Fulltext search in archive

Sweet cherry juice rich in phenols and anthocyanins is highly perishable and typically undergo thermal pasteurisation, which can diminish its nutritional composition. High pressure processing (HPP), a non-thermal technique using pressure to inactivate the microbes while preserving nutrients, offers a more effective alternative for extending the shelf life of fruit juice. Accordingly, present study evaluated comparative impact of high pressure processing and thermal pasteurisation on phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, microbial and sensory attributes of cherry juice during storage. For study, cherry juice subjected to two different HPP levels (400 and 600 MPa) for 5 min and thermal pasteurisation (95 °C) for 30 s, followed by storage (60 days at 4 °C). Results showed HPP and thermal pasteurisation had significant impact (P < 0.05) on phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants compared to control, however, thermally pasteurised juice showed rapid deterioration compared to HPP juice, whereas anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-glucoside levels remarkably different in both groups. Microbial findings revealed safety of HPP pasteurisation juice with shelf life (45 days) however, better sensory acceptability for HPP treated juice. In nutshell, HPP pasteurisation is pragmatic approach for enhancing shelf life with better nutrients for cherry juice and findings useful for beverage industry and health professionals.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of calf starters of different starch and fibre content on the growth, blood and rumen parameters of Holstein female calves during the pre-weaning period. A total of 60 calves were divided into two groups. Group A/B was fed according to a two-phase calf nutrition system: the calves received calf starter "A" (28.5% starch content, 16% neutral detergent fibre (NDF), 9.2% acid detergent fibre (ADF)) in days 7-45 and then calf starter "B" (14.2% starch content, 32.4% NDF, 14.3% ADF) in days 46-70. Calves of group B received calf starter "B" throughout the experimental period. The calves were weaned between 52 and 61 days of life. The data on body weight, weight gain, starter feed intake, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation parameters were collected individually. In the first phase of experiment, the starter feed consumption of A/B group was higher than that of B group (P < 0.05), but it did not manifest in differences in body weight at weaning time. At some of the sampling times, the different composition of starter diets significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the plasma urea, albumin, glucose and triglyceride concentrations. The consumption of diet with different starch and NDF content had no significant effect either on the composition of the rumen microbiota or on the ruminal concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and ammonia. In some cases significant correlations (-0.83 and -0.93; 0.82 and 0.90) were found between the composition of rumen microbiota and ruminal VFA concentration. Feeding a diet of higher starch content (28.5 vs 14.2%) in the first 45 days of life did not affect rumen fermentation, rumen microbiota and the most important blood metabolites, apart from a few exceptions. The production parameters of calves, including total feed intake and body weight gain, were similar in the experiment.

The effect of a brief exposure to treatments of end-of-day (EOD) far-red (FR) light and EOD-heating on flowering and stem elongation in certain species cultivated in areas with limited sunshine from autumn to winter has been investigated. Thirteen EOD-FR treated cultivars among all 24 cultivars tested in experiment 1, showed earlier flowering than control plants. Additionally, Kanzaki No.21, F1 Winter cherry and Gypsy deep rose were earlier to flower under the all night-FR treatment than under the EOD-FR treatment. Further, 13 cultivars among all cultivars tested in experiment 1 showed greater stem length, whereas 16 cultivars of them showed greater mean internode length than controls when treated with EOD-FR. The days to flowering in 13 cultivars treated by EOD-Heating, flowering was earlier than in controls. Also, stem length and mean internode length were also promoted by the same treatment in 7 cultivars. Additionally, flowering and stem elongation of Stella rose, Arizona sun, Suzuhime and Extra carmine rose were promoted by a combination of both treatments, and productivity and quality were improved. These results suggest that the treatments tested can help the production of cut-flowers in areas with limited sunshine from autumn to winter, although the method of application of the treatments must be optimized for each species.

