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Introduction: In semiarid tropical locations, polyhalite (K2Ca2Mg(SO4)4H2O) and muriate potash (KCl) were tested for their ability to increase cane growth, yield, and recovery at potash (K)- and calcium (Ca)-deficient sites. Methods: The treatments involved control plots with no potash fertilizer (T1); T2 and T3 applied potassium through (muriate potash) MOP only at 80 and 120 kg K2O ha-1, whereas T4 and T5 applied potassium with half of MOP and polyhalite at 80 and 120 kg K2O ha-1, respectively. Results and discussion: At 35 days after harvest (DAH), T2 (10.82%), T3 (24.1%), T4 (34.9%), and T5 (34.9%) had a greater ratoon resprouting rate than did the control treatment, where it was just 37.0 out of 100 harvested canes. At 308 DAH, T2 (-5.9%), T3 (-5.7%), and T5 (-6.6%) presented greater leaf chlorophyll contents than did T1. The K-fertilized plots yielded 64.31 t ha-1 in T2 and 65.97 t ha-1 in T5, whereas the control plot yielded 61.5 t ha-1. Compared with the control plots, the T5 plots experienced fewer stalk borer (-28.6%), top borer (-23.3%), and early shoot borer (-23.3%) attacks. T2, T4, and T5 presented higher percentages of commercial cane sugar (CCS) (6.82, 8.83, and 8.74%, respectively) than did the control plots. T1 and T3 had similar CCSs (10.99 and 11.33%, respectively). The CCS weight per area ranged from 7.98 to 8.47 t ha-1 near maturity. T4 (8.59 t ha-1) and T5 (8.60 t ha-1) had significantly greater values than did T1-T3. Compared with the control, the applied potassium fertilizer increased the economic output by 8,711, 11,687, 13,485, and 13,857 INR ha-1 in the T2, T3, T4, and T5 plots, respectively. The higher cost of polyhalite than MOP has reduced its economic advantages. Thus, the T4 plots outperformed the other treatments in terms of growth, yield, and quality indices, but their higher values (120 kg K2O ha-1) were statistically equivalent. Conclusion: Finally, the study concluded that MOP and polyhalite at a 50% ratio of 80 kg K2O ha-1 may help improve sugarcane growth, yield, and quality in semiarid tropical locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green tea is a non-fermented tea with flavor and polyphenols. Aroma is one of the important quality indicators of tea. Fermented green tea wine can solve the problem of low-grade tea, which has more bitterness and less aroma. In this study, Camellia sinensis var. pubilimba Hung T. Chang (Kaishan white tea 2) was screened by orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) to benzyl alcohol and phenethyl alcohol presenting a fruity aroma, dimethyl sulfide presenting a green tea aroma, and rich tea polyphenols with contents of 2.08, 2.43, 12.26 and 3.72%, respectively. The optimal fermentation conditions for green tea wine were determined univariately as 1.5% yeast addition, 30 °Brix initial sugar, and fermentation temperature of 25 °C. The electronic sensory assessment showed that the saltiness, richness and umami were more prominent in green tea wine, while the response values of bitterness, astringency and aftertaste-A were lower. The order of aroma contribution can be seen as W1S > W5S > W2S > W2W > W1W > W3S > W6S. Kaisan white tea 2 gives green tea wine a clear tea aroma. This study provides better technical and theoretical strategies for the comprehensive quality assessment and control of fermented green tea wine quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a substantial threat to agricultural sustainability globally. Agriculture is a vital component of the gross domestic production of developing countries. The multifaceted impacts of climate change on agriculture, highlighting how extreme weather events such as water stress, heatwaves, erratic rainfall, storms, floods, and emerging pest infestations are disrupting agricultural productivity. The socioeconomic status of farmers is particularly vulnerable to climatic extremes with future projections indicating significant increment in ambient air temperatures and unpredictable, intense rainfall patterns. Agriculture has historically relied on the extensive use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides, combined with advancements in irrigation and biotechnological approaches to boost productivity. It encompasses a range of practices designed to enhance the resilience of agricultural systems, improve productivity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By adopting climate‐smart practices, farmers can better adapt to changing climatic conditions, thereby ensuring more sustainable and secure food production. Furthermore, it identifies key areas for future research, focusing on the development of innovative adaptation and mitigation strategies. These strategies are essential for minimizing the detrimental impacts of climate change on agriculture and for promoting the long‐term sustainability of food systems. This article underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and the integration of advanced technologies to address the challenges posed by climate change. By fostering a deeper understanding of these issues to inform policymakers, researchers, and practitioners about effective strategies to safeguard agricultural productivity and food security in the face of changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant cellulose synthase is one of the important glycosyltransferases, which catalyzes the synthesis of the paracrystalline of H-bonded-β-(1,4)-glucose chains. This study isolated the cellulose synthase 3 (Ces3) sequence from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) leaves. SoCes3 (GenBank accession No. MG324347) has a full-length cDNA sequence of 3625 bp. It contains an open reading frame (3225 bp), encoding 1074 amino acids with a molecular weight of about 120.89 kDa and isoelectric point of 6.26. SoCes3 protein showed high activity with other plant cellulose synthases. The recombinant protein contains plant cellulose synthase (Ces) protein conservative domains. In subcellular localization experiments, the fusion protein of SoCes3 with green fluorescent protein (GFP) was specifically localized in the cell membrane. The gene expression of SoCes3 was found in the leaf, leaf sheath, and internodes of the sugarcane stem. The highest expression level was found in the internode, especially with the highest expression level in the 5th internode and lowest in the leaves, and the gene expression level of SoCes3 was upregulated by PP333 and not in gibberellic acid-treated plants. It was conducted in tobacco plants to understand the biotechnological potential of SoCes3. The contents of cellulose and lignin were increased in SoCes3-overexpressing tobacco. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the transgenic tobacco induced different genes associated with different biological regulatory processes. