Agronomy, Volume 14, Issue 3 (March 2024) – 240 articles

Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how weed communities respond to both environmental and human-induced factors is of paramount importance in developing effective and ecologically sound weed control strategies. The objectives of the current research were to (1) assess the effect of the main weed management practices used in Greek olive groves on weed species’ diversity; (2) explore the filtering effect of management, site, and soil variables in determining weed species’ composition; and (3) shed light on the association between weed species’ composition and the diversity of the understory vegetation of olive groves. To accomplish these objectives, winter weed species’ coverage was assessed in 116 olive groves, both conventional and organic, distributed across three provinces in southern Greece. The investigation encompassed 29 explanatory variables, categorized into three groups: soil (22), management practices (6), and site conditions (1). It was confirmed that glyphosate use may lower biodiversity and species richness; however, this trend was not universal. In fact, the negative influence of the presence of Oxalis pes-caprae L. on species richness and diversity far outweighed the effect of spraying glyphosate. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that among the 29 variables used to describe the ecological niche, eight (i.e., Mn, Mg, chemical spraying, mowing, rotary tiller, grazing, irrigation, and elevation) were significant and explained 21.5% of the total variation in weed species’ data. Interestingly, the soil Mn concentration was identified as the most influential one, highlighting the importance of soil micronutrients in determining weed species’ composition. The variation partitioning procedure demonstrated that the effect of the management variables on weed species’ composition accounted for 2.2 times the variance of soil variables and 4.5 times the variance of elevation. The present findings might help to enhance optimal management in olive groves that can sustain the biodiversity of flora and, in turn, provide various ecosystem services to agro-ecosystems. Full article

In this study, the effects of the soil application and foliar spraying with magnesium fertilizers on rice yield and quality in Liaoning Province were investigated. Field experiments were conducted at Kaiyuan, Xinmin, and Dawa in 2022 and 2023. Magnesium fertilizers were used in the soil as magnesium sulfate monohydrate and silicon–magnesium fertilizer and on leaves was magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. The results showed that the application of 12 kg magnesium hm⁻² in the soil at the Kaiyuan site can significantly increase rice yield by 14.8% compared with sites without magnesium fertilizer. The use of silicon–magnesium fertilizer showed a more obvious yield increase of 22.2%. The application of 3 kg magnesium hm⁻² or 6 kg magnesium hm⁻² on the leaf surface increased the rice yield at Kaiyuan by 19.4% and 21.6% and at Xinmin by 17.8% and 5.4%, respectively. The yield increase was more significant under the optimal fertilization treatment compared with the conventional fertilization treatment. The application of magnesium fertilizer increased the magnesium, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents in rice shoots and the potassium and crude protein contents in rice grains. The effect of foliar spraying with magnesium fertilizers was more obvious than soil application. Therefore, the magnesium fertilizer used on the leaf surface plays an important role in improving rice yield and quality in rice-growing areas with relatively rich soil magnesium content. Magnesium fertilizer can compensate for the yield decrease caused by the reduced use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers by promoting nitrogen and phosphorus absorption in rice. Conclusively, the application of magnesium fertilizer is a promising measure to improve rice production in Liaoning province under a reduced nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer background. Full article

This study focused on examining the early stages of tea cultivation (1, 3, and 5 years) in mountainous tea plantations. It specifically aimed to investigate the changes in soil micro-ecology at different locations (inter-row, terrace surfaces, and terrace walls). It was revealed that as tea tree cultivation progressed over the years, bacterial diversity and co-occurrence networks annually decreased in different locations. The results of soil physicochemical index analysis showed that the soil’s available nutrients and the activities of cellulase and protease increased. Furthermore, the amplitude of variation of these indexes in the inter-row soil was significantly higher than that on the terrace surfaces and the terrace walls (p < 0.05). Alterations occurred in the soil microbial community structure, with an enrichment of bacterial genera such as Sinomonas, Granulicella, and Sphingomonas, as well as fungal genera such as Trichoderma, Penicillium, and Talaromyces; an increase in the proportion of plant pathogenic fungi (Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Curvularia) was observed in the inter-row soil. The results of soil microbial function prediction showed that nitrification and nitrogen fixation decreased, but denitrification increased (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cultivating tea trees in mountainous terraced plantations significantly impacted the soil microbial community, accelerated the metabolism of soil organic matter, disrupted soil nitrogen cycling functions, and increased the presence of plant pathogenic fungal pathogens. Moreover, the changes in the structure and functions of the soil microbial community demonstrate a spatial distance effect across different terrace locations. Full article

The English grain aphid (EGA) (Sitobion avenae F.) is one of the most destructive species of aphids in wheat- (Triticum aestivum L.) planting areas worldwide. Large quantities of insecticides are usually used to control aphid damage. The identification of new EGA-resistant genes is necessary for sustainable wheat production. The objective of this study was to identify candidate genes for EGA resistance from stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs). We previously constructed a genetic map of unigenes (UG-Map) with 31,445 polymorphic sub-unigenes via the RNA sequencing of ‘TN18 × LM6’ recombinant inbred lines (TL-RILs). The relative aphid index (RAI) for the TL-RILs was investigated for two growing seasons, with three measured times (MTs) in each season. Using the UG-Map, 43 candidate genes were identified from 22 stable QTLs, with an average of 1.95 candidate genes per QTL. Among the 34 candidate genes annotated in the reference genome Chinese Spring (CS) RefSeq v1.1, the homologous genes of seven candidate genes, TraesCS1A02G-319900, TraesCS1B02G397300, TraesCS2D02G460800, TraesCS4A02G015600LC, TraesCS5B02G329200, TraesCS-6A02G000600 and TraesCS6A02G418600LC have been previously reported to play roles in aphid resistance. This suggests that these genes are strongly associated with EGA resistance in wheat. The candidate genes in this study should facilitate the cloning of EGA-resistant genes and genetic improvement in wheat breeding programs. Full article