Based on panel data from 2010 to 2020 of 151 A-share listed food-related enterprises in China, this research uses a fixed-effect model to analyse the impact of digital transformation on total factor productivity (TFP) in food-related enterprises. Our findings indicated that digital transformation has a positive and significant catalytic effect on TFP improvement in food-related enterprises. The mechanism test revealed that both cost-saving and innovation capacity enhancement effects of digital transformation contributed to the promotion of TFP improvement in these enterprises. Moreover, our heterogeneity analysis suggested that digital transformation is more effective in enhancing TFP in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the food-related industry, indicating that SOEs play a representative role in promoting advanced productivity in agricultural development. We also found that capital-intensive and technology-intensitve food-related enterprises were experiencing productivity paradox traps. Our results confirmed that digital transformation brings catch-up effects to labor-intensive food-related enterprises and those located in major grain production regions. Overall, this research can provide valuable insights for policymakers to upgrade the digital-enabled food industry.

The main goal of this study was to evaluate the concentration and release dynamics of molecular hydrogen (H₂, dihydrogen) in dietary evaluate supplements and identify products that provide a biologically significant amount of dihydrogen suitable for human consumption. We examined ten commercial supplements marketed for their dihydrogen content, including slow-release capsules and tablets (4 products), effervescent powders and tablets (5 products), and canned ready-to-drink beverage (1 product). These products were acquired either through online purchases, from retail stores, or obtained free of charge directly from the manufacturers upon request. Dihydrogen concentration was measured using a highly sensitive Clark-type hydrogen microsensor with a detection limit 0.05 µmol·L^–1. Out of the ten products examined, only three (30.0%) exhibited dihydrogen levels surpassing the levels marketed as biologically relevant (500 µmol·L^–1), and one of these products (a canned ready-to-drink beverage) approached this level with a concentration of 439.2 µmol·L^–1. Interestingly, all slow-release capsules yielded negligible amounts of hydrogen (< 2 µmol·L^–1), while a slow-release tablet delivered 43.6 µmol·L^–1 of dihydrogen per single dose. The substantial variance in dihydrogen content among the assessed supplements holds significant implications for the general public, as high-potency products have the potential to provide up to 7 000 times more dihydrogen per single dosage compared to their low-potency counterparts.

Botrytis cinerea is one of the main pathogens that harm the tomato yield and cause huge economic losses worldwide. Studies of circRNAs in response to the stress caused by pathogens have received more and more attention in tomato and other model crops. In this study, four groups were treated with ZaoFen (ZF), CuiLi (CL) (susceptible and tolerant genotypes to B. cinerea, respectively), ZFBc, CLBc (48 hour response to a B. cinerea infection). A total of 918 circRNAs were identified, among which exonic circRNAs (70.70%) accounted for the majority of them, and 118 circRNAs (12.85%) were located in chr1. A total of 18 (1.96%) circRNAs were shared among the four libraries. A total of 6 circRNAs showed fold changes in the differential expression analysis between the time and cultivar control groups, and circRNA115, circRNA145 and circRNA223 repeatedly appeared in the different control treatments. Notably, the gene targeted by circRNA115 was an ethylene-forming enzyme. At the same time, we predicted the target genes of the six circRNAs obtained in the study, and a total of 319 miRNAs were predicted. This study contributes to the mechanism in response to B. cinerea stress in the tomato, and paves the way for the further study of circRNAs under tomato pathogen stress.

This study aimed to determine the effect of carob molasses pulp flour (CMP) at 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% on the chemical composition and properties of eggless semolina pasta in terms of colour, nutritional value, cooking quality, and sensory properties. As presumed, carbohydrate and energy values of CMP-added pasta (carbohydrates 73.31–77.40%) were lower than the control (82.17%), whereas dietary fibre values were up to 4 times higher (8.18–12.60% vs. 3.71%). There was not a significant difference in the amount of fat (0.48–0.70%), optimum cooking time (6.56–7.06 min), or cooking loss (10.43–12.57%) of CMP-added pasta compared to the non-enriched counterpart (P > 0.05). All formulations were sufficient in terms of sensory properties; colour shift occurred in the direction from standard yellow to the dark brown area. The results showed that even the maximal tested dosage of the CMP equal to 10.0% could produce pasta with satisfying overall quality.

