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Global warming poses an unprecedented threat to agroecosystems. Although temperature increases are more pronounced during winter than in other seasons, the impact of winter warming on crop biomass carbon has not been elucidated. Here we integrate global observational data with a decade-long field experiment to uncover a significant negative correlation between winter soil temperature and crop biomass carbon. For every degree Celsius increase in winter soil temperature, straw and grain biomass carbon decreased by 6.6 ( ± 1.7) g kg-1 and 10.2 ( ± 2.3) g kg-1, respectively. This decline is primarily attributed to the loss of soil organic matter and micronutrients induced by warming. Ignoring the adverse effects of winter warming on crop biomass carbon could result in an overestimation of total food production by 4% to 19% under future warming scenarios. Our research highlights the critical need to incorporate winter warming into agricultural productivity models for more effective climate adaptation strategies.

Improving photosynthesis, the fundamental process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, is a key area of research with great potential for enhancing sustainable agricultural productivity and addressing global food security challenges. This perspective delves into the latest advancements and approaches aimed at optimizing photosynthetic efficiency. Our discussion encompasses the entire process, beginning with light harvesting and its regulation and progressing through the bottleneck of electron transfer. We then delve into the carbon reactions of photosynthesis, focusing on strategies targeting the enzymes of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. Additionally, we explore methods to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration near the Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for the first step of CBB cycle, drawing inspiration from various photosynthetic organisms, and conclude this section by examining ways to enhance CO2 delivery into leaves. Moving beyond individual processes, we discuss two approaches to identifying key targets for photosynthesis improvement: systems modeling and the study of natural variation. Finally, we revisit some of the strategies mentioned above to provide a holistic view of the improvements, analyzing their impact on nitrogen use efficiency and on canopy photosynthesis.

Many parts of the world face severe and prolonged drought conditions, stressing the sustainability of water resources and agriculture. Transitioning to water-efficient crops is one strategy that can help adapt to water scarcity. An emerging drought-tolerant crop of interest is chia (Salvia hispanica). Yet, no study has compared its large-scale water use dynamics to those of widely established crops across the globe. Here, we use satellite data over multiple years to assess the water use efficiency of chia, alfalfa, corn, and soybean globally. Results show that chia consumed 13-38% less water than alfalfa, corn, and soy and assimilated 14-20% more carbon per amount of water used. Substituting 10% of Southwest United States alfalfa cultivation with chia would save 184 million liters of water per growing season, equivalent to the annual water consumption of 1,300 households. Future research shall explore the economic, societal, and environmental ramifications of substituting alfalfa with chia in dry areas worldwide. These insights can guide decision-makers in promoting sustainable agriculture and water resource management.

Agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and is vulnerable to climate change. Regenerative agriculture, which focuses on increasing soil carbon, has been recognized as a potential climate solution. A recent study found that seven regenerative practices, including planting cover crops and using non-chemical fertilizers, all increased carbon sequestration. However, the study also highlights that regenerative agriculture has other benefits beyond carbon sequestration, and the focus should not solely be on carbon credits. The popularity of regenerative agriculture is growing, but there is a risk of it being co-opted and losing its essence. [Extracted from the article]

California agriculture will undergo significant transformations over the next few decades in response to climate extremes, environmental regulation and policy encouraging environmental justice, and economic pressures that have long driven agricultural changes. With several local climates suited to a variety of crops, periodically abundant nearby precipitation, and public investments that facilitated abundant low-priced irrigation water, California hosts one of the most diverse and productive agroecosystems in the world. California farms supply nearly half of the high-nutrient fruit, tree nut, and vegetable production in the United States. Climate change impacts on productivity and profitability of California agriculture are increasing and forebode problems for standard agricultural practices, especially water use norms. We highlight many challenges California agriculture confronts under climate change through the direct and indirect impacts on the biophysical conditions and ecosystem services that drive adaptations in farm practices and water accessibility and availability. In the face of clear conflicts among competing interests, we consider ongoing and potential sustainable and equitable solutions, with particular attention to how technology and policy can facilitate progress.

The unculturable bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' (CLso) is responsible for a growing number of emerging crop diseases. However, we know little about the diversity and ecology of CLso and its psyllid vectors outside of agricultural systems, which limits our ability to manage crop disease and understand the impacts this pathogen may have on wild plants in natural ecosystems. In North America, CLso is transmitted to crops by the native potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli). However, the geographic and host plant range of the potato psyllid and CLso beyond the borders of agriculture are not well understood. A recent study of historic herbarium specimens revealed that a unique haplotype of CLso was present infecting populations of the native perennial Solanum umbelliferum in California decades before CLso was first detected in crops. We hypothesized that this haplotype and other potentially novel CLso variants are still present in S. umbelliferum populations. To test this, we surveyed populations of S. umbelliferum in Southern California for CLso and potato psyllid vectors. We found multiple haplotypes of CLso and the potato psyllid associated with these populations, with none of these genetic variants having been previously reported in California crops. These results suggest that CLso and its psyllid vectors are much more widespread and diverse in North American natural plant communities than suggested by data collected solely from crops and weeds in agricultural fields. Further characterization of these apparently asymptomatic haplotypes will facilitate comparison with disease-causing variants and provide insights into the continued emergence and spread of CLso.

Glucosinolates are plant-specialized metabolites that can be hydrolyzed by glycosyl hydrolases, called myrosinases, creating a variety of hydrolysis products that benefit human health. While cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of glucosinolates, they are often cooked before consumption, limiting the conversion of glucosinolates to hydrolysis products due to the denaturation of myrosinases. Here we screen a panel of glycosyl hydrolases for high thermostability and engineer the Brassica crop, broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.), for the improved conversion of glucosinolates to chemopreventive hydrolysis products. Our transgenic broccoli lines enabled glucosinolate hydrolysis to occur at higher cooking temperatures, 20 °C higher than in wild-type broccoli. The process of cooking fundamentally transforms the bioavailability of many health-relevant bioactive compounds in our diet. Our findings demonstrate the promise of leveraging genetic engineering to tailor crops with novel traits that cannot be achieved through conventional breeding and improve the nutritional properties of the plants we consume.

The development of cereal crops with high nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a priority for worldwide agriculture. In addition to conventional plant breeding and genetic engineering, the use of the plant microbiome offers another approach to improving crop NUE. To gain insight into the bacterial communities associated with sorghum lines that differ in NUE, a field experiment was designed comparing 24 diverse Sorghum bicolor lines under sufficient and deficient nitrogen (N). Amplicon sequencing and untargeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to characterize the bacterial communities and the root metabolome associated with sorghum genotypes varying in sensitivity to low N. We demonstrated that N stress and sorghum type (energy, sweet, and grain sorghum) significantly impacted the root-associated bacterial communities and root metabolite composition of sorghum. We found a positive correlation between sorghum NUE and bacterial richness and diversity in the rhizosphere. The greater alpha diversity in high NUE lines was associated with the decreased abundance of a dominant bacterial taxon, Pseudomonas. Multiple strong correlations were detected between root metabolites and rhizosphere bacterial communities in response to low N stress. This indicates that the shift in the sorghum microbiome due to low N is associated with the root metabolites of the host plant. Taken together, our findings suggest that host genetic regulation of root metabolites plays a role in defining the root-associated microbiome of sorghum genotypes differing in NUE and tolerance to low N stress.IMPORTANCEThe development of crops that are more nitrogen use-efficient (NUE) is critical for the future of the enhanced sustainability of agriculture worldwide. This objective has been pursued mainly through plant breeding and plant molecular engineering, but these approaches have had only limited success. Therefore, a different strategy that leverages soil microbes needs to be fully explored because it is known that soil microbes improve plant growth through multiple mechanisms. To design approaches that use the soil microbiome to increase NUE, it will first be essential to understand the relationship among soil microbes, root metabolites, and crop productivity. Using this approach, we demonstrated that certain key metabolites and specific microbes are associated with high and low sorghum NUE in a field study. This important information provides a new path forward for developing crop genotypes that have increased NUE through the positive contribution of soil microbes.

Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) in croplands by switching from conventional to conservation management may be hampered by stimulated microbial decomposition under warming. Here, we test the interactive effects of agricultural management and warming on SOC persistence and underlying microbial mechanisms in a decade-long controlled experiment on a wheat-maize cropping system. Warming increased SOC content and accelerated fungal community temporal turnover under conservation agriculture (no tillage, chopped crop residue), but not under conventional agriculture (annual tillage, crop residue removed). Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) and growth increased linearly over time, with stronger positive warming effects after 5 years under conservation agriculture. According to structural equation models, these increases arose from greater carbon inputs from the crops, which indirectly controlled microbial CUE via changes in fungal communities. As a result, fungal necromass increased from 28 to 53%, emerging as the strongest predictor of SOC content. Collectively, our results demonstrate how management and climatic factors can interact to alter microbial community composition, physiology and functions and, in turn, SOC formation and accrual in croplands.

Seed storage life in tropical areas is shortened by high humidity and temperature and the general inaccessibility to dehumidifying and refrigeration systems, resulting in rapid decreases in seed viability in storage as well as a high incidence of fungal and insect infestations. The dry chain, based on rapid and deep drying of seeds after harvest followed by packaging in moisture-proof containers, has been proposed as an effective method to maintain seed quality during medium-term storage in humid climates, even without refrigeration. In addition, seed drying with zeolite drying beads can be more effective and economical than sun or heated-air drying under these warm, humid conditions. In this paper, we review recent published literature regarding the dry chain, considering different crop species, storage environments and seed traits. In addition, we provide new original data on the application of dry chain methods and their implementation at larger scales in South Asia, Latin America and Pacific Island Countries. The clear conclusion is that the combination of reusable drying beads and waterproof storage containers enables the implementation of the dry chain in tropical climates, enhancing seed viability and quality in storage of many crop species. The dry chain approach can therefore significantly enhance seed security for farmers in many tropical countries. Finally, we propose actions and strategies that could guide further scaling-up implementation of this technology.

ABSTRACT Spotted‐wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a major pest of various soft‐skinned fruit crops worldwide. We investigated an alternative approach to traditional insecticides to manage SWD. Previously, we have shown that 2‐pentylfuran (2pf) reduced oviposition in raspberries in laboratory and small‐scale field studies. Here, we further investigated the potential of 2pf as a management tool for SWD under more realistic field conditions. We tested the efficacy of 2pf under open field conditions in 2019 and 2020 using isolated plots of raspberries. For the two 2019 field trials, we used single raspberry fruiting inflorescences and deployed 2pf using a sachet for 48 h and 6 days, respectively, and assessed SWD infestation. We did not find any significant differences in SWD infestation in the 48 h trial but found noticeable reductions when 2pf was deployed for 6 days. In 2020, we randomly assigned treatments to an entire small, research planting of raspberries with different doses of 2pf (low, medium, and high) for both the summer and fall crops and recorded infestations. The low and medium doses of 2pf resulted in significant reductions in SWD infestation in field plantings when SWD densities were low (summer crop), but only the high dose reduced infestations when SWD pressure was high in the fall crop. Our study shows that 2pf has potential as a management tool for SWD under field conditions using a highly susceptible crop, but its effectiveness may vary depending on 2pf release rates and SWD abundance. Future studies are needed to test 2pf in combination with other repellents or with targeted insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the dominant source of anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N2O) –a greenhouse gas and a stratospheric ozone depleting substance. The US Corn Belt is a large global N2O source, but there remain large uncertainties regarding its source attribution and biogeochemical pathways. Here, we interpret high frequency stable N2O isotope observations from a very tall tower to improve our understanding of regional source attribution. We detected significant seasonal variability in δ15Nbulk (6.47–7.33‰) and the isotope site preference (δ15NSP = δ15Nα–δ15Nβ, 18.22–25.19‰) indicating a predominance of denitrification during the growing period but of nitrification during the snowmelt period. Isotope mixing models and atmospheric inversions both indicate that indirect emissions contribute substantially (>35%) to total N2O emissions. Despite the relatively large uncertainties, the upper bound of bottom‐up indirect emission estimates are at the lower bound of the isotopic constraint, implying significant discrepancies that require further investigation. Plain Language Summary: Increasing use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for agricultural production is causing higher atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations. Nitrous oxide is a long‐lived greenhouse gas and degrades the protective stratospheric ozone layer. Using tall tower N2O isotope observations from within the US Corn Belt, we examine how different processes (denitrification vs. nitrification) and sources (corn fields vs. wetlands, rivers, and streams) contribute to variations in atmospheric N2O. The findings indicate that a substantial amount of nitrogen leakage from agricultural crops contributes to N2O emissions via indirect sources such as drainage networks. These findings can help inform mitigation strategies targeting nitrogen use and leakage pathways from agricultural systems. Key Points: Seasonality of N2O isotope fingerprint driven by snowmelt and fertilizer inputSnowmelt and growing season emissions dominated by nitrification versus denitrification pathwaysIsotope fingerprints were used to constrain direct and indirect N2O emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Eudicot plant species have leaves with two surfaces: the lower abaxial and the upper adaxial surface. Each surface varies in a diversity of components and molecular signals, resulting in potentially different degrees of resistance to pathogens. We tested how Botrytis cinerea, a necrotroph fungal pathogen, interacts with the two different leaf surfaces across 16 crop species and 20 Arabidopsis genotypes. This showed that the abaxial surface is generally more susceptible to the pathogen than the adaxial surface. In Arabidopsis, the differential lesion area between leaf surfaces was associated with jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling and differential induction of defense chemistry across the two surfaces. When infecting the adaxial surface, leaves mounted stronger defenses by producing more glucosinolates and camalexin defense compounds, partially explaining the differential susceptibility across surfaces. Testing a collection of 96 B. cinerea strains showed the genetic heterogeneity of growth patterns, with a few strains preferring the adaxial surface while most are more virulent on the abaxial surface. Overall, we show that leaf–Botrytis interactions are complex with host‐specific, surface‐specific, and strain‐specific patterns. Significance Statement: Eudicot leaves have two developmentally distinct surfaces. We tested how a damaging fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea, interacts with those leaf surfaces across crops and defense‐compromised Arabidopsis mutants. We show that leaf surfaces play an important role in plant‐pathogen interactions, with differential induction of defenses resulting in higher susceptibility on the abaxial surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to shed light on the importance of agriculture in the Holy Quran and its merits, study the purposes of mentioning plants and animals in the Holy Quran, clarify the synonyms of the word agriculture and its terms used in the Quranic text, explore the agricultural and animal models mentioned in the Holy Quran, and analyze the main agricultural pillars referred to in the Holy Quran. The research followed the descriptive analytical approach, and theoretical induction of the texts and legal evidence related to the status of the agricultural and animal sector in the Holy Quran . The research reached a number of results, the most important of which are: Agriculture is one of the communal duties that Muslims must perform, and it is one of the most honorable works and best gains; as it achieves a great reward for the farmer, and contributes to achieving self-sufficiency for the Islamic nation, and that the Holy Quran uses crops and plants as a multidimensional means; to confirm the greatness and power of God, through the diversity of fruits and agricultural materials. And that the mention of animals in the Holy Quran carries main purposes that reflect the greatness of the Creator; Animals are used as signs to reflect on God's power, and are harnessed to provide meat, fat, skin, hair, and milk, and contribute to providing warmth and various benefits, and add beauty to human life. The synonyms of the word agriculture in the Holy Quran are diverse, such as: plowing, plants, harvest, adornment of the earth, blessings of the earth, revival of the earth, green