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Fine-grained management of rice fields can enhance the yield and quality of rice crops. Challenges in achieving fine classification include interference from similar vegetation, the irregularity of natural field shapes, and complex scale variations. This paper introduces Rice Attention Cascade Network (RACNet), for the fine classification of rice fields in high-resolution satellite remote sensing imagery. The network employs the Hybrid Task Cascade network as the base framework and uses spectral and indices mixed multimodal data as input to reinforce the feature differentiation of similar vegetation. Initially, a Channel Attention Deformable-ResNet (CAD-ResNet) was designed to enhance the feature representation of rice on different channels. Deformable convolution improves the ability of CAD-ResNet to capture irregular field shapes. Then, to address the issue of complex scale changes, the multi-scale features extracted by the CAD-ResNet are progressively fused using an Asymptotic Feature Pyramid, reducing the loss of scale information between non-adjacent layers. Experiments on the Meishan rice dataset show that the proposed method is capable of accurate instance segmentation for fragmented or irregularly shaped rice fields. The evaluation metric AP50 of RACNet reaches 50.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micronutrient application rate and tillage practices are considered important factors in triggering the productivity of oilseed crops, especially canola (Brassica napus L.). The soil in the area is deficient in available zinc (Zn) and sulfur (S), which necessitates the supplementary application of these nutrients for sustainable crop development. The following study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effect of tillage and micronutrient on the growth, quality, and yield of canola and weed density. The present study was executed consisting of two tillage systems along with four treatments of micronutrients application including control, soil application of recommended doses of zinc (10 kg ha−1), soil application of a recommended dose of sulfur (45 kg ha−1), and combined application of a recommended dose of Zn + S (10 kg + 45 kg ha−1) during the crop growing seasons of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. The results showed that the combined use of Zn and S under different tillage systems significantly affected crop growth, yield, and quality parameters. An increase of 0.99% in plant height, 6.33% in number of branches, 33% in silique length, 6.25% number of siliques per plant, 10% in number of seeds per silique, 4.64% in thousand seed weight, 0.74% in grain yield, and 0.42% in biological yield was recoded under conventional tillage practices as compared to zero tillage. In crux, the combined application of Zn and S at 10 and 45 kg ha−1 respectively, to canola crops under conventional tillage practices could be a sustainable option to improve canola crop growth, yield, and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately measuring tobacco harvest maturity is crucial for optimizing quality and crop management. Traditional methods heavily rely on qualitative evaluation and chemical experiments, which introduce subjectivity and inherent limitations. This study proposes a novel method that combines deep learning with proximal hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to achieve precise recognition of tobacco leaf maturity. Unlike traditional techniques, HSI captures rich spectral and spatial data, enabling comprehensive analysis. It adopts a pixel-level annotation strategy to annotate each pixel based on its maturity level, thereby preserving spectral complexity. The dataset comprises 3000 randomly extracted cubes ( 5 × 5 × 176) from 150 original hyperspectral images, encompassing five maturity levels. Spectral and spatial features are extracted from hyperspectral data using a three-dimensional convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) architecture. This method effectively leverages complex spectral patterns for maturity recognition. During testing, the model demonstrated an impressive average accuracy of 99.93%. Visual predictions vividly illustrate the model's proficiency in maturity recognition, affirming its practical utility. This study pioneers the integration of deep learning and hyperspectral near-end sensing technology in tobacco maturity assessment, mitigating the constraints of traditional methods, and establishing the groundwork for real-time monitoring and quality control of tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cd (cadmium) is a highly toxic heavy metal pollutant often present in soil and detrimentally impacting the production and quality of horticultural crops. Cd affects various physiological and biochemical processes in plants, including chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, mineral uptake and accumulation, and hormonal imbalance, leading to cell death. The MYB family of transcription factors plays a significant role in plant response to environmental influences. However, the role of MYB116 in abiotic stress tolerance remains unclear. In this study, we reported that Chinese cabbage transcription factor BrMYB116 enhanced Cd stress tolerance in yeast. The expression level of BrMYB116 was increased by Cd stress in Chinese cabbage. Additionally, yeast cells overexpressing BrMYB116 showed improved Cd stress tolerance and reduced Cd accumulation. Moreover, we found that BrMYB116 interacted with facilitator of iron transport (FIT3) to enhance Cd stress tolerance. ChIP-qPCR results showed that ScFIT3 was activated through specific binding to its promoter. Additionally, the overexpression of ScFIT3 induced Cd stress tolerance and reduced Cd accumulation in yeast and Chinese cabbage. These results suggest new avenues for plant genomic modification to mitigate Cd toxicity and enhance the safety of vegetable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium (Cr) is a toxic metal in soil–plant system, hence causing possible health risks prominently in the areas with forgoing industrial activities. Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) have been reported as an excellent adsorbent for pollutants. Therefore, this study investigates how copper nanoparticles enhance onion growth while decreasing chromium uptake in onion plants. Additionally, it examines the potential health risks of consuming onion plants with elevated chromium levels. The results demonstrated that the addition of CuNPs at 15 mg kg−1 significantly improved the plant height (48%), leaf length (37%), fresh weight of root (61%), root dry weight (70%), fresh weight of bulb (52%), bulb dry weight (59%), leaves fresh weight (52%) and dry weight of leaves (59%), leaf area (72%), number of onion leaves per plant (60%), Chl. a (42%), chl. b (36%), carotenoids (40%), total chlorophyll (40%), chlorophyll contents SPAD value (56%), relative water contents (35%), membrane stability index (16%), total sugars (25%), crude protein (21%), ascorbic acid (19%) and ash contents (64%) at 10 mg kg−1 Cr. Whereas, maximum decline of Cr by 46% in roots, 68% in leaves and 92% in bulb was found with application of 15 mg kg−1 of Cu NPs in onion plants under 10 mg kg−1 Cr toxicity. The health risk assessment parameters of onion plants showed minimum values 0.0028 for average daily intake (ADI), 0.001911 for Non-cancer risk (NCR), and 0.001433 for cancer risk (CR) in plants treated with Cu NPs at 15 mg kg−1 concentration grown in soil spiked with 10 mg kg−1 chromium. It is concluded that Cu NPs at 15 mg kg−1 concentration improved growth of plants in control as well as Cr contaminated soil. Therefore, use of Cu NPs at 15 mg kg−1 concentration is recommended for improving growth of plants under normal and metal contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of agrochemicals in citrus fruits is widely used to improve the quality of crops, increase production yields, and prolong post-harvest life. However, these substances are potentially toxic for humans and the ecosystem due to their widespread use, high stability, and bioaccumulation. Conventional techniques for determining pesticide residues in citrus fruits are chromatographic methods coupled with different detectors. However, in recent years, the need for analytical strategies that are less polluting for the environment has encouraged the appearance of new alternatives, such as sensors and biosensors, which allow selective and sensitive detection of pesticide residues in real time. A comprehensive overview of the analytical platforms used to determine pesticide residues in citrus fruits and citrus-derived products is presented herein. The review focuses on the evolution of these methods since 2015, their limitations, and possible future perspectives for improving pesticide residue determination and reducing environmental contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor hydroponic farming is an advanced cultivation technique with diverse sustainability benefits, such as facilitating local produce, minimizing transportation costs and emissions, and enabling year-round crop cultivation. To optimize crop growth for enhanced yield, improved crop quality, and reduced environmental footprint, precise monitoring and replenishment of essential nutrients within hydroponic systems is crucial. Current methods employed in