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The current investigation was done to study the impact of adding banana peel powder (BPP) and treatment with microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) on the structure, physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory qualities of yoghurt prepared from camel milk powder during cold storage. BPP analysis showed that it contained high amounts of total phenolics, which were accompanied by strong antioxidant activity. When employed alone or with BPP, MTGase polymerises yoghurt proteins, forming a structure with a high molecular weight above the stacking gel and lacking pores. The levels of protein, total phenolic compounds (TPC), total solids, ash, and antioxidant activity (DPPH – 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) increased after the addition of BPP to yoghurt, even after 21 days of storage. Adding BPP to yoghurt initially decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, which then increased with the storage time. Yoghurt made with BPP and treated with MTGase was more stable with enhanced physicochemical, antioxidant, and sensory qualities during storage when compared to yoghurt made with MTGase alone. The results of the study demonstrated that MTGase is capable of cross-linking yoghurt proteins and that BPP can be applied as a stabiliser, antioxidant, and functional component in yoghurt production.

Carpomyia vesuviana Costa, a fruit fly species, is a major pest affecting the jujube (Ber). This monophagous insect pest causes significant economic losses in regions where the jujube is cultivated. Hence, the present study was conducted to provide a detailed morphometric and molecular analysis of C. vesuviana across various Indian regions, specifically Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Morphometric measurements were conducted for various developmental stages, from the egg to adult. The overall mean length and width of the egg were 0.61 mm and 0.18 mm, respectively, and the fully grown maggot measured 6.19 mm (length) and 1.91 mm (width). The length and width of the prepupa and pupa were 7.67 mm and 1.64 mm, and 4.00 mm and 1.72 mm, respectively. The overall mean length of the female whole body and wing expanse measured 4.74 mm and 3.92 mm, respectively. The overall mean male whole body length and wing expanse were 4.19 mm and 3.56 mm, respectively. The results of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the maggot's length at different stages, pupa length, and egg width were the main contributors to the variability, particularly in the samples from Rajasthan. Additionally, the adult female fly's morphometric traits, such as the wing and thorax measurements, showed regional variations, with the PCA highlighting Punjab's alignment with larger head and abdomen traits. The molecular analysis based on PCR and sequencing of the COXI–COXII region confirmed the species identity. The nucleotide sequence of C. vesuviana from Tamil Nadu and Punjab was deposited in GenBank as PQ198003.1 and PQ198005.1 which had nearly 99% genetic similarity with two sequences NC_071721.1 (Beijing, China) and MT121231.1 (Beijing, China) submitted in the NCBI database. A phylogenetic analysis further demonstrated that the Tamil Nadu and Punjab populations were closely related to an Iranian sample, while samples from other countries, such as the C. schineri.

The genus Solanum comprises numerous wild and cultivated species that are important for potato breeding. This pilot-scale study aimed to evaluate the genetic diversity in 44 accessions from Solanum sect. Petota, comprising wild species, Andean landraces, and modern cultivars, obtained from the Potato Research Institute Havlíčkův Brod, Ltd. and the Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry at the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. Nuclear microsatellite markers (SSR, 29 loci) were applied via five multiplex PCR reactions and analysed using capillary electrophoresis. Binary data matrices were analysed using DARwin software to generate dendrograms reflecting allelic polymorphism. The SSR panel effectively differentiated cultivated accessions from wild types, consistent with the current taxonomy of the genus Solanum, with particularly clear clustering of Andean landraces and modern varieties. However, resolution among wild accessions was limited, likely due to their high genetic complexity and interspecific overlap. These results support the suitability of the SSR panel for analysing diversity in cultivated potatoes. while also highlighting the challenges in resolving wild Solanum taxa. This study contributes to germplasm characterisation and provides a molecular basis for future breeding programmes.

Disturbance regimes in Central European mountain forests are changing under the ongoing climate change, raising questions about how protected areas should respond to increasingly frequent windthrow and bark beetle outbreaks. In Tatra National Park, a major windstorm in 2004 triggered a landscape-scale bark beetle eruption that challenged long-standing expectations that non-intervention alone could safeguard forest ecosystems. Using the Socio-Ecological Systems framework, we combined long-term field observations with archival sources and stakeholder interviews to examine how ecological dynamics, governance structures, and actor perspectives interacted during and after the outbreak. We show that warming, abundant post-storm breeding substrate, and legacy Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) monocultures reduced forest resilience and enabled successive beetle waves. Governance fragmentation led to delayed decision-making, allowing large volumes of wind-felled timber to remain untreated and facilitating its spread into high-naturalness stands. In contrast, evidence from other European countries suggests that timely, spatially focused measures can reduce outbreak duration without compromising conservation values. Our results indicate that in disturbance-prone, spruce-dominated forest systems experiencing climate change, a combination of strict protection in core areas and timely, selective measures in adjacent zones is more likely to maintain resilience and support conservation outcomes than strictly passive or fully interventionist approaches.

Strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV) was detected in 116 samples out of 423 collected from strawberry plants grown in commercial and experimental plantations in seven provinces of Poland. The number of samples infected with strawberry mottle virus (SMoV) accounted for 84.6% of the 26 SMYEV-positive samples selected for sequence analysis. The nucleotide sequence similarity of the coat protein (CP) gene of 26 selected SMYEV isolates ranged from 84.8% to 100%, and 81.4–99.5% identity was found between these isolates and 48 SMYEV strains from different countries. The CP region's phylogenetic analysis showed that most isolates from Poland clustered within group I (type D74). In contrast, Talis and 3233CL isolates represented group III (type MY18), and the San isolate was clustered in group V (type ABY1-01). Recombination analysis of the CP gene sequences detected two possible recombination events. One was noticed in the Argentinian strain 53, which formed group III with isolates from Chile, and Polish isolates Talis and 3233CL. Another was identified in the Chinese strain sy02 sequence with evidence of the same recombination event in Canadian strains, and the Polish isolate San (V group). Leaf epinasty, mottling, and yellowing of the young leaves and dieback of the older leaves were observed on Fragaria vesca 'Alpine' and 'EMC' indicator plants grafted with leaves of strawberry plants co-infected with SMYEV and SMoV. A single infection with SMYEV induced milder symptoms based on these indicators. 

Negative energy balance (NEB) in dairy cows during early lactation significantly contributes to metabolic and infectious diseases, traditionally diagnosed via costly and time-consuming serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) analysis. This study aimed to develop a practical and cost-effective diagnostic test for NEB based on milk components analysed routinely. Data from 692 Holstein cows (5–35 days in milk) located at five Czech dairy farms were analysed using multiple logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results showed that 99 cows (14.3%) were classified as NEB+ (NEFA > 0.6 mmol/l). Cows in the NEB+ group exhibited a significantly higher milk fat content (P < 0.001) and milk fat-to-protein ratio (P < 0.001), and lower lactose concentrations (P < 0.001) compared to NEB− cows. Key indicators of lipomobilisation, such as C18:1, C18:0, and monounsaturated fatty acids (FA), were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in NEB+ cows, while saturated, short-chain, and medium-chain FA were lower (P < 0.001). The developed prediction models, incorporating milk fat and specific FA (e.g. C18:1, C18:0, C14:0), demonstrated high diagnostic efficacy. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) values ranged from 0.84 to 0.92 for individual farms and reached 0.83 for the combined dataset. Using the Index of Union method, optimal cut-off points yielded sensitivities between 0.72 and 0.86, and specificities between 0.72 and 0.85. For the overall model, both sensitivity and specificity were 0.76. In conclusion, the proposed diagnostic test, leveraging milk components, offers a reliable and practical tool for early NEB detection in dairy cows. This facilitates timely intervention, thereby mitigating adverse health and economic impacts. Further validation with larger and more diverse datasets is recommended.

The aim of this article is to demonstrate the difference in the production of ecosystem services depending on the management method using a selected sample of fishponds from the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic and subsequently monetarily to assess this difference. Using 16 fishponds over a 10-year period, the research evaluates key services such as biodiversity conservation, water purification, and fish production, employing the opportunity cost of foregone profits methodology. The results reveal that ecologically managed fishponds provide enhanced ecosystem services at a financial trade-off, with an average annual profit difference of EUR 142 per hectare compared to conventional management. This trade-off translates to a present value of EUR 1 288 per hectare over a decade, reflecting the additional societal value of ecosystem services from ecological management. The findings underscore the economic and ecological challenges faced by stakeholders, particularly fish farmers, in balancing conservation goals with economic viability.

Mountain ecosystems, especially those at the highest altitudes, are sensitive to current climate change. Proxy archives may provide an insightful tool to better understand ongoing changes and evaluate future scenarios. Trees have traditionally been used as such archives, as they often respond sensitively to environmental change. Thus, we studied tree-ring records of forest-line species Abies densa Griff. growing in the Eastern Himalayas, central Bhutan, to evaluate the effect of climate on the growth of this species. The annual chronologies were generated using standard dendrochronological methods and then compared with climatic data from the CRU TS database. The results demonstrate a negative effect of summer temperatures on the width of the annual rings, suggesting possible stress caused by higher temperatures during the monsoon season. On the other hand, a positive effect of temperatures on tree growth was observed during late winter months. The response to rainfall was mixed, with a positive effect on growth in November and a negative effect in May and January, suggesting a later onset of the vegetation season. To our knowledge, we present the first dendroclimatological study on this long-lived species in central Bhutan, portraying its potential for future climate and environmental research and applications.