land, gardens, and trees, which reflects the importance of agriculture as a fundamental subject for humans and living organisms in general, and that these plants not only provide basic food for humans and animals, but also contribute to improving air quality, purifying the environment, and regulating the climate, which reflects the perfection of God's power and greatness. The Holy Quran has highlighted the importance of marine animals, especially fish, as food and medicine for humans, and demonstrated their high health benefits and nutritional value that exceeds other meats. The research also shows the importance of self-sufficiency in the agricultural and livestock sectors, stressing the need for Muslims to rely on what their hands produce to ensure their strength and independence in the face of contemporary challenges. The importance of the Earth and the Sun is also evident in the Holy Quran as two essential elements that support life on Earth. The Earth is a vital source for food production and supports biodiversity, as it contributes to water storage and plant growth, which is essential for the survival of living organisms. In return, the Sun plays a vital role in providing the energy needed for photosynthesis processes, allowing plants to grow and produce food. The Sun also affects the behavior and vital processes of animals, highlighting the complex interaction between the Earth and the Sun as vital factors that support life and its continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement Summary Agricultural intensification is a major driver of biodiversity decline in agrosystems. For instance, it has been shown that conventional farming leads to a decline in soil microbial diversity and triggers a strong selection process, altering the functioning of the whole ecosystem. The present study shows that organic farming increases diversity and affects composition of crop plant microbiota, mostly as a response to field management and soil characteristics. Furthermore, crop plant microbiota influences crop production and resistance to pathogens. Therefore, agricultural practices affect plant performance through microorganism‐mediated changes, which may be important pillars of future sustainable crop production. Agricultural intensification threatens biodiversity, but the effects of intensification on microorganisms are still overlooked despite their role in ecosystem functioning. Microorganisms associated with plants provide many services that affect plant growth and health. Organic farming is expected to strongly affect species composition, richness, and their interactions. We analyzed the effect of the farming system on endophytic microbial assemblages associated with winter wheat plants and plant performance in the field. We collected environmental data through farmer interviews, soil analyses, and plant inventories and analyzed root microbiota at vegetative and flowering stages. Organic farming increased fungal and bacterial diversity associated to wheat plants and affected species composition in most phyla. This effect was mostly due to soil characteristics and field management and a little to plant diversity in the field. Microbial responses were more pronounced at the late developmental stage, likely as a result of accumulative effect of management actions during plant development. Seed production and resistance to pathogens were related to specific phyla that are important for seed production and/or wheat resistance to septoriose. This work advances our understanding of how agricultural practices affect plant performance through microorganism‐mediated changes and supports the use of microorganisms as pillars of sustainable crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a highly destructive agricultural pest. The ability of S. frugiperda to survive and reproduce is widely recognized, but it is also important to consider the role of larval cannibalism as a significant biological trait. Understanding the cannibalistic habits of pests helps to explore the dynamics and evolution of their populations and facilitates the monitoring of insect outbreaks. Therefore, the stages, densities, and intensity of cannibalism in S. frugiperda larvae, as well as the consequences for their development, were investigated under laboratory conditions. Spodoptera frugiperda larvae showed obvious cannibalism after the third instar even in the presence of maize (Zea mays L., Poaceae) leaves; cannibalism was not observed in first instars. In the case of only one cannibal, the percentage of prey consumed by cannibalism decreased with higher prey density, and the predatory functional responses of fourth‐ to sixth‐instar predators to first‐ to third‐instar preys were fitted using the Holling II model. Compared with larvae feeding on maize only, larvae feeding on a diet of maize supplemented with third‐instar conspecifics had a longer developmental duration and a higher body weight, with no significant differences in larval survival, pupation, or eclosion rates. Larvae supplied with conspecifics only, in the absence of maize leaves, generally had a lower body weight than larvae supplied with maize only, although developmental duration was still longer, and longevity and fecundity rates were lower for these larvae. Overall, consuming a small quantity of conspecifics in addition to maize leaves prolonged the developmental duration of larvae and pupae to some extent, increased the body weight, and did not impact the longevity or reproduction of S. frugiperda. However, cannibalism only, without access to maize leaves, had a detrimental effect on adult longevity and reproduction. These findings could serve as a valuable reference for studying the life history of insects that consume agricultural crops and may have potential applications for biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sargassum is exploited as a biostimulant in agriculture for its rich bioactive compounds. Extracts from Sargassum promote plant growth, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance in agricultural and horticultural crops. Sargassum is a most abundant seaweed, and it occupies a huge proportion of coastal plants. This review unveils key active constituents present in Sargassum such as proximate and ultimate compounds, antioxidants, phytohormones, glucosinoids, bioactive compounds, and enzymes. As a biostimulant, Sargassum mitigates biotic and abiotic stresses. It has a positive impact on soil health, plant physiology, crop yield, animal antimicrobials, and animal feeding, as well as highlighting some sustainable agricultural practices discussed in the review. Integrating Sargassum-based biostimulants in agriculture holds promise for resilient and productive crops with minimal environmental impact. These characteristics are considered the future of ideal agrochemical properties in all dimensions of plant growth and development. These kinds of organic-based biostimulants will be ideal alternatives to toxic chemical agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision nutrient management is a modern approach for optimizing nutrient supply in fruit crops, ensuring that plants receive the actual amount of essential elements at the right time and place. Traditional nutrient management methods often undergo deficiencies, leading to over-fertilization, uneven distribution of nutrients, environmental pollution, and economic inefficiency. These review paper challenges can be addressed by providing real-time data of soil conditions, plant health and nutrient levels. This strategy depends on advanced technologies such as remote sensing, variable rate technology, fertigation, slow/control release fertilizer, and organic amendments to weave nutrient application to the specific needs of each crop and individual plant within a field. It is emphasized by its potential for plant growth and development, increased crop yield, optimized resource utilization and mitigated environmental concerns. By fine-tuning nutrient application, farmers can achieve better economic returns while promoting sustainable agriculture. Precision nutrient management for fruit crops is characterized by a scarcity of studies exploring the application of advanced technologies and data-driven approaches. There is a need for more in-depth investigation to develop and validate precision nutrient management strategies tailored to the unique requirements of different crops. Closing this research gap will contribute to sustainable and optimized fruit crop production. In conclusion, precision nutrient management represents a paradigm shift in agricultural practices, offering a more sustainable and efficient approach to nutrient application in fruit crops. By untried advanced technologies and data-driven insights, farmers can optimize their resource use, enhance crop performance, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of genotype × environment interaction is crucial for plant breeders to introduce new cultivar(s) with improved and stable yield performance. The productivity of chickpea crops is very low in Pakistan. It requires the selection of genotypes with optimal productivity for diverse environmental conditions. Fourteen different chickpea genotypes were assessed using the linear mixed model to evaluate genotypes across four diverse chickpea growing regions, including Attock (Punjab), Bhakkar (Punjab), Karak (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and Larkana during the year 2017–19. The environmental effect was pronounced and contributed significantly to variation (25.8%) in grain yield. Analysing genotype × environmental interactions at multiple locations facilitates ranking superior genotypes that excel in specific or diverse environments. Notably, the genotypes, viz., Fakhr-e-Thal and Bhakkar-2011, demonstrated superior performance in terms of overall grain yield. Utilising a multitrait stability index, Bittal-2016 and Thal-2006 exhibited the most stable genotypes across various environments