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The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between the incidence of spontaneous tumours of various origins and the localisation in dogs with sex, breed, and age factors. A total of 360 tumours with various localisation were studied pathomorphologically. Histopathologic data sets from 360 dog tissue samples were processed and statistically examined. A chi-square test of independence was conducted to examine the relationships among the various levels of the specified variables. Logistic regression models were employed for dichotomous outcomes to ascertain the influence of certain explanatory variables on the tumour types. Characteristic pathomorphological changes observed during examination of dogs with oncologic diseases were determined. The most common neoplasms were mammary tumours, accounting for 43% of the cases. The mammary gland tumours were most common in mongrel dogs (25%), with German Shepherds (17.3%), Poodles, Dachshunds, Central Asian Shepherds (6.7% each), and Rottweilers (5.7%) following. The highest frequency of these tumours appeared at 8 years of age, predominantly originating from the ductal epithelium, which represented 46.4% of all the malignant cases.

This study aimed to examine the antifungal effects of nine monoterpenes on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum via the mycelial growth rate method. The effects of carvacrol on the morphological structures of hyphae were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxalic acid (OA), total protein contents, and the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes, including chitinase, cellulase and β-1,3-glucanase, were assessed. The results showed that the antifungal rates of carvacrol, thymol and eugenol reached 100% at a concentration of 400 mg/L, and the EC50 values of carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol were 43.40, 56.22, and 86.63 mg/L, respectively. The treatment of S. sclerotiorum with carvacrol had no significant effect on sclerotia formation, but the mycelial surface was shrivelled, uneven and broken, with cytoplasm flowing out. The OA content of S. sclerotiorum was significantly reduced to 133.78 µg/mL after treatment with carvacrol. Additionally, the total protein content of S. sclerotiorum mycelia in the carvacrol treatment group was significantly reduced to 15.67 µg/mL compared with that of the control group, and the activity of cellulase in the carvacrol treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group.

Sri Lanka, as a developing tropical country, faces serious environmental challenges. Forests, as important ecosystems of Sri Lanka, are under pressure from intensive human activities and climate change. Invasive species represent a great hazard to autochthonous plant species and ecosystems, which are, at the same time, hosts to extraordinarily high biodiversity, of which a high percentage is endemic. In this paper, we reviewed the most challenging environmental problems of Sri Lanka and suggested the improvement of a number of them through silvicultural measures and cooperation with international experts, namely Czech foresters. We also reviewed the main forest biomes and addressed the specific problems and management of different forest types.

Aronia melanocarpa is one of the many fruit types rich in polyphenolic compounds. Therefore, we used this fruit in our research as a possible natural antioxidant, which was added to pork sausages. Four groups were prepared: control group, a group with ascorbic acid, and groups with 3 and 5 mL·kg^–1 of chokeberry extract. During storage, we monitored changes in pH, colour, texture and oxidative stability of pork sausages and sensory evaluation. We did not observe any negative effects of the extract on the quality of pork sausages during storage. Regarding oxidative stability, the lowest increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed in the group with 5 mL·kg^–1 of chokeberry extract, which was comparable to the group with ascorbic acid.

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) represent the future of pest control, as they have the capacity to induce serious infections in insects, trigger epizootics, and effectively manage insect populations. The study aimed to identify and test indigenous EPF isolates against Tribolium confusum using soil samples from Northwestern and central Saudi Arabia. Galleria mellonella larvae were used as insect bait to collect EPF from soil samples from date palm groves, fruit groves, and maise fields. Only 27.3% of soil samples tested positive for palm grove-originating EPFs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the cultured fungi as Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana. Tribolium confusum pathogenicity was assessed using nine local fungal isolates. Different fungus isolates were tested for their pathogenicity on larval and adult T. confusum. The results showed that M. anisopliae MaSA-2, MaSA-3, and MaSA-4 had infection rates of 85%, 85%, and 75%, respectively, in last-instar T. confusum larvae and 5%, 10%, and 20% in adults within seven days. On the other hand, B. bassiana BbSA-4 showed a 100% infection rate in T. confusum larvae, while BbSA-5, BbSA-6, BbSA-7, BbSA-8, and BbSA-9 had infection rates of 70%, 80%, 80%, 75%, and 95%, respectively. In terms of adult mortality rates, B. bassiana BbSA-4, BbSA-5, BbSA-6, BbSA-7, BbSA-8, and BbSA-9 had rates of 25%, 35%, 35%, 20%, 20%, and 40%, respectively. The research findings show that indigenous B. bassiana and M. anisopliae fungus isolates successfully eliminated T. confusum larvae, although their effectiveness against adults was limited.

