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Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Climate variability significantly impacts plant growth, making it crucial to monitor ecosystem performance for optimal carbon sequestration, especially in the context of rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Net Primary Productivity (NPP), which measures the net carbon flux between the atmosphere and plants, serves as a key indicator. This study uses the CASA (Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach) model, a radiation use efficiency method, to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of NPP in Togo from 1987 to 2022 and its climatic drivers. The average annual NPP over 36 years is 4565.31 Kg C ha−1, with notable extremes in 2017 (6312.26 Kg C ha−1) and 1996 (3394.29 Kg C ha−1). Productivity in natural formations increased between 2000 and 2022. While climate change and land use negatively affect Total Production (PT) from 2000 to 2022, they individually enhance NPP variation (58.28% and 188.63%, respectively). NPP shows a strong positive correlation with light use efficiency (r2 = 0.75) and a moderate one with actual evapotranspiration (r2 = 0.43). Precipitation and potential evapotranspiration have weaker correlations (r2 = 0.20; 0.10), and temperature shows almost none (r2 = 0.05). These findings contribute to understanding ecosystem performance, supporting Togo’s climate commitments.

Climate variability significantly impacts plant growth, making it crucial to monitor ecosystem performance for optimal carbon sequestration, especially in the context of rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Net Primary Productivity (NPP), which measures the net carbon flux between the atmosphere and plants, serves as a key indicator. This study uses the CASA (Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach) model, a radiation use efficiency method, to assess the spatio-temporal dynamics of NPP in Togo from 1987 to 2022 and its climatic drivers. The average annual NPP over 36 years is 4565.31 Kg C ha−1, with notable extremes in 2017 (6312.26 Kg C ha−1) and 1996 (3394.29 Kg C ha−1). Productivity in natural formations increased between 2000 and 2022. While climate change and land use negatively affect Total Production (PT) from 2000 to 2022, they individually enhance NPP variation (58.28% and 188.63%, respectively). NPP shows a strong positive correlation with light use efficiency (r2 = 0.75) and a moderate one with actual evapotranspiration (r2 = 0.43). Precipitation and potential evapotranspiration have weaker correlations (r2 = 0.20; 0.10), and temperature shows almost none (r2 = 0.05). These findings contribute to understanding ecosystem performance, supporting Togo's climate commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter storage of seedlings in freezers reduces the amount of heat sum available for growth in the following growing season compared to seedlings stored outdoors. To test the effects of a reduced growing period on the autumn frost hardiness of the six species most used in Icelandic afforestation, seedlings were stored outdoors or in a freezer during winter. In spring, the seedlings were planted on 24 May, 7 June, 21 June, and 5 July, and the frost hardiness of all treatments was tested on 12 and 26 September. In general, the probability of freezing damage increased with a later planting date, with outdoor-stored seedlings having the lowest probability of damage. The timing of frost events was of great importance; the later the freezing date, the less damage was observed. Growth cessation occurred at different times for each species, and they responded differently to the reduced heat sum. Lodgepole pine and birch accumulated the most frost hardiness in September. Sitka spruce had less autumn frost hardiness than Lutz spruce. Hybrid larch accumulated less frost hardiness than Russian larch and was most sensitive to the reduced heat sum. The results can be used to determine which species should be prioritised in frozen storage with regard to Iceland's short growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The demand for native ornamentals species has increased and the utilization of novel ornamental crops is a way of promoting their use and care by the community. Considering the high richness of the Tandilia hills, the objective of this study was to survey native plants with potential ornamental value and to propose suggestions for their use in landscaping. M&M: From the floristic survey carried out in a hill area of the south of Tandilia, a list of native species with potential ornamental value was made. For each species, it was recorded: growth habit; ornamental morphological attributes; flowering season and, depending on the environment’s characteristics where they thrive, at least one suggestion for landscaping use was made. Results: A total of 47 species were proposed as ornamental, with predominance of perennial herbs (34), shrubs (11) and spring flowering. Foliage was the most frequent ornamental attribute. The main suggestion use category was: full-sun beds in shallow soils, followed in decreasing order by full-sun beds in deep soils; rock gardens, green roofs or full-sun vertical gardens; partial shadow beds in deep soils; partial shadow beds in shallow soils; shadow beds or shadow vertical gardens ponds. Conclusions: The southern hill areas of Tandilia have native flora of potential ornamental value that could be used in landscaping integrating different plantations, enhancing their cultural and patrimonial value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information regarding the relationship between fertilization, mycorrhizas, and plant growth is scattered for non-conventional productive plant species. We evaluated the