Ultrasound, as mechanical waves with frequencies exceeding 20 thousand hertz, has found wide applications in medicine, physiotherapy, and more recently in agriculture. This study aimed to investigate the impact of ultrasound on potato yield and its parameters, particularly on seed potato yield, quantity, mass, and multiplication coefficient of potato tubers. The research was based on a three-year field experiment, utilizing the randomized block design in a split-split-plot arrangement, in the central-eastern region of Poland. The primary factor were technologies: a) technology with employing ultrasonic pre-planting treatment, b) traditional cultivation without this treatment. The secondary factors were potato varieties. Sonication of tubers was conducted using a bath-type ultrasonic device equipped with piezoe-lectric transducers. Results revealed a significant influence of cultivation technology, cultivar, and weather conditions on seed tubers yield, quantity, and multiplication coefficient of potato tubers. However, genetic traits of the examined varieties and random factors significantly affected the individual seed tuber mass and the number of shoots emerging from a single tuber. Future Outlook: Future research could focus on further optimizing ultrasound application techniques in potato cultivation, considering diverse varieties and environmental conditions. Additionally, it would be worthwhile to analyze the long-term effects of ultrasound on tuber seed potato quality and their ability to adapt to changing climatic and soil conditions. Furthermore, studies investi-gating the impact of ultrasound on other plant species could broaden our understanding of po-tential benefits in agriculture.

Seed potato treatment is vital for plant protection, yield enhancement, and product quality. In the conducted research, the plant biostimulator Supporter was applied to evaluate its impact on potato yields. Field studies were conducted in Northeastern, Northwestern, Western, and Southwest Poland from 2015 to 2017, using a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. The use of seed treatment technology with the Supporter product resulted in increased overall and commercial potato yields and improved yield tuber structure compared to traditional cultivation methods without tuber treatment before planting. Conclusion: The application of the plant biostimulator Supporter in seed potato treatment technology brings significant benefits, including, increased potato yield and improved yield structure. The cultivation location significantly influences potato yield and tuber structure. Understanding these differences can aid in better adapting cultivation practices and selecting varieties to specific local conditions, potentially leading to increased potato crop productivity. In terms of efficiency and yield quality, further research into its application in agricultural practice is recommended, which may contribute to further increasing potato production efficiency and quality. Developing more ecological and efficient farming practices can help meet society's growing food needs.

The potato is the most important non-cereal food crop, and thus improving potato growth and yield is in the focus of agricultural researchers and practitioners worldwide. Several studies reported beneficial effects of silicon (Si) fertilization on potato performance, although plant species from the family Solanaceae are generally considered as non-Si-accumulating. We used results from two field experiments in the temperate zone to gain insight into silica accumulation in potato plants as well as corresponding long-term potato yield performance. We found relatively low Si contents in potato leaves and roots (up to 0.08% and 0.3% in the dry mass, respectively) and negligible Si contents in potato tuber skin and tuber flesh for plants grown in soils with different concentrations of plant available Si (field experiment 1). Moreover, potato yield was not correlated to plant available Si concentrations in soils in the long-term (1965-2015, field experiment 2). Based on our results we ascribe the beneficial effects of Si fertilization on potato growth and yield performance reported in previous studies mainly to antifungal/osmotic effects of foliar-applied Si fertilizers and to changes in physicochemical soil properties (e.g., enhanced phosphorus availability and water holding capacity) caused by soil-applied Si fertilizers.

In order to explore the yield-increasing mechanism of mechanized potato planting with corn straw mulching, a two-year ( 2021 and 2022 ) field experiment was conducted to study the effects of mechanized no-tillage with straw mulching on potato yield and water use efficiency. This experiment included corn straw mulching potato mechanized no-tillage planting ( JG ), plastic film mulching ( HM ) and open flat planting ( CK ). The results showed that mechanical no-tillage with straw mulching had significant effects on soil water content, yield and water use efficiency in 0-100 cm soil layer (p< 0.05). There was no significant difference in yield between JG and HM, but it was significantly higher than that of CK. The yield of JG was 3.09 %~12.27 % higher than that of CK. The yield increase was mainly achieved by increasing the potato weight per plant ( 0.697 ~ 0.862** ) and the average single potato weight ( 0.048 ~ 0.631 ). The tuber weight per plant was positively correlated with the plant height at seedling stage ( 0.03 ~ 0.92** ), and positively correlated with the dry weight of stems and leaves at tuber expansion stage and starch accumulation stage ( 0.74** ~ 0.95**). It was negatively correlated with the number of branches at tuber formation stage ( -0.33 ~ -0.88** ). Compared with CK, JG could significantly improve the water use efficiency of potato and reduce the water consumption during the whole growth period of crops. In 2021, JG was 6.5 % higher than CK, and HM was 6.88 % lower than CK. In 2022, JG and HM increased water use efficiency by 26.17 % and 14.50 % compared with CK. It can be seen that JG is a green and efficient mechanized potato cultivation technology suitable for dry farming areas.

In today’s world, it is the need of the hour to adopt new technology to sustain the production of the future. Nanotechnology is gaining popularity for its efficiency in various applied fields of science. In agriculture, nanomaterials have a huge impact on the efficiency of fertilizers pesticides, etc. As it requires very fewer quantities and has a negligible residual effect the environment is safe with the innovation of Nano fertilizer. Keeping this view into account an experimental Trial at a farmer’s field was carried out at Berui village in the Hooghly District of West Bengal during the winter (rabi) season of 2019 – 20 under the supervision of Berui Cooperative, KVK-Hooghly, BCKV, and IFFCO with nano-Urea, nano-Zn and nano-Cu using RBD design with 10 treatments and 3 replications. Experimental results revealed that the highest tuber yield was obtained in T-7 (50% N+100% P & K+ 2 spray of nano-Urea), and that was followed by T-10 (50% N + 100% P & K + 50% Zn + 1 spray each of Nano-Urea, Zn and Cu) and T-8 (100% N-P-K + 50% Zn + 2 spray of Nano-Zn). The performance of nano fertilizers, Nano- Urea, was quite promising and economically viable as compared to the 100% recommended dose with commercial fertilizers (RDF).

This study used Dutch potatoes at the end of dormancy as the material to explore the impact of menthol (0.2 and 0.5 g/kg based on potato mass) treatment on sprouting inhibition and potato quality. The findings revealed that a menthol concentration of 0.5 g/kg effectively inhibited potato tuber sprouting and significantly reduced glucoside alkaloids production. After a storage period of 15 days, the sprouting percentage and glucoside alkaloids content of potatoes treated with 0.5 g/kg menthol were observed to be significantly lower at 4.17% and 68.63 mg/kg, respectively, compared to the control group which exhibited values of 100% and 282.01 mg/kg, respectively (P < 0.05). Throughout the storage period, 0.5 g/kg of menthol promoted respiration, reduced malondialdehyde production in potatoes, inhibited polyphenol oxidase activity, and slowed down tissue browning. Additionally, it mitigated the decline in starch and soluble protein content, inhibiting the accumulation of reducing sugars.

Faced with increasing climate challenges, this pioneering study introduces groundbreaking approaches to ensure the resilience of potato crops in east-central Poland. Our research aimed to develop an innovative, cost-effective system tailored to the diverse local conditions of this region. Conducted between 2018 and 2020, the study analyzed integrated and organic production systems across different soil types and potato varieties. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with three replications in two locations. Integrated practices, enhanced by mineral fertilization and chemical protection, notably delayed the onset of late blight by 16 days and extended the critical infection period by 17% compared to their organic counterparts. Remarkably, the integrated systems resulted in a 49% increase in total production and a 52% increase in commercial yields, demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing crop resilience. Different potato varieties exhibit varied responses to cultivation systems, influencing both yield and disease resistance. Further investigation into these varietal responses can help optimize cultivation practices, leading to improved efficiency and sustainability in potato farming. Location and soil conditions have a significant impact on potato yield and the spread of potato blight. Further research into specific soil properties and the adaptation of varieties to local conditions can contribute to increased productivity and stability in potato production. This study not only paves the way towards sustainable agriculture but also highlights the crucial role of soil diversity in shaping resilient farming practices.

