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Sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum) was cultivated for two 90-day sequences at two spacings, and with various soil amendments, to evaluate its potential to arrest the increase in soil salinity and sodicity associated with irrigation using paper- and pulp-mill effluent. Its phytodesalination capacity (PDC) with respect to Na ranged from 162 to 226 kg/ha in the first sequence and 167 to 250 kg/ha in the second sequence; the PDC is reliable even under drought stress. Addition of amendments, in particular pressmud compost, increased the average Na+ uptake by 38%, leading to the highest PDC of 250 kg/ha for a single crop sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizobacteria play a crucial role in plant growth and yield, stimulating primary production and improving stress resistance. Climate change has several consequences worldwide that affect arable land and agriculture. Studies on plant–soil–microorganism interactions to enhance plant productivity and/or resistance to abiotic stress may open new perspectives. This strategy aims to make agricultural‐relevant plant species able to complete their biological cycle in extreme soils with the help of inoculated or primed plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR).We provide an overview of the evolution of interest in PGPR research in the last 30 years through: (i) a quantitative search on the Scopus database; (ii) keyword frequencies and clustering analysis, and (iii) a keyword network and time‐gradient analysis.The review of scientific literature on PGPR highlighted an increase in publications in the last 15 years, and a specific time gradient on subtopics, such as abiotic stresses. The rise in PGPR as a keyword co‐occurring with salinity and drought stresses aligns with the growing number of papers from countries directly or partly affected by climate change.The study of PGPR, its features, and related applications will be a key challenge in the next decades, considering climate change effects on agriculture. The increased interest in PGPR leads to deeper knowledge focused specifically on researching agriculturally sustainable solutions for soils affected by salinity and drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic and agronomic advances consistently lead to an annual increase in global barley yield. Since abiotic stresses (physical environmental factors that negatively affect plant growth) reduce barley yield, it is necessary to predict barley resistance. Artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) models are new and powerful tools for predicting product resilience. Considering the research gap in the use of molecular markers in predicting abiotic stresses, this paper introduces a new approach called GenPhenML that combines molecular markers and phenotypic traits to predict the resistance of barley genotypes to drought and salinity stresses by ML models. GenPhenML uses feature selection algorithms to determine the most important molecular markers. It then identifies the best model that predicts atmospheric resistance with lower MAE, RMSE, and higher R2. The results showed that GenPhenML with a neural network model predicted the salinity stress resistance score with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.1206, 0.0308 and 0.9995, respectively. Also, the NN model predicted drought stress scores with MAE, RMSE and R2 values of 0.0727, 0.0105 and 0.9999, respectively. The GenPhenML approach was also used to classify barley genotypes as resistant and stress-sensitive. The results showed that the accuracy, accuracy and F1 score of the proposed approach for salinity and drought stress classification were higher than 97%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed conditioning with ultraviolet light (UV-C) might (1) improve crop yield and quality, (2) reduce the use of agrochemicals during cultivation, and (3) increase plant survival in high salinity environments. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of UV-C conditioning of white oat seeds at two doses (0.85 and 3.42 kJ m−2) under salinity stress (100 mM NaCl). Seeds were sown on germination paper and kept in a germination chamber at 20°C. Germination and seedling growth parameters were evaluated after 5 and 10 days. Data demonstrated that excess salt reduced germination and initial growth of white oat seedlings. In all the variables analyzed, exposure of seeds to UV-C under salt stress exerted a positive effect compared to non-irradiated control. The attenuating influence of UV-C in germination was greater at 0.85 than at 3.42 kJ m−2. Thus, data indicate that conditioning white oat seeds in UV-C light produced greater tolerance to salt stress. These findings suggest that UV-C conditioning of white oat seeds may be considered as a simple and economical strategy to alleviate salt-induced stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the present research is to propose a comprehensive attitude of the salinity in groundwater resources of Iran using 116 papers in the assessment of groundwater quality in different areas of the country. The conducted study contains the measurement of the values of physicochemical parameters of which electrical conductivity (EC), as the fundamental parameter for salinity determination of groundwater, was considered mostly, and by comparing it with standards, as well as employing the Wilcox diagram, the quality of water was assessed for drinking and agricultural purposes, respectively. Study of the previous papers revealed that in only the west and northwest of the country, the groundwater quality was suitable for drinking, and in the majority of provinces, EC values exceeded the recommended limits. The highest EC level was seen in central provinces which led to the aggravation of groundwater and the largest proportion of salinity, putting the quality of water in an unsuitable class for drinking. Additionally, the assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation uses using the Wilcox diagram showed high and very high salinity rates in most areas of the study area. Northwestern provinces relatively had the lowest level putting in C3–S1 class, while central areas reached the highest with C4–S4 classification. Deficiency of rainfall, high rate of groundwater exploitation, and the intrusion of saltwater from Salt Lake were the principal reasons for groundwater deterioration in central parts of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large‐scale seepage faces occur on tidal flats with gentle slope, which are widely distributed worldwide. Evaporation on these seepage faces, leading to salt retention and accumulation, may significantly impact the density‐dependent groundwater flow beneath the tidal flats. However, due to nonlinear complexities of the groundwater flow and solute transport on seepage faces, explicit