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The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of cartilage damage biomarkers in the blood and urine in 76 clinically healthy German Shepherd dogs. We grouped the dogs into 4 groups by age. All the groups were consistently made up of 19 dogs. The mean age and average body weight were established for all the dog groups. The blood was collected from the vena cephalica antebrachii or the vena saphena medialis and the urine sample was taken by us-guided cystocenthesis. The biomarkers were determined using quantitative sandwich ELISA kits. The mean values of the biomarkers ± SD were, for the urine biomarkers, CTX-I 3.29 ± 1.16 ng/ml, CTX-II 1 993.95 ± 777.04 ng/ml, and TIMP-I 392.80 ± 160.56 ng/ml, and for the blood biomarkers, MMP-9 89.85 ± 50.21 ng/ml and PIICP 19.19 ± 7.33 ng/ml. Based on the obtained values of the mean 95%, we expect a standard for CTX-I 5.05 ng/ml, CTX-II 3 204.26 ng/ml, TIMP-I 606.64 ng/ml, MMP-9 187.93 ng/ml, and PIICP 31.71 ng/ml.

Nutrition is an important part of the critical care. The goals of this prospective clinical study were to create a scoring system for the assessment of patient nutritional status and to compare continuous and intermittent bolus feeding of enteral nutrition (EN). A total of 38 patients (21 dogs and 17 cats) were divided into Group C (continuous feeding; 23 patients) and Group I (intermittent feeding; 15 patients). The following variables were recorded for each patient in both groups: gastrointestinal (GI) complications, changes in body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), muscle condition score (MCS), veterinary nutritional status score (VetNSS), length of hospitalisation and outcome. The normality of the data was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and the t-test were used in statistical analyses. Significant changes were found in VetNSS and BW between the 1^st and 5^th day in Group C. The VetNSS seems to be useful for monitoring the nutritional status of hospitalised patients. Anorectic dogs and cats can be successfully supported with either continuous or intermittent feeding methods with a similar risk of GI complications and outcomes.

To address the issue of low soil nutrients and low crop yields in coastal alkaline salines, a field experiment of straw combined with plastic film mulching in coastal alkaline salines was conducted in this study to explore the effects of different treatments on soil nutrients, enzyme activities and maize yield. Four treatments, including no mulching (NM), straw mulching (SM), plastic film mulching (PM), and straw mulching combined with plastic film mulching (SP), were set up during 2019–2020. In the 0–20 cm soil layer, compared with NM, the soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil catalase activity (SCA) of SM significantly increased by 23.4% and 46.2%, respectively (P < 0.05). The soil total nitrogen (STN), soil available phosphorus (SAP), available potassium (SAK), sucrase activity, urease activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and maize yield (MY) of SP significantly increased by 40.7, 26.8, 13.9, 34.6, 73.8, 36.2 and 19.0%, respectively (P < 0.05). SOC, STN, SAP, SAK and SCA were significantly correlated with MY. Therefore, straw mulching combined with plastic film mulching has the best effect on increasing soil nutrients, soil enzyme activity, and maize yield and is suitable for promotion and application in coastal alkaline salines.

Denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox), and ferric iron reduction coupled with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Feammox) are the nitrogen removal pathways in natural ecosystems. In this study, the differences between these three nitrogen removal pathways in a Phragmites australis covered site (LW), artificial grassland covered site (CD), poplar covered site (YD), and topsoil tillage after harvesting reed site (GD) in the Yinchuan Yellow River wetland were investigated using isotope tracing, metagenome, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) techniques. No ³⁰N₂ accumulation was detected in ¹⁵NH₄⁺ addition incubations, indicating that Feammox was weak in all sites, which is consistent with a low abundance of the Feammox functional bacteria Acidimiprobiaceae sp. A6. The denitrification rates were 0.36 (LW), 0.5 (CD), 0.76 (YD) and 0.12 (GD) mg N/kg/day. The Anammox rates were 0.18 (LW) and 0.26 (GD) mg N/kg/day; other sites did not detect Anammox rate. Denitrification was the dominant pathway except for the CD site. The YD site had the highest abundance of denitrification genes, which was consistent with the denitrification rate.

