Tahir Abbas KHAN, Hadiqa HASSAN, Haocheng WANG
et al.
Drought stress poses a significant challenge to agriculture sustainability across the globe. Drought stress negatively affects the plant growth and productivity and the intensity of this serious abiotic stress is continuously increasing which is a serious threat across the globe. Different measures are being used to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought stress. Among these measures, the application of exogenous osmolytes and growth hormones is considered an important way to mitigate the adverse impacts of drought. Recently, jasmonic acid (JA) has emerged as an excellent growth hormone to improve drought tolerance owing to its involvement in different plant physiological and biochemical processes. Jasmonic acid improves membrane stability plant water relations, nutrient uptake, osmolyte accumulation, and antioxidant activities that can counter the toxic effects of drought. It also contributes to signaling pathways, i.e., genes network, stress-responsive proteins, signaling intermediates, and enzymes that protect the plants from the toxic effects of drought. Further, JA also protects and maintains the integrity of plant cells by up-regulating the antioxidant defense system and increasing osmolyte accumulation. In this review, we have documented the protective role of JA under drought stress. The various mechanisms of JA in inducing drought tolerance are discussed and different research gaps are also identified. This review will help the readers to learn more about the role of JA to mitigate the toxic effects of drought and it will provide new knowledge to develop the drought tolerance in plants.
Nil Patil, Rupal Dhariwal, Arifullah Mohammed
et al.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly becoming a major public health concern in our society. While many studies have explored the use of natural polyketides, alkaloids, and other chemical components in AD treatment, there is an urgent need to clarify the concept of multi-target treatment for AD. This study focuses on using network pharmacology approach to elucidate how secondary metabolites from Dictyostelium discoideum affect AD through multi-target or indirect mechanisms. The secondary metabolites produced by D. discoideum during their development were obtained from literature sources and PubChem. Disease targets were selected using GeneCards, DisGeNET, and CTD databases, while compound-based targets were identified through Swiss target prediction and Venn diagrams were used to find intersections between these targets. A network depicting the interplay among disease, drugs, active ingredients, and key target proteins (PPI network) was formed utilizing the STRING (Protein-Protein Interaction Networks Functional Enrichment Analysis) database. To anticipate the function and mechanism of the screened compounds, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted and visually presented using graphs and bubble charts. After the screening phase, the top interacting targets in the PPI network and the compound with the most active target were chosen for subsequent molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies. This study identified nearly 50 potential targeting genes for each of the screened compounds and revealed multiple signaling pathways. Among these pathways, the inflammatory pathway stood out. COX-2, a receptor associated with neuroinflammation, showed differential expression in various stages of AD, particularly in pyramidal neurons during the early stages of the disease. This increase in COX-2 expression is likely induce by higher levels of IL-1, which is associated with neuritic plaques and microglial cells in AD. Molecular docking investigations demonstrated a strong binding interaction between the terpene compound PQA-11 and the neuroinflammatory receptor COX2, with a substantial binding affinity of −8.4 kcal/mol. Subsequently, a thorough analysis of the docked complex (COX2-PQA11) through Molecular Dynamics Simulation showed lower RMSD, minimal RMSF fluctuations, and a reduced total energy of −291.35 kJ/mol compared to the standard drug. These findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of PQA-11 operates through the inflammatory pathway, laying the groundwork for further in-depth research into the role of secondary metabolites in AD treatment.
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of soil fertilising biopreparations, i.e. compost extract, vermicompost extract and humus extract, used against the background of NPK mineral fertilisation, on the content of manganese, iron, zinc and copper in the biomass of Lolium perenne, Festulolium braunii, and Dactylis glomerata. In the spring of 2019 and 2020, a single dose of the biological preparation was applied. During each vegetation period, the plants were mown three times. During mowing, fresh plant mass was taken from each plot, dried, ground and the content of Cu, Zc, Mn and Fe was determined using the ICP-AES method. The use of a biological preparation with the composition of an extract from compost significantly increased the content of Mn, Fe and Zn in the dry mass of the tested grass species. The grass species that accumulated the highest total content of microelements in its above-ground parts was Lolium perenne. The use of only biological preparations in the cultivation of the analysed grass species gave better production effects, for example in the form of a higher concentration of microelements in the dry mass of plants compared to objects fed only with minerals. This creates the possibility of using the tested biopreparations in organic farms. The Fe:Mn ionic ratio was too wide in relation to the standards on all experimental objects, which resulted from the excess of Fe in the plants. Only the combination of compost extract with mineral fertilisation narrowed the above relationship, but it was still too high.
