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In the study, the effects of 0, 100, 200 and 400 ppm spray applications of GA3 on root and above-ground parts of ‘Jan Reus’, ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Yokohama’ tulip cultivars were determined. According to the results, on the development of plant upper part properties, 200 ppm in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Yokohama’ and 100 ppm in ‘Bloody Mary’ were the most effective applications. Again, the least increases in upper part properties were obtained from the control plants in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Bloody Mary’, and from the 100 ppm application in ‘Yokohama’. While 100 ppm was the most effective application in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Yokohama’ in terms of root development, the effect of the applications in ‘Bloody Mary’ was lower than the control. The application that least increased root development was determined as 400 ppm in ‘Jan Reus’ and 200 ppm in ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Yokohama’. Root growth was found to be negatively related to GA3 content. High GA3 is thought to negatively affect overall root growth, possibly by suppressing the effect of auxin. It is assumed that GA3 produced by the plant itself may be sufficient for root development or may be effective at much lower dose applications. On the other hand, it has been determined that the effects of GA3 application vary depending on the variety. According to these results, it is recommended to apply it at a dose of 200 ppm to ensure flowering by providing cooling in tulip cultivars and cut flower cultivation. High doses of GA3 are not recommended for root development.

In our study location, Merauke Regency, the easternmost city in Indonesia, the sago palm is associated with different types of ecosystems and other non-sago vegetation. During the harvesting season, the white flowers blossoming between the leaves on the tops of palm trees may be distinguished manually. Four classes were determined to address the visual inspections involving different parameters that were examined through the metric evaluation and then analysed statistically. The computed Kruskal-Wallis test found that the parameters vary in each network with a P-value of 0.00341, with at least one class being higher than the others, i.e., non-sago with a P-value of 0.044 with respect to precision, recall, and F1-score. Thus, the general linear model (GLM) was tested specifically in trained Network-15 and Network-17, which have similar parameters except for the batch size. It indicated the two networks' differences based on their prediction results, classes, and actual images. Accordingly, a combination of learning rate (Lr) and batch size improved the reliability of the training and classification task.

In modern conditions, high-precision technologies, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are the basis for increasing the efficiency of agricultural land use and crop productivity. Nowadays, new technology development needs to be improved, so the study and the implementation of various innovations in this field are quite relevant and important. The research aimed to find effective pesticides and a selection of spraying solution norms to increase rapeseed yield. The least significant difference test was used to separate the means of the dependent variables in response to predictor variables at P ≤ 0.05. It was established that herbicides applied using UAV provided effective protection of crops against cereal weeds. The spraying solution (herbicide) Evolution, together with Amigo Star, contributed to destroy of annual cereals by 94–100%, which was at level of effectiveness for ground sprayer application. The higher yield of rapeseed was 4.08 t·ha^–1 for variant with spraying solution by UAV with a consumption rate of 15 L·ha^–1 and corresponding indicator reaches 4.13 t·ha^–1 with a rate of 200 L·ha^–1 for ground-based spraying. The advantage of using UAVs is the quicker application, as well as a lower rate of water consumption for preparing spraying solution, compared to ground spraying.

Fractures of long bones in limbs are rare traumatic events in horses. This study investigates whether the incidence and types of fractures can be related to the histomorphometric features of the radius and tibia, which experience different biomechanical stresses and exhibit varying incidences and types of fractures. Clinical observations suggest that, in adults, slightly transverse and comminuted fractures are present in the radius, while the tibia shows a higher frequency of longitudinal and spiral fractures. Microscopic observations reveal no apparent distinctive characteristics between the radius and tibia, whereas the histomorphometric data highlight differences in the osteon density, eccentricity, and diameters of the osteons and Haversian canals. To sum up, tibial osteons are more numerous and smaller than those in the radius, resulting in a 15% higher total extension of the cement line in the tibia compared to the radius. These histomorphometric differences are an evolutionary adaptation to the different biomechanical stresses that involve the thoracic and pelvic limbs. Our results could help better understand numerous clinical realities detectable through retrospective analyses and aid in evaluating a specific bone’s predisposition towards traumatic events in all mammals, including humans.