boundary conditions and numerical models to quantify these processes are lacking. In this study, we present both mathematical and numerical models to quantify these processes. Compared to the results of our previous study, this paper shows that seepage‐face evaporation can (a) significantly increase the groundwater salinity in the upper intertidal zone, and form multiple groundwater circulation cells in the intertidal zone, (b) cause the disappearance of multiple seepage‐faces and reduce the spatial extent of seepage faces notably, (c) and intensify the groundwater and salt exchange as well as the seawater‐groundwater circulation through the intertidal zone. Plain Language Summary: Tidal flats with very gentle slopes are ubiquitously distributed around the world. Due to these minimal slopes, the intertidal zone can extend for several kilometers, leading to large‐scale seepage faces during ebb and low tides. Previous studies have shown that evaporation without seepage face causes salt retention and accumulation, which not only increases groundwater salinity significantly, but also alters the groundwater density and its subsurface pathways. However, explicit mathematical expression and associated numerical models to quantify the process of evaporation on seepage faces are lacking, due to the mathematically nonlinear complexities to deal with the density‐dependent groundwater flow and solute transport. Here, a new boundary condition considering evaporation on seepage faces as well as salt retention and accumulation was proposed. Compared with the seepage‐face boundary conditions of our previous study, we found that multiple seepage‐faces disappear and multiple groundwater circulation cells develop due to evaporation. Seepage‐face evaporation significantly increases the salinity in the upper intertidal zone, reduces the scale and existence of seepage faces, and promotes groundwater/salt exchange. This study systematically reveals the effects of seepage‐face with evaporation on the density‐dependent groundwater flows and salinity distributions in coastal aquifers, which have strong implications on biogeochemical processes within the intertidal zone. Key Points: A new evaporation boundary condition was proposed on seepage face with salt retained and accumulatedMultiple seepage‐faces disappear and multiple groundwater circulation cells develop due to evaporation in the intertidal zoneSeepage‐face evaporation significantly promotes groundwater and salt exchange within the intertidal zone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their recent paper, Williams et al. (2022) evaluated salinity management in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) as 'unsustainable', and a risk to water availability and quality in the Basin. However, this evaluation was weakened first by a failure to analyse the Basin salinity strategies of the last thirty-five years, noting that these have led to Basin salinity target being met since 2010; and second to not providing Basin-specific data to support their evaluation. Contrary to Williams et al. comments, existing evidence indicates that infrastructure intended to improve water use efficiency (e.g. salt leaching, salt disposal basins) will generally reduce stream salinity. The requirement for a leaching efficiency means that there is a lower limit to water use efficiency improvements, but this is unlikely itself to be a major risk. We agree that the changes that have occurred over the last twenty years would warrant a review of salt storage options in the MDB that better matches future needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in soil salinity has a negative effect on the growth and yield of plants. Mitigating the negative effects of soil salinity is therefore a difficult task and different methods are being used to overcome the negative effects of salt stress on crop plants. One of the often-used approaches is seed priming that can increase plants' vigor and resilience. In this paper, we tested the effects of hydropriming, proline priming, and salicylic acid priming on the mitigation of the negative effects of salt stress on two bell pepper varieties (Capsicum annuum L.): Herkules and Kurtovska kapija. Sweet bell pepper seeds were primed following desiccation to achieve the original water content, and subsequently cultivated in salt-supplemented medium. The positive effects on vigor (in the form of increased germination and seedling establishment) as well as on level of tolerance for salt stress were recorded for both cultivars. The positive effects varied between the priming treatments and pepper cultivar used. The results of germination, seedling performance, photosynthetic pigments, and osmolytes were measured for seedlings grown from unprimed and primed seeds with under 0, 25, and 50 mM of NaCl. Both cultivars demonstrated greater germination when primed with proline and salicylic acid, while the Herkules cultivar demonstrated a higher tolerance to salt when proline was used as the priming agent. Priming with salicylic acid and proline in the seed improved germination and seedling performance, which could be related to the increase in proline content in the seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying soil composition is vital for agricultural and edaphology disciplines. Presently, colorimetry serves as a prevalent method for the on-site visual examination of soil characteristics. However, this technique necessitates the laboratory-based analysis of extracted soil fragments by skilled personnel, leading to substantial time and resource consumption. Contrastingly, sensor techniques effectively gather environmental data, though they mostly lack in situ studies. Despite this, sensors offer substantial on-site data generation potential in a non-invasive manner and can be included in wireless sensor networks. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to develop a low-cost red, green, and blue (RGB)-based sensor system capable of detecting changes in the composition of the soil. The proposed sensor system was found to be effective when the sample materials, including salt, sand, and nitro phosphate, were determined under eight different RGB lights. Statistical analyses showed that each material could be classified with significant differences based on specific light variations. The results from a discriminant analysis documented the 100% prediction accuracy of the system. In order to use the minimum number of colors, all the possible color combinations were evaluated. Consequently, a combination of six colors for salt and nitro phosphate successfully classified the materials, whereas all the eight colors were found to be effective for classifying sand samples. The proposed low-cost RGB sensor system provides an economically viable and easily accessible solution for soil classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity gradient power generation based on nanochannels has drawn much attention for its green and sustainable advantages. However, previous studies have tended to focus on regularly shaped nanochannels, while rough and irregular surfaces are naturally formed during the preparation of nanochannels (similar to sinusoidal nanochannels). In this paper, a model of salinity gradient energy conversion in sinusoidal nanochannels is established. The impacts of the geometrical parameter dimensions of the sinusoidal channel (including initial phase, channel length, average radius, amplitude, and angular frequency) on the power generation performance under different salinity gradients are systematically investigated. The results show that the sinusoidal nanochannel has better salinity gradient power generation performance than cylindrical nanochannel. It obtains the best power generation performance when the initial phase is zero. Besides, increasing the nanochannel length facilitates ion selectivity and energy conversion efficiency. At high concentration difference, decreasing the average radius or increasing the amplitude help increase the maximum output power and enhance the energy conversion efficiency. The maximum output power of about 1.27 pW and energy conversion efficiency of about 32.8% were obtained by optimizing the sinusoidal channel amplitudes. It is also found that increasing the angular frequency is favorable to improving energy conversion performance at the high concentration difference. These results provide helpful information for designing and optimizing salinity gradient energy conversion systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among biotic and abiotic stresses, the most restrictive for plant distribution is salt stress, where different concentrations might exert harmful effects on seed germination. Recently, nanomaterials were used successfully to mitigate these stresses, indicating that plants may be able to develop normally in adverse conditions. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of graphene oxide (GO) on the germination of Persian clover seedlings under salt stress conditions. Following sown on substrate paper, seeds were tested after exposure to different concentrations of graphene oxide (0, 125, 250, or 500 mg L-1 GO), sodium chloride (0; -0.1; -0.2; -0.3, or -0.4 MPa NaCl) and/or GO + salt concomitantly, and then stored for 7 days in a germination chamber at 20°C in the presence of light. Seed germination and growth parameters of seedlings were determined. Graphene oxide demonstrated protective effect against salt stress as evident by no marked adverse effects on seed germination where GO blocked the salt-induced reduction in germination. The results obtained provide references for the safe application of nanomaterials and emphasize the significance of GO as a promising material for reducing the toxicity of salts in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trees have developed a broad spectrum of molecular mechanisms to counteract oxidative stress. Secondary metabolites via phenolic compounds emblematized the hidden bridge among plant kingdom, human health, and oxidative stress. Although studies have demonstrated that abiotic stresses can increase the production of medicinal compounds in plants, research comparing the efficiency of these stresses still needs to be explored. Thus, the present research paper provided an exhaustive comparative metabolomic study in Dalbergia odorifera under salinity (ST) and waterlogging (WL). Results: High ST reduced D. odorifera's fresh biomass compared to WL. While WL only slightly affected leaf and vein size, ST had a significant negative impact. ST also caused more significant damage to water status and leaflet anatomy than WL. As a result, WL-treated seedlings exhibited better photosynthesis and an up-regulation of nonenzymatic pathways involved in scavenging reactive oxygen species. The metabolomic and physiological responses of D. odorifera under WL and salinity ST stress revealed an accumulation of secondary metabolites by the less aggressive stress (WL) to counterbalance the oxidative stress. Under WL, more metabolites were more regulated compared to ST. ST significantly altered the metabolite profile in D. odorifera leaflets, indicating its sensitivity to salinity. WL synthesized more metabolites involved in phenylpropanoid, flavone, flavonol, flavonoid, and isoflavonoid pathways than ST. Moreover, the down-regulation of L-phenylalanine correlated with increased p-coumarate, caffeate, and ferulate associated with better cell homeostasis and leaf anatomical indexes under WL. Conclusions: From a pharmacological and medicinal perspective, WL improved larger phenolics with therapeutic values compared to ST. Therefore, the data showed evidence of the crucial role of medical tree species' adaptability on ROS detoxification under environmental stresses that led to a significant accumulation of secondary metabolites with therapeutic value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Spirulina powder, Yeast, Yeast + β-Carotene were used as feed to explore the effects of feed on the growth and carotenoids accumulation of Artemia at different temperatures （20℃, 25℃, 30℃） and salinities （10, 30, 50, 70, 90）. The results showed that the survival rate and body length of Artemia fed with spirulina powder were better than those of other feed at the same temperature and salinity. On the 10th day, at 25℃, Artemia fed with spirulina powder and yeast had maximum average body length at salinity 30 （7.52 mm, 5.88 mm） （P<0.05）, while Artemia fed with yeast + β-carotene had the largest average body length （4.0 mm） at salinity 10 （P<0.05）. The average body length of Artemia in the 30℃ group was significantly longer than that in the other temperature groups at salinity 50 （P<0.05）. On the 15th day, at 25℃, Artemia fed spirulina powder had the highest survival rate （93.7%） at salinity 30. At salinity 50, the survival rate of Artemia fed with spirulina powder in the 20℃ group （94.0%） and 25℃ group （92.0%） was significantly higher than that in the 30℃ group （P<0.05）. The egg-holding rate of Artemia in each group fed with spirulina powder was significantly higher than that of other feed （P<0.05）, and gradually increased with the increases of salinity or temperature. After 15 days, the detection of carotenoids of Artemia showed that only echinenone and canthaxanthin were detected in each feed group, and β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin were not detected. The total carotenoid content of Artemia fed with spirulina powder was significantly higher than that of other groups （P<0.05）, and decreased with the increase of salinity, and the salinity 10 group was the highest （46.25 μg/g）. With the increase of temperature, it first increased and then decreased, and 25 ℃ group was the highest （46.28 μg/g）. In conclusion, Artemia fed