Dinesh Panday, Parinaz Heydar, Casey Lapham
et al.
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an emerging crop for renewable fiber materials. For farmers, finding a balance between agronomic performance and economic return is crucial, especially when targeting specific markets like the textile industry, which values not just fiber quantity, but overall quality. This field study, conducted at the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, assessed the effects of tillage (till vs. no till), cover crop (with cover vs. no cover), and nitrogen (N) rate (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha⁻¹) on hemp fiber yield, N concentrations in leaf and stalk, and mechanical performance under regenerative organic conditions. Fiber mechanical properties, including maximum load, tenacity, work of rupture, and modulus of elasticity were analyzed at Thomas Jefferson University. Results showed that biomass yield increased with N input, peaking at 9.2 Mg ha⁻¹ under till systems with cover crop at 150 kg N ha⁻¹ . However, fiber quality declined at higher N rates. The highest fiber quality metrics, including tenacity (610.5 MPa), modulus of elasticity (3.5 GPa), and work of rupture (31.4 newton mm⁻²) was achieved in no till system with cover crops and no N addition. A clear trade-off emerged: high N increased biomass yield but compromised fiber quality, while moderate input levels (e.g., till system with cover crop at 50 kg N ha⁻¹) offered a balanced outcome. This suggests that regenerative practices not only support soil health but also improve fiber strength and flexibility. Farmers can tailor input strategies to match end-use goals: low-input systems for premium textile fibers and moderate inputs for bio-composite applications, supporting both ecologically sound and market demands.
IntroductionWaxy sorghum is widely utilized in the production of commercial brewing products in China. However, the variations in metabolic profile across its whole life cycle have not been characterized, though several studies have been conducted in certain tissues. This study aims to systematically map the dynamic metabolic landscape and identify the key regulatory nodes across the complete developmental trajectory of a representative waxy sorghum landrace.MethodsThis study systematically analyzed the accumulation patterns of metabolites across different developmental stages of ‘Hongyingzi’, a waxy sorghum landrace. Samples of fifteen tissues were collected at eight key developmental stages.Results and discussionBroad metabolomics identified 1,324 metabolites belonging to 12 distinct classes. Tissue-specific metabolic profiling revealed that stems and grains at early developmental stages had high accumulation of phytohormones, whereas the roots contained abundant allelopathicals. Additionally, spikelets and mature grains were enriched with antibacterial alkaloids and a putative nove class of immunostimulatory nucleoside bases, implying that these metabolites are involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. Integrative analysis of the metabolomic and transcriptomic data resulted in the construction of a metabolic regulation network, which was used to identify the key regulatory genes. For instance, a C-glycosyltransferase gene (CGT) associated with high flavonoid accumulation and its co-expressed MYB transcription factor were identified in leaves, while a phospholipase D gene (PLD) and an MYB transcription factor related to lipid metabolism were detected in roots. The results provide a systematic profile of the dynamic metabolic changes and tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms throughout the life cycle of waxy sorghum, providing valuable resources and insights for understanding the metabolic basis of its key agronomic traits. The network identified can serve as a foundation for future organ-specific chemical defense studies and targeted crop improvement.
Giorgia Giusti, Julien Bras, Eleonora Balducci
et al.
The extensive use of synthetic plastic-based materials in packaging raises serious environmental and health concerns, driving the search for sustainable alternatives. Cellulose, as a renewable bio-based polymer, presents a promising solution; however, its hydrophilicity restricts its application in moisture-sensitive environments. The incorporation of bio-based coatings can enhance water resistance, yet scalable and efficient strategies remain a challenge in the food and beverage packaging sector. In this study, we present a fully bio-based coating system based on thermally polymerized Tung oil for producing functional cellulose-based materials with enhanced hydrophobicity. The influence of coating thickness, curing temperature, and curing time was investigated through ATR-FTIR, DSC, and TGA analyses, identifying 170 °C for 20 min as the optimal condition to achieve total crosslinking. After dispersion in dimethyl carbonate, Tung oil was applied to cellulose sheets and thermally cured, resulting in significantly improved water repellence while complying with European food contact regulations, as demonstrated by migration tests. Notably, the system was successfully integrated into commercial cellulose substrates, enabling the thermo-forming of 3D structures. Even at only 1 w/w % Tung oil loading, the water absorption of cellulose cups decreased by over 90 % compared to uncoated samples. Furthermore, recyclability tests confirmed that the thermo-formed cellulose objects treated with Tung oil remain completely recyclable into the paper stream. This study proposes a sustainable and potentially scalable strategy for the production of fully bio-based, recyclable, food compliant, and hydrophobic cellulose-based materials, offering a promising alternative to conventional plastic-based materials.