Haemotropic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are obligate epierythrocytic bacteria that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. The molecular characterisation of Mycoplasma organisms in dogs has not previously been attempted from India. Hence, in the present study, the molecular characterisation of Mycoplasma spp. in dogs of different zones of Kerala was attempted using 16S rRNA gene. An overall prevalence of 18% for M. haemocanis was detected. The NCBI-BLAST analysis of all the selected sequences revealed > 99% identity with the sequences of M. haemocanis. The phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering of M. haemocanis and M. haemofelis in a single clade indicating low genetic variability. It was further supported by the genetic distance data and haplotype analysis.

This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of Spanish primary producers on waste management practices and different regulatory and administrative proposals. In addition, it identifies the socioeconomic and technical factors influencing these perceptions and highlights the types of agricultural residues that present the greatest management challenges for primary producers. To achieve these objectives, a survey was conducted among 396 primary producers throughout Spain. Results revealed two distinct groups of producers: younger, more educated individuals who showed higher awareness of waste management and older, less educated producers who perceived waste management as less critical. The study also analysed the magnitude of the relationships between these influencing factors and waste management perceptions. Agricultural plastics, biomass, and used oil emerged as the most problematic waste types. The findings suggest the need for a national strategy to improve agricultural waste management in Spain, including awareness campaigns, financial incentives, and stricter regulations to ensure sustainable practices.

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) play multiple roles in plants. As a kind of PRRs, chitin elicitor receptor kinase 1 (CERK1) proteins were reported to function in plant resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens, and tolerance to salt stress. In this study, a predicted cowpea CERK1 homologous gene, designated as VuCERK1, was identified by database search. VuCERK1 protein contains 618 amino acid residues, with a predicted molecular mass of 67.5 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 5.04. VuCERK1 shows 58% and 60% sequence identity with AtCERK1 and OsCERK1, respectively. VuCERK1 also shows similar subcellular pattern with AtCERK1 and OsCERK1, suggesting VuCERK1 may function in cowpea immune responses. Gene expression assay indicated, that VuCERK1 was expressed in four different seedling tissues tested, comprising first leave, epicotyl, hypocotyl and root, and it could be induced by salt stress. Furthermore, transient expression of VuCERK1 in Nicotiana benthamiana induced obvious cell death. In addition, heterologous overexpression of VuCERK1 in Arabidopsis thaliana conferred enhanced disease resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000 hrcC^- (Pto DC3000 hrcC^-).

The present experiment studied the effects of egg composition (egg yolk content; Y) of two different chicken genotypes (selected by computed tomography; CT) on hatched chick growth performance, slaughter traits, and meat quality. Three thousand five hundred eggs per genotype were scanned by CT. Then, for each genotype, eggs were selected according to their Y content: low (21.0 ± 0.88 – 350 eggs), medium (24.5 ± 0.15– 350 eggs) and high (28.3 ± 0.98 – 350 eggs). The remaining eggs were excluded from the study. At 11 weeks of age, 15 chickens per group were slaughtered, carcasses were dissected and breast and legs were excised and dedicated to meat quality evaluations. Many parameters were influenced in the meat-type (EE) chickens, including slaughter, breast and leg weights, and abdominal fat content, whereas only the breast incidence on slaughter weight was affected in Tetra-H hybrid. In neither genotype were the meat traits affected by Y content. Two exceptions were represented by leg thawing loss, higher in low Y group compared to medium and high Y group, and by tibia length, longer in high Y content group than in the medium one, both for EE chickens. Similar findings were observed for the meat fatty acid (FA) profile, as only some single FA were influenced by Y content, however, apparently without a specific physiological meaning. The present work demonstrated that the Y content, measured by CT, allowed to select high-quality meat-type animals characterised by the best productive performances in terms of growth rate, live weight, slaughter weight, breast and thigh weights, and with lower abdominal fat content. These findings would bring positive advantages to hatcheries in terms of chick quality and also to farmers in terms of economic revenues: They would rear robust animals that would guarantee a higher probability of survival in the first rearing period and would be characterised by a high slaughter weight at the end of the productive cycle.