Verticillium dahliae is a broad host-range pathogen that causes vascular wilt in plants. The Verticillium wilt disease severity assay on plants caused by V. dahliae mainly includes two methods, one is a plant disease grade classification based on disease severity statistics [namely the disease index (DI)], and the other is the V. dahliae biomass quantification in plants (namely the fungal biomass). In this study, the relationships of pathogenicity with the DI, pathogenicity with the biomass, and the correlation analysis of the DI and relative fungal biomass were analysed. The results showed that pathogenicity assessment of V. dahliae strains using the DI method was able to give an intuitive reflection of the pathogenic ability for defoliating and non-defoliating strains; moreover, the method of quantitative PCR for fungal biomass also had high repeatability and stability. As a whole, the correlation coefficient between the DI and fungal biomass values of 28 strains was 0.728, indicating that the two data sets were highly correlated; however, the correlation coefficients of the defoliating strains and non-defoliating strains were only 0.5384 and 0.4547, respectively. In conclusion, the correlation coefficient between the DI and the fungal biomass presented high consistency, which could provide some meaningful exploration for the more accurate pathogenicity identification of V. dahliae.

The paper deals with a new method of innovative assessment of the supported effects and ecosystem services of forests using the actual amount of their increased costs. Among the most important research findings and significance of the new method is that it contributes to the body of knowledge on valuation and payment for ecosystem services. The focus of the research task is to help address the current difficult economic situation of forest owners resulting from the impacts of climate change. The study aims to determine what work quantifies the amount of compensation for the provision of supported ecosystem services that is sufficient for owners by using hypothesis testing. The evaluation of the supported effects was carried out in a case study in the area of the Chrudim-Podhůra Recreational Forests in the Czech Republic. The results of the evaluation were quantified in two experimental spreadsheets of the results, a comparative analysis of the evaluation results was performed, and hypothesis testing was conducted. The innovative methodological approach to the assessment of supported effects can be easily modified and used to assess the actual amount of increased costs of other ecosystem services of the forest.

Tibial torsion assessment is crucial for understanding deformities and malalignments that can lead to joint pathologies in dogs. Different methods such as radiography, computed tomography (CT), and three-dimensional (3D) volume-rendering techniques have been employed to measure tibial torsion. This study compared the accuracy and reliability of tibial torsion angle (TTa) measurements obtained using radiography and ultrasound tilting techniques against those obtained using the 3D volume-rendering method in small-to-medium-sized non-chondrodystrophic dogs. Seven dogs with 11 hind limbs were included in this study. Descriptive statistics revealed mean TTa values for radiography (1.6° ± 5.14°), ultrasound (2.92° ± 3.98°), CT (4.57° ± 3.44°), and 3D volume-rendering method (5.29° ± 3.30°). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis indicated excellent intra- and interobserver agreement between the radiography and ultrasound methods. Correlation analysis showed positive correlations between all the methods. These findings demonstrate that radiography and the ultrasound tilting technique are reliable alternatives for measuring TTa. Although slightly lower ICC values were observed than those of the 3D volume-rendering technique, the radiography and ultrasound methods still exhibited good to excellent reliability, suggesting that these alternative methods could be effective diagnostic tools for assessing TTa in clinical settings with high accuracy and reliability.

Castanea sativa is a type of cultivated chestnut tree found in the Czech Republic, growing in both lowland and midland regions. These trees are usually planted individually or in pairs, with over half of the plantings located in urban areas. One-fifth of chestnut trees thrive in parks, while chestnut orchards or forest stands make up only one-tenth of the areas where chestnut trees are located. In the Czech Republic, approximately 30 ha are covered by chestnut trees. Regeneration of chestnut trees occurs in only 6% of the localities due to regular lawn mowing. However, 40% of the surveyed forests showed signs of regeneration, demonstrating the species' ability to regenerate under Central European climate conditions.

Recently, non-thermal technologies have emerged as a means to ensure the safety of agricultural products while also promoting plant growth and reducing pathogenic and chemical contamination of seeds. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of various treatments on the germination characteristics of alfalfa seeds. The experiment utilised a completely randomised design with five treatments and three replications, including cold plasma exposure, direct current (DC) electromagnetic field, magnetic field, and a combination of plasma exposure with magnetic and electromagnetic fields. The treated seeds were compared to the control seeds (without exposure) in terms of seedling length, germination rate index (GRI), vigor index, and seed germination. The results indicated that cold plasma treatment and a combination of plasma and magnetic field treatment significantly increased the germination rate compared to the control and other treatments. Furthermore, the combined treatment of plasma and electromagnetic fields, as well as the individual treatment with magnetic fields, resulted in a significant increase in root length and, consequently, the allometric coefficient. Non-thermal technologies are a promising approach to enhancing seed performance, particularly in terms of the rate of germination and seedling length.