The efficient management of commercial orchards strongly requires accurate information on plant growing status for the implementation of necessary farming activities such as irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. Crown planar area and plant number are two very important parameters directly relating to fruit growth conditions and the final productivity of an orchard. In this study, in order to propose a novel and effective method to extract the crown planar area and number of mature and young papayas based on visible light images obtained from a DJ Phantom 4 RTK, we compared different vegetation indices (NGRDI, RGBVI, and VDVI), filter types (high- and low-pass filters), and filter convolution kernel sizes (3–51 pixels). Then, Otsu’s method was used to segment the crown planar area of the papayas, and the mean–standard deviation threshold (MSDT) method was used to identify the number of plants. Finally, the extraction accuracy of the crown planar area and number of mature and young papayas was validated. The results show that VDVI had the highest capability to separate the papayas from other ground objects. The best filter convolution kernel size was 23 pixels for the low-pass filter extraction of crown planar areas in mature and young plants. As to the plant number identification, segmentation could be set to the threshold with the highest F-score, i.e., the deviation coefficient n = 0 for single young papaya plants, n = 1 for single mature ones, and n = 1.4 for crown-connecting mature ones. Verification indicated that the average accuracy of crown planar area extraction was 93.71% for both young and mature papaya orchards and 95.54% for extracting the number of papaya plants. This set of methods can provide a reference for information extraction regarding papaya and other fruit trees with a similar crown morphology. Full article

The intercropping of peanuts and sugarcane is a sustainable planting model that deserves in-depth research. For this study, two variables, i.e., intercropping status (peanut monocropping or sugarcane/peanut intercropping) and the level of nitrogen fertilization (low, medium, or high), were evaluated to analyze the effects of intercropping and nitrogen application on soil fertility and microbial communities in peanut rhizosphere soil. These analyses revealed that higher nitrogen application led to increased total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), and soil organic matter (OM) levels in rhizosphere soil for both monocropped and intercropped peanuts, with a decrease in pH. Monocropped peanuts had higher TN, total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) levels compared to intercropped peanuts at the same nitrogen level but lower AN content and pH levels. The diversity of microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of intercropped peanuts was significantly higher than that of monocropped peanuts under high levels of nitrogen fertilizer application. Higher levels of Gemmatimonadetes abundance were observed in intercropping rhizosphere soil, compared to that associated with peanut monocropping under low, middle, and high levels of nitrogen fertilizer application, whereas the opposite trend was observed for Chloroflexi abundance. Nitrospira abundance levels rose gradually in the monocropping treatment group, whereas the opposite trend was evident under intercropping conditions. Further analyses of nitrogen cycle-related genes demonstrated higher levels of nitrogen conversion cycle activity in intercropping peanut rhizosphere soil under low nitrogen levels, whereas nitrogen transformation cycle activity levels were higher in monocropping peanut rhizosphere soil under high levels of nitrogen amendment. It can be concluded that intercropping and nitrogen fertilizer application change the physical and chemical properties of soil, thus affecting the diversity and function of soil microbial communities in the peanut rhizosphere. These results offer a theoretical foundation for more efficient sugarcane/peanut intercropping systems. Full article

This study explores spectroscopy in the 350 to 2500 nm range for detecting powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) in grapevine leaves, crucial for precision agriculture and sustainable vineyard management. In a controlled experimental vineyard setting, the spectral reflectance on leaves with varying infestation levels was measured using a FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer during July and September. A detailed assessment was conducted following the guidelines recommended by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) to quantify the level of infestation; categorising leaves into five distinct grades based on the percentage of leaf surface area affected. Subsequently, spectral data were collected using a contact probe with a tungsten halogen bulb connected to the spectroradiometer, taking three measurements across different areas of each leaf. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) analysis yielded coefficients of determination R² = 0.74 and 0.71, and Root Mean Square Errors (RMSEs) of 12.1% and 12.9% for calibration and validation datasets, indicating high accuracy for early disease detection. Significant spectral differences were noted between healthy and infected leaves, especially around 450 nm and 700 nm for visible light, and 1050 nm, 1425 nm, 1650 nm, and 2250 nm for the near-infrared spectrum, likely due to tissue damage, chlorophyll degradation and water loss. Finally, the Powdery Mildew Vegetation Index (PMVI) was introduced, calculated as PMVI = (R755 − R675)/(R755 + R675), where R755 and R675 are the reflectances at 755 nm (NIR) and 675 nm (red), effectively estimating disease severity (R² = 0.7). The study demonstrates that spectroscopy, combined with PMVI, provides a reliable, non-invasive method for managing powdery mildew and promoting healthier vineyards through precision agriculture practices. Full article

