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Bibliometric analysis explores large volume of scientific data, revealing trends and insights in a specific research field. Consistently, a bibliometric analysis of 30 years (1990–2020) was performed within the US corn (Zea mays L.) production using the Scopus database and VOSviewer. Search query was performed within the article title, abstract, and keywords indicative of management practices in corn. Exclusion criterion based on subject area and journals generated a total of 7468 publications. The data analysis revealed contributions from 7327 authors and 47 organizations documented in 69 journals. The top five organizations leading the investigation were United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service, Iowa State University, University of Nebraska, University of Illinois, and Purdue University. The most prolific authors were Dr. Rattan Lal (Ohio State University, Columbus, OH), Dr. Douglas L. Karlen (USDA‐ARS, Ames, IA), Dr. Kenneth G. Cassman (University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE), Dr. Lajpat Rai Ahuja (USDA‐ARS, Ft. Collins, CO), and Dr. John Walsh Doran (USDA‐ARS, Lincoln, NE). Journals with most publications were Agronomy Journal; Soil Science Society of America Journal; Soil and Tillage Research; Crop Science; and Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Furthermore, author keywords differed from queried keywords, and no‐till, nitrogen, cover crop, soybean, irrigation, phosphorus, conservation tillage, yield, and water quality were most prominent. Moreover, there was an evident shift in keywords and an observed trend between 1998 and 2020. Overall, these findings allow researchers to explore network maps via the hyperlinks present in papers, identifying research gaps and advancing original studies to bridge gaps in the literature. Core Ideas: There has been a consistent increase in corn research in last 30 years.United States Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service (USDA‐ARS) was the top funding sponsor and leading investigator.Queried keywords differed from author keywords, and a trend was observed in their use.The top journal with most publications on corn production was Agronomy Journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most important forage crops in the world. Drought is recognized as a major challenge limiting alfalfa production and threatening food security. Although some literature reviews have been conducted in this area, bibliometric reviews based on large amounts of published data are still lacking. In this paper, a bibliometric analysis of alfalfa drought stress from 1998-2023 was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database in order to assess global trends in alfalfa drought stress research and to provide new directions for future research. The results showed that the annual publication output maintained an increase in most years, with China and the United States contributing significantly to the field. Most of the journals published are specialized journals in botany, environmental science, soil science and crop science, as well as related agribusiness journals. "plant growth" and "yield" were the most frequently used keywords, reflecting the important purpose of research in this field. And two main research directions were identified: research on drought response mechanism of alfalfa and exploration of drought-resistant technology. In addition, physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of drought tolerance and high yield in alfalfa, transgenics, and microbial fertilizer research have been hot research topics in recent years and may continue in the future. The ultimate goal of this paper is to provide a foundational reference for future research on alfalfa's drought resistance and yield optimization mechanisms, thereby enhancing the crop's application in agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed traits (ST) influence seedling establishment, population dynamics, community composition and ecosystem function and reflect the adaptability of plants and the environmental conditions they experienced. There has been a historical and global accumulation of studies on ST, but with few pertaining to visual and quantitative analyses. To understand the trends in the field of ST research in the past 30 years, we conducted a bibliometric analysis based on the Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-E) database. The analysis provided annual publications, time trends for keywords, the most productive journals, authors, institutions and countries, and a comprehensive overview of the ST field. Our results showed that in the past 30 years, the number of publications in ST research has increased at an average annual growth rate of 9.1%, while the average number of citations per paper per year showed a rapid increase–slow increase–decrease trend. Keyword analysis showed that "germination" was the most popular research section. Crop Science ranked first among the top journals and Theoretical and Applied Genetics had greater influence in this area and more citations than other journals. The 10 most productive institutions were mostly located in the United States, China and Australia. Furthermore, the three countries also had the largest number of publications and citations. Our analysis showed that the research interests in ST have evolved from genetics and agricultural science to ecological research over the last thirty years; as more fields embrace ST research, there are opportunities for international and interdisciplinary collaborations, cooperative institutions and new advances in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into an innovative weed management approach should focus on a long-term ecological approach, taking into account the interaction between weed communities, crops, management actions, and environmental and socio-economic aspects for each specific agroecosystem [[7], [12]]. From 2018 to 2023, I Agronomy i published 323 papers in the areas of weed science and weed management. Other topics, like VRM (3%), BHM (6%), and INM (7%), confirm the current interest within weed science research towards alternative methods within an integrated and sustainable management approach. [Extracted from the article]