most commercial farms for online nutrient supply monitoring is limited to pH and conductivity measurements. These techniques can only offer an indication of the overall change in the complex nutrient mixture and lack the capability to precisely identify the specific nutrient or quantify the nutrient content. Most of the existing techniques for measuring individual nutrient levels are expensive and invasive, necessitating sample preparation, frequent recalibration, and skilled personnel for operation. In this context, we propose and demonstrate a real-time, on-site monitoring system for the precise analysis of hydroponic nutrient supply based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). We also discuss the system design considerations, parametric optimizations, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ) of key nutrient components such as potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), using the proposed approach. The detection range of the developed LIBS-based monitoring system can encompass the typical concentration range observed in hydroponic nutrient solutions used at agricultural farms. This technique offers rapid online monitoring of individual nutrient components, providing precise, real-time analysis and the potential to enable comprehensive automation capabilities for current and future hydroponic farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractFluoride is one of the most highly toxic soil and air pollutant prevalent in aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems. It seriously affects crop plant quality and productivity worldwide. Although a crop with great nutritional value; oats are susceptible to a variety of abiotic stresses. In the current study, the responses of six oat cultivars (JHO-99-1, JHO-2009, BJ-2012, KANT, JHO-822, and JHO-2000) to fluoride stress on growth measurements, photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic parameters have been studied. The fluoride (200 and 400 mg/kg) was added to the soil artificially, seeds were sown and the pots were kept under controlled conditions. Another set of plants without the fluoride treatment (0 mg/kg) were labeled as control. The experiment was conducted in a plant growth chamber and fluoride was artificially added to the soil prior to seeding. All six oat cultivars subjected to fluoride stress exhibited an overall decrease in plant growth when compared to the control. Further under fluoride stress, while the oat cultivars also showed a decrease in chlorophyll content and different photosynthetic parameters but on the contrary the antioxidant activities were increased. While the cultivar JHO-822 was most affected under fluoride stress, JHO-99-1 showed tolerance toward fluoride toxicity in comparison to other cultivars JHO-2009, BJ-2012, KANT, JHO-822, and JHO-2000. It is concluded that the tolerance or susceptibility of a cultivar to fluoride can be well correlated with various parameters studied in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern agriculture, Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) stands out as a contemporary production mode that leverages precise control over environmental conditions such as nutrient, temperature, light, and other factors to achieve efficient and high-quality agricultural production. Numerous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of manipulating these environmental factors in the short period before harvest to enhance crop yield and quality in CEA. This comprehensive review aims to provide insight into various pre-harvest practices employed in CEA, including nutrient deprivation, nutrient supply, manipulation of the light environment, and the application of exogenous hormones, with the objective of improving yield and quality in horticultural crops. Additionally, we propose an intelligent pre-harvest management system to cultivate high-quality horticultural crops. This system integrates sensor technology, data analysis, and intelligent control, enabling the customization of specific pre-harvest strategies based on producers' requirements. The envisioned pre-harvest intelligent system holds the potential to enhance crop quality, increase yield, reduce resource wastage, and offer innovative ideas and technical support for the sustainable development of CEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating soil quality is crucial for ensuring the sustainable use of agricultural lands. This review examines the definition, evaluation methods, indicator selection, and relevant case studies. The concept of soil quality supplements soil science research by deepening our understanding of soils and aiding in the allocation of resources as agriculture intensifies to meet rising global demand. Soil quality provides a framework for educating stakeholders about the essential functions of soils and offers a tool for assessing and comparing different management techniques. Regular evaluation of soil quality is vital for maintaining high crop yields and addressing the gap between production and consumption. Nowadays, many researchers have explored machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques and various algorithms to model and predict soil quality with satisfactory results. These chosen indicators can be influenced by chemical, biological, or physical features. This paper compares ML and DL with traditional methods, examining their features, limitations, different categories of machine learning, and their applications in soil quality assessment. Finally, we show that predicting soil quality has the potential to be extremely accurate and efficient with ML and DL. This distinguishes the application of DL and ML from other approaches since they can anticipate the soil quality index without the need for more intricate computations. Our suggestion for future studies is to evaluate soil quality over broader regions and predict it by using more accurate, modern, and faster methods, using a variety of activation functions and algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of digital tools for crop management offers new opportunities to mitigate the effects of climate change on agriculture. This study examines the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in coffee-growing areas of the province of Rodriguez de Mendoza, southern Peru, from 2001 to 2022. The objectives were the following: (a) to analyze NDVI trends in these areas; (b) to investigate trends in climatic variables and their correlations with altitude and NDVI; and c) to develop linear models tailored to each coffee-growing area. The study identified significant differences in NDVI trends among coffee plants, with mean NDVI values ranging from about 0.6 to 0.8. These values suggest the presence of stress conditions that should be monitored to improve crop quality, particularly in Huambo. Variability in rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity, and altitude was also observed, with NDVI values showing a strong negative correlation with altitude. These results are crucial for making informed strategic decisions in integrated crop management and for monitoring crop health using vegetation indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California contains a broad geography over which climate conditions can be suitable for cultivating multiple varieties of winegrapes. However, climate change is projected to make winegrape cultivation more challenging across many of California's winegrowing regions. In order to understand the potential effects of climate change on winegrapes, this study models variety-specific phenology for six winegrape varieties and quantifies the change in phenology and viticulturally-important agroclimate metrics over 12 of California's American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) by the mid-21st century. Results show more rapid development for winegrapes with earlier budburst, flowering, veraison, and maturation across all varieties and AVAs. Cabernet Sauvignon shows the greatest change in phenology timing, while Chardonnay shows the least change. Likewise, the West Sonoma Coast AVA shows the greatest average change in phenology timing across varieties and development stages and Lodi AVA shows the least. Projected changes in agroclimatic metrics include an additional month of potentially damaging heat days (above 35 °C) in some AVAs, and decreases in frost days. These results have implications for numerous factors related to viticultural production, including water resources management and crop yield and quality, and underscore the need for California winegrape growers to improve their resilience to climate change by adopting strategies such as increasing soil health and water use efficiency and selecting cultivars suited for future climate conditions. By conducting climate effects analyses at the variety-specific and AVA scale, important information is provided to the winegrowing industry at a resolution that can support decision-making towards resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Penicillium genus exhibits a broad global distribution and holds substantial economic value in sectors including agriculture, industry, and medicine. Particularly in agriculture, Penicillium species significantly impact plants, causing diseases and contamination that adversely affect crop yields and quality. Timely detection of Penicillium species is crucial for controlling disease