The brown marmorated stink bug [Halyomorpha halys (Stål)] is an invasive pest species. This polyphagous insect, native to Eastern Asia, threatens various cultivated plant species. Control methods often rely on chemical insecticides, but the decreasing use of such agents has prompted a shift towards preventive measures. As a defence mechanism, natural compounds released by plants have gained attention for their potential deterrent or attractant properties. In this study, we evaluated the response of the brown marmorated stink bug to selected chemical substances, including citronellal, hexanal, nonanol, β-caryophyllene, linalool, ocimene, nerolidol, terpinolen, α-humulene, dimethyl sulfide, aggregation pheromone, and ethanol. The experiment was conducted using an olfactometer. Two experiments were performed, comparing the substances against dimethyl sulfoxide and then refining the selection based on initial results; in the first series, nerolidol, ocimene, and terpinolene exhibited promising results as complete deterrents. The second series confirmed nerolidol as the most effective deterrent among all tested substances. These findings contribute to developing preventive strategies for managing the brown marmorated stink bug and reducing reliance on chemical insecticides.

To elucidate the genetic factors contributing to melon resistance against Phelipanche aegyptiaca and comprehend the role of differentially resistant materials in responding to changes in P. aegyptiaca parasitisation, we investigated the P. aegyptiaca-resistant line K16 and the susceptible line K27. The parasitism rate of P. aegyptiaca was assessed at 25 days. Results revealed significant differences in parasitisation rates between K16 (15.35%) and K27 (34.2%). We compared inoculated K16 and K27 to their respective controls through transcriptome analysis and contrasted inoculated K16 with inoculated K27. Eight hundred eighteen genes exhibited differential expression across all comparisons. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in nitrate transport and assimilation, cellular components, extracellular regions, binding and enzyme activities. KEGG pathway enrichment underscored the importance of phytohormone signaling, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism, cyanoamino acid metabolism and nitrogen metabolism in the interaction between melon and P. aegyptiaca. Nine genes potentially associated with P. aegyptiaca resistance were identified, encoding cytochrome protein P450, peroxidases, β-glucosidase, acyltransferase family proteins, histidine phosphotransfer protein, and D-type cyclins. This study aims to provide insights into the mechanism of P. aegyptiaca parasitism on melons and offers implications for breeding resistant varieties

The objective of the presented research was to create an average image of a harvester operator in Poland and to identify factors influencing the degree of mental workload. We used a survey of environmental assessments of workload. The creation of an electronic survey and the support of a company that indirectly employs operators (State Forests) made it possible to reach a large group of surveyed people. The respondents indicated the occurrence of ailments typical of sedentary work at the researched workstation. These included mainly monotony, back pain and numbness in the upper limbs. Stress at work was felt by the majority of respondents; hence the analyses of mental stress, which also translates into other diseases, should indicate key responses to questions regarding comprehensive ergonomic assessments at the researched workstation.

The present study employed response surface methodology (RSM) to optimise the prevention of late blowing defects in cheese during storage. The aim was to enhance the inhibition of Clostridium sporogenes in cheese by manipulating three independent variables: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (utilising two different strains, labelled as A and B, the total cheese inoculation rate was 2% overall and the A : B ratio ranging from 25% to 75%), and lysozyme (ranging from 0 to 0.2 mg·L^–1). The response variables considered in this model cheese study included the Clostridium count, pH, and titratable acidity. The results showed that the optimal conditions for inhibiting C. sporogenes and preventing late blowing defects in cheese were achieved with an L. plantarum A : B ratio of 49.54 : 50.46%, nisin at a concentration of 1.762 mg·L^–1, and lysozyme at 0.2 mg·L^–1. These results demonstrated not only effective inhibition of C. sporogenes, a pivotal contributor to late blowing defects in cheese but also indicated favourable outcomes in terms of acidity parameters, which are crucial quality criteria for cheese production. The application of Response Surface Methodology revealed that late blowing defects can be prevented using relatively lower concentrations of antimicrobial agents, along with a judicious selection of appropriate cultures. This research highlights the potential for more efficient and cost-effective strategies to maintain cheese quality by minimising the risk of late blowing defects.

