Fulltext search in archive

Assessing the agricultural sustainability of farms is challenging, since it involves various aspects that can change over time and differ by location. This paper develops a composite index to evaluate the sustainability of cereal farming in Catalonia, Spain. Using factor analysis, we integrate 21 indicators across economic, environmental, and social dimensions based on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (2016–2021). The results show sustainability scores ranging from 2 to 5, with larger economic s farms outperforming smaller ones by 0.4 points. Five key factors explain the variance in sustainability across farms, with profitability, benefit-cost ratio, and agri-footprint carrying the highest weights. In addition, our empirical findings indicate that subsidy dependence negatively affects the sustainability of farms, while modernisation and environmental management improvements enhance farm performance. This suggests a need for size-specific policy interventions focusing on smallholder management capacity and broader climate adaptation strategies. The methodology could offer a practical tool for monitoring sustainability progress in Mediterranean cereal production systems, and for identifying possible sources of improvements with regard to more sustainable agricultural practices.

White root disease is a significant disease of cashew caused by Rigidoporus sp. Five endophytic fungal isolates, namely AR31D (Fusarium proliferatum), AR42D (Penicillium citrinum), BR32C (Trichoderma asperellum), VNTB1 (Chaetomium sp.), and EAGS14 (Curvularia lunata), were assessed as the biocontrol agents against Rigidoporus sp. in vitro and in planta. The research objective was to obtain endophytic fungi that effectively control Rigidoporus sp. and their mechanisms. The in vitro test results showed that all isolates could inhibit Rigidoporus sp. and promote plant growth by producing volatile organic compounds, chitinase enzymes, and indole acetic acid. Meanwhile, only four isolates could solubilize phosphate with low-medium solubilization efficiency. The isolates successfully colonized the root of cashew saplings in 10–65%. The effectiveness of endophytic fungal isolates in controlling white root disease was determined by the mechanisms involved, such as resistance induction (increased activity of defense enzymes like polyphenol oxidase), chitinase enzyme production, indole acetic acid production, phosphate solubilization, and suppression of plant stress which observed from decreased malondialdehyde concentrations in saplings’ roots. Trichoderma asperellum and Chaetomium sp. were the best isolates with the highest control effectiveness and stimulating plant growth.

Camelina sativa can be identified as a promising oilseed crop due to its short growth cycle, tolerance to drought and frost, low-input requirements, resistance to pests and diseases, feed, and non-feed applications. Compared to other Brassicaceae family plants, camelina is mainly distinguished by high levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant content. However, camelina contains secondary plant metabolites, such as glucosinolates, phytic acid, sinapine, etc., and their presence limits the use of camelina by-products (oil, seed or cake) in poultry feeding. The breakdown of these compounds forms complexes that can inhibit digestive enzymes, reduce the absorption of nutrients, and ultimately modify product quality. The content of these anti-nutritional compounds and plant seed quality can be modified by various techniques: hybridisation, mutation induction, gene engineering, etc. Moreover, methods such as infrared irradiation, multi-enzyme and copper supplementation, etc., can counter or mitigate the effect of plant secondary metabolites present in camelina seed or cake. In general, dietary inclusion of camelina seed or cake at high inclusion levels (> 10%) worsened the nutrient digestibility and thus reduced growth performances. However, carcass traits and meat proximate composition were comparable in birds-fed diets containing camelina by-products. The fatty acid profile of meat cuts and abdominal fat was significantly higher in alpha-linolenic acid and lower n-6/n-3 ratio, thus promoting the healthiness of products for human consumption. Also, the dietary inclusion of camelina did not modify the sensory profile of the products. The present article is a comprehensive and critical review of research carried out to improve the quality of camelina and its by-products to be used in broiler poultry feeding. This review gives information on the feeding value of camelina by-products, as well as a survey of the literature on their use in poultry diets to evaluate digestibility, performance, carcass traits, and meat quality.