The natural regeneration of the sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.] is an important aspect of sustainable forest management, especially given the ongoing global climate change and the need to maintain forest stand stability and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of various regeneration methods on the growth of naturally regenerated sessile oak in the Masaryk Forest Training Enterprise Křtiny, Czech Republic. The research was conducted in seven forest stands where regeneration felling was applied after masting in 2022 (winter 2022/2023) using clear-cut (CC) and shelterwood (S) systems. A total of 531 seedlings were collected from these seven research plots, and the following morphological traits were measured: shoot length, root collar diameter, and biomass allocation. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in shoot length, main root length and total seedling length between the CC and S variants. However, there were no significant differences in root collar diameter or any of the dry-mass parameters between the clear-cut with standards (CC1) variant and the shelterwood plots. Individuals from the CC variants have a 10.3–47.0% wider root collar diameter, 22.3–91.4% more dry mass of the root system, and 51.7–90.4% more dry mass of the aboveground part than individuals in the S variants. These results indicate that the early growth of sessile oak seedlings is greatly influenced by light availability: full sunlight stimulates the development of above- and below-ground parts, whereas canopy cover restricts early growth, particularly in terms of height. The findings highlight the need to consider light and site conditions when planning silvicultural treatments aimed at establishing stable and vigorous oak stands in the face of changing climate conditions.

Pumpkin seeds and their oil cake are often treated as by-products, but their composition and high nutritive and biological value makes them a promising material for nutritional enrichment of bakery products. The purpose of this study was to characterise pumpkin seed flour (PSF) and pumpkin seed oil cake flour (PSOCF), and evaluate the effects of their addition on the chemical composition including the fatty acid composition, textural parameters, sensorial characteristics and antioxidant activity of the wheat bread. Six experimental bread samples with 5, 10 and 15% of PSF or PSOCF added to wheat basic formulation, and a control wheat sample, were produced. Results indicated that addition of PSF and PSOCF led to higher ash, cellulose, protein, fat, total carotene and unsaturated fats content, which means that the experimental bread samples had a higher nutritional value. PSF addition had more positive effect on the textural characteristics and antioxidant activity of bread, than PSOCF addition. All bread samples (evaluated by 5-point scale multiplied with the coefficient of importance) had very high sensory quality (89.88–96.59% of maximal possible quality). The results confirmed that PSF and PSOCF are suitable for use in food industry for nutritional enrichment of wheat bread and related products.

Innovation is the driver of sustainable business development and is essential to promote high quality econo-mic development in the country. Are more bank loans better for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovation? Therefore, based on mixed cross-sectional data of county sweet potato processing enterprises, this study applied the econometric model to explore the impact of bank loans on county agrifood SMEs innovation. We find that there is an 'inverted U-shaped' relationship between bank loans and county agrifood SMEs innovation. The analysis of the mechanism shows that bank loans can not only alleviate the problem of innovation financing constraints for agrifood SMEs, but also provide financial support for the innovation activities of agrifood SMEs as a result of trade openness. This study has important practical implications for promoting county agrifood SMEs innovation in China and promoting high-quality county economic development.

Agroecosystems provide a number of ecosystem services that are essential to human well-being.  The valuation of these services by stakeholders offers important information that can be used to manage them more efficiently. In agroecosystems, individual stakeholder preferences can be heterogeneous and even opposing. This paper puts forward a novel analytical framework based on game theory to integrate the valuation of ecosystem services by different stakeholders into agroecosystem management. To illustrate it, the agricultural region of Los Vélez (south-eastern Spain) is used and three game modalities are applied (prisoner’s dilemma, common-pool resource game and battle of the sexes). Results indicate that the use of game theory contributes to more effective conflict resolution between stakeholders with different interests and priorities, making it easier to reach consensus on optimal management strategies. This approach can guide policymakers in the design and implementation of socially accepted agroecosystem management policies.