According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization, the world population will increase to about 91 million (Asia 51 million, Africa 19 million). A rise in the world’s population means an increased need for food. However, climate change has caused desertification and unpredictable weather, creating problems in the supply and demand of food. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is an alternative to solving the food problem, as it is one of the world’s most important food crops, especially in developing countries. The tuberous roots of sweet potato are usually used as staple food, animal feed, industrial material, or raw material for alcohol production. In the future, more variations of sweet potato will be needed for breeding this crop. Recently, molecular markers developed for sweet potato have demonstrated good potential for use in genetic selection. In this study, a cDNA library was constructed from the total RNA of sweet potato leaves. A total of 789 copies of the cDNA were cloned in Escherichia coli by employing the pGEM-T Easy vector. Sequencing was carried out by Solgent Co. (Korea). As many as 579 expressed sequence tag–simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were designed (73.38%) from the known cDNA nucleotide base sequences. The lengths of the developed EST-SSR markers ranged from 100 to 499 bp (average length 238 bp). Their motif sequence types were varied, with most being dinucleotides and pentanucleotides, and the most commonly found motifs were CAGAAT (29.0%) and TCT (2.8%). Based on these SSR-containing sequences, 619 pairs of high-quality SSR primers were designed using WebSat and Primer3web. The total number of primers designed was 144. Polymorphism was evident in 82 EST-SSR markers among 20 Korean sweet potato cultivars tested and in 90 EST-SSR markers in the two parents of a mapping population, Yeseumi and Annobeny. In this study, the hexaploid sweet potato (2n = 6x = 90) EST-SSR markers were developed in the absence of full-sequence data. Moreover, by acting as a molecular tag for particular traits, the EST-SSR marker can also simultaneously identify information about the corresponding gene. These EST-SSR markers will allow the molecular analysis of sweet potato to be done more efficiently. Thus, we can develop high-quality sweet potato while overcoming the challenges from climate change and other unfavorable conditions.

Type II diabetes is a major coronavirus disease comorbidity that can be prevented through a diet. Capsicum annuum (chili) consumption is often suggested, and using functional food cultivars is the most effective strategy. However, the general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), and heterotic effect of functional biochemicals (polyphenol content, antioxidant activities, and α-glucosidase inhibitory compounds) remain poorly known in C. annuum. This study aimed to estimate those parameters in C. annuum by using five different genotypes and their hybrid com-binations based on growth characteristics, yield, yield components, and fruit functional biochem-icals. The F1 and F1R progenies were obtained from crosses in a greenhouse and full diallel design. Each parent used in this study had a GCA advantage for each character. The hybrid combination of 074 x 005 and 435 x 367 displayed the best yield results. However, the results indicated the opposite regarding α-glucosidase inhibitory. The heterotic effect of functional biochemicals was observed for traits related to genotypes, polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory compounds, and similar properties related to yield and yield components, indicating their hybrid use in chili production.

The continued success of any conventional sweet potato breeding program is limited to knowledge of the inheritance of the traits studied, such as flesh color and tuberous root shape, because it is difficult to fractionate color frequencies by visual separation. The objective was to understand the mode of inheritance of these genetic traits. The crossing blocks were established at the Research Institute of Tropical Roots and Tuber Crops (INIVIT-Cuba). Eight parental genotypes of known compatibility were selected, with contrasting phenotypic characteristics to develop seg-regating populations. To express color objectively, the CIE L*a*b* color space was used (L*: lumi-nosity; a* and b*: chromatic coordinates), in addition, four morphometric variables associated with the shape and dimensions of the tuberous roots were evaluated. From 2419 reciprocal cross-es, 2045 botanical seeds and 1764 seedlings were obtained. Incomplete dominance of the white and purple flesh colors over the orange color was observed, as well as transgressive segregation for purple, orange and white flesh colours, and for the shape of the tuberous roots. The results al-lowed to propose a genetic model of biparental crosses to improve the flesh color of I. batatas, as well as a predictive formula of the progenies to be selected.

Lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable resource, serves as a crucial raw material for the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and various value-added products. This paper aims to develop and optimize a mild alkaline treatment of sawdust assisted by ultrasound, along with enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated material. The sonochemical pretreatment with alkali emerged as the optimal approach to enhance the susceptibility of cellulose to subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis, thereby increasing the yield of reducing sugars. A comparative study was performed using various ultrasonic applicators (horn and bath) and conventional assisted alkaline pretreatment. The ultrasonic assisted pretreatment revealed a higher delignification as 68% (horn) and 57% (bath) comparing with conventional pretreatment. Processes were optimized using a statistical analysis based on a 23 factorial design. The ratio between sawdust and alkanine solution (RSL = 0.5–1.5 g/100 mL), US amplitude (A = 20–60%), and working temperature (t = 30–50 °C) were selected as process factors. The optimal operating conditions to maximize the reducing sugar yield (138.15 mg GE /gsubstrate) were found as following: solid/liquid ratio RSL,opt = 1.25 g/100 mL, US amplitude Aopt = 60%, and and pretreatment temperature topt = 50 °C. The overall outcomes clearly confirmed the intensification of delignification by ultrasound assisted alkaline pretreatment

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) gradually becomes a stable food worldwide since it can be treated as practical nutritional supplement and antioxidant, as well as energy provider for human beings. Financially and nutritionally, cultivation and utility of potatoes is worthy enough attention of the world. To further explore functionality and maximize utilization of component parts, also to develop new products based on potato still be an ongoing issue. To maximize the benefits of potato and induce new high-value products while avoiding unfavorable properties of the crop has been a growing trend in food and medical areas. This review intends to summarize the factors that influence the changes in the key functional components of potatoes and discuss referred research focuses, then help further researchers to make efforts into. Afterwards, it summarizes the application of the latest commercial products and potential value of components existing in potato. Particularly, there are several main tasks for the next potato research: preparing starchy foods for special group of people and developing fiber-rich products to supply the dietary fiber intake as well as manufacturing bio-friendly and specific design films/coating in packaging industry; extracting bioactive proteins and potato protease inhibitors with high biological activity, and continue to build new commercial products based on potato protein and examine their health benefits. Noteworthy, the preservation methods play a key role in phytochemicals contents left in foods and potato performs superior to many common vegetables when meeting demand of mineral daily intake and alleviating mineral deficiencies.

In Germany, the phloem sucking planthopper Pentastiridius leporinus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) currently represents the epidemiological driver for the spread of the syndrome “Basses Richesses” in sugar beet, which results in a reduced sugar content and an economic loss for the farmers. This disease is associated with the γ-proteobacterium ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ and the Stolbur phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’. Recently, P. leporinus was found in potato fields in Germany associated with Stolbur-like symptoms in this crop. In this study, we confirmed that the vector completes its lifecycle on sugar beet as well as on potato when reared under controlled conditions. Transmission experiments with adults of this vector combined with molecular analyses showed for the first time that both pathogens are transmitted by this vector to potato. For an accurate assessment of the Ca. P. solani and Ca. A. phytopathogenicus titers in the vector and host plants, gBlocks derived from the hsp20- and 16S rRNA gene were employed, respectively. For Ca. P. solani the limit of detection was determined in potato and sugar beet material. The results of this study will further research on the epidemiology of the syndrome “Basses Richesses” and “Stolbur” diseases and the response of host plants and vector insects to both pathogens.

In this study the effects of three different main preparatory tillage operations [ploughing at 0.4 m (P40) and 0.20 m (P20) depth and minimum tillage at 0.20 m depth (MT) each of them carried out at two different soil water contents (WC) [low, 58% (LH) and high, 80% (HH) of field capacity] were investigated. The results obtained in this research show high values of soil strength in term of Penetration resistance (CI) and shear strength (SS) particularly in deeper soil layers at lower water content. Fossil-fuel energy requirements both for P40 LH and P20 LH were 25 and 35% higher with respect to the HH treatments and tractor slip were very high (P40 LH = 32.4%) with respect to the P40 HH treatment (16%). Therefore soil water content had significantly influenced tractor performance during soil ploughing, particularly at 0.40 m depth while MT was not influenced at all. A significant correlation between grain yield and soil penetration resistance was found highlighting how soil strength may be good indicator of its productivity. Obtained results during these field tests allowed considering MT and P20 treatments more suitable for this type of soil in climate change scenarios.

This study focuses on calibrating the linear Drucker-Prager yield criterion for polypropylene under multiaxial loading conditions, using the Arcana machine to achieve a wide range of triaxiality states. The Drucker-Prager criterion has been adapted for polymers, composites, and metals due to its ability to account for the influence of hydrostatic pressure on yield stress. This study employs the Arcana machine, which allows for testing flat plate samples under various angles, thereby simulating different stress states from pure shear to biaxial tension. Additionally, uniaxial compression tests were conducted to extend the range of triaxiality. The material used in this study is Sabic 83MF10, a polypropylene polymer. Samples were prepared by injection molding and cut to specific dimensions. Tests were performed using a universal testing machine with the Arcana handle, and the results were analyzed to determine the yield strength, pressure, and triaxiality for each sample. The results showed a linear relationship between von Mises stress and hydrostatic pressure, with a friction angle (β) of 20.65° and material cohesion (d) of 27.81. The numerical simulations in Abaqus confirmed the validity of the Drucker-Prager model, accurately reflecting the moment of yielding for the tested samples.

Potato (Solanumtuberosum L.) is the world's largest non-cereal crop, occupying a position critical for global food security, the fourth largest crop food in China. Due to its location and weather conditions, Yunnan province is the fourth largest potato producer in China with twice yearly production system. However, compared to high number of consumers, potato yield is still low to satisfy the population need. In this study, we have analyzed impacts of three cultivation factors: (1) three cultivation models (T1, T2, and T3), (2) planting density (T1, T2, and T3), (3) soil covering (T1, T2, T3, T4) on plant growth, and yield production. The soil moisture content, temperature, roots growth, stems development, leaf area index, and number-weight of tubers per plant and per plot (g) have significantly increased with commercial yield average of 3tones/mu. This suggests that the combination of these three factors would be a great potato extension model in winter climate zones similar to Yunnan Province. This will contributes in satisfaction of the world population potato consumption need.

