily by January minimum temperature: G1 (<−10 °C; central inland and high-altitude regions), G2 (−8 to −7 °C; southern inland and plain regions), and G3 (−4 to −3 °C; southern coastal and warmer regions). During the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons, field experiments were conducted, and growth traits, yield components, meteorological data, soil properties, and grain quality were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to examine the relationships among agronomic and grain quality traits. In both years, G3 exhibited superior growth performance, characterized by earlier heading, higher biomass, and greater tiller and spike numbers, resulting in the highest grain yield (4.3 t ha⁻¹), compared with G1 (2.8 t ha⁻¹). The superior growth and yield performance observed in G3 was associated with relatively higher winter temperatures and differences in soil nutrient statuses, although other environmental factors may also have contributed. In contrast, the lower productivity observed in G1 may have been related to colder winter conditions and differences in soil nutrient statuses. G2 demonstrated a balance between productivity and stability. Grain quality traits also exhibited regional variability. PCA further indicated that G3 was associated with productivity-related traits, whereas G1 was associated with crude protein content and grain quality-related characteristics. Overall, regional differences in winter temperature and soil fertility were associated with contrasting patterns of wheat productivity and grain quality. These findings highlight the importance of integrated, region-specific cultivation strategies for optimizing wheat production under changing climatic conditions. Full article

Surfactin is an amphiphilic lipopeptide, composed of a cyclic heptapeptide linked to a β-hydroxy fatty acid. This structural configuration gives rise to its remarkable biosurfactant properties. The synthesis is performed by a non-ribosomal peptide synthesis mechanism that involves surfactin synthetase, a multi-enzyme complex encoded by the srfA operon. The expression of this operon and surfactin synthetase activity are regulated by quorum sensing pathways such as Rap-Phr and ComXQPA controlling natural competence, YcxA and YerP efflux pumps, sporulation phosphorelay and degradative enzymes as well as surfactin-regulated pathways. The objective of this manuscript is to review well-studied regulatory metabolic pathways of Bacillus subtilis that control surfactin biosynthesis and to construct a global metabolic regulatory network in order to design the most efficient metabolic engineering strategies to improve surfactin production while maintaining strain stability. The surfactin synthesis regulatory network was built using KEGG pathway maps for two-component systems, quorum sensing, bacterial secretion, and ABC transporters. Most genes and interactions were based on Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis str. 168. Gene details were obtained from the NCBI database. The network map was created manually using Canva’s flowchart tool. Modifications in amino acid and fatty acid precursor pathways did not have a significant impact on surfactin yield despite an increase in amino acid availability. The modification of genes involved in quorum sensing pathways has been associated with the regulation of natural competence development and cell cycle progression. For example, srfA promoter replacement and comA overexpression resulted in a significant enhancement of srfA operon expression and surfactin production. The overexpression of efflux pumps ycxA and yerP resulted in enhanced surfactin secretion and increased self-resistance to surfactin. In contrast the deletion of sporulation genes resulted in an increase in surfactin yield per biomass; however, it caused inhibition of growth. Knockout of biofilm-related genes and competing lipopeptide pathways resulted in an increase in surfactin yield. A hypothesis of triple-mutant strain combining comA overexpression, ycxA and yerP enhanced efflux transport, and kinC deletion was proposed based on the constructed regulatory metabolic network that theoretically can improve surfactin yield and strain stability; however, further validation is required to assess potential unintended effects. Full article

Goji leaves and buds are used as vegetables and teas, but their composition and behavior in formulated foods differ from those of the berries. This critical narrative review examines their phytochemistry, processing, food applications, digestion, and safety, with selected comparisons to berry-processing residues and orchard biomass. The literature includes leaf-tea processing, polysaccharide-modified dough, emulsion delivery systems, and bud-tea or leaf-extract additions to savory foods. Genotype, harvest stage, and extraction account for substantial compositional variation. In food matrices, improvements in rheology, oxidative stability, or flavor depend on formulation and dose—higher inclusion does not consistently improve sensory quality. Simulated digestion and biological models provide preparation-specific findings but do not establish clinical efficacy. Safety evidence includes a short-term toxicology study of one roasted Lycium chinense leaf extract and pesticide occurrence and infusion-transfer measurements in bud tea. Neither dataset establishes safety across all leaf-derived products. Berry residues have separate applications in bakery products, ingredient recovery, and animal feed, whereas woody branches are predominantly agricultural biomass. Extraction yield alone establishes neither food suitability nor environmental benefit. The main unresolved issue is whether the compositional and technological effects observed in individual experiments persist across production batches, realistic servings, storage, and longer-term exposure. Full article

Glucosylglycerol (GG) is a compatible solute with excellent moisturizing capacity and macromolecule stability, exhibiting broad application potential in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The halophilic cyanobacterium Cyanobacterium aponinum SCSIO-45682 can synthesize GG under salt stress and represents a promising strain for photoautotrophic GG production. In this study, the GG product extracted from SCSIO-45682 was structurally identified as 2-O-α-D-GG by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. The effects of salinity, initial pH, light intensity, and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations on biomass and GG accumulation were systematically investigated using single-factor experiments, and response surface methodology (RSM) was subsequently applied to optimize intracellular GG content as a percentage of dry weight (% DW). The results showed that salinity was the primary factor driving GG accumulation in SCSIO-45682. As salinity increased from 30 ppt to 120 ppt, GG content increased by 3.41-fold. Light intensity was another key factor affecting GG accumulation, with moderate irradiance of 2000–5000 lux being more favorable for GG accumulation. Among the nutritional factors, nitrogen and phosphorus had relatively weak effects, whereas increasing carbon concentration enhanced GG yield by promoting biomass accumulation. The RSM results showed that salinity × light intensity exhibited a synergistic enhancement pattern, whereas the pH × carbon concentration interaction displayed an inverse regulatory effect. Under the optimal conditions of 96 ppt salinity, pH 5.0, 5000 lux light intensity, and 7.0 mM NaHCO₃, GG content and yield reached 16.30% DW and 366.75 mg/L, respectively, representing a 3.29-fold increase compared with the control. In addition, the GG-containing crude extract exhibited concentration-dependent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, ABTS) radical-scavenging activities. Overall, this study achieved a high level of natural 2-O-α-D-GG accumulation in a wild-type cyanobacterial photoautotrophic cultivation system through multi-factor synergistic optimization, providing a foundation for the green biomanufacturing of GG using wild-type C. aponinum. Full article

Integrated Crop–Livestock–Forest (ICLF) systems have emerged as a key strategy for sustainable agricultural intensification by simultaneously enhancing productivity, ecosystem services, and climate resilience in tropical environments. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of the tree component in ICLF systems, with emphasis on wood production, timber quality, greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, and ecosystem functioning. We discuss the conceptual basis and typologies of ICLF systems, the influence of spatial and temporal arrangements, and the biotic and abiotic factors regulating tree growth and productivity. The review further examines management practices—including species selection, tree density, thinning, and pruning—and their implications for wood yield, timber quality, and overall system performance. Evidence demonstrates that appropriately managed tree components enhance nutrient cycling, soil quality, biodiversity, animal welfare, and farm profitability while increasing carbon sequestration in aboveground biomass and soils. Trees also contribute to offsetting methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, reinforcing the climate mitigation potential of ICLF systems. Despite these benefits, adoption remains constrained by technical, economic, and regional challenges, highlighting the need for site-specific recommendations and improved silvicultural management. Overall, optimizing the tree component can maximize the multifunctionality of ICLF systems, supporting sustainable wood production, ecosystem restoration, the implementation of Brazil’s ABC+ Plan, and the achievement of the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. Full article