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Polyphenols and carotenoids are important bioactive compounds in potato tuber. Knowledge of these features makes it possible to select cultivars for cultivation, consumption, and processing with desirable properties. For this purpose, the content of polyphenols and carotenoids in edible potato tubers from different countries was analysed. The research material consisted of eight cultivars, including one light yellow – Eurostar, two with red flesh – Rote Emmalie and Herbie 26 and five cultivars with purple flesh – Provita, Salad Blue, Blue Annelise, Vitelotte Noire and Bora Valley. They were cultivated in a three-year, single-factor field experiment. The content of polyphenols in the analysed cultivars ranged from 165.0 to 283.8 mg/kg of fresh weight and depended on the cultivar, year of research and cultivar-year interactions. The highest average amounts of these compounds were noted in the Herbie 26, Rote Emmalie and Vitelotte Noire cultivars. The content of carotenoids ranged from 1.122 to 3.173 mg/kg of fresh weight and depended significantly on the cultivar, weather conditions in the years of the study and the interaction of cultivars with years. The highest amounts of carotenoids were determined in the purple-fleshed cultivars Blaue Annelise and Vitelotte Noire and the red-fleshed cultivar Rote Emmalie.

Crop production faces increased climate change and land degradation stresses, compromising global food security with the growing population. Maize (Zea mays L.) is a versatile crop used for food, feed, and raw materials, contributing significantly to global food systems. Abiotic stresses like drought and soil fertility limit its production. Fertilisation is an amelioration technique that optimises maize growth and yield by maintaining optimum nutrition and leveraging nutrient deficiency conditions. Precision agricultural tools like chlorophyll meters are essential for non-destructive chlorophyll assessment and nitrogen status. An experiment conducted at the University of Debrecen evaluated the impact of nitrogen (N) fertilisation (0, 90, and 150 kg/ha) and three maize cultivars (P9610-FAO 340, DKC4590-FAO360, and GKT376-FAO360) on physiological parameters, namely: relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), normalised differences vegetation index (NDVI) and grain quality. Results showed that SPAD and NDVI positively correlated (P < 0.05) with grain quality and yield. Nitrogen application significantly influenced SPAD. Maize cultivars and N rates with higher chlorophyll content had maximum yield. Cultivar responses to nitrogen rates significantly (P < 0.05) varied by crop year. Higher SPAD and NDVI values were associated with higher protein content. Therefore, SPAD and NDVI values could be used to analyse the nutrient requirements of maize under field conditions to estimate grain yield.

Employing the Comprehensive Demonstration of E-commerce in Rural Areas (CDERA) policy as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper explores the impact of rural e-commerce development on agricultural total factor productivity (ATFP) and its underlying mechanisms, using a difference-in-differences model. The analysis utilises panel data from 1 495 counties in China from 2001 to 2021. The findings indicate that the CDERA policy implementation enhanced ATFP in treated counties by approximately 1.6 percentage points compared to control counties, other factors being equal. Mechanism analysis further reveals that the CDERA policy enhances ATFP by improving agricultural technological efficiency and fostering agricultural industrial development. This study highlights the significant role of CDERA policy in enhancing agricultural productivity in China and offers policy insights for advancing rural e-commerce and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Transgenic organisms modified with ancestral genes for nitrogen metabolism are rare. Previously, it was reported that genetically modified Nicotiana tabacum with the ARO4 gene of aromatic amino acid synthesis from the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii increases its growth during moderate salt stress. In this investigation, it was explored if the changes in the expression of the gene DhARO4 in Nicotiana tabacum, during saline irrigation, are related to the chlorophyll content and the total reactive oxygen species production. Seedlings of transgenic and wild type Nicotiana tabacum germinated in standard conditions were divided into two irrigation groups, with 100 mM of NaCl and with tap water; and, after 50 days, in the non-senescent adult leaves of the plants, the total chlorophyll a and b and the total chlorophyll content were determined by spectrophotometry and the reactive oxygen species production (•OH, ¹O₂, H₂O₂) was quantified by a 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein assay. The expression of the DhARO4 gene was verified with a salt shock of 100 mM of NaCl for 24 hours in the transgenic and wild type plants in the tap water irrigation group. The DhARO4 gene transcript increased (P < 0.05) in the transgenic plant; meanwhile, the average concentration of chlorophyll a increased (P < 0.05), and the average production of reactive oxygen species decreased (P < 0.05).