and preventing mycotoxins from entering the food chain. To tackle this issue, we implement a novel species identification approach called Analysis of whole GEnome (AGE). Here, we initially applied bioinformatics analysis to construct specific target sequence libraries from the whole genomes of seven Penicillium species with significant economic impact: P. canescens, P. citrinum, P. oxalicum, P. polonicum, P. paneum, P. rubens, and P. roqueforti. We successfully identified seven Penicillium species using the target we screened combined with Sanger sequencing and CRISPR-Cas12a technologies. Notably, based on CRISPR-Cas12a technology, AGE can achieve rapid and accurate identification of genomic DNA samples at a concentration as low as 0.01 ng/µL within 30 min. This method features high sensitivity and portability, making it suitable for on-site detection. This robust molecular approach provides precise fungal species identification with broad implications for agricultural control, industrial production, clinical diagnostics, and food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild rocket downy mildew (DM), caused by oomycete Hyaloperonospora sp., is a widely spread disease reducing crop production and quality. New productive wild rocket varieties resistant to DM are crucial to control disease and ensure high quality leaves. A histological characterization of Hyaloperonospora sp. infection was performed in 11 wild rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) accessions with contrasting DM responses (R, resistant; PR, partially resistant; S, susceptible). Samples of infected cotyledons, first and second leaves of 14‐day‐old seedlings were collected at 3, 6, 9, 21 and 24 h post‐inoculation (hpi) and 7 days post‐inoculation (dpi) and stained for appressoria and haustoria observation and tissue necrosis evaluation. Occurrence of appressoria on host surfaces was higher in leaves compared with cotyledons but unrelated with DM resistance response. Haustoria growth in mycelium was delayed in R accessions from 3 hpi, and signs of cell hypersensitivity reaction were observed at 9 hpi. At 24 hpi, necrotic spots limited pathogen growth in resistant accessions, whilst mycelium invaded larger mesophyll areas and produced more haustoria in susceptible ones. At 7 dpi, sporulation was heavy in S, restricted to droplet deposition sites in PR, and did not occur in R hosts. A rapid response of R accessions resulted in slower mycelium growth and longer infection periods. These traits have important agronomic value and should be considered in germplasm selection for breeding programmes aimed at crop protection. A better understanding of the host response to DM infection will allow selection of more suitable wild rocket accessions in future breeding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIt is possible to boost nutrient accumulation in grain, enhance grain production, and enhance the soil’s physical characteristics through the use of bio-fertilizers, zinc delivery methods, and organic and inorganic fertilizers integrated in a balanced manner. Often, zinc (Zn) is insufficient in soil due to a lack of organic matter additions to the soil. The world’s food supply is secured by Zn, a crucial micro nutrient. The effect of different zinc application methods and integrated nutrient management methods were tested on wheat crops based on crop production, nutrient uptake, and soil physico-chemical characteristics. Three distinct bio fertilizers, namely Azotobacter, Phosphate solubilizing bacteria, and Zn solubilizing bacteria were used in the experiment. There was a significantly greater number of effective tillers m−2 to the tune of 385 and 388 tillers m−2 and DTPA exchangeable Zn in the final soil of about 0.70 mg/kg with the soil and foliar application of zinc compared with the other treatments. A variety of integrated nutrient management treatments increased crop productivity and soil physico-chemical parameters by increasing soil nutrient availability. The current study indicates that adding organic manure is essential to sustainably preserving soil quality and crop productivity. It should therefore be included in nutrient management plans for crops that require a lot of nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Crop quality, yield and farmer income are reduced by soil‐borne diseases, nematodes and weeds, although these can be controlled by allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a plant‐derived soil fumigant. However, its efficacy against soil‐borne pathogens varies, mainly because of its chemical instability and uneven distribution in the soil. Formulation modification is an effective way to optimize pesticide application. We encapsulated AITC in modified diatomite granules (GR) and measured the formulation's loading content and stability, environmental fate and efficacy against soil‐borne pathogens, and its impact on the growth and yield of tomatoes. RESULTS: We observed that an AITC loading content in the granules of 27.6% resulted in a degradation half‐life of GR that was 1.94 times longer than 20% AITC emulsifiable concentrate in water (EW) and shorter than AITC technical (TC) grade. The stable and more even distribution of GR in soil resulted in relatively consistent and acceptable control of soil‐borne pathogens. Soil containing AITC residues that remained 10–24 days after GR fumigation were not phytotoxic to cucumber seeds. GR significantly reduced soil‐borne pest populations, and tomato growth and yield increased as AITC dosage increased. GR containing an AITC dose of 20 g m−2 effectively controlled pathogens in soil for about 7 months and improved tomato yield by 108%. CONCLUSION: Our research demonstrates the benefits of soil fumigation with loaded AITC over other formulations for effective pest control, and improved tomato plant growth and fruit yield. Fumigant encapsulation appears to be a useful method to improve pest and disease control, environmental performance and fumigant commercial sustainability. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoinhibition refers to the inability of seeds to germinate when inhibited by high temperatures, but when environmental conditions return to normal, the seeds are able to germinate rapidly again, which is different from thermodormancy. Meanwhile, with global warming, the effect of the thermoinhibition phenomenon on the yield and quality of crops in agricultural production is becoming common. Lettuce, as a horticultural crop sensitive to high temperature, is particularly susceptible to the effects of thermoinhibition, resulting in yield reduction. Therefore, it is crucial to elucidate the intrinsic mechanism of action of thermoinhibition in lettuce seeds. This review mainly outlines several factors affecting thermoinhibition of lettuce seed germination, including endosperm hardening, alteration of endogenous or exogenous phytohormone concentrations, action of photosensitizing pigments, production and inhibition of metabolites, maternal effects, genetic expression, and other physical and chemical factors. Finally, we also discuss the challenges and potential of lettuce seed germination thermoinhibition research. The purpose of this study is to provide theoretical support for future research on lettuce seed germination thermoinhibition, and with the aim of revealing the mechanisms and effects behind lettuce seed thermoinhibition. This will enable the identification of more methods to alleviate seed thermoinhibition or the development of superior heat-tolerant lettuce seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart agriculture stands as a promising domain for IoT-enabled technologies, with the potential to elevate crop quality, quantity, and operational efficiency. However, implementing a smart agriculture system encounters challenges such as the high latency and bandwidth consumption linked to cloud computing, Internet disconnections in rural locales, and the imperative of cost efficiency for farmers. Addressing these hurdles, this paper advocates a fog-based smart agriculture infrastructure integrating edge computing and LoRa communication. We tackle farmers' prime concern of animal intrusion by presenting a solution leveraging low-cost PIR sensors, cameras, and computer vision to detect intrusions and predict animal locations using an innovative algorithm. Our system detects intrusions pre-emptively, identifies intruders, forecasts their movements, and promptly alerts farmers. Additionally, we compare our proposed strategy with other approaches and measure their power consumptions, demonstrating significant energy savings afforded by our strategy. Experimental results highlight the effectiveness, energy efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of our system compared to state-of-the-art systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nutrition through fertilizer application plays a crucial role in enhancing crop quality and yield, necessitating a balanced fertilization approach. Sweet cherry, esteemed as one of the most prized crops worldwide, was the focus of this three-year study spanning from 2019 to 2021, involving the sweet cherry cultivar Burlat. This study investigated the foliar application of magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) to enhance fruit quality parameters. Different doses of Mg (250 g hL−1 and 125 g hL−1) and K (100 g hL−1 and 50 g hL−1) and a control treatment were administered to sweet cherry trees to assess their impact on fruit quality. At the commercial ripening stage, fruits from each treatment were harvested for comprehensive evaluation, including biometric and chromatic parameters, fruit firmness, routine parameters, sensory profile, and nutrient content analysis. Results from the study revealed notable enhancements in fruit weight and dimensions, particularly in the control treatment in 2020. Furthermore, Mg125 and Mg250 treatments exhibited improved color development and accelerated maturity by increasing the total soluble solids content while decreasing titratable acidity. Sensorial profiling indicated that Mg125 and Mg250 treatments intensified color intensity and sweet taste while mitigating sour taste perceptions. Conversely, potassium fertilization, especially the K50 treatment, led to increased fruit firmness and nutrient content. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing sweet cherry production practices globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic changes and global warming affect the growth, development, and productivity of crops. In this review, we highlight the possible benefits of using innovative breeding techniques like clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs), exogenous phytohormone-like strigolactones (SLs), nanomaterials (NMs), and beneficial microbial endophytes to address the challenges in sustainable cultivation of horticultural crops. These applications are evaluated by examining how they affect different metabolic, morphological, and biochemical parameters in diverse crops. Endophytes are symbiotic microorganisms and can be used as nematicides for improving crop yield. With an emphasis on quality control, we examined the impacts of applying NMs, a novel family of phytohormones called SLs, and microbial endophytes on horticultural commodities. Furthermore, we reviewed the benefits of CRISPR for the editing of plant genomes, as well as how it affects gene expression and transcription factors to increase crop tolerance and yield. These innovations hold the potential to improve crop yield, quality, and resilience by acting as safe, natural components in biofertilizers and plant protection solutions. Gradually adopting these methods could decrease reliance on agrochemicals, thereby reducing their negative effects on biodiversity, soil fertility, and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agriculture industry has an enormous influence on a nation's economy. Loss of yield due to plant diseases remains a reason, reducing crop quantity and quality. Incorrect diagnosis of crop diseases can result in improper application of chemical pesticides, which promotes immune microbial strains, raises expenses, and triggers fresh outbreaks that are harmful to the economy and the ecosystem. Despite the potential of Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) approaches in plant disease detection, their limited effectiveness results in poor or late disease detection. Resolving this issue is critical, requiring the development of more accurate disease detection methods. This research introduces an innovative approach for the detection of apple leaf diseases utilizing the CNN-based Inception-v3 model. The dataset comprises images taken on location without having any control over the image-capturing settings may provide better relevance to real-world scenarios. The proposed method integrates canny edge detection and watershed transformation to achieve accurate image segmentation, thereby enhancing the identification of disease regions. Additionally, exploratory data analysis was performed, and channel distributions were visualized to understand the dataset's characteristics. To ensure robust evaluation, the model's performance underwent stratified 5-fold cross-validation. The model classified plant images with 84.60% precision, 87.40% recall, 85.00% F1-score, and 94.76% accuracy. Experimental results substantiate the efficacy of the proposed approach, surpassing existing methods in disease classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field peas are grown by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia for food, fodder, income, and soil fertility. However, leaf diseases such as ascochyta blight, powdery mildew, and leaf spots affect the quantity and quality of this crop as well as crop growth. Experts use visual observation to detect field pea disease. However, this approach is expensive, labor-intensive, and imprecise. Therefore, in this study, we presented a transfer learning approach for the automatic diagnosis of field pea leaf diseases. We classified three field pea leaf diseases: Ascochyta blight, leaf spot, and powdery mildew. A softmax classifier was used to classify the diseases. A total of 1600 images of both healthy and diseased leaves were used to train, validate, and test the pretrained models. According to the experimental results, DenseNet121 achieved 99.73% training accuracy, 99.16% validation accuracy, and 98.33% testing accuracy after 100 epochs. we expect that this research work will offer various benefits for farmers and farm experts. It reduced the cost and time needed for the detection and classification of field pea leaf disease. Thus, a fast, automated, less costly, and accurate detection method is necessary to overcome the detection problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSoybean production faces many constraints with several factors, such as biotic and abiotic factors, and the crop management practices where inadequate nutrient management leads to a decline in production potential of the crop. Among the biotic factors, exploitation of resources by weeds not only causes a decline in production but also decreases the crop quality. Managing the weeds during the critical period of crop weed competition plays outstanding role in maximizing soybean production. In order to study the influence of integrated nutrient and weed management on nutrient dynamics and yield optimization of soybean an experiment was conducted in Split Plot Design with three nutrient management treatments in main plot {100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), 75% RDF + 25% N through farmyard manure (FYM) + Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and 50% RDF + Rhizobium + PSB} and five weed management treatments in the sub-plot (Hand weeding at 15, 30 and 45 DAS, Mechanical weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 PE fb Hand weeding at 30 DAS, Propaquizafop @ 0.075 kg a.i. ha−1 PoE fb Hand weeding at 45 DAS, and Weedy check as control). The results indicated that application of 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PSB recorded the highest seed yield, nutrient content in seed and uptake of N, P, K, and S in the seed and stover, microbial population, and soil nutrient status. Highest partial factor productivity was recorded under 50% RDF + Rhizobium + PSB. Under weed management, hand weeding recorded the highest growth, yield attributes and nutrient content, but was found to be at par with Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 PE fb Hand weeding at 30 DAS and Propaquizafop @ 0.075 kg a.i. ha−1 PoE fb Hand weeding at 45 DAS. Application of 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PSB and pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 fb hand weeding at 30 DAS proves to be an effective strategy for soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSelecting the appropriate dosage of nano zinc oxide for tomato and capsicum plants is crucial since higher concentration may negatively impact crop productivity and quality. Maintaining soil health helps in increasing crop output and quality without degrading the soil from overfertilization. The main objective of the study was to determine the physiological responses of both crops and ideal dose of nano zinc oxide (ZnO) for yield maximization and quality enhancement under controlled conditions. In present study, nano ZnO had noticeable effect on the fruit and quality parameters of both Solanaceous crops. Plants were treated with seed treatment and foliar applications of nano ZnO @ 50, 100, and 150 parts per million (ppm) along with 100% recommended dose of nutrients (RDN) through vermicompost; and 100% RDN through integration of vermicompost and fertilizers. In addition, nano zinc oxide was not supplied to the control treatment plants (T1). The results of the study revealed that 50 ppm of nano ZnO as foliar spray increased fruit and quality parameters in tomato and capsicum. In case of protein content, treatment comprised of 50 ppm of nano ZnO as seed treatment + 100% RDN through vermicompost and fertilizers, produced higher protein content over control. Furthermore, the application of nano ZnO lowered ascorbic acid levels in tomato and capsicum, while the control had the greatest levels. These results suggested that lower concentration of ZnO nanoparticles (50 ppm) is an ideal dosage and could be used in tomato and capsicum cultivation to improve yield and quality indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop straw boards, a novel nursery material, has proven effective for cultivating dense, young rice seedlings suitable for mechanized transplanting, thereby saving labor. However, under high-density nursery conditions, the biomass accumulation and yield formation in rice vary with different seedling