and were observed suitable for diverse growing regions. While, for specific environmental conditions, genotypes, i.e., KK-1, Noor-2013 and Fakhr-e-thal, exhibited higher yields and stability. This showed their adaptability to the particular environment. The present study revealed that Larkana as the mega environment was conducive to higher yield, while Attock, Bhakkar, and Karak sites were less favorable for KK-3, DG-89, and Dasht. The BLUP outperformed the AMMI in our analysis of evaluating multi-location trials. The integration of WAASBY and MTSI indices proved useful in differentiating between high yielding genotypes and those with stable performance. These tools are essential for breeders aiming to select genotypes that will perform consistently across diverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Crop diseases cause significant quality and yield losses to global crop products each year and are heavily controlled by chemicals along with very limited antibiotics composed of small molecules. However, these methods often result in environmental pollution and pest resistance, necessitating the development of new bio‐controlling products to mitigate these hazards. To identify effective antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) considered as potential sources of future antibiotics, AMPs were screened from five bacterial strains showing antagonism against a representative phytopathogenic fungus (Rhizoctonia Solani) through the Bacillus subtilis expression system, which has been developed for identifying bacterial AMPs by displaying autolysis morphologies. A total of 5000 colonies were screened, and five displaying autolysis morphologies showed antagonism against R. solani. A novel AMP with the strongest antagonism efficiency was determined and tentatively named HR2‐7, which is composed of 24 amino acids with an alpha‐helical structure. HR2‐7 has strong and broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activity, tested against 10 g‐positive and ‐negative bacteria and four phytopathogenic fungi by contact culture in plates with minimal lethal concentrations of 4.0 μM. When applied as purified peptide or in fermented B. subtilis culture solution, HR2‐7 showed strong controlling efficiency on plants against diverse fungal and bacterial pathogens. Based on current understanding, HR2‐7 is recognized as the first AMP derived from an agricultural antagonistic bacterium. It exhibits wide‐ranging and notable antimicrobial efficacy, offering a supplementary approach for managing plant diseases, in addition to conventional chemical pesticides and antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Famously referred to as "Darwin's abominable mystery," the rapid diversification of angiosperms over the last ~140 million years presents a fascinating enigma. This diversification is underpinned by complex genetic pathways that evolve and rewire to produce diverse and sometimes novel floral forms. Morphological innovations in flowers are shaped not only by genetics but also by evolutionary constraints and ecological dynamics. The importance of model organisms in addressing the long-standing scientific questions related to diverse floral forms cannot be overstated. In plant biology, Arabidopsis thaliana , a core eudicot, has emerged as a premier model system, with its genome being the first plant genome to be fully sequenced. Similarly, model systems derived from crop plants such as Oryza sativa (rice) and Zea mays (maize) have been invaluable, particularly for crop improvement. However, despite their substantial utility, these model systems have limitations, especially when it comes to exploring the evolution of diverse and novel floral forms. The order Ranunculales is the earliest-diverging lineage of eudicots, situated phylogenetically between core eudicots and monocots. This group is characterized by its exceptional floral diversity, showcasing a wide range of floral morphologies and adaptations that offer valuable insights into the evolutionary processes of flowering plants. Over the past two decades, the development of at least five model systems including, Aquilegia , Thalictrum , Nigella , Delphinium and Eschscholzia within the Ranunculales order has significantly advanced our understanding of floral evolution. This review highlights the conservation and divergence of floral organ identity programs observed among these models and discusses their importance in advancing research within the field. The review also delves into elaborate petal morphology observed in Aquilegia , Nigella , and Delphinium genera, and further discusses the contributions, limitations, and future research directions for Ranunculales model systems. Integrating these diverse models from the early-diverging eudicot order has enhanced our understanding of the complex evolutionary pathways that shape floral diversity in angiosperms, bridging the knowledge gaps essential for a comprehensive understanding of floral evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing policies to optimize the planting structure is essential to ensure an adequate supply of agricultural products and guarantee food security. However, the rationality and comprehensiveness of China's cropping structure optimization policies require scientific evaluation. Therefore, this research established an evaluation index system for China's planting structure optimization policies using text mining and the PMC-Index model to evaluate eight agricultural cropping structure optimization policies in China since 2003. The results showed that: (1) The PMC-Index showed a general upward trend across the eight policies, with scores ranging from 4.88 to 6.61. (2) Seven of the eight policies were deemed acceptable, while one was classified as low. (3) The Chinese government has long focused on optimizing the structure of agricultural cultivation, and relevant policies have made significant progress in terms of logical connotation and long-term feasibility. However, there is still room for improvement in enhancing regulatory effectiveness and strengthening interdepartmental collaboration. It is recommended that the government develop more flexible and diverse incentive mechanisms, strengthen interdepartmental coordination, expand policy coverage, enhance the comprehensiveness of policy functions, and elevate support for agricultural technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are industrially cultivated and processed serving for specified sectors for human consumptions including cosmetic and personal care products. Where, the consumers' awareness towards sustainability are increasing year by year. Among which, those of the materials derived from the plants produced with good agricultural and manufacturing practices abided with bio-circular-green economy theme, are of eminence. This perspective is in line with the researchers' bioprospective onto natural products. Special attention sheds on saponins, the biosurfactants that will not cause detrimental effects on the environment. Which, plants are regarded as the sustainable sources of these cosmetic substances. However, among tremendous plants that have been continuously explored upon their potential applications. Most of the studies focus on preparation of the saponins and biological activities. Surprisingly, those that are abided with the list published in the European Commission (CosIng) that are of crucially for cosmetic regulation are insufficiently demonstrated, which burden their applications in the sector. This context summarizes the industrial crops that are registered as plant saponin in the CosIng database. Those that are insufficiently exploited on the information required for cosmetic formulations are therefore encouraged to be examined. In addition, multidirectional cosmetic beneficials of the filled plants saponin would be encouraged to be explored. These plants will be properly knowledge managed for their sustainable utilizations as the bio-based materials promising for cosmetic and personal care industrial perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document titled "PP 1/334 (1) Evaluation of mating disruption techniques against Lepidopteran pests in vegetable and ornamental crops under protected conditions" outlines the standards for conducting trials to evaluate the efficacy of mating disruption techniques using synthetic sexual pheromones to control Lepidoptera species in vegetable and ornamental crops under protected conditions. It specifies the test organisms, selection of crops, trial conditions, design, application of treatments, mode of assessment, recording, and measurements, as well as the reporting of results. The document emphasizes the importance of conducting trials in a systematic manner, adhering to specific guidelines and principles outlined in EPPO Standards. [Extracted from the article]