An evolving green agenda as the UK seeks to achieve 'net zero' in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, coupled with our new trading relationship with the European Union, is resulting in new government policies, which will be disruptive to Britain's traditional food and farming practices. These policies encourage sustainable farming and land‐sparing to restore natural habitats and will provide an opportunity to address issues such as high emissions of GHGs and dwindling biodiversity resulting from many intensive agricultural practices. To address these and other food challenges such as global conflicts and health issues, Britain will need a revolution in its food system. The aim of this paper is to make the case for such a food revolution where additional healthy food for the UK population is produced in‐country in specialised production units for fruits and vegetables developed on sites previously considered unsuitable for crop production. High crop productivity can be achieved in low‐cost controlled environments, making extensive use of novel crop science and modern controlled‐environment technology. Such systems must be operated with very limited environmental impact. In recent years, growth in the application of plasticulture in UK horticulture has driven some increases in crop yield, quality and value. However, the environmental cost of plastic production and plastic pollution is regarded as a generational challenge that faces the earth system complex. The distribution of plastic waste is ubiquitous, with a significant pollution load arising from a range of agricultural practices. The primary receptor of agriplastic pollution is agricultural soil. Impacts of microplastics on crop productivity and quality and also on human health are only now being investigated. This paper explores the possibility that we can mitigate the adverse environmental effects of agriplastics and thereby exploit the potential of plasticulture to enhance the productivity and positive health impact of UK horticulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial board of Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management has announced the recipients of the 2023 Editor's Citation for Excellence. These awards recognize the dedication and commitment of volunteer reviewers and editors who have contributed to the high standard and quality of papers published in the journal. The recipients were chosen based on their thorough and timely reviews or editing of manuscripts. Each recipient will receive a certificate of appreciation, a gift certificate, and recognition in CSA News magazine. The recipients include Dr. Thomas Butts, Dr. Murali Darapuneni, Dr. Adam Thoms, Harkirat Kaur, Dr. Michael Richardson, and Dr. Brett Rushing. [Extracted from the article]

In the current research landscape, there are increasing demands for research to be innovative and cutting-edge. At the same time, concerns are voiced that as a consequence of neoliberal regimes of research governance, innovative research becomes impeded. In this paper, I suggest that to gain a better understanding of these dynamics, it is indispensable to scrutinise current demands for innovativeness as a distinct way of ascribing worth to research. Drawing on interviews and focus groups produced in a close collaboration with three research groups from the crop and soil sciences, I develop the notion of a project-innovation regime of valuation that can be traced in the sphere of research. In this evaluative framework, it is considered valuable to constantly re-invent oneself and take 'first steps' instead of 'just' following up on previous findings. Subsequently, I describe how these demands for innovativeness relate to and often clash with other regimes of valuation that matter for researchers' practices. I show that valuations of innovativeness are in many ways bound to those of productivity and competitiveness, but that these two regimes are nevertheless sometimes in tension with each other, creating a complicated double bind for researchers. Moreover, I highlight that also the project-innovation regime as such is not always in line with what researchers considered as a valuable progress of knowledge, especially because it entails a de-valuation of certain kinds of long-term epistemic agendas. I show that prevailing pushes for innovativeness seem to be based on a rather short-sighted temporal imaginary of scientific progress that is hardly grounded in the complex realities of research practices, and that they can reshape epistemic practices in potentially problematic ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop losses from pests threaten global food security and safety. In the last six decades, pest control using chemical pesticides has resulted in important yield gains per unit area, worldwide. However, the long-term sustainability of chemical pest control has been increasingly thrown into doubt due to the negative impact on human health, biodiversity, and the environment. Consequently, there is an urgent need to improve the science of crop protection in order to tackle the five key challenges of 21st century agriculture holistically: (i) maintaining or improving agricultural productivity, (ii) producing healthy food, (iii) reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystem and human health, (iv) ensuring the economic viability of farms, and (v) adapting agriculture to climate change. Agroecological Crop Protection (ACP) can be a powerful approach to address these challenges, as we demonstrate in this paper. ACP is the application of the principles of agroecology to crop protection in order to promote virtuous and sustainable changes in agriculture and food systems. ACP combines multiple approaches and disciplines including ecology, agroecology, and Integrated Pest Management. It promotes a crop protection system compatible with healthy agricultural and food systems, agroecological principles and the "one health" approach. We predict that ACP will meet the challenge of pesticide-free agriculture in the future. In this paper, we will first present the scientific, agricultural and social components of ACP. We will then analyze the research approaches, questions, methods and tools needed to adopt ACP. Finally, we suggest key mechanisms to facilitate the transition to ACP, which will ultimately provide sustainable food, feed, and fuel in a context of major global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Plant Registrations has announced the recipients of the 2023 Editor's Citation for Excellence. These awards recognize the dedication and professional commitment of volunteer reviewers and editors who have contributed to the high standard and quality of papers published in the journal. The recipients were nominated based on their thorough, competent, and timely reviews or editing of manuscripts. The recipients include Dr. Hussein Abdel-Haleem, a plant geneticist focusing on improving oilseeds and industrial crops; Dr. Mary Guttieri, a research geneticist specializing in hard winter wheat germplasm development; Dr. Jodi Scheffler, a cotton geneticist known for her breeding research; Dr. James Beaver, a retired professor with expertise in breeding common beans; Dr. Phil Miklas, a dry bean breeder and geneticist; and Dr. Paul White, a research leader studying sustainable sugarcane production. [Extracted from the article]