River, lake, and water-supply engineering (General), Irrigation engineering. Reclamation of wasteland. Drainage
The magnitude of public concerns about agricultural innovations has often been underestimated, as past examples, such as pesticides, nanotechnology, and cloning, demonstrate. Indeed, studies have proven that the agricultural sector presents an area of tension and often attracts skepticism concerning new technologies. Digital technologies have become increasingly popular in agriculture. Yet there are almost no investigations on the public acceptance of digitalization in agriculture so far. Our online survey provides initial insights to reduce this knowledge gap. The sample (n = 2012) represents the German population in terms of gender, age (minimum 18 years), education and size of place of residence. Results showed that if the potential of digital farming technologies (DFT) regarding animal welfare and environmental protection was described, respondents reacted positively. Thus, the general attitudes of respondents toward the benefits of DFT were mostly positive. The approval to increasing adoption rates of particular DFT by providing subsidies was also high. Linear regression models showed that the dominant positive influences on respondents’ attitudes toward the benefits of DFT were a generally positive attitude toward farming and a strong trust in farmers in Germany. Confronting respondents with pictures showing DFT resulted in many spontaneous negative associations and general criticism of agricultural production. The latter holds true for DFT in animal husbandry in particular. However, as agriculture as a whole is criticized by many groups in Germany, it is unlikely that benefits from digitalization will significantly increase the public acceptance of agriculture as a whole.
Eduardo da Costa Nunes, Marcelo Zanella, Carlos Alberto Koerich
Os cultivares de mandioquinha-salsa SCS380 INCA (RNC nº 49967) e SCS381 COQUEIRAL (RNC nº 49968) foram obtidos a partir da identificação, seleção e posterior clonagem de plantas que demonstraram comportamento agronômico e atributos produtivos diferenciados em áreas de produção comercial no município de Angelina, provavelmente originadas da germinação in loco de sementes botânicas, oriundas de cruzamentos populacionais naturais espontâneos. Estes materiais genéticos estão sendo avaliados e caracterizados de forma participativa, envolvendo produtores rurais e agentes de pesquisa
e extensão rural, desde 2014 (INCA) e 2017 (COQUEIRAL). De maneira geral, ambos apresentam como principais vantagens, quando comparados em relação ao material genético mais cultivado no Brasil (cv. Senador Amaral), o alto potencial produtivo de raízes (mantendo boas características comerciais, como formato cilíndrico, coloração amarela, aroma e sabor característico), boa adaptabilidade e resistência a pragas e doenças, plantas mais vigorosas e grande capacidade de produção de mudas. As raízes de ambos os cultivares podem ser usadas para consumo fresco in natura, sendo que o cv. INCA, apresenta grande potencial para processamento agroindustrial. São indicados para cultivo nas regiões recomendadas pelo zoneamento agroclimático de Santa Catarina sob cultivo convencional. O cv. COQUEIRAL tem-se mostrado adaptado ao culti vo em Sistema de plantio direto de hortaliças (SPDH), com bons resultados e tem sido cultivado em áreas de menor altitude e com temperaturas mais elevadas que em condições de cultivo normalmente recomendadas.
This study is aimed at the special working conditions of seeding on sloping land, combining advanced precision seeding technology and the structure of rotary hole filling corn precision metering device seed rowers at home and abroad, and studying soil entry characteristics, the characteristics of soil particles and the seed transport pattern in the puncture process, in order to improve the seed dispersal qualified index and reduce the coefficient of variation in the process of seeding. The simulation test of the cavity-tying device was carried out using the MBD–DEM coupling method, and it can be seen that the rocker bending angle is 120° when the force is the largest; at this time the rocker and the soil force is the largest, indicating the best effect on soil particle separation and the fastest movement speed. The single-factor test determined that the operating speed of the seed rower ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 m/s, the spring preload force of the seed rower ranged from 5.5 to 25 N, and the operating slope angle of the seed rower ranged from 8° to 16°. The optimal structure and parameter characteristics of the rotary hole filling corn precision metering device were determined with a multi-factor test, and it was proven that the rotary hole filling corn precision metering device has better performance and a higher seed rowing quality, with the qualified index reaching 96.2%. This study can provide a reference for the research of corn precision seeders, enrich the form of corn precision seeders, and effectively improve the level of corn mechanized seeding.
Yuquan W. Zhang, Bruce A. McCarl, Zhengwei Cao
et al.