The common 1% oil cleanup criterion was tested for pasture production according to oil type and concentration, in soil types frequently contaminated in southeastern Mexico. Reductions in aerial biomass of Brachiaria humidicola were measured over six months in soils contaminated with crude oils of varying grades (light, medium, heavy, and extra-heavy). Dose-response curves for heavy crude-contaminated soils showed acceptable criteria (90% pasture) of 0.71, 0.56, 1.23, ~0.20 and < 0.10% oil for an Arenosol, Vertisol, Gleysol, Fluvisol and an Acrisol, respectively. Generally, for all crude oils, the 1% level resulted in pasture reductions of ~20–70, ~25–60, ~50–65, and ~35–65% in the Arenosol, Vertisol, Fluvisol, and Acrisol, respectively. Still, in the Gleysol it was variable (reduction of ~10% to an increase of ~15%). Thus, the 1% oil cleanup criterion may be suitable for some soils with large amounts of smectite clays and organic matter (such as Gleysols). Still, for most soils, it may not be strict enough to prevent soil fertility deterioration, and soils with large amounts of non-smectite fines may be particularly impacted. Therefore, lower cleanup levels need to be considered, as well as low-cost regenerative agricultural practices to recover soil fertility in contaminated soils, when these cleanup levels are not achievable.

The Ili region hosts China’s largest lavender cultivation base, yet soil bacterial diversity in its primary cultivation areas remains understudied. To address this, we compared soil bacterial communities across four major cultivation counties (Chabuchar, Agricultural Research Institute, Yining, and Huocheng). Essential oil profiles, soil properties, and bacterial community characteristics were analysed to elucidate microbial variations and environmental interactions. The results showed that: (1) The essential oil yield (1.14%) and linalool content (41.04%) in the Huocheng County cultivation area were significantly higher than those in other areas, and the essential oil quality was relatively the best; (2) the soil bacterial communities in different main cultivation areas shared certain commonalities. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Gemmatimonadota, and Actinobacteriota were the dominant phyla, and their relative abundances varied by region and soil layer, and (3) the redundancy analysis results showed that soil bacterial communities were comprehensively affected by environmental factors such as pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, soil organic carbon, longitude, and altitude. The significant positive correlations between the abundance of Vicinamibacteraceae (Acidobacteriota) in Huocheng County soils and both soil total phosphorus and linalool content suggest a putative mechanism whereby this bacterial taxon enhances lavender terpenoid synthesis by facilitating phosphorus cycling. Overall, these results suggest that geographically driven climatic variations dynamically alter the soil bacterial community, thereby influencing lavender growth and the final essential oil quality.

Drought is a major abiotic stress limiting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) productivity. We evaluated 17 spring barley genotypes at the early leaf development stage under controlled laboratory conditions with optimal and drought treatments, integrating physiological, biochemical, and molecular traits. Drought reduced relative water content (–1.3% to –3.2%), plant height (–14.7% to –29.6%), and dry biomass (–2.3% to –24.9%), while inducing strong proline accumulation (+23.6% to +454%) and pigment loss (chlorophyll a –10.1% to –79.5%; carotenoids –6.2% to –70.9%). Principal component and discriminant analyses identified plant height and chlorophyll a as the most reliable discriminators, whereas relative water content was less predictive of the species. Multivariate stratification separated tolerant (Argument, Exalis, Slaven, Malz, Valis), intermediate (Laudis 550, Tango, Kompakt, LG Belcanto, SK Levitus), and sensitive (Kangoo, LG Tosca, LG Flamenco, Karmel, Bojos, Nitran, Tadmor) groups of genotypes. Gene expression profiling of 12 genotypes revealed a modest induction of HvABF2 (1.77-fold), moderate upregulation of HvSOD1 (1.82-fold) and HvAPX1 (2.28-fold), and the strongest response in HvP5CS (3.29-fold), which did not consistently correlate with tolerance. Tolerant genotypes combined growth stability, pigment retention, and moderate osmotic adjustment, whereas sensitive genotypes relied on excessive proline accumulation, resulting in severe pigment and growth penalties. Overall, drought tolerance in barley at the early growth stage emerged from the coordinated regulation of growth, photoprotection, and stress-gene activation, providing a foundation that can guide the selection of genotypes for subsequent validation under field conditions and future breeding programmes.

The avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high value fruit crop in Indonesia. This exotic commodity is affected by dieback disease, an unrecorded disease in the country that threatens the production. The objectives of the present study were to characterise the pathogen and culturable non-pathogenic fungi associated with the dieback disease of avocado plants. Fungal isolates were collected from branches of avocados showing dieback symptom in the Standard and Instrument Tropical Fruit Applied Institute (SITFAI) experimental orchards during 2022–2023. A total of 17 fungal isolates selected from 73 fungal isolates isolated from three location were characterised morphologically, molecularly, phylogenetically, and by pathogenicity tests. The fungal isolates were tested for their pathogenicity to the local variety of avocado with two stages and three replications. The identification of the fungal species was conducted on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis obtained from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 28S region of the ribosomal DNA, and translation elongation factor 1 (TEF1). The results revealed that the artificial inoculation of Avo7 and Avo3.2 isolates, identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, caused necrosis and wilt symptoms on the avocado seedlings. Several fungal species from the Botryosphaeriaceae, Eurotiomycetes, and Sordariomycetes groups were found alongside the pathogen responsible for causing the dieback symptoms in the avocados. The most frequently isolated genera were fast growing, Botryosphaeriaceae (58.9%), followed by Penicillium spp. (20.5%), Pestalotiopsis spp. (15.1%) and Colletotrichum spp. (5.4%). The information in this article should be used as new insights about the incidence of dieback disease caused by L. theobromae and proper management strategies against dieback disease on avocado need to be developed.

The response of carabid beetles to extensive livestock farming and vegetation structure in two traditionally managed 'dehesa' ecosystems was investigated. From March 2011 to January 2012, sampling was done, using pitfall trapping, on two forestry farms located in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park (Córdoba, Spain), both with hunting use, but one of them also with a heavy livestock load. On each forestry farm, two sampling plots were selected according to the vegetation structure. Faunal differences were proved through the ecological indices, and the faunal uniqueness was checked by the Coldwell and Coddington Complementarity Analysis. To identify the most influential factor on the carabid biodiversity, a Generalised Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) was performed. Results show that abundance and richness are higher in the plots with open vegetation, similarly like the number of recorded tribes. Nevertheless, the ecological indices do not reflect any significant differences. The complementarity between different vegetation structures exceeds that of the exploitation types. In fact, the GLMM analysis indicated that the livestock itself does not have a significant effect on the fauna. In addition, all exclusive, rare or endemic species came from the closed vegetation plots, suggesting that these areas may act as a reservoir of unique species in terms of biodiversity.

This study investigates the long-term effects of pine (Pinus nigra) afforestation on soil characteristics in comparison to adjacent pastureland in central Kosovo. Soil samples (n = 24) were collected from two land-use types, pine plantations and grassland, over three topographic positions (lower, medium, upper) and two depths (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm). Standard laboratory techniques were used to determine soil organic matter (SOM), organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), pH (H₂O and CaCl₂), available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and bulk density (BD). The data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation matrices. The top soils (0–10 cm) beneath pine had higher soil organic matter (mean 2.45%) compared to the pasture lane (1.59%). The SOC and TN levels increased by 43% and 36%, respectively. Soil pH was lower under pine (mean pH_H₂O = 6.3) than under pasture land (pH_H₂O = 6.81), particularly on middle and lower slopes. Exchangeable calcium and magnesium declined by up to 20% under pine plantations, and bulk density also decreased (for example, 1.15 g·cm^–3 under pine land compared to 1.29 g·cm^–3 under pasture land), signifying reduced compaction. Phosphorus concentrations were slightly higher under pasture at a depth of 0–10 cm (mean 12.4 mg·100 g^–1), but under pine, they increased at a depth of 10–20 cm on top slopes. PCA showed differentiation based on land use, with the initial two components representing 70.1% of the overall variance.

Wood density is a fundamental functional trait influencing ecological adaptation, hydraulic safety, and timber utilisation in temperate hardwoods. This study investigated variation in wood density (12% moisture) across mature stands of two economically and ecologically vital European oak species, sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.] and English oak (Quercus robur L.), growing in their characteristic vegetation zones in the Czech Republic. We assessed wood density at two heights (at 1.3 m and at the crown base) across six trees per plot and examined its relationship with tree-ring width and height. Results demonstrated statistically significant interspecific differences, with Q. petraea consistently exhibiting higher wood density (721 kg·m⁻³) than Q. robur (662 kg·m⁻³) at 1.3 m. Q. petraea showed a statistically nonsignificant higher density of 710 kg·m⁻³ at the crown base and an overall average of 717 kg·m⁻³, while Q. robur had densities of 701 kg·m⁻³ and 669 kg·m⁻³, respectively. Radial density profiles revealed species-specific patterns, with Q. robur showing a more uniform density distribution than the pronounced pith-to-bark gradients observed in Q. petraea. Regression analysis indicated that tree-ring width explained only 12–13% of the variance in density, so other anatomical factors, such as latewood proportion and tree-ring structure (number and cell size), should be examined as anatomical drivers of wood-density variation.