Genetic profiling of the biodiversity in cultivated crop plants is necessary to preserve important genes and utilize them in a breeding program. Cucumber is used as a model plant to study various characteristics of Cucurbitaceae. Its adaptation to a wide range of climatic conditions suggested analyzing the landraces. The present study was conducted to evaluate the differences, at the genetic level, among landraces spanning five continents. DNA extracted from fifty-six landraces selected from USDA germplasm bank to cover a global representative sample of world cucumber landraces was used for polymerase chain reaction using twenty-eight polymorphic expressed sequence tags simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers. Twenty-eight EST-SSR markers covering all seven chromosomes yielded 98 bands with an average of 3.42 bands per marker. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.00 (EC35) to 0.74 (EC17) with an average of 0.34. Six clusters provided an appropriate summary of the variation among the landraces, with the two largest groups including 32 (Asiatic) and 17 (European and American) landraces, respectively. Four small groups, three with two members, and one with one member (PI 525155-Egypt) were dissimilar to the two main groups. Landraces from the same region were often clustered together. Genetic similarity of the landraces was revealed by marker banding patterns. The locations of genetic diversity for cucumber landraces can be identified from this study. Key message: Cucumber landraces have a broad genetic base distributed geographically. Genetic relationships among cucumber landraces were detailed. The route of the spread of cucumber from its center of origin to the rest of the world was elicited. The study confirmed that polymorphic EST-SSR markers are a valuable tool for assessing the genetic diversity of crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision agriculture, a transformative farming approach, has gained prominence due to advancements in digital technologies. This paper explores the multifaceted landscape of precision agriculture, focusing on its tangible benefits, challenges, and future directions. Purpose: Amidst the growing interest in precision agriculture, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of its various aspects. Specifically, it seeks to elucidate the benefits of precision agriculture in optimizing resource utilization, enhancing crop health, and promoting sustainability. Moreover, it examines the challenges faced in its implementation and proposes future directions to overcome these obstacles. Findings: Through a review of existing literature and case studies, this paper presents a nuanced understanding of precision agriculture's impact on crop farming, livestock production, economic outcomes, and environmental sustainability. It identifies key challenges such as data security, implementation costs, and regulatory frameworks, while also highlighting innovative solutions and promising advancements in the field. Originality: To the best of our knowledge, this paper represents a rigorous attempt to comprehensively analyze the landscape of precision agriculture, with a focus on its original contributions to the field. By synthesizing existing research and offering insights into future directions, it adds to the emerging knowledge base surrounding precision agriculture and its potential to revolutionize modern farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Throughout domestication, crop plants have gone through strong genetic bottlenecks, dramatically reducing the genetic diversity in today's available germplasm. This has also reduced the diversity in traits necessary for breeders to develop improved varieties. Many strategies have been developed to improve both genetic and trait diversity in crops, from backcrossing with wild relatives, to chemical/radiation mutagenesis, to genetic engineering. However, even with recent advances in genetic engineering we still face the rate limiting step of identifying which genes and mutations we should target to generate diversity in specific traits. Methods: Here, we apply a comparative evolutionary approach, pairing phylogenetic and expression analyses to identify potential candidate genes for diversifying soybean (Glycine max) canopy cover development via the nuclear auxin signaling gene families, while minimizing pleiotropic effects in other tissues. In soybean, rapid canopy cover development is correlated with yield and also suppresses weeds in organic cultivation. Results and discussion: We identified genes most specifically expressed during early canopy development from the TIR1/AFB auxin receptor, Aux/IAA auxin co-receptor, and ARF auxin response factor gene families in soybean, using principal component analysis. We defined Arabidopsis thaliana and model legume species orthologs for each soybean gene in these families allowing us to speculate potential soybean phenotypes based on well-characterized mutants in these model species. In future work, we aim to connect genetic and functional diversity in these candidate genes with phenotypic diversity in planta allowing for improvements in soybean rapid canopy cover, yield, and weed suppression. Further development of this and similar algorithms for defining and quantifying tissue- and phenotype-specificity in gene expression may allow expansion of diversity in valuable phenotypes in important crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple is a significant economic crop in China, and leaf diseases represent a major challenge to its growth and yield. To enhance the efficiency of disease detection, this paper proposes an Adaptive Cross-layer Integration Method for apple leaf disease detection. This approach, built upon the YOLOv8s architecture, incorporates three novel modules specifically designed to improve detection accuracy and mitigate the impact of environmental factors. Furthermore, the proposed method addresses challenges arising from large feature discrepancies and similar disease characteristics, ultimately improving the model's overall detection performance. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 85.1% for apple leaf disease detection, outperforming the latest state-of-the-art YOLOv10s model by 2.2%. Compared to the baseline, the method yields a 2.8% increase in mAP, with improvements of 5.1%, 3.3%, and 2% in Average Precision, Recall, and mAP50-95, respectively. This method demonstrates superiority over other classic detection algorithms. Notably, the model exhibits optimal performance in detecting Alternaria leaf spot, frog eye leaf spot, gray spot, powdery mildew, and rust, achieving mAPs of 84.3%, 90.4%, 80.8%, 75.7%, and 92.0%, respectively. These results highlight the model's ability to significantly reduce false negatives and false positives, thereby enhancing both detection and localization of diseases. This research offers a new theoretical foundation and direction for future advancements in apple leaf disease detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cool season legumes (Faba bean, chickpea, lentil, pea, and grass pea) are important protein harvests for food and nutrition security in many countries. They play key roles in sustainable cereal production through their ecological benefits. However, diseases and pests attack continue to have a substantial impact on crop yield and quality. Although growers used different control options to manage these biotic stresses such as pesticide application, cultural practices, and resistant varieties, there is a pressing need for the development of new, more cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to help farmers in facing the existing environmental issues. Recently, there is a growing interest among researchers in exploiting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) for the elaboration of disease and pest control strategies in food legumes and other crops. These compounds have important functions in ecological relationships occurring between plants and their surrounding environment, as well as plants and others species, such as pests and pathogens. Due to their unique properties, VOCs can be employed in improving management alternatives for food legume diseases and pests. In this assessment, we investigated the role of VOCs in plant-pest and plant-pathogen interactions and their present applications in pest and diseases control strategies. We emphasized the ecological importance of employing plant VOCs in legume farming and crop breeding. Additionally, we highlighted the potential of microbial VOCs in facilitating microbe-microbe, microbe-plant and microbe-plant-pest interactions, along with their role in food legume protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plastic film mulching has been widely used to enhance soil hydrothermal conditions and increase crop yields in cool, semi-arid areas. However, its impact on soil microbial carbon metabolic activity and functional diversity during plant growth remains unclear despite their important roles in nutrient cycling and soil quality evaluation. Methods: This study used the Biolog EcoPlate technique to investigate the dynamics and driving factors of soil microbial carbon metabolic activity and functional diversity at different maize growth stages following plastic film mulching. Results and discussion: The results revealed that film mulching significantly increased microbial carbon metabolic activities [represented by average well color development (AWCD)] by 300% at the seedling stage and by 26.8% at maturity but decreased it by 47.4% at the flowering stage compared to the control (without mulching). A similar trend was observed for the microbial functional diversity index. Redundancy analysis identified soil moisture (SM), soil temperature (ST), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and bacteria amounts as the primary factors influencing changes in soil microbial carbon source utilization. The mulch treatment significantly increased SM at all growth stages, while its warming effect disappeared at the flowering stage. Soil DOC, MBC, and bacterial populations were notably higher under mulching at the seedling and maturity stages but lower at the flowering stage. Pearson correlation analysis showed that changes in SM, ST, DOC, MBC, and bacterial populations positively correlated with the utilization of all carbon source classes, AWCD, and functional diversity indexes after film mulching. Furthermore, maize grain yield and water use efficiency increased by 142 and 129%, respectively, following film mulching. In conclusion, plastic film mulching enhanced soil microbial carbon metabolic activity and functional diversity at the seedling and maturity stages, improving crop yields in cool, semi-arid areas. Furthermore, the decrease in soil carbon metabolic capacity at flowering stage highlights that supplementing soil carbon sources should be considered after continuous film mulching to sustain or enhance farmland productivity and soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of foliar application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) and magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) on the growth, physiology, and gas exchange parameters of two varieties of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under cadmium (Cd) stress were examined. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with 72 pots. Two varieties of S. oleracea (Desi Palak & Lahori Palak) were used. Two concentrations of Cd (0 µM and 150 µM) in the form of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) were used. Two levels of SNP (0 ppm and 100 ppm) and two levels for each form of Mg i.e. MgSO4 and MgO-NPs (0 and 200 ppm) were foliar sprayed on plants in control and Cd stress. Both varieties behaved similarly under Cd stress and caused reductions in growth, physiology, gas exchange, water content parameters and inorganic ion uptake. However, the biochemical parameters like relative membrane permeability (RMP), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents were increased. However, all foliar spray treatments increased growth, physiological and gas exchange parameters, water content and inorganic ion uptake. However, this reduced the MDA, RMP, and H2O2 contents. Desi Palak showed the more positive results under foliar application of MgO-NPs. However, Lahori palak showed more positive results under the SNP + MgO-NP treatment. It is concluded that foliar application of SNP, MgSO4 and MgO-NPs could be an innovative approach to alleviated the heavy metals (Cd) toxicity in crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Melon (Cucumis melo L.), an important cucurbit crop, faces production limitations due to powdery mildew (PM). Developing resistant varieties offers a sustainable, genetics-based alternative to chemical treatments. Therefore, identifying PM resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) and creating trait-associated markers are essential for efficient melon PM resistance improvement through marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC). Results: Three F2 populations, A6, B2, and C4, were generated for QTL mapping of PM resistance. Major QTL were identified on chromosome 2 in A6, chromosome 5 in B2, and chromosomes 5 and 12 in C4. A series of TaqMan® assays targeting regions on chromosomes 2, 5, and 12 were developed and validated for foreground and recombinant selection, complemented by the double digest restriction-site associated DNA genotyping system to evaluate the recurrent parent genome recovery. Three MABC programs using resistant donor parents from A6 and C4 crossed with elite susceptible recurrent parents with green and orange fruit flesh were implemented. After two to three cycles of MABC, individual QTL was successfully introgressed into elite genetic backgrounds, giving six PM resistance lines in each green- and orange-fleshed background. PM inoculation on the twelve near-isogenic lines confirmed their resistance to PM. Conclusions: We have identified major PM resistance QTL for melon on chromosomes 2, 5, and 12 and have introgressed individual QTL to elite genetic backgrounds using MABC in three and a half years. This study demonstrates the power of combining high-throughput genotyping with breeding efforts and showcases the efficiency of molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean is a rapidly growing agricultural crop, fueled by the rising global demand for animal feed, plant‐based proteins and essential nutrients for human consumption. Soybeans contain a wide range of essential nutrients that are vital for health and may play a significant role in disease prevention. Their nutritious composition has led to a diverse range of soy‐based foods and derivatives available on the market. A substantial amount of soybeans is allocated to the animal feed sector, human consumption, nutraceuticals and other industrial applications. Soybean has superior protein quality and digestibility compared to other legumes. It also contains abundant amounts of isoflavones, phytosterols and minerals that augment its nutritional value as a constituent of the human diet. Many different by‐products are produced during the processing of soy. Due to a lack of sustainable food manufacturing practices, a sustainable amount of these by‐products is discarded as waste, posing environmental challenges. Developing an effective waste management system for soybean by‐products can help address public health concerns and provide a cost‐efficient way to repurpose valuable components of soy, such as soy meal, okara and soy whey. Such valorization can mitigate the environmental impact of waste and contribute to malnutrition. This study aims to evaluate the sustainable use of soy by‐products to help preserve biodiversity and reduce food insecurity. This article thoroughly examines the fundamental components of soybean use in the fields of health and soybean by‐product processing. It provides a summary of cost‐efficient, feasible and ideal processing technologies. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a main environmental and ecological problem in irrigated agro-ecosystems especially for the area with shallow groundwater table. Most previous studies mainly focused on the surface and root zone soil salinity, however, the knowledge on spatio-temporal dynamics of soil salinity for both root zone and deep soil as well as driving factors, and the recommended seasonal and annual groundwater depth for salt control was rarely addressed. In this study, 68 cropland sampling experiments and investigations related to soil salinity from the top soil to the depth of 1.80 m, groundwater depth and salinity, and crop types were carried out before and after the crop growing season of 2017-2018 in the Hetao Irrigation District. Soil salinity statistical characteristics showed that the standard deviation of soil salinity in time and space became larger with increasing of temporal mean and spatial mean. The root zone (within depth of 0-0.60 m) soil salinity in the crop growing season were accumulated and desalinated in the fallow season, which was opposite for changes of the deep (within depth of 0.60-1.80 m) soil salinity. The multi-factor variance analysis of variance showed that the driving factors including crop type, groundwater depth at the beginning of crop growing season, averaged groundwater depth in the crop growing season, groundwater salinity and root zone soil salinity at the beginning of crop growing season had significant effects on root zone soil salinity changes in the crop growing season (P<0.05). The influence of groundwater condition and other factors on root zone soil salinity change during crop growing season was closely related to the hydrological year type. At the beginning of crop growing season, the soil salinity in the root zone decreased exponentially with increasing groundwater depth, and the sampling locations with soil salinity below average had a minimum groundwater depth of 1.60 m. Both salt value and salt reduction rate decreased with groundwater depth increased across different soil layers when the average annual groundwater depth was less than 2.50 m. Thus, the sampling locations were selected where the groundwater table depth was less than 2.50 m, and then the median of root zone soil salinity and groundwater depth was obtained by the frequency analysis method. The annual suitable critical control groundwater depth for soil salinity median was 1.77 m. The groundwater depth of sampling locations where soil salinity was significantly higher than the median or mean value were less than 1.77 m. Therefore, in order to control soil salinity, it is recommended that the groundwater depth should be no less than 1.60 m at the beginning of crop growing period, and to maintain an average annual groundwater depth of at least 1.77 m. The research results will provide theoretical support for the design of irrigation scheduling and the rational layout of drainage projects for similar irrigation area in the arid area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent selection is an effective and well‐known breeding method recommended for quantitative traits. However, the method has not been applied so far for traits typically controlled by numerous major loci, which is the case of resistance to anthracnose in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). In this study, we report the effectiveness of a recurrent selection program in developing common bean progenies with resistance to multiple races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, the causal agent of anthracnose in this crop. A total of 10 common bean lines, with distinct and complementary resistance profiles to races 65, 73, 81, and 89 of C. lindemuthianum, were intercrossed to establish a base population (Cycle 0). From Cycle 0, five iterative cycles of recombination, inoculation, and selection were carried out. Our results demonstrate that this recurrent selection approach can effectively combine resistance in common bean to different isolates from multiple races of C. lindemuthianum. A progressive increase in the number of progenies resistant to a higher number of C. lindemuthianum isolates was observed over the selection cycles. The genetic gain from CI to CV was 38.75% when the progenies were evaluated against a mixture of isolates from the four races of the pathogen. The reliance on specific genes makes race‐specific anthracnose resistance in common bean vulnerable to breakdown. By allowing optimal combinations of different anthracnose resistance genes, this dynamic recurrent selection approach is an attractive option for the development of common bean cultivars with increased stability and durability for anthracnose resistance. Core Ideas: Recurrent selection effectively generated common bean progenies resistant to multiple Colletotrichum lindemuthianum races.This approach facilitates three rapid recurrent selection cycles per year under controlled greenhouse conditions.Genetic recombination in each recurrent