Unmanned aerial vehicle-based hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and machine learning (ML) techniques are applied for crop field data collection such as yield, nitrogen content, leaf chlorophyll, biomass estimation, leaf area index (LAI), and biotic and abiotic stress. It is very difficult to identify with certainty best practices for specific applications and for targeted crop species because the results are frequently contradictory; models or indices sometimes perform well, but other times they do not. ML and HSI are useful and sophisticated techniques, but treating them as first-option methods may be detrimental in the long term. Favoring HSI in situations where a multispectral sensor performs equally well only delays end-user adoption of technology owing to cost and complexity. The past few years have seen increased interest in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and machine learning (ML) in agricultural research, concomitant with an increase in published research on these topics. We provide an updated review, written for agriculturalists, highlighting the benefits in the retrieval of biophysical parameters of crops via UAVs relative to less sophisticated options. We reviewed >70 recent papers and found few consistent results between similar studies. Owing to their high complexity and cost, especially when applied to crops of low value, the benefits of most of the research reviewed are difficult to explain. Future effort will be necessary to distill research findings into lower-cost options for end-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the growth and development of individual plants is of central importance in modern agriculture, crop breeding, and crop science. To this end, using 3D data for plant analysis has gained attention over the last years. High-resolution point clouds offer the potential to derive a variety of plant traits, such as plant height, biomass, as well as the number and size of relevant plant organs. Periodically scanning the plants even allows for performing spatio-temporal growth analysis. However, highly accurate 3D point clouds from plants recorded at different growth stages are rare, and acquiring this kind of data is costly. Besides, advanced plant analysis methods from machine learning require annotated training data and thus generate intense manual labor before being able to perform an analysis. To address these issues, we present with this dataset paper a multi-temporal dataset featuring high-resolution registered point clouds of maize and tomato plants, which we manually labeled for computer vision tasks, such as for instance segmentation and 3D reconstruction, providing approximately 260 million labeled 3D points. To highlight the usability of the data and to provide baselines for other researchers, we show a variety of applications ranging from point cloud segmentation to non-rigid registration and surface reconstruction. We believe that our dataset will help to develop new algorithms to advance the research for plant phenotyping, 3D reconstruction, non-rigid registration, and deep learning on raw point clouds. The dataset is freely accessible at https://www.ipb.uni-bonn.de/data/pheno4d/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senna alata, a flowering shrub, is widely cultivated in the Philippines for its anti-fungal properties. Despite this, its chloroplast genome is not yet established. We assembled and annotated the complete chloroplast genome of accession from the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines, Los Baños, using Illumina sequencing data. The complete cp genome was 159,176-bp long characterized by a large single copy of 88,769 bp, short single-copy of 18,301 bp and a pair of inverted repeat regions of 26,053 bp each. The overall GC content of the chloroplast genome was 36.4%. The plastome comprised 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes and 78 mRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that S. alata is closely related to S. siamea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used within plant science, yet it is far from being routinely and effectively implemented in this domain. Particularly relevant to the development of novel food and agricultural technologies is the development of validated, meaningful and usable ways to integrate, compare and visualise large, multi-dimensional datasets from different sources and scientific approaches. After a brief summary of the reasons for the interest in data science and AI within plant science, the paper identifies and discusses eight key challenges in data management that must be addressed to further unlock the potential of AI in crop and agronomic research, and particularly the application of Machine Learning (AI) which holds much promise for this domain.

The editorial board of Crop Science has announced the recipients of the 2023 Editor's Citation for Excellence. These awards recognize the dedication and professional commitment of volunteer reviewers and editors who have contributed to the high standard and quality of papers published in the journal. The recipients were chosen based on their thorough, competent, and timely reviews or editing of manuscripts. Each recipient will receive a certificate of appreciation, an ASA‐CSSA‐SSSA gift certificate, and recognition in CSA News. The recipients include Dr. Gabriela Abeledo, Dr. Brenda Laura Gambin, Dr. Lori Hinze, Dr. Vince Pantalone, Dr. Cristiane Pilon, and Dr. Wei Wu as associate editors, and Dr. Georgia Eizenga, Dr. Jales Mendes Oliveira Fonseca, Dr. Laura Lindsey, Dr. Ntombokulunga Mbuma, Dr. Desalegn Serba, and Prof. Dr. Meiliang Zhou as reviewers. [Extracted from the article]

'Biasong' (Citrus micrantha), native to the Southern Philippine Islands, is an important cultivated fruit tree but has no published plastome sequence. We assembled and characterized the C. micrantha chloroplast genome from accession in the germplasm collection of the Institute of Crop Science, University of the Philippines Los Baños. The complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence is 159,928-bp long with 128 coding genes comprising 83 mRNA genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Out of the mRNA genes, 45 genes code for photosynthesis, 30 genes code for self-replication, and five genes code for other functions. A phylogenetic analysis of the assembled genome, along with 24 Citrus species and three other Rutaceae species, identified Citrus aurantiifolia as its closest relative with available complete cpDNA sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is the main grain crop in our country, and the traditional wheat yield estimation method is time-consuming and laborious. By estimating wheat yield efficiently, quickly and non-destructively, agricultural producers can quickly obtain information about wheat yield, manage wheat fields more scientifically and accurately, and ensure national food security. Taking the Xinxiang Experimental Base of the Crop Science Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences as an example, hyperspectral data for the critical growth