effect of different substrates and fertilization treatments on growth and colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizas of young Berberis microphylla plants, a native Patagonian shrub with edible fruits. We conducted a greenhouse experiment based on two factors: substrate (conventional or native soil) and fertilization (no fertilization, organic fertilization, or inorganic fertilization). When plants were grown in conventional substrate, both fertilizers promoted growth, having the inorganic fertilizer a greater effect. The effect of both fertilizers was similar when plants were cultivated in native soil, and lesser than in conventional substrate. Plants grown in native soil were larger than those in conventional substrate when organic fertilizer or no fertilizer was applied, but this was reversed when inorganic fertilizer was applied. There was no mycorrhization on plants grown in conventional substrate. In native soil, mycorrhization was highest for non-fertilized plants (60.1%), followed by those with organic fertilization (40.4%), and lowest when inorganic fertilizer was applied (29.9%). The relative abundances of both vesicles and arbuscules showed the opposite tendency, having both their highest values in treatments with inorganic fertilizer. Mycorrhization was positively correlated with plant size, but only when fertilizers were applied. Based on our results, we hypothesized that fertilization reduce mycorrhization but select more beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. We concluded that organic fertilizers have a comparable effect to inorganic fertilizers in terms of promoting plant growth, accompanied by a lesser reduction of mycorrhization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Anatolian Environmental & Animal Science is the property of Bulent Verep and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Essential oils have great commercial importance for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Because they have therapeutic, flavoring and antioxidant properties, due to their active principles. Studies on the form of cultivation, as well as fertilization management are necessary, since information related to the production of secondary metabolites is still insufficient. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the yield, content and composition of rosemary essential oil cultivated with different concentrations of nitrogen and sulfur in the soil. The treatments were distributed in a 4x2 factorial scheme with four nitrogen doses: 105, 210, 315 and 420 mg dm3, combined with two sulfur doses: 32 and 64 mg dm3 and with seven replications, totaling 56 experimental units. According to the results obtained, the combination of doses 420 of N and 64 S provided the best contents and yield of rosemary essential oil. a-pinene and 1,8-cineole had the highest concentrations for all treatments studied, with about 85% to 95% of the total constituents of the oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria is the property of Agrosavia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Improving the physical properties and water retention of sandy soils is of critical importance in arid and water-scarce regions such as Saudi Arabia. The impacts of organic amendments of different particle sizes coupled with natural clay deposits on improving the soil physio-chemical characteristics, nutrient availability, and growth of Sudan grass were investigated in this study. A loamy sand soil was amended with natural clay deposits at 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10% (w/w) application rates, and in combination with 1.0% (w/w) wheat straw of different particle sizes. The water infiltration, evaporation, and retention characteristics of the amended soil were studied for 9 weeks, and then Sudan grass was grown for 7 weeks. The impacts of the particle size of wheat straw on soil properties and nutrient availability were significant (p < 0.05) when combined with clay deposits. The highest application rate of clay (10%) demonstrated the highest water content (20.63–21.73%), and increased P and K availability to 35.54 and 6980 mg kg−1, respectively, in soil, which were 33% and 88% higher, respectively, compared to the control. Plant N, P, and K concentrations were increased to 0.95%, 0.26%, and 4.33%, respectively, which were 2–3.5-fold higher than the control. Therefore, the integrated application of natural clay deposits and wheat straw of fine particle size could be an effective strategy in improving plant production in water-scarce regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change scenarios predict more frequent and intense drought periods for 2071–2100 in the most important and intensively used agricultural region of Austria, the Marchfeld. Current and predicted lower precipitation scenarios were simulated at a lysimeter station for 9 years. Plant biomass, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) content, and δ13C and δ15N values of plant compartments were monitored in years 7–9. Aboveground biomass of cereals and grain yield decreased under the predicted scenario, while the quality of grain (% N) was unaffected. Weed and catch crops grown in winter were not affected or were even positively affected, possibly due to the accumulation of nutrients in the soil following the lower plant uptake in summer. Accordingly, low plant δ15N values were mainly attributed to the presence of higher proportion of mineral fertilizer in the predicted precipitation scenario. As expected, water stress significantly increased δ13C values in plants grown over summer, while this was not seen for plants growing over winter. Fertile agricultural soil might ameliorate but cannot outbalance the negative impact of more frequent and intense drought periods.

