Search Results (12,910)

Sorghum is a climate-resilient crop which has been cultivated as a staple food in the semi-arid areas of Africa and Asia for food and nutrition security. However, the current climate change is increasingly affecting sorghum performance, especially at the flowering stage when water availability is critical for grain filling, thus lowering the sorghum grain yield. The development of climate-resilient, biotic and abiotic stress-tolerant, market-preferred, and nutrient-dense sorghum varieties offers a potentially cost-effective and environmentally sustainable strategy for adapting to climate change. Some of the common technologies for sorghum improvement include mass selection, single seed descent, pure line selection, and marker-assisted selection, facilitated by backcrossing and genotyping using molecular markers. In addition, recent advancements including new machine learning algorithms, gene editing, genomic selection, rapid generation advancement, and recycling of elite material, along with high-throughput phenotyping tools such as drone- and satellite-based images and other speed-breeding techniques, have increased the precision, speed, and accuracy of new crop variety development. In addition to these modern breeding tools and technologies, enhancing genetic diversity to incorporate various climate resilience traits, including against heat and drought stress, into the current sorghum breeding pools is critical. This review covers the potential of sorghum as a staple food crop, explores the genetic diversity of sorghum, discusses the challenges facing sorghum breeding, highlights the recent advancements in technologies for sorghum breeding, and addresses the perceptions of farmers on sorghum production under the current climate change conditions. Full article

Maize is one of the most widely grown crops in Ethiopia and is a staple crop around the globe; however, common rust maize disease (CRMD) is becoming a serious problem and severely impacts yields. Conventional CRMD detection and treatment methods are time-consuming, expensive, and ineffective. To address these challenges, we propose a real-time deep-learning model that provides disease detection and pesticide dosage recommendations. In the model development process, we collected 5000 maize leaf images experimentally, with permission from Haramaya University, and increased the size of the dataset to 8000 through augmentation. We applied image preprocessing techniques such as image equalization, noise removal, and enhancement to improve model performance. Additionally, during training, we utilized batch normalization, dropout, and early stopping to reduce overfitting, improve accuracy, and improve execution time. The optimal model recognizes CRMD and classifies it according to scientifically established severity levels. For pesticide recommendations, the model was integrated with the Gradio interface, which provides real-time recommendations based on the detected disease type and severity. We used a convolutional neural network (CNN), specifically the ResNet50 model, for this purpose. To evaluate its performance, ResNet50 was compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms, including VGG19, VGG16, and AlexNet, using similar parameters. ResNet50 outperformed the other CNN models in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F-score, achieving over 97% accuracy in CRMD classification—surpassing the other algorithms by more than 2.5% in both experimental and existing datasets. The agricultural experts verified the accuracy of the recommendation system across different stages of the disease, and the system demonstrated 100% accuracy. Additionally, ResNet50 exhibited lower time complexity during model development. This study demonstrates the potential of ResNet50 models for improving maize disease management. Full article

Leaf senescence in plants is the last stage of leaf development and is characterized by a decline in photosynthetic activity, an active degeneration of cellular structures, and the recycling of accumulated nutrients to areas of active growth, such as buds, young leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. This process holds economic significance as it can impact yield, influencing the plant’s ability to maintain an active photosynthetic system during prolonged periods, especially during the grain filling stage, which affects plant weight and oil content. It can be associated with different stresses or environmental conditions, manifesting itself widely in the context of climate change and limiting yield, especially in crops of agronomic relevance. In this work, we study the stability of two widely described sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genotypes belonging to the INTA Breeding Program against differential N conditions, to verify their yield stability in control conditions and under N supply. Two inbred lines were utilized, namely R453 (early senescence) and B481-6 (late senescence), with contrasting nitrogen availability in the soil but sharing the same ontogeny cycle length. It was observed that, starting from R5.5, the B481-6 genotype not only delayed senescence but also exhibited a positive response to increased nitrogen availability in the soil. This response included an increase in intercepted radiation, resulting in a statistically significant enhancement in grain yield. Conversely, the R453 genotype did not show significant differences under varying nitrogen availability and exhibited a tendency to decrease grain yield when nitrogen availability was increased. The response to nitrogen can vary depending on the specific genotype. Full article

Miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and Willow (Salix spp.) are promising bioenergy crops due to their high biomass yields and adaptability to diverse climatic conditions. This study applies the MiscanFor/SalixFor models to assess the sustainability of these crops under current and future climate scenarios, focusing on biomass productivity, carbon intensity (CI), and energy use efficiency (EUE). Under present conditions, both crops show high productivity in tropical and subtropical regions, with Miscanthus generally outperforming Willow. Productivity declines in less favourable climates, emphasising the crops’ sensitivity to environmental factors at the regional scale. The average productivity for Miscanthus and Willow was 19.9 t/ha and 10.4 t/ha, respectively. Future climate scenarios (A1F1, representing world markets and fossil-fuel-intensive, and B1, representing global sustainability) project significant shifts, with northern and central regions becoming more viable for cultivation due to warmer temperatures and extended growing seasons. However, southern and arid regions may experience reduced productivity, reflecting the uneven impacts of climate change. Miscanthus and Willow are predicted to show productivity declines of 15% and 8% and 12% and 7% under A1F1 and B1, respectively. CI analysis reveals substantial spatial variability, with higher values in industrialised and temperate regions due to intensive agricultural practices. Future scenarios indicate increased CI in northern latitudes due to intensified land use, while certain Southern Hemisphere regions may stabilise or reduce CI through mitigation strategies. Under climate change, CI for Miscanthus is projected to increase by over 100%, while Willow shows an increase of 64% and 57% for A1F1 and B1, respectively. EUE patterns suggest that both crops perform optimally in tropical and subtropical climates. Miscanthus shows a slight advantage in EUE, though Willow demonstrates greater adaptability in temperate regions. Climate change is expected to reduce EUE for Miscanthus by 10% and 7% and for Willow by 9% and 6%. This study underscores the need for region-specific strategies to optimise the sustainability of bioenergy crops under changing climate conditions. Full article

Advancement of the oil tea industry requires the development of high-yielding and superior-quality varieties of Camellia oleifera, a major oilseed crop. However, traditional breeding methods, hampered by lengthy cycles and low selection accuracy, significantly constrain the breeding process. Identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with target traits, and applying molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits, can thereby shorten the breeding cycles and amplify the breeding efficiency. In this study, we utilized the hexaploid C. oleifera as the reference genome to identify high-quality SNPs and constructed a high-density genetic linkage map of C. oleifera that spanned 1566.733 cM, included 3097 SNPs, and was anchored to 15 linkage groups. Using interval mapping, we localized quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for 11 juvenile traits in C. oleifera, identifying 15 QTLs for growth traits and 24 QTLs for leaf traits, including 4 stable QTLs. The logarithm of odds (LOD) scores for individual QTLs ranged from 3.48 to 14.62, explaining 9.86–48.61% of the phenotypic variance. We further identified 2 SNPs associated with growth traits (marker11-951 and marker12-68) and 10 SNPs associated with leaf traits (marker11-276, marker11-410, marker11-560, marker13-16, marker13-39, marker13-110, marker13-731, marker14-701, marker14-910, and marker14-1331). These results provide valuable insights into the genetic mapping of key traits in C. oleifera and will contribute to the development of new varieties with high yield and superior quality in the future. Full article