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mediated plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism signaling pathways were widely induced and mostly upregulated. The transcription levels in SoCes3-overexpressing transgenic lines were higher than wild-type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food security and safety are major concerns on a global scale, especially in developed nations. Adverse agroclimatic conditions affect the largest agricultural-producing areas, which reduces the production of crops. Achieving sustainable food safety is challenging because of several factors, such as soil flooding/waterlogging, ultraviolet (UV) rays, acidic/sodic soil, hazardous ions, low and high temperatures, and nutritional imbalances. Plant growth- promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are widely employed in in-vitro conditions because they are widely recognized as a more environmentally and sustainably friendly approach to increasing crop yield in contaminated and fertile soil. Conversely, the use of nanoparticles (NPs) as an amendment in the soil has recently been proposed as an economical way to enhance the texture of the soil and improving agricultural yields. Nowadays, various research experiments have combined or individually applied with the PGPR and NPs for balancing soil elements and crop yield in response to control and adverse situations, with the expectation that both additives might perform well together. According to several research findings, interactive applications significantly increase sustainable crop yields more than PGPR or NPs alone. The present review summarized the functional and mechanistic basis of the interactive role of PGPR and NPs. However, this article focused on the potential of the research direction to realize the possible interaction of PGPR and NPs at a large scale in the upcoming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diazotrophic microorganisms are free-living groups of organisms that can convert atmospheric nitrogen (N) into bioavailable nitrogen for plants, which increases crop development and production. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain how diazotrophic plant growth promoting (PGP) Pseudomonas strains (P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila CN11) enhanced nitrogen fixation, defense activity, and PGP attributes of sugarcane varieties; GT11 and G×B9. A 15N isotope-dilution study was conducted to confirm the sugarcane strains' capacity to fix nitrogen, and the results indicated that between 21 to 35% of plant, nitrogen is fixed biologically by selected rhizobacteria. In comparison to the control, after 30, 60, and 90 days, both CY4 and CN11 strains significantly increased defense-related enzymes (catalase, peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase, glucanase, and chitinase) and phytohormones (abscisic acid, ABA, cytokinin, etc.) in GT11 and GXB. Additionally, the expression of SuCHI, SuGLU, SuCAT, SuSOD, and SuPAL genes was found to be elevated in Pseudomonas strains inoculated plants using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Both bacterial strains increased all physiological parameters and chlorophyll content in sugarcane plants more than their control. The effects of P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila CN11 strains on sugarcane growth promotion and nitrogen fixation under greenhouse conditions are described here for the first time systematically. The results of confirmation studies demonstrated that P. koreensis CY4 and P. entomophila are PGP bacterial strains with the potential to be employed as a biofertilizer for sugarcane growth, nitrogen nutrient absorption, and reduced application of chemical nitrogenous fertilizers in agricultural fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fluoride (F-) pollution is one of the most serious issue facing the soil, water and agroclimatic variables as it does not occur naturally in its state but have always been found as the reactive substance in the earth's crust. It is always present in organic and inorganic forms, i.e., cryolite, fluorspar, and apatite, which is released into the atmosphere by brick kilns, fertilizers manufacturing factories, and other industrial industries. Methods: The present study assessed the impact of F- on growth, photosynthetic performance, and physiology of Withania somnifera L. plants. Results: Results presented that high dose of F- (200 ppm) significantly affects the plant growth in terms of root, shoot length, and dry weight and exhibited approx. twofold reduction in root length and shoot (22.65%) as evident by shortened internode and leaf number of W. somnifera L. The physiological characteristics viz., vapor pressure deficit (VPD), water-use efficiency (WUE), transpiration rate (E), and stomatal conductance (gs) also showed alterations in F-treated W. somnifera L. plants. Further, decreased soil plant analysis development (SPAD) values and photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll a, b, and a+b (12-43%) expressed toxicity response of F-. Conclusions: The study demonstrates a negative impact of F- on growth, physiology, and medicinal value (metabolite content). Therefore, ecophysiological studies are prerequisites to the large-scale cultivation of W. somnifera L. plants for largescale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defoliation is a primary agronomic traits, its variation depends on different plant species or cultivars. The present article assess the leaf morphological responses, oxidative metabolites and enzymatic activities at sheath base of sugarcane cultivars during defoliation stage of plant leaves. The mature leaf sheath of GT47 strongly wrapped to the stem, and no stem was exposed. The upper and lower edges of the immature fusing abscission zone were parallel, and slightly lower browning area (+ 3 to + 7 leaf position). The ROC22 cultivar was monitored highest leaf sheath-based cellulose and lignin content, followed by GT60 and GT47. Peroxidase activity was higher in leaf sheath base edge (ROC22) as compare to other cultivars. The malondialdehyde content was found highest in GT60, followed by ROC22, and GT47. The exo-β-1,4-glucanase/ cellobiohydrolase activity was found highest in the margin of GT47 than lateral and medial axis of ROC22 and GT60. The axis activity increased exponentially, and ROC22 gradually decreased from the periphery of the mid-axis and lower than GT47 and GT60 in the lateral and mid-axis of leaf. In conclusion, the mature leaves are easy to defoliate mainly loose leaf sheaths, large leaf sheath inclination angles, more deformation during the growth period of the abscission zone, early with large cracks, and slow browning process. Leaf sheaths with high fibre and lignin content showed significant hardness and thickness. The sugarcane cultivars showed positive correlation between peroxidase and malondialdehyde content with the browning process at the base of mature leaf sheaths., (© 2024. The Author(s).)