Neonicotinoids are one of the newest groups of systemic pesticides, effective on a wide range of invertebrate pests. The success of neonicotinoids can be assessed according to the amount used, for example, in the Czech Republic, which now accounts for 1/3 of the insecticide market. The European Union (EU) has a relatively interesting attitude towards neonicotinoids. Three neonicotinoid substances (imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam) were severely restricted in 2013. In 2019, imidacloprid and clothianidin were banned, while thiamethoxam and thiacloprid were banned in 2020. In 2022, another substance, sulfoxaflor, was banned. Therefore, only two neonicotinoid substances (acetamiprid and flupyradifurone) are approved for outdoor use in the EU. Neonicotinoids enter aquatic ecosystems in many ways. In European rivers, neonicotinoids usually occur in nanograms per litre. Due to the low toxicity of neonicotinoids to standard test species, they were not expected to significantly impact the aquatic ecosystem until later studies showed that aquatic invertebrates, especially insects, are much more sensitive to neonicotinoids. In addition to the lethal effects, many studies point to sublethal impacts - reduced reproductive capacity, initiation of downstream drift of organisms, reduced ability to eat, or a change in feeding strategies. Neonicotinoids can affect individuals, populations, and entire ecosystems.

Heart rate variability analyses using Poincaré plots can be useful for evaluating the autonomic nervous system function. However, the interpretation of the quantitative indicators of Poincaré plots remains controversial. Thus, few studies have verified the effectiveness of the quantitative indicators in veterinary medicine. This study aimed to verify the reliability of Poincaré plot indicators using pharmacological models in dogs. Four healthy beagles were used in this study. Each dog was treated with propranolol, atropine, and propranolol–atropine to block the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and sympathetic–parasympathetic functions, respectively. The quantitative indicators of the Poincaré plots were calculated based on data from 300 electrocardiogram beats collected before and after the administration of each drug and statistically analysed. The quantitative indicators of the Poincaré plots, such as the standard deviation perpendicular to the major axis (SD1), standard deviation along the major axis (SD2), and SD1 × SD2, significantly decreased after the drug administration in both the parasympathetic and sympathetic–parasympathetic blockade models. However, no significant differences were observed in SD1/SD2 between the groups. The Poincaré plots reflected the changes in the autonomic nervous system of dogs. In dogs, SD1, SD2, and SD1 × SD2 can detect a state in which parasympathetic nerve activity is suppressed.

The technological quality of the protein fraction of wheat white flour (WW) was determined by the lactic acid Solvent Retention Capacity and by the Gluten Performance Index (LA-SRC and GPI; AACC method 56-11.01). Parallelly, Perten's standard Gluten Index test (GI; AACC method 38-12.02) was performed with that wheat control. Consequently, the same methods were applied to 9 bi-composite blends mixed at ratios of 90 : 10, 80 : 20, 70 : 30, 60 : 40, 50 : 50, …, and 10 : 90 as WW replacement with one of the rye bread flours (RB), and the RB control itself. Unlike successful measurements in the case of the LA-SRC and GPI, washing gluten from the first 90 WW : 10 RB blend led to the clogging of the Glutomatic sieve, likely due to the interaction of wheat gluten with rye arabinoxylans. The discrepancy induced the development of a modification of the standard GI procedure; clogging was avoided by precipitating flour and centrifuging the swollen solid from suspension, similarly like in the SRC method. The settled residue transported to a standard sieve cassette was secondly centrifuged in the original apparatus Perten CF2015. The weighing of the overflow and underflow of the sieve and the calculation of the results were performed according to the original GI method. For the WW control, the standard GI value was 90% and the modified Gluten Index value (GI_modif) was 82%. As expected for WW-RB counterparts, the higher the portion of rye in the bi-composite blend, the lower the value of the GI_modif. For the 50 WW : 50 RB blend and the RB itself, the GI_modif values were 47% and 18% (the GPI values 0.66, 0.45, and 0.39, respectively). On the contrary, the LA-SRC demonstrated a convex course (118, 104, and 123%, respectively). In the plane of the principal components (PC), namely PC1 and PC2, the variables related to gluten quality formed 4 groups as a function of the stepwise change in the mixing ratio of WW and RB: i) flour protein content, GPI, and GI_modif; ii) LA-SRC; iii) dietary fibre content and ash content; iv) water, sucrose, and sodium carbohydrate SRCs. However, the modified test procedure should be revised in wheat varieties characterised by a wider spectrum of protein quality, mixed with different types of rye flour (especially wholegrain one).