Pesticide use in peri-urban areas affects the urban environment and public health, and reducing the use may present food security issues for urban dwellers. In this study, we explore how a municipality-adopted goal of a 20% reduction in pesticide use could be achieved, along with local food security and environmental implications, for Shanghai located in the densely populated East China. A regional Shanghai Agricultural Sector Model incorporating district- and technology-varying crop budgets, was developed to simulate the effects of pesticide reduction policy. Here we find that achieving the reduction goal had the largest implications in districts with high pesticide use totals and intensities, potentially reducing pesticide non-point source pollution in the Yangtze River Estuary and Dianshan Lake; the production levels of rice and leafy vegetables would be most affected; and adopting machinery that allows more precise pesticide application modulates these results. Moreover, imposing the requirements at the district-level caused more severe local food security concerns, and less environmental benefits. Furthermore, a closed Shanghai's agricultural economy would substantially enlarge the regional heterogeneity in the above-mentioned outcomes. Exploring the effects of a quantity control policy on current-use pesticides at different aggregation levels has important implications for regulating the use of agrochemicals.
Florian Weinberger, Swantje Sundt, Nadja Staerck
et al.
Beach visitors rate beach quality in large part by its appearance. Removal of natural beach litter (called beach wrack) has, therefore, high priority for beach managers in coastal areas dependent on revenues from tourism. Focusing on the German Baltic Sea coast, the amount of beach wrack has increased by a factor of approximately 3.4 between 1977 and 2012/2013. At the same time, the composition of macrophyte communities underwent a severe change from late successional stages (eelgrass and bladder wrack) toward more ephemeral communities. Correspondingly, the contribution of bladder wrack to seaweed litter alone dropped from 75% in 1977 to 18.1% today, while the contribution of ephemeral and nutrient-opportunistic seaweeds increased by a factor larger than 6.2 to approximately 44%. Such seaweed opportunists could have a higher potential for olfactorial nuisance than late successional macrophytes. To test this hypothesis, odors extracted from equal amounts of nutrient-opportunistic and non-opportunistic species that had been partially degraded under equal conditions were compared in a public survey. Participants graded the smell of opportunistic species, in particular Ceramium tenuicorne, consistently as more intense and less pleasant than the odor of non-opportunistic species. The particularly high potential of Ceramium litter and the relatively lower potential of eelgrass litter for deterrence were confirmed in field experiments. We conclude that the documented compositional shift in macrophyte communities at German Baltic Sea coasts since the onset of eutrophication has caused a shift of beach wrack composition toward species with a higher potential for olfactorial deterrence, which could explain recent concerns of beach managers about beach wrack despite the limited increase of biomass in the study area.
Se valoró la posibilidad de aumentar la capacidad reproductiva de la cerda, reduciendo el periodo normal de lactancia, sin afectar la potencialidad productiva de la lechigada. Se utilizaron cerdas primíparas y sus respectivas camadas en parideras confinadas; el ensayo se dividió en 3 tratamientos, con 3 repeticiones en un diseño de bloques al azar que se analizaron estadísticamente por la varianza y el test de Tukey. El T1 consistió en un testigo de 56 días de lactancia, el T2, 42 días, y el T3,35 días; todas las cerdas recibieron una alimentación restringida que correspondió a un 1" de su peso vivo, más 300 g por lechón amamantado, en una toma diaria matinal; en tanto a los lechones se les suministró una alimentación de preiniciación "ad libitum” a partir de los 14 días de lactancia. Los parámetros medidos fueron: aumento de peso a los 56 días de lactancia en las lechigadas, consumo de alimento de preiniciación, consumo de energía y proteína de las cerdas por día, peso de las cerdas al finalizar sus lactancias y aparición del celo post-destete. Los aumentos promedios de peso de las lechigadas no fueron estadísticamente diferentes (p>0.05),(T1: 13,44 Kg; T2: 13,38 Kg; 13: 13,74 Kg); en el consumo de alimento de preiniciación las diferencias fueron altamente significativas (P<0.01), (T1: 14,45 Kg; 12: 21,48 Kg: 13: 19,09 Kg); las diferencias fueron significativas en los pesos medios de las cerdas al finalizar cada lactancia, siendo el más afectado el T2 (T1: 157 Kg; T2: 139 Kg; 13: 156 Kg), lo que obedeció al elevado número de lechones que lactaron por cerda durante 42 días (T1: 6.33; T2: 9.66; T3: 6.66). El 100% de las cerdas quedaron servidas en el primer celo post. destete, agrupándose casi todas en el periodo destete-5 días, excepto el T2 que requirió 3 días más para la aparición del celo. Las cerdas del T2, tuvieron el menor consumo de energía y proteína por lechón amamantado. Una lactancia corta disminuye el intervalo entre partos, en tanto en cerdas primíparas con un tamaño de camada elevada en su primer lactación, puede verse afectado el periodo destete-celo. El lechón a las 3 semanas de edad ha alcanzado su madurez digestiva de manera tal que puede llevarse a cabo fácilmente un destete anticipado.