The aim of the present study was to optimize the conventional method of sperm freezing in liquid nitrogen (LN₂) vapour for successful cryopreservation of Wallachian ram sperm, the genetic resources of the Czech Republic. Sperm in straws were frozen using the conventional freezing method via a static exposure of sperm doses to LN₂ vapour, or by four different modified freezing methods. Under modified freezing, straws were frozen by a discontinuous, time-dependent decremental change in the distance between the straws and the surface of LN₂. The viability of sperm was evaluated by flow cytometry after sperm equilibration, and immediately after thawing. Besides the observed inter-sire and daily variation, the obtained results suggest the methodological weakness of the conventional freezing method via the static exposure of sperm doses to LN₂ vapour. With the use of the optimized freezing procedure, all parameters of thawed sperm were significantly (P < 0.05) improved in comparison with the conventional method: percentage of thawed sperm viability increased up to 48.3%, percentage of sperm with plasma membrane damage after thawing decreased to 6.58%, percentage of sperm with acrosome damage decreased to 24.4%, and percentage of sperm with deteriorated mitochondrial activity decreased to 6.28%. In conclusion, our results suggest that an optimized freezing procedure should be routinely used instead of the conventional method to cryopreserve Wallachian ram sperm.

Indonesia is presently ranked as the first crude palm oil producer in the world. However, the palm oil industry faces significant challenges, including extensive criticism related to environmental degradation and social impacts. The circular bioeconomy concept emphasises sustainable production and consumption through the repurposing, recycling, and regeneration of resources to address these challenges. Integrating palm and cattle farming represents a promising approach to enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability in agricultural systems. This study employs a system dynamics analysis to model the circular bioeconomy in the palm oil industry, with a specific focus on addressing cattle feed shortages. The results demonstrate that utilising oil palm biomass can yield a total of 21 204.52 tonnes of feed and generate a yearly revenue of USD 317 020.14. Key findings indicate that integrating palm by-products into cattle feed not only addresses feed shortages but also reduces waste and enhances overall farm productivity. The implications of this study suggest that adopting circular bioeconomy practices in the palm oil industry can promote more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices.

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.

Vehicle collisions with wild animals are a common problem on roads, having a significant impact on road safety and wildlife populations. Collisions with wild animals are one of the most frequent road accidents. According to police statistics, there were nearly 16 000 road accidents caused by collisions with animals in the Czech Republic
in 2019. Collisions with deer are the most common. There are several technologies and measures that can help reduce the risk of a vehicle colliding with a wild animal. One of the technologies used is a night vision system based on infrared spectrum sensing. This technology is slowly becoming part of the equipment of, in particular, premium car brands dueto its high cost. This paper tested a low-cost solution using a commercially available thermal imaging camera and found a substantial reduction in the time to detect wild animals along the road, namely in the order of seconds.

The planting of branched nursery trees is an essential component of most high-density orchard planting systems to induce precocity. However, in apples, most cultivars do not produce the desired numbers of sylleptic shoots naturally due to the presence of apical dominance. Benzyladenine (BA) applications alter the apical dominance and consequently encourage sylleptic shoot formation in nursery trees. However, the response to an exogenous BA application can vary with the genotype. Currently, most nurseries produce branched apple nursery trees using the renewal leader method. However, apart from the renewal leader method, branched nursery trees can also be produced using the central leader method. A comparative study of these two methods had not been conducted previously, and this investigation aimed to determine the effects of both the central and renewal leader methods, as well as the genotype, on sylleptic branching in apple nursery trees in response to repeated BA sprays. The genotype showed significant variation in the sylleptic shoot numbers (5.25–9.41), their average length (26.86–33.34 cm), and crotch angle (48.95˚–54.27˚) in response to the BA application. Among the genotypes, ‘Shireen’ produced the highest number of sylleptic shoots, whereas the opposite results were obtained in ‘Top Red’. Furthermore, irrespective of the genotype, the central leader method was found to be more effective than the renewal leader for the development of high-quality branched nursery trees. The central leader method not only significantly increased the number of sylleptic shoots on the tree but also positively affected their length, final tree height, and diameter.