selection cycle favors the development of multi‐gene resistance.Multi‐gene resistance is a promising strategy for achieving more durable resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed basidiomycetous yeasts isolated from the phylloplane of crops and spontaneous plants in Italian agroecosystems. A total of 25 species belonging to 17 genera were recognized by analysing 83 isolates from vineyards and orchards, that are not treated with synthetic fungicides, and adjacent natural areas. Rhodotorula graminis and Filobasidium magnum were the most frequent species but 13 others were represented by a single isolate (e.g., Buckleyzyma salicina, Pseudozyma prolifica, and Moniliella megachiliensis). Preliminary analysis of (GTG)5-PCR fingerprinting revealed high genetic intraspecific heterogeneity. All isolates were characterized by their production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and their sensitivity to six commercial fungicides used in Italy. The isolates displayed great variability in these phenotypic traits, which play an important role in the survival of yeast populations in agroecosystems. Most of them exhibited lipolytic, proteolytic, β-glucosidase and pectinolytic activities, but only three (F. magnum, Kwoniella mangroviensis and Ps. prolifica) also had cellulolytic and amylolytic activity. Most isolates were sensitive to four fungicides, and one R. graminis isolate was resistant to all six. This heterogeneity was not related to the geographical origin of the isolates. The lack of selective factors (i.e. pesticide treatments) in the sampling fields and the presence of adjacent natural areas may have favored the maintenance of an elevated level of strain diversity. This study provides new information on phylloplane basidiomycetous yeasts in agroecosystems and opens the way to further investigations into the impact of agricultural practices on the microbial diversity of these natural habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytonematodes are responsible for causing significant harm and reducing yields in various agricultural crops. To minimize losses caused by phytonematodes and meet the high demand for agricultural production, it is important to develop effective strategies with minimal environmental impact to manage this biotic stress. Due to the adverse environmental effects associated with synthetic pesticides, it is imperative to use beneficial bacteria, such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp., for biocontrol purposes to control phytonematode infestation in agricultural settings. This approach has gained considerable attraction, as there is a promising market for eco-friendly biopesticides based on bacteria that can effectively manage phytonematodes. Furthermore, biocontrol strains of Bacillus and Pseudomonas have the potential to enhance crop productivity by producing various substances that promote plant growth and development. This review aims to explore the role of Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp. in phytonematode management, elucidate different mechanisms by which these bacteria suppress nematode populations, and discuss the future prospects of utilizing these bacteria in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial of the current Special Issue (SI) describes and comments the twelve papers included in it. First, the questions relative to update the FAO56 guidelines on crop evapotranspiration are discussed with explaining why the papers of the SI focus on the crop coefficients (Kc) and their consistent importance of after more than half a century of use. Then, papers relative to tabulated Kc for orchards, grass crops and natural vegetation are presented and, following, various field studies determining crop evapotranspiration for deriving Kc and Kcb values are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of long-term catch crop application on the structural properties of humin, which is considered the most recalcitrant fraction of soil organic matter. Soil samples from a 30-year field experiment on triticale cultivated with and without catch crops were analysed to determine the total organic carbon content and fractional composition of humic substances. Meanwhile, humin isolated from bulk soil was analysed to determine its elemental composition and spectroscopic properties measured with UV-Vis, fluorescence, and 13C-CPMAS-NMR. It was found that catch crop farming enhanced the formation of highly reactive humus substances, like low-molecular-weight fractions and humic acids, while decreasing the humin fraction. The higher H/C and O/C atomic ratios of humin and the UV-Vis, fluorescence, and 13C-CPMAS-NMR results confirmed a higher share of oxygen-containing functional groups in humin isolated from the soil with catch crop rotation, also corroborating its greater aliphatic nature. Under the conditions of our field experiment, the results indicated that organic residues from catch crops quickly undergo the decay process and are transformed mainly into highly reactive humus substances, which can potentially improve soil health, while mineral fertilisation alone without catch crops favours the stabilisation and sequestration of carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensor technologies were integrated into a commercial sensor-guided hoeing system to counteract the force of gravity and reduce crop damage caused by the offset of hoeing in maize fields on sloping terrains. For this study, a hoe was equipped with a contact disc, sensors, an electric cylinder, and a decision support system. The offset of the hoe could be compensated in real time based on the automatic adjustment angle of the support wheel. In maize, three field experiments were conducted over two years to evaluate the system on three different slope gradients (between 4 and 12°). Plant populations were measured in each plot one day before and during hoeing to evaluate crop damage. However, for support wheel angle, Slope Compensation Intensity (SCI) 2 and 3, there were no significant crop plant losses in any trials. As a result, there was no hoe drifting during the sensor-based guidance along the rows. It has been verified that the development presented is functional and can counteract the force of gravity on slopes. This development aims to optimise the use of precision mechanical weed control and support farmers during hoeing on hilly terrain. • Tractor and machine are pushed down the slope by downhill force. • The hoe is not parallel to the tractor and plant losses will occur. • The offset of a hoe can be compensated by the developed slope-compensation system. • Crop losses can be compensated on hilly fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting a crop involves several key steps: resource assessment, crop selection, crop rotation, planting schedules, soil preparation, planting, care, and harvesting of crops. In this context, estimating the productivity of a crop based on available information, such as expected climatic conditions and agricultural practices, helps farmers reduce the uncertainty of their investment. In Colombia, maize is the fourth most important crop in the country. Significant efforts are required to improve productivity in traditional and technified production systems. In this sense, this research proposes and evaluates an approach called Clusterwise Linear Regression (CLR) to predict the crop maize yield in small farms, considering data on climate, soil, fertilization, and management practices, among others. To develop the CLR model, we conducted the following steps: data collection and preparation, clustering using k-means, cluster optimization with Greedy Random Adaptive Search Procedure (GRASP), and performance evaluation. The cluster optimization process allows the identification of clusters with similar characteristics and generates multiple linear regression models with mixed variables that explain the yield of the farms on each cluster. The Simulated Multiple Start Annealing (MSSA) metaheuristics were also evaluated, but the results of GRASP were the best. The results indicate that the proposed CLR approach is more effective than the linear and nonlinear algorithms mentioned in the literature, such as multiple lasso linear regression, random forests, XGBoost, and support vector machines. These algorithms achieved an accuracy of 70%. However, with the new CLR model, a significantly improved accuracy of 87% was achieved with test data. The clusters' studies revealed key factors affecting crop yield, such as fertilization, drainage, and soil type. This transparency is a benefit over black-box models, which can be harder to interpret. This advancement can allow farmers to make better decisions about the management of their crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–elephant conflict is growing in Africa as human populations and development increases, creating disturbance to elephant habitats. Beehive fences have been trialed as a coexistence tool with some success but all studies have looked at small sample sizes over a short time period. Our study analyses the behavior of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) that approached a network of beehive fence protected farms in two conflict villages over 9 years next to Tsavo East National Park. We compare differences in elephant raids and beehive occupation rates annually, during a drought, and during peak crop production seasons. Out of 3999 elephants approaching our study farms 1007 elephants broke the beehive fence and entered the protected farm areas (25.18%). This was significantly less than the 2649 encounters where elephants remained either outside the farm boundary or broke into the control farms (66.24%). A further 343 elephants entered the farm by walking through a gap at the end of a fence (8.56%). The annual beehive fence break‐through rates averaged 23.96% (±SE 3.15) resulting in a mean of 76.04% elephants deterred from beehive fences protected farm plots. Over