Vegetables are considered as the major source for opportunistic and emerging pathogens due to their diverse microbiome. Utilising bacterial endophytes and other bacterial agents to control a variety of economically important plant diseases is vital for achieving sustainable agriculture. Within internal plant tissues, bacterial endophytes form colonies without apparent injury. These bacteria provide several advantages for plant systems, including the direct stimulation of plant development through the creation of metabolites or phytohormones. Importantly, bacterial endophytes play a dual role by safeguarding their plant host through the biocontrol of pathogens and induction of the plant's innate immune system. This review offers a methodical and inclusive examination of the current state of endophytic diversity of bacteria, their methods of plant colonisation and their potential functions as protective agents against plant diseases. The review concludes by proposing diverse effective strategies for applying endophytic bacteria as a biological agent aiming to safeguard vegetable crop plants and enhancing the resilience of agricultural products.

Resveratrol and polydatin are stilbenes with notable antioxidant and health benefits, making them important compounds in health promotion, grapevine production, and oenology. This study aimed to monitor the trans isomers of these compounds in twelve grape varieties (red and white), grown under organic production (OP) and conventional production (CP) systems. A novel high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was developed and validated, demonstrating sensitivity and reliability for the quantification of the mentioned stilbenes. The method was applied to real samples, enabling the evaluation of the influence of production systems on the presence of the analysed compounds. The research included some of the most widely cultivated domestic and international varieties in the examined region. The obtained results revealed a significant impact of the production system and grape colour on resveratrol and polydatin content. OP consistently yielded a higher content of both compounds, compared to CP. Furthermore, red varieties showed higher overall stilbene levels than white ones. ‘Shiraz’ variety was an exception, with high levels of both compounds under CP. All the obtained findings highlight the role of the production system in enhancing bioactive compound content in grapes. The study provides valuable insights for optimising viticulture, supporting plant resilience, and improving the nutritional qualities of grape-derived products.

Soil salinisation is a key determinant in soil fertility decline, exerting a direct negative impact on soil organic carbon. In the context of global warming, investigating the response mechanisms of soil organic carbon pools with varying salinity levels to climate change is essential for accurately assessing the carbon cycle and emission potential of degraded soils. Based on soil samples (B1–B6) collected along a coastal salinity gradient, indoor incubation experiments were conducted at 15 °C and 25 °C to characterise soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity (Q10). Double-exponential models were used to simulate soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralisation, characterising active and stable organic carbon pools. The results demonstrated that the Q₁₀ value of the stable organic carbon pool (7–8% of SOC mineralisation) was 103% higher than that of the active organic carbon pool (the initial 1% of SOC mineralisation). The Q₁₀ value of the stable organic carbon pool was 32.6% higher at the high-salinity sites (B1, B2) than at the low-salinity sites (B4, B5). Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen (TN), and total salt (TS) were key regulators of Q₁₀. The Q₁₀ of the active organic carbon pool correlated positively with SOC and TN but negatively with TS, whereas the stable pool showed the opposite trends. The stable organic carbon pool exhibits a salinity-amplified Q₁₀, implying that predictive models must account for this mechanism to avoid substantially underestimating carbon losses from degraded saline soils.

The impact of exogenously applied glycine betaine (GB; 0, 5, 10, 20 and 50 mmol) was evaluated in preventing Vigna radiata from the adverse effects of salt (100 mmol NaCl) stress. Salinity reduced growth parameters, such as plant height and fresh and dry weight of plants, while GB application significantly alleviated the decline. Salinity stress led to a decline in total chlorophylls and carotenoids, as well as a reduction in the net photosynthetic rate and gas exchange attributes, including stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, and intercellular CO₂. However, GB supplementation significantly alleviated this decline. Salinity stress increased the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and methylglyoxal, while as applied GB reduced their accumulation, causing a significant decline in the lipid peroxidation. Application of GB, at all concentrations, increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes under normal and salinity stress treatments with 10 and 20 mmol concentrations, imparting the highest increase. Increase in the radical scavenging activity due to GB application was also supported by increased total antioxidant activity assays measured as percent DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging. In addition, GB-supplemented plants exhibited an apparent increase in the activities of glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II enzymes. Accumulation of osmotic compounds like proline, sugars and GB increased significantly due to GB application and showed a further increase in salt-stressed plants. More importantly, the GB-treated plants exhibited a considerable decline in sodium accumulation, causing a decline Na/K in them. Glycine betaine was effective in mitigating the deleterious effects of salinity.