Growth inhibition and time-kill properties of Hallabong, Redhyang, Cheonhyehyang, and orange peel essential oils against foodborne pathogens were evaluated. Hallabong, Redhyang, Cheonhyehyang, and orange peel essential oils prolonged the lag phase of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Shigella sonnei, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus for > 24 h and extended the lag phase by 4–24 h against other food poisoning bacteria. Citrus fruit peel essential oil and their constituents after 12 and 24 h of incubation showed almost complete growth inhibition against all foodborne pathogens, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hallabong, Redhyang, Cheonhyehyang, and orange peel essential oils exhibited > 40% killing activity against B. cereus, B. subtilis, and S. sonnei, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus after 12 and 24 h of incubation. Additionally, B. subtilis showed the highest microbial killing rate of over 16% per hour, followed by Vibrio sp. Hallabong, Redhyang, Cheonhyehyang, and orange peel essential oil are anticipated to replace chemical preservatives against foodborne pathogens.

This study represents the first evidence of the bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) on walnut trees in Podgorica (Montenegro). Disease symptoms appeared on leaves in the form of dark, angular leaf spots surrounded by yellow-green haloes and lesions spread across the whole leaf. Isolated bacteria were preliminarily identified using PCR with pathovar-specific primer pair XajF/XajR and further characterised based on multi-locus sequence analysis with nine housekeeping genes (fusA, gapA, gltA, gyrB1, lepA, rpoD, dnaK, fyuA, and gyrB2). Montenegrin walnut isolates were homogeneous among themselves and the most closely related to different X. arboricola strains originating from Juglans regia isolated elsewhere. The pathogenicity of isolates was confirmed on walnut leaves, fruits, and branches. All inoculations resulted in the formation of necrotic lesions that initially developed at the site of bacteria entry, with later developing chlorotic areas on leaves along the leaf veins. This finding of Xaj causing leaf blight symptoms on walnuts in Montenegro highlights its expanding distribution across Europe and indicates a potential threat to walnut plantations in Montenegro.

sn-1,3-Dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol (OPO) is a structural triglyceride with a specific distribution of fatty acids, which is an important component of breast milk fat and which can better promote the absorption of minerals and energy in infants. In this study, a lab-made immobilised Aspergillus niger lipase (IM-ANL), which is more economical than a commercial lipase, was used for hydrolysis to produce free fatty acids (FFA) and acidolysis interesterification to produce OPO. The enzyme was used for multiple purposes, reducing the cost of enzymatic production. The optimum conditions for hydrolysis were determined by experiments: the amount of IM-ANL enzyme dosage was 3%, the reaction temperature was 45 °C, and the reaction time was 48 h. The optimum conditions for acidolysis interesterification were as follows: the amount of IM-ANL enzyme dosage was 4%, the molar ratio of tripalmitin to oleic acid was 1 : 8, the reaction temperature was 55 °C, and the reaction time was 3 h. In this study, economical palm stearin and high oleic acid sunflower seed oil were selected as reaction raw materials, and the reaction temperature was moderate, the safety risk was low, the energy consumption was reduced, the process was more economical, and the economic value of high oleic acid vegetable oil was improved, which was conducive to the further promotion of OPO production.

Gerbera flowers are the best-selling cut flowers worldwide owing to their attractive appearance. Nevertheless, one significant challenge for gerbera flowers is their relatively short vase life. Commercially, synthetic chemicals are used to prolong the vase life of flowers; however, they are not environmentally friendly, posing sustainability concerns. Therefore, we used different concentrations of the biocontrol spore suspension of Streptomyces exfoliatus FT05W and evaluated their effect on vase life, bacterial population, and different morphology and physiological indices of gerbera cut flowers, with the objective of determining the optimal concentration for maximum efficiency. The results revealed that all spore suspensions of S. exfoliatus FT05W (1 × 106 CFU mL) significantly extended vase life and were 4 days longer than the control. S. exfoliatus FT05W treatment also increased bottle life extension days, blossom diameter, and fresh weight, and maintained water balance. In addition, it decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and relative electrolyte leakage (REL), leading to decreased oxidative stress. S. exfoliatus FT05W significantly increased antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, soluble sugar (SS), and soluble protein (SP), compared to the control. Furthermore, it can effectively inhibit bacterial proliferation, resulting in a decline in colonies and a significant delay in the flower ageing process. The beneficial impacts of S. exfoliatus FT05W were most pronounced at a concentration of 1 × 106 CFU/mL. The findings of this research suggest that S. exfoliatus FT05W has great potential as a bio-fertiliser for cut flowers, as it is capable of addressing the challenges associated with flower cultivation.