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.

Actinidia arguta (Siebold et Zucc.) Planch. ex Miq. is functionally a cryptic dioecious plant and successful pollination is crucial for achieving high quality fruit. The extent and bases of morphological variability in female genotypes have been well studied, but here we focus on the males. Mature plants of seven male A. arguta genotypes were studied in 2016 and 2017 during which a suite of phenological and morphological features was measured on ten randomly chosen one-year-old canes on each plant. This analysis was complemented by two other, specialized measures potentially related to pollination efficiency, namely pollen quality, and quantity. The time of bud break was similar each year across all genotypes and the pollen quality was uniformly very high (viability - 95.0-99.9% and germination - 89.0-97.3%). However, the ten genotypes exhibited high variability in both the number of flowers per inflorescence and pollen quantity, indicating marked differences in their flowering potential and efficiency as pollinizers. The male kiwiberry indicators developed in this study - flowering potential and pollen efficiency, appear to be effective tools for the comparative evaluation of male A. arguta genotypes.

In this study, the primers and the probe were designed, and a completely new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol for detecting the invA gene of Salmonella in food was optimised and validated in-house. The inclusivity test used 76 different Salmonella isolates with no false-negative results. The exclusivity was tested using 45 non-Salmonella microorganisms with no false-positive results. The method was also successfully applied while examining five different artificially contaminated food categories. The results were compared to the standard method (ISO 6579-1) and two previously validated real-time PCR methods. The developed assay is sensitive and specific for rapidly detecting Salmonella in food.

The study evaluates the results of a long-term research trial lasting 50 years in two research plots established in the 1970s aimed at solving the decline of the silver fir in the Czech Republic. A total of 103 different provenances occurring naturally across 12 countries were planted in research plots No. 67, Černovice (Českomoravská vrchovina), and No. 77, Nové Hrady (Novohradské hory). The total tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH) and assessment of the health status of all trees in the area were measured with the same methodology. Subsequently, the volume of large wood was calculated by the volume equation, and the growing stock per hectare was recalculated. Based on our analysis of average height growth, it was found that trees with the best growth came from provenances that included the Czech provenances CZ 70 – Ždírec nad Doubravou, CZ 82 – Vizovice, CZ 42 – Lukov, CZ 76 – Nýrsko, Suchý Kámen, and CZ 53 – Opočno. The last three mentioned provenances also dominated in other growth parameters (DBH and volume of large wood). Of the foreign provenances, D 146 – Schwarzwald mit Baar, S 9 – Kriváň, and S 6 – Čierny Váh produced trees that showed above-average values. The smallest growth in height was found in the trees from the provenances BG 132 – Rila, Borovets, F 104 – Departement de ľ Aude, I 228 – Vallombrosa, A 93 – Wörschachwald. Although some trees of Italian provenance achieve above-average volume, due to high mortality, they are not suitable for economic use in the forests of the Czech Republic. Based on the European zoning for forests, the units from the Central European region (3.11.0 – České Polabí, 3.32.0 – Schwarzwald with foothills and Baar, and 9.14.0 – Southern Apennine Mountains) were the best rated in all parameters. Specimens from 9.12.0 – Mountain forest of the northern Apennines, and 4.05.0 – Vosges showed the lowest parameters.

Changes in the gene pool and homogeneity of red clover cultivars occur over time. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly renew the breeding material and foundation seed. Moreover, the market also prescribes a new demand. Based on the Natura 2000 habitats profile, we collected seeds from 39 locations across Lithuania in 2016. The phenotypic traits that affect the seed yield of red clover were analysed in 2018. The homogeneity of the populations with reference to the seed yield and 1 000 seed weight (TSW) were determined as well. Also, the possibility of obtaining two seed yields per season under drought conditions from wild genotypes of red clover was analysed. We found that the final seed yield mostly depends on the seed number per flower head (SN/FH), which strongly correlated with 1^st component of PCA during first (r = 0.91) and second (0.92) harvest. Meanwhile, the cluster analysis showed that the typical wild red clover has a lower seed weight than the cultivars and could be clustered on the basis of seed homogeneity. Finally, based on the seed phenotype and harvest components, there were five prospective accessions (2177, 2871, 2876, 2898 and 2899) for a new cultivar prototype.