The unsustainable conversion of forest areas into agricultural land poses a serious danger to the soil eminence of Arunachal Pradesh’s environmentally delicate hilly topography. Understanding the impacts of this land-use change is crucial for preventing further degradation. This study aimed to develop soil quality indices (SQIs) for different land use types: natural forest (NF), current jhum cultivation (JC), fallow jhum land (FJC), and pineapple cultivation (PA). Samples of soil were taken at a depth of 0 to 15 cm and examined for 22 potential soil quality indicators, with 19 showing significant (P < 0.05) influence from land use, constituting the total dataset (TDS). Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed on TDS to identify the minimum data set (MDS), comprising dehydrogenase activity, diethylenetriaminpentahacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable iron, and bulk density, contributing 73%, 19%, and 8% to the overall SQI, respectively. Subsequently, different SQIs were estimated using linear/nonlinear and additive/weighted scoring functions. The results revealed substantial alterations in SQIs among the land use types, through NF exhibiting the highest soil quality. Notably, the nonlinear SQIs exhibited greater sensitivity to land use conversion compared to their linear counterparts, indicating their potential as a more robust tool for assessing soil quality changes. This study concludes that the transformation of land use in the hilly regions of subtropics of Arunachal Pradesh has led to the deterioration of soil quality. The proposed indexing framework, leveraging the sensitivity and clarity of nonlinear SQIs, can effectively evaluate and compare soil quality across different land use scenarios, thereby informing sustainable land management strategies.

Forest management of durmast oak stands [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.] is focused on the production of high-quality assortments for the furniture industry. Due to various forest management factors and impacts of climate change, their vitality and quality are often reduced. Sudden illumination of the oak trunk caused by management cuts can lead to epicormic shoot formation. This study compared two localities and nine long-term research plots at the stand age of 62–68 years in Slovakia. While one locality was affected by the massive dieback of oak in the past, the other was not. The epicormic shoot occurrence was monitored separately in the lower and upper parts of the trunk, depending on selected quantitative tree parameters and on the various management methods. The formation of epicormic shoot was influenced especially by DBH, crown width and crown volume. The occurrence of shoots was always markedly higher in the upper part of the trunk compared to the lower one. During a 35-year period, the development of the proportion of epicormic shoots in the lower part of the trunk in the locality with massive dieback of oak confirmed a higher occurrence on control plots compared to the managed plots with thinning interventions. It showed that the occurrence of epicormic shoots in durmast oak stands was influenced not only by different methods of management but also by the dieback effect in the past. Promoting more intensive thinning in early-stage oak stands is advised, as it prompts trees to develop larger crowns with limiting formation of epicormic shoots.

The domestication process has had a substantial and varied impact on animals in terms of anatomy, physiology, and behaviour. Poultry species are particularly important for humans, with the most significant being chickens, geese, and ducks. However, it is not well understood whether, or to what extent selection influences the eggshell structure compared to wild ancestors. In the present study, we compared eggshells from three species: Red junglefowl and its four domesticated forms: Green-legged partridge, Lohmann Brown, Ko-Shamo, meat type breeder (Cobb 500); Greylag goose, and two domesticated breeds: Bilgoraj goose and White Koluda goose, as well as Mallard duck and domesticated crossbred KhO-01. The analyses revealed significant differences in the eggshell structure both between species (P < 0.001) and between breeds (P < 0.001 for chickens and geese, and P = 0.039 for ducks). Domesticated forms tend to have fewer mammillary knobs per mm² (P = 0.004), which were larger (P < 0.001) and they show the smaller coverage of the mammillary knobs (P < 0.001). Analyses showed significant correlations of the body mass and egg size with eggshell characteristics (P < 0.001). Considering that domesticated forms are usually larger, it cannot be conclusively determined whether changes in structure result from the domestication process itself or are physiologically linked to body mass and egg size. The relatively high similarity between the eggs of the wild ancestor and the Ko-Shamo breed, which exhibits substantial morphological changes but has a body mass similar to that of the Red junglefowl, supports this interpretation.