Mango (Mangifera indica) is extremely perishable with a short shelf life that limits its marketability. Chitosan may extend mango storage by preventing moisture loss and gaseous exchange while preserving the nutritional quality. Therefore, the current study was designed to assess the effect of chitosan on the shelf life and quality of fresh-cut mangoes. Manually cubed mango was dipped into 0 (control), 10, 15, 20, 30, and 50 ppm chitosan solution in airtight jar and stored at ambient (25–28 °C) and refrigeration (4 °C) condition. Changes in various microbial, physical, and chemical characteristics were documented to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in prolonging and sustaining the freshness and quality of mango. Treated mangoes significantly retarded growth of total mold and bacterial counts compared to the control sample in both storage conditions and found it lower under refrigeration. Likewise, chitosan also preserved various fruit quality attributes to a significant extent by retaining vitamin C, fat, titratable acidity, soluble sugar, and protein. However, the refrigerator stored mangoes have better ability to retard moisture loss and drop in sensory quality. Among the other solutions, 10 ppm chitosan solution exhibited better performance in reducing perishability of mango while maintaining prolonged shelf life and quality attributes. Overall, the findings revealed that chitosan solution at low temperature effectively preserves mango quality during storage and offers promising approach for the successful commercialisation of chitosan as a natural preserver for mango sellers and consumers to prolong shelf life.

Two different morphologies of nanocellulose – cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with different contents were added to emulsified sausages to replace pork back fat in different proportions (10%, 30%, and 50%), and the colour, emulsion stability, texture characteristics and dynamic rheological behaviour of emulsified sausages were analysed. The results indicate substituting fat with nanocellulose led the L* (lightness) and a* (redness) values increased and the b* (yellowness) values decreased of the emulsified sausages. Increasing nanocellulose concentration improved the emulsion stability of the sausages. In terms of emulsion stability, the use of CNFs outperformed CNCs, especially for samples substituted with 50% fat. In terms of texture, emulsified sausages where CNCs replaced fat showed lower hardness, viscosity, and chewiness compared to those with CNFs. The dynamic rheological results indicated that when the fat replacement levels were 10% and 30%, samples using CNFs as fat substitute had slightly higher storage modulus (G') values than those using CNCs. However, for 50% fat replacement, samples using CNFs as fat substitute had significantly higher G' values than those using CNCs, which demonstrates that higher CNFs concentrations are more conducive to the formation of a three-dimensional network structure.

Chemical additives can reduce ammonia emissions from ammonium-containing fertilisers. We aimed to investigate the effect of an additive based on carboxylic acid derivatives on ammonia emissions from slurry. In a randomised multi-plot field trial, three slurry treatments with increasing amounts of the additive based on carboxylic acid derivates were tested in comparison to untreated slurry and mineral fertiliser. Ammonia emissions were measured with so-called passive samplers, a method already used in numerous studies. However, problems arose during the evaluation of the collected data, so we examined the methodology used in more detail. The results of the measurements were analysed with regard to their spatial distribution and temporal variation. The results show that the more additives were used, the less ammonia was emitted, up to an emission reduction of 48% at the highest additive application rate. However, the spatial distribution of ammonia emissions reveals a drift of ammonia and, thus, an interaction between the plots. Thus, even in unfertilised plots, ammonia emissions of up to 50% of the treatment with the highest emissions were determined. Furthermore, it was also proven that the different times at which the slurry was applied influenced the level of ammonia emissions. Due to the interaction between the plots and the temporal differences in the application of the slurry, measuring ammonia emissions with passive samplers in multi-plot field trials, as presented in this study, is not suitable to quantify differences between the ammonia emissions from different treatments. Based on these results, recommendations for the use of passive samplers to measure ammonia emissions in field trials are proposed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of continuous application of rice straw and biochar for 10 years on soil humus composition and structure in paddy soil. A 10-year field experiment was conducted in a paddy field and included three treatments: rice straw biochar (SC); rice straw (RS), no biochar or rice straw. The elemental analyser, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with fluorescence regional integration (FRI) analysis were used to study the soil humus composition and structure under different treatments. The results verified that the incorporation of rice straw and biochar significantly improved soil pH values and the soil organic carbon contents compared with the control. Rice straw significantly increased the contents of extractable humus, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid in soil, while biochar only significantly affected HA and humic degree values. The molecular structure of HA affected by biochar is characterised by high humification and aromaticity, but rice straw increased the aliphaticity of the HA structure, as presented by elemental composition. Moreover, 3D EEM spectroscopy combined with FRI analysis showed that RS treatment formed soil humus had more aliphatic compounds, while SC treatment increased the aromatic components of humus. These results suggest that rice straw promotes the renewal of humus, and biochar enhances the humification degree of humus and the aromaticity of HA.