This research examined the viability of Japanese quince juice concentrate (JQJC) as an innovative alternative to lemon juice concentrate (LJC). Given the rising consumer demand for natural food ingredients, this study focused on a thorough analysis of the nutritional and functional characteristics of JQJC in comparison to LJC. The chemical analysis indicated that JQJC possesses a total soluble solids (TSS) content of 50.6 °Brix, with fructose and glucose, to a greater extent, being the primary contributors to its solids content. In contrast, LJC had a TSS of 39.8 °Brix and also contained glucose and fructose. Additionally, malic acid is a principal component of JQJC’s acidity, determined at 20.98 g 100 g⁻¹ of fresh weight (FW), while LJC mostly contained citric acid at a concentration of 30.86 g 100 g⁻¹ FW. Moreover, the ascorbic acid content quantified in JQJC was eight times greater than that observed in LJC. The assessment of antioxidant activity, utilizing the DPPH^• and FRAP assays, indicated that JQJC exhibits scavenging activity nearly eleven times higher than that of LJC, suggesting its superior antioxidant capacity. The total phenolic content for JQJC was quantified at 2189.59 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW, significantly (p < 0.05) exceeding the 262.80 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW found in LJC. The analysis identified 16 individual phenolic compounds in JQJC, highlighting the dominance of epicatechin, chlorogenic, and protocatechuic acids with concentrations ranging from 0.16 to 50.63 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW, contributing to a total individual phenolic content of 114.07 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW. Conversely, LJC is characterized by substantial contributions from hesperidin, eriocitrin, and, to a lesser extent, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, yielding a phenolic content of 109.65 mg 100 g⁻¹ FW. This study presents strong evidence supporting the utilization of JQJC as a functional substitute for LJC across a variety of product categories, including beverages, jams, and other food items. The findings indicate that JQJC has the potential to enhance product development targeted at health-conscious consumers while optimizing the utilization of a relatively underexplored fruit crop. Full article

Mycorrhizal inoculants can contribute to the development of corn crops by improving crop productivity. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mycorrhizal inoculant on the dynamics of root system growth, gas exchange, corn crop productivity, and microbial activity in the rhizospheric soil in a no-till area with different levels of available soil phosphorus. The experiment was conducted during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. At 75 days after plant emergence, root morphological parameters (total root length (cm), average root diameter (mm), root surface area (cm²), and root volume), shoot biomass production, P content in the plant shoots, gas exchange, and microbiological attributes of the rhizospheric soil of corn were evaluated. At the end of the cycle, corn grain yield was determined. A beneficial effect of AMF inoculation was observed on the root and shoot parameters regardless of soil P level. Under conditions of evenly distributed rainfall during the experiment (2019/2020 season), AMF inoculation contributed to a 90% increase in acid phosphatase activity and a 76% increase in microbial biomass carbon (C-BIO), independent of soil P level. In contrast, under water deficit conditions (2020/2021 season), AMF inoculation provided a 29% increase in grain yield. We concluded that introducing a commercial mycorrhizal inoculant in corn benefits root system morphological parameters and physiological traits, and favors the activity of enzymes related to increased P availability, contributing to increased crop productivity in a no-till system. Full article

Exploring the temporal evolution dynamics of different soil organic nitrogen (N) components under different water–N management practices is a useful approach to accurately assessing N supply and soil fertility. This information can provide a scientific basis for precise water and N management methods for greenhouse vegetable production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of optimized irrigation and nitrogen management on the dynamics of soil organic nitrogen fractions, soil properties, and crop growth. This research was conducted from 2017 to 2023 in a greenhouse vegetable field in North China. Four treatments were applied: (1) high chemical N application with furrow irrigation (farmers’ practice, FP); (2) no chemical N application with drip irrigation (DN0); (3) 50% N of FP with drip irrigation (DN1); and (4) 75% N of FP with drip irrigation (DN2). The volume in drip irrigation is 70% of that in furrow irrigation. The results showed that in 2023 (after seven years of field trials), compared with FP, the soil organic carbon (SOC), total N, and water use efficiency of the DN1 and DN2 treatments increased by 15.9%, 11.4%, and 11.3% and 7.7%, 47.2% and 44.6%, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the total crop yield except in the DN0 treatment. Soil organic N was mostly in the form of acid-hydrolyzed N (AHN). After seven years of optimized irrigation and N management, the DN1 treatment significantly increased the content of ammonium N (AN) and amino sugar N (ASN) in AHN compared with the FP treatment. The results of further analysis demonstrated that SOC was the main factor in regulating AHN and non-hydrolyzable N (NHN), while the main regulatory factors for amino acid N (AAN) and ASN in the AHN component were dry biomass and water use efficiency, respectively. From a time scale perspective, optimization of the water and N scheduling, especially in DN1 (reducing the total irrigation volume by 30% and the amount of N applied by 50%), is crucial for the sustainable improvement of soil fertility and the maintenance of vegetable production. Full article