six peak crop growing seasons the beehive fences kept between 78.3% and 86.3% of elephants out of the farms and crops. The beehive fences produced one ton of honey sold for $2250; however, a drought caused a 75% reduction in hive occupation rates and honey production for 3 years after negatively impacting honey profits and the effectiveness of the fences. Beehive fences are very effective at reducing up to 86.3% of elephant crop‐raids during peak crop seasons after good rainfall, but any increase in elephant habitat disturbance or the frequency and duration of droughts could reduce their effectiveness as a successful coexistence tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances have dramatically improved precision agriculture, and accurate crop classification is a key aspect of precision agriculture (PA). The flexibility and real-time nature of UAVs have led them to become an important tool for acquiring agricultural data and enabling precise crop classification. Currently, crop identification relies heavily on complex high-precision models that often struggle to provide real-time performance. Research on lightweight models specifically for crop classification is also limited. In this paper, we propose a crop classification method based on UAV visible-light images based on PP-LiteSeg, a lightweight model proposed by Baidu. To improve the accuracy, a pyramid pooling module is designed in this paper, which integrates adaptive mean pooling and CSPC (Convolutional Spatial Pyramid Pooling) techniques to handle high-resolution features. In addition, a sparse self-attention mechanism is employed to help the model pay more attention to locally important semantic regions in the image. The combination of adaptive average pooling and the sparse self-attention mechanism can better handle different levels of contextual information. To train the model, a new dataset based on UAV visible-light images including nine categories such as rice, soybean, red bean, wheat, corn, poplar, etc., with a time span of two years was created for accurate crop classification. The experimental results show that the improved model outperforms other models in terms of accuracy and prediction performance, with a MIoU (mean intersection ratio joint) of 94.79%, which is 2.79% better than the original model. Based on the UAV RGB images demonstrated in this paper, the improved model achieves a better balance between real-time performance and accuracy. In conclusion, the method effectively utilizes UAV RGB data and lightweight deep semantic segmentation models to provide valuable insights for crop classification and UAV field monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which cover crops (CCs) accumulate soil organic carbon (SOC) in the entire soil profile is still unclear. We measured SOC, permanganate oxidizable C (POX‐C), and particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations down to 60‐cm soil depth in early [2–3 week before corn (Zea mays L.) planting]‐ and late‐terminated (at corn planting) winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CCs in rainfed and irrigated no‐till continuous corn systems in the U.S. Corn Belt after 10 years. CCs increased SOC stock and SOC, POX‐C, and POM concentrations but only in the irrigated system in the upper 5‐cm depth. Late‐terminated CC increased SOC concentration by 4.710 ± 3.501 g kg−1 and accumulated SOC at 0.207 ± 0.145 Mg C ha−1 year−1. It increased POX‐C and POM concentrations, on average, by 1.194 times. CCs likely increased SOC in the irrigated system by producing more biomass (2.247 ± 0.370 Mg ha−1) than in the rainfed system (0.949 ± 0.338 Mg ha−1). At least 2 Mg ha−1 of CC biomass may be needed to increase SOC. Because winter CCs often produce <1 Mg ha−1 of biomass when typically planted late and terminated early, extending the CC growing window by terminating CCs at or after crop planting (planting green) may boost CC biomass and SOC accumulation, although high‐C soils or Mollisols, such as our study soils (>22 g C kg−1), may limit SOC gains. We submit CCs would sequester more SOC in low‐C, eroded, and low‐fertility soils. Overall, winter rye CCs minimally alter soil C in the soil profile in no‐till continuous corn systems after 10 years. Core Ideas: Late‐terminated cover crop (CC) accumulates 0.207 ± 0.145 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at one of two sites but only in the top 5 cm of the soil profile.CCs may not accumulate soil C if they produce <2 Mg biomass ha−1.Early‐terminated CC (2–3 weeks before corn planting) does not accumulate soil C due to low biomass production.Extending CC growing window by terminating CC at or after corn planting can favor gains in total SOC and labile C.CCs minimally alter soil C in the soil profile in no‐till continuous corn systems after 10 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed control in container-grown ornamentals can be improved by careful herbicide selection. Four studies were conducted in greenhouses at Oregon State University to improve the understanding of how differences in the mode of action and formulation of herbicides can affect bryophyte control efficacy and crop safety. Granular (G) formulations of pendimethalin and indaziflam were compared with sprayable liquid (L) formulations of pendimethalin, indaziflam, and dimethenamid-p as well as with a nontreated control on four perennial container-grown ornamentals. Indaziflam in the L formulation performed better than that in the G formulations for controlling hairy bittercress up to 20 weeks after the initial treatment. Dimethenamid-p was more effective than indaziflam for liverwort and moss control. Pendimethalin in the G formulation less effectively controlled hairy bittercress than the L formulation did, but it performed better against moss during a second study. The L formulation of indaziflam injured Japanese pachysandra and boxwood and reduced root and shoot growth by 10% to 29%. Dimethenamid-p provided excellent control of the weed species tested and was safe for the crops, indicating its potential use as an alternative to hand-weeding in greenhouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh market vegetables are an essential component of the human diet. Maximizing yield is critical, and to achieve this goal, fields must be weed-free when vegetable crops are planted. Historically, removing emerged weeds just before planting has been accomplished using the herbicide glyphosate. However, recent research has indicated that glyphosate applied to sandy, low-organic-matter soils just before transplanting vegetables can be injurious. Two field experiments investigated 1) the response of transplanted squash to the residual activity of glyphosate, and 2) the effects of implementing tillage, irrigation, or extending the plant-back interval after application and before planting to mitigate injury from glyphosate. Glyphosate applied at 1.3, 2.5, or 3.8 kg ae/ha 1 day before transplanting injured squash 13%, 29%, and 53%, respectively; extending the interval between application and planting to 7 days reduced injury to 1%, 11%, and 28% at the same rates. An interaction between application rate and planting interval was also observed on squash plant widths and biomass, as well as early-season and total marketable fruit numbers and weights. Total marketable fruit number was reduced 29% and 52% by glyphosate at 2.5 or 3.8 kg ae/ha, respectively, and a reduction in fruit production of 36%, 28%, and 23% was observed when glyphosate was applied 1, 4, or 7 days before transplanting, respectively. In a separate study, light tillage (5 cm deep) was the most effective cultural practice evaluated because it eliminated damage by glyphosate. Overhead irrigation of 0.6 cm was not beneficial in mitigating injury by glyphosate. Recommendations from this research will help vegetable growers avoid injury from the residual activity of glyphosate through a FIFRA 2(ee) recommendation label. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study focuses on enhancing the effectiveness of precision agriculture through the application of deep learning technologies. Precision agriculture, which aims to optimize farming practices by monitoring and adjusting various factors influencing crop growth, can greatly benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) methods like deep learning. The Agro Deep Learning Framework (ADLF) was developed to tackle critical issues in crop cultivation by processing vast datasets. These datasets include variables such as soil moisture, temperature, and humidity, all of which are essential to understanding and predicting crop behavior. By leveraging deep learning models, the framework seeks to improve decision-making processes, detect potential crop problems early, and boost agricultural productivity. Results: The study found that the Agro Deep Learning Framework (ADLF) achieved an accuracy of 85.41%, precision of 84.87%, recall of 84.24%, and an F1-Score of 88.91%, indicating strong predictive capabilities for improving crop management. The false negative rate was 91.17% and the false positive rate was 89.82%, highlighting the framework's ability to correctly detect issues while minimizing errors. These results suggest that ADLF can significantly enhance decision-making in precision agriculture, leading to improved crop yield and reduced agricultural losses. Conclusions: The ADLF can significantly improve precision agriculture by leveraging deep learning to process complex datasets and provide valuable insights into crop management. The framework allows farmers to detect issues early, optimize resource use, and improve yields. The study demonstrates that AI-driven agriculture has the potential to revolutionize farming, making it more efficient and sustainable. Future research could focus on further refining the model and exploring its applicability across different types of crops and farming environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]