This study compares the bioactive compound contents and volatile profiles of products obtained from the ‘Nero’ variety of aronia (Aronia melanocarpa L.) fruits subjected to three different drying methods: freeze drying, vacuum drying, and hot air drying. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. The highest values were observed in the freeze-dried samples, with 67.9 mg GAE·g^–1 dry weight (DW), 41.7 mg CE·g^–1 DW, and 88.6% antioxidant activity, respectively. Vacuum drying resulted in moderate levels of bioactive compounds, while hot air drying yielded the lowest values. Volatile compound analysis, based on relative peak areas obtained from Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), indicated that freeze drying retained the highest levels of key aroma compounds, including hexanal (15.4%), ethyl acetate (13.9%), methyl acetate (5.7%), benzaldehyde (5.2%), 1-butanol (4.4%), linalool (3.5%), hexane (3.3%), and 2-nonanol (3.1%). The heatmap and ANOVA analyses consistently demonstrated that the drying method had a significant effect on volatile compound retention, with freeze drying identified as the most effective technique for preserving the native aroma profile. One-way ANOVA showed statistically significant differences between groups (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis via Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed clear distinctions in both bioactive profiles and volatile compositions across the drying methods. Overall, freeze drying proved to be the most effective method for preserving both bioactive and volatile components in dried ‘Nero’ aronia fruits.

This review evaluates the role of food waste reuse in sustainable food production, its associated health benefits, and technological advances in bioactive ingredient extraction. The research demonstrates that recycling bioactive food ingredients not only reduces food waste but also increases nutritional value, supports sustainability goals, and creates economic opportunities in the food industry. The process has been shown to enable the development of functional food ingredients, nutraceuticals (health-promoting food supplements), and biodegradable packaging solutions. The integration of biotechnological applications, microbial fermentation, and innovative processing methods has the potential to utilise food waste in the production of value-added products such as functional foods, biomaterials, and biofuels. The development of renewable technologies further enhances this potential. Overcoming safety risks, optimising extraction processes, and implementing global policies supporting food waste recycling are key to making sustainable solutions more effective and widespread. As new approaches emerge in research, the reuse of food waste and, therefore, achieving the zero waste goal will be facilitated by reducing the need for raw materials and increasing the added value in the food industry.

To enhance the biomechanical database of plant root systems for soil reinforcement and erosion control in arid and semi-arid regions, and to provide a scientific basis for selecting superior native shrub and herb species in forestry and grassland measures for desertification control in central and western Inner Mongolia, this study investigated the root-soil interfacial friction characteristics of five typical native plant species – Caragana korshinskii and Hippophae rhamnoides, the semi-shrub Hedysarum mongolicum, and the perennial herbs Medicago sativa and Astragalus adsurgens – in two widely distributed non-zonal soils: loessial soil and aeolian sandy soil. Single-root pull-out tests were conducted on indoor-prepared root-soil composite samples to examine their responses to varying soil moisture levels. The results showed that within a soil moisture range of 4.6% to 20.6%, the single-root pull-out resistance and shear strength of all five species in both soil types followed a quadratic model Y = ax² + bx + c (with all multiple correlation coefficients > 0.5), initially increasing and then decreasing with rising moisture content. Peak values occurred at 8.6% moisture, with consistently higher values observed in loessial soil than in aeolian sandy soil. This indicates an optimal soil moisture level for maximising root-soil interfacial friction resistance. Among the species, Hippophae rhamnoides and Medicago sativa exhibited superior pull-out performance in both soils, with Hippophae rhamnoides showing greater sensitivity to environmental variations in loessial soil. Redundancy analysis identified soil type and moisture content as key factors explaining variations in root pull-out shear strength. These findings demonstrate that mixed-species plantations, leveraging complementary root traits, can form more complex and stable root-soil structures, thereby enhancing surface soil mechanical stability. Further research is needed to elucidate the adaptive mechanisms linking plant traits, environmental conditions, and biomechanical characteristics.