Groundwater pollution in intensive horticultural areas is becoming an increasingly important problem. Therefore, this study evaluates nitrogen (N) fertilization in open field processing pepper crop in Extremadura, Spain. Previous research on the effect of N on sweet peppers grown in greenhouses is abundant, but data on outdoor cultivation, especially considering variety and site influences, are lacking. Field trials were conducted in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to determine the opti-mum N fertilizer rate for processing peppers, with the aim of reducing environmental impacts such as nitrate leaching while maintaining crop yields. Different N rates were applied in the trials, ranging from no N fertilizer to 300 kg N/ha. Meas-urements included crop yield, biomass, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and canopy cover. The study also developed a critical nitrogen curve (CNC) to determine the minimum N concentration required for optimal growth. The results showed that applying more than 200 kg N/ha did not significantly increase yield. Nitrogen-free treatments resulted in earlier fruit maturity, concentrating the harvest and reducing waste. In addition, excessive N application led to envi-ronmental problems such as groundwater contamination due to nitrate leaching. The study concludes that outdoor pepper crops in this region can achieve optimal yields with lower N rates (around 120 kg N/ha) compared to current practices, thereby reducing environmental risks and fertilizer costs. It also established relationships between biomass, canopy cover, and N uptake to improve fertilization strategies. These data support future crop modelling and sustainable fertili-zation practices.

This paper presents the PEnsemble 4 model, a sophisticated machine learning framework that integrates IoT-based environmental data to accurately forecast maize yield. With the projected significant growth in global maize demand over the next decade, the inherent risks posed by the crop’s dependence on weather conditions necessitate improved prediction capabilities. The PEnsemble 4 model, developed with high accuracy, incorporates comprehensive datasets encompassing soil attributes, nutrient composition, weather conditions, and UAV-captured vegetation imagery. By employing a combination of Huber and M estimates, the PEnsemble 4 model effectively analyzes temporal patterns in vegetation indices, specifically CIre and NDRE, which serve as reliable indicators of canopy density and plant height. In addition, this research significantly contributes to precision agriculture by offering an efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional farming practices through precise yield predictions. Notably, the PEnsemble 4 model enables earlier estimation, advancing the timeline for yield prediction from the conventional day 100 in the R6 stage to day 79 in the R2 stage. This improvement enhances decision-making processes in farming operations. The remarkable accuracy rate of 91% underscores the importance of adopting a multifaceted data approach that harnesses IoT-derived environmental insights. Additionally, the PEnsemble 4 model extends its benefits beyond yield prediction, facilitating the detection of water and crop stress, as well as disease monitoring in broader agricultural contexts. Ultimately, the PEnsemble 4 model establishes a new standard in maize yield prediction, revolutionizing crop management and protection through the synergistic utilization of IoT and machine learning technologies.

Apple-tree (Malus × domestica Borkh.) belongs to the genus Rosaceae. Due to its adaptability and tolerance to different soil and climatic conditions, it is cultivated worldwide for fresh consump-tion. Therefore, the priorities of apple growers are the high-quality of fruits and stable yield for high production. In total about 90 to 95 percent of fruits should fall or be eliminated from apple trees to avoid overcropping and poor-quality fruits. Several technologies such as handwork, me-chanically or chemical substances are used for fruit and bud elimination. The most profitable in commercial orchards is the use of chemicals for elimination, but due to the European Green Deal more environmentally sustainable solutions are required. Elimination of fruitlets is influenced by several factors. Additionally, the apple trees have the self-elimination mechanism. This is de-termined by apple genotype, physiological futures and genetics. This review focuses on the bio-logical factors and genetics mechanisms in apple yield self-regulation for better understanding the regulatory mechanism of fruitlets abscission for future breeding programs targeted on self-regulating yield apple varieties

The goal of germplasm enhancement is to introgress traits from wild crop relatives into cultivated material and eventually cultivars. It seeks to restore genetic diversity that has been lost over time or to augment cultivated material with novel alleles that improve parents in breeding programs. This paper discusses potato germplasm enhancement efforts in the past, focusing on effective examples such as disease resistance and processing quality. In addition, it outlines new strategies for enhancement efforts, shifting the focus from evaluating phenotypes to tracking and manipulating specific DNA sequences. In the genomics era, germplasm enhancement will increasingly be focused on identifying and introgressing alleles rather than traits. Alleles will come from a broad pool of genetic resources that includes wild species relatives of potato, landraces, cultivated potato itself, and distantly related species. Genomics tools will greatly increase the efficiency of introgressing multigenic traits, and will make it possible to identify rare alleles and utilize recessive alleles.

To investigate the effects of organic fertilizer combined with reduced chemical fertilizer on radish yield, quality, and soil environment in high mountainous areas (elevation: 1800 m), and to mitigate the environmental pollution caused by excessive use of chemical fertilizers. The field trial was conducted to study the effects of different fertilizer treatments. (Control:local fertilizer application rate: 375 kg·hm² reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer; T1:12% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer; T2:20% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² of organic fertilizer; T3:28% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer). Four different fertilizer ratios were studied to assess their impacts on radish quality, yield, and soil environment. The findings showed that T2 significantly increased radish yield by 12.92%. Moreover, it led to significant improvements in the content of vitamin C, soluble sugars, soluble solids, soluble proteins, titratable acidity, and glucosinolates, which increased by 10.62%, 2.15%, 50.00%, 26.90%, 43.90%, and 44.57%, respectively. Treatment T2 also significantly increased soil nutrient content, with a 7.69% and 14.29% increase in total nitrogen and total phosphorus content compared to the control (Control) treatment, and a significant reduction of 21.64% in soil bulk density . T2 treatment significantly enhanced soil urease activity, sucrase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and catalase activity, showing an improvement of 28.97%, 55.92%, 52.08%, and 17.47% compared to the control, respectively (p&lt;0.05). Moreover, treatment T2 resulted in a relative abundance increase of 12.25% and 10.43% in Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria respectively. Thus, the combined application of T2:20% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² of organic fertilizer improved the quality and yield of radish while optimizing the soil environment. T2 effectively promoted radish growth, enhanced radish yield and quality, and improved the soil environment.

Agriculture is the largest sector of Nepalese economy among the south-Asian developing countries that contributed 26.98 % share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the year 2018/19. The capacity to derive maximum output by per unit of resource is resource use efficiency. Resource use efficiency of a producer explains the comparison between inputs and output value. Potato is staple vegetable in every parts of Nepal. Cobb-Douglas production function is used to predict the significance of inputs in income from cash crops. Due to lack of optimum utilization of available resources in cultivation of vegetable like lack of technical knowledge, low education level, and extensive service the productivity and production is low in Nepalese economy. It ensures vegetable security in Nepal. Though, there are extensive researches on the resource use efficiency and productivity issues on agriculture, very few papers explored in the case of Sudurpaschim province of Nepal OBJECTIVE: This study had the specific purposes: (1) To identify the factors affecting in resource use efficiency and productivity of potato production (2) to utilize the resource use efficiency and productivity in potato production and (3) to show the type of returns to scale in potato production. METHODS: Applying post-positivist paradigm and quantitative causal survey research design, it explored the resource use efficiency and productivity through the semi-structured questionnaire from 140 households by random sampling. Data analysis was carried out by multiple regression model using Cobb-Douglas production function. SPSS software was used to find quantitative results. From the analysis of data using mean, and SD, t-test, analysis of variance, Durbin-Waston test, Marginal Value Product and marginal Factor cost, findings of this research was emerged. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The major findings: education level, extension service, farm size and pesticide cost were significant variables in potato production; seed, hired labor, Family Yard Manure and pesticide cost were overused and needed to decrease their cost for optimum allocation and there was decreasing returns to scale in production. This study emphasized on increasing education level, extensive service and farm size for optimum utilization of resources and increasing returns to scale. SIGNIFICANCE: Barriers to Indian potatoes and increasing returns to scale are only possible through protection policy of government. For optimum use of resources and increasing returns to scale, government can introduce capital intensive technique. This study can be implied in policy making and improving existing situation of agriculture, and allocating budget.