Drunken horse grass (Achnatherum inebrians (Hance) Keng) is a toxic perennial bunchgrass native to Northwestern China. Epichloë endophytic fungi infection could enhance the stress tolerance of drunken horse grass. However, there is a scarcity of literature regarding the effects of intraspecific competition. As a result, we anticipated that the intraspecific competitive dynamics between endophyte-infected (EI) and endophyte-free (EF) plants would become more transparent for four years by planted as the proportions of 2 : 1, 1 : 1, and 1 : 2. The results showed the EI plants exhibited more biomass, seed yields, and survival rates than EF plants. Endophyte infection also facilitated a competitive advantage by enhancing photosynthesis and soil nutrition. Our findings constituted the inaugural investigation into the influence of the intraspecific competitive ability of grass infected with Epichloë endophyte fungi. EI plants caused them to become stronger and stronger, while EF became weaker and weaker by timing and planting proportion increasing, and EF drunken horse grass could be replaced by EI. These conclusions were instrumental in elucidating why the endophytic fungal infection rate of drunken horse grass is 100% observed in natural wilderness. Epichloë endophyte could reduce plant diversity and enhance the dominance of EI plants in intraspecific competition; drunken horse grass may be threatening the persistence of native plant species.

Mediterranean Quercus forests have great ecological importance but face numerous threats, including pests. The spongy moth, Lymantria dispar L., is a major oak defoliator across its geographical range and has a natural enemy complex that may control its population dynamics. This study aimed to investigate candidate predators (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae, Ichneumonidae, Pteromalidae, Braconidae, Bethylidae, Ceraphronidae, Eulophidae, Eupelmidae and Trichogrammatidae; and Diptera: Tachinidae), for the control of L. dispar in two areas in Andalusia (Spain). We studied 10 Quercus stands (Q. suber, Q. ilex, and Q. pyrenaica), with different L. dispar infestation level. Insects were collected using pitfall and cross-vane traps, during the defoliator's larval period. Four genera comprised 92.2% of all the Carabidae predators found: Steropus Dejean (34.1%), Carabus L. (28.4%), Calathus Bonelli (15.9%), and Platyderus Stephens (13.8%); and four Hymenoptera families comprised 93.7% of the parasitoid specimens collected: Encyrtidae (61%), Ichneumonidae (17.5%), Pteromalidae (10.7%), and Braconidae (4.5%). Both the natural enemy assemblage composition and the abundance per tree varied between geographical areas, as well as between levels of defoliator infestation. The candidate enemy complex was markedly diverse and abundant in stands not infested by L. dispar, where no insecticides had been applied. Our results suggest the importance of generalist predators as natural enemies of L. dispar.

This study explored whether and how prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) regulated wheat tolerance to drought stress (DS). Findings displayed that DS had significant influence on antioxidant metabolism, water balance and the photosynthesis. DS significantly improved the activity level of enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), electrolyte leakage (EL), malondialdehyde (MDA), and the contents of osmotic regulatory substances soluble protein (SP), soluble sugars (SS) and proline (Pro), compared with control. Whereas DS significantly reduced transpiration rate (T_r), stomatal conductance (g_s) and relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, net photosynthetic rate (P_n), maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (F_v/F_m), plant height and biomass. Compared to DS, Pro-Ca plus DS significantly promoted the antioxidant metabolism by improving the activity level of SOD, CAT, POD and APX and increasing AsA and GSH contents, which in turn reduced MDA content and EL. In addition, Pro-Ca plus DS significantly maintained water balance by promoting the accumulation of osmolytes SP, SS and Pro, which in turn increased RWC, T_r and g_s. Pro-Ca plus DS also significantly promoted photosynthesis by increasing the contents of the above photosynthetic pigments, P_n and F_v/F_m, thereby promoting plant growth. These findings indicated that Pro-Ca was a potential agent to improve wheat tolerance under water deficit.

Drought-tolerant rootstocks with better performance regarding water deficit is important for sustaining orchard productivity, especially in regions where water availability is unpredictable. By selecting appropriate rootstocks, fruit growers can mitigate the adverse effects of insufficient water on yields. However, the response of specific rootstocks to drought remains unknown. Our study examined the drought tolerance of five plum rootstocks (Wavit, Torinell, Adesoto, Penta, and St. Julien) focusing on their physiological and biochemical responses. To assess their tolerance under drought conditions, we evaluated leaf relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll fluorescence, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), proline, and phenolic content. The results showed that Torinel exhibited the highest performance index (PIABS), maximum PSII photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m), RWC, lowest lipid peroxidation and H₂O₂ during the drought-stress condition. Based on our results, we identified Torinel as a rootstock with a great ability to withstand drought, suggesting that it could be applied in the breeding program to increase plum resistance to drought. The study provides insights into the drought tolerance of different plum rootstocks, identifying which ones are better suited for cultivation in water-limited environments.