stages of wheat were pre-processed. A total of 27 vegetation indices were calculated from the experimental plots. These indices were then subjected to correlation analysis with measured wheat yield. Vegetation indices with Pearson correlation coefficients greater than 0.5 were selected. Five methods, including multiple linear regression, stepwise regression, principal component regression, neural networks and random forests, were used to construct wheat yield estimation models. Among the methods used, multiple linear regression, stepwise regression and the models developed using principal component analysis showed a lower modelling accuracy and validation precision. However, the neural network and random forest methods both achieved a modelling accuracy R2 greater than 0.6, with validation accuracy R2 values of 0.729 and 0.946, respectively. In addition, the random forest method had a lower cross-validation RMSE value, with values of 869.8 kg/hm−2, indicating a higher model accuracy. In summary, the random forest method provided the optimal estimation for wheat yield, enabling the timely and accurate pre-harvest wheat yield prediction, which has significant value for precision agriculture management and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture constitutes a sector with a considerable environmental impact, a concern that is poised to increase with the projected growth in population, thereby amplifying implications for public health. Effectively mitigating and managing this impact demands the implementation of intelligent technologies and data-driven methodologies collectively called precision agriculture. While certain methodologies enjoy widespread acknowledgement, others, despite their lesser prominence, contribute meaningfully. This mini-review report discusses the prevalent AI technologies within precision agriculture over the preceding five years, with a specific emphasis on crop yield prediction and disease detection domains extensively studied within the current literature. The primary objective is to give a comprehensive overview of AI applications in agriculture, spanning machine learning, deep learning, and statistical methods. This approach aims to address a notable gap wherein existing reviews predominantly focus on singular aspects rather than presenting a unified and inclusive perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a growing world population scenario, greater demand for food and in turn agricultural input is expected in the coming decades. The development of innovative sustainable amendments and fertilizers such as hydrogels (HGs) relies on this context. HGs are defined as 3D polymeric networks with the ability to absorb and retain a large amount of water (i.e., swellability). HGs swellability makes them ideal platforms for water- and nutrient-controlled release. The literature reflects a notable diversity in HGs composition, properties, and impacts on agroecosystems, resulting in the dissemination of information across multiple publications. Within this context, the primary aim of this scientific review is to systematically compile, critically evaluate, and synthesize the latest findings and relevant literature pertaining to the application of HGs in agroecosystems. We found that this class of materials was consistently found on soil bulk density, crop available water, soil electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity and main cereal or legume crops performances particularly under moderate water deficit conditions, suggesting their effectiveness for arid and semi- arid areas. Encouraging results were also found on pesticide, agrochemicals, and microorganisms delivering. Thus, the delivery of agronomic inputs with loaded-HG may play a key role in forthcoming agriculture that would minimize the agronomic impact on the environment. Nevertheless, some critical issues still remain open, concerning: (i) the decreased of HG effectiveness following wetting and drying cycles, (ii) the impact of Na+ contained in HG on crop cells, (iii) the HG effect on soil saturated hydraulic conductivity and pH, and (iv) HG biodegradability and their fate into the environment. In conclusion, HGs seem a promising technology to reach/maintain food security and soil health, but future research should address the development of well-defined protocols for producing biowaste-derived HG that will ensure their biodegradability and non-toxicity and will disclose new insights into a circular economy approach agronomy. One of the biggest challenges would be the synthesis of “smart” HG able to respond to environmental stimuli triggering molecule(s) release in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the effects of seed size, soil-based and soilless media to determine the best condition for increased seedling production of African walnut was carried out at the green house of Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Seed size was categorized into 10.23 to 10.31g (for large seeds) and below 10.23g (for small seeds). Soil-based nursery medium was sawdust mixed with topsoil volume by volume (v/v) 1:1, while soilless was sawdust alone. The experiment was a 2×3 factorial in a complete randomized design with 6 replications. Data were collected on number of days to emergence, plant height at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after planting (WAP), and number of leaves at 4, 8, and 12 WAP. Data collected were tested with analysis of variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were separated with Fishers least significant difference at 5% level of probability. Result showed that large seeds planted on soil-based media performed best in all the assessed traits. The inference is that high quality seedlings of African walnut can be produced by planting large seeds in soil-based media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Bayer AG, Crop Science Division submitted a request to the competent national authority in the Netherlands to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRL) and to set import tolerances for flupyradifurone and its metabolite difluoroacetic acid (DFA) in various plant commodities. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for flupyradifurone and DFA in avocados, mangoes, papayas, asparagus, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, sugar beet roots and chicory roots. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of flupyradifurone and DFA in plant matrices under consideration at the validated limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.01 and 0.007 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of flupyradifurone and DFA residues resulting from the use of flupyradifurone according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses Articles will be published under journal table of contents headings of the same name to maintain continuity and will be collated annually into year-end electronic collections.