Nanotechnology, an emerging field, holds significant promise with applications across diverse sectors, including medicine, agriculture, and the biological sciences. To address environmental concerns, the green biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using plant extracts is favoured. This study focuses on the formulation and characterisation of AgNPs using extracts from Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal, a medicinal plant that holds a unique phytochemical profile. The AgNPs derived from W. coagulans root (WcAgNPR) and fruit (WcAgNPF) extracts were characterised using ultraviolet and visible light (UV-Vis) spectral analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy. The findings reveal that both WcAgNPR and WcAgNPF exhibit substantial antioxidant potential, with robust iron reducing capabilities and potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. Additionally, they demonstrate strong hydrogen peroxide scavenging abilities. Notably, WcAgNPR outperforms WcAgNPF in the phosphomolybdate assay for antioxidant potential. Both AgNPs display remarkable antimicrobial efficacy, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) below 10 µg·mL^–1 against gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and noteworthy activity against gram-negative Escherichia coli (WcAgNPF with a MIC of 30 µg·mL^–1 and WcAgNPR with a MIC of 60 µg·mL^–1). These findings highlight the silver nanoparticles' significant antioxidant and antimicrobial potential, suggesting their potential for in vivo use as antimicrobial agents with minimal oxidative damage.

In this study, Illumina MiSeq sequencing of 16S and ITS2 rRNA genes were used to determine the dynamic changes in bacterial and fungal communities and soil properties and enzyme activities in rhizosphere soil of ginseng under forest after 5, 10 and 15 years of cultivation and different growth stages. Results showed that the changes were particularly prominent in 10-year-old ginseng under forest, and the trends of organic carbon, alkaline hydrolysed nitrogen, and available potassium were extremely similar in different duration of the crop, especially in the middle stage of rapid root growth, when soil nutrient consumption was severe, and soil enzyme activities of rhizosphere were significantly reduced. The observed changes in soil properties and enzyme activities caused by the cultivation duration of the crop and growth stage could be explained by the variations in the microbiome. The microbial composition of 10-year-old ginseng under forest has undergone significant changes, at the genus level, both Acinetobacter bacteria and Kazachstania fungi exhibited a higher abundance; the abundance of Bacillota (Firmicutes), and Candidatus udaeobacter with significantly lower abundance. This study initially revealed the changes in nutrient utilisation of ginseng under forest at different cultivation duration of the crop and different growth stages, as well as the regulatory role played by microbes in this process preliminarily. We consider 10 years to be a critical stage for the long-term cultivation of ginseng in the forest, during which it is more sensitive to environmental factors and may exhibit special dynamic changes affecting its growth and quality. This provides a reference for further precision planting and harvesting of ginseng under the forest.

In our study location, Merauke Regency, the easternmost city in Indonesia, the sago palm is associated with different types of ecosystems and other non-sago vegetation. During the harvesting season, the white flowers blossoming between the leaves on the tops of palm trees may be distinguished manually. Four classes were determined to address the visual inspections involving different parameters that were examined through the metric evaluation and then analysed statistically. The computed Kruskal-Wallis test found that the parameters vary in each network with a P-value of 0.00341, with at least one class being higher than the others, i.e., non-sago with a P-value of 0.044 with respect to precision, recall, and F1-score. Thus, the general linear model (GLM) was tested specifically in trained Network-15 and Network-17, which have similar parameters except for the batch size. It indicated the two networks' differences based on their prediction results, classes, and actual images. Accordingly, a combination of learning rate (Lr) and batch size improved the reliability of the training and classification task.