The current study aimed to characterise indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains for their potential use in agricultural broad-spectrum pest control. Twenty-nine Bt strains were isolated from soil in southeastern Kazakhstan. All isolates were Gram-positive and formed endospores. Species identification was conducted by sequencing the gyrase B (gyrB) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified gyrB gene regions were compared with those in the NCBI database, confirming that the isolates were native Bt strains with high homology to known Bt strains (99–100%). In addition, the strains were screened for the presence of genes encoding 11 different crystalline endotoxins using PCR with universal primer pairs. The PCR results showed the distribution frequencies of cry, cyt, and vip genes among the strains: cry1 (100%), vip3 (100%), cry2 (83.3%), cry4 (20%), and cyt1 (30%). PCR revealed diverse gene profiles among the Bt strains, with 5 distinct profiles identified. Regarding insecticidal activity, strains Bt8, Bt11, Bt26, and Bt28 demonstrated high pathogenicity, with mortality rates ranging from 97% to 100% against codling moth caterpillars, outperforming other Bt isolates.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a cornerstone in the management of canine osteoarthritis (OA), despite concerns regarding their long-term safety. Among non-pharmacological alternatives, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy has gained attention for its potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, although veterinary-specific evidence remains limited. This randomised, controlled pilot study compared the clinical efficacy of PEMF therapy versus NSAID treatment (Mavacoxib) in 16 dogs with clinically and radiographically confirmed OA. Dogs were randomly assigned to receive either a 12-session PEMF protocol over 45 days or a standard Mavacoxib regimen. Clinical evaluations included pain scores (VAS), pain on palpation, lameness severity (NRS), gait analysis (GLS and TPI), muscle circumference, and radiographic progression. Assessments were performed at baseline (T0), 30 days (T1), and 60 days (T2). PEMF therapy showed earlier improvements in pain, lameness, and muscle mass, and a favourable trend in joint mobility. No significant differences were detected in gait or radiographic parameters between groups. These preliminary findings suggest that PEMF is non-inferior to NSAIDs and highlight its potential role in multimodal OA management. Limitations include a small sample size and a short follow-up. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results in larger cohorts.

In the contemporary era, organisations have embraced the internet as a platform through which they disseminate information about their economic activities and their corporate social responsibility, including their environmental responsibility. Consequently, the extent to which an organisation's actions are visible on its website can be taken as an indicator of its commitment to environmental issues. The present article proposes a model for evaluating the environmental commitment of agri-food companies through the visibility of objective information on their environmental actions on their websites. The information is presented in tabular form, consisting of 33 items, and the combination of these with a predetermined weight gives an index called the Environmental Commitment Web Index (ECWI). The model was applied to all large and medium-sized Spanish wineries in 2018 and 2024. The findings indicate an improvement in the environmental commitment of these wineries, as reflected by the doubling of the ECWI during this period from 9.8 points in 2018 to 20.2 points in 2024. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of these wineries were regarded as exhibiting a 'very poor' environmental commitment: 94.2% in 2018 and 81.4% in 2024. It is concluded that all large and medium-sized Spanish wineries should undertake sustained endeavours to disseminate environmental initiatives on their websites.

Honey is one of the oldest traditional medicines that has been highly reputed and widely used for the treatment of several human diseases for thousands of years. The purpose of this study was to: (i) evaluate and compare the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of Shawkiat and Rabiee honeys with those of Manuka honey against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus; (ii) assess the anti-virulence potential of these honeys, by examining their impacts on the expression of five selected genes in E. coli and seven genes in S. aureus that have been previously shown to be involved in the microcolony, biofilm and virulence in the test organism. The antibacterial, antibiofilm and anti-virulence activities of these honeys against both bacteria were investigated by agar well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), growth curve, time-kill curve, microtiter plate and reverse transcription-quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The susceptibility tests showed promising antibacterial activities of Shawkiat and Rabiee honeys compared with Manuka honey against E. coli and S. aureus. The results showed that Manuka honey possessed the lowest MIC value against both bacteria with 20% (w/v) MIC and MBC of 25% (w/v). Slightly higher MIC values were shown by Shawkiat and Rabiee honeys against both bacteria with 25% (w/v) MIC and 50% (w/v) MBC values compared with Manuka honey. Growth curves demonstrated no growth of the two bacteria after treatment with MIC of all the tested honeys. Shawkiat and Rabiee honeys showed that both bacteria lost viability comparably with Manuka honey. The lowest concentration of Shawkiat and Rabiee honeys was able to inhibit and eradicate the biofilm of both bacteria compared with Manuka honey. The qPCR analysis showed that the expression of all the selected genes in both bacteria after treatment with all the tested honeys was downregulated and shared a similar overall pattern of gene expression, with a trend toward reduced expression of the virulence genes of interest. The results of this study indicate that Jordanian honeys possess antibacterial, antibiofilm and anti-virulence activities comparably with Manuka honey. This study revealed that Jordanian honey compared with Manuka honey inhibits E. coli and S. aureus planktonic cells and biofilm through the downregulation of genes required for growth, biofilm formation and motility.