The tea industry, as one of the most globally important agricultural products, is characterized by pests and diseases that pose a serious threat to yield and quality. These diseases and pests often present different scales and morphologies, and some pest and disease target sizes can be tiny and difficult to detect. To solve these problems, we propose TeaViTNet, a multi-scale attention-based tea pest and disease detection model that combines CNNs and Transformers. First, MobileViT is used as the feature extraction backbone network. MobileViT captures and analyzes the tiny pest and disease features in the image via a self-attention mechanism and global feature extraction. Second, the EMA-PANet network is introduced to optimize the model’s learning and attention to the Apolygus lucorum and leaf blight regions via an efficient multi-scale attention module with cross-space learning, which improves the model’s ability to understand multi-scale information. In addition, RFBNet is embedded in the module to further expand the perceptual range and effectively capture the information of tiny features in tea leaf images. Finally, the ODCSPLayer convolutional block is introduced, aiming to focus on acquiring richer gradient flow information. The experimental results show that the TeaViTNet model proposed in this paper has an average accuracy of 89.1%, which is a significant improvement over the baseline network MobileViT and is capable of accurately detecting Apolygus lucorum and leaf blight of different scales and complexities. Full article

Paw San Hmwe (PSH) is an indigenous rice variety from Myanmar with a good taste, a pleasant fragrance, and excellent elongation ability during cooking. However, its low yield potential and strong photoperiod sensitivity reduce its productivity, and it is vulnerable to climate changes during growth. To improve the photoperiod insensitivity, yield, and plant stature of PSH, the high-yield genes Grain number 1a (Gn1a) and Wealthy Farmer’s Panicle (WFP), together with the photoperiod insensitivity trait, were introgressed into PSH via marker-assisted backcross breeding and phenotype selection. For the photoperiod insensitivity trait, phenotypic selection was performed under long-day conditions during the dry season. After foreground selection of Gn1a and WFP via simple sequence repeat genotyping, genotyping-by-sequencing was conducted to validate the introgression of target genes and determine the recurrent parent genome recovery of the selected lines. The improved lines were insensitive to photoperiod, and the Gn1a and WFP introgression lines showed significantly higher numbers of primary panicle branches and spikelets per panicle than the recurrent parent, with comparative similarity in cooking and eating qualities. This study successfully improved PSH by decreasing its photoperiod sensitivity and introducing high-yield genes via marker-assisted selection. The developed lines can be used for crop rotation and double-season cropping of better-quality rice. Full article

Sesame is one of the important oil seed crops grown for the high-quality oil. Its growth, development, and yield are significantly affected by the changing climate conditions. Evaluating the sesame climatic suitability is crucial to optimize sesame cultivation patterns and planting distribution, and to aid strategic decision making for future agricultural adaptation. Based on agricultural climatic suitability theory and the fuzzy mathematics method, in this study, we established the temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and comprehensive suitability model. Then, we assessed the spatial distribution and chronological changes in climatic suitability under two periods, 1978–1998 (earlier 21 years) and 1999–2019 (latter 21 years). The results showed that compared with the meteorological data in the earlier 21 years, the mean temperature during the sesame-growing season in the latter 21 years increased from 24.48 °C to 25.05 °C, and the cumulative precipitation increased from 744.38 mm to 754.81 mm; however, the sunshine hours decreased from 6.05 h to 5.55 h. Temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and comprehensive suitability during the sesame-growing season in the main sesame-producing areas of China all had a downward trend. The distribution of temperature and comprehensive suitability in the north is higher than that in the south, while the precipitation and sunshine suitability had an uneven distribution. The area of high-temperature suitability and high-precipitation suitability increased from 43.45 × 10⁶ ha to 46.34 × 10⁶ ha and from 3.20 × 10⁶ ha to 7.97 × 10⁶ ha, respectively, whereas the area of high-sunshine suitability decreased from 4.04 × 10⁶ ha to 2.09 × 10⁶ ha. The climate change was more beneficial to sesame cultivation in northeast Anhui where the area of high climatic suitability clearly expanded, and in eastern Jiangxi where the area of the general climatic suitability increased. In contrast, it is worth noting that the area of high climatic suitability in northern Henan decreased and the area of low climatic suitability in Hubei increased. Our results have important implications for improving agricultural production to cope with ongoing climate change. Full article

The growing demand for nutritious foods has spurred investigations into alternative sources of nutrition beyond traditional options. For this reason, the present study approaches amaranth, which is a plant with high nutritional potential. Based on the unique pedoclimatic conditions of the Somes meadow in Transylvania and the known adaptability of amaranth varieties to diverse environments, we hypothesize that certain amaranth varieties of South American origin will demonstrate their potential for morphological development, grain biomass yield, and quantitative characteristics when cultivated in this specific environment. Our study aims to identify if, based on morpho-productive traits, the six amaranth varieties under investigation in a specific environment are suitable for consumption as functional food. A bifactorial trial was implemented with the following factors: amaranth species and amaranth varieties. Two species and seven varieties of amaranth were studied. Differences are reported between morpho-productive and quantitative traits of the seven amaranth varieties studied in this research. The Pearson simple correlations show that morphological traits moderately contribute to grain fresh biomass yield, while morphological traits and fresh biomass strongly contributed to grains dry biomass yield. Our study shows that while current research offers valuable perspectives on the performance and nutritional composition of amaranth varieties studied, there are recommended more studies conducted across diverse environments. Full article