Barley is one of the most relevant crops worldwide and an essential component of agriculture in Europe in general, and in the Mediterranean region in particular. As cropping areas will hardly rise in the future, yield must be improved to enhance global crop production. Naturally, understanding how yield is affected by environmental and genetic factors in two- and six-rowed barley can help us to develop more efficient management and breeding strategies to increase current yield gains. We aimed to determine the relative importance of genetic and environmental factors on numerical and physiological components of GN for two- and six-rowed barley types. To generate a large and unbiased database, we compiled data of yield and its numerical and physiological components from crop-based experiments (i.e., excluding controlled-conditions experiments and/or approaches using isolated plants) reported in figures and tables in every single paper having the word "barley" in the title published over 25 years in four rigorous and prestigious international journals: Field Crop Research, European Journal of Agronomy, Crop Science and Crop and Pasture Science (formerly Australian Journal of Agricultural Research) between January 1996 and December 2021, both inclusive. Spike number (SN) was the most relevant numerical component explaining GN regardless of the source of variation. Regarding physiological components, it seemed that when the driving force was environmental factors, spike dry weight at flowering (SDW F) was more relevant than fruiting efficiency (FE); whilst when the differences were due to genotypic factors, clearly the FE was the component mostly responsible for the changes in GN. When the analysis was restricted to two- and six-rowed barley types, GN improvements were mainly explained by changes in SN for both two- and six-rowed barley types. However, when the physiological components were considered, the responsiveness of GN was more related to SDW F than to FE in two-rowed genotypes, while the opposite was true for the six-rowed type. In barley, SN always explained the responses of GN better than grain number per spike (GNS), regardless the source of variation and the type of barley. Respect to the physiological components, environmental factors affected GN mainly through affecting SDW F , while genotypic factors affected GN through affecting FE. SDW F and FE were more relevant for explaining changes in GN two- and six-rowed barleys, respectively. Breeders and agronomists can be aware that it will be more likely to achieve significant gains in yield through focusing more on SN than on GNS regardless of the barley type, whilst regarding the physiological components it would be more relevant to focus on SDW F in two-rowed barley, and on FE in six-rowed barley. • We quantified grain number components depending on source of variation in barley. • Spike number (SN) explaining grain number regardless of the source of variation. • Spike dry weight (SDW F) was the most relevant component for environment factor. • Fruiting efficiency was more relevant for genotypic factor. • Grain number was more related to SDW F in two-rowed, while FE in six-rowed type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Bayer AG Crop Science Division submitted a request to the competent national authority in Greece to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance propamocarb in honey. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for honey. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of propamocarb on the commodity under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of propamocarb according to the reported agricultural practice is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium is an essential trace element in human nutrition. Recent findings suggest that the biosynthesis of selenium nano particles (SeNPs) in plants might be a ubiquitous phenomenon. We investigated the potential of SeNP biosynthesis in food plants and our core objective was to explore the commonness and possible ubiquitousness of nano selenium in food plants and consequently in the human diet. By growing a variety of plants in controlled conditions and the presence of selenite we found strong evidence that SeNPs are widely present in vegetables. The shoots and roots of seven different plants, and additionally Brazil nuts, were analyzed with single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with a focus on edible plants including herbs and salads. SeNPs were found in every plant of our study, hence we conclude, that SeNPs are common ingredients in plant-based food and are therefore eaten daily by most humans. Considering the concerning worldwide prevalence of selenium deficiency and the great physiological properties of SeNPs, we see a high potential in utilizing this discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Bayer AG Crop Science Division submitted a request to the competent national authority in the Netherlands to set a maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance trifloxystrobin in honey. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive an MRL proposal for the commodity under assessment. An adequate analytical method for enforcement is available to control the residues of trifloxystrobin in honey at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the potential transfer of residues into honey assessed in the present MRL application of trifloxystrobin is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. The consumer risk assessment shall be regarded as indicative and affected by uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nano-nutrition involves the delivery of nano-nutrients to plants. The use of nano-fertilizers in plant nutrition is one of the major applications of nanotechnology in agriculture and soil sciences. Nano-fertilizers have several beneficial effects on plant and soil systems, such as providing plants with nutrients, increasing the bioavailability of nutrients to plants, enhancing nutrient use efficiency, reducing nutrient leaching and loss in agroecosystems, and achieving higher productivity in major crops. Nanotechnology has great potential to increase sustainable agriculture productivity and food security by providing eco-friendly alternatives to various agrochemicals. Technology based on engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is a promising approach in agriculture, and has led to the production of silica nanoparticles (SNPs). The unique physico-chemical properties of SNPs are their small size, greater surface area, higher solubility, and surface reactivity, which result in greater and easier absorption of nutrients by plants. The efficacy of SNP applications in agriculture is increasing rapidly, which can help mitigate both biotic and abiotic stress, providing new solutions to problems in plants and crop science to enhance the quality of plant products