Indonesia, as a leading coconut producer, generates a substantial amount of coconut pulp from coconut milk extraction, which can be further processed into low-fat desiccated coconut. However, the drying process induces browning, reducing its whiteness and overall quality. Sodium metabisulphite is commonly used to prevent browning, but excessive use raises health concerns. In this study, the optimisation of the drying temperature and sodium metabisulphite concentration was conducted to minimise the browning while maintaining the quality of low-fat desiccated coconut. Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design (CCD), responses such as the browning index (BI), whiteness index (WI), moisture content, yield, free fatty acids (FFAs), ash, fat, protein, total phenolic content (TPC), and crude fibre were examined. The results showed that both the drying temperature and sodium metabisulphite concentration significantly influenced the physicochemical properties. The optimal conditions were identified at 62.505 °C and 380.059 ppm sodium metabisulphite, resulting in a whiteness index of 87.219, browning index of 5.1025, yield of 43.125%, moisture content of 2.3%, and free fatty acid content of 4.45%. These findings highlight an effective strategy for reducing the additive dependency while maintaining the physicochemical quality of low-fat desiccated coconut.

This article presents a doctrinal legal analysis of judicial practice concerning criminal tax offences in the Czech timber trade, with a primary focus on VAT fraud. Court decisions were examined thematically to identify key categories of fraud schemes, recurring evidentiary challenges, and patterns of judicial reasoning. Administrative and regulatory frameworks, such as the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), have played only a marginal role in Czech judicial practice, with a single decision explicitly referring to the EUTR. The findings highlight how courts rely on indicators such as fictitious supply chains, economically irrational transactions, and incomplete documentation to establish fraudulent intent. The study contributes to a better understanding of judicial reasoning in tax fraud cases and offers evidence-based recommendations for strengthening enforcement practice. The article focuses on Criminal Tax Law, i.e. examples of tax fraud in the timber trade that were not dealt with by the tax authorities as administrative offences but were assessed as criminal tax offences falling within the jurisdiction of criminal courts. Criminal Tax Law is a subfield of Czech Tax Law dealing with criminal activity in the area of tax and fee administration. (Lichnovský et al. 2020). The article contains all court decisions in the field of Criminal Tax Law dealing with the issue of timber trade. The article deals only with the criminal law aspects of tax law. No other court decisions were found in the Automated Legal Information System (ASPI). The ASPI legal information system contains only one court decision relating to the EUTR Regulation, which is cited below. Criminal cases in the field of forestry and timber industry constitute only a small part of the entire criminal tax law. In terms of the method of committing the criminal activity (issuing fictitious invoices, fictitious deliveries of goods), these are common frauds common to all economic activities.

The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the main pest in agricultural areas of Central Europe. It is particularly important to monitor its numbers during spring, and if high numbers are detected, some form of pest management should be considered. In the Czech Republic, the number of active burrows is monitored using the burrow index, BI, which allows estimation of the total number of rodents, saves time and is easy to use. We aimed to assess the relationship between the burrow index and the relative abundance of the rodent species examined by snap trapping in crop fields. Bayesian MCMC algorithms with a zero-inflation model were used for this analysis. The positive relationship between BI and vole abundance occurred in the total sample of all fields and in alfalfa, winter wheat and barley crop fields. A positive relationship between BI and the abundance of the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the second most common pest in the area, was only confirmed in barley, and this relationship was negative in winter rape. The positive influence of the degree of weed cover on BI was confirmed in the total sample and in winter rape and alfalfa, but weed cover has a negative effect on BI in barley and winter wheat. In contrast, weed cover did not affect the relative abundance of both rodent species in any of the sampled crops. The presence of shrubs and forests around the fields reduced BI in the whole sample, especially in alfalfa. The relative abundance of the voles was not affected by the presence of shrubs and forests around the crop. Still, a positive influence was confirmed for the abundances of mice in the whole sample and alfalfa. BI can be a reliable indicator of vole abundance in crops with high densities, but it is not very accurate at low densities and in crop fields rarely used by voles, such as sunflower and maize. 