ages, necessitating exploration of optimal seeding densities and seedling ages to achieve high yields. This study aims to determine the appropriate seeding densities and seedling ages using crop straw boards to maximize rice yield. Over two years, field studies were conducted using crop straw boards for rice cultivation at seeding densities of 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 g/tray (labeled as D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5) and seedling ages of 10, 15, 20, and 25 days (labeled as A1, A2, A3, and A4). The results indicated that D4A2 significantly enhanced tiller number, dry matter accumulation, and photosynthetic capacity, resulting in a yield increase of 2.89% compared to the conventional method of D1A3. Highdensity and short-aged seedlings cultivated with crop straw boards can enhance rice yield by improving photosynthetic capacity and crop quality. This study emphasizes the importance of using crop straw boards for rice nursery practices, as well as selecting the appropriate seeding densities and seedling ages for optimizing rice production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Polyamines (PAs) are pleiotropic bioorganic molecules. Cellular PA contents are determined by a balance between PA synthesis and degradation. PAs have been extensively demonstrated to play vital roles in the modulation of plant developmental processes and adaptation to various environmental stresses. In this review, the latest advances on the diverse roles of PAs in a range of developmental processes, such as morphogenesis, organogenesis, growth and development, and fruit ripening, are summarized and discussed. Besides, the crosstalk between PAs and phytohormones or other signalling molecules, including H2O2 and NO, involved in these processes is dwelled on. In addition, the attempts made to improve the yield and quality of grain and vegetable crops through altering the PA catabolism are enumerated. Finally, several other vital questions that remain unanswered are proposed and discussed. These include the mechanisms underlying the cooperative regulation of developmental processes by PAs and their interplaying partners like phytohormones, H2O2 and NO; PA transport for maintaining homeostasis; and utilization of PA anabolism/catabolism for generating high‐yield and good‐quality crops. This review aims to gain new insights into the pleiotropic role of PAs in the modulation of plant growth and development, which provides an alternative approach for manipulating and engineering valuable crop varieties that can be used in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poultry manure (PM) has demonstrated its potential to enhance crop nutritional quality. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of knowledge regarding its synergistic effects when combined with wood biochar (B) on the nutrient concentrations in sweet potato leaves (Ipomoea batatas L.) and the mineral content stored in sweet potato storage roots. Hence, a two-year field trial was undertaken during the 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons in southwestern Nigeria, spanning two locations (Owo—site A and Obasooto—site B), to jointly apply poultry manure and wood biochar as soil amendments aimed at enhancing the nutritional quality of sweet potato crop. Each year, the experiment involved different combinations of poultry manure at rates of 0, 5.0, and 10.0 t ha−1 and biochar at rates of 0, 10.0, 20.0, and 30.0 t ha−1, organized in a 3 × 4 factorial layout. The results of the present study demonstrated that the individual application of poultry manure (PM), biochar (B), or their combination had a significant positive impact on the nutrient composition of sweet potato leaves and minerals stored in the sweet potato storage roots, with notable synergistic effects between poultry manure and biochar (PM × B) in enhancing these parameters. This highlights the potential of biochar to enhance the efficiency of poultry manure utilization and improve nutrient utilization from poultry manure. The highest application rate of poultry manure at 10.0 t ha−1 and biochar at 30.0 t ha−1 (PM10 + B30), resulted in the highest leaf nutrient concentrations and mineral composition compared to other treatments at both sites. Averaged over two years, the highest application rate of poultry manure at 10.0 t ha−1 and biochar at 30.0 t ha−1 (PM10 + B30) significantly increased sweet potato leaf nutrient concentrations: nitrogen by 88.2%, phosphorus by 416.7%, potassium by 123.8%, calcium by 927.3%, and magnesium by 333.3%, compared to those in the control (PM0 + B0). The same treatment increased the concentration of sweet potato root storage minerals: phosphorus by 152.5%, potassium by 77.4%, calcium by 205.5%, magnesium by 294.6%, iron by 268.4%, zinc by 228.6%, and sodium by 433.3%, compared to the control. The highest application rate of poultry manure at 10.0 t ha−1 and biochar at 30.0 t ha−1 yielded the highest economic profitability in terms of gross margin (44,034 US$ ha−1), net return (30,038 US$ ha−1) and return rate or value-to-cost ratio (VCR) (263). The results suggested that the application of poultry manure at 10 t ha−1 and biochar at 30 t ha−1 is economically profitable in the study areas and under similar agroecological zones and soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change is inevitable owing from modern-day chemical agriculture, exerting detrimental impacts on sustainable crop production. Global agriculture is now facing serious threats from biotic stresses like weeds, pests, diseases, etc. These stresses not only hamper growth and production but also reduce crop quality. Exclusive reliance on synthetic inputs to tackle biotic stresses has created resistance, resurgence, residues, etc., leading to environmental pollution. Although plants adopt defensive mechansims, such biotic stresses need to be addressed properly with various eco-friendly organic farming approaches. Suitable modification and adoption of various organic agronomic practices (manual, mechanical, cultural, and biological) such as soil solarization, crop rotation, intercropping, tillage, sowing time and method, nutrient, water and intercultural operations, organic formulations, selection of resistant/tolerant varieties, etc., can mitigate the negative impacts of biotic stresses to a high extent resulting in uplift in crop production as well as the quality of produce. Microorganisms not only alter soil health positively for high crop production but also alleviate biotic stresses through bio-stimulant properties. Various indigenous technical knowledge approaches show great promise to tackle biotic stresses further. Short conclusion: Adequate research, integration of multiple technologies, build-up of awareness, etc., are the keys for successful organic plant protection under changing climate scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe rapid increase in the adoption of seaweed-based bioproducts in crop production systems can be attributed to their unique bioactive components and significant beneficial effects. In the growing interest of sustainable agricultural practices, the present study aims to reduce the dependency on chemical fertilizers while enhancing crop productivity and quality through seaweed extract. A field experiment was carried out during 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 at CSIR-CIMAP, Allalasandra, Research Center, Bengaluru to study the influence of seaweed liquid extracts as a foliar application on growth, yield, and chemical composition of lemongrass. Results revealed that the growth, herb and essential oil yield of lemongrass was improved significantly by the application of Kappaphycus alvarezii (K sap) at 20% concentration, recording herb and oil yield of 35.86 t ha−1 year−1 and 466.70 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively when conjugated with a recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), compared to RDF alone, 30.40% and 35.70% in herb and oil yields, respectively, were recorded in this treatment. Notably, the treatment 50% RDF + K sap applied at 7.5% concentration was statistically at par with RDF with respect to the herb as well as oil yield connoting considerable scope of reducing chemical fertilizer requirement for the lemongrass. The functional relationship between herb and oil yield of lemongrass with different concentrations of seaweed sap applied at different crop stages was found to be strongly correlated (r2=0.99 and r2=0.98, respectively). Higher amounts of citronellal (0.70%) Borneol (1.10%), α-Terpineol (1.90%), and Citronellyl acetate (0.4%) were recorded in 20% K sap spray with RDF. The study revealed that the application of marine alga Kappaphycus alvarezii foliar spray above the 10 - 20% concentration significantly increased the herb, essential oil yield, and chemical constituents of lemongrass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractCover crops and nitrogen (N) fertilization may affect soil mineral N, N uptake, and N productivity (grain yield per unit plant available N) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We evaluated the effect of summer cover crops and N fertilization rates on soil mineral N and winter wheat grain yield, N uptake, and N productivity in the Loess Plateau of China. We measured cover crop aboveground biomass N, soil mineral N (0-20 cm), and winter wheat yield, N