The depletion of natural resources such as freshwater and cropland makes it necessary to find a new solution for sustainable food production. Aquaponic systems seem to be a great alternative to traditional agriculture, however, there are still many unknowns that need to be explored. It is already known how fish stocking affects water quality in aquaponic systems, but not how it affects the plants’ growth, and especially on chlorophyll fluorescence. In this study, we examined how the density of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 stocking fish in five aquaria affects lettuce growth. The first tank was only a hydroponic system with plants but without fish (control). In the remaining four aquaria – 2, 4, 8 and 12 specimens of common carp fry with an average weight of 20 grams (average 8.5–33.2 g) were placed in the aquaponic growing system. Physicochemical analysis of water was conducted to determine the levels of pH, electrical conductivity ( EC), N-NO 3, N-NO 2, N-NH 4, P-PO 4, O 2 and physiological parameters of plants (nitrogen balance index – NBI, chlorophyll content index – CCI, quantum yield – QY, flavonoid content – Flv) were analysed. The results showed that fish stocking density has different effects on plant physiological parameters, but in most cases, was insignificant. It seems that the greater number of fishes and higher density indirectly causes growth inhibition (lower photosynthetic efficiency) due to the increase of N-NO 3 and a decrease of O 2 in the water.

The sweet herb or ka'a he'ẽ in the Guarani language ( Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) is a native plant of Paraguay, which produces a natural sweetener, 300 times sweeter than sucrose. The consumption of stevia has spread to numerous countries due to its beneficial properties for health. To meet the global demand for stevia, the production must be optimized through the use of improved varieties cultivated in different environmental conditions. This is an important fact, given the challenges related to climate change, such as salinity, opting for varieties that adapt to these conditions generates a positive impact on the dissemination of the crop. This research was aimed to determine the response of the Eirete variety of S. rebaudiana to saline stress conditions by evaluating selected biochemical and growth parameters. Vitroplants propagated in Murashige and Skoog culture medium (MS) supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 75, or 100 mM NaCl were used in the study to identify the concentration that reduced growth by 50% (GR50) and with 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl to determine the concentration that caused the death of 50% of the individuals (LD50). After the evaluation of biochemical and growth parameters carried out at the dose corresponding to GR50, a significant decrease in the height, fresh and dry weight of the aerial parts, and fresh weight of the roots was found. Substantial increases in the proline concentration and the root/shoot ratio were also observed. There was no significant alteration of the dry weight of the roots and the content of soluble sugars or chlorophylls. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the development of vitroplants of S. rebaudiana var. Eirete is reduced by increasing concentrations of NaCl in the culture medium; however, our results suggest that stevia plants can be cultivated in moderate saline conditions.

Using large volumes of synthetic chemical fertilizers is a general practice in modern agriculture at a high economic and environmental cost. Biostimulants have become an alternative to this routine due to their ability to stimulate plant physiological processes without polluting soil and water. In Ecuador, however, little research has been carried out on the effect of biostimulants on the yield of crops of agricultural interest. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of foliar application of a biostimulant based on bovine manure vermicompost (VCLB) leachates on physiological variables and the yield of corn, cotton, and peanuts under field conditions and chard and five pepper hybrids in semi-protected cultivation under the agro-climatic conditions of the province of Manabí, Ecuador. The nine experiments carried out with the species and hybrids included various dilutions of VCLB and controls consisting of fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, depending on the species, and soil without fertilizer. In all species, VCLB-induced plant length, chlorophyll content, and crop yield exhibit equal or higher statistical differences than those achieved under chemical fertilization (NPK). These results demonstrate the potential of this biostimulant as a sustainable alternative to produce these crops, reducing potentially the adverse effects of production on the environment under the tropical conditions of Manabí, Ecuador. We recommend corroborating these results with production-scale research.