This study aimed to determine coagulation changes in bitches with pyometra based on a series of coagulation tests and thromboelastography (TEG), and to assess the incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Eighteen bitches with pyometra and thirty-four control bitches were examined. Haematological, biochemical, and following haemostasis parameters were measured, including: prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), antithrombin activity (AT), and levels of fibrinogen (FBG), d-dimers (DD), tissue factor (TF), plasminogen (PLG), tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (TPAI-1), and thromboelastography. DIC was considered present if three or more of these parameters were abnormal: platelet count (<153 × 10⁹/l), PT (>8.1 s), aPTT (>25.5 s), FBG (<0.6 g/l), DD (>0.2 mg/l), and AT (<107%). Significant differences were found in the PT, aPTT, FBG, DD, TPAI-1, clotting time, α-angle, and maximal amplitude. According to our scoring system, two patients were DIC positive. The study found alterations in several coagulation tests and hypercoagulable TEG tracings in bitches with pyometra, which point to excessive activation of coagulation, delayed fibrinolysis, and the presence of DIC. No patient bled abnormally, which may suggest that DIC is not overt in the majority of pyometra patients.

The aim of the study was to assess the quantitative and qualitative changes in crude protein of the white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) green mass during the growing season in stands of three cultivars of white lupin (ZULIKA, AMIGA, DIETA), intended for feeding purposes as protein roughage, when grown under the same soil and climatic conditions in the Czech Republic. Changes in the crude protein and amino acid content were monitored during the growing season from the 9^th to the 18^th week of stand age. Changes in the crop dry weight were characterised by a statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) decrease in crude protein from the 9^th to the 15^th week of stand age (ZULIKA 203.50–176.82 g/kg, AMIGA 190.58–161.59 g/kg, DIETA 201.41–175.84 g/kg). In the following period, during the maturation of lupin pods, from the 15^th to the 18^th week, the change in the crude protein content of the green matter was not statistically significant (ZULIKA 176.82–162.12 g/kg, AMIGA 161.59–150.95 g/kg, DIETA 175.84–175.24 g/kg). For most of the amino acids studied, a decrease in their content in the dry weight of the green matter was demonstrated from the 9^th to the 15^th week, with a subsequent statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase from the 15^th to the 18^th week of stand age. Interesting differences were observed in the arginine content, which showed a statistically significant increase (P ≤ 0.05) during the growing season (ZULIKA 7.93–16.03 g/kg, AMIGA 6.88–13.04 g/kg, DIETA 7.56–17.45 g/kg). Changes in the dry weight of the crop in the crude protein and amino acid content can be considered characteristic of lupin crops because of the identical evidence in all three white lupin cultivars studied.

With the growing population, increasing income, and high-speed lifestyle, people pay more attention to a healthy diet and nutritional food. Organic food, also regarded as healthy, sustainable, or eco-friendly eating, has gained global popularity. This trend has been particularly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a surge in demand for nutritious foods worldwide. Organic food originated in Europe, with the highest development globally. Its progress varies by country. China's organic food industry began decades ago, growing rapidly. As globalisation advances and China's economy accelerates, it is valuable to examine the organic food industries in Hungary and China. In order to understand the willingness of consumers to buy organic food, we conducted a survey for a month in 2021 from 581 respondents in Hungary (185), China (374), and other countries, compared the respondents' demographic data, organic food consumption and their buying willingness and attitude to recommend organic food to other consumers. The decision tree analysis was deployed to analyse the statistical data via SPSS software. It showed that organic food has a positive demand in both Hungary and China, but some purchase habits are different in these two countries.

Biofortification is a strategy to reduce micronutrient deficiency in humans by fortifying food through natural processes, agronomic practices and genetic modification. In this study, we seek to shed light on what consumers understand by the term 'biofortified products' and thus to understand their level of knowledge about these products, as well as the reasons that dictate their purchasing choices and the relationship between consumption choices and lifestyles. The analysis focuses on vegetables and, in particular, on tomatoes with a high lycopene content. Research shows that consumers of biofortified food products are generally confused and uninformed, even though they show a high willingness to pay. This confusion seems to result, moreover, from the lack of a clear definition of a biofortified product, as well as from the lack of clear information on the specifics of biofortified products and the benefits they can bring. The future of biofortified products can, therefore, be improved by the creation of clear standards and reference definitions and better information and transparency that would benefit the consumer.