Ten sets of vertebral biomodels and the corresponding drilling guides were created to evaluate the implantation accuracy in the cervical (C5–C6) and lumbar (L4–L5) vertebrae of cats. Smooth pins were implanted using the guides on the right side of five randomly assigned biomodel sets and on the left side of the remaining sets, with the contralateral side undergoing freehand implantation. Subsequently, a new tomographic study was conducted to measure the implantation angles. The pre-implantation angles were compared with the post-implantation angles between the techniques and among the sets. The guide-assisted implantation exhibited a lower dispersion compared to the freehand technique, with coefficients of variation of –1.95 and 48.9 in the cervical vertebrae and 1.98 and 9.39 in the lumbar vertebrae, respectively. However, no statistical difference was observed between the pre- and post-implantation angles, nor when comparing the vertebral segments (P > 0.05). Under the study conditions, the use of the guide failed to result in more accurate implantations in the C5–C6 and L4–L5 vertebral biomodels of cats.

Taking China as an example in this study, we aim to reveal the enabling effects of agricultural science and technology advancement on the progress of rural industrial incorporation at a relatively more refined level. The main innovation in this study lies in the decomposition of agricultural science and technology advancement, followed by an analysis of its effect on rural industrial incorporation along both linear and non-linear dimensions. The study results show that, along the linear dimension, agricultural science and technology advancement, agricultural knowledge advancement and agricultural technology advancement play significant driving roles in the progress of rural industrial incorporation. However, although the estimated coefficient of the integration of agricultural knowledge advancement and technology advancement is positive, it is not statistically significant. Along the non-linear dimension, agricultural science and technology advancement, agricultural knowledge advancement and agricultural technology advancement all exhibit significantly positive effects across different intervals. However, although the integration of agricultural knowledge advancement and technology advancement also shows a positive effect, its significance appears only in the second interval, indicating that the effect of this variable in promoting rural industrial incorporation can be realised only under certain conditions

A root detector is a non-destructive technology developed to indicate the radial distribution of tree roots, which are not often visible on the surface. This study aims to assess the accuracy of the root detector in estimating the radial distribution of both exposed and buried tree roots. Six Agathis loranthifolia Salisb. trees were selected, three with exposed roots and three with buried roots. The Fakopp® root detector, an acoustic-based tool, was used in this study. Root estimation was based on a combination of threshold values (> 400 m·s^–1), average values, and the peak of the sound wave velocity. Soil excavation was manually conducted at a depth of 30 cm within a 100 cm radius of the tree trunk. The results showed that under similar soil conditions, the root detector achieved an accuracy of over 80% in detecting the actual radial root distribution, as validated by the excavation method. Root diameter exhibited the strongest correlation with sound velocity in detecting lateral roots. However, root depth and inclination angle contributed to detection inaccuracies in estimating the radial distribution of lateral roots.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with subclinical mastitis, as well as the antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria isolated from the milk of dairy cows in the Republic of Kosovo. The study involved 242 lactating cows from 16 farms. Data were collected through questionnaire interviews, the California mastitis test (CMT), and microbiological analysis. For the detection and identification of bacteria, conventional methods and biochemical tests were used. The disc diffusion method was used to test the susceptibility of isolated bacteria. The prevalence of subclinical mastitis (SCM) at quarter and cow level was 22.3% and 10.5%, respectively. Factors including breed, age, parity, milk production, and lactation stage were significantly correlated with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis in cows (P < 0.05). Major bacterial isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (34%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS, 21.3%), Escherichia coli (18.1%), Streptococcus uberis (14.9%), and Streptococcus agalactiae (4.3%). All bacterial isolates showed high susceptibility to gentamicin, tetracycline, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and low susceptibility to penicillin and streptomycin.