(1) Background: Previous research has demonstrated that the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil and the balance of exchangeable cations Ca, Mg, and K are key factors affecting plant growth and development. We hypothesized that balancing exchangeable cations based on increased CEC would improve plant growth and development. (2) Methods: This study conducted a two-phase experiment to evaluate methods for increasing soil CEC and the effects of increasing CEC and balancing Ca, Mg, and K on plant growth. Therefore, we first conducted a soil culture experiment using organic fertilizer, montmorillonite, and humic acid to investigate fertilizers that can effectively increase CEC in the short term. Then, a tomato seedling pot experiment was conducted using the control (CK) and OMHA fertilizer-treated soils collected from soil culture experiments. The CK and OMHA treatment soils were constructed with balanced exchangeable cations and an unbalanced control, respectively. (3) Results: The soil culture experiments revealed that the combination of organic fertilizer, montmorillonite, and humic acid (OMHA treatment) had the most significant effect on increasing CEC. The CEC of the OMHA treatment increased by 41.07%, reaching 27.10 cmol·kg⁻¹. The tomato pot experiments demonstrated that balancing the exchangeable cations in OMHA soil improved the Mg and K nutrition of tomato seedlings and significantly increased SPAD, leaf nitrogen content, and dry weight, while balancing the exchangeable cations in CK soil improved only the K nutrition of tomato seedlings. (4) Conclusions: Overall, balancing exchangeable cations based on increasing CEC can improve soil nutrient availability and alleviate the competition effects of Ca, Mg, and K cations. Low CEC and imbalanced exchangeable cations can be detrimental to tomato seedling growth. Full article

The development of management plans which lead to water efficient landscapes is a growing need in the turfgrass community. While deficit irrigation as a scheduling method can improve water conservation, more information is desired on how to best leverage other management practices, such as mowing height when deficit irrigation is imposed. The objectives of this study were to characterize actual evapotranspiration (ET_a), turfgrass visual quality, clipping production, and root development of ‘TifTuf’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis Burt Davy) when irrigated at full (1.0 × ET_a) and deficit levels (0.65 and 0.30 × ET_a), and cut at four separate mowing heights (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 cm) over two 8-week experimental runs. An elevated ET_a was observed at the 7.5 cm and 10.0 cm mowing heights compared to the 2.5 cm mowing height in both runs, and the 5.0 cm mowing height in one run. The visual quality decreased throughout both study periods and mostly for the deficit irrigation treatments, with visual quality falling below minimum acceptable levels at the lowest irrigation level (0.30 × ET_a) 5 weeks into run A, and 8 weeks into run B. Despite an elevated ET_a and a higher root dry weight at higher mowing heights (7.5 and 10.0 cm), clipping production and visual quality was generally higher at lower mowing heights (2.5 and 5.0 cm) for both full and deficit irrigation levels. These results demonstrate that mowing height can significantly influence bermudagrass water use, as well as responses to deficit irrigation. When maintaining ‘TifTuf’ bermudagrass at heights above 2.5 cm, the results from this study indicate a lower water use and improved response to deficit irrigation at mowing heights ≤ 5 cm. Full article

Industrialized seeding production is one of the most important methods used to raise seedlings in a standardized and efficient manner. However, its consumption of light energy limits its development. In this paper, we studied the effects of LED light intensities (30 (L1), 60 (L2), 90 (L3), 120 (L4), 150 (L5), 180 (L6), and 210 (L7) µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹) on the phenotypic parameters and health index of seedlings during different growth stages (cotyledon flattening (CF), one bud and one leaf (OBOL), and one bud and two leaves (OBTL)). Ten out of sixteen plants were selected to measure the parameters in every treatment. The control group was treated with 150 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ all the time. The results show that the height of the L1-treated plants was greatest during the cotyledon flattening stage. The L7 treatment produced the largest stem diameter, the greatest biomass, the largest leaf area, and the largest leaf circumference, the values of which were 2.61 mm, 3.3 g, 60.67 cm², and 39.71 cm, respectively. During the one bud and one leaf stage, the L1 treatment produced the tallest plants. The L7 treatment resulted in the largest stem diameter, the greatest biomass, the largest leaf area, and the largest leaf circumference. During the one bud and two leaves stage, the plant height, stem diameter, leaf circumference, and biomass produced of the L6 treatment were the greatest, with values of 68.37 mm, 3.09 mm, 51.54 cm, and 4.47 g. L5 resulted in the largest leaf area (63.91 cm²). The seedling index of the three stages showed an inflection point at the L4 level. The experimental results showed that the light intensity required by the cucumber seedlings was 120 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, 150 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹, and 120 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ during the three stages, from the cotyledon flattening stage to the one bud and two leaves stage. The results provide references regarding the light required during the cultivation of cucumber seedlings. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) is the most serious heavy metal pollutant in the agricultural soil of China and can transfer and accumulate through the food chain and affect the growth, development and physiological processes of phytophagous insect. Glyphodes pyloalis Walker (G. pyloalis) is one of the most important pests of mulberry, and there are few studies on the adverse effects of heavy metals on insects, especially mulberry pests. To understand the toxicology of Cd exposure on G. pyloalis, we investigated the effects of three different concentrations of Cd (0, 3.89 and 51.69 mg/kg, labeled as control check (CK), low dose (LD) and high dose (HD)) on the development and detoxification mechanism of G. pyloalis and explored the molecular mechanism of Cd on G. pyloalis larvae using RNA-seq technology. Transcriptome analysis showed that compared with the CK, a total of 63 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in LD exposure, including 24 upregulated and 39 downregulated candidates. In CK versus HD groups, 395 upregulated DEGs and 436 downregulated DEGs were identified and the expression patterns of 12 genes related to detoxification and metabolism were verified using qPCR. These DEGs were relevant to multiple specific peroxisome and drug metabolism-cytochrome P450 pathways. Gene annotation and quantitative real-time PCR revealed that a high concentration of Cd significantly stimulated the expression of metabolic detoxification enzyme genes. The results revealed that Cd exposure changed the pupal weight, adult emergence rate and the activities of AKP, ACP and GST in G. pyloalis and induced notable adverse effects at the molecular level on detoxification and metabolism such as concentration and time differences. In addition, we silenced CYP12A2 by RNA interference. Bioassays showed that after silencing CYP12A2, the survival rate of G. pyloalis under Cd exposure was lower than that of the control group. Full article