This article presents the results of isolating and identifying EPF species and screening thermotolerant and highly virulent EPF strains that are promising for controlling Colorado potato beetle populations. Soil samples were collected from southern Kazakhstan for the isolation of fungi used in the experiments. Using the insect bait method, 41 isolates of EPF were obtained from the soils of southern Kazakhstan. PCR analysis based on ITS and TEF loci (elongation factor Ef1a) showed that all the isolates belong to the species B. bassiana. However, analysis of the ITS locus revealed two cryptic species: B. bassiana and B. pseudobassiana. No other fungal species were detected, likely due to the insufficient informativeness of the ITS and TEF loci in distinguishing species. Further studies with other loci are required. As a result of selecting natural isolates for virulence and thermotolerance, the following strains were identified: B13, B14, B15, B22, B23, B24, B25, B23-23, Bc4, Bc7, and Bc8. These strains showed high virulence (100% on the 11th day after treatment) and tolerance to suboptimal temperatures (+15°C and +30°C). Therefore, they are considered the most promising for use in the context of climate change. The data suggest that, despite the source of the isolates, EPF have great potential for controlling Colorado potato beetle populations, as the majority of isolates lead to fatal outcomes. Their geographical origin primarily influences their temperature preferences, which negatively affect their effectiveness in field conditions.

High dimensional statistical analysis for the yield of large-scale circuits is quite difficult due to expensive simulations, especially for the memory circuits with high sigma requirement (e.g., SRAM). In this paper, we developed an efficient sparse additive model to substitute simulations. To fit high sigma region accurately, the modeling center is moved to near failure boundary searched by scaling the shape of sampling function. To solve the model efficiently, the process variables are grouped by standard cells so that the model can be solved by our developed blockwise greedy algorithm. The experiments on the 28nm memory circuits validate that our method achieves high accuracy and efficiency compared with other state-of-art works.

A 2-month incubation study was carried out using two soil types to determine nitrogen mineralization of different inorganic-organic amendments. The following seven treatments (T) were established; T1 = control, T2 = 5 g of dry algae per kg of soil (100%DA), T3 = 136g of agri-mat per kg of soil (100%GA), T4 = 61 g of ground grass per kg of soil (100%GG), T5 = 2.5 g of dry algae + 2.5 g of nitrogen fertilizer (NF) per kg of soil (50%DA50NF), T6 = 50%GA50NF, T7 = 50%GG50NF. Three samples per treatment were drawn at 0, 3, 7, 15, 30, 45, and 60 days for mineral-N determination. A 2-month glasshouse experiment was established afterwards with the following five treatments: T1 = Control, T2 = 50%DA, T3 = 50%GA, T4 = 50%GG, and T5 = 100NF. The results indicated that nitrogen mineralization was significantly higher in organic-inorganic amendments compared to sole organic amendments. The percentage differences ranged from 157% to 195%. The 50%DA treatment increased spinach yield by 20.6% in sandy loam and 36.5% in loam soil. It is difficult to fully recommend the 50%DA treatment without field-scale evaluation, but it is a promising option to be considered.

It has long been known that phytohormone auxin plays a promoting role in tuber formation and stress tolerance in potatoes. Our study aimed to identify and characterize the complete sets of auxin-related genes that presumably constitute the entire auxin signaling system in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The corresponding genes were retrieved from sequenced genomes of the doubled monoploid S. tuberosum DM1-3-516-R44 (DM) of the Phureja group, the heterozygous diploid line RH89-039-16 (RH), and the autotetraploid cultivar Otava. Both canonical and noncanonical auxin signaling pathways were considered. Phylogenetic and domain analyzes of deduced proteins were supplemented by their expression profiling and 3D molecular modeling. The canonical and ABP1-mediated pathways of auxin signaling appeared to be well conserved. Total number of potato genes/proteins presumably involved in canonical auxin signaling is 46 and 108 in monoploid DM and tetraploid Otava, respectively. Among studied potatoes, spectra of expressed genes obviously associated with auxin signaling were partly cultivar-specific and quite different from analogous spectrum in Arabidopsis. Most of the noncanonical pathways found in Arabidopsis appeared to be low probable in potato. This was equally applied to all cultivars used irrespective of their ploidy. Thus, some important features of the (noncanonical) auxin signaling pathways may be variable and species-specific.

The rhizosphere fungal community can play an important role in determining plant growth and health. In this study, using high-throughput sequencing, we investigated the fungal diversity and community composition in the roots and rhizosphere soil of 21 potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars. The samples were collected at three different sampling points. Furthermore, we assessed the differences in both diversity and composition of pathogen and saprotroph communities. In soil and roots, the fungal richness and relative abundance of pathogens and saprotrophs were mainly affected by sampling time. However, root fungal communities were also significantly affected by cultivar. The most substantial effect of cultivar was on root pathogen diversity. Moreover, the occurrence of most pathogens strongly varied among cultivars. Soil fungal community composition was primarily determined by sampling time; whereas in roots, the primary determinant was cultivar. Our results demonstrate changes in fungal communities over the potato growing season, as well as highlight the importance of potato cultivar on root fungal communities, and emphasise their importance in plant breeding.

Every land plant exists in close relationship with microbial communities of several niches: rhizosphere, endosphere, phyllosphere, etc. The growth and yield of potato – a critical food crop worldwide – highly depend on the diversity and structure of bacterial and fungal communities with which the potato plant coexists. The potato plant has a specific part – tubers, and the soil near the tubers as sub-compartment is usually called “geocaulosphere”, which is associated with storage process and tare soil microbiome. Specific microbes can help the plant to adapt to particular environment conditions and resist to pathogens. There is a number of approaches to modulate the microbiome that provides organisms with desired traits during inoculation. The mechanisms of plant–bacterial communication remain understudied, and for the further engineering of microbiomes with particular features the knowledge on potato microbiome should be summarized. The most recent approaches to microbiome engineering include construction of a synthetic microbial community or management of plant microbiome using genome engineering. In this review, the various factors that form the microbiome of potato and the role of these factors in overcoming the negative impact of drought and pathogens are surveyed.

The composition simplex (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) of the leaf is the main scores used by different approaches like the Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System and Compositional Nutrient Diagnosis to study the nutrient interactions and balance in plant leaves. However, the application and validation of these concepts to grain composition remains unexplored. Contrary to foliar analysis's early intervention for nutrient deficiency detection and correction, applying this approach to seeds assesses diverse cultivars' potential, enabling anticipation of their adaptation to climate conditions and informed selection for future crops. In the present study, a collected database of more than 924 scores including the grain yield (kg ha-1) and the nutrient composition (mg kg-1) of different corn varieties is used to develop a novel nutrient-based diagnostic approach to identify reliable markers of nutrient imbalance. A 'nutrient signature' model is proposed based on the impact of the environ-mental conditions on the nutrient indices and composition (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) of the corn grains. The yield threshold used to differentiate between low and high-yielding subpopulations is established at 12.000 kg ha-1and the global nutrient imbalance index (GNII) of 2.2 is determined using the chi-square distribution function and vali-dated by the Cate-Nelson partitioning method, which correlated yield data distribution with the GNII. Therefore, the nutrient compositions were classified into highly balanced (GNII ≤ 1.6), balanced (1.6 < GNII ≤ 2.2), and imbalanced (GNII > 2.2). In addition, we found that the Xgboost model's predictive accuracy for GNII is signif-icantly affected by soil pH, organic matter, and rainfall. These results pave the way for adapted agricultural practices by providing insights into the nutrient dynamics of corn grains under varying environmental conditions.

This study investigates by hybrid approach of classical calculations and numerical explicit FEM simulation the strain rate sensitive hardening of Polypropylene Sabic 83MF10 under dynamic tension loads. The Cowper-Symonds model is employed to characterize the non-linear increase in yield strength with strain rate, within the range of 0,01 to 1 [1⁄s]. For lower strain rates, a drastic decrease in yield strength is observed, suggesting the significant influence of creep and relaxation phenomena. The study proposes further research incorporating viscoelastic properties for a more comprehensive material model. Additionally, the study observes a disproportionate increase in yield strength for samples with smaller radius, indicating a dependency on triaxiality which suggests further research on the Drucker-Prager model for this material. The study concludes by recommending a broader range of input parameters for future studies, including the Johnson-Cook model and comparison of tensile test results with compression test results.

Abstract: Using adjuvants to optimize and increase the efficacy of herbicides is an acceptable manner to reduce herbicides undesirable impact on the environment in sustainable agriculture. In this study, it was demonstrated that the application of 0.1% of the non-ionic surfactant (NIS, Contact) and 0.5 L ha-1 of a crop oil concentrate (COC, Renol) did not improve the efficacy of rimsulfuron on Amaranthus retroflexus. In contrast, the same treatments enhanced performance and rainfastnes of rimsulfuron in Chenopodium album in pot expriments. Increasing non-ionic surfactant concentration to 1 L ha-1 increased rimsulfuron performance around 11-fold for Amaranthus retroflexus compared to around 3-fold for Chenopodium album. The same treatment, also reduced the rainfastness of rimsulfuron on Amaranthus retroflexus while improving the rainfastness of rimsulfuron on Chenopodium album. Measured ED50 and ED90 values of rimsulfuron indicated that the addition of the 0.2 L ha-1 of NIS improved the recommended (60 g ai. ha-1) and the reduced (30 g ai. ha-1) of rimsulfurom in field. The highest potato yield measured (60 tons per ha) when 60 g ai. ha-1 rimsulfuron was applied at three stages (S1, S4, and S7) without using a NIS; not significant differences were measured when the same dose of rimsulfuron was applied at the three (S1, S4, and S7) and two (S1, S4) stages with NIS.