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is an Andean allotetraploid pseudocereal crop with higher protein content and balanced amino acid composition in the seeds. Ammonium (NH₄⁺), a direct source of organic nitrogen assimilation, mainly transported by specific transmembrane ammonium transporters (AMTs), plays important roles in the development, yield, and quality of crops. Many AMTs and their functions have been identified in major crops; however, no systematic analyses of AMTs and their regulatory networks, which is important to increase the yield and protein accumulation in the seeds of quinoa, have been performed to date. In this study, the CqAMTs were identified, followed by the quantification of the gene expression, while the regulatory networks were predicted based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), with the putative transcriptional factors (TFs) having binding sites on the promoters of CqAMTs, nitrate transporters (CqNRTs), and glutamine-synthases (CqGSs), as well as the putative TF expression being correlated with the phenotypes and activities of GSs, glutamate synthase (GOGAT), nitrite reductase (NiR), and nitrate reductase (NR) of quinoa roots. The results showed a total of 12 members of the CqAMT family with varying expressions in different organs and in the same organs at different developmental stages. Complementation expression analyses in the triple mep1/2/3 mutant of yeast showed that except for CqAMT2.2b, 11/12 CqAMTs restored the uptake of NH₄⁺ in the host yeast. CqAMT1.2a was found to mainly locate on the cell membrane, while TFs (e.g., CqNLPs, CqG2Ls, B3 TFs, CqbHLHs, CqZFs, CqMYBs, CqNF-YA/YB/YC, CqNACs, and CqWRKY) were predicted to be predominantly involved in the regulation, transportation, and assimilation of nitrogen. These results provide the functions of CqAMTs and their possible regulatory networks, which will lead to improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in quinoa as well as other major crops. Full article

Understanding the causes of spatiotemporal variation in crop yields across large areas is important in closing yield gaps and producing more food for the growing global population. While there has been much focus on using data-driven models to predict crop yield, there is also an opportunity to use these empirical models to understand which factors are driving variations in yield and to quantify their contributions. This study uses a large database of 625 rainfed wheat yield maps from 14 different seasons (2007–2020) across the eastern grain belt of Australia. XGBoost models were used, with predictors including maps of soil attributes (e.g., pH and sodicity), along with weather indices (rainfall, frost, heat, growing degree days). The model and predictors could accurately predict field-scale yield, with a Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (LCCC) of 0.78 with 10-fold cross-validation. SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP), a form of interpretive machine learning (IML), values were then used to assess the impact of the variables on yield. The SHAP values for each predictor were also mapped onto a grid of the study area for the 2020 season, which showed the impact of each predictor on wheat yield (t ha⁻¹) and revenue (AUD ($) ha⁻¹) in interpretable units. Weather variables, such as rainfall and heat events, had the largest impact on yield. Although generally less significant, soil constraints such as soil sodicity were still important in driving yield. The results also showed that despite their largely temporally stable nature, soil constraints impact yield differently, depending on seasonal conditions. Overall, data-driven models and IML proved valuable in understanding the impact of important weather and soil variables on wheat yield and revenue across the eastern Australian grain belt. This could be used to determine the magnitude and economic impact of soil constraints and extreme weather on crops across regions and to inform policies and farm management decisions. Full article