The scientific aim of this article is to investigate the potential benefits of implementing a multi-cropping system, specifically focusing on the incorporation of caraway, to improve soil agrochemical and biological properties, prevent soil degradation and erosion, and ultimately enhance soil quality and health to better adapt to climate change. This study aims to provide valuable insights into the comparative analysis of various soil parameters and biological indicators to showcase the promising perspectives and importance of perennial crop production for improving soil quality and agricultural sustainability. These crops are designed to provide multiple benefits simultaneously, including improved yields, enhanced ecosystem services, and reduced environmental effects. However, an integrated assessment of their overall effects on the agroecosystem is crucial to understand their potential benefits and trade-offs. The field experiment was conducted over three consecutive vegetative seasons (2017 to 2021) at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy (VMU AA) in Kaunas district, Lithuania. The experimental site is located at 54°53′7.5″ N latitude and 23°50′18.11″ E longitude. The treatments within a replicate were multi-cropping systems of sole crops (spring barley (1), spring wheat (2), pea (3), caraway (4)), binary crops (spring barley–caraway (5), spring wheat–caraway (6), pea–caraway (7)), and trinary crops (spring barley–caraway–white clover (8), spring wheat–caraway–white clover (9), pea–caraway–white clover (10)) crops. However, an integrated assessment of their impact on the agroecosystem is needed to understand their potential benefits and processes. To determine the complex interactions between indicators, the interrelationships between indicators, and the strength of impacts, this study applied an integrated assessment approach using the comprehensive assessment index (CEI). The CEI values showed that integrating caraway (Carum carvi L.) into multi-cropping systems can have several positive effects. The effect of the binary spring barley and caraway and the trinary spring barley, caraway, and white clover crops on the agroecosystem is positively higher than that of the other comparative sole, binary, and trinary crops. Caraway, after spring wheat together with white clover, has a higher positive effect on the agroecosystem than caraway without white clover. Specifically, this study addresses key aspects, such as soil health, nutrient cycling, weed management, and overall agricultural sustainability, within the context of multi-cropping practices. By evaluating the effects of these cropping systems on soil agrochemical properties and ecosystem dynamics, the research provides valuable insights into sustainable agricultural practices that promote environmental conservation and long-term soil health. Full article

Maize is one of the most successful crops with regard to the utilization of heterosis. The haploid induction technique is one of the fastest methods to obtain pure maize material at the present stage. However, the molecular mechanism of haploid doubling is rarely reported. In this study, we treated B73 and ZNC442 haploid young shoots with colchicine for 0 h, 6.2 h, and 10 h, and analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We found that colchicine treatment for 6.2 h and 10 h compared to 0 h resulted in a total of 4868 co-DEGs. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG metabolic pathway analysis found significantly enriched 282 GO terms and 31 significantly pathways, respectively. Additionally, The GO term and KEGG pathway genes of spindle, cytoskeleton, microtubules and nuclear division were selected for analysis, and three candidate genes were screened by taking intersections. Zm00001d033112, Zm00001d010525, and Zm00001d043386 were annotated as kinesin-associated protein 13, kinesin-like protein KIN-10C, and kinesin light-chain LC6, respectively. The real-time fluorescence quantification (RT-PCR) results revealed that Zm00001d033112, Zm00001d010525, and Zm00001d043386 had the same trends as RNA-seq. Interestingly, Zm00001d033112 is homologous gene AT3G20150 in Arabidopsis, which was involved in the regulation of chromosome movement and mitotic spindle assembly. Our study suggests that kinesin genes may play an important role in doubling chromosomes, thus providing valuable information for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of chromosome doubling in maize. Full article