With the increasing productivity in agriculture, it has become extremely essential to look for an advanced technique that will help to minimise losses. Recently, deep learning has outperformed the task of recognition and classification of fruits and vegetables automatically from images, finding applicability in this study. This work, thus, attempts to develop an automatic spoilage detection CNN model for tomatoes. In this work, a deep learning-based CNN model is trained and validated on a self-prepared dataset for classifying tomatoes as edible and spoilt is proposed. The dataset consisted of 810 images, out of which 572 images were considered for training and 238 images for validation. The model is also trained iteratively with varying epoch and batch sizes to evaluate the model in giving the highest classification accuracy. The highest accuracy of 99.70% was achieved at epoch 20 and batch size 32. Further evaluating the performance of the developed model using a confusion matrix, a precision, recall and accuracy of 100%, 87% and 95%, respectively, was obtained for the spoilage detection of tomatoes. Also, on establishing Pearson’s correlation between the predictive model and the sensory evaluation results, a Pearson correlation of 0.895 was obtained, showing that there is strong linear correlation between them.

Rice is prone to be contaminated with spoilage or toxigenic fungi during harvest, storage and processing, with Aspergillus species being the most frequent. It is crucial to develop effective sterilisation technologies for mycotoxin prevention and food safety. In this study, sterilised rice infected by Aspergillus parasiticus strain was treated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) cold plasma. Various parameters, including moisture content, oxygen content, treatment time and voltage were tested. Furthermore, sterilisation mechanism of Aspergillus parasiticus by cold plasma was also explored. Results indicated that decontamination effect could be significantly affected by moisture content, oxygen concentration, voltage and treatment time. A 99.89% degradation rate against Aspergillus parasiticus was achieved at 90 kV after 5 min. Cold plasma could reduce the initial concentration of 6.05 to 2.28 CFU·mL^–1 within 240 s, and to thoroughly decontamination within 360 s. In addition, cold plasma treatment destroyed the integrity of Aspergillus parasiticus cell membrane, resulting in a reduction in mycelium biomass and dry weight, as well as a significant decrease in intracellular Ca²⁺Mg²⁺-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity. These findings demonstrate the potential of cold plasma technology for environmentally friendly sterilisation of hazardous fungi in grain system.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ferric carboxymaltose injection in the prevention of anaemia in suckling piglets. In group A (n = 8), piglets were administered iron in the form of iron carboxymaltose complex (Ferinject^®) at a dose of 200 mg i.m. (neck muscle) at the age of 3 days. In group B (n = 8), piglets were given iron in the form of iron dextran (Ferribion^®) at a dose of 200 mg i.m. (neck muscle) at the age of 3 days. In group C (n = 8, anaemic control group), iron was not administered until the age of 10 days. During the study, no statistically significant differences were observed in the parameters of red blood cell count or blood plasma iron concentration between the group that received iron carboxymaltase and the group that received iron dextran. The results of haematological and biochemical examinations achieved in our study show that the application of iron carboxymaltase was successful in preventing iron deficiency anaemia in piglets. The results indicate comparable efficacy of iron carboxymaltase and iron dextran.

Rice fields are the main source of rice production. Rice field expansion is one way to increase rice production. Rice field expansion activities for the upland area in Indonesia are often overlooked due to limited information about the availability of suitable land. In upland areas, rice terraces are often found. Until now, there has been no guideline for determining the suitable location of rice terraces on upland areas. The purpose of this study was to develop a land suitability assessment model for rice terraces using geographic information system (GIS) and the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) on upland areas like the Lake Toba catchment area. There were four important factors for selecting rice terracing plantations: spatial planning, slope, texture, and distance from the river (hydrology). By using the AHP method, a rating has been assigned to each theme layer. To create the suitability map for rice terraces in a GIS setting, all the thematic layers were combined into a single layer using the weighted overlay approach. The results showed that 37.78% were highly suitable, 18.88% were moderately suitable, and 36.95% were marginally suitable for rice terraces. The model can be used to determine the location of rice terraces on upland areas with a high accuracy of about 93%.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, superoxidase dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and caspase-3 (CASP3) activities, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), immunoglobulin (Ig) E, G, M and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the serum/plasma and liver tissues of rats. Forty Wistar Albino rats were separated into five equal groups as the control, 5 and 10 mg/kg, b.w./day ZnO, 5 and 10 mg/kg b.w./day ZnO NPs were administered i.p. every other day for 14 days. The plasma MDA and plasma/liver TNF-α concentrations increased in the 10 mg/kg ZnO, 5 and 10 mg/kg ZnO NPs groups. The plasma SOD, CASP3, plasma/liver GPx activities and serum Zn concentrations increased in all the Zn groups. The highest SOD, GPx and CASP3 activities were detected in the 5 mg/kg ZnO NPs group. The plasma IgG concentrations increased, especially in the ZnO NPs groups. The study findings suggest that 5 mg/kg ZnO NPs could potentially have an ameliorative effect on the possible adverse effects of oxidative stress. These nanoparticles demonstrate their ability to combat oxidative stress by increasing the plasma/tissue SOD, GPx, and CASP3 activities, TNF-α, and IgG concentrations. However, the effectiveness of the nanoparticles may vary depending on the synthesis method, application time, and concentration.