Malnutrition, unhealthy diets, and lifestyle changes have become major risk factors for non-communicable diseases while ad-versely impacting economic growth and sustainable development. Anthocyanins, a group of flavonoids that are rich in fruits and vegetables, contribute positively to human health. This review focuses on genetic variation harnessed through crossbreeding and biotechnology-led approaches for developing anthocyanins-rich fruit and vegetable crops. Significant progress has been made in identifying genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in various crops. Thus, the use of genetics has led to the development and release of anthocyanin-rich crop cultivars in Europe and USA. Such a trend is emerging in the developing world. The purple pota-to “Kufri Neelkanth” has been released for cultivation in northern India, and a few colored grain wheat lines, developed through crossbreeding, are being tested for their productivity and adaptation. Although tomato is deficient in anthocyanins, some of its wild relatives are known to accumulate anthocyanins in their sub-epidermal fruit tissue. In Europe, anthocyanin-rich tomato cul-tivar ‘Sun Black’ developed via the introgression of Aft and atv genes has been released. The development of anthocyanin-rich food crops without any significant yield penalty has been due to the use of genetic engineering involving specific transcription factors or gene editing. The anthocyanin-rich food ingredients have the potential of being more nutritious than those devoid of anthocyanins. The inclusion of anthocyanins as a target characteristic in breeding programs can ensure the development of culti-vars to meet the nutritional needs for human consumption, particularly in the developing world.

The current study emphasizes on optimizing a suitable ratio of enzymatically hydrolyzed potato powder (EHPP) and whole milk powder (WMP) to produce a quality yogurt by evaluating the physicochemical and rheological properties. The results showed that the addition of EHPP decreased the pH towards acidic conditions which resulted in the high acidity of yoghurt. The proximate composition showed that EHPP increased the ash, protein, water holding capacity (WHC) while fat, synersis, color parameters and total solid were decreased when compared to control yoghurt (CY) sample. Moreover, texture profile (TPA) analysis showed that the addition of EHPP decreased the hardness and cohesiveness while springiness did not show significant difference. Furthermore, rheological properties revealed that EHPP decreased the storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”) when compared with control. In addition to this, sensory analysis revealed that the treatment P4M (1:3) was found as optimum ratio regarding taste, flavor, and aroma. Besides this, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms that the high amount of EHPP resulted in the void holes while CY showed dense gel structure. The prepared yogurt with EHPP provides an excellent flavor, satisfying sweetness and homogeneous texture. These findings suggest the optimum formulation ratio of prepared yogurt was found to be P4M (1:3) for desirable attributes and consumer acceptance. The prepared yogurt from the EHPP presents the potential industrial applications.

The genetic engineering of plants often relies on the use of antibiotic or herbicide resistance genes for initial selection of primary transgenic events. Nevertheless, the commercial release of genetically modified crops containing any marker gene encounters several challenges stemming from the lack of consumer acceptance. Development of strategies enabled the generation of marker-free transgenic plants is a possible alternative to deal with public concerns over the safety of biotech crops. Leveraging the high in vitro regeneration and transformation capabilities of potato, this study examined the factors associated with the development of transgenic plants without presence of selective substances in medium. To compare the antibiotic-assisted with the antibiotic-free transformation, nodal explants from five highly regenerative potato cultivars were inoculated with the Agrobacterium strain AGL0 carrying the pBIN-mGFP5-ER (35SGFP/nosNPTII) plasmid. The efficiency of transient expression and the formation of chimeric and completely transgenic shoots were assessed through vital GFP observations. Under non selective conditions, the regeneration efficiency of stable non-chimeric transgenic shoots varied from 0.9 (‘Chicago’) to 2.7% (#12-36-42). In order to streamline transformation protocol, a specific timeline for collecting transgenic plantlets was established for each analyzed cultivar. This timeline strategy was implemented to generate transgenic potato plants, which demonstrated the suppression of homologous SteIF4Es family genes as a result of the successful introduction of the marker-free hpRNAi construct.

Artificial intelligence techniques are now widely used in various agricultural applications, including the detection of devastating diseases such as late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and early blight (Alternaria solani) affecting potato (Solanum Tuberorsum L.) crops. In this paper, we present a mobile application for potato crop pest detection based on deep neural networks. The images were taken from the PlantVillage dataset with a batch of 1000 images for each of the three identified classes. An exploratory analysis of the architectures used for early and late blight diagnosis in potatoes was performed, achieving an accuracy of 98.76%, with MobileNetv2. Based on the results obtained, an offline mobile application was implemented, supported on devices with Android 4.1 or later, also featuring an information section on the 27 pests affecting potato crops and a gallery of symptoms. For future work, segmentation techniques will be used to highlight the damaged region in the potato leaf by evaluating its extent and possibly identifying different types of pests affecting the same plant.

Sweet potatoes are a crucial crop for Asian and African countries. Its nutritional content and capacity to keep you healthy have increased in recent years. Moreover, sweet potatoes' fibre also keeps your gut happy. Most sweet potato varieties don't bloom. Due to pollination issues, sweet potatoes are also incompatible with each other. Sweet potato blooms are self-sterile, so they don't mix well in breeding programmes. Traditional and modern breeding procedures didn't always work with sweet potatoes, but some did. Using molecular biology methods, some individuals become more resistant to illnesses by eliminating particular genes. The crop's nature and growth should be improved. All of this should be done to acquire new characteristics in sweet potatoes by crossing them. Sweet potatoes are a superb tuberous crop, but they have issues with pollination and adjusting to new breeding procedures. Modern breeding and biotechnology methods can be used to get the most out of this crop. These are "chronological" ways to get the most out of farming.

Two experiments were conducted to develop a Nano green manganese and assess its effect on grapevines. The first experiment was microbiological, where several incorporation strategies were utilized to enrich the yeast with manganese, as follows: (1) adding manganese to the liquid medium (growth phase), (2) adding after 24 h of incubation (non-growth phase). As the results, growth phase reduced the possibility of medium contamination. Manganese concentration in the yeast cells was increased as that of manganese sulphate in the medium. Manganese incorporation in yeast cells was 99.93% higher than that of the medium at 0.0195 g/l of manganese. Although the concentration of manganese in the medium raised the OD of yeast cell biomass, manganese sulphate had no passive influence on it. The second experiment was horticultural, done on Flame Seedless grapevines, since both active fresh and frozen yeast enriched with manganese resulted from the first experiment were sprayed twice a year at 10 or 20 cm3/l comparing with manganese sulphate, and manganese chelate. The results demonstrated that yeast extracts in both forms increased the yield and improved fruit properties. The most effective treatment on vegetative growth, yield and fruit properties was the frozen yeast enriched with manganese at 20 cm3/l.

Current agriculture intensifies crop cultivation to meet food demand, leading to unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers. This study investigates a few physiological and agronomic responses of common wheat following the inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria to reduce nitrogen inputs. A field trial was conducted in 2022-23, in Legnago (Verona, Italy) on Triticum aestivum var. LG-Auriga comparing full (180 kg ha-1) and reduced (130 kg ha-1) N doses, both with and without foliar application at end tillering of the N-fixing bacterium Methylobacterium symbioticum. Biofertilization did not improve shoot growth, while it seldom increased root length density in the arable layer. It delayed leaf senescence, prolonged photosynthetic activity, amplified stomatal conductance and PSII efficiency under reduced N dose. Appreciable ACC-deaminase activity of such bacterium disclosed augmented nitrogen retrieval and reduced ethylene production, explaining ameliorated stay-green. Yield and testing weight were unaffected by biofertilization, while both glutenin-to-gliadin and HMW-to-LMW ratios increased together with dough tenacity. It is concluded that Methylobacterium symbioticum can amplify nitrogen metabolism at reduced nitrogen dose, offering a viable approach to reduce chemical fertilization under suboptimal growing conditions for achieving a more sustainable agriculture. Further research over multiple growing seasons and soil types is necessary to corroborate these preliminary observations.

Nicotiana benthamiana plants infected with a potato virus Y isolate (PVYO) under ambient conditions of 25 °C and ~405 parts-per-million (ppm) ambient CO2 display symptoms of chlorosis, leaf curling, and stunting. However, under elevated temperature and CO2 levels (30 °C, 970 ppm), systemic viral titers decrease several-fold, and plants appear asymptomatic. Under the latter conditions we have studied how infection, drought, or both combined affect infection, drought-driven loss of leaf turgor, plant water content, stomatal conductance, metabolome, and hormone (ABA, SA, and JA) levels. We found that drought did not affect viral titers. As expected, drought decreased plant water content and stomatal conductance. Under drought conditions, infection did not alter significantly final water content or loss of leaf turgor progression, but it increased the levels of some sugars and other osmo-protectants. Infection and drought altered the levels of many components of the metabolome. Some components altered by infection were not altered by drought, but most of those altered by drought were also altered by infection. Drought increased the levels of ABA, infection increased the levels of ABA, SA, and JA, and altered their relative balance. The effects of drought and of infection on hormone levels were cumulative when combined. Thus, under ambient conditions that turn a severe infection into an asymptomatic one both, plant physiology parameters and the interplay with drought are affected.