This study aims to demonstrate that Andrographolide, an herbal immunostimulant, can influence M1 macrophages to inhibit inflammation, including the growth of endometriosis caused by inflammation. This study evaluates the effects of Andrographolide on suppressing endometriosis through M1 macrophage activity. This post-test-only experimental study involved 42 female Balb/C mice, which were divided into six groups: Group N, KN (endometriosis without therapy), and KP (endometriosis + dienogest), P1 (endometriosis with 0.05 mg/kg), P2 (endometriosis + 0.1 mg/kg Andrographolide), and P3 (endometriosis + 0.2 mg/kg Andrographolide). Peritoneal fluid was aspirated, and the peritoneum was cut and stretched to observe the extent of the endometriosis. This study compared the formation of ectopic endometrial lesions and analysed the M1/M2 ratio in each group that received standard therapy versus Andrographolide therapy. The results from peritoneal fluid flow cytometry indicated that M1 was more dominant than M2 compared with KP. The levels of M2 in the P2 and P3 groups were also significantly lower than in the KN group. This study demonstrated that Andrographolide may enhance the regulation of M1 macrophage differentiation, acting as a precursor to endometriosis growth by suppressing M2 phenotypes that promote the condition.

Assessing of genetic diversity is essential for identifying useful alleles for crop improvement. This study evaluated genetic diversity among two cassava breeding populations for total carotenoid content (TCC), dry matter content (DMC), and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) concentration using trait-linked single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A total of 360 genotypes were analysed, including 261 from the IITA breeding programme (Population 1), 23 progenitor lines, and 76 from the University of Ibadan Cassava (UIC) breeding programme (Population 2). Minor allele frequency (MAF), gene diversity (GD), observed heterozygosity (H_e), and polymorphic information content (PIC) were computed. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering were performed to examine genetic variation and population structure. Call rates were high (96–100%). MAF ranged from 0.00 to 0.50, with mean values of 0.28, 0.28, and 0.29 for Population 1, Population 2, and progenitors, respectively. GD averaged 0.36, 0.36, and 0.35 across these groups. Observed heterozygosity was 0.42, 0.41, and 0.43, while PIC values averaged 0.29, 0.27, and 0.27 for Population 1, Population 2, and progenitors, respectively. PCA and clustering analyses grouped the genotypes into three clusters containing 257, 88, and 15 genotypes. The first two principal components explained 39.1% of the total genetic variation. The results indicate substantial genetic diversity among the studied genotypes, suggesting strong potential for allele pyramiding and highlighting the informativeness of the SNP markers used.

The four-year field trial was conducted at the Rolnicze Gospodarstwo Doświadczalne Brody (Brody Experimental Farm), Poznań University of Life Sciences, Poland. This study aimed to assess how different doses of gypsum and potassium (K) fertilisers influenced the nutritive value of the alfalfa-grass mixture. The following two experimental factors were duplicated: gypsum fertilisation – two levels (0 and 500 kg/ha) and K fertilisation – four levels (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg/ha). The sward was harvested three times at the full budding phase of alfalfa. The content of nutritive components: crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), crude ash (CA) and water-soluble sugars (WSC) by NIRS technique was assessed. The combined application of gypsum and K significantly increased the yields obtained only in the 1st and 3rd harvests of the sward. In the case of CP and WSC, the application of gypsum and K showed no significant effect on the content of these components in the sward. At the same time, it significantly influenced the higher content of CF and CA only in the case of the 2nd harvest. Analysing the influence of only the effect of K on the results obtained, a response of increasing CF content in the sward under the influence of increasing doses of this nutrient was noted. The average potassium content of the sward increased from a K0 fertilisation level to an application rate of K60. In the case of CA content, there was a successive increase with the application of successive fertilisation rates from K0 to a rate of K120. Based on the average yield results, a similar response was observed for the increase in yields obtained with increasing potassium fertilisation rates from K0 to K120. CP content increased due to gypsum fertilisation, as did the achieved sward yields of the alfalfa-grass mixture. The biomass of the alfalfa-grass mixture without gypsum fertilisation contained more WSC than the fertilised one.

A rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) method combined with intelligent knife (iKnife) method was developed to explore the geographical origin and characteristic differential components of Qianbei Ma lamb. The REIMS conditions were initially refined, with the cauterization duration of 3 seconds, and the auxiliary solvent flow rate set to 100 μL·min^–1 to prevent duplication. A database model was created from raw data through the proposed principal component analysis-linear discriminate analysis (PCA-LDA) in Live ID software, successfully applied to identify samples from 5 provinces in China and the real-time reliable identification rate with confidence higher than 99%. The obtained data by REIMS were used to establish the multivariate statistical models which using orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), provided strong the discrimination power between composition and content changes of 16 specific ions such as m/z 726.3952 and m/z 744.4050, etc., including fatty alcohols, fatty acids and phosphatidylserines in mutton of different origin and the model displayed validation [R²(Y) = 0.968, Q² = 0.924].