uptake, and N productivity for four seasons from 2017-2018 to 2020-2021. Cover crops were soybean (Glycine max L., SB), sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense [Piper] Stapf, SG], soybean and sudangrass mixture (SS), and no cover crop (CK) and N fertilization rates were 0, 60, and 120 kg N ha−1 applied to wheat. The SB increased cover crop biomass N and soil mineral N by 15 to 65%, but SS increased winter wheat yield, protein concentration, and N uptake by 25 to 55% compared to SG and CK at most N fertilization rates and years. Nitrogen fertilization rate had a variable effect on cover crop and wheat parameters. Wheat N productivity was 55 to 85% greater with CK than cover crops, but decreased with increased N fertilization rates. The N fertilizer equivalence of cover crops for wheat yield and N uptake ranged from 31 kg N ha−1 for SG to 150 kg N ha−1 for SS. Overall, SS with 60 kg N ha−1 can sustain winter wheat N uptake and N productivity compared to SG or CK with or without N fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern region of the department of Córdoba, Colombia, in the last ten years has shown growth in the cultivation of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) as an alternative to replace illicit crops and improve the quality of life of the families that They have gone through armed conflict. The production system has shown potential given its yields that exceed the national average; However, there is no evidence of the presence of a study that investigates the efficiency in the allocation or investment of resources. The objective of the work was to determine the technical efficiency of this crop with information obtained from a structured survey applied to 158 cocoa farmers in the municipalities of Puerto Libertador, Montelíbano, Tierralta and Valencia. The information obtained contained technical and socioeconomic variables that allowed calculating the current state of the technical efficiency of cocoa cultivation for this region of the country. The technique used was the stochastic frontier through the estimation of parameters by the least squares method to a Cobb Douglas type production function. Although the yields are not low, the results show that the farmer has a technical efficiency of 39%, attributed to underutilization of resources resulting in a production gap. It is concluded that this inefficiency is also associated with social factors such as the advanced age of farmers and low levels of schooling, mainly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop with a wide range of uses in both industry and agriculture. Drought stress during its growth cycle can greatly reduce maize crop yield and quality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying maize responses to drought stress remain unclear. In this work, a WRKY transcription factor‐encoding gene, ZmWRKY30, from drought‐treated maize leaves was screened out and characterized. ZmWRKY30 gene expression was induced by dehydration treatments. The ZmWRKY30 protein localized to the nucleus and displayed transactivation activity in yeast. Compared with wild‐type (WT) plants, Arabidopsis lines overexpressing ZmWRKY30 exhibited a significantly enhanced drought stress tolerance, as evidenced by the improved survival rate, increased antioxidant enzyme activity by superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), elevated proline content, and reduced lipid peroxidation recorded after drought stress treatment. In contrast, the mutator (Mu)‐interrupted ZmWRKY30 homozygous mutant (zmwrky30) was more sensitive to drought stress than its null segregant (NS), characterized by the decreased survival rate, reduced antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, and CAT) and proline content, as well as increased malondialdehyde accumulation. RNA‐Seq analysis further revealed that, under drought conditions, the knockout of the ZmWRKY30 gene in maize affected the expression of genes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS), proline, and myo‐inositol metabolism. Meanwhile, the zmwrky30 mutant exhibited significant downregulation of myo‐inositol content in leaves under drought stress. Combined, our results suggest that ZmWRKY30 positively regulates maize responses to water scarcity. This work provides potential target genes for the breeding of drought‐tolerant maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stress impairs plant growth and development, thereby causing low yield and inferior quality of crops. Increasing studies reported that strigolactones (SL) are plant hormones that enhance plant stress resistance by regulating plant physiological processes and gene expressions. In this review, we introduce the response and regulatory role of SL in salt, drought, light, heat, cold and cadmium stresses in plants. This review also discusses how SL alleviate the damage of abiotic stress in plants, furthermore, introducing the mechanisms of SL enhancing plant stress resistance at the genetic level. Under abiotic stress, the exogenous SL analog GR24 can induce the biosynthesis of SL in plants, and endogenous SL can alleviate the damage caused by abiotic stress. SL enhanced the stress resistance of plants by protecting photosynthesis, enhancing the antioxidant capacity of plants and promoting the symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM). SL interact with abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), auxin, cytokinin (CK), jasmonic acid (JA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and other signal molecules to jointly regulate plant stress resistance. Lastly, both the importance of SL and their challenges for future work are outlined in order to further elucidate the specific mechanisms underlying the roles of SL in plant responses to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity is a major nutritional challenge with poor agriculture production characterized by high sodium (Na+) ions in the soil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have received attention as a sustainable strategy to reduce biotic and abiotic stress. However, there is a lack of information regarding the incorporation of ZnO NPs with biochar to ameliorate the salinity stress (0, 50,100 mM). Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the potentials of ZnO NPs application (priming and foliar) alone and with a combination of biochar on the growth and nutrient availability of spinach plants under salinity stress. Results demonstrated that salinity stress at a higher rate (100 mM) showed maximum growth retardation by inducing oxidative stress, resulted in reduced photosynthetic rate and nutrient availability. ZnO NPs (priming and foliar) alone enhanced growth, chlorophyll contents and gas exchange parameters by improving the antioxidant enzymes activity of spinach under salinity stress. While, a significant and more pronounced effect was observed at combined treatments of ZnO NPs with biochar amendment. More importantly, ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar significantly reduced the Na+ contents in root 57.69%, and leaves 61.27% of spinach as compared to the respective control. Furthermore, higher nutrient contents were also found at the combined treatment of ZnO NPs foliar application with biochar. Overall, ZnO NPs combined application with biochar proved to be an efficient and sustainable strategy to alleviate salinity stress and improve crop nutritional quality under salinity stress. We inferred that ZnO NPs foliar application with a combination of biochar is more effectual in improving crop nutritional status and salinity mitigation than priming treatments with a combination of biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timely and accurate acquisition of information on the distribution of the crop planting structure in the Loess Plateau of eastern Gansu Province, one of the most important agricultural areas in Western China, is crucial for promoting fine management of agriculture and ensuring food security. This study uses multi-temporal high-resolution remote sensing images to determine optimal segmentation scales for various crops, employing the estimation of scale parameter 2 (ESP2) tool and the Ratio of Mean Absolute Deviation to Standard Deviation (RMAS) model. The Canny edge detection algorithm is then applied for multi-scale image segmentation. By incorporating crop phenological factors and using the L1-regularized logistic regression model, we optimized 39 spatial feature factors—including spectral, textural, geometric, and index features. Within a multi-level classification framework, the Random Forest (RF) classifier and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model are used to classify the cropping patterns in four test areas based on the multi-scale segmented images. The results indicate that integrating the Canny edge detection algorithm with the optimal segmentation scales calculated using the ESP2 tool and RMAS model produces crop parcels with more complete boundaries and better separability. Additionally, optimizing spatial features using the L1-regularized logistic regression model, combined with phenological information, enhances classification accuracy. Within the OBIC framework, the RF classifier achieves higher accuracy in classifying cropping patterns. The overall classification accuracies for the four test areas are 91.93%, 94.92%, 89.37%, and 90.68%, respectively. This