Accurate forecasting of crop yields holds paramount importance in guiding decision-making processes related to breeding efforts. This study focused on the application of multi-sensor data fusion and machine learning algorithms based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in wheat yield prediction. Five machine learning (ML) algorithms namely random forest (RF), partial least squares (PLS), ridge regression (RR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (XGboost) were utilized for multi-sensor data fusion, and three ensemble methods including the second-level ensemble methods (stacking and feature-weighted) and the third-level ensemble method (simple average) for wheat yield prediction. The 270 wheat hybrids were used as planting materials under full and limited irrigation treatments. A cost-effective multi-sensor UAV platform, equipped with red–green–blue (RGB), multispectral (MS), and thermal infrared (TIR) sensors, was utilized to gather remote sensing data. The results revealed that the XGboost algorithm exhibited outstanding performance in multi-sensor data fusion, with the RGB+MS+Texture+TIR combination demonstrating the highest fusion performance (R2=0.660, RMSE= 0.754). Compared with the single ML model, the employment of three ensemble methods significantly enhanced the prediction accuracy of wheat yield. Notably, the third-layer simple average ensemble method demonstrated superior performance (R2 = 0.733, RMSE= 0.668 t ha-1). It significantly outperformed both the second-layer ensemble methods of Stacking (R2= 0.668, RMSE= 0.673 t ha-1) and feature-weighted (R2= 0.667, RMSE= 0.674 t ha-1), thereby exhibiting superior predictive capabilities. This finding demonstrated that the third-layer ensemble method not only augments the predictive ability of the model but also fine-tuned the accuracy of wheat yield prediction through the employment of simple average ensemble learning. Consequently, it offers a novel perspective for crop yield prediction and breeding selection.

(1) Background: Although resistance to pathogens and pests has been researched in many potato cultivars and breeding lines with DNA markers, there is scarce evidence as to the efficiency of the marker-assisted selection (MAS) for these traits when applied at the early stages of breeding. A goal of this study was to estimate the potential of affordable DNA markers to track Rpi disease resistance genes, that are effective against the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, as a practical breeding tool on a progeny of 68 clones derived from a cross between the cultivar Sudarynya and 13/11-09. (2) Methods: this population was studied for four years to elucidate the distribution of LB resistance and other agronomical desirable or simple to phenotype traits such as tuber and flower pigmentation, capacity and structure of yield. LB resistance was phenotypically determined through natural and artificial infection and the presence/absence of nine Rpi genes was assessed via 11 sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers. To aid this analysis, the profile of Rpi genes in the 13/11-09 parent was established using diagnostic resistance gene enrichment sequencing (dRenSeq) as a gold standard. (3) Results: at the early stages of a breeding program, MAS can halve the workload when screening the segregation of F1 offspring and selected SCAR markers for Rpi-genes provide useful tools.

Psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) can transmit the phloem restricted bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ (Lso). In Europe, Lso causes severe losses to carrot and represents a threat to the potato industry. A rising concern of Lso transmission from carrot to potato and within potato has driven the need for monitoring populations of psyllid species that could serve as vectors on both crops, which would provide a fundamental understanding of the epidemiology of this pathogen. Different sampling methods were used to survey populations of psyllid species in commercial carrot and potato fields in Central and Eastern mainland Spain from 2015 to 2017. Two psyllid species, Bactericera trigonica and Bactericera nigricornis were found to be mainly associated with carrot and potato crops. In carrot fields the most abundant species was B. trigonica occurring from crop emergence to harvest, whereas in potato crops the most abundant psyllid species was B. nigricornis. The maximum psyllid population occurred between June and October its timing depending on the field location. Since B. nigricornis was found on both carrot and potato and is the only psyllid species able to feed and breed on both these crops in Europe, there is the potential risk of Lso transmission from carrot to potato

This study was designed for the first time to improve phenolic yield and antioxidant activity of ultrasonic-assisted extraction from Acer truncatum leaves (ATL) using response surface methodology, and phenolic composition in ATL extracted under the optimized condition were characterized by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Solvent and extraction time were selected based on preliminary experiments, and a four-factors-three-levels central composite design was conducted to optimize solvent concentration (X₁), material-to-liquid ratio (X₂), ultrasonic temperature (X₃) and power (X₄) for an optimal total phenol yield (Y₁) and DPPH• antioxidant activity (Y₂). The results showed that the optimal combination was ethanol: water (v:v) 66.21%, material-to-liquid ratio 1:15.31 g/mL, ultrasonic temperature 60 °C, power 267.30 W, and time 30 min with three extractions, giving a maximal total phenol yield of 7593.62 mg gallic acid equivalent /100 g d.w. and a maximal DPPH• antioxidant activity of 74241.61 μmol Trolox equivalent/100 g d.w.. Furthermore, 22 phenolics were first identified in ATL extract obtained under the optimized conditions, indicating that gallates, gallotannins, quercetin, myricetin and chlorogenic acid derivatives were the main phenolic composition in ATL. What’s more, a gallotannins pathway existing in ATL from gallic acid to penta-O-galloyl-glucoside was interpreted. All these results provided practical information aiming at full utilization of phenolics in ATL, together with fundamental knowledge for further research.

Competition between cotton, winter, and summer crops is the greatest obstacle for plant breeders in Egypt. Breeders are thus seeking early maturing, high-yielding cultivars that are suited for planting following winter crops. This study was conducted during the 2016 and 2018 growing seasons at the Sakha agriculture research station, Egypt's agricultural research facility. This research used breeding material from the F2, F3, and F4 generations that resulted from crossing Giza 94 and Uzbekistan. During the 2016 growing season, the F2 population was cultivated, and the top 5% of the F2 population (75 plants) were chosen based on the selection criteria. In the summer of 2017, the F3 families were cultivated, and 5% of the superior F3 families were chosen to become the F4 fam-ilies, which were planted in the summer of 2018 at the single plant and bulk studies in a randomised full block design with three replications. The average performance of the characteristics boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage, and lint index increased as generations passed from F2 to F4. In the meanwhile, the characteristic value of the first flower to open decreased, showing the accu-mulation of advantageous alleles. For all examined characteristics, the phenotypic coefficient of variance was greater than the genotypic coefficient of variation. In addition, the data demonstrated that heritability in a broad sense was greater in F4 populations than in F3 and F2 populations. With a few exceptions, the phenotypic and genotypic associations for all investigated characteristics were positive and very significant. According to the data, initial opening flowering and boll weight had a substantial impact on seed cotton output per feddan. In general, five superior families No. 9, 13, 18, 19, and 20 were chosen from the F4 population, which were more significant for yield and yield component than the commercial variety, and these genotypes may be promising for the breeding programme to develop new genotypes with superior yield.

Potato is one of the main crops grown worldwide under different climatic conditions. Potato is conventionally produced under intensive tillage practices under the same or different soil types. Research has shown some contrasting effects of the tillage practices on the soil properties, crop growth, yield, and quality. Under the reducing available freshwater for food production, soil management practices are more targeting conservation and system sustainability. It is therefore critical to revisit literature on the tillage practices and their impact on the soil, crop, and crop yield. This review presents research results of studies conducted exclusively on potatoes comparing different types of tillage practices and is a valuable source of information for potato growers and scientists as it is not only focused on the impact of tillage practices on soil properties but also on potato tuber yield and grade, tuber specific gravity, and the impact of tillage practices on diseases in potatoes.

Alternative fertilizations are essential to minimize the deteriorating effects of chemical fertilizers on soil and water quality/health. Accordingly, the present work investigated the effects of combined organic-inorganic fertilization (COIF) on wheat and rice yields, soil nutrients, and soil Cd accumulation. Hence, seven different treatments were set up: control (CK); conventional fertilization (CF); optimized fertilization (OF); organic fertilizer replacing 25% (T1) and 50% (T2) of OF; and organic nitrogen (N) replacing 25% (M1) and 50% (M2) of OF-N. Overall, significant increases occurred in the yields of COIF crops. Compared with the CF, the highest wheat and rice yields happened in M1 treatment (approximately by18.5%) (P &lt; 0.05). COIF slightly alleviated soil acidification, and improved the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the study soils. Besides, COIF treatments significantly increased the contents of total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium by 6.35 to 16.9 %, 3.17 to 10.9 %, 5.53 to 28.7 %, and 2.6 to 12 %, respectively (P &lt;0.05). Nevertheless, negligible increases took place in Cd content of COIF soils compared with the CK. Altogether, our results concluded on 25% replacement of OF-N by organic N (M1) to effectively improve the fertility/ecological sustainability of the study soils.