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ensuring the technical and technological possibility of regularly obtaining fresh, high-quality plant production in Antarctic stations is an urgent task of our time. This work is devoted to studying the growth and development of leaf vegetable crops and the main quality indicators of their edible parts when grown in the phytotechnical complex greenhouses at the "Vostok" Antarctic station and at the agrobiopolygon of the Agrophysical Research Institute (AFI). The plants, belonging to 13 varieties of 9 types of leaf vegetable crops (arugula, garden cress, cabbage, mustard, leaf radish, leaf lettuce, amaranth, dill, parsley leaf), were studied during five growing seasons at the "Vostok" station and at the AFI agrobiopolygon under controlled conditions (control). The experimental data obtained demonstrate the high productivity of the phytotechnical complex for most of the investigated crops per unit of useful area, with lower costs of electricity and water consumption per unit of production compared with a number of greenhouses at foreign Antarctic stations and greenhouse complexes with controlled conditions located on other continents. Lettuce crops were the most adapted to the growing conditions at the Antarctic station "Vostok". They did not differ in their evaluated characteristics from the control. All other investigated crops, while not differing in their development rate and quality, had statistically significant (16–61%) decreases in their yield per 1 m2 per year. This may demonstrate the difference in the "genotype–environment" interaction in plants grown at the Antarctic station and AFI agrobiopolygon, probably due to the different barometric pressure and partial pressure of oxygen at the two locations. The positive psychological effects of the greenhouses were identified along with nutritional and other qualities of the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Adab Al-Basrah is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research looked at how spraying calcium Nano-fertilizer at 0, 1, 1.25, 1.5, and 2 g/L affected the growth characteristics, quantitative yield, and qualitative yield of Paris island lettuce plants during the agricultural growth season of 2022/2023 in one of the unheated plastic house affiliated to the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Design, College of Agriculture, University of Mosul. The study was conducted inside the plastic house using a Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates and the means were compared using Duncan's range multiple test at a 5% significance level. In terms of the traits of vegetative development, the findings boil down to the following: Maximum leaf chlorophyll content of 17.86 SPAD was achieved with a Nano-calcium fertilizer concentration of 1.5 g/L; maximum plant height of 39.11 cm and total number of leaves of 31.40 cm were achieved with concentration of 1g/L of this fertilizer. It was found that 1 g/L of this fertilizer produced the most optimal significant effects across the board for both quantitative and qualitative yield attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The huge development of climatic change highly affects our crop production and soil fertility. Also, the rise in the uncontrolled, excessive use of chemical fertilizers diminishes the soil prosperity and generates pollutants, threatening all environmental life forms, including us. Replacement of these chemical fertilizers with natural ones is becoming an inevitable environmental strategy. In our study, we evaluated the responses of Pisum sativum L. to the action of single species and consortiums of plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megaterium, and Bacillus cerkularice) in clay and new reclaimed soil types in terms of phenotype, yield components, and physiological and biochemical responses. Data analysis showed single or consortium microbial inoculation significantly increased the measured traits under clay and calcareous sandy soils compared to the control. Shoot physiological and biochemical activities, and seed biochemical activities were significantly enhanced with the inoculation of pea seeds with three types of bacteria in both soil types. The bud numbers, fresh weight, and seeds' dry weight increased in seeds treated with A. chroococcum and B. megaterium in the sandy soil. Taken together, these findings suggested that the inoculation of plants with PGP bacteria could be used to diminish the implementation of chemical fertilizer and improve the goodness of agricultural products. These findings expand the understanding of the responsive mechanism of microbial inoculation under different soil types, especially at physiological and biochemical levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decomposition of litter and the supply of nutrients into and from the soil are two fundamental processes through which the above‐ and belowground world interact. Microbial biodiversity, and especially that of decomposers, plays a key role in these processes by helping litter decomposition. Yet the relative contribution of litter diversity and soil biodiversity in supporting multiple ecosystem services remains virtually unknown. Here we conducted a mesocosm experiment where leaf litter and soil biodiversity were manipulated to investigate their influence on plant productivity, litter decomposition, soil respiration, and enzymatic activity in the littersphere. We showed that both leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity (richness and community composition) independently contributed to explain multiple ecosystem functions. Fungal saprobes community composition was especially important for supporting ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), plant production, litter decomposition, and activity of soil phosphatase when compared with bacteria or other fungal functional groups and litter species richness. Moreover, leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity exerted previously undescribed and significantly interactive effects on EMF and multiple individual ecosystem functions, such as litter decomposition and plant production. Together, our work provides experimental evidence supporting the independent and interactive roles of litter and belowground soil