Agave genera include slow-growing plants with cultural and economic roots dating back to pre-Columbian times in Mexico. Several species have a widespread presence in the country and are cultivated and/or used directly from the field to obtain various derived products. Agave salmiana is widely used in the region of the High Valleys of Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico. However, fungal diseases are causing considerable losses to Agave crops. For this reason, fungi strains from maguey plants from Apan, Hidalgo, with “Negrilla” disease symptoms were isolated and identified morphologically and molecularly. The results provide information on a new disease disseminated in A. salmiana plants, which causes symptoms such as black spots on the leaves due to pathogenic fungi of the genera Bipolaris. The morphological and molecular characterization located the phytopathogenic fungus as new isolates of Bipolaris zeae. Finally, the re-isolation of the causal agent of the disease was achieved in all pathogenicity tests, verifying that the symptoms observed in the maguey plants were caused by B. zeae, thus corroborating Koch’s postulates, and constituting the first report of this fungus as a pathogen of A. salmiana in Mexico. Full article

To improve the salt tolerance of grape seeds and seedlings under salt stress, this study was conducted including two control groups (CK, S) and five experimental groups (S + Si40, S + Si60, S + Si80, S + C90, S + Si40 + C90), and the physiological characteristics of grape seed germination and seedlings were studied using 40, 60, and 80 μg/mL of nano-silica treatments and by mixing 40 μg/mL of nano-silica with 90 μg/mL of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), respectively. The combined treatment of 40 μg/mL nano-silica and 90 μg/mL MWCNTs resulted in the best rate of growth in grape seeds and root length and an increased germination rate when compared with the other concentrations. The combined treatment reduced the MDA content in the grape seedling leaves and increased the activities of superoxide (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione-s-transferase (GT), and glutathione reductase (GR). In addition, the scavenging activity of DPPH· was also maintained by the combined treatment. In conclusion, a combined treatment with 40 μg/mL nano-silica and 90 μg/mL MWCNTs significantly increased the reduction capacity through the direct and indirect antioxidant systems (AsA-GSH cycle) and maintained a high antioxidant capacity of grape seedlings under salt stress. Full article

Plants can utilize different N forms, including organic and inorganic N resources, and show great differences in the utilization efficiency of each N form among species and genotypes within a species. Previously, we found that the Tibetan wild barley genotype (XZ16) was better in the utilization of organic nitrogen in comparison with the cultivated barley genotype (Hua30). In this study, the metabolite profiles of the two barley genotypes were comprehensively compared in their response to four N forms, including nitrate (NO₃⁻), ammonium (NH₄⁺), urea, and glycine. The macro and micro nutrient concentrations in shoots were mostly found to be higher in the nitrate and urea treatments than in ammonium and glycine in both the genotypes. XZ16 had higher concentrations of nutrient ions in the glycine treatment, but Hua30 accumulated more nutrients in the ammonium treatment. Among a total of 163 differentially regulated metabolites, the highest up-regulation and highest down-regulation values were found in XZ16 in the glycine and urea treatments, respectively. Some important metabolites, such as proline, glutamine, serine, asparagine, L-homoserine, aspartic acid, putrescine, ornithine, and 4-aminobutyrate, were up-regulated in the glycine treatment in both the genotypes with a higher fold change in XZ16 than that in Hua30. Similarly, fructose-6-PO₄, aconitic acid, and isocitrate were only up-regulated in XZ16 in the glycine treatment. Here, we concluded that the genotype XZ16 exhibited a better response to the glycine treatment, while Hua30 showed a better response to the NH₄⁺ treatment, which is attributed to the better utilization of glycine-N and NH₄⁺-N, respectively. Full article

Drought stress is one of the key factors impeding agricultural productivity worldwide. This experiment aimed at investigating the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress effects on seed germination, physiology, and biochemical mechanisms in Tartary buckwheat genotypes. Four PEG-induced stress conditions (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) were applied to 14 selected genotypes at the germination stage to evaluate their stress tolerance capacity. Significant differences were obtained in germination percentage, relative water content (RWC), and all growth parameters among the studied 14 genotypes. Based on the stress tolerance index (STI), XiNong 9943, XiNong 9940, and QianKu-5 were found to be tolerant, and QuanKu-4 was susceptible. These cultivars were selected for further physiological and biochemical characterization. The results demonstrated that the activity of enzymes was significantly increased with the increase in PEG dose. SOD (superoxide dismutase), POD (peroxidase), CAT (catalase), and APX (ascorbate peroxidase) levels obtained at 30% PEG in the XiNong 9943 genotype were 2.01, 2.19, 4.92, and 4.46 times higher, respectively, than the normal growth condition (T₀). Moreover, the secondary metabolite content also increased with the increase in PEG dose. At 30% PEG, the genotype XiNong 9943 yielded phenols, flavonoids, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) levels that were higher by 131%, 95%, 154%, and 164%, respectively, than T₀ condition. From both the findings of the activity of enzymes and the secondary metabolite content, the genotypic response to drought was ranked in the following order: XiNong 9943 > XiNong 9940 > QianKu-5 > QianKu-4, which supported the STI selection system. Assessing the overall performance, the genotype XiNong 9943 shows drought tolerance, which can be useful material for future buckwheat breeding programs. Full article