The jandaíra bee (Melipona subnitida) is a species native to northeastern Brazil that produces geopropolis, a mixture of clay and propolis, used in folk medicine. Geopropolis has traditionally been used in folk medicine because of its potential therapeutic properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects. Recent studies have highlighted the rich composition of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, contributing to their pharmacological potential. Despite these findings, the gastroprotective properties of geopropolis and the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored and warrant further investigation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of a hydroethanolic extract of geopropolis (HEG) produced by M. subnitida in Wistar rats, focusing on its antioxidant activity and the role of its bioactive compounds in preventing gastric mucosal damage. The gastroprotective potential was evaluated in Wistar rats pre-treated with HEG (250, 500, and 1 000 mg/kg, orally) for seven days and subjected to acute gastric lesions with ethanol (0.2 ml/animal, orally). One group of rats that received only distilled water served as the negative control, whereas the other group that received only ethanol served as the positive control. The stomachs were evaluated to determine the following parameters: evidence of macroscopic and histological changes, volume of mucus-containing mucin, stomach pH, and index of ulcerative lesions. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene tests were performed, followed by the Tukey test, with values considered significant at P < 0.05. HEG reduced the severity of the ulcerative lesions at all doses tested. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the pH values of gastric secretions, mucus volume, and mucin content in the stomachs of animals pretreated with HEG compared to the negative control group. These results indicate that HEG has gastroprotective activity, which may be related to the presence of phenolic compounds and its high antioxidant activity.

This study investigates advancements and trends in Fleckvieh breeding research using the Web of Science Core Collection database to collate articles published since 1994. Through CiteSpace 6.4.R1, we conducted systematic analyses to visualise research trajectories, identify seminal domains, and delineate emerging patterns. Our methodology encompassed publication profiling, scientific collaboration network mapping, co-citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence/clustering techniques. The findings reveal that the current research frontiers focus on: Genomic applications in genetic selection, Reproductive efficiency optimisation, Environmental adaptability mechanisms, Thermotolerance management strategies, Cross-disciplinary methodological integration. Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland emerged as leading contributors, with institutions including the Technical University of Munich and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, demonstrating a particular scholarly influence. Knowledge mapping effectively delineated thematic concentrations and temporal evolution patterns, providing actionable insights for future research prioritisation. The field is progressing towards holistic, interdisciplinary frameworks underpinned by robust international consortia. This work introduces novel analytical perspectives to refine breeding protocols and enhance practical implementation.

In recent decades, Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands have become increasingly vulnerable to frequent droughts and associated outbreaks of secondary biotic pests, resulting in significant degradation of forest ecosystems. To preserve their production and ecological functions, it is necessary to apply well-adapted silvicultural practices that mitigate the risk of stand decline. This study examines the effects of two thinning intensities (moderate and heavy) on stand productivity and resilience under varying site conditions. Three long-term research sites with paired differently thinned plots located within and outside the natural range of Norway spruce in the Czech Republic were analysed. Tree-ring width measurements were used to calculate radial growth trends and four resilience indices (resistance, resilience, recovery and average relative growth reduction). Across sites Blaník (BL), Tetřeví Boudy (TB) and Železná Ruda (ZR), basal area increment (BAI) differed significantly between thinning intensities (BL: P = 0.044; TB: P = 0.0076; ZR: P < 0.001), with moderate thinning showing higher BAI at BL and TB, whereas heavy thinning reduced growth at the waterlogged TB site. Site-specific differences in tree growth responses to negative pointer years were evaluated, particularly concerning drought events. Resilience metrics computed for five drought pointer years (1976, 2000, 2003, 2015, 2019) showed no consistent differences between thinning intensities; however, at ZR, heavy thinning yielded higher resilience (Rs) and resistance (Rt) in 2015 and 2019. During drought years, the average relative growth reduction (ARGR) ranged from 3% to 31%, with the lowest values under moderate thinning. Overall, moderate thinning enhanced stand productivity and resilience, whereas heavy thinning had adverse effects at the waterlogged site. These results highlight the need to adapt silvicultural practices to local ecological conditions to ensure long-term stability and productivity.