biodiversity to maintain ecosystem functions and multiple services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale yield prediction of major crops is important to ensure rational science-based policy in agricultural economic activity, especially in planning import and export of plant products and food security assessment. Remote sensing is flexible and convenient tool for the evaluation and prediction of crop yields on large areas. In this study, remote sensing data on the normalized difference vegetation index, calculated for the croplands of Kherson region, were applied to create regression models of potato, vegetables, fruits, and berries yields in the region. The normalized difference vegetation index values were calculated using raw MODIS Terra images for the croplands of the region, retrieved from the service of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Vienna, Austria) and GIMMS Global Agricultural Monitoring System for the period 2005-2021. The average annual yields of the crops in the region were retrieved from the Ukrainian State Statistical Service for the stipulated period. As a result, linear regression models and models based on artificial neural networks were created to predict yields based on the values of the normalised difference vegetation index. The strongest relationship between the remote sensing data and yield was established for vegetables (in May, R=0.63), while the weakest relationship was established for fruits and berries (in August, R=0.33). The regression models developed have a reasonable to good prediction accuracy for potatoes and vegetables (MAPE=10.04—21.07%), while the prediction of fruits and berries yields has a low precision and reliability. The developed models could be further used in agrarian policy substantiation in Kherson region, as well as in scientific purposes. Artificial neural network-based models provided better predictive accuracy but are less helpful in understanding the principles of regional crop yield prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Wieś & Rolnictwo is the property of Instytut Rozwoju Wsi & Rolnictwa, Polska Akademia Nauk and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Arid Land Geography is the property of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology & Geography and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Arbutus andrachne, the Greek strawberry tree, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae native to the Mediterranean basin, and is a valuable phytogenetic resource. In the context of sustainable exploitation of A. andrachne, four Greek natural populations of species were selected and a detailed germination protocol, molecular analysis, and cultivation practices were reported herein for the first time. The 1 month period of cold stratification or the treatment with gibberellic acid resulted in similar patterns of seed germination over a wide temperature range for all four populations. Differences among the four populations were observed in five of six morphological traits measured in 1-year-old seedlings. The 2-year-old plants grown in plastic bags (2.26 L in volume) showed superior growth rates. Foliage, but not roots, of 2-year-old seedlings supplemented with mineral fertilizers had higher fresh masses than untreated seedlings. The four A. andrachne accessions exhibited more genetic variability within than among populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomy Science is the property of University of Life Sciences in Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The depletion of natural resources such as freshwater and cropland makes it necessary to find a new solution for sustainable food production. Aquaponic systems seem to be a great alternative to traditional agriculture, however, there are still many unknowns that need to be explored. It is already known how fish stocking affects water quality in aquaponic systems, but not how it affects the plants' growth, and especially on chlorophyll fluorescence. In this study, we examined how the density of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 stocking fish in five aquaria affects lettuce growth. The first tank was only a hydroponic system with plants but without fish (control). In the remaining four aquaria - 2, 4, 8 and 12 specimens of common carp fry with an average weight of 20 grams (average 8.5-33.2 g) were placed in the aquaponic growing system. Physicochemical analysis of water was conducted to determine the levels of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), N-NO3, N-NO2, N-NH4, P-PO4, O2 and physiological parameters of plants (nitrogen balance index - NBI, chlorophyll content index - CCI, quantum yield - QY, flavonoid content - Flv) were analysed. The results showed that fish stocking density has different effects on plant physiological parameters, but in most cases, was insignificant. It seems that the greater number of fishes and higher density indirectly causes growth inhibition (lower photosynthetic efficiency) due to the increase of N-NO3 and a decrease of O2 in the water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of familiar green soybean, edamame is a vegetable that popularly chosen by the richest consumer. The reducing inorganic fertilizers can be realized gradually by transforming the farming from conventional to organic. Related to transformation, we observed the suitable combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers for the edamame growth and production. By a randomized block design, seven combinations of inorganic fertilizers (150 kg/ha Urea, 150 kg/ha SP-36, 100 kg/ha KCl) and organic fertilizers (compost) were applied. Three repeatations was adopted for each treatment and 30 plants per plot was used. The analysis of variance and Tukey HSD at 5% error were chosen. Based on the result, the combination of inorganic fertilizers and compost effect four plant growth and development variables such as the plant height, the number of leaves, the number of productive branches, and the time to produce 50% of a flower. The application of inorganic fertilizers at 50% and 75% combined with compost 10 t/ha increased the plant height, the number of productive branches, and the number of leaves. The number of seeded pods and the pod weight are not affected by all combinations of treatments.