Unique challenges have been elicited by climate change, demanding the utilisation of effective adaptation strategies that are both environmentally and economically sustainable. Regrettably, the agricultural sector has not been spared from the effects of climate change, but it is among the largest employers and the primary source of food security globally. The situation is worse in Pakistan, where poverty, hunger, and malnutrition are reported to be prevalent. The complexity of risks posed by climate change has called for climate-smart agriculture (CSA) technologies, which potentially could augment cost efficiency and yield in wheat production. Surprisingly, previous studies have largely overlooked this crucial aspect. Therefore, our research seeks to address two fundamental questions: What is the comparative cost efficiency between adopters and non-adopters of CSA practices in wheat production? And what are the yield effects associated with CSA adoption, particularly compared to non-adopters? To this end, a multi-stage sampling technique was employed to randomly select 400 farm households in a climate risk hotspot province in Pakistan, on which the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) were applied. The results revealed that CSA adoption was associated with improved cost efficiency and yield. Interestingly, if non-adopters decided to adopt CSA, they would increase their wheat yield by about 20%. Given the importance of wheat for food security, this would contribute to poverty and hunger eradication. Therefore, our study conforms to the aspirations of the 2030 agenda by promoting rethinking food production through possible improvement in cost efficiency and yield in the face of a changing climate.

Urinary N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity is associated with kidney disease. In our study, we focused on evaluating the ratio of NAG to the urinary creatinine concentration (NAG/Cr) in the German Shepherd breed. Sixty-two healthy dogs and thirteen dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD) were examined. The healthy dogs were divided into groups based on their sex and age (puppies and adolescent dogs under 2 years, adult dogs from 2 to 6 years and seniors over 6 years), while the dogs with CKD were divided based on the disease stage (CKD stage 1 and 2). No significant difference was detected between the males and females. Regarding the age dependence, significantly higher values were found in dogs older than 6 years (P = 0.020 3) compared to dogs aged 2–6 years. When comparing the healthy dogs to the dogs with CKD, the lowest NAG/Cr ratio was observed in the dogs with CKD stage 2. The reference interval for NAG/Cr in the German Shepherd was established in the range of 0.78–7.86 U/gCr. We observed no correlations with the commonly used markers of kidney disease such as creatinine, urea, or symmetrical dimethylarginine. Nevertheless, we encourage the further investigation of NAG in relation to CKD, taking the breed, sex and age of the patients into account.

Natural regeneration is a crucial factor in improving the economy of forest estates. The presented study analysed the economic parameters of three different approaches to forest regeneration: (i) artificial regeneration with Norway spruce, (ii) a 25% admixture of soil-improving and stabilising species (SSTS), and (iii) natural regeneration. The expenses for these specific operations related to individual regeneration methods were derived. These variants were investigated before the bark beetle calamity (2014) and after the outbreak (2023) for management sets (MS) 531, 551, 571, and 591, i.e. for acidic, nutrient-rich, gleyed, and waterlogged sites of higher elevations. In all cases, natural regeneration decreased expenses by approximately 2 000 EUR·ha^–1 (50 000 CZK·ha^–1) to 6 000 EUR·ha^–1 (150 000 CZK·ha^–1). The 25% admixture of SSTS increased the expenses. The proportion of natural regeneration subsequently decreased due to the bark beetle calamity from roughly 40% to 10% in recent years, which is comparable with the Czech Republic as a whole.

This study uses micro-financial data to examine the efficiency of agricultural enterprises in Germany and its neighbouring countries. The aim of the study is to introduce a model for the agricultural sector and conduct an efficiency analysis using these data, interpreting the results with specific knowledge in the management of an agriculture company. Both technical and allocative efficiencies were determined, and the companies were ranked. Possible correlations between company size, measured by turnover, and the determined efficiency were analysed. At present, there is a lack of studies in the agricultural sector with high aggregated financial data, which are the basis and necessity for well-founded decision support to increase efficiency. The data envelopment analysis method was used, as a non-parametric procedure from operations research and economics field. Both the constant returns to scale (CCR) and variable returns to scale (BCC) models were used to calculate the efficiency values. The results showed that large and very large companies achieved the highest levels of efficiency. Interestingly, very large companies lost efficiency compared to large companies, suggesting that the optimal efficiency level lies with the latter. Furthermore, the Netherlands was the absolute efficiency leader, while the other countries achieved similar lower efficiencies. This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive efficiency analysis in the agricultural sector based on financial data, thus offering a basis for future studies and political decisions.