Four modern hybrid and four japonica rice varieties differing in biomass, yield, and daily biomass production rate during the grain-filling period (DBPGF), were used to reveal the eco-physiological photosynthetic characteristics of high-yield and high-efficiency rice. Varietal differences were analyzed in leaf and canopy photosynthetic parameters, associated leaf morphological and anatomical traits (e.g., stomatal density, vein density, mesophyll cell arrangement), as well as differences in canopy light interception and leaf area index, and their effects on yield and biomass accumulation. Hybrid rice with yield higher than 11.0 t/hm2 and DBPGF higher than 200 kg/(hm2·d), and japonica rice with yield higher than 9.0 t/hm2 and DBPGF higher than 200 kg/(hm2·d), were classified as high-yield and high-efficiency varieties; other varieties were considered general types. Based on this criterion, two hybrid (Yongyou 2640 and Shanyou 63) and two japonica varieties (Huaidao 5 and Nangeng 5718) were categorized as high-yield and high-efficiency types, while the remaining two hybrid (Liangyoupeijiu and C Liangyou 513) and two japonica varieties (Suxiu 867 and Yangnongdao 1) were classified as general types. Results indicated that high-yield and high-efficiency varieties generally have higher leaf and canopy photosynthesis, superior leaf stomatal, vascular, and mesophyll structures that facilitate CO2 diffusion and hydraulic transport, higher canopy light transmittance, and slower leaf area attenuation. Rice yield and biomass were positively correlated with photosynthetic parameters and closely linked to associated photosynthetic traits. Efficient rice production was attributed to coordinated improvements in leaf structure, canopy architecture, and delayed leaf area attenuation. This study provides important theoretical guidance for breeding high-efficiency rice varieties.
Continuous cropping obstacles (CCOs) lead to a decline in yield and quality under repeated cultivation in the same farmland. Notably, CCOs caused by fusarium wilt, autotoxicity, or imbalance in rhizosphere microbial communities reduce the productivity of watermelons (<i>Citrullus lanatus</i>). Considering the negative environmental impacts of conventional agrochemicals, it is necessary to evaluate the biocontrol efficiency of microorganisms. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the biocontrol efficiency of <i>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i> strain PP19 against CCOs of watermelon so as to develop alternatives to agrochemicals. The inhibitory effect of PP19 on watermelon fusarium wilt was assessed through plate confrontation assays and field trials. The degradation and utilization of autotoxins by PP19 were examined via co-culture experiments. Additionally, 16S rRNA sequencing was employed to analyze the impact of PP19 on the rhizosphere soil microbial community of watermelon. Specifically, we analyzed the PP19 utilization of four phenolic autotoxins secreted by watermelon roots and assessed their effects on microbial diversity in the watermelon rhizosphere. Plant growth assays showed that PP19 improved the weight and quality of watermelon fruit. Although PP19 inhibited the growth of <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>niveum</i> (Fon), the growth inhibitory effect was significantly enhanced by autotoxins produced by watermelon, including mixed phenolic, cinnamic, ferulic, and <i>p</i>-coumaric acids. Additionally, PP19 effectively degraded and utilized the autotoxins, and the autotoxins enhanced PP19’s swimming ability and biofilm formation. Moreover, PP19 treatment significantly enhanced the microbial diversity in watermelon rhizosphere, increased the number of beneficial bacterial genera, and decreased the number of pathogenic genera. Conclusively, these results suggest that <i>B. amyloliquefaciens</i> strain PP19 improves the resistance of watermelon to CCOs by effectively utilizing and degrading autotoxin, altering soil microbial community structure, and inhibiting Fon17 growth, resulting in improved fruit quality. Overall, PP19 possesses potential application as a biological control agent against CCOs in commercial watermelon cultivation.
Fernanda Carla Ferreira de Pontes, Ingrid Pinheiro Machado, Maria Valnice de Souza Silveira
et al.
Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) identify genome variations related to specific phenotypes using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers. Genotyping platforms like SNP-Array or sequencing-based techniques (GBS) can genotype samples with many SNPs. These approaches may bias tropical maize analyses due to reliance on the temperate line B73 as the reference genome. An alternative is a simulated genome called “Mock,” adapted to the population using bioinformatics. Recent studies show SNP-Array, GBS, and Mock yield similar results for population structure, heterotic groups definition, tester selection, and genomic hybrid prediction. However, no studies have examined the results generated by these different genotyping approaches for GWAS. This study aims to test the equivalence among the three genotyping scenarios in identifying significant effect genes in GWAS. To achieve this, maize was used as the model species, where SNP-Array genotyped 360 inbred lines from a public panel via the Affymetrix platform and GBS. The GBS data were used to perform SNP calling using the temperate inbred line B73 as the reference genome (GBS-B73) and a simulated genome “Mock” obtained in-silico (GBS-Mock). The study encompassed four above-ground traits with plants grown under two levels of water supply: well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS). In total, 46, 34, and 31 SNP were identified in the SNP-Array, GBS-B73, and GBS-Mock scenarios, respectively, across the two water levels, associated with the evaluated traits following the comparative analysis of each genotyping method individually. Overall, the identified candidate genes varied along the various scenarios but had the same functionality. Regarding SNP-Array and GBS-B73, genes with functional similarity were identified even without coincidence in the physical position of the SNPs. These genes and regions are involved in various processes and responses with applications in plant breeding. In terms of accuracy, the combination of genotyping scenarios compared to those isolated is feasible and recommended, as it increased all traits under both water conditions. In this sense, it is worth highlighting the combination of GBS-B73 and GBS-Mock scenarios, not only due to the increase in the resolution of GWAS results but also the reduction of costs associated with genotyping and the possibility of conducting genomic breeding methods.
Adriana - Paula DAVID, Andra Ianchis-Pop, Valentina Sonca
et al.
The purpose of the study was to identify the consumer profly and preferred characteristics of aged beef in order to assess the marketing mix of new aged beef products. The study was designed to identify the consumer profile of aged beef available in specialized stores or supermarkets. The study was carried out in ten grocery stores in Cluj county. Participating panelists received questionnaires that collected data on age, gender, aged beef preferences and income. In addition, they took part in a sensory analysis assay of meat aged by wet and dry method, for 21 and 35 days, respectively. At the end of the study, the consumer profile of aged beef was created: a person with above than average income and higher education graduate that prefers Black Angus beef aged by the dry.
В. А. Платонов, О. И. Хасбиуллина, В. М. Андреевская
et al.
При обследовании промышленных картофелехранилищ в Костромской области и Камчатском крае из клубней картофеля, пораженных мокрой гнилью, были выделены в чистую культуру и идентифицированы пектолитические бактерии рода Pseudomonas. Выделенные штаммы различались между собой и отличались от штаммов пектолитических Pseudomonas, выделенных из картофеля ранее, по последовательностям гена 16S рибосомной РНК, участку гена субъединицы В ДНК-гиразы и фрагмента гена сигма-фактора ДНК-зависимой РНК-полимеразы. На основании анализа последовательностей можно отнести выделенные бактерии к группе P. fluorescens. Выделенные бактерии вызывали мацерацию тканей клубней картофеля при температурах 10 °С и 25 °С, причем пораженный участок ткани картофеля интенсивно флуоресцировал при освещении ультрафиолетом. При температуре 37 °С рост бактерий полностью ингибировался. LOPAT профиль соответствовал группе IVa фитопатогенных Pseudomonas.
In agroecosystems, a plant-usable form of nitrogen is mainly generated by legume-based biological nitrogen fixation, a process that requires phosphorus (P) as an essential nutrient. To investigate the physiological mechanism whereby phosphorus influences soybean nodule nitrogen fixation, soybean root nodules were exposed to four phosphate levels: 1 mg/L (P stress), 11 mg/L (P stress), 31 mg/L (Normal P), and 61 mg/L (High P) then proteome analysis of nodules was conducted to identify phosphorus-associated proteome changes. We found that phosphorus stress-induced ribosomal protein structural changes were associated with altered key root nodule protein synthesis profiles. Importantly, up-regulated expression of peroxidase was observed as an important phosphorus stress-induced nitrogen fixation-associated adaptation that supported two nodule-associated activities: scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell wall growth. In addition, phosphorus transporter (PT) and purple acid phosphatase (PAPs) were up-regulated that regulated phosphorus transport and utilization to maintain phosphorus balance and nitrogen fixation function in phosphorus-stressed root nodules.