with Spirulina powder grew best, Artemia could convert β-carotene to echinenone and canthaxanthin, with the increase of temperature, the survival rate of Artemia decreases, which accelerates Artemia growth, sexual maturity and carotenoid metabolism. If the salinity is too high or too low, the survival rate and growth rate of Artemia will be reduced, but high salt can promote sexual maturity and deplete carotenoids in Artemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an interview with Ari Sadanandom, a Professor of Plant Molecular Sciences at the University of Durham. Sadanandom discusses his interest in plant science, his decision to pursue a career in research, and his motivations as a scientist. He also mentions his role models and inspirations throughout his career. Additionally, Sadanandom highlights some of his favorite papers from the journal New Phytologist, focusing on topics such as plant immunity, root development, and protein modifications. Finally, he shares his favorite plant, the Mimosa plant, and provides information about his research on protein modifications and its implications for agriculture. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents a study on the salinity determination and flow rate estimation in a two-phase air-water system. For this purpose, an automated air-water test loop capable of generating different flow patterns in a horizontal pathway was utilized to do numerous experiments at varying flow rates. A nuclear measuring setup, comprising Cs-137 and Am-241 as radiation sources, one NaI (Tl) scintillation detector to register transmission counts of Cs and three scintillator detectors for registering transmission and scattering counts from Am, was prepared. A pressure drop pipe was also employed for flow rate measurement, with MLPs were selected as the processing element. Notable innovations of this paper can be considered from two perspectives. Firstly, a novel paradigm in nuclear measurement geometry. This novelty uses the benefits of three scintillator detectors to extract features with the maximum potential for classifying and determining salinity. Secondly, there is a new method in data processing and utilizing optimum features to achieve the best performance in predicting flow rates. Results in flow rate prediction independent of salinity and flow regime indicate that the proposed paradigm and method are reliable for using in industrial fields related to multi-phase metering. • This paper proposes a novel paradigm in nuclear measurement geometry. • This paper employs seven ANNs to develop the optimal prediction model. • The combination of wavelet transform and statistical features shows the best performance to determine the flow rates. • The results indicated that the proposed prediction model achieved an MAE of less than 4/237 L/min and an MRE% of 4/842 % for predicting flow rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating salinity levels in cultivable soil pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity and, consequently, human sustenance. This problem is being exacerbated by natural processes and human activities, coinciding with a period of rapid population growth. Developing halophytic crops is needed to ensure food security is not impaired and land resources can be used sustainably. Evolution has created many close halophyte relatives of our major glycophytic crops, such as Puccinellia tenuiflora (relative of barley and wheat), Oryza coarctata (relative of rice) and Glycine soja (relative of soybean). There are also some halophytes have been subjected to semi-domestication and are considered as minor crops, such as Chenopodium quinoa. In this paper, we examine the prevailing comprehension of robust salinity resilience in halophytes. We summarize the existing strategies and technologies that equip researchers with the means to enhance the salt tolerance capabilities of primary crops and investigate the genetic makeup of halophytes. • Developing halophytic crops is needed to ensure food security is not impaired and land resources can be used sustainably. • The study of these halophytes will help us improve the salt tolerance of our existing crops and diversify the human diets. • We conclude the available strategies and technologies that enable the researchers to improve the salt tolerance performance of the major crops and the genetics of halophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuaries and coastal waters are sensitive to ecological degradation but receive some of the highest levels of pollutants. One impact of these pollutants is increased greenhouse gas generation, which is significant, but difficult to estimate due to high variability and data paucity. This paper investigates key controls on methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in the urban, mesotidal, stratified Clyde estuary, Scotland, between January 2020 and October 2022. Measurements covered the estuary longitudinally, through tidal cycles and across the river-estuary transition. Dissolved CH 4 and N 2 O were always supersaturated relative to air exhibiting strong spatial and temporal variability. Estuary surface freshwater layer CH 4 concentrations were positively correlated with turbidity and exceeded 5.4 μmol l−1. Lower saline layer CH 4 concentrations exceeded 10.8 μmol l−1 and were highest after freshwater flushing events. The CH 4 concentrations decreased exponentially with salinity persistence (time since last freshwater flushing event), reducing by 50% after 10 days of continuously saline water. Salinity persistence likely provides a tipping point between the dominance of different microbial communities. Considering the persistence of saline conditions can explain much of the previously reported variability in estuarine CH 4. In the surface freshwater layer, N 2 O exceeded 0.15 μmol l−1, while in the lower saline layer N 2 O exceeded 0.21 μmol l−1, despite lower dissolved nitrogen, increasing the N 2 O per unit available nitrogen. There was a significant inverse exponential correlation (R2 = 0.96) between N 2 O and dissolved oxygen in the lower layer, with low oxygen driving elevated N 2 O concentrations. This study provides unique insights into the conditions that generate CH 4 and N 2 O in a stratified urban-impacted estuary. [Display omitted] • CH 4 decreased exponentially with salinity persistence (50% after 10 days). • CH 4 concentrations were reinviorgated by freshwater flushing events. • Low dissolved oxygen exponentially increased N 2 O concentrations. • Nutrients, flushing and stratification all contributed to low dissolved oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and study a numerical scheme for the Navier-Stokes-Fourier system derived and studied by the authors in [12]. This system models hydrostatic free surface flows with density variations depending on temperature or salinity. We show that the finite volume/finite