Contour tillage is an agricultural practice that significantly contributes to enhancing water retention, reducing the risk of flooding, and mitigating soil erosion. Information about the tillage direction is used for modelling water and tillage erosion. In our study, we used Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) visualizations, originally developed for archaeological research, to visualise tillage traces and map tillage direction in the Nitra district (SW Slovakia). The tillage traces were visible in all agricultural parcels, on various agricultural fields, under various agricultural crops. The LiDAR visualisations also revealed pre-collectivization field patterns and even prehistorical field patterns in certain areas. Among the 5 961 investigated points, we recorded the application of contour tillage in 30.63% of the cases. The preference for contour tillage varied among farmers, with the highest reported percentage reaching 49.74%. Our analysis did not reveal a significant correlation between the preference for contour tillage and the slope steepness.

Soil salinity is a growing problem for agricultural production in irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions. The extent of salinity levels has not been fully studied in the Kesem irrigation scheme in Ethiopia's Afar region. The objective of the study was to identify the main issues related to soil salinity and their variations, and to assess the influence of environmental variables on soil salinity using multivariate analysis (MVA). The dominant cations in the soil were found to be soluble Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and K+ while SO₄^2-and Cl^- were the dominant anions. These ions are responsible for the salinity in the scheme. Groundwater table surveys showed that cultivated fields experienced greater fluctuations in groundwater levels compared to abandoned land due to frequent irrigation. The first two principal components (PCA) explained approximately 60% and 63% of the total variation in salinity for the top and bottom layers, respectively. The difference between the top and bottom layers suggests a management influence. According to redundancy analysis (RDA), the groundwater depth and length of irrigation years were identified as the major environmental factors contributing to 99% and 52% of the variability in salinity, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of considering the rising groundwater levels in future land management decisions.

A breeding program has been developed for the Latvian warmblood heavy type horses in Latvia, with the aim to preserve this type, because the number of these horses is small and the status of the local endangered breed has been granted. The aim of the study was to analyse the genetic structure, inbreeding and effective population size of the Latvian warmblood heavy type (LSB) horse population. Horses that were living at the time of the study on January 1, 2023 were used for the study. A total of 374 genetic resources live horses were analysed. Population structure analysis, inbreeding and effective population size were investigated. Calculations were done by POPREP (v1.0) software. The effective population size (Ne) decreased, however, since 2018 the decline in the size of the effective population has not been so rapid. In 2000, the Ne was 316 animals, and in 2020, it was 101 animals. Over the years, changes in the average inbreeding level in the LSB population were observed from year to year. In 2000, inbreeding was 1.39%, and in 2020 it was 1.47% with the average inbreeding level of 1.12%. Over the last 20 years, large changes in Ne have been observed, thus, the loss of genetic diversity in the LSB breed should be controlled.