paper introduced crop phenological factors, effectively improving the extraction precision of the shattered agricultural planting structure in the Loess Plateau of eastern Gansu Province. Its findings have important application value in crop monitoring, management, food security and other related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of agronomy and crop science plays a crucial role in ensuring global food security and sustainable agricultural practices. In the realm of scholarly publications, bibliometric indicators have emerged as invaluable tools for quantifying and comparing the impact, reach, and significance of such contributions. Various bibliometric indicators were employed for the study, including Impact Factor, Eigenfactor Score, Cite Score, and h-index. To accomplish this, we compiled a roster of 90 agronomy and crop science journals using the Journal Citation Report (JCR) within the Web of Science (WOS), journal metrics from the Scopus database (Cite Score and SNIP), and h5-index from Google Scholar. The SCImago Journal Ranking (SJR) was obtained from its official website. Subsequently, we conducted Bivariate Pearson's (r) and Spearman's (ρ) correlation coefficient tests to assess ranking correlations. The study revealed notable positive correlations particularly, a strong Pearson's (r) correlation evident between the Impact Factor (JIF) and both the Cite Score (CS) and SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) indicators, yielding values of (r = 0.962) and (r = 0.932), respectively. Interestingly, despite the distinct mathematical foundations underpinning the various citation-based bibliometric indices scrutinized, our findings underscored their robust correlations when it comes to ranking agronomy and crop science journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to conventional crops, less is known about how genetic and environmental variability affect the yield and quality of specialty crops like cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Herein, we performed a multifaceted analysis of six commercial cranberry beds planted to the Stevens cultivar. The six beds included three with above‐average multiyear yields and three that were lower than average. We considered genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrient content as driving variables of yield and fruit quality. We found that genetic purity within beds raised the odds of obtaining above‐average yields over an 8‐year period. The highest levels of genetic contamination (38%–75%) were found at the low‐yield beds, where significant differences in yield and fruit quality were observed between genotypes, within beds. Across all beds, focusing only on plots genetically confirmed to be Stevens cultivar, we also found that plot‐scale yield in 2020 was significantly higher for two of three high‐yield beds, suggesting other factors besides genetic contamination influenced differences in bed‐scale yield. A factor analysis of mixed data that jointly included genotype, edaphic variables, and plant tissue nutrient content revealed complex relations among these variables that were tied to grouping plots based on long‐term yield. Findings highlight the need for further research into the complex genetic and environmental factors that control cranberry yield and fruit quality. Core Ideas: Cranberry yield and quality were impacted by genetic and environmental variables across six commercial beds.Genetic contamination negatively impacted long‐term crop yields.Within bed variability in yield and fruit quality arose due to genetic contamination.Phenotypic plasticity caused variation in yield and fruit quality across beds within the Stevens cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amongst the micronutrients, boron (B) is required in very minute quantity, but deficiency can cause a deleterious impact on crop yield and quality, similar to any macronutrient. The critical B level in soil is usually between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm, but it varies widely depending on the crops and growing conditions. The prevalent deficiency in agricultural fields, coupled with insufficient attention to micronutrient application in field crops, creates a substantial production gap impacting growth, yield, and produce quality. A major portion of the tuber crops show extreme sensitivity to boron deficiency, which causes severe yield reduction alongside a decline in the tuber quality. Excess application may exhibit toxicity symptoms in plants since it occupies a narrow window between deficiency and toxicity. Therefore, efficient nutrient management practice, including the judicious use of boron fertilizers in terms of appropriate sources and doses, is needed to ensure the B nutrient balance in soil as well as augmenting the crop growth and yield. To understand the research and progress toward B nutrition in tuber crops, a modern machine learning approach has also been implemented. This review underscores a paradigm shift in understanding the essential role of B fertilizers in tuber crops there by suggesting a potentially sustainable solution for achieving judicious and balanced application of boron in acquiring healthy plant produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9 billion, underscoring the imperative for innovative solutions to increase grain yield and enhance food security. Nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful tool, providing unique solutions to this challenge. Nanoparticles (NPs) can improve plant growth and nutrition under normal conditions through their high surface‐to‐volume ratio and unique physical and chemical properties. Moreover, they can be used to monitor crop health status and augment plant resilience against abiotic stresses (such as salinity, drought, heavy metals, and extreme temperatures) that endanger global agriculture. Application of NPs can enhance stress tolerance mechanisms in plants, minimizing potential yield losses and underscoring the potential of NPs to raise crop yield and quality. This review highlights the need for a comprehensive exploration of the environmental implications and safety of nanomaterials and provides valuable guidelines for researchers, policymakers, and agricultural practitioners. With thoughtful stewardship, nanotechnology holds immense promise in shaping environmentally sustainable agriculture amid escalating environmental challenges. [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]

This study investigates the effect of continuous blue light (CBL) treatment on quality-related metabolites, focusing on ascorbic acid (AsA) accumulation in hydroponically grown Eruca vesicaria (L.). Plants were subjected to CBL treatment, consisting of 24-h exposure to constant-intensity blue light (48 μmol m−2 s−1) and 12-h exposure to the remaining spectrum (192 μmol m−2 s−1). The activities of key enzymes in AsA biosynthesis and recycling were analyzed, including L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (GalLDh), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDhAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DhAR), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). The results showed a significant increase in AsA accumulation of 65.9% during the “day” and 69.1% during the “night” phases under CBL compared to controls. GalLDh activity increased by 20% during the “day phase” in CBL-treated plants. APX activity also rose significantly under CBL conditions, by 101% during the “day” and 75.6% during the “night”. However, this did not affect dehydroascorbic acid levels or the activities of MDhAR and DhAR. These findings highlight the potential of tailored light treatments to enhance the nutraceutical content of horticultural species, offering valuable insights for sustainably improving food quality in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) systems and understanding the roles of blue light in ascorbic acid biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In controlled environment agriculture, customized light treatments using lightemitting diodes are crucial to improving crop yield and quality. Red (R; 600-700 nm) and blue light (B; 400-500 nm) are two major parts of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), often preferred in crop production. Far-red radiation (FR; 700-800 nm), although not part of PAR, can also affect photosynthesis and can have profound effects on a range of morphological and physiological processes. However, interactions between different red and blue light ratios (R:B) and FR on promoting yield and nutritionally relevant compounds in crops remain unknown. Here, lettuce was grown at 200 µmol m-2 s-1 PAR under three different R:B ratios: R:B87.5:12.5 (12.5% blue), R:B75:25 (25% blue), and R:B60:40 (40% blue) without FR. Each treatment was also performed with supplementary FR (50 µmol m-2 s-1; R:B87.5:12.5+FR, R:B75:25+FR, and R:B60:40+FR).White light with andwithout FR (Wand W+FR) were used as control treatments comprising of 72.5% red, 19% green, and 8.5% blue light. Decreasing the R:B ratio from R:B87.5:12.5 to R:B60:40, there was a decrease in fresh weight (20%) and carbohydrate concentration (48% reduction in both sugars and starch), whereas pigment concentrations (anthocyanins, chlorophyll, and carotenoids), phenolic compounds, and various minerals all increased. These results contrasted the effects of FR supplementation in the growth