more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the experimental field of the Department of Crop Science at the Agricultural University - Plovdiv for three years, a field experiment has been conducted. The experiment has been carried out by the method of split-plots in four replications after the predecessor triticale. Five tribenuron-methyl resistant sunflower hybrids (main plots) have been studied: P64LE25 (standard); LG 59.580 SX; Subaro HTS; ЕS Arcadia SU and Magma SU. The effect of two soil nutrition regimes - lower and higher has been investigated (split-plots). The oil content of the seeds has been studied. The fatty acid composition of the oil has been investigated. It has been found that the hybrids can be arranged in the following descending order regarding the average oil content of the seeds: P64LE25> Subaru> LG 59.580> Magma> Arcadia. The hybrids contain an average of 15% saturated and 85% unsaturated fatty acids. The lowest content of saturated and the highest content of unsaturated fatty acids have been found in hybrid Magma, and the highest content of saturated and lowest content of unsaturated - in hybrid Subaru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Bayer AG Crop Science Division submitted a request to the competent national authority in Italy to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance fluopyram in kiwi. Additionally, the applicants Bayer Crop Science SA and Bayer SAS Crop Science Division submitted two applications to the competent national authority in Germany to modify the MRLs for fluopyram in certain stem vegetables, seed spices, apples and soyabeans based on intended EU uses as well as to lower the existing EU MRL in pome fruits and to raise the existing EU MRL in peanuts on the basis of authorised use of fluopyram in the USA. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for all the crops under assessment except for palm hearts and bamboo shoots. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of fluopyram in commodities under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of fluopyram according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. A long‐term consumer intake concern is identified if the current MRL of 0.8 mg/kg in pome fruits is maintained and new MRLs for other commodities under consideration are supported, with apples being the highest contributing commodity to the diet for which exposure exceedances were noted. The chronic risk for consumers is unlikely if a lower MRL of 0.6 mg/kg in pome fruits proposed by the applicant is considered. Further risk manager considerations are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticle-based seed priming has opened new avenues in crop science due to their plant growth promoting potential. Similarly, biopolymers such as chitosan (CS) are widely studied as seed priming agents due to the biodegradable and biocompatible nature, ability to enhance germination percentage and overall seedling health. Therefore, priming with chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) is a promising tool to enhance overall plant health. Here, we studied the effect of nanopriming with CNPs or CS (50 µg/mL) on morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters of rice seedlings, grown in salinity stress conditions NaCl (0–250 mM). CNPs were synthesized using an ionic gelation method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (50–100 nm), zeta potential analyser (Particle size distribution–373.5 ± 3.7 nm; polydispersity index- > 0.4; zeta potential–45.3 ± 2.5 mV) and profilometry (300–1500 nm hydrodynamic height). Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of rice seedlings grown from seeds primed with either CNPs or CS showed a positive effect on germination, seedling vigour, biochemical and antioxidant responses. Seeds primed with CNPs and CS demonstrated significantly higher germination potential and seedling vigour compared to control hydro-primed seeds when grown under increasing NaCl concentrations. These outcomes highlight that CNPs and CS can be used as potential seed priming agents to alleviate salinity stress in rice seedlings. However, further studies are warranted to understand the effect of CNPs and CS seed priming on the overall growth and development of rice plants as well as rice yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed management is experiencing a paradigm shift, emphasizing the need to strike a balance between ecosystem services and the disservices offered by weeds. Although precision weed control has the potential to reduce herbicide usage by targeting weeds or patches more effectively and minimizing its application to surrounding areas, it does not contribute significantly to the progress of integrated weed management. 10.1111/j.1445-6664.2007.00249.x 13 Kudsk P. Advances in Integrated Weed Management1st ed.; Burley Dodds Science Publishing: Cambridge, UK. 2022 14 Korres N.E., Burgos N.R., Travlos I., Vurro M., Gitsopoulos T.K., Varanasi V., Duke S.O., Kudsk P., Brabham C., Rous C.E. New directions for integrated weed management: Modern technologies, tools and knowledge discovery. Ecologically-based weed management focuses on understanding the dynamics of weed populations, their interactions with the surrounding environment, and the contribution of weeds to ecosystem services [[16], [18]]. [Extracted from the article]

B After updating: b Conceptualization, S.M.H.; validation, E.B., M.G. and S.M.H.; formal analysis, S.M.H. and P.Z.; data curation and visualization, M.G. and C.P.; writing - review and editing, S.M.H., E.B.; C.P. and P.Z.; project administration, S.M.H. and M.R.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. The correct authors and affiliations are as follows: Seyed Mohammad Hashemi 1,*, Mohammad Reza Naghavi 2,*, Esmaeil Bakhshandeh 3, Mehdi Ghorbani 2, Chanditha Priyanatha 1 and Peiman Zandi 4,5 1 Department of Plant Agriculture, Ontario Agriculture College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; cpriyana@uoguelph.ca 2 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 31587-77871, Iran; mghorbani 90@ut.ac.ir 3 Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari 4818166996, Iran; e.bakhshandeh@sanru.ac.ir 4 Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Crop and Soil Sciences, Bundesallee 69, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany; z rice b@yahoo.com 5 International Faculty of Applied Technology, Yibin Unversity, Yibin 644000, China * Correspondence: seyedh@uoguelph.ca (S.M.H.); mnaghavi@ut.ac.ir (M.R.N.) Besides, we updated the Section "Author Contributions": B Before updating: b Conceptualization, S.M.H.; validation, M.G. and S.M.H.; formal analysis, S.M.H. and P.Z.; data curation and visualization, M.G. and C.P.; writing - review and editing, S.M.H., C.P. and P.Z.; project administration, S.M.H. and M.R.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. [Extracted from the article]