element scheme presented – based on a layer averaged formulation of the model – is well-balanced with regards to the steady state of the lake at rest and preserves the nonnegativity of the water height. A maximum principle on the density is also proved as well as a discrete entropy inequality (when the thermal and viscous effects are neglected). Some numerical validations are finally shown with comparisons to 3D analytical solutions and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a convenient photothermal material, polydopamine (PDA) has been widely utilized in wood-based evaporators. However, the loading conditions of polydopamine on biomass bulk materials have not been systematically studied. In this paper, the suitable reaction conditions of polydopamine were studied with rattan as the substrate, and a reference for the improvement of the loading conditions was proposed. The polydopamine-loaded rattan-based evaporator (PDA-R) prepared on this basis exhibits excellent working stability due to the unique large-scale hierarchical porous structure of rattan. In addition to excellent salt resistance and cycle performance (evaporation rate decays by 5.1% after 30 cycles), the larger-aperture channel (200–450 μm) also brings better adaptability to salinity changes than polydopamine-loaded basswood-based evaporator (PDA-BW) (the attenuation coefficient of PDA-R is 6.2%, while the attenuation coefficient of PDA-BW is 16.3%). All of these indicate the broad prospects of polydopamine-loaded rattan-based evaporator as a multi-effect treatment scheme of brine. [Display omitted] • Loading conditions of polydopamine on biomass block material is systematic studied. • PDA-R has excellent salt resistance and cycling performance in high salinity brines. • PDA-R has great adaptability to salinity changes. • The effect of uniformly dense pore size of the substrate on salinity adaptability of evaporator is explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the world grapples with increasing agricultural demands and unpredictable environmental stressors, there is a pressing need to improve plant resilience. Therefore, understanding the pioneering role of nanoparticles in alleviating plant stress is crucial for developing stress-resilient varieties to enhance food secure world. Nanoparticles have unique physical and chemical properties, and demonstrate their potential to enhance plant growth, nutrient utilization, and stress tolerance. This review delves into the mechanistic insights of nanoparticle-plant interactions, highlighting how these tiny particles can mitigate diverse stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity. The action of different types of nanoparticles, including metal, carbon-based, and biogenic nanoparticles, are discussed in the context of their interaction with plant physiology and stress responses.This article also explores the potential drawbacks and environmental implications of nanoparticle use, emphasizing the need for responsible and sustainable applications. Therefore, this study aimed to offer exciting possibilities for managing both biotic and abiotic stress in plant species, from improving water-use efficiency and stress resilience via nanotechnology.Future research directions are suggested, focusing on nano-bioengineering and precision agriculture to create stress-resilient crops and enhance food security. Through the lens of interdisciplinary research, this paper underscores the significance of nanoparticles as innovative tools in the realm of agriculture, catalyzing a paradigm shift towards sustainable and stress-resilient farming systems.Aims: As the world grapples with increasing agricultural demands and unpredictable environmental stressors, there is a pressing need to improve plant resilience. Therefore, understanding the pioneering role of nanoparticles in alleviating plant stress is crucial for developing stress-resilient varieties to enhance food secure world. Nanoparticles have unique physical and chemical properties, and demonstrate their potential to enhance plant growth, nutrient utilization, and stress tolerance. This review delves into the mechanistic insights of nanoparticle-plant interactions, highlighting how these tiny particles can mitigate diverse stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity. The action of different types of nanoparticles, including metal, carbon-based, and biogenic nanoparticles, are discussed in the context of their interaction with plant physiology and stress responses.This article also explores the potential drawbacks and environmental implications of nanoparticle use, emphasizing the need for responsible and sustainable applications. Therefore, this study aimed to offer exciting possibilities for managing both biotic and abiotic stress in plant species, from improving water-use efficiency and stress resilience via nanotechnology.Future research directions are suggested, focusing on nano-bioengineering and precision agriculture to create stress-resilient crops and enhance food security. Through the lens of interdisciplinary research, this paper underscores the significance of nanoparticles as innovative tools in the realm of agriculture, catalyzing a paradigm shift towards sustainable and stress-resilient farming systems.Conclusions : As the world grapples with increasing agricultural demands and unpredictable environmental stressors, there is a pressing need to improve plant resilience. Therefore, understanding the pioneering role of nanoparticles in alleviating plant stress is crucial for developing stress-resilient varieties to enhance food secure world. Nanoparticles have unique physical and chemical properties, and demonstrate their potential to enhance plant growth, nutrient utilization, and stress tolerance. This review delves into the mechanistic insights of nanoparticle-plant interactions, highlighting how these tiny particles can mitigate diverse stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity. The action of different types of nanoparticles, including metal, carbon-based, and biogenic nanoparticles, are discussed in the context of their interaction with plant physiology and stress responses.This article also explores the potential drawbacks and environmental implications of nanoparticle use, emphasizing the need for responsible and sustainable applications. Therefore, this study aimed to offer exciting possibilities for managing both biotic and abiotic stress in plant species, from improving water-use efficiency and stress resilience via nanotechnology.Future research directions are suggested, focusing on nano-bioengineering and precision agriculture to create stress-resilient crops and enhance food security. Through the lens of interdisciplinary research, this paper underscores the significance of nanoparticles as innovative tools in the realm of agriculture, catalyzing a paradigm shift towards