Red chili is one of the important commodities with increasing demand. However, the quality, continuity of supply, and quantity have not been realized to meet domestic market demand. Increasing growth, yield, and quality can be pursued through superior varieties, and the effort to increase crop productivity is the application of various doses of potassium fertilizer. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of various varieties and doses of potassium fertilizer on the growth, yield, and quality of red chili. The split-plot experimental design consisting of two factors was also used. The first factor is the variety, as the main plot consisting of UNPAD CB2, Tanjung 2, and Lingga. The second factor was the dose of potassium fertilizer as sub-plots which consisted of four levels, namely 0, 100, 200, and 300 kg/ha KCl. The results showed an interaction between variety and dose of potassium fertilizer on plant height at 8 weeks after planting (WAP), stem diameter at 8 WAP, and leaf area index at 9 WAP. Meanwhile, UNPAD CB2 showed the best results for 6 WAP plant height, fruit weight per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, dihydrocapsaicin, total capsaicinoid, and scoville heat unit. Potassium fertilizer doses of 200 and 300 kg/ha KCl showed high yields for stem diameters of 6 WAP.

The energy crisis in Europe and Poland caused by the conflict in Ukraine has renewed the debate in some countries about the wisdom of abandoning the use of local fossil fuels. The rise in gas and oil prices with little change in the cost of extracting lignite from open pit mines has led to a renewed consideration of lignite as the cheapest source of energy. This is not entirely true, as the level of costs at power plants ignores many external costs that are not included in the costs of energy producers, but are borne by the general public or other parties. One such cost is the external costs incurred by agriculture as a result of open pit lignite mining and the associated depression funnels. The Bełchatów lignite open pit is the deepest open pit in Europe and is expected to be in operation by 2038. The aim of the study was to assess the external costs that farmers will incur as a result of further open pit mining of brown call from the Bełchatów deposit, i.e., between 2023 and 2038 as well as in the 16-year extended period of restoration of water relations around the open pit. The decrease in crop yields and animal numbers was estimated in a comparative analysis, which compared changes in the yields of selected plants and animals in the area affected by the open pit to those in neighboring areas that were not affected. The analysis showed that the external costs to be borne by agriculture as a result of the further exploitation of the Bełchatów deposit will amount to an average of EUR 2.90 billion, and, depending on the calculation variant, from EUR 2.51 billion to EUR 3.14 billion. Including this amount in the cost of electricity production would result in an increase of EUR 9.11·MWh−1, which is 18.8% of the average wholesale price of electricity in Poland in 2017–2021. On the one hand, the increased consumption of lignite in electricity production, which is currently observed and may last for several years, may shorten the life of the open pit by up to 2 years. Shortening the mining period by one year, assuming that all the coal in the deposit is mined, will reduce the external costs for agriculture by about EUR 185 million, i.e., EUR 0.58·MWh−1. On the other hand, the increase in European Emissions Trading System (ETS) prices, the decrease in gas prices and the increase in energy production from renewable energy source (RES) will make lignite power generation profitable only during the periods with the highest prices, so that by 2038 lignite will not be mined in its entirety. Every 10 Gg of coal that will not be mined by 2038 will result in an increase in external costs in agriculture per MWh of EUR 0.23·MWh−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the second-highest, after energy use, source of greenhouse gas emissions, which are released from soils and animal digestion processes and as a result of energy consumption at various stages of agricultural production. However, changes in the management of agricultural systems may mitigate the negative impact of this sector on the atmosphere and climate. This paper presents a literature review on energy consumption in agriculture and the potential of agricultural crop production to assist in mitigation of global warming by increasing absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere. The issue was considered in the context of managing the cultivation of main, catch and cover crops. The potential of carbon sequestration in the above- and below-ground biomass of selected crops was analyzed. It was stated that, depending on the species, main crops can sequester up to 113 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in whole biomass, while catch or cover crops can sequester up to 14.80 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 and 0.17 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in the above- and below-ground biomass, respectively. The benefits of the spread of catch or cover crops, such as improvement of soil quality (leading to an increase in primary