Northeast China boasts abundant resources of cold mountain grapes. This study focused on three varieties of cold mountain grape brandy, Beibing Hong (BBH), Shuanghong (SH), and Zuoshanyi (ZSY), with varying ageing periods to investigate changes in their physicochemical properties, nutrients, and aroma compounds. Results showed that alcohol content and pH gradually decreased with ageing, while total acidity (including inorganic acids) increased. Specific organic acids declined over time, whereas polyphenolic compounds increased with longer ageing. Furthermore, the total quantity of aroma substances in all three brandies was positively correlated with ageing duration, with 18-month-aged BBH brandy exhibiting the highest content and the richest aromatic variety. Clustering analysis via heat maps revealed that brandies aged 12 and 18 months grouped together, showing that ageing time correlated positively with most esters and alcohols and negatively with acids. No significant variations were observed in the contents of terpenes, aldehydes and ketones among the three brandy varieties.

In this study, we present a detailed geochemical characterisation and stable isotope systematics of silver (Ag) in a mining waste facility at the Namib Lead & Zinc mine in Namibia (Africa). We examined a series of flotation tailings and ore minerals to address two principal questions: (1) the distribution, chemical form and leachability of Ag, and (2) the local Ag isotopic signature(s) and its variability in relation to Ag speciation in the solid phase, as well as the fate of stable Ag isotopes. Our findings reveal a significant correlation between Ag and Pb concentrations, indicating that galena is the primary Ag carrier. Most importantly, all mild extractions mobilised only a minimal amount of Ag (≤ 1 wt.% of the total amount). This suggests that most Ag is associated with geochemically stable phases, specifically sulphides, which are not subjected to leaching and/or intensive weathering. Unlike other isotope studies, the present research demonstrates a homogeneous Ag isotopic signal in the tailings and individual ore samples with an average δ¹⁰⁹Ag value of ~ 0‰ (± 0.1, 2SD). Therefore, this study provides new knowledge and clearly supports the use of Ag isotopic data to track primary Ag sources globally, not only in Africa.

Alpine meadows, one of the most widespread and important vegetation types on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, are facing severe degradation. This study examines how degradation affects soil medium and trace elements in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, along with their relationships with plant traits and soil properties. Results indicate that alpine meadow degradation significantly reduces vegetation coverage, height, biomass, soil water content (SWC), and the levels of soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P), while increasing soil bulk density (BD), pH, and potassium (K) content. Soil Ca, Zn, and Mo decrease with degradation, whereas Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Ni, and Co increase, with Ca, Fe, and Mn showing the strongest changes. Correlation and redundancy analyses indicate that aboveground biomass, SWC, SOC, N, and P positively correlate with Ca, Mo, and Zn, while pH, BD, and K associate with Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, and Cu. Therefore, alpine meadow degradation significantly influences the distribution of certain soil physicochemical properties and medium and trace elements in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Meanwhile, these medium and trace elements are also affected by specific soil physicochemical properties. Future grassland restoration should consider not only macronutrients and basic soil properties but also key elements like Ca, Fe, and Mn. This study provides foundational data for the ecological restoration of degraded alpine meadows.

This study reports layered double hydroxides (LDHs) modified wheat straw biochar (W-B), denoted as (LDH/W-B), as an efficient adsorbent material for removal of lead (Pb²⁺) ions from aqueous solution. This study also juxtaposes the adsorptive performance of LDH/W-B with W-B for Pb²⁺ removal. W-B was prepared via pyrolysis of wheat straw in a muffle furnace, using a controlled heating rate of 5 °C per min to reach 600 °C over a duration of three hours. Subsequently, LDH/W-B was synthesised using the co-precipitation method. Both resulting adsorbents were characterised for surface morphology and functional groups by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The influence of key adsorption parameters on the adsorption efficiency of W-B and LDH/W-B was systematically evaluated. At 60 min, the maximum Pb²⁺ removal efficiency was observed to be 78.21% for W-B and 92.4% for LDH/W-B. An increase in adsorbent dosage from 0.05 to 0.7 g and at a contact time of 1 h further enhanced Pb²⁺ removal, achieving efficiencies of 97% for W-B and 99% for LDH/W-B. The optimal conditions for maximum Pb²⁺ removal were determined to be 0.3 g of adsorbent (W-B and LDH/W-B), an initial heavy metal concentration of 10 mg/L, and a contact time of 1 h. Pb²⁺ removal data of W-B and LDH/W-B best fitted to the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model, which confirmed the dominance of chemisorption of Pb²⁺ ions. Additionally, the maximum theoretical adsorption capacity for Pb²⁺ is close to the experimentally obtained values, suggesting that the adsorption of Pb²⁺ primarily occurs through monolayer formation on the surface of both adsorbents. Overall, this study demonstrates that LDH/W-B is a highly promising adsorbent for Pb²⁺ removal in wastewater treatment applications.