Existing disease detection models for deep learning-based monitoring and prevention of pepper diseases face challenges in accurately identifying and preventing diseases due to inter-crop occlusion and various complex backgrounds. To address this issue, we propose a modified YOLOv7-GCA model based on YOLOv7 for pepper disease detection, which can effectively overcome these challenges. The model introduces three key enhancements: Firstly, lightweight GhostNetV2 is used as the feature extraction network of the model to improve the detection speed. Secondly, the Cascading fusion network (CFNet) replaces the original feature fusion network, which improves the expression ability of the model in complex backgrounds and realizes multi-scale feature extraction and fusion. Finally, the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) is introduced to focus on the important features in the images and improve the accuracy and robustness of the model. This study uses the collected dataset, which was processed to construct a dataset of 1259 images with four types of pepper diseases: anthracnose, bacterial diseases, umbilical rot, and viral diseases. We applied data augmentation to the collected dataset, and then experimental verification was carried out on this dataset. The experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOv7-GCA model reduces the parameter count by 34.3% compared to the YOLOv7 original model while improving 13.4% in mAP and 124 frames/s in detection speed. Additionally, the model size was reduced from 74.8 MB to 46.9 MB, which facilitates the deployment of the model on mobile devices. When compared to the other seven mainstream detection models, it was indicated that the YOLOv7-GCA model achieved a balance between speed, model size, and accuracy. This model proves to be a high-performance and lightweight pepper disease detection solution that can provide accurate and timely diagnosis results for farmers and researchers. Full article

An approximate revolution synthesis of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles has been prepared. For plant growth and development, MgO is essential. The effect and efficiency, respectively, in seed germination, seedling growth, and plant growth were also studied. These analyses examined maize with different concentrations and parameters. The concentration of 500 ppm was tested with extreme results in areas such as plant height, protein contents both in-vivo and in-vitro, and MgO effects shown both in shoot (12.83 ± 0.5 cm) and root (5.37 ± 0.5 cm). Maximum confirmations were fixed with the help of MgO NPs characterization through TEM, SEM, FTIR, zeta potential, and X-ray. The effect of MgO NPs showed a significant increase in root and shoot length, and simultaneous in-vivo studies also showed significant results in plant physiological parameters. In effect, the vital performance in germination rate, potential, and index MgO NPs was higher than the control. Moreover, the performance and absorption of MgO NPs was confirmed by physiological characterization with the help of a UV–Vis spectrophotometer applied to the leaves and roots. It was demonstrated that the influence of MgO NPs is positive and potentially can be used for seedling growth and also for plants. It may bolster farming methods, and help maintain high food quality, quantity, and production. Full article

Red rice has achieved a lot of visibility due to its greater amounts of bioactive compounds compared to traditional white rice. The increased recognition of red rice by the industry is a consequence of the expansion of its study in the field of research. The red color of its grains is characteristic of the presence of proanthocyanidins, which is associated with health benefits such as reducing the risk of chronic diseases. In addition, red rice is gluten-free and hypoallergenic, which makes it suitable for celiac or gluten-intolerant patients. However, the contents of phytochemicals can vary with the influence of the adaptability of genotypes to the environment, cultivation practices, abiotic stresses, and industrial processing. In this scenario, one of the challenges is to increase the diversity of red rice products while having a minimum impact on the content of bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids. In this review, a complete overview of the importance of pigmented red rice is presented, including the effects of different genotypes, the growth environment, and industrial processing on the bioactive compounds, mainly flavonoids and phenolic acids, in red rice, and the health benefits of its products are described. Studies cited in this review article were found by searching through the Web of Science database from 2013 to 2023. After a detailed and up-to-date search, 36 studies were included in this review article. Full article

Farm and industrial residues must be adequately managed to avoid negative environmental implications. In this study, our objective was to evaluate (i) the impact of the co-production of vermicompost using grape bagasse and biochar (BC) on the yield and biochemical, chemical, and biological properties of vermicompost; (ii) the effect of BC on earthworms (Eisenia fetida Sav.). The vermicompost was co-produced over 5 months (n = 4 per treatment) using (i) grape bagasse as the substrate, (ii) earthworms (Eisenia fetida Sav.), and (iii) three BCs (eucalyptus sawdust BC, pig manure BC, and carbonaceous material from poultry litter CM) at 2% (w/w). A control without BC was included. The chemical, microbiological (activity and respiration), enzymatic properties, and enzymatic indices were characterized. After the incubation period, vermicompost yield increased with the application of the three BCs (25% on average). The number of adult earthworms was not affected by any of the BCs. Compared to treatments without BC, those with pig manure BC and eucalyptus BC resulted in maintained or significantly decreased enzymatic activity, indicating that the vermicompost was at an advanced stage of maturity. Eucalyptus BC significantly enriched the C content of the vermicompost by 4.3%, maintaining respiration rates at 18% lower than the treatment without BC. Additionally, pig manure BC generated the lowest respiration rate in the vermicompost (20% lower). We conclude that BC has a positive influence on the vermicompost process, stabilizing organic matter (especially pig manure BC) and improving the potential of vermicompost to store C (when high-C-content BCs are applied). Full article