Sisal purple leafroll disease (SPLD) is a destructive disease affecting sisal in China, however, its etiology remains unknown. This disease is characterized by purple margins and rolling and yellowing of the leaves. Recently, phytoplasma was found to be present in SPLD-affected sisal according to PCR assay. To further verify the presence of phytoplasma, determine its association with SPLD and identify the possible pathogenic phytoplasma infecting sisal, 80 symptomatic and 65 asymptomatic sisal samples were collected from the main sisal farms in three Chinese provinces, including Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, from 2018 to 2021. PCR assays and transmission electron microscopy further revealed the presence of phytoplasma. Nested PCR using the universal primer R16mF2/R16mR1 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 was confirmed as the most effective molecular method for the detection of phytoplasma in sisal. A comparison of the detection rate of phytoplasma in symptomatic (83%) versus asymptomatic (17%) sisal populations showed some association between phytoplasma and SPLD. Sequencing analyses, phylogenetic analyses, and virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses confirmed the presence of phytoplasma in sisal belonging to 16SrI-B. This is the first report of 16SrI-B phytoplasma infecting sisal in China.

The CBF (C-repeat binding factors) genes play important roles in response to abiotic stress and environmental changes. In the present study, a total of 18 CBF genes were identified from a grapevine. Their domains, phylogenetics, and collinearity were analysed. The results revealed, that 18 VviCBF genes were distributed on 10 chromosomes unevenly in the grape genome. Promoter data analysis showed that the CBF gene has many cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, light response, hormone, and abiotic stress response. We found that six VviCBF genes including, VviCBF5, VviCBF13, VviCBF14, VviCBF15, VviCBF16, and VviCBF18 differentially expressed during fruit developmental stages. Furthermore, four VviCBF genes including, VviCBF1, VviCBF3, VviCBF6, and VviCBF11 were expressed at the early stage of bud dormancy, whereas, nine VviCBF genes were expressed at the bud dormancy-breaking stage. Additionally, various VviCBFs genes respond to different abiotic and biotic stress. These findings will lay a foundation for further study of the CBF genes in bud dormancy, downy mildew, and abiotic and biotic stresses.

Knowledge of gene actions governing begomovirus resistance and plant architectural traits is a prerequisite for a successful hybrid breeding programme. Therefore, the gene actions associated with these traits were studied in two intervarietal crosses of Cucurbita moschata (C₁: Punjab Nawab × MVSR-6711 and C₂: Punjab Nawab × P-135). We used the generation mean analysis of six generations for this purpose. Significant differences between the generation means were observed for all the traits in both crosses. The parental lines differed significantly in most of the studied traits. The nature and magnitude of the gene effects of seventeen traits varied by trait and cross. A simple additive dominance model was adequate for the internode number, leaf length and width, petiole length, fruit weight and cavity diameter in C₁ and the number of fruits/plant in C₂. The non-allelic interaction was found to be significant for a majority of the traits including the per cent disease index of the squash leaf curl China virus, tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus and their mixed infections, which indicated, that recurrent selection in biparental progeny might be useful for the accumulation of genes with additive effects. Duplicate epistasis was observed for the vine, internodal and peduncle length in C₁ and the internode number, petiole and peduncle length, peduncle and fruit polar diameter in C₂. This information will help to establish a breeding program for the simultaneous improvement of virus resistance and yield traits in pumpkins.

Coumarins and pyridines are a promising class of naturally occurring bioactive heterocycles with unique physical and chemical properties. Compounds containing the coumarin framework possess a wide range of pharmacological, biological, and physiological activities, which makes them important for application in medicine, the food industry and agriculture. Among all coumarins' properties, it was found that coumarins may prevent fungal growth, depending on substituents linked to the coumarin core. Therefore, many coumarin derivatives have been investigated as potentially powerful agents in preventing and controlling fungal pathogens. This review summarises the latest research on coumarins and their antifungal activity to provide useful information for further developing more efficient coumarin-based fungicides.