The main food crop in India is rice; it is typically farmed using poor plant nutrition management, mostly in flood-prone areas. In order to maximize crop and water productivity against the backdrop of dwindling water resources, crop science research has recently made strides that are focused on water saving rice technology and appropriate nutrient management strategies employing locally accessible, affordable fertilizer sources. This is done to ensure the sustainability of agriculture and the environment. Presently, the growing rice in aerobic conditions is significant challenge due to limited nutrient availability. With reduced soil moisture, nutrient uptake is hindered by lower rates of delivery to the roots through mass flow and diffusion. Nitrogen, being one of the most essential nutrients, plays a critical role in enhancing the growth and yield of aerobic rice and also the Indian soil already deficit of nitrogen. However, applying too much or too little nitrogen is ineffective, particularly under alternate wetting and drying conditions. To maximizing the rice growth, root development, yield, and nitrogen uptake in aerobic systems through the method, timing and quantity of nitrogen application must be carefully considered. Based on discussed reviews on different studies, it is concluded that applying of nitrogen is an optimum quantity with three to four equal splits can maximize the plant height, leaf area index, crop growth rate, dry matter production, number of tillers/ m², root length, root volume, number of panicles/m², number of filled grains/panicle, panicle length and yield of aerobic rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the recipients of various awards in the field of crop science, including a mentoring award given to Julie Grossman; an emerging leader award to Kerry Clark; and a visionary scientist award to Bernard Vanlauwe.

As the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) has evolved in many ways and in several directions over the past two decades, this review follows the software-naming convention of labeling SRI's different and subsequent versions as SRI 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, etc. In agroecology as with software, variants are not necessarily linear and can establish new directions as well as the further evolution of existing ones. This overview reviews how rainfed SRI, direct-seeded SRI, mechanized SRI, and other modifications of the initial SRI methodology have emerged since 2000, and how versions of SRI have been improvised to improve the production of other crops beyond rice, like wheat, finger millet, maize, and sugar cane. SRI thinking and practices are also being incorporated into diversified farming systems, broadening the logic and impact of SRI beyond monoculture rice cultivation, and SRI methods are also being used to achieve broader objectives like the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the conservation of biodiversity. SRI observations and research have been contributing to the crop and soil sciences by focusing attention on plant roots and soil ecology and by showing how crop management can elicit more desirable phenotypes from a given genotype. Cooperation regarding SRI among farmers, civil-society actors, scientists, private sector agents, governments, and funding agencies has begun introducing noteworthy changes within the agricultural sector, and this collaboration is expected to deepen and expand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorpyrifos (CP) and profenofos (PF) are organophosphate pesticides (OPs) widely used in agriculture and are noxious to both fauna and flora. The presented work was designed to attenuate the toxicity of both pesticides in the growth parameters of a cotton crop by applying plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa PM36 and Bacillus sp. PM37. The multifarious biological activities of both strains include plant growth–promoting traits, including phosphate solubilization; indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore, and HCN production; nitrogen fixation; and enzymatic activity such as cellulase, protease, amylase, and catalase. Furthermore, the molecular profiling of multi-stress-responsive genes, including acdS, ituC, czcD, nifH, and sfp, also confirmed the plant growth regulation and abiotic stress tolerance potential of PM36 and PM37. Both strains (PM36 and PM37) revealed 92% and 89% of CP degradation at 50 ppm and 87% and 81% at 150 ppm within 7 days. Simultaneously 94% and 98% PF degradation was observed at 50 ppm and 90% and 92% at 150 ppm within 7 days at 35 °C and pH 7. Biodegradation was analyzed using HPLC and FTIR. The strains exhibited first-order reaction kinetics, indicating their reliance on CP and PF as energy and carbon sources. The presence of opd, mpd, and opdA genes in both strains also supported the CP and PF degradation potential of both strains. Inoculation of strains under normal and OP stress conditions resulted in a significant increase in seed germination, plant biomass, and chlorophyll contents of the cotton seedling. Our findings indicate that the strains PM36 and PM37 have abilities as biodegraders and plant growth promoters, with potential applications in crop sciences and bioremediation studies. These strains could serve as an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and socially acceptable solution to manage OP-contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicant Bayer SAS – Crop Science Division submitted a request to the competent national authority in the Netherlands to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance prothioconazole in garlic, onions and shallots. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for garlic, onion and shallots. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of prothioconazole on the commodities under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of prothioconazole according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health. An indicative exposure assessment to triazole derivative metabolites from the intended uses of prothioconazole did not indicate consumer intake concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly used within plant science, yet it is far from being routinely and effectively implemented in this domain. Particularly relevant to the development of novel food and agricultural technologies is the development of validated, meaningful and usable ways to integrate, compare and visualise large, multi-dimensional datasets from different sources and scientific approaches. After a brief summary of the reasons for the interest in data science and AI within plant science, the paper identifies and discusses eight key challenges in data management that must be addressed to further unlock the potential of AI in crop and agronomic research, and particularly the application of Machine Learning (AI) which holds much promise for this domain.