sustainable and stress-resilient farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to understand the properties and parameters of ice growth models, to enable reliable assessment of the impact ice may have on facilities or to ship navigation. To improve the understanding of the different models, the theoretical formulations for ice growth are investigated and calculated results compared with laboratory and full-scale measurement data. The paper describes the ice growth models for level sea ice and how these are applied in brash ice consolidation modelling. In particular, analysis is made to account for modelling of snow cover in level ice growth models, and subsequently also salinity, porosity and the atmospheric boundary including wind effect in brash ice models. The paper presents an overview of laboratory tests and results for both level ice and brash ice. Also models for level ice growth for the case of snow cover are derived and compared with thetest results. Specifically, inclusion of snow thickness in the growth model presents some practical difficulties, as the thickness of snow cover is often not known a priori, and comparison between calculated level ice thickness and measurements suggests that a good assumption in predictive models is to assume the snow cover thickness to be proportional to level ice thickness. Further, it was observed that the wind influences much the heat transfer to atmosphere, which is not zero at the zero wind speed, a value for the heat transfer coefficient to atmosphere is derived based on laboratory tests. The findings from these analyses provide an improved understanding of the ice growth and consolidation process which can be incorporated into modelling techniques for marine design and operations. • Models for brash ice growth and the parameters therein • Laboratory tests on brash ice growth, effect of porosity, salinity and wind • Values for atmospheric heat transfer coefficient with and without wind [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Frequency dependence of elastic modulus of sea ice in bending. • Dependence of elastic modulus of sea ice in bending from ice structure. • In-situ tests with floating vibrating fixed ends beams of sea ice. • Laboratory test with free-free vibrating beams of sea ice. Thirteen laboratory and field tests were carried out with vibrating sea ice beams to study the dependence of the elastic modulus of sea ice in the spectral range from 1 Hz to 500 Hz. Six full-scale tests with floating fixed ends beams were carried out on the land fast ice of the Spitsbergen fjords. For laboratory testing, smaller ice beams were made sea ice of the same fjords. Three tests with columnar fresh lake ice S2 were conducted to validate the method for calculating of the added mass of a floating beam with fixed ends. A 60% increase in the elastic modulus of columnar sea ice S2 was found due to an increase in the frequency of flexural deformations in the range from 10 Hz to 500 Hz. The paper also discusses the influence of ice structure on the elastic modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently proposed solar-driven reverse-distillation device with a water layer has shown promising potential in solar energy conversion efficiency and impactful advantages in salt rejection by constructing a rapid brine flow driven by gravity/density differences. However, a lack of profound understanding and explanation of the salt-rejection mechanism and accurate salt-discharge regulation strategies may hinder the further improvement of reverse-distillation devices. In this paper, we thoroughly discuss and analyze the mechanism of how gravity affects the internal brine flow and determines the salt rejection/discharge performance while providing comprehensive salt-discharge regulation strategies for feed brine with a wide range of salinities. The results show that only a 4° inclination angle enables the two-dimensional (2D) device with a 1-mm-thick water layer in the dissolution mode to dispose 3.5 wt% brine for 8 h without salt saturation, while the value is also merely 10° for a three-dimensional (3D) device, indicating the realization of the brine flow driven by a small gravity component and demonstrating a strong adaptability for the device. In the salt discharge mode, the ratio of the discharge flow rate to the evaporation rate determines the salt saturation risk. We discuss the salinity distribution of the evaporation surface at varied feed-brine salinities and discharge flow rates, providing a theoretical basis for precisely matching the thermal characteristics and enabling improved design for efficient and sustainable solar-distillation devices. Finally, we discuss the scalability of salt rejection and propose a scheme for scalable water production, which may offer important support for further realizing large-scale sustainable solar desalination by using the reverse-distillation device with a water layer. • Mechanism of salt rejection and discharge driven by gravity is explored. • Accurate salt-discharge regulation strategies are developed. • A small inclination angle enables sustainable distillation without salt saturation. • Feasible schemes for large-scale water production are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation in paleosalinity and paleoredox affect the production and preservation of organic matter. The study of ancient salinity and redox conditions of source rocks is of great significance for the enrichment of organic matter and the exploration of petroleum resources. In this paper, the commonly proxies for paleosalinity and paleoredox are distinguished and discussed. The paleosalinity and paleoredox of the Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag of the Junggar Basin are reconstructed by combining the minerals, corrected elements, biomarkers and isotope indicators. Research suggests that the gammacerane index, carbon and oxygen isotopes, corrected Sr/Ba, and Mg/Al can be used to evaluate the paleosalinity of the Lucaogou Formation. Among the commonly used redox proxies, only V/Cr, U/Th, and V EF can be used to evaluate the redox conditions of the Lucaogou Formation, and their thresholds have been corrected. The paleo-sedimentary environment of the Lucaogou Formation has undergone frequent changes and is generally in a brackish and reductive environment. The paleo-sedimentary environment is an important influencing factor for the enrichment of organic matter of the study area. A relative higher salinity and reduction environment is conducive to the organic matter enrichment and high-quality source rocks formation in the Lucaogou Formation. • The impact of volcanic ash on element evaluation indicators was conducted. • The evaluation indicators of salinity have been corrected. • The evaluation indicators for redox conditions were corrected based on Re-U-Mo method. • The paleosalinity and redox conditions of