The study aims to analyse the impact of application of chemical inputs like fertilisers or crop protection products on farm crop yield productivity in Estonian and Slovenian agriculture. We combined the propensity score matching (PSM) method with an inverse probability weighted regression (IPWRA) model to derive treatment effects of the adoption of these critical inputs using Farm Accountancy Data Network data. Results exhibit consistency across estimation techniques. Estimates of both IPWRA and PSM models showed that adoption of at least one of the chemical inputs decreases volatility of crop yield output and downside risk. The results are more robust for Estonian than for Slovenian farms suggesting on possible impacts of other exogenous factors such as climate change on mitigating the crop yield downside risk.

This paper presents the architecture of a cyber-physical system for the automated washing of agricultural machinery, designed to enhance efficiency and intelligent control. The system includes four layers – physical, sensor, computational, and interface and integrates actuators, sensors, decision-making modules, and analytics. A Python-based simulation using Control and SimPy showed an average washing time of 10.4 minutes and 97.5% cycle initiation accuracy under critical contamination. The Control was achieved via gated recurrent unit (GRU) prediction and proportional–integral–derivative (PID) regulation. Despite assumptions like ideal sensors and fixed conditions, the system proved feasible, with the future work targeting real-world validation and digital twin development.

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.

Tree volume is a characteristic used in many cases, such as determining fertility, habitat quality, growth size, allowable harvesting, and the principles of forest trade. It is imperative to develop methods that predict forest stand volume to obtain this extensive information quickly and cost-effectively. This study used supervised self-organising map (SSOM), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), and radial basis function (RBF) neural networks to predict forest stand volume based on physiography, topography, soil, and human factors. A sensitivity analysis method called the importance of prediction was used to determine how input variables influenced network output. First, the map of homogeneous units was prepared with ArcMap (Version 10.3.1, 2015) by combining digital layers to measure the tree's volume per hectare. Then, separate tree species in different diameter classes were measured in a circular grid of 200 m × 150 m, 0.1 ha of coverage, 3.3% sampling intensity, and a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater than 7.5 cm using systematic sampling on a homogeneous unit map in a regular random method. The neural network modelling results showed that SSOM, MLP, and RBF predicted forest stand volume most accurately according to physiography, topography, soil, and human factors. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis results found that altitude above sea level, soil depth, and slope are the most influential input variables. In contrast, soil texture variables are the least effective at predicting forest stand volume.

Foliar application of selenium (Se) is an effective measure to increase Se concentrations in peanut pods. However, how the foliar application of amino acid-chelated selenite affects the photosynthetic characteristics of peanut leaves at the podding stage is still unclear. Here, the effects of Se on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, the concentrations of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and reduced glutathione (GSH), photosynthetic parameters, and Se concentration of peanut leaves were investigated by spraying selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite solutions, respectively. The results indicated that foliar application of Se could significantly increase leaf Se concentration. The net photosynthetic rate (P_n), stomatal conductance (g_s), and transpiration rate (T_r) of leaves were significantly higher than those in the control. However, peanut leaves’ intercellular CO₂ concentration (c_i) decreased significantly. Further study found that the concentrations of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, and GSH in peanut leaves increased significantly, and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) in peanut leaves were significantly higher than those in control. However, there were no significant differences between the foliar application of selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite. Thus, foliar application of selenite, L-lysine-chelated selenite, and amino acid-chelated selenite could effectively enhance the photosynthetic functions of peanut leaves, which was closely associated with the improvement of antioxidant enzyme activities and the concentrations of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and GSH, resulting in inhibiting chlorophyll degradation and improving the photosynthetic functions of peanut leaves.