The aim of this study was to determine the heavy metals concentrations in soil, inflorescences of Brassica napus and rapeseed honey sampled from some regions of north-eastern Bulgaria. Thirteen locations were selected for experimental studies. The soils, plants and honeys samples were taken from conventional beekeeping areas away from major industrial pollutants. The median amounts of elements in the soil samples (mg/kg DW) are 1.1246 for Fe(s), 0.7048 for Al(s), 0.5636 for Pb(s), 0.1658 for Cu(s) and 0.0148 for Zn(s). The median amounts of heavy metals measured in the inflorescences of Brassica napus (mg/ kg DW) are 5.5430 for Fe(p), 2.9095 for Zn(p), 1.3225 for Pb(p), 0.2593 for Cu(p) and 0.2105 for Al(p). The median heavy metals concentrations in  tested honey (mg/kg DW) are 1.0026 for Fe(h), 0.1849 for Al(h), 0.1832 for Pb(h), 0.1250 for Zn(h), 0.0702 for. Cu(h). The relationship between the heavy metal in soil, plants and honey was investigated using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Significant differences in the concentrations of Fe(s), Al(s) and Pb(s) in soils, Fe(p) and Zn(p) in the plant samples, Fe(h) in honey samples from the different locations were found. The heavy metal content tested in honey did not pose a risk to human health.

Soil erosion resistance is influenced by intrinsic soil properties and multiple external factors. This study investigated the effect of tea planting age on soil resistance to flowing water erosion (reflected by rill erodibility (K_r) and critical shear stress (τ_c)) in Three Gorges Reservoir Area. One slope farmland (as the control) and five tea plantations cultivated for 3 to 34 years were selected for sampling sites. The results indicated that bulk density (BD), soil cohesion (Coh), water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD), soil organic carbon (SOC), litter density (LD), and root mass density (RMD) increased generally with tea planting age. Compared to the control, K_r of tea plantations reduced by 71.1%–85.3%. The temporal variation in soil erosion resistance was controlled greatly by the variations in most near-surface characteristics. K_r decreased with WSA, Coh, LD, RMD, and SOC following a power function (P < 0.01); τ_c increased with MWD, LD, RMD, and SOC as an exponential function, with BD a power function, and Coh a logarithmic function (P < 0.01). In this study, K_r could be simulated well by WSA and LD with a power function, and τ_c could be simulated well by MWD and RMD with an exponential function.

High-pressure processing (HPP) was used as a post-processing treatment for vegetable puree. Microbiological, physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory analyses of puree were investigated at room temperature. HPP (600 MPa, 5 min) was compared with thermal treatment (117 °C, 30 min) and fresh samples. Treatments did not change pH or total soluble solids. For both methods treated samples exhibited a lower microbial count (< 1.0 log CFU·g^–1) over storage, compared with fresh puree. During storage, other parameters, including total phenolic contents and antioxidants also demonstrated similar or better performance than controls (P < 0.05). Overall, HPP-treated puree received a higher sensory evaluation score. Thus, HPP can be used as an alternative processing technology to improve nutritional quality and microbial safety.

In recent years, the external shock represented by COVID-19 has caused significant fluctuations in global corn prices. Based on the weekly data on international corn prices from 2020 to 2023, this paper constructs autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (ARCH) class and time-varying parameter – vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) models. After analysing the characteristics of corn price fluctuations, it further analyses the influence of external uncertainties such as COVID-19, international finance, the corn futures market, and international exports of corn on corn price fluctuations. The results show that international corn price fluctuations always have significant asymmetry. Nevertheless, the influence of past changes on the future will gradually disappear, and the corn market is not characterised by high risk and high return because of the phenomenon of flat or declining absolute returns during the periods of high volatility. All the selected external shocks also have a time-varying impact on corn price fluctuations, and there are differences in the impact size, impact direction, and impact duration. The external shocks led by COVID-19 had a transmission effect on other factors and then affected corn price fluctuations.