This case report describes the poisoning of two mares from the same paddock with Robinia pseudoacacia (Black locust) bark. The poisoning manifested itself by the sudden onset of weakness and fever with transient improvement after the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and fluids. After the initial stabilisation, the mares were left unattended overnight. One of them was found dead in the morning. The surviving mare developed colic and severe encephalopathy and had to be referred to the clinic. Blood tests revealed severe hyperammonaemia. After four days of symptomatic treatment, she fully recovered. Robinia pseudoacacia with bark freshly bitten off was found in the paddock. The necropsy of the dead mare revealed oedema of the brain and lungs, pleural haemorrhages, and hyperaemia and haemorrhages of the glandular mucosa of the stomach. The intestinal content was watery, without macroscopic findings of the bark. Due to the peracute onset in both mares at the same time, hyperammonaemia and paralytic ileus in the surviving mare, and the presence of Robinia pseudoacacia in the paddock, poisoning with this tree was highly suspected. The diagnosis was confirmed by the microscopic findings of Robinia pseudoacacia bark tissue in the gastric content of the dead mare.

In this study, we attempt to infer the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the intra–European Union (EU) agrifood trade from out-of-sample forecasts. We compare the actual level of trade during the COVID-19 period with counterfactual values derived from univariate forecasting models [regARIMA (Linear regression with autoregressive integrated moving average errors) and Holt-Winters methods]. We analyse agrifood imports and exports of specific EU countries and the EU-27 aggregate on the basis of monthly data for the period from January 2010 to February 2022. The findings reveal a significant decrease in trade activity in the first year of the pandemic that was negatively correlated to COVID-19 restrictions applied by EU countries. Surprisingly, COVID-19 restrictions do not significantly explain the diversified agrifood trade response among EU countries during the pandemic.

The dominant agricultural sector in Slovakia is crop production, with the majority of arable land dedicated to cultivating cereals (57%), followed by fodder crops (20%) and industrial crops (19%). Slovakia has technical and biophysical potential for expanding biomass production. However, it is crucial to identify optimal production practices, alternative costs, and environmental outputs. Farms become more vulnerable to the worldwide threat posed by climate change. Based on research, farmers can effectively mitigate the adverse effects of climate change by making necessary adjustments to their current farming techniques. Thus, by using an advanced tool like integrated farm models, farmers can evaluate and manage a range of risks related to their activities. This paper aims to present the application of integrated modelling frameworks at the farm level and propose a framework for studying the consequences of climate change through a scenario-based approach at the farm level. Integrated assessments provide new insights that complement those derived from more detailed assessments. Based on the model developed, the results of two research questions are provided. Since, from the viewpoint of the farmer, risk and unpredictability associated with lower yields are frequently the main causes of lower income, spatially explicit integrated modelling is applied, enabling economic optimisation of crop production on a selected farm with a focus on maximising net returns while considering biophysical parameters. The modelling results depict the distribution of selected crops on arable land and the most suitable management practices for crop production in terms of nitrogen application and irrigation utilisation. Additionally, we develop an integrated model proposing the estimation of the risk of yield variability and nitrogen emissions for three climate change scenarios for the simulated period of 2020–2100 on the model farm. In response to the problems posed by climate change, this integrated approach can assist evidence-based decision-making and sustainable agriculture practices.

The presence of immature coffee beans reduces the quality of the coffee brew. This study evaluated how the acetic acid affected the aroma and taste of immature compared to mature Robusta coffee. The naturally processed immature Robusta green beans were immersed in acetic acid (0–5%) for 30–90 min. The naturally processed mature Robusta green beans were used as a control treatment. The samples were roasted at a medium level (240 °C, 14 min). The sensory analysis was evaluated by the cupping test by a trained and certified panellist (Q-Grader). Acetic acid immersion significantly improved the sensory quality of immature beans (P < 0.05). Specifically, immersion in 3% acetic acid for 90 min yielded the highest sensory score of 84.92. According to the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) classification, this score falls into the 'Fine' Robusta classification. The 0% 30-min, 3% 30-min, and 3% 90-min treated immature samples and an untreated control mature sample were analysed for pH, caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and volatile compounds. The treatment significantly decreased the chlorogenic acid (P < 0.05) and increased the volatile compound concentration of furans, ketone, pyrrole, aldehyde, and ester while decreasing pyrazines, sulphur, phenol, and alcohol. This study effectively enhanced immature Robusta taste and aroma quality to a degree comparable with mature Robusta coffee beans.