The Fruit Harvest Helper, a mobile application developed by Northwest Nazarene University’s (NNU) Robotics Vision Lab, aims to assist farmers in estimating fruit yield for apple orchards. Currently, farmers manually estimate the fruit yield for an orchard, which is a laborious task. Fruit Harvest Helper seeks to simplify their process. While prior research efforts at NNU concentrated on developing an iOS app for blossom detection, this current research aims to adapt that smart farming application for apple detection across multiple platforms, iOS and Android. The old and new applications were designed with an intuitive user interface that is easy for farmers to use, allowing for quick image selection and processing. Unlike before, the adapted app utilizes a color ratio-based image segmentation algorithm implemented in OpenCV C++ to detect apples in apple tree images selected for processing. The results of testing the algorithm with a dataset of images indicate an 8.52% Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.6 between detected and actual apples on the trees. These findings were obtained by evaluating the images from both the east and west sides of the trees, which was the best method to reduce the error of this algorithm. Although the Fruit Harvest Helper shows promise, there are many opportunities for improvement. These opportunities include exploring alternative machine-learning approaches for apple detection, conducting real-world testing without any human assistance, and expanding the app to detect various types of fruit. The Fruit Harvest Helper mobile application is among the many mobile applications contributing to precision agriculture, nearing readiness for farmers to use in yield monitoring and farm management.

Pea shoots is a popular vegetable in certain regions of the world due to their unique taste and abundance of health-promoting phytochemicals. The perishable nature and susceptibility of root rot of pea shoots necessitate a new soilless production system located close to the market. This study compared the growth of pea shoots using various cultivation methods in LED plant factory. The results showed that early topping (4 days after transplanting, ET) promoted early harvest compared to later topping (20 days after transplanting, LT) and increased the number of harvested shoots by extending the harvest time to 2.8 times, ultimately resulting in a substantial yield improvement. Moreover, the yield of ET with lower planting density (72 plants m-2, ET-LD) was 8.7% higher than ET with higher planting density (126 plants m-2, ET-HD). Particularly, the average fresh weight of individual pea shoots under ET-LD exceeded that of ET-HD by 48.9%. It is advisable to consider adopting ET-LD for the cultivation of pea shoots in LED plant factory. Based on ET-LD, the yield, nutritional quality, and light use efficiency of pea shoots were further explored at different stages under three levels of light intensity (50, 100, 150 μmol m-2 s-1). Contrasted against the light intensity of 50 μmol m-2 s-1, the average fresh weight per pea shoots, number of harvested, and total fresh yield under light intensity of 150 μmol m-2 s-1 treatment increased by 60.2%, 62.8%, and 165.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, the fresh weight per pea shoots, photosynthetic capacity, soluble sugar and vitamin C levels in leaves, as well as light use efficiency and photon yield, initially increased and then decreased with the extension of the planting period. Among these, soluble sugar, LUE, and PY started to decrease after reaching the maximum value at 60-70 days after transplanting. In conclusion, light intensity of 150 μmol m-2 s-1 with a photoperiod of 16 h d-1 using LEDs, combined with early topping within a planting period of 60-70 days, proves to be suitable for the hydroponic production of pea shoots in LED plant factory.

Wheat is widely grown in the Mediterranean region, where plants frequently face water shortages. Recently, more attention to rationalizing irrigation water has been increased due to the adoption of sustainable agricultural systems. Therefore, two field trials were conducted at the Agriculture Research Station of Nubaria, Egypt, in two consecutive seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) to examine three irrigation regimes' effects, i.e., 60, 80, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) combined with foliar ascorbic acid (AsA) or vitamin B2 (VB2) on yield and water productivity of wheat in two separate experiments. A split-plot design was used with three replicates. Irrigation treatments occupied the main plots, while the subplot in the first experiment was placed by ascorbic acid (AsA) and vitamin B2 in the second experiment. Results indicated that 100% ETc produced higher wheat yield and its attributes and insignificantly surpassed 80% ETc. Compared to the unsprayed plots, the foliar application of 6 mM ascorbic acid or 2.0 mM vitamin B2 significantly increased grain yield, components, and water use efficiency. The interaction between irrigation regimes (100% ETc or 80% ETc) and foliar application of 6.0 mM ascorbic acid or 2.0 mM vitamin B2 resulted in the highest values with no significant difference. Foliar application of ascorbic acid or vitamin B2 saved 20% of irrigation water while yielding a reduction that did not exceed 10%. The biplot graph of treatments x traits (TT) was a useful statistical tool for examining the impact of treatments on yield and its characteristics and identifying the links between these factors. Results suggest that riboflavin or ascorbic acid may have a potential role as an effective antioxidant for enhancing the tolerance for drought stress in wheat.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of seed and fertilizer rates on biomass yield and other agronomic treats of two oat varieties (Bona-bas and Bate) at the Kuyu sub-site of Fitche Agricultural Research Center in 2022. Four levels of Nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 23, 46, and 69 kg ha-1) and three levels of seed rates (60, 80, and 100 kg ha-1) with two oat varieties (Bona-bas and Bate) were using randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replications. Soil samples before and after were collected and analyzed. The analysis of soil samples before planting indicated that the soil pH was strongly acidic (5.16) and after harvest, it raised to a strongly acidic level (5.29). The interaction effect of varieties, seed rates, and fertilizer rates showed highly significant (p<0.001) variation on the number of tillers per plant, leaf area per plant, leaf-to-stem ratio, fresh biomass yield, dry matter yield, days to maturity, and seed yield. The treatment combination of Bona-bas: FR46:SR100 has produced the highest dry matter yield (5.1 t/ha), followed by Bona-bas: FR46:SR60 and Bona-bas: FR69:SR80 which produced the same value of 4.9 t/ha dry matter yield. This study recommends that for the better agronomic performance of oat varieties, 46 kgha-1 N of fertilizer with 60 kgha-1 of seed rate is preferable to use by farmers in the study area and other areas having similar agroecologies and soil types. In addition, it is essential to conduct the year-over location to confirm the present findings and the result needs to be supported with animal evaluation trials.

Temperature Cycle Induced Deracemization (TCID) offers a promising approach to obtain enantiopure solids from racemic mixtures. By combining rapid racemization in solution and temperature swings, homochirality is theoretically achieved. Despite theoretical expectations of doubled yields compared to traditional chiral separation methods, such as in Preferential Crystallization, experimental validation remains lacking. We applied TCID to (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl) pentan-3-one) (Cl-TAK), introducing a post-TCID cooling step to enhance yield and a washing step to augment enantiopurity. This refinement yielded an 89.8% mass yield with 99.1% enantiomeric excess in the crystal phase (c.e.e.) within 24 hours on an 8.75g scale, showcasing improved performance with insignificant process duration extension. Additionally, we explored the stochasticity of deracemization, observing the development from low initial crystal enantiomeric excesses(1-6% c.e.e0) at a 2.5 g scale. Kinetic analysis revealed that a 2% c.e.e0 effectively mitigates chiral flipping risks and induction time in our system. Our study underscores the potential for reduced initial c.e.e. to expedite deracemization and presents a straightforward method to optimize yield and purity, facilitating industrial application.

In Uganda, the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is often infested by a complex of insect pests, but the bean stem maggots, aphids, bean leaf beetles, and flower thrips are the most important. Whereas yield losses due to these pests have been established, there is limited information on their population dynamics at different stages of crop growth and their effect on yield and yield components. In order to describe the population dynamics of selected common bean pests at various phases of bean crop growth, and their impact on yield and yield components, a study was carried out in Uganda during 2016 second rains and 2017 first rains in three agro-ecological zones. Bean fly, bean aphids, bean leaf beetles, whitefly, striped bean weevil, leaf hoppers, and caterpillars of Lepidopteran species were the main insects observed. Pesticide spray schedules were imposed to generate different populations of insect pests whose effects on yield and its components were determined. The findings indicate that spray regimes significantly influenced the abundance of bean fly, aphids, whitefly, striped bean weevil, and leaf hoppers but not bean leaf beetles and caterpillars. Additionally, except caterpillars, insect pests were significantly influenced by crop growth stages, but only aphids, whiteflies, bean flies and leaf hoppers exhibited a significant negative relationship with grain yield. Furthermore, yield and yield components varied significantly between spray regimes, agro-ecological zones, and seasons. Our study is important in informing growers on the stage of crop growth at which management tactics such as use of insecticides can be applied for different insect pests.