In this study, we attempt to infer the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the intra–European Union (EU) agrifood trade from out-of-sample forecasts. We compare the actual level of trade during the COVID-19 period with counterfactual values derived from univariate forecasting models [regARIMA (Linear regression with autoregressive integrated moving average errors) and Holt-Winters methods]. We analyse agrifood imports and exports of specific EU countries and the EU-27 aggregate on the basis of monthly data for the period from January 2010 to February 2022. The findings reveal a significant decrease in trade activity in the first year of the pandemic that was negatively correlated to COVID-19 restrictions applied by EU countries. Surprisingly, COVID-19 restrictions do not significantly explain the diversified agrifood trade response among EU countries during the pandemic.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) on the quality and cadmium (Cd) accumulation of vegetables grown in soil with a background Cd level or in Cd-contaminated soil. We used four types of vegetable: pak choi (Brassica rapa L.), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk.), cherry radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus (L.) Domin) and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Cd stress significantly reduced vegetable vitamin C and reducing sugar content; however, under eCO₂, vitamin C and reducing sugar content levels were significantly higher than they were under ambient CO₂ (aCO₂) levels. The nitrate content of pak choi, cherry radish and pepper was reduced under eCO₂, and the effect was more pronounced among plants grown under Cd stress. The Cd content of cherry radish and pepper roots grown under eCO₂ and Cd stress was significantly reduced (29.2% and 18.5%, respectively) compared with plants grown under aCO₂ conditions and Cd stress. The Cd transfer coefficient of pak choi and water spinach grown under eCO₂ and Cd stress was significantly lower (22.7% and 25.2%, respectively) than under aCO₂ conditions. Our data suggest that growing vegetables under eCO₂ is beneficial, especially when grown in Cd-contaminated soil, because Cd accumulation is reduced and vegetable quality is improved.

Having evaluated the situation in agriculture and rural areas, and having assessed the significance of new external and internal conditions, the European Commission has decided to reform the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union. This article presents the essence of the part of the reform plan which affects the direct support system. The author of the article also examines the impact of the reform on the system's capacity to achieve the set goals, and on its efficiency. The research showed that the new legal framework proposed by the Commission would not directly improve the efficiency of the system, but the increased decision-making authority it grants to Member States provides an opportunity to reduce administrative outlays on the functioning of the scheme. Likewise, the effectiveness of a reformed direct support system in achieving the set goals will largely depend on decisions made by Member States, i.e. on the appropriate choice of instruments, and the accuracy of their form, as well as the equitable distribution of the available funds.

Breadfruit's substantial carbohydrate content makes it a viable starch source, specifically resistant starch (RS) that helps prevent chronic diseases. This study investigated the effects of enzyme hydrolysis and microwave treatment (MT) on enriching type III RS in breadfruit. It also determined its structural and functional properties, including swelling power, solubility index, water absorption capacity, oil binding capacity, and syneresis. MT at 30 W·g^–1 for 3 min resulted in the highest RS content of 74.8%, significantly surpassing pullulanase hydrolysis (1.0 U·g^–1 dry basis for 12 h) at 17.3% RS. The breadfruit starch granules exhibited a regular shape, approximately 7.9 µm in length, whereas modified granules were less than 11 µm, along with observable deformation in their structural shape. In conclusion, the study demonstrates the efficacy of MT for enhancing RS content in breadfruit, highlighting its potential as a healthy functional ingredient and starch substitute.

The Levels-of-Growing-Stock study for ponderosa pine was a collective effort among western Research Stations within the US Forest Service. The experiment was established to test sustainable productivity across a wide range of densities by periodically thinning the plots. Beyond the original purposes for wood production, contemporary applications of these long-term studies have been to determine stand density effects on (i) both overstory and understory responses to stand development of even-aged ponderosa pine, (ii) biomass accumulation and carbon sequestration, (iii) plant diversity and wildlife habitats, and (iv) forest resiliency to insects and pathogens, droughts, and wildfires. Furthermore, these installations have served as a showpiece for the public and natural laboratories for professional foresters and students. For the past half century, the study has helped guide land managers and stakeholders on public and private lands about the value of thinning in overstocked young stands of ponderosa pine across its range. We hope that it will continue to serve as a springboard for addressing future issues facing forest management.

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.