Achieving the desired level of caramelisation in a date powder requires considerable effort. Consequently, an assessment was conducted on efficacy of thin-layer infrared dehydration for date paste. Various parameters were considered, including airflow velocities of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m·s^–1, radiation intensities of 0.076, 0.1528, and 0.228 W·cm^–2, and date paste layer thicknesses of 3 mm and 5 mm. The study's findings indicated a positive correlation between drying rate and lowering airflow velocity and a negative correlation between drying time and decreasing airflow velocity, the thickness of date paste, and rising intensity of infrared. The effective moisture diffusivity (D_eff) was caculated by employing Fick's diffusion equation. For all situations under investigation, the mean values were within the range of 3.94 × 10^–11 m²·s^–1 to 6.01 × 10^–10 m²·s^–1. A relationship has been established between D_eff and moisture content. Seven distinct mathematical models were subjected to rigorous validation by applying non-linear regression analysis, aiming to accurately characterise the drying process of date paste. The modified two-term model provided the most accurate forecast of the drying process for date paste layers.

Cereus hildmannianus is a species with various nutritional and medicinal properties; however, the fruits and flowers have scarcely been explored. In this regard, the study investigated the bioproduction of total sugar content (TSC), total phenolic content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant [DPPH – 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ABTS – 2,2'-azino-bis-(-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)], iron chelation, and prebiotic activities of methanolic extracts from fruits (epicarps – EE, mesocarps – ME) and flowers (sepals – SE, petals – PE) of C. hildmannianus. The chemical profiles of the extracts were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The highest accumulations of TSC were observed in the ME (64%), while the SE also had a high TFC (17 µg QE per mg DW; QE – quercetin equivalents, DW – dry weight) and the EE had a high TPC (646 µg GAE per mg DW; GAE – gallic acid equivalents). A total of 24 compounds (phenolic and organic acids; and glycosylated flavonoids) were putatively identified. The greatest antioxidant activities were obtained with the PE (DPPH: 199 µmol Trolox per mg DW; and ABTS: 59 µmol Trolox per mg DW), while the highest prebiotic effect was obtained with ME and EE regarding both fermentability and production of lactic and acetic acids by multiple species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These promising results of bioactive compounds in the fruits and flowers of C. hildmannianus have potential applications for food and pharmaceutical purposes.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are commonly used in many European and Asian traditional fermented foods such as yogurt, cheese, sourdough, meat, fruit, vegetables, cereal products, sour spring rolls, fish sauce, sour shrimp, chao, ruou nep, tofu. They not only improve the flavour and texture of fermented products but also they inhibit the development of spoilage bacteria as antimicrobial agents. In this study, thirty-five traditional Vietnamese fermented products were collected for isolation, identification, and characterisation of LAB and bacilli. There were fifty-three species of LAB isolated from samples such as Lactococcus lactis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Limosilactobacillus fermentum, Liquorilactobacillus nagelli, Companilactobacillus farciminis, Levilactobacillus brevis, Lactiplantibacillus pentosus, Lactococcus garvieae, Lactilactobacillus sakei, and twenty-one species of bacilli such as Priestia megaterium, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus pumilus, Metabacillus indicus. This study aimed to provide information about the occurrence of LAB and bacilli in traditional fermented foods in Vietnam and their brief characterisation.

Apples and pears are the main temperate fruit tree species, and metabolic disorders may occur during their development and post-harvest storage periods, leading to physiological diseases. In this study, we detected the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme and related metabolites involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism in the pulp of pear with hard-end or cork spot and in the pulp of apple with bitter pit. These three physiological disorders differed in phenylpropanoid metabolism and had similar PAL activity, but their polyphenol, flavonoid, and lignin contents changes were completely. For fruits with the three types of physiological metabolic disorders, the auxin content in the tissues with metabolic disorder symptoms was higher than that in the healthy tissues. In summary, the three physiological disorders showed similar changes in the activities of key enzymes (i.e., PAL) involved in phenylpropane metabolism, but their metabolites significantly differed.