The widespread use of non-renewable phosphate fertilizers in agriculture poses a significant pollution threat to soil, necessitating the exploration of sustainable alternatives for phosphate fertility. Releasing phytate phosphorus through microbial phytases presents an eco-friendly solution for sustainable phosphate fertility in agriculture. This study directly inoculated dual-domain β-propeller alkaline phytase (phyHT) derived from Bacillus sp. HJB17 into the soil. The study analyzed the impact of inoculated phyHT on the physicochemical properties of the soil, assessed the variations in enzyme activity of phyHT within the soil, and examined the effects of the treated soil on wheat growth. Additionally, the study explored the enhancement of the available phosphorus in the soil through the inoculation of phyHT in both crop residues and organic fertilizer. PhyHT exhibited the highest catalytic activity at 37 °C and pH 8.0. After soil adsorption, phyHT maintained stable enzymatic activity. PhyHT markedly boosted the available phosphorus in the soil while reducing the soil phytate content by about 20%, increasing the phosphorus levels and enhancing soil fertility. PhyHT effectively degraded phytates in an organic fertilizer and crop residues, increasing the available phosphorus. PhyHT supplementation enhanced growth, biomass, and phosphorus content in both the shoot and root weights of Triticum aestivum. This study establishes phyHT as a viable and eco-friendly method to enhance phosphorus fertility in soil. The direct application of microbial phytases can serve as a sustainable source of phosphate fertility in soil. Full article

In agricultural production, it is fundamental to characterize the phenological stage of plants to ensure a good evaluation of the development, growth and health of crops. Phenological characterization allows for the early detection of nutritional deficiencies in plants that diminish the growth and productive yield and drastically affect the quality of their fruits. Currently, the phenological estimation of development in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) is carried out using four different schemes: Baillod and Baggiolini, Extended BBCH, Eichhorn and Lorenz, and Modified E-L. Phenological estimation requires the exhaustive evaluation of crops, which makes it intensive in terms of labor, personnel, and the time required for its application. In this work, we propose a new phenological classification based on transcriptional measures of certain genes to accurately estimate the stage of development of grapevine. There are several genomic information databases for Vitis vinifera, and the function of thousands of their genes has been widely characterized. The application of advanced molecular biology, including the massive parallel sequencing of RNA (RNA-seq), and the handling of large volumes of data provide state-of-the-art tools for the determination of phenological stages, on a global scale, of the molecular functions and processes of plants. With this aim, we applied a bioinformatic pipeline for the high-throughput quantification of RNA-seq datasets and further analysis of gene ontology terms. We identified differentially expressed genes in several datasets, and then, we associated them with the corresponding phenological stage of development. Differentially expressed genes were classified using count-based expression analysis and clustering and annotated using gene ontology data. This work contributes to the use of transcriptome data and gene expression analysis for the classification of development in plants, with a wide range of industrial applications in agriculture. Full article

Unreasonable fertilization often fails to match crop yield and nutrient requirements, leading to low crop yield, the waste of mineral resources, and increased costs for farmers. A survey of the potato yield and fertilization of farmers was conducted in Haidong City of Qinghai Province for three consecutive years (2017–2019) torecommend reasonable fertilizer application. The results showed that the required amount of NPK fertilizer per ton of potato was 4.85 kg N, 1.26 kg P₂O₅, and 6.98 kg K₂O, respectively. The potato yields ranged from 7500 to 66,429 kg ha⁻¹, with an average of 26,069 kg ha⁻¹. The average N, P, and Kfertilizers (in the form of N, P₂O_5, and K₂O, respectively) applied by the farmers were 213 kg N ha⁻¹, 202 kg P₂O₅ha⁻¹, and 43 kg K₂O ha⁻¹. More than 60% of the farmers appliedtoo much Nand Pfertilizers and too little Kfertilizer. Therefore, the farmers with lowyieldsshould reduce the application of Nand P fertilizers by a range of 41–220 kg ha⁻¹ and 24–265 kg ha⁻¹. Allthe farmers should increase Kfertilizer use by 7–273 kg ha⁻¹. Reasonable fertilization could effectively conserve resources, improve economic efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. Full article

Drought stress is an important challenge to global food security and agricultural output, and dramatic and rapid climate change has made the problem worse, causing unexpected impacts on the growth, development, and yield of different plants. Understanding the biochemical, ecological, and physiological reactions to these pressures is essential for improved management. Carbon materials’ impacts on plants subjected to different stresses are still poorly studied. Thus, this study was carried out investigate the feasibility of applying carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (0, 20, and 40 mg/L) as a foliar treatment for mitigating the effect of water stress (100%, 75%, and 50% irrigation water, IW) on peanut plants growing in sandy soil through assessments of growth and productivity and some physiological and biochemical measurements. Exposure of peanuts to decreased irrigation water led to significant decreases in growth, yield, photosynthetic pigments, indole acetic acid (IAA), and some nutritional components in peanut seeds, but increased levels of osmolytes such as total soluble carbohydrates (TSS) and proline, in addition to free amino acids and phenolics. However, foliar spraying with CNTs could ameliorate the impacts of decreased irrigation water on growth and production via enhancing the studied physiological parameters, such as photosynthetic pigments, IAA, osmolytes, and phenolics. Furthermore, the application of carbon nanotubes improved the nutrient contents, as expressed by the oil yield, protein yield, total carbohydrates, antioxidant activities (DPPH), B-carotene, lycopene, and flavonoids in peanut seeds, either under normal or water stress conditions. The higher level of CNTs (40 mg/L) was more effective than the lower one (20 mg/L) at increasing the above-mentioned parameters. In conclusion, foliar treatment with carbon nanotubes has the ability to enhance peanut drought tolerance and increase its growth and productivity under sandy soil conditions. Full article