Disturbing the remaining forest ecosystem in the Cibodas Botanical Garden (CBG) has affected the dynamics of the soil macroarthropod communities. This study was conducted in three remaining forest locations in the CBG with different levels of disturbance. Soil macroarthropod samples were collected using the pitfall trap method with 30 traps and analysed using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou's evenness, Simpson's dominance, and Margalef's species richness to assess the dynamics of the soil macroarthropod community. This study analysed how these communities respond to different levels of disturbance in the garden, namely Jalan Akar (JA; low), Wornojiwo (WJ; moderate), and Ciismun (CI; high), which were influenced by tourism activities and local environmental conditions. The results showed that individuals from the Hymenoptera group accounted for 60.05% of the total number of soil macroarthropods found. Site WJ, which experienced moderate disturbance, had the highest number of individuals and species richness of soil macroarthropods. In contrast, site CI, which experienced high levels of disturbance, had a lower number of individuals and lower species richness, diversity and evenness indices. Site JA, which experienced low levels of disturbance, exhibited higher diversity and evenness indices. These results demonstrate that disturbance affects the presence of soil macroarthropods at their respective levels of disturbance. However, analysing the spatial distribution of soil macroarthropods in each studied taxon using the Morisita index revealed that they were dominantly clustered and exhibited varied distribution patterns. The study concludes that maintaining minimal disturbance is essential to preserve soil biodiversity and ecological balance in managed forest ecosystems such as the Cibodas Botanical Garden.

Selenium is an essential trace element in the human body, mainly obtained from the daily diet. Producing selenium-rich agricultural products through selenium-rich cultivation is an important cultivation method. Selenium-rich agricultural products can effectively supplement the selenium element needed by the human body in daily life. In this study, we conducted research on selenium-rich cultivation techniques for garlic, and different concentrations of sodium selenite solutions were used for garlic field treatment. We tested the related agronomic traits, nutritional indicators, and selenium content of garlic sprouts and garlic bulbs. The yield of garlic sprouts (37.08 t/ha) and garlic bulbs (25.31 t/ha) and total selenium content of garlic sprouts (61.00 μg/kg) and garlic bulbs (2 930.00 μg/kg) of T3 treatment (120 mg/L Na2SeO3) were significantly increased, compared with the yield of garlic sprouts (30.66 t/ha) and garlic bulbs (20.90 t/ha) and total selenium content of garlic sprouts (6.33 μg/kg) and garlic bulbs (75.00 μg/kg) of the control (CK). Furthermore, selenium treatment improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in garlic sprouts during winter, and promoted the absorption of soil nutrients by garlic. Taken together, our research indicates that garlic, especially garlic bulbs, has strong selenium-rich ability, and selenium-rich cultivation techniques could significantly improve the yield and quality of garlic products.

In Eastern Europe, near-natural forest patches are decreasing and are gradually replaced by non-native plantations. Tree plantations are commonly thought to be simple ecosystems with low conservation value, although this conclusion is mainly based on simple taxonomic diversity indices, which ignore functional and phylogenetic diversity. In this study, our objective was to compare species composition, diagnostic species, taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, as well as naturalness status between two near-natural forest types (Quercus-Tilia and Populus alba) and two common plantation types (non-native Pinus sylvestris and non-native Robinia pseudoacacia) in the Deliblato Sands, Serbia. Our results showed that the species composition significantly differed in the four habitats. Each habitat had some species that were significantly concentrated in them. Most of the diagnostic species in the Quercus-Tilia forests were forest specialist plant species, while those in Populus alba forests were species associated with warmer and drier habitats, whereas the plantations hosted diagnostic species with broader ecological tolerances. Native species richness, total species diversity, and functional and phylogenetic diversity were similar in the four studied habitats, which can be explained by the combined effects of light regime and naturalness. We assessed low naturalness (i.e. high degradation) in plantations, which can be expected to reduce diversity. However, higher light availability was probably able to compensate for this effect. Non-native plantations, especially Robinia pseudoacacia plantations, were the most degraded and hosted the highest non-native species richness, implying that they are ecologically undesirable. In light of our results, we suggest that near-natural forest stands should be protected and efforts to restore these forests should be given high priority. Furthermore, it is advisable to continue with a forestry strategy that involves replacing non-native plantations with native ones, such as Tilia tomentosa, in the Deliblato Sands.