Most of the required increases in food production over the next decades are expected to be achieved through increases in crop yield. As wheat is essential for food security it is worrying that its yield gains over the last two decades were small. To achieve further yield increases it is critical to continue increasing number of grains per unit area (GN m-2), the trait best related to yield. In this context, it is relevant to identify the main determinants of GN m-2 in response to genetic and environmental factors as well as the trade-offs between them. In the present study we compiled a large database across the literature to analyse the relative importance of components when affected by genetic or environmental factors, producing small or large changes in GN m-2 and its components, either numerical (the number of spikes per m2, SN m-2; and the number of grains per spike, GN spike-1) or physiological (spike dry weight at anthesis, SDWa; and fruiting efficiency, FE) determinants. The database included 367 papers published in: (i) Field Crop Research (FCR), (ii) European Journal of Agronomy (EJA), (iii) Crop Science (CS) and (iv) Crop and Pasture Science (CPS, formerly Australian Journal of Agricultural Research) between 1990 and 2020. The complete dataset was split into classes, depending on the source of experimental variation, environment or genotype and was normalised to remove the differences between experiments and determine the environmental and genotypic effects within each experiment. Normalised data showed that the responsiveness of GN m-2 was similarly explained by changes in both SN m-2 and GN spike-1, but in terms of physiological components SDWa was more relevant than FE for explaining the variations in GN m-2. Considering the numerical components of GN m-2 genotypic and environmental factors modified more GN spike-1 than in SN m-2. On the other hand, physiological components were differently modified by genotype and environment: for genotypic effects FE was more critical than SDWa and the other way around for environmental factors. A trade-off between numerical and physiological components was observed although was greater between physiological than between numerical components. • We quantified physiological/numerical components (and trade-offs) of grains/m-2 in wheat. • We recognised differences depending on magnitude and source of variation (genetic/environmental). • Grains/spike-1 explained better grains/m-2 than spikes/m-2, particularly for genotypes. • Genotypes affected more fruiting efficiency than spike-dry-weight-at-anthesis, environments the opposite. • Trade-offs seemed more relevant for physiological than for numerical components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Runoff and erosion are the most important transport pathways of water, sediment, and associated pesticides from sloped agricultural fields. This results in the loss of fertile topsoil material, nutrients, irrigation water, and plant protection products (PPP) into adjacent surface water bodies. In the European and US risk assessment for the registration of PPP, runoff and erosion are numerically calculated with the simulation Pesticide Root Zone Model (PRZM) using the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) runoff curve number (CN) concept for the water movement and the MUSS equation to quantify the sediment transfer. This work presents an evaluation of maize field trials conducted in three seasons that considered micro‐dams (i.e., small earthen dams between the rows; also known as "furrow diking," "furrow damming," etc.) and/or conservation tillage (via subsoiling) as mitigation measures to investigate the effects on the reduction in runoff and erosion. Measured quantitative reductions and event‐wise calculated CN are presented. Furthermore, the trials were simulated using the PRZM over the complete vegetation period and runoff CN as well as parameter values of the MUSS erosion equation (a relative adaptation of the C‐factor) were inversely estimated. Compared with the control plots (i.e., conventional tillage), micro‐dams or conservation tillage reduced runoff by 24%–71% or 69%–89%, and erosion by 54%–81% or 91%–98%. Based on these data, a robust case can be made to lower CN or parameters in the MUSS equation for surface water exposure scenarios to consider the effects on predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) and estimated environmental concentrations (EECs). Mean resulting CN reductions by micro‐dams or conservation tillage were ascertained to be 6% (±2.5%) or 12% (±3.0%), the C‐factor was reduced by a factor of 0.1 (±0.15) or 0.48 (±0.19). Example calculations show reductions in the ranges of 11%–100% for PECs and 30%–98% for EECs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1348–1363. © 2021 Bayer AG Crop Science. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). Key Points: The application of micro‐dams and conservation tillage can be adequately considered in risk assessment in the US and Europe.Calculating predicted environmental concentrations in the European (FOCUS) framework requires careful reassessment to adequately consider scenario specifics.Field trials can be simulated over complete seasons with the model PRZM with the aim to reproduce the total runoff water and soil erosion.The relative reduction of the parameter C of the MUSS erosion equation by micro‐dams and conservation tillage can be inferred from field trials over complete seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Australian Grassland Association (AGA) research symposium "Resilience in the Face of Change - Pastures for the Future" was held as a weekly series of virtual sessions in March 2021. Pasture-based animal production systems must continue to evolve to meet the challenges of the future, including feeding a growing global population and maintaining or improving environmental outcomes while adapting to a changing climate. This was the fifth in a series of AGA research symposia following on from the "Australian Legume Symposium" (2012), "Perennial Grasses in Pasture Production Systems" (2014), "Livestock Productivity from Pastures" (2017) and "Soil constraints to Pasture Productivity" (2019). [Extracted from the article]