Amorphophallus spp. is an important group of crop and medicinal plants, but it is susceptible to infection by soft rot disease during both field growth and storage stages. This results in huge economic and yield losses, which must be properly addressed. Combined applications of Biological Control Agents (BCAs) and compatible chemicals have been recently considered as a more effective and reliable method to control bacterial soft rot. In the present study, we investigated the control effects against soft rot pathogenic bacteria Pectobacterium aroidearum MY11, using a BCA strain (i.e. Bacillus velezensis BCP6) and screening for three different bactericides, i.e. Jinggangmycin (JGM), Thiodiazole copper and Qingkulike. After exploring a joint application of BCP6 with chemicals, we found that JGM was the most effective and compatible bactericide to be compounded with BCP6. First, in the in vitro experiment, the mixture of JGM (34 mg/L) and suspension of BCP6 (1.0 × 108 cfu/mL) at 4:6 volume ratio performed with the strongest inhibitory effect on P. aroidearum MY11 (53.40%) and synergistic effect (1.78); this combination also significantly increased the biofilm production by BCP6, and constrained the swimming motility of P. aroidearum MY11 in agar plates and inhibited activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes. Second, the combined application of JGM and BPC6 reached up to 95.81% of control efficacy against P. aroidearum MY11 in a greenhouse experiment, and compared to JGM or BCP6 alone, combined application effectively increased konjac plant resistance to soft rot in the field, showing a synergistic action. Collectively, these results provided an alternative method for the management of soft rot disease in konjac planting.

We examined the antibacterial efficacy of streptomycin, hibiscus acid, and their combination against multidrug-resistant Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Salmonella Typhimurium in mice. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for streptomycin, hibiscus acid, and their combination against STEC and Salmonella. Fifteen sets of six mice in each set were utilised: six groups were orally exposed to 4 log₁₀ colony forming units (CFUs) of S. Typhimurium and another six to STEC, and three acted as the controls. Six hours post-inoculation, specific groups of mice received either oral solutions containing hibiscus acid at 5 and 7 mg/ml; streptomycin at 50 and 450 µg/ml; hibiscus acid/streptomycin (5 mg/ml hibiscus acid and 50 µg/ml streptomycin); or isotonic saline. The study determined the MIC and MBC of 7 mg/ml of hibiscus acid; 300 and 450 µg/ml of streptomycin; and two concentrations of hibiscus/streptomycin (3 mg/ml / 20 µg/ml and 5 mg/ml / 50 µg/ml). Interestingly, the mice that were infected and subsequently treated with hibiscus acid at 7 mg/ml alone or in conjunction with streptomycin did not have either STEC or Salmonella in their faecal samples, and none of the mice died. In contrast, the untreated mice and those exclusively treated with streptomycin had the pathogens present in their stool, leading to the mortality of all the subjects.

The issue of heavy metals (HMs) contamination poses a significant challenge in the environment, exerting a severe impact on the growth and productivity of crops. Cadmium (Cd) is specifically identified as the seventh heavy metal among the top 20 pollutants, primarily due to its elevated phytotoxicity and its solubility in water. In the current study, foliar application of glycine betaine (GB) (500 µmol) investigated the toxic effects of cadmium in maize plants subjected to two Cd concentrations (50 and 100 µmol) as CdCl2. The maize plants exposed to Cd stress exhibited a massive reduction in growth, biomass, photosynthetic pigments [chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoids, and total pigments], gas exchange parameters [transpiration rate (Tr), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intracellular CO2 concentration (ci), and stomatal conductance (gs)], relative water content (RWC), and organic osmolytes content [total soluble protein (TSS), and total soluble sugar (TSS)]. These impacts were significant with the 100 µmol CdCl2 treatment. Moreover, Cd led to remarked increase in proline, nonenzymatic antioxidants levels [ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH)] as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR). On the other hand, GB application efficiently relieved the Cd toxic impacts on maize and maintained higher growth criteria, gas exchange parameters, photosynthetic pigments, RWC, and organic osmolytes. In addition, the exogenous application of GB added more enhancement to the antioxidative system (enzymatic and nonenzymatic). These results imply that GB could significantly preserve maize growth under Cd toxicity conditions by maintaining photosynthetic characteristics, water status, and antioxidant system. This suggests an enhancement in the plant’s resilience to stress induced by heavy metals.