Leaf rust is an important wheat disease that considerably reduces the wheat production in most wheat growing regions worldwide. This study aimed to identify leaf rust resistance genes in 42 wheat varieties to find genetic sources with the broadest spectrum of resistance against leaf rust pathotypes, to enable effective breeding for disease resistance. In this study, 42 wheat cultivars were inoculated with 18 pathotypes of Puccinia triticina Eriks. at the seedling stage to postulate the Lr genes in the cultivars. Resistance to leaf rust at the adult stage was then tested in field trials under natural infection during the 2019 to 2020 cropping seasons at Baoding, Hebei Province. Gene postulation together with molecular marker detection identified ten Lr genes (Lr1, Lr10, Lr14a, Lr26, Lr2a, Lr17, Lr20, Lr34, Lr37, and Lr46) among the 42 accessions.  Lr1 was present in 16 accessions, Lr14a in three accessions, Lr17 in five accessions, Lr2a in five accessions, Lr34 in one accession, Lr10 in two accessions, Lr37 in two accessions and Lr46 in 29 accessions. Additionally, 15 wheat accessions displayed adult-plant resistance or other unknown genes. These results suggest that a high level of leaf rust resistance can be achieved by combining known resistance genes and adult-plant resistance genes in wheat cultivars.

Developing and employing new, sustainable, and eco-friendly biostimulants that enhance plant growth and alleviate the harmful effects of environmental challenges is a major focus for many researchers. Salt stress is a critical constraint on plant growth and a limiting factor in crop productivity, particularly during the early developmental stages in the nurseries. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels (Java plum) is an important fruit tree and widely cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. This study was designed to develop Cassia javanica subsp. nodosa leaf extract (CLE) as a new sustainable and eco-friendly biostimulant capable of triggering the metabolic adaptation to salt stress in Java plum seedlings grown in nurseries. CLE successfully mitigated reductions in growth, biomass yield, and secondary metabolite production caused by salinity. Although salt stress depressed morphological characters and biomass yield, CLE foliar spray enhanced these parameters. Moreover, CLE enhanced the ferric reducing antioxidant potential, catalase, and superoxide dismutase enzyme activities, increased phenolic content, and reduced hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, CLE application increased seedling biomass and stimulated antioxidant activity, osmoprotectant accumulation, and overall tolerance to salinity stress. These observations provide new insights into CLE’s potential as an eco-friendly biostimulant for enhancing salt tolerance in Java plum seedlings.

A quarantine organism, the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), is a xylem-inhabiting, vector-transmitted, Gram-negative, and very slow-growing bacterium in the Lysobacteraceae (earlier Xanthomonadaceae) family. The spreading of X. fastidiosa over long distances occurs mainly via import/export human-mediated transportation of mainly latently or symptomatically infected plant material. Short-distance distribution is usually by xylem sap-feeding insects. Until now, the presence of X. fastidiosa has not been reported or studied in Poland. During our study, over 500 individuals from the four families: Cicadellidae, Aphrophoridae, Delphacidae and Membracidae were collected in different geographical regions of Poland. Real-time PCR with primers for rimM gene and nested PCR to detect X. fastidiosa, using DNA extracted directly from selected insects known as potential vectors of X. fastidiosa, did not confirm the bacterium's presence in these insects.

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.

Modern dairy farming faces the dual challenge of meeting global food demands while mitigating its environmental impact, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as methane (CH₄), a potent contributor to climate change. This review explores the role of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies in monitoring and reducing CH₄ emissions from dairy cattle. We evaluate state-of-the-art methods, including direct monitoring (e.g. respiratory chambers, GreenFeed systems) and indirect approaches (e.g. infrared milk spectroscopy, AI-driven analytics), alongside mitigation strategies such as nutritional optimisation, genetic selection, and ruminal additives. PLF emerges as a transformative tool, integrating real-time data on animal health, feed efficiency, and environmental conditions to optimise management practices and reduce emissions per unit of milk produced. By synthesising current research, we highlight the potential of PLF to reconcile productivity with sustainability, offering scalable solutions for the dairy sector. Critical gaps in real-time CH₄ monitoring and farm-level implementation are identified, underscoring the need for further innovation. This review provides a roadmap for aligning dairy production with global climate goals while ensuring food security for the growing population.