the Lucaogou Formation were reconstructed with corrected indicators and thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transport of live fish is a delicate aquaculture operation that is carried out to distribute the fry or juveniles produced in the laboratories, to the culture farms. In the present work, survival after transport, survival during the subsequent 8 days (8-D PTS), and blood glucose as an indicator of stress, were determined in a simulated transport of Oreochromis niloticus tilapia fry of two sizes (1.2 ± 0.3 g and 2.4 ± 0.3 g), to find the best transport conditions. A total of 63 treatments per size, were tested combining three transport times (4, 8, and 24 h), three densities (54, 66, and 80 g/L), three temperatures (20, 22, and 24 °C), three salinities (3, 6, and 9 ‰) and three concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) (10, 15, and 20 mg/L). The tests were carried out in 2 L plastic bags, containing 0.5 L of water and an atmosphere above of pure oxygen. In general terms, the tested conditions of temperature, salinity, DO and density did not produce fry mortality at the end of transport in any of the treatments. However, the 8-D PTS gradually declined during the first 4–5 days and stabilized up to day 8 of experimentation. Survival of small fry of 1.2 ± 0.3 g was significantly (P < 0.05) lower (77.7 ± 10.4%) compared to that (94.2 ± 6.1%) obtained in 2.4 ± 0.3 g fry. The expected 8-D PTS was plotted as response surfaces to show 8-D survival as a function of density, transport time, and fry weight. Mortality during the 8-day post-transport period was the result of the combined effect of temperature and handling of the fry, rather than due to a lack of oxygen or ammonia concentrations since both variables were at tolerable levels for the species. With these results, it is concluded that the best transport conditions, under the evaluated scenarios, are obtained with fry of 2.4 ± 0.3 g transported at a density of 80 g/L for up to 24 h, at 24 °C and 3 ‰. • Plastic bag system is a good alternative for transport of tilapia fry. • Immediate survival of 1.2 and 2.4 g fry was 99.4% at 80 g/L in 24 h transport. • 8-day post-transport survival was 97.8 and 81% in 2.4 and 1.2 g fry respectively. • Smaller fry are more affected by low temperature, handling and possibly CO 2 toxicity. • Best transport conditions: 2.4 fry, 80 g/L, 24 °C, 3 psu, O 2 supersaturation, 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Salinity intrusion (SI) is intensified in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD). • Freshwater exploitability is investigated to cope with SI driven by climate change. • SI in the VMD has progressively increased and started earlier in the dry season. • Early and the late of the dry season are suitable time for freshwater exploitation. • Storing freshwater in the river is a promising strategy. Climate change-driven sea level rise has intensified salinity intrusion (SI) in deltas worldwide, posing significant threats to the exploitation of freshwater resources. In the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), the third largest delta globally, SI is a recurring challenge along the coastline, degrading freshwater resources for agricultural and domestic use and affecting socio-economic development. In this paper, we investigate the spatiotemporal extent of salinity intrusion in the Ben Tre Province, the hotspot of salinity disaster within the VMD. Long-term salinity monitoring data (25 years from 1996 to 2020) has been analyzed, and a 1D (Mike 11) coupled with 3D hydrodynamic model (Mike 3) was developed. Three scenarios were used to investigate the freshwater resources exploitation: (i) the year of investigation (2021), (ii) 2021 to 2030 climate change impacts, considering different annual exceedance probability of the upstream Mekong discharge (i.e., average flow, relatively low, low and very low), and (iii) extreme salinity intrusion (i.e., the 2016 condition). Our results indicated that salinity patterns are well-stratified at the beginning and end of the dry season but well-mixed during the middle period. Furthermore, over the last 25 years, SI has progressively increased and started earlier in the dry season. The modeling scenarios for SI have also revealed a growing complexity in the exploitation of freshwater resources, highlighting challenges related to timing, depth, and geographical location. The exceedance probability scenarios disclosed higher and deeper salinity intrusion along the channel in VMD, ranging from 50 % to 95 %. This poses significant limitations on the feasibility of freshwater exploitation throughout the Ben Tre Province. Under the current trajectory of climate change, the 2030 scenario anticipates salinity intrusion reaching further inland from the 2021 scenario. This is likely to exacerbate the existing challenges in freshwater resource exploitation, even with comprehensive water infrastructure. We, therefore, propose several management strategies to adapt to salinity intrusion: storing freshwater in main rivers, maintaining consistent operation of water infrastructure systems, and encouraging water-saving distribution and exploitation methods. Moreover, we also recommend supporting the development of new drought-tolerant crop patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex processes that occur in river delta areas cannot be fully resolved using traditional structured-mesh models. A seamless unstructured-grid approach could support advances in the estimation and modeling of such dynamics across scales. In this paper, a river–coastal–ocean continuum modeling representation was developed for the Tiber River delta, including surrounding coastal areas and open-ocean zones along the Lazio coast (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Using temperature and salinity profiles acquired from historical data of near-river CTD, we demonstrate that this representation reproduces the coastal dynamic processes in the Tiber delta zone better than the classic coastal–ocean representation, minimizing the need for calibration and sensitivity experiments. The model results are compared to a large amount of new observational data (temperature, salinity, and surface currents) obtained specifically to investigate multiple spatial and temporal processes (open-ocean, coastal and near- and along-river). In general, the model shows good overall accuracy, also in reproducing salt wedge intrusion along the southern Tiber branch. Moreover, the results suggest the presence of an anticyclonic gyre in the vicinity of the river mouth of the northern branch that is induced mainly by river discharge and coastal morphology. Owing to its capacity to simulate multi-scale processes in a seamless fashion from the open ocean to the river delta zone, this model can be implemented in the near future within an operational framework to support