spectra; when supplementing FR to different R:B backgrounds, we found a significant increase in plant fresh weight, dry weight, total soluble sugars, and starch. Additionally, FR decreased concentrations of anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and various minerals. Although blue light and FR effects appear to directly contrast, blue and FR light did not have interactive effects together when considering plant growth, morphology, and nutritional content. Therefore, the individual benefits of increased blue light fraction and supplementary FR radiation can be combined and used cooperatively to produce crops of desired quality: adding FR increases growth and carbohydrate concentration while increasing the blue fraction increases nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization has damaged the soil biological environment and chemical structure, resulting in a decline in soil quality and crop yields, which has caused harm to the ecological environment and human health, and severely hindered the development of the economy. In this experiment, using the 'Ningdan 33' maize seeds as materials, the maize was treated with histidine and salt stress (100 mM NaCl), and photosynthesis, photosynthetic enzyme activity, relative expression of photosynthetic genes of maize were measured. The anatomical structure of the leaves was also observed. The study explored the impact of exogenous histidine treatment on the photosynthesis of maize under salt stress. When the concentration of histidine sprayed on the leaves was 0.5 mM, it had the best effect on promoting photosynthesis in maize under salt stress. 0.5 mM histidine significantly improved the photosynthetic performance (PN, gs, E, Chl a/Chl b) of maize under salt stress, significantly improved photosynthesis efficiency (Fv/Fm, ΔF/F'm, qP were significantly increased. NPQ was significantly decreased), significantly increased the activity of photosynthetic enzymes (PEPC, NADP-ME, PPDK, Rubisco) and the relative expression of photosynthetic genes (ZmPEPC, ZmNADP-ME, ZmPPDK, ZmRCA), increased the length of the vascular bundle in the cross-section of the leaf, played a certain protective role on the vascular bundle, and improved the efficiency of material transportation under salt stress. Based on the above analysis, 0.5 mM histidine can significantly improve the tolerance of maize under salt stress, which has great application value for planting maize in saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fertility, quality and improving crop productivity with fertilizers is a critical problem in agriculture. The nutrition of agriculture crops relies on traditional chemical fertilizers, the production of which is expensive and still depends on fossil-fuel consumption, with a harmful effect on humans and global environment. In order to solve this problem, fertilizers must become environmentally friendly and with high nutritional content. Nanotechnology is a promising alternative method. Nanofertilizers provide favourable nutrition by their strong potential to increase nutrient proficiency and protection from leaching into groundwater; its balanced nutrient supply and biodegradability stimulates the growth of crops and improves the quality and production. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for the growth and developments of plants, but it is the most commonly deficient micronutrient in soils. In order to overcome the problem of zinc deficiency in soils, this study carried out a synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) by green synthesis method using aqueous extract of the neem tree (Azadirachta indica) and characterisation by UV-visible spectrophotometer and SEM analysis. These synthesized NPs were applied as nanofertilizers and their effect on the growth of the common plant Triticum aestivum L. was tested. An improvement in plant growth was achieved by the application of ZnO NPs mediated nanofertilizers. From this study, it can be concluded that ZnO NPs are a promising alternative for managing zinc deficiency in soil and increasing the plant productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Advanced molecular approaches for improving crop yield and quality lie in their comprehensive analysis of the latest advancements in molecular techniques that can be applied to enhance crop production. This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of the latest developments in advanced molecular approaches aimed at enhancing crop yield and quality. The paper comprehensively covers a range of techniques, including marker-assisted selection (MAS), genomic selection (CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs, and ZFNs), gene stacking and trait pyramiding, genome editing techniques, RNA interference (RNAi), epigenetic modifications, and multi-omics approaches. Each technique is thoroughly examined and evaluated, with particular attention given to their advantages and limitations, as well as their potential applications in crop improvement. Ultimately, this review can contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable approaches to crop improvement, which is crucial for ensuring food security and environmental sustainability in the face of an increasingly uncertain future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil pH is crucial for the quality of the farmland and crop growth. The objective of this study is to analyze the spatial and temporal variations of farmland soil pH in Xinjiang (XJ), and to provide a scientific basis for soil improvement and agricultural production optimization. Based on soil pH data from XJ farmland in two periods, 2008~2010 and 2019~2021, geostatistical methods and kriging spatial interpolation techniques were employed to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in soil pH and to investigate the relationship between relevant influencing factors and pH over more than a decade. The results indicate that the spatiotemporal distribution of soil pH in XJ farmlands is uneven. Between 2019 and 2021, the average soil pH was 8.11, generally being on the higher side, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 3.85%, indicating minimal spatial variability. In the farmland soil of Southern Xinjiang (S-XJ), the average pH value was 8.17, significantly higher than that of Northern Xinjiang (N-XJ), which was 8.10, demonstrating a spatial pattern of "higher in the south, lower in the north". Over the past decade, soil pH in XJ has significantly increased from 8.11 to 8.13, with a 0.05 unit increase in the north and a 0.01 unit increase in the south (p < 0.05). Regionally, Altay saw the largest increase of 0.22 units, while Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture (Bortala) experienced the most significant decrease, dropping by 0.59 units. Furthermore, this study found that factors such as topography, nutrients, and irrigation methods all have certain influences on the spatial distribution of soil pH in XJ farmland, while variations in climate factors and fertilization levels may affect its long-term temporal changes. These research findings will provide new insights for adjusting and updating agricultural management measures related to soil pH regulation in XJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole crop corn silage (WCCS) been an important source of roughage for confined ruminants. However, at the silage feed-out phase, the rise in temperature and relative humidity under aerobic conditions breeds the production of undesirable microorganisms, such as yeast and mold. In order to investigate the conservation characteristics and aerobic stability underlying the effects of additives in whole crop corn silage (WCCS), whole crop corn (WCC) at the milk-ripe stage was ensiled with Lentilactobacillus (L.) buchneri (LB) and different proportions of Artemisia argyi (AA) for 90 days (d) at room temperature, respectively, and aerobic exposure after 90 d fermentation was also conducted. The study found that AA as an additive improved the fermentation quality and enhanced aerobic stability of WCCS, for which the addition of 60% AA increased the lactic acid fermentation rate, with the lactic acid concentration at the end of aerobic exposure significantly higher than in all other treatment groups, at 98.21 g/kg DM (p < 0.01), which decreased the relative abundance of none wanted microorganisms and reduced the content of fungal toxins (p < 0.05). After 90 d of fermentation, LB also increased the organic acids and reduced the pH compared with control, thereby improving fermentation quality. Furthermore, we also discovered that the relative abundance of Candida within the 60% AA was the highest. Candida have the ability to convert WSC into organic acids and lower pH, thus improving the quality of silage. Particularly, 60% AA could improve the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of silage through the biosynthetic pathways of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, as well as by participation in the hydrolysis of glycoside hydrolases (GHs). Unexpectedly, the addition of AA was found to reduce the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. WCC, ensiled with 60% AA, exhibited excellent fermentation quality and aerobic stability, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanisms of AA which improve the quality of WCCS during the aeration phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]