Autochthonous cattle breeds represent important resources of genetic diversity. The Busha cattle breed is reared in the Balkan Peninsula and is characterised by high adaptability, resilience, longevity, small body size, and low maintenance and production requirements. During the 36-year observation period, the total population of the autochthonous Busha cattle breed in the Republic of Croatia amounted to 10 411 animals. Pedigree completeness for the total population, considering the first parental generation, was 97.1%. The average inbreeding coefficient was 2.44%, ranging from zero to 42.6%, while the average relatedness coefficient was 3.56% in the total population. The effective population size, calculated in the reference population based on the individual increase in inbreeding, was 63.3. The probabilities of gene origin in the reference population were f_e – 38.0, f_a – 33.0, and f_g – 25.4, indicating a loss of genetic variability due to genetic drift (f_g/f_e – 0.66) and a bottleneck (f_e/f_a – 1.15). In the population of the autochthonous Busha cattle breed, the effective number of ancestors (f_a) was smaller than the effective number of founders (f_e). Increased relatedness among animals was observed, which could affect the long-term conservation of the population.

This study was conducted to find out the seasonal evapotranspiration (ET_c) and crop coefficient (K_c) for walnut trees (ages one to nine) that were grown with drip irrigation in Türkiye’s semi-arid climate. Three different irrigation levels were applied at five-day intervals based on cumulative Class A pan evaporation using irrigation treatment coefficients (K_t = 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25) during the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 growing seasons. The amount of irrigation water applied to the treatments varied from year to year according to the measured Class A pan evaporation amounts. The total amount of irrigation water applied to the treatment subjects varied between 371.7 mm and 619.6 mm as an average of eight years. Total ET_c of walnut trees varied over the years depending on the applied irrigation water and measured rainfall. The total evapotranspiration estimated from the I₂ treatment, representing the irrigation regime in which 100% of Class A pan evaporation was applied, fluctuated between 676.5 and 585.9 mm over the study years. The daily reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) values are calculated as between 1.85 and 7.07 mm/day. The K_c values for walnut trees were calculated as 0.55 for April, 0.71 for May, 1.02 for June, 1.07 for July, 1.01 for August, and 0.74 for September on average. The research revealed that seasonal evapotranspiration and plant coefficient values can assist in calculating the water requirements of walnut trees and improve water management in semi-arid regions.

Agricultural carbon emissions (ACE) is a critical contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, which have already become a common challenge for global carbon reduction. As a major agricultural producer and largest carbon emitter, China has made great efforts to reduce ACE. Using the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2022, this study explores the heterogeneous impacts of formal environmental regulations (FER) and informal environmental regulations (IER) on ACE. The results reveal that both FER and IER have significant effect on reducing ACE, with FER showing a more pronounced effect. The mechanism analysis indicates that agricultural technological innovation and planting structure adjustment play important mediating roles in this impact mechanism. The effect of FER is more remarkable in major grain producing areas than in non-major grain producing areas, while the effect of IER is completely opposite. Compared with coastal regions, both FER and IER have significant inhibitory effect on ACE in inland regions. Additionally, the marketisation level may reinforce the inhibitory effect of both FER and IER on ACE. Based on the empirical results, this study suggests to strengthen the synergistic effect of FER and IER, promote agricultural technology innovation, and formulate targeted policies according to regional differences.

Recent advancements in remote sensing techniques, especially the combination of hyperspectral imaging with analytical algorithms, have greatly improved precision agriculture. This study introduces some algorithms developed for identifying crops and evaluating their growth conditions, focusing on irrigation and fertilisation. The present approach is based on the concept of identifiability of a family of dynamic systems and the differentiation of plants using their spectral signatures. The method uses a repository of spectral data and applies a developed algorithm to compare the measured spectra with the reference database, enabling the identifiability and the recognition of both known and unknown crops. As an application of our approach, we have considered two different crops: mint and rosemary, under different irrigation and fertilisation conditions. The results show that the algorithm achieved a 100% identification rate across the four unknown samples. The minimum spectral distances obtained are 0.01 and 0.03 for rosemary and mint, respectively. Thus, the family of systems was identifiable with a tolerance of η < 0.03. The study concluded that the algorithm effectively classifies the crop type and deduces its growth conditions, demonstrating its effectiveness for agricultural monitoring.