The article presents the results of homogeneity assessments for selected food mixes based on computer image analysis. The study was conducted on müsli and condiment mixes standardly available on the consumer market. A total of 40 different ready-for-use products were analysed. Collected samples from three package of each product were placed in a special chamber and then photographed. Photographs were then subjected to computer image analysis to acquire information on the percentage content of individual components. Homogeneity assessment was based on the contents of a selected component called tracer and the coefficient of variation (CV). Lower CV values (3.02-27.31%) and thus better homogeneity was observed for condiment mixes as compared to müsli mixes (3.57-59.15%). Fourteen of twenty condiment mixes had adequate (acceptable at CV ≤ 10%) mixing degree. For the müsli, only six of the tested mixes had appropriate homogeneity. The presented results are a preliminary to developing an image-based methodology for determining the uniformity of granular dry food mixes.

Trehalose is a disaccharide composed of two glucose that can be found in various plant and animal species. Mammals are not able to synthesize trehalose but it is usually easily enzymatically broken down into 2 molecules of glucose. As a structural additive, trehalose can be used in food mainly for stabilizing proteins. Low trehalase activity (primary trehalase deficiency) leading to intolerance is rare but may appear manifest as a complication of enteropathy from other causes (celiac disease, Crohn's disease, etc.). We present the case of a young 27-year-old male with repeated tenesmus followed by enterorrhagia, weight loss, and elevated markers of inflammation caused by combined lactase and trehalase deficiency. Unique exome sequencing analysis of gene TREH was performed to distinguish between primary and secondary trehalase deficiency.

The tomato occupies a prominent place in the Philippines’ agricultural economy. However, tomato leaf diseases are challenges in tomato crop production leading to economic losses. Among the tomato leaf diseases, early blight and Septoria leaf spot are prevalent in the Philippines due to the climate. Thus, the accurate identification of diseases affecting tomato leaves is essential. Currently, a visual inspection is the primary method for diagnosing tomato leaf diseases which is time-consuming and inefficient. This study aims to develop a quantized Residual Network with convolutional 50 layer (ResNet-50) based model to classify tomato leaves as healthy or affected by Septoria leaf spot or early blight. Furthermore, to enhance the reliability of the models’ classification, gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) was implemented. In contrast with the visual inspection, a programmed system does not get tired and can provide consistent performance results. As a result, the original 32-bit floating point model attained an accuracy rate of 91.22%. The quantized 16-bit floating point model demonstrated comparable performance with 90.10% accuracy with a 50% reduction in the model size and inference time of 0.3942 seconds. The minimal accuracy loss of the 16-bit model relative to the 32-bit model is due to the post-training quantization. The reduction to 16-bit precision is significant for the future deployment of edge devices where resources are limited.

Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CrCLR) is a common stifle joint pathology among dogs, leading to osteoarthritis and painfulness. Non-surgical treatment options often represent the usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 14 days (NSAIDs), but autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) shows promising results in managing various orthopaedic conditions, decreasing inflammation, and improving the clinical outcome in dogs. This study aimed to determine the differences in MMP-3 serum levels and the clinical outcomes between differently treated cranial cruciate rupture cases. For this purpose, we used two different treatment methods for managing canine cranial cruciate ligament rupture (minimally invasive ACP injection or oral NSAIDs), and evaluated the clinical outcomes, indicating the quality of life, and the MMP-3 serum levels over a period of 28 days. The findings of this investigation indicate that ACP has better efficacy than two weeks of NSAIDs in inflammation reduction, clinical outcome improvement, and the allowance of a longer duration of activity after 28 days.

This review explores the diverse applications and health benefits of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) through biotechnological applications in the food industry. While all LAB are indispensable for the production of fermented foods thanks to their ability to produce lactic acid and bacteriocins that act as natural preservatives, specific strains of probiotic LAB offer targeted health benefits. In addition to general benefits of LAB, probiotic strains significantly enhance gut microbiota, enhance human immunity, and exhibit antimicrobial properties. This review also delves into the mechanisms of action of probiotic LAB, focusing on adhesion, colonisation, and antioxidant production, emphasising their potential to advance nutritional innovations. Beyond food production, the broader category of LAB has transformative potential in industrial applications, particularly in the sugar industry, where their metabolic activity can improve sucrose extraction processes, promote microbial management, and reduce unwanted by-products. By understanding these aspects, the review underscores the importance of probiotic LAB in promoting health, efficiency, and sustainability across sectors.