coastal forecasting activities and deliver useful and reliable ocean information. • The Tiber delta dynamics were investigated using a river-coastal-ocean continuum model. • A large collection of observed data newly acquired for modelling validation. • The model was successfully validated in the offshore, coastal and river zones. • The model was capable to reproduce the salt wedge intrusion in the Tiber river. • The model results showed the existence of a coastal gyre induced by the river dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) has maintained its salinity distribution over the years despite a continuous flow of fresh water entering it through rivers on the northern coast, which is capable of diluting the salinity. This can be attributed to the cyclic flow of high salinity water (≥ 35 psu), coming from Arabian sea and entering BoB from the south, which moves northward and mixes with this fresh water. The movement of this high salinity water has been studied and analyzed in previous work (Singh et al., 2022). This paper extends the computational methods and analysis of salinity movement. Specifically, we introduce an advection based feature definition that represents the movement of high salinity water, and describe algorithms to track their evolution over time. This method allows us to trace the movement of high salinity water caused due to ocean currents. The method is validated via comparison with established observations on the flow of high salinity water in the BoB, including its entry from the Arabian Sea and its movement near Sri Lanka. Further, the visual analysis and tracking framework enables us to compare it with previous work and analyze the contribution of advection to salinity transport. • Novel feature definitions for salinity transport based on advection. • Algorithms for computing and tracking this feature in the ocean. • Visual analysis of high salinity transport due to advection. • Comparison of salinity movement in the Bay of Bengal against existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid rise of salinity is observed in the Black Sea in recent years, with the largest positive trend (0.07 psμ per 10 years) detected in the pycnocline. We use long-term hydrological measurements for 1985–2019 to show that salinity of pycnocline has intense seasonal and interannual variability modulated by the mechanical and convective mixing. In the warm period of a year, shear turbulence driven by strong winds and intense geostrophic currents causes the penetration of warm waters into the lower density layers. This is accompanied by the rise in their salinity, the source of which is the deep saline waters situated below the halocline. This process is most intense in the areas of downwelling and intensifies in the autumn period, when thermal stratification is relatively weak. Another important reason is the entrainment of salty Mediterranean waters in the upper part of the Black Sea halocline, which is modulated by the deepening of the seasonal thermocline near the Bosphorus strait and mechanical mixing. The increase of salinity is compensated during cold winters, when convective mixing transports fresher water influenced by river discharge into lower density layers of the basin and causes a decrease in pycnocline salinity. This process is most intense in the center of the cyclonic gyres, where pycnocline is located closer to the surface and winter temperature reaches minimal values. Due to the long-term warming of the Black Sea, the process of freshening of deep layers now is observed only in rare cold years. At the same time, an intensification of wind speed, vorticity, and geostrophic circulation processes promote the blurring of the halocline and the rise of the salinity of the Black Sea upper layers. Such rise begins after 2007 in the upper part of Black Sea halocline (depth 50–100 m) and is traced down to 250 m by 2020. • Global warming suppresses the freshening of pycnocline during winter convection. • Shear turbulence in warm period causes the entrainment of salt from deep layers. • Injections of Mediterranean waters in pycnocline intensify in warm conditions. • Intensification of currents and wind, and rise of winter temperature is observed. • All this processes cause rapid rise of pycnocline salinity in the Black Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to evaluate the shares of primary waters (Atlantic, river, meltwater, and sea water withdrawn for ice formation) in the resulting water masses in the eastern part of the Barents Sea at the end of the hydrological winter. Moreover, the study compares the outcomes achieved by using salinity-δ18O and salinity-δ2H values. The study was based on the data on water temperature and salinity and δ18O and δ2Н stable isotopes values. We implemented field studies in March and April 2021 at the Dalnie Zelentsy research vessel, providing the only known and available source of data on δ18O and δ2Н for the eastern part of the Barents Sea between 70⁰ N and 79⁰ N at the end of the hydrological winter. The results allow for estimating the shares of the primary waters, namely Atlantic, river, meltwater, and sea water, withdrawn for ice formation in the sea water during this period of the year in various water masses meltwater. Moreover, they allow for estimating the influence of each of the primary waters on the salinity of the resulting water masses. However, when we calculate the average Atlantic and ice water shares using the δ2H isotopic parameter, they are somewhat higher than those calculated using δ18O. Conversely, the river water share is somewhat lower. A 0.36 psμ (0.34–0.51 psμ) change (decrease) in salinity in the Atlantic water mass is due to mixing with river waters and 0.04 psμ (−0.05 to 0.10 psμ) with mixing with meltwater. In the Barents Sea winter water mass these values are 0.63 (0.53–0.71 psμ) and 0.31 (0.27–0.42 psμ), respectively. In the water mass called 'Surface waters of the Arctic seas, winter', the processes of ice formation prevail over the processes of ice melting. The average decrease in salinity due to the content of river waters alone could be 0.66 psμ (0.59–0.74 psμ). However, it is only 0.46 psμ (0.41–0.57 psμ) due to salinisation during ice formation. The quantities of meltwater volumes and volumes of water withdrawn for ice formation serve as specific characteristics of «memory», describing the ice formation/ice melting processes. • The study aims to evaluate the shares of primary waters in the sea water in the eastern part of the Barents Sea. • The study was based on the data on water temperature and salinity and δ18O and δ2Н stable isotopes values. • Results enabled us to trace the genesis of the three water masses in this part of the Barents Sea. • The results demonstrate that primary waters calculation based on δ18O–salinity and δ2H–salinity not substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]