The soil seed bank, as a potential source of ground vegetation renewal, plays an important role in the natural recovery and succession of vegetation as well as in the construction of ecosystems. To clarify the characteristics of the soil seed bank of Achnatherum inebrians and its relationship with the aboveground vegetation, the soil seed bank density, species composition and aboveground vegetation of three different grassland types, namely, desert, steppe and meadow, were investigated by means of field survey sampling and indoor germination experiments. The results showed that the seed bank densities of the three habitats were ranked as desert (1 422.22 seeds/m²), steppe (2 077.78 seeds/m²) and meadow (3 722.22 seeds/m²). The numbers of species were 16, 11 and 17, respectively. With respect to the vertical allocation, the soil seed banks in each habitat were shallow, and the seeds were mainly concentrated in the soil surface layer (0–5 cm). The species richness of the soil seed banks in the three habitats was higher than that of the aboveground vegetation, but there were some differences in richness, evenness and dominance. The species richness and diversity of soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation in meadow habitats were higher than those in desert and steppe habitats, indicating that the soil seed banks and aboveground vegetation in meadow habitats had higher stability. There was a significant positive correlation between the density of temporary soil seed banks and the density of aboveground plant communities in grassland habitats. The results may provide some reference for the prevention and control of Achnatherum inebrians in the three habitats.

This study focuses on the effect of agricultural soil management on soil organic matter (SOM) composition. The addition of manure and crop residues was tested under different pedoclimatic conditions. The quality of SOM was assessed using diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy. The following parameters were calculated from the spectra:   sum of aliphatic bands (ΣAL), aromatic bands at wave numbers 1 620 and 1 520 cm^–1 (AR₁₆₂₀ and AR₁₅₂₀), potential wettability (PWI), organic matter quality (OMQ), and decomposability (DI) indexes. The addition of manure or crop residues may not cause fundamental changes in the qualitative composition of SOM. Rather, pedoclimatic conditions determine which components are fixed in the soil on a long-term scale. A dominant effect of soil type was found in the distribution of all spectral parameters studied using main effect ANOVA. The main differences between the soil types concern the aromatic, oxygen and nitrogen groups contained in the SOM. Chernozems are soils with higher OMQ and DI, whereas Cambisols are soils with low OMQ and DI and the highest PWI. The stabilisation of SOM in soils can thus be based on the biochemical persistence of organic molecules, their specific affinity for minerals and the formation of aggregates that protect enclosed SOM.

Long-term field experiments provide a valuable dataset for predicting changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in different agricultural systems. The RothC-26.3 model was used to simulate changes in SOC in the monoculture of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and the Norfolk crop rotation during 1972–2100. The potential of the Gleyic Fluvisol Clayic to sequester organic carbon was investigated. The studied soil was heavily textured, with medium organic carbon content. Four management scenarios in the monoculture and six management scenarios in the Norfolk crop rotation were evaluated. Three different global climate models (MPI, MRI, CMSS) representing the uncertainty of future climate conditions were used. Results showed that carbon stocks were mainly influenced by plant residue inputs and exogenous organic materials application. The projection showed trends of carbon stocks decreasing in the case of monoculture management. Results also documented that management scenario D with straw incorporation and intercrops represented sustainability and carbon stock increase during all modelled climate scenarios. The SOC stock at the end of the century was approximately 66 t/ha. This represents a moderate sequestration of SOC of approximately 0.09 t/ha/year.

A suitable irrigation pattern is of great significance for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, field experiments and a denitrification-decomposition (DNDC) model were used to study the global warming potential based on CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ fluxes under flooding irrigation and controlled irrigation in paddy fields in the Erhai Lake basin. The results showed that the average value of CH₄ flux under controlled irrigation was lower than that under flooding irrigation, with a reduction range of 43.21% to 48.88%, however, the average value of the N₂O and CO₂ fluxes from paddy field under controlled irrigation were higher than those under flooding irrigation. Controlled irrigation patterns can significantly reduce the global warming potential in paddy fields based on CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ fluxes. Controlled irrigation can effectively reduce the global warming potential per unit yield. For water management in the Erhai Lake basin, it is recommended the controlled irrigation treatment of soil moisture with an upper limit of 100% and a lower limit of 75–85% with irrigation, and a maximum surface water depth of 150–200 mm lasting for five days after precipitation from the jointing-booting stage to the milk stage.

The effects of biogas residue as a substrate on ginseng growth and its feasibility for ginseng cultivation are unclear. The present study used biogas residue at different concentrations and maturity levels to cultivate ginseng. The biological characteristics of ginseng, soil physiochemical indices, and ginseng and soil microbial communities were investigated. The results showed that with increasing ginseng content and maturity, the total fresh weight, total length and saponin content significantly increased. The enzyme activities of soil, NO₃^–-N, and available phosphorus also increased. The microbiome analysis revealed that with the addition of biogas residue, microorganisms related to plant growth promotion, such as Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadota and Mortierellomycota, were more common in the plant or rhizosphere soil. The results based on the co-occurrence network showed that the structure of the bacterial community was more stable than that of the fungal community with increasing biogas residue content. Our results indicated that biogas residue could be used as a ginseng cultivation substrate and promote growth.