This article outlines meaningful strategies to overcome the program evaluation challenges that early-career Extension professionals face. The strategies outlined in this article are grounded in the experiences of Extension professionals in three states (Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania) and center on providing solutions to the challenges that newer Extension professionals felt were the most important to address, in order to provide a manageable framework for agents to use. This new five-page publication of the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication was written by John Diaz and Laura Warner.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc335
The management of tourism destinations in Karangasem Regency has implemented smart tourism by utilizing information and communication technology to face competition in the tourism sector. This study aims to analyze the effect of human capital, social capital, entrepreneurship, implementation of information and communication technology on the performance of smart tourism destinations in Karangasem Regency, Bali. This research was conducted on 155 samples of tourism industry owners in five tourist destinations in Karangasem Regency. The data obtained were analyzed with structural model equations using the Partial Least Square (PLS) program package. This study found that human capital, social capital, entrepreneurship, implementation of information and communication technology had a positive and significant effect on the performance of smart tourism destinations in Karangasem Regency.
Md. Yeakub Khan, Md. Manjurul Haque, Abul Hossain Molla
et al.
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) on antioxidants and minerals in ripe tomatoes and soil health improvements in terms of nutrient availability and microbial populations. The study was comprised of six treatments: control (zero input); recommended doses of NPK (135.5, 45.6 and 22.9 kg ha−1, respectively); 100% BioF/compost; 75% BioF/compost+25% N; 50% BioF/compost+50% N; and 25% BioF/compost+75% N. The recommended doses of P and K were used in the last three treatments. It was found that the application of 100% BioF/compost enhanced plant growth, leaf greenness, and produced 12.9% higher yield compared to the recommended doses of NPK and other treatments. Mineral contents (P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in tomato roots, shoots and fruits and antioxidant compounds, i.e., ascorbic acid, (β-carotine, and lycopene were increased significantly in fruits fertilized with 100% BioF/compost. The high efficiency of Trichoderma compost might be the result of its potential of nutrient solubilization and harboring soil microorganisms. Collectively, BioF/compost increased soil fertility and favored growth of microbes in the rhizosphere which ultimately contributed to higher yield, antioxidant, and mineral concentrations in tomatoes. Thus, Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer may reduce application of chemical fertilizers and therefore, can be considered as a noble practice in sustainable agriculture.
Rosália Furtado Cutrim Souza, João Gomes Romão Júnior, Adriana Figueiredo Fonseca
et al.
Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de períodos de condicionamento alimentar sobre o desempenho produtivo e a sobrevivência de juvenis de pirarucu (Arapaima gigas), durante a transição da alimentação com massa de peixe moída para dieta formulada seca. Animais com 15,8±1,2 g foram avaliados com substituições graduais da dieta a cada 2, 3, 4 e 5 dias. Após 12 dias de condicionamento alimentar, as substituições a cada dois e três dias proporcionaram as maiores taxas de crescimento específico. Recomenda-se a substituição da dieta à base de peixe moído por dieta formulada seca a cada dois ou três dias.
Eliana Mara Napoli Correia de Paula da Silva, Regina Lúcia Félix Ferreira, Ana Maria Alves de Souza Ribeiro
et al.
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho agronômico do cultivo de alface orgânica sob diferentes níveis de sombreamento, épocas de plantio e preparo do solo, no Acre. Para cada cultivar de alface avaliada, lisa (Baba de Verão) e crespa (Vera), foram instalados quatro experimentos em ambientes com níveis distintos de sombreamento (casa de vegetação, 35%; tela, 50%; latada de maracujazeiro, 52%; e a pleno sol), em duas épocas de plantio (estiagem e chuvosa). Utilizou-se o delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com três métodos de preparo do solo (plantio direto, cultivo mínimo e preparo convencional) e quatro repetições. O cultivo em casa de vegetação proporciona maior massa de matéria fresca e produtividade de alface 'Vera', e desempenho similar ao observado sob tela de sombreamento, com preparo mínimo do solo, para as duas épocas de plantio avaliadas. O cultivo a pleno sol, em plantio direto, proporciona maior massa de matéria fresca e produtividade de alface 'Vera', para o período de estiagem. A massa de matéria seca da parte aérea das cultivares Baba de Verão e Vera é maior em cultivo em casa de vegetação, seguida do cultivo sob tela de sombreamento.