crop yield by even as much as 65%) and a phytosanitary effect, as well as the barriers that limit the use of catch crops, including the problems with matching crop species to climate and soil conditions and the risk of reducing farmers' income, were considered. The results of the review show that catch crops can assimilate an additional amount of 4 to 6 tonnes CO2 ha−1 yr−1, and thus, spreading of catch crops is an effective way to reduce the climate impact of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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There is a need to develop production technology that effectively uses limited water and other resources to create a stable food supply in space. Aquaponics, which combine hydroponics and aquaculture, is expected to be an efficient system for producing crops and animal proteins. This system sustains the reuse of water and balances nutrient elements between both cultures using dissolved elements in fish excrement for plant growth. To evaluate the effect of fish density on biological production and nitrogen usage efficiency in aquaponics combining lettuce hydroponics and loach aquaculture, we investigated the growth performance of lettuce plants and loach fish. We focused on the balance of nutrient elements, especially nitrogen flow in the system. As a result, we found that lettuce grew in aquaponics with a half-strength standard solution with an optimal combination of the number of plants and fish as well as hydroponics with a standard solution. Increasing the density of loach fish and lettuce plants can increase the total biological production of fish and plants. However, it will be important to control both fish and plant densities to increase nitrogen recovery in aquaponics with a high fish density.

Scientific facts about the relationships between the goals are indispensable for the rational social discourse on solving the various conflicting goals on the way to sustainable crop production. Therefore, the German Society for Agronomy has compiled scientific findings on the topics of biodiversity, climate relevance and climate resilience, nutrient management, crop protection, soil protection and production of renewable raw materials, and identified the existing need for research. After an executive summary that highlights the findings, the subject areas are explained in detail. The purpose of this paper is not to make recommendations for policy-making, but to support the public debate by providing factual information.

Agriculture has been historically one of the main sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Considered for centuries as a “bread basket of Europe”. In recent years Ukraine’s agriculture has been consistently improving and has been the only part of the country’s economy to buck the recession, but Ukraine is still a country with relatively large untapped agricultural potentials. The study concerns the production of the main crops in Ukraine in the years 1992-2020 witch a short-term prediction until 2027. The analysis covered the following variables: area harvested, share in arable land, yield and production. The analysis showed that plant production in Ukraine in 1992-2020 was characterized by a significant growth dynamics. This was especially true for yields of wheat and potato and cultivation area, yields and production of grain maize, rape, sunflower and soybean. On the other hand, the cultivation area and production of sugar beet, barley, buckwheat, rye and oats were decreased. Moreover, the tendencies of changes taking place in the discussed years allowed us to conclude that the importance of Ukraine in this respect will increase. However, the war in this country will reduce the production of the species in question.

The present paper investigates the viscoelastic stress-strain responses of laboratory and plant produced warm mix asphalt mixtures containing basalt fiber dispersed reinforcement. The investigated processes and mixture components were evaluated for their efficacy in producing highly performing asphalt mixtures with decreased mixing and compaction temperatures. Surface course asphalt concrete (AC-S 11 mm) and high modulus asphalt concrete (HMAC 22 mm) conventionally and using a warm mix asphalt technique with foamed bitumen and a bio-derived fluxing additive. The warm mixtures included lowered production temperature (by 10 °C) and lowered compaction temperatures (by 15 °C and 30 °C). The complex stiffness moduli of the mixtures were assessed under cyclic loading tests at combinations of four temperatures and five loading frequencies. It was found that the warm produced mixtures were characterized by lower dynamic moduli than the reference mixtures in the whole spectrum of loading conditions, however, the mixtures compacted at the 30 °C lower temperature performed better than the mixtures compacted at 15 °C lower temperature, specifically when highest testing temperatures are considered. The differences in the performance of plant and laboratory produced mixtures were ascertained to be nonsignificant. It was concluded that the differences in stiffness of hot mix and warm mixtures can be attributed to the inherent properties of foamed bitumen mixtures and that these differences should shrink in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]