In Central Europe, the most important pioneer species are silver birch and European aspen. Changes in disturbance regime and an economic interest for this species have led to studies on this species and stands. Two naturally regenerated dense stands of birch (Betula pendula Roth – silver birch monoculture) and aspen (Populus tremula L. – European aspen monoculture) were selected from a Querceto – Fagetum mesotrophicum site to observe responses under the same conditions in Central Europe. Both stands regenerated after the allochthonous Norway spruce stands dieback at the site in 1999. Within a 10 m × 25 m transect established in both stands, the diameter at breast height (DBH) of all the trees was measured between 2015 and 2020. In addition, the height and position were recorded for all trees, and sample trees of both species were felled for biomass measurement. A higher volume production of aspen at the beginning (107.48/96.80 m³) and at the end of the experiment (178.32/143.08 m³) was accompanied with a lower above-ground wood biomass (WAB). The WAB of birch increased from 81.9 t·ha^–1 to 103.3 t·ha^–1 and aspen allocated 79.5 t·ha^–1 to 94.8 t·ha^–1 of biomass. The current annual increment of biomass for these stands was 4.3 t·ha^–1 and 3.1 t·ha^–1 in the age range of 17 to 22 years. The culmination of the volume increment has not yet occurred in any of the stands, but the mean annual increment of wood biomass has already been reached for both stands. Furthermore, the aspen stand tended to be more dynamic in terms of biomass allocation and mortality. Also, the lower self-tolerance of aspen confirmed our hypothesis: the two native pioneer species differ in their social behaviour within monospecific stands.

The land in the South Tasikmalaya Regency is dominated by dry land with a steep and hilly land contour. In addition, the area has a shallow soil solum, so it has a high potential for erosion and landslides. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate an integrated cultivation system that is economically feasible, but still maintains environmental sustainability. In this research, the aim is to formulate a model for the development of integrated plantation polyculture farming (IPPF) for the welfare of farmers. The method in this study uses a mixed method design. The location of the research carried out is in the Tasikmalaya Regency. The data used are the results of interviews and questionnaires to 250 IPPF farmers. The data used were obtained by multistage cluster random sampling. The sustainable IPPF development model was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). This analysis is used to determine the various potential capital factors for agricultural development on the sustainable development of the IPPF and farmers’ welfare. The results of the study show that the potential development capital [natural resources (SDA) capital, economic capital, socio-cultural capital, physical capital, and multifunctional IPPF], jointly or partially affect the IPPF sustainability. Human resource capital has no effect on the sustainable IPPF development, while the sustainable IPPF development affects the farmers’ welfare levels, and the potential agricultural development capital and its multifunctionality affect the sustainable IPPF development and farmers’ welfare. The IPPF development model that improves the welfare of farmers is carried out through the development of specific local superior commodities, increasing the added value and cooperation, developing access to credit, regenerating farmers, sustainable assistance and infrastructure improvements. The results of this study are expected to be a reference for the government in improving IPPF sustainability to achieve the welfare of its farmers. Apart from that, the model that has been developed can make a contribution to science in the form of a comprehensive analysis of the factors that influence the sustainability of IPPF.

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of three biostimulants and a herbicide on selected unit parameters of potato yield. The research results came from a three-year field experiment that was established using the randomised sub-blocks method in three replications. In the experiment, two cultivars of edible potato were grown and the yield-protective effect of treatments was assessed: (1) control object without protection with preparations; (2) herbicide clomazone + metribuzin; (3) biostimulant PlonoStart and herbicide clomazone + metribuzin; (4) biostimulant Aminoplant and herbicide clomazone + metribuzin, and (5) biostimulant Agro-Sorb Folium and herbicide clomazone + metribuzin. As a result of the limited competition of weeds in the objects with the use of biostimulant and herbicide, a higher average weight of one potato tuber, a higher share of commercial tubers > 35 mm and a higher share of large tubers > 50 mm was obtained compared to the control object. The highest average weight of one tuber (108.2 and 85.4 g, respectively) and the highest share of commercial (97.1 and 96.3%, respectively) and large tubers (60.6 and 60.5%, respectively) were obtained in the objects where the Agro-Sorb Folium biostimulant + Avatar 293 ZC herbicide were used. and PlonoStart + Avatar 293 ZC. The correlation analysis confirmed a significant negative relationship between the number of weeds and average weight of one potato tuber, share of commercial tubers and share of large tubers. Weather conditions during the conduct of the research also significantly differentiated weed numbers and quality parameters of potato yield.