This paper focuses on helping smaller companies in the manufacturing industry who need to know the viscosity of their products or raw materials and do not have the funds to invest in expensive rotary rheometers. We developed a calibrated simple cup. It has replaceable nozzles designed so that dripping liquids cannot distort discharge times. The calibration of the cup is based on the relationship between kinematic viscosity and outflow time, which is valid for the laminar flow regimes. Here we described calibration and measurement procedures and methods for detecting non-Newtonian flow behaviour and the viscoelasticity of measured liquids. The maximum measurement error of 3% is defined for cases where all distractions are removed.

This paper studied the response of rice yield and soil nitrogen (N) cycling microorganisms to the combined application of animal slurry and mineral fertiliser. A pot experiment was conducted on typical yellow-brown paddy soil. There were five treatments: (1) CK – no N fertilisation; (2) S0 – mineral fertilisation; (3) S30 – 30% slurry with 70% mineral fertilisation; (4) S60 – 60% slurry with 40% mineral fertilisation; and (5) S100 – slurry application. Rice yield, yield components, and soil properties were investigated at harvest. The abundance of soil N cycle functional genes abundance was quantified via quantitative real-time PCR. The rice yield reached a high level when the proportion of slurry used to replace mineral fertiliser was 30–50%. The yield in response to mineral fertiliser (S0) was equivalent to that in response to no N fertilisation since the formation of effective panicles was inhibited. With the slurry replacement ratio increase, the available phosphorus and potassium contents in the soil improved, but the nitrate content decreased. Considering the entire soil N cycle, nitrogen-fixing microbes (nifH), ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA amoA) and nitrite-reducing microbes (nirS and nirK) had greater abundances, reaching 108 copies. Compared with those in the S0 treatment, the abundances of most N cycle functional genes in the S30 treatment, except for napA, significantly increased from 31.2% to 100.9%, and the increase in the abundance of nirS and nosZ in the S100 treatment reached 4 times, which was obviously greater than that of the other genes. Correlation analysis revealed that high soil pH promoted N fixation and nitrification, while NH₄⁺-N had the opposite effect on N fixation and nitrification, and available phosphorus and potassium actively influenced denitrification. These results showed that a 30–50% slurry application ratio was recommended for rice, which was beneficial for maintaining high yields and high abundances of soil N cycle functional genes.

Several antimitotic agents were tested in three embryogenic doubled haploid (DH) lines of swede (Brassica napus ssp. napobrassica). No effect on embryogenesis was observed at the given concentrations of colchicine (5 μmol/L or 50 mg/L) and treatment time of 24 hours. Flow cytometric analysis of microspore embryos revealed a significant increase in the percentage of DH compared to the control for all substances: ethalfluralin, 62.2%; trifluralin, 58.3%; colchicine, 56.1%; amiprophos-methyl, 54.4%; pronamide, 35.0%; control, 13.3%. The occurrence of pure tetraploids was low (0–5%), mixoploids – especially n+2n – were high in all treatments, including the control (29.4–71.1%). Their presence can be explained as a consequence of spontaneous diploidisation and/or endoreduplication during embryogenesis or embryo germination.

The aim of this study is to define data sources and propose methods for effective and secure data management in an agricultural enterprise in the context of using data for decision support. Current developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have contributed towards the increase in the amount of generated data in various fields. The main data sources for agricultural enterprises are the farm itself, suppliers, government, market, and research. The use of smart solutions, artificial intelligence, and other innovative practices in agriculture is discussed at many conferences, in various journals, strategies and project plans. Data is the essential raw material for all these solutions. Large amounts of data cannot be analysed efficiently with spreadsheet programs. Currently, there are trends in the use of data, for example, in business intelligence (decision-making systems), e.g. tools using online transaction processing (OLAP) or process automation or the possibility of e.g. tracing the origin of food. The availability and possibility of creating large data sets bring many challenges related to managing that data. To effectively manage farm data, it is essential to have a well-developed data management plan (DMP) used to formalise the processes related to handling. A DMP mainly addresses archiving, backup, licensing and other important aspects of data management. The challenges and developments in farm data management include incorporating artificial intelligence into data analysis and security. Food is classified as an "Entity of Critical Importance" in the NIS2 EU Directive, which also deals with cybersecurity issues.