Searching for a low-cost soil amendment that can reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers while maintaining crop yields is a vital issue to sustainable agricultural development. In this study, bio-organic matter derived from harmless disposal of livestock and poultry carcasses was used to discuss its potential for substitute chemical fertilizer. An incubation experiment was conducted by incorporating bio-organic matter into the soil at the rate of 0% (CK), 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6% and 7% (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7) of soil mass to investigate the effects of bio-organic matter on soil physical properties and the nutrient release dynamics. A pot experiment was conducted with three treatments: 150 mg·kg⁻¹ nitrogen from compound fertilizer (CK), 150 mg·kg⁻¹ nitrogen from bio-organic matter (B1) and 300 mg·kg⁻¹ nitrogen from bio-organic matter (B2), to evaluate the potential of bio-organic matter as a substitute for chemical fertilizers in influencing the yield and quality of Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.). Results showed that in the incubation experiment, bio-organic matter addition reduced soil bulk density of 1.5% to 8.9% and increased soil porosity by ranging from 1.5% to 10.9%. The soil physical properties were significantly improved when addition rates ≥ 4% (by soil mass). The interaction effects of addition rate and incubation time had a significant effect on soil nutrients. In the pot experiment, substitution of chemical fertilizer with bio-organic matter did not reduce the yield, and the increasing application rate of bio-organic matter led to significantly higher soluble protein, soluble sugar and total phenol content of vegetables. Additionally, nitrite content in the vegetables was slightly lower with bio-organic matter compared to that under CK. It is concluded that bio-organic matter derived from the harmless disposal of livestock and poultry carcasses is feasible; it has great potential to partially or entirely replace chemical fertilizers, thereby contributing to realizing chemical fertilizer reduction. Full article

Soil salinization is an important stress factor that limits plant growth and yield. Increased salinization is projected to affect more than 50% of all arable land by 2050. In addition, the growing demand for food, together with the increase in the world population, forces the need to seek salt-tolerant crops. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an Andean crop of high importance, due to its nutritional characteristics and high tolerance to different abiotic stresses. The aim of this work is to determine the physiological, anatomical, and biochemical salt-tolerance mechanisms of a salt-tolerant (Vikinga) and a salt-sensitive (Regalona) quinoa variety. Plants were subjected to salinity stress for 15 days, starting at 100 mM NaCl until progressively reaching 400 mM NaCl. Physiological, anatomical, and biochemical parameters including growth, chlorophyll content, quantum yield of PSII (ϕ_PSII), gas exchange, stomatal density, size, and lipid peroxidation (via malondialdehyde, MDA) were measured. Results show that chlorophyll content, ϕ_PSII, and MDA were not significantly reduced under saline stress in both varieties. The most stress-affected process was the CO₂ net assimilation, with an up to 60% reduction in both varieties, yet Vikinga produced higher dry weight than Regalona due to the number of leaves. The stomatal densities increased under salinity for both varieties, with Regalona the one showing higher values. The averaged stomatal size was also reduced under salinity in both varieties. The capacity of Vikinga to generate higher dry weight is a function of the capacity to generate greater amounts of leaves and roots in any condition. The stomatal control is a key mechanism in quinoa’s salinity tolerance, acquiring higher densities with smaller sizes for efficient management of water loss and carbon assimilation. These findings highlight the potential of Vikinga for cultivation in temperate salinized environments during winter, such as Deltas and lowlands where rice is grown during summer. Full article