The present study was undertaken to study the effect of plant bioactive compounds curcumin and carbazole on sheep ovarian functions. In the present study, both the bioactive compounds were tested at different levels (Control, T1-1 μM, T2-5 μM, T3-10 μM, T4- 25 μM, T5- 50μM, T6-100 μM) on preantral follicle (PF) growth rate, survival rate (6 days culture), granulosa cell (GC) number increment (2 days culture) and estradiol production (5 days GC culture spent media). Curcumin had shown a significantly higher PF survival rate (%), i.e. 74.3±1.5, 76.3±1.4 at 10 and 25 μM levels respectively. Similarly, higher PF growth rates (μm per day), i.e. 16.1±0.9 was observed at 50 μM levels. Similarly, curcumin was effective @ 50 μM level to increase the granulosa cell number as well as estradiol production with a mean granulosa cell number (×105) and estradiol production (pg) values of 1.55±0.04 and 85.3±3.3 respectively. Likewise, carbazole was effective at the level of 25 μM to increase the PF growth rate (μm per day), survival rate (%)with mean values of 74.3±1.3, 12.1±0.9. Similarly, carbazole was effective at 50 μM dose levels in the granulosa cell number increment (×105) with a mean value of 1.57±0.02. No significant change in estradiol production was observed in carbazole treated group.
Cacao BL-50 clone is a superior cacao clone from West Sumatra. The BL-50 clones are most ideally propagated by side grafting. The objective of this study wa to determine the effect of various storage media of cacao scion BL-50 clone on the successful of side grafting. The present study was conducted in December 2018 to April 2019 at Balubuih Village, 50 Kota District and at Dharmasraya District. This research was a experiment used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three storage media namely banana midrib, curcuma sliced, and alcosorb mixed with sawdust which are repeated 6 times. The observation data were analyzed by the F test at 5% level significantly, if significantly different it was continued by the Duncan's New Multiple Range Test (DMNRT) at 5% level significantly. The results showed that the best scion storage media was a banana midrib which was able to increase the successful of side grafting of cacao BL-50 clones.
این مطالعه با هدف ارزیابی اقتصادی دو تناوب زراعی و در قالب کشاورزی حفاظتی انجام شد. آزمایشهای هر تناوب زراعی با استفاده از طرح کرتهای خرد شده در قالب طرح بلوکهای کامل تصادفی و با سه تکرار، در ایستگاه تحقیقات کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان خراسان رضوی در 5 سال متوالی انجام شد. تیمارهای آزمایش، شیوههای مختلف خاکورزی در سه سطح شامل: شیوه متداول خاکورز ی (شخم + دیسک + تسطیح + کاشت با بذرکار)، شخم کاهش یافته (چیزل پکر یا دیسک سبک + کاشت با بذرکار) و بدون شخم (کاشت مستقیم با بذرکار) در کرتهای اصلی و مدیریت بقایای گیاهی در سه سطح بدون بقایا، حفظ 30% بقایا و حفظ 60% بقایای محصولات مختلف درکرتهای فرعی قرار داده شدند. سیستم تناوب زراعی رایج این منطقه شامل گندم (Triticum aestivum L.) - ذرت (Zea mays L.) -گندم- خربزه (Cucumis melo L.)- گندم و سیستم تناوب زراعی پیشنهادی یا پایدار شامل گندم- کلزا (Brassica napus L.)-گندم-شبدر ایرانی (Trifolium resupinatum L.)- گوجهفرنگی (Solanum lycopersicum L.)- گندم هر کدام بصورت جداگانه با استفاده از روش بودجهبندی جزئی مورد بررسی اقتصادی قرار گرفت. اطلاعات مورد نیاز شامل میزان و ارزش نهادههای استفاده شده در مراحل کاشت، داشت، برداشت و محصولات حاصل شامل محصول اصلی و کاه و کلش بود. نتایج نشان داد که منفعت خالص تناوب پایدار در مجموع، بیش از دو برابر منفعت خالص تناوب رایج است. در تناوب زراعی رایج تیمار شخم متداول با حفظ 30% بقایای گیاهی با منفعت خالص 246371580 ریال و نرخ بازده 437 درصد بیشترین منفعت خالص و نرخ بازده را داشت. در صورتیکه در نظام تناوب زراعی پایدار تیمار بدون شخم و بدون بقایا با منفعت خالص 450020790 ریال بیشترین درآمد و کمترین هزینه را داشت. خالص ارزش تولید هر متر مکعب آب در تناوب پایدار 56159 ریال و در تناوب جاری 27157 ریال بود. این نتایج نشان داد، تناوب زراعی که کشاورزان استفاده میکنند از نظر اقتصادی توجیهی برای بکارگیری کشاورزی حفاظتی ندارد، اما اگر تناوب زراعی تغییر کند در آن صورت کشاورزی حفاظتی در قسمت حذف ماشینآلات آماده سازی زمین، اقتصادی است، اما تمایلی به حفظ بقایا ندارد.