The aim of the experiment was to determine the yield, content and uptake of macronutrients and their ratio in spring triticale, Milewo cultivar. The field experiment was conducted in the years 2014–2016 on Cambisols. The first experimental factor was a system of soil tillage (traditional (TRD) and reduced (RED)), and the second was sulphur fertilisation (0, 25 and 50 kg S/ha). Based on the study, it was found that the application of conventional tillage and the addition of sulphur fertilisation to NPK significantly increased spring triticale grain yield. The application of reduced tillage positively affected the increase in content and uptake in grain dry matter (DM) of N, S, P, K, Mg and Ca. Adding sulphur (S) to NPK fertilisation favourably increased the content and uptake of N, S, Mg, and Ca and did not affect the content of P and K. The application of reduced tillage expanded the ionic ratio of N : S, P : S while it narrowed the N : P ratio. However, the tillage system did not affect the ionic ratios Ca : P, K : Mg, K : (Ca + Mg) and molar K : (Ca + Mg). Adding sulphur to NPK fertilisation narrowed the N : S and P : S ratios while expanding the N : P and Ca : P ratios. Weather conditions during the 2016 growing season (relatively dry, k = 1.71) favoured spring triticale yield and uptake with dry grain weight of N, S, P, Mg and Ca. The highest N, S, P, K and Ca content in grain dry matter was shown in the 2014 season (relatively humid, k = 1.96). Numerous correlations were found between grain yield and the content, uptake and reciprocal ratios of elements in grain.

Soil water content is critical in plants’ morphological and physiological processes; therefore, water must always be available in appropriate quantities to meet plant growth needs. Soil moisture can be easily detected using sensors, which offer a practical solution for monitoring water content in the soil. However, using sensors for a long time, especially on agricultural land, will reduce sensor accuracy. This research aims to investigate the accuracy of soil moisture sensors during their use for cultivating crops. Using sensors in sandy clay soil can detect soil moisture levels with an accuracy of 93.80% and a precision of 90.81%. A reading deviation (error) of up to 49.74% with a precision level of 75.69% occurred when the sensor had been used for 40 days. Regular cleaning and calibration of the sensor are necessary to obtain accurate soil moisture readings. A copper-based sensor module kit can be used to detect soil moisture with reasonable accuracy during plant growth with a 5–6 weeks harvest time.

Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) is one of the most problematic weed species, mainly in rainfed Moroccan and Tunisian cereal crops. The overuse of acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibiting and/or auxinic herbicides led to the spread of corn poppies resistant to both chemical families in this region. In order to identify and understand the selection drivers of resistance, appropriate characterisation of the resistance profile is necessary. Two experiments were carried out: biological sensitivity tests with ALS inhibiting herbicides (tribenuron-methyl and florasulam) and auxinic herbicides (2,4-d) were carried out with populations sampled in the field where the herbicide failure was observed. Bioassay tests confirmed resistance in all studied populations with an average frequency of 75.13, 30.81, 33.17 and 11.52% with tribenuron, florasulam, 2,4-d and florasulam + 2,4-d, respectively. Corn poppy sampled from both countries exhibited similar frequencies within populations for each tested herbicide. The molecular analysis was conducted with next-generation sequencing (Illumina), allowing massive, precise and rapid sequencing regions of the ALS gene carrying resistance codons. Using this technology, ALS mutant alleles were found in all populations at frequencies ranging from 1.4% to 63.3%, with an average of 16.7%. This study highlights the need to elucidate resistance mechanisms to understand herbicide responses and develop effective strategies for managing resistant corn poppy in rainfed cereals as an essential step to maintain the effectiveness of these molecules as long as possible.

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%.

Drought stress severely impairs seed germination and early seedling establishment, and disrupts the uptake and distribution of essential mineral nutrients in plants. This study investigated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-simulated drought and Na2SeO3 application on the accumulation and redistribution of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulphur (S), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) in wheat roots and shoots. Under PEG-simulated drought, increasing PEG concentrations resulted in a progressive decline in nutrient concentrations in both roots and shoots, with significant reductions in K, Ca, S, Zn, and Mn in roots, and K, Ca, Mg, and Mn in shoots. However, Na₂SeO₃ application mitigated these adverse effects by enhancing nutrient redistribution during early seedling growth. Specifically, under 15% PEG-simulated drought stress, Na₂SeO₃ treatments significantly increased shoot K, Mg, Fe, and Cu concentrations, highlighting selenium’s role in facilitating the translocation of these key elements. These results demonstrate that Na₂SeO₃ effectively mitigates drought-related nutrient imbalances and promotes ion remobilisation from germinating seeds to developing roots and shoots under water-deficient conditions.