The physiological performance, growth and competitive ability of fruit trees are increasingly affected by the effects of global climate change, very different at a regional level, which mainly causes considerable changes in water availability. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of three sweet cherry cultivars from the Research Station for Fruit Growing (RSFG) Iași, Romania under the climatic conditions of 2022–2023 by performing physiological investigations into the water regime and the transpiration process through the stomatal conductance, the water content of the leaves as well as their dehydration rate after 24 hours. The obtained data were statistically interpreted taking three experimental factors into account: factor A consisted of three distinct phenological stages (full flowering, fruit about 80% of the final size and fruit ripening); factor B constituted by the three cultivars (‘Van’, ‘Andreiaș’ and ‘Margonia’); and factor C was constituted by the canopy area from the samples (internal and external). The experimental variants statistically interpreted by Duncan’s test (P ≤ 0.05) registered significant differences. The Pearson correlation coefficient (R²) between the measured variables obtained positive distinctly significant values of R² = 0.686 (with the stomatal conductance) and negative distinctly significant values of R2 = –0.874 (with the water content). The obtained results will support the development of predictive models for different irrigation and breeding strategies to improve the sweet cherry production in temperate continental climates.

To investigate the regulation mechanism of exogenous plant growth regulators on the sugar accumulation of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits, and to provide theoretical support for improving the sugar content of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits. The expression of fruit sugar fractions and related genes was determined by spraying different concentrations of exogenous  abscisic acid (ABA) and Gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) during the critical period of sugar accumulation in ‘Fengtang’ plum. The results showed that exogenous ABA treatment increased fruit soluble solids content, delayed the decline in fruit firmness, increased fruit sucrose and sorbitol content and decreased glucose and fructose content at 90 and 100 days after flowering, while exogenous GA3 treatment decreased fruit sorbitol and sucrose content and increased glucose and fructose content at 110 days after flowering; Exogenous ABA treatment significantly increased the expression of the fruit sugar transporter protein genes PsSWEET4 and PsSTP1 as well as the sucrose phosphate synthase genes PsSUS4 and PsSPS2 at 90 and 100 days after flowering, whereas exogenous GA3 treatment increased the expression of the neutral converting enzyme genes PsNINV1/3/4 at 90, 100, and 110 days after flowering to convert sucrose to fructose and glucose. The conclusion is that ABA increases fruit sugar content by increasing the expression of the fruit sugar transporter protein genes PsSWEET4 and PsSTP1 as well as the sucrose synthase genes PsSUS4 and PsSPS2, whereas GA3 decreases sugar accumulation and delays fruit ripening by decreasing the accumulation of sugar during ripening by increasing the expression of the neutral transforming enzyme genes PsNINV1/3/4 to break down sucrose into fructose and glucose.

This study determined the effect of tryptophan (Trp) supplementation on the protein abundance of intestinal tight junction and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) in weaned pigs. Ninety-six White × Landrace × Duroc piglets (5.31 ± 0.54 kg) were selected in a growth trial and the experiment lasted for 30 days. The basal diet based on corn and soybean contained Trp at 2.4 g/kg. The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet or a basal diet + 500 mg/kg Trp. On the 31^st day, 12 pigs (1 pig per pen) were randomly selected and slaughtered in order to collect samples for subsequent analysis. Dietary supplementation with Trp improved the villus height and protein abundance of Zonula occludens protein 1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum and the jejunum (P < 0.05), increased the protein abundance of Claudin-1 in the duodenum (P < 0.05) and IDO expression in the ileum (P < 0.05), and reduced the urea nitrogen concentration in the serum and the ZO-1 protein abundance of the ileum in weaned pigs (P < 0.05).