Compared to solely mineral fertiliser application, organic fertiliser substitution has been demonstrated to be effective in enhancing nitrogen cycling in cropland, but the relevant research based on grassland is still insufficient. A field experiment was carried out in the grasslands of northern China to examine the impact of mineral/organic fertilisation on soil organic nitrogen fractions, activities of soil N-hydrolysing enzymes and their interrelationships. The results showed that the active soil organic nitrogen pool (hydrolysable NH₄⁺-N + amino sugar-N + amino acid N) increased significantly after fertilisation, and organic fertiliser combined with mineral fertiliser addition showed the best promotion effect. N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase, protease and urease activities are also significantly affected by fertilisation. The findings of our study indicate that the combination of mineral fertiliser and organic fertiliser shows a higher potential in improving the active soil organic nitrogen supply. This approach seems to be a viable agronomic strategy for augmenting soil nitrogen supply and ensuring the stability of the soil nitrogen pool in the semi-arid steppe region of northern China.

Negative energy balance (NEB) after calving leads to unique metabolic changes in cows and it provides important information on the period when nutrient output prevails over nutrient intake associated with a number of physiological changes in the organism suitable for detection using biochemical blood analyses. The aim of this paper is to summarise current knowledge of the changes in blood parameters during the period of NEB in relation to non-esterified fatty acids, ketone bodies, and immunologic and stress indicators. The impact of these changes on bovine reproduction and health is also discussed in the sequel. The period of NEB is still a very pertinent area of research as it provides a new insight into connections between physiological systems, to wit, ​​immunology, manifestation of various stress indicators, including oxidative stress, and heat shock proteins inter alia. Understanding the physiological changes during NEB is crucial for successful management of the transition period and subsequent overall good animal health and productivity.

Lactic acid has gained considerable attention globally due to its multi-purpose application. Commercial lactic acid production uses the fungal species Rhizopus oryzae, which produces other organic acids. A crucial point of effective fungal organic acid production is matching the fungal strains’ requirements, where the carbon source plays a major role. The highest production rate is achieved when glucose is used as a carbon source. Alternatively, we can apply carbon-rich agricultural residues as carbon sources. Using agricultural waste for lactic acid production provides a sustainable and cost-effective feedstock but also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting waste from landfills and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. Moreover, polylactic acid (PLA) produced from lactic acid monomers can occur in numerous agricultural applications. We should delve deeper into sustainable methods of using carbon residues to recycle waste, foster the circular economy, and advance sustainable agriculture. Therefore, there is a need for further research on the commercial use of agricultural and food industry wastes for lactic acid production.

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

Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease of rice caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the significant constraints for rice production. A study was carried out to analyze the virulence, genetic diversity, and population structure of Xoo isolates collected from different rice ecosystems of Karnataka, India. The taxonomic identity of all 54 isolates was confirmed using a Xoo-specific PCR assay. The virulence assay on a set of twenty-eight near-isogenic differentials identified nine pathotype groups (KPthX-1 to KPthX-9). Among them, KPthX-6 was highly virulent, whereas KPthx-2 was less virulent. Differentials with four and five resistance (R) genes (Xa4+xa5+xa13+Xa21, Xa4+Xa7+xa13+Xa21, and Xa4+xa5+Xa7+xa13+Xa21) were effective against all the pathotypes. Further, genetic diversity was deduced using a universal marker set, JEL-1, and JEL-2, complementary to a conserved repetitive sequence IS1112. The amplicon size and numbers varied from 100 bp to 3 Kb and 1 to 25. Based on the amplicon counts, Jaccard’s co-efficient and phylogenetic analyses were carried out and categorized the 54 isolates into three clusters (I to III). Cluster-II contains the maximum number of isolates (27), followed by cluster-I (23 isolates) and cluster-III (one isolate). The structure analysis categorized the isolates into five subgroups, viz. SG1, SG2, SG3, SG4, and SG5 indicate the existence of five subpopulations. The present study has identified the genetic and virulence diversity of the Xoo population and reported the effective R gene/s for different rice ecosystems, which can be used in the breeding program for the eco-specific management of BLB of rice.