This study was conducted to evaluate the wound-healing activities of a Cannabis sativa L. plant extract and cannabidiol on incision wounds. An incision was created and sutured in rats under anaesthesia. Routine wound care procedures were applied for 10 days, followed by histological wound examinations. The cellular bioactivities of the hemp extract and CBD were assessed for MCP-1, EGF, BFGF, IL-8, and COL-1 using ELISA on the rat skin wound healing activity. A one-way ANOVA was used for the data analysis. The EGF values in the plasma were similar in the povidone-iodine, hemp seed oil, and hemp essential oil groups (P > 0.05). However, the EGF levels were lower in the CBD group compared to the other groups (P < 0.001, P < 0.005). The MCP-1 values in the hemp seed oil, hemp essential oil, and CBD were similar (P > 0.05), whereas povidone iodine exhibited lower MCP-1 levels compared to the other groups (P < 0.001, P < 0.005). It was determined that the plasma BFGF, IL-8, and COL 1 values of the groups were similar (P > 0.05). To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the effects of CBD, seed oil, and hemp leaf extract on incision wound healing. It demonstrates that hemp extract holds greater potential benefits for wound healing compared to CBD.

Yellow rust (YR), caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is a global threat to wheat production. In this study the response of 46 wheat and triticale cultivars to Pst at the adult plant stage (APS) was evaluated during two successive growing seasons at Sulaimania, Iraq. Also, we used a molecular analysis to find the yellow rust resistance (Yr) genes present in the individual cultivars. The results revealed large differences in the response to Pst between the cultivars. Most of the cultivars were susceptible to YR; the mean coefficients of infection (CI) varied from 0.23 in cv. Sarah to 83.33 in Hsad. High resistance levels were found in Al-Wand, Kalar 1, Rezan, and Sarahat APS, while Al-Rashid, Charmo, Faris 1, Maaroof, Rabiea, and Iratom displayed moderate resistance. The level of Yellow rust infection was higher in 2023 than in 2022 in most tested cultivars. Molecular analysis revealed the highest number of Yr genes (Yr2, Yr5, Yr7, Yr9, Yrvav, Yr15, Yr24, Yr26, and Yr32) in the cv. Al-Wand, followed by Sulaimani 2 with eight Yr genes (Yr2, Yr5, Yr7, Yr9, Yr15, Yr24, Yr26, and Yr32). Only one Yr gene was found in Iratom and Tamuz 3. Yr2 was the most frequently identified gene, present in the majority of tested cultivars (87%), followed by Yr7 (76%) and Yr9 (74%), respectively.

Chilli anthracnose, incited by Colletotrichum capsici, is a major disease affecting the quality and quantity of chilli production. Farmers greatly depend on synthetic fungicides for the management of the disease. However, the extensive and non-judicious use of chemical fungicides resulted in the development of fungicide resistance in the pathogen and associated human and animal health risks. Piriformospora indica, a beneficial fungal root endophyte, has been employed as an efficient and safe biocontrol agent for managing bacterial, fungal and viral diseases and enhancing growth and yield. Hence, the present study was carried out to establish the protective role of P. indica against the chilli anthracnose incitant, C. capsici. The enzymes of phenylpropanoid pathway involved in this tripartite interaction were also studied. The study demonstrates that P. indica restricted C. capsici growth in dual culture with 57.22% mycelial inhibition on the 15th day after inoculation. P. indica ‒ colonized chilli plants showed a delay in disease development, and significantly reduced the incidence and severity of chilli anthracnose disease compared to the control plants. Higher activities of defence-related enzymes viz. peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, polyphenol oxidase, 4-coumaryl CoA ligase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and total phenol in the P. indica ‒ colonised plants revealed that the endophyte early resistance of plants against further pathogen invasions. The present study revealed P. indica to be an efficient biocontrol agent against chilli anthracnose. The results showed that P. indica reduced the infection of C. capsici by direct antagonism, activation of enzymes involved in plant defence and enhanced growth in chilli plants.