In the face of declining crop yields, inefficient fertilizer usage, nutrient depletion, and limited water availability, the efficiency of conventional NPK fertilizers is a critical issue in India. The hypothesis of this study posits that nano-nitrogen could enhance growth and photosynthetic efficiency in crop plants compared to conventional fertilizers. For this, a randomized block design (RBD) field experiment was conducted with six treatments: no nitrogen (T1), 100% N through urea (T2), and varying levels of N replacement with nano-nitrogen (33%: T3; 50%: T4; 66%: T5; and 100%: T6). Morphological and physiological traits and yield attributes were measured at physiological maturity, and yield attributes were measured at harvest. Results showed that 33% nitrogen replacement with nano-nitrogen (T3) outperformed conventional urea (T2) in physiological traits and achieved higher grain yields (3789 kg/ha for rice and 4206 kg/ha for wheat) compared to T2 (3737 kg/ha for rice and 4183 kg/ha for wheat with 100% urea). Although T4 and T5 showed statistically similar yields, they were lower than T2 and T3 for rice, while 50%, 66%, and 100% replacements reduced wheat yield by 2.49%, 8.39%, and 41.26%, respectively, compared to T2. Key enzymes of N metabolism decreased with higher nano-nitrogen substitution. Maximum nitrogen availability was observed in T2 and T3. This study concludes that nano-nitrogen is an effective strategy to enhance growth, balancing productivity and environmental sustainability. Full article

Finger millet, known for its resilience to adverse climatic conditions, is integrated with various crops to assess the synergistic benefits of intercropping. To obtain intercropping system benefits, crop association, and species combination play a crucial role. Hence, to augment the productivity, profitability, and resource use efficiency under the millet-based system, field research was initiated for three kharif seasons (2021, 2022, and 2023) at the Project Coordinating Unit, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The outcomes indicated that crops under sole cropping outperformed their intercropping structure in yield. Amongst the intercropping systems, finger millet and groundnut at a 4:2 exhibited a significantly higher finger millet grain equivalent yield (3065 kg/ha), land equivalent ratio (1.64), and area time equivalent ratio (1.38). Also, net returns (Rs. 73,276 ha⁻¹) were realized to be higher in the finger millet + groundnut intercropping system at 4:2 row proportion. Finger millet as a sole crop showed a higher energy output (72,432 MJ ha⁻¹), net energy gain (60,227 MJ ha⁻¹), and energy efficiency (5.95) in relation to other cropping systems. Still, it was analogous to finger millet + groundnut (62,279 MJ ha⁻¹ and 60,378 MJ ha⁻¹, 49,623 MJ ha⁻¹ and 47,628 MJ ha⁻¹, 4.93 and 4.74) at 6:2 and 4:2 row extents, correspondingly). The intercropping of the finger millet with groundnut has demonstrated superior carbon sequestration competencies making them more sustainable and carbon-efficient options compared to sole crops like niger, which showed net carbon loss. The present investigation concluded the adoption of the finger millet + groundnut (4:2) intercropping system as a feasible substitute for attaining overall enhanced productivity with profitability, resource use efficiency, carbon, and energy efficiency. Full article

Drought is an abiotic disturbance that reduces photosynthesis, plant growth, and crop yield. Ascorbic acid (AsA) was utilized as a seed preconditioning agent to assist broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) in resisting drought. However, the precise mechanism by which AsA improves seedlings’ development remains unknown. One hypothesis is that AsA works via antioxidant mechanisms and reduces oxidative stress. This study aims to confirm the effect of varied concentrations of AsA (control, 0 ppm, 1 ppm, or 10 ppm) on seedling growth and changes in the antioxidant status of broccoli seedlings under regular watering or drought stress. AsA increased shoot dry mass, leaf area, net photosynthesis, and water use efficiency in watered and drought-stressed seedlings. AsA significantly (p < 0.001) increased carotenoid content in watered and drought-stressed seedlings by approximately 27% and 111%, respectively. Drought increased chlorophyll b, flavonoids, phenolics, ascorbate, and hydrogen peroxide production in control seedlings, but either had no effect or less effect on plants preconditioned with 10 ppm AsA. There was no improvement in reactive oxygen species scavenging in AsA-preconditioned seedlings compared to the control. The absence or reduction in biochemical indicators of stress suggests that preconditioned broccoli seedlings do not perceive stress the same as control seedlings. In conclusion, the consistent increase in carotenoid concentration suggests that carotenoids play some role in the preconditioning response, though the exact mechanism remains unknown. Full article