Verticillium dahliae (Vd) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) are two major fungal pathogens that infect tomato plants, causing significant challenges in their control since both pathogens can persist in the soil for several years even in the absence of a host plant and no effective fungicides are available at present. This study investigated the efficacy of two biocontrol formulations, Clonotri and Strepse, against Vd and Fol, and their impact on tomato fruit quality and yield under greenhouse conditions. Pathogenicity experiment demonstrated that the Clonotri formulation, containing Trichoderma and Clonostachys spores, significantly reduced Fusarium wilt disease by 32% compared to the control group. However, in Vd pathogenicity experiment, the formulations did not exhibit disease reduction, although the treatment with Strepse, containing Streptomyces and Pseudomonas microorganisms, resulted in preserved total fruit number when compared to uninfected plants. Analysis of fruit quality attributes revealed no significant differences among the various interventions. Furthermore, Fol infection in the first fruit set significantly increased fruit firmness, while Vd infection resulted in elevated levels of total soluble solids in fruits. These findings demonstrate that the evaluated biocontrol formulations provide a degree of protection against fungal wilt pathogens in tomato plants and can increase yield in greenhouse conditions, while having minimal impact on overall fruit quality attributes.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the most important constraints to potato production worldwide. There is an increasing occurrence of recombinant PVY strains PVYNTN and PVYN-Wi and a decline in the incidence of the nonrecombinant PVYO. We hypothesized that this may be due to the ability of these recombinant strains to antagonize and/or outcompete PVYO in mixed infections. To deter-mine this, we investigated interactions between PVYO and three recombinant PVY strains com-mon in North America: PVYNTN, PVYN-Wi, and PVYN:O. Overall, our study showed that these inter-actions are tissue dependent. Specifically, PVYNTN, the main causal agent of potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease (PTNRD), was found to be more adaptable than PVYO, especially in potato leaves due, at least in part, to the Ny gene that confers hypersensitive resistance (HR) to PVYO. Further-more, PVYN-Wi was found to repress PVYO in potato tubers but act synergistically in potato leaves. The PVYO-induced foliage necrosis in cultivar ‘Ranger Russet’ was observed to be more severe in plants co-infected by PVYN-Wi and PVYN:O, respectively, resulting in plant death. Strikingly, this PVYO -induced necrosis was suppressed by PVYNTN in doubly infected plants. These interactions may, at least partially, explain the decreasing incidence of PVYO in United States potato produc-tion regions, especially given that many cultivars contain the Ny gene, which likely limits PVYO enabling PVYNTN and PVYN-Wi to outcompete. We also found that replication and cell-to-cell movement of these PVY strains in tubers at 4C was similar to levels at ambient temperature.

Abstract: Brassinosteroids (BR) are essential plant hormones that play a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development, as well as their resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, including pathogen infections. In the context of plant im-munity, BR influence various processes such as the expression of genes related to pathogen defense, the production of antimicrobial compounds, and the re-inforcement of the plant cell structure. The aim of work is understand the role of BR in plant defense against abiotic and biotic stresses. BR are involved in the regulation of metabolic processes, water economy, and photosynthesis, contributing to increased plant resistance to abiotic stresses. The study discusses various mechanisms of BR action on plant immunity, including the regulation of gene expression related to defense, activation of the plant defense system, in-teraction with other plant hormones, regulation of water and salt balance, and influence on photosynthetic processes. In the context of plant immunity, BR influence various processes, including the expression of genes related to pathogen defense, the production of antimicrobial compounds, and the reinforcement of the plant cell structure. Additionally, BR are involved in the regulation of metabolic processes, water economy, and photosynthesis, con-tributing to increased plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. The paper emphasizes the importance of further research on the role and mechanisms of action of BR in plant immunity, which may contribute to the development of more effective strategies for the use of BR in agriculture, horticulture, and plant protection.

This paper presents the results of investigations into the pyrolysis of waste polypropylene in a laboratory fixed-bed batch reactor. The experiments were designed and verified in such a way as to allow the application of the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in the development of an empirical mathematical model that quantifies the impacts mentioned above. The influence of the mass of the raw material (50, 100 and 150 g), together with the reactor temperature (450, 475 and 500 °C) and the reaction time (45, 50 and 75 min) was examined. It has been shown that the mass of the raw material, i.e. the filling volume of the reactor, has a significant influence on the pyrolysis oil yield. This influence exceeds the influence of reactor temperature and reaction time. This was explained by observing the temperature change inside the reactor at three different spots at the bottom, middle and top of the reactor. Recorded temperature diagrams show that with greater masses of feedstock, local overheating occurs in the middle part of the reactor, which leads to overcracking of vapor products, and from there to an increased formation of non-condensable gases, i.e. reduced yield of pyrolytic oil.

The long-term use of fertilizers and pesticides in conventional cultivation has resulted in a decrease in soil productivity and vegetable yields in greenhouses. However, only a limited number of studies have explored the impacts of organic cultivation on greenhouse soil. Specifically, there is a scarcity of research examining the alterations in soil aggregate mediated organic carbon and microbial communities, which are known to enhance soil productivity. This study investigated the properties of soil aggregates, including the levels of organic carbon fractions, microbial community, and enzyme activity with the three aggregate classes microaggregates (&lt;0.25 mm), small macroaggregates (2-0.25 mm) and large macroaggregates (&gt;2 mm). These investigations were conducted under three different cultivation methods in a greenhouse: conventional cultivation (CC), integrated cultivation (IC), and organic cultivation (OC) in greenhouse. The results showed that (1) OC and IC promoted the formation of small macro-aggregates and enhanced aggregate stability compared to CC, (2) SOC in the three size fractions of OC increased by 98.99%-92.06% compared to CC; EOC increased by 98.47%-117.59%; POC increased by 138.59%-208.70%; MBC increased by 104.71%-230.61%; DOC increased by 21.93%-40.90%, respectively; (3) Organic cultivation significantly increased enzyme activity in all three particle size aggregates and increased the relative abundance of bacteria in micro-aggregates as well as the relative abundance of fungi in small macro-aggregates. Structural equation model (SEM) analysis revealed that organic farming practices fostered the development of smaller macro-aggregates, elevated microbial and enzyme activities within soil aggregates, and facilitated the conversion of soil nutrients and carbon sequestration. consequently, this led to an increase in soil organic carbon content and improved vegetable yield in greenhouse environments. In conclusion, the soil carbon content and vegetable yield are enhanced through long-term organic cultivation in greenhouses, primarily by increasing the proportion of small macro-aggregates.

Growth and yield of boreal tree species are discussed. A growth model is applied, along with verified yield models of sawlogs and veneer logs. Using the normal forest-principle, thinning schedules and rotation ages maximizing the estate-level capital return rate are clarified. Regeneration expenses are amortized at the end of any rotation. Consequently, capitalizations are greater and rotations longer than in recent studies. The capital return rate is a weak function of initial stem count but differs by tree species. The initial stem count strongly contributes to biomass stored in trees. The most promising way of increasing the capital return rate is the reduction of regeneration expenses. Thinnings are triggered by stand volumes of at least 200 m3/ha. The average commercial trunk volume of trees removed in thinnings always exceeds 200 liters. Risk aversion theory proposes short rotations and low stem count in seedling planting unless carbon storage compensation exists.

Growing potato demands considerable external inputs of pesticides due to its susceptibility to various pests and pathogens. Here we present an attempt to differentiate the Slovak rural landscape with respect to the possibility of effective potato cultivation and to characterise soil parameters of current potato cultivation areas with the aim to increase the sustainability of the potato production. The selection was based on soil climatic, production and economic parameters. By using the GIS tools and existing databases on soil characteristics in Slovakia, maps of soil suitability categories for potato cultivation were generated. In Slovakia, it was found that 12.3% of farmland is very suitable for potato cultivation and that as much as 43.1% is not suitable. Later the specified categories were characterised in detail and specified with respect to geographic, soil, climatic, production and economic parameters. Currently, most potato crops are cultivated on Eutric Cambisols (27%), Chernozems (20%) and Mollic Fluvisols (18%). Loamy soils (65%), soils without gravel (62%), deep soils (74%) and soil situated on plains (55%) are dominant in these regions. We suggest that potato cultivation should be concentrated on the most suitable areas, thereby increasing the economic profitability, improving the ecological stability of the country and supporting the sustainability of the agriculture.

(Background) Phytotoxicity refers to the capacity of chemical substances or environmental factors to have a negative impact on plants. This is a crucial issue in both the context of crop cultivation and environmental protection. (Material and Methods) The research results were based on a 3-year field experiment conducted at the experimental station in Jadwisin (52°28′ N, 21°02′ E) on loamy soil. The experiment was set up using a randomized sub-block design in a split-split-plot arrangement, with three replications. The first-order factor consisted of potato cultivars, while the second-order factors were weed control methods: 1) Control – without protection; 2) mechanical weed control, extensive mechanical treatments to close rows; 3) Sencor 70 WG – pre-emergence (PRE) of potatoes; 4) Sencor 70 WG + Titus 25 WG + Trend 90 EC – PRE of potatoes; 5) Sencor 70 WG – post-emergence (POST) of potatoes; 6) Sencor 70 WG + Titus 25 WG + Trend 90 EC – POST of potatoes; 7) Sencor 70 WG + Fusilade Forte 150 EC – POST of potatoes; 8) Sencor 70 WG + Apyros 75 WG + Atpolan 80 SC – POST of potatoes. The phytotoxic effects of herbicides on potato plants and weeds were