Ninkov Jordana, Marinković Jelena, Banjac Dušana
et al.
Urban gardening is an activity that has been rapidly increasing. The aim of this study was to point out the common mistakes in cultivation practices made by producers on small city areas. Total of 96 individual plots under vegetable crops were sampled (56 from garden plots of the city of Novi Sad, and 40 from field plots in the suburbs). There was no significant difference in the content of organic matter between these two groups of tested soils. The contents of readily available P2O5 and K2O were significantly higher in garden soil than in the field plots for production of vegetables. According to the content of pseudototal copper, 39% of samples belonged to the category of critical concentration and/or above MAC in the urban soil. Obtained results prove the pollution of small area gardens due to high anthropogenic effect of excessive use of mineral fertilizers and copper-based fungicides.
Karina Gonçalves da Silva, Mauricio Lamano Ferreira, Teresa Jocys
et al.
Nitrogen efficiency, along with associated indexes, is a widely used tool for assessing nutritional status in agricultural species. However, this parameter is not used in studies with ornamental plants, especially epiphytic cacti species. In particular, we know very little about the potential response of ornamental cacti to N absorption and use. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate N use efficiency (NUE), along with its associated parameters, in three species of ornamental cacti under nitrogen nutrition. To accomplish this, Rhipsalis baccifera, Rhipsalis paradoxa and Hatiora salicornioides were fertilized by Hogland and Arnon nutrition solution modified and enriched with urea in the concentrations of 0, 33.3 or 66.6 mM N during 180 days. At the end of the experiment, efficiency indexes were calculated. Efficiency parameters varied according to species. R. baccifera presented the greatest dissimilarity among the species, with highest uptake efficiency (NUpE), but lowest use efficiency (NUtE) and biomass conversion (BCE). R. paradoxa presented high values for NUE, NUtE, BCE and physiological efficiency (NPE) at concentrations of 33.3 mM N, suggesting greater investment in biological processes with lower supply of N. H. salicornioides had the highest averages in most parameters measured. Our results show that these indexes provided important comparative baseline information on nutritional status and investment strategy, thus serving as a suitable analytical tool to increase knowledge about this group of ornamental plants.
Sara Mayo, Eleonora Cominelli, Francesca Sparvoli
et al.
Bean production is affected by a wide diversity of fungal pathogens, among them Rhizoctonia solani is one of the most important. A strategy to control bean infectious diseases, mainly those caused by fungi, is based on the use of biocontrol agents that can reduce the negative effects of plant pathogens and also can promote positive responses in the plant. Trichoderma is a fungal genus that is able to induce the expression of genes involved in plant defence response and also to promote plant growth, root development and nutrient uptake. In this article, a strategy that combines in silico analysis and real time PCR to detect additional bean defence-related genes, regulated by the presence of Trichoderma velutinum and/or R. solani has been applied. Based in this strategy, from From the 48 bean genes initially analysed, 14 were selected, and only WRKY33, CH5b and hGS showed an up-regulatory response in the presence of T. velutinum. The other genes were or not affected (OSM34) or down-regulated by the presence of this fungus. R. solani infection resulted in a down-regulation of most of the genes analyzed, except PR1, OSM34 and CNGC2 that were not affected, and the presence of both, T. velutinum and R. solani, up-regulates hGS and down-regulates all the other genes analyzed, except CH5b which was not significantly affected.As conclusion, the strategy described in the present work has been shown to be effective to detect genes involved in plant defence, which respond to the presence of a biocontrol agent or to a pathogen and also to the presence of both. The selected genes show significant homology with previously described plant defence genes and they are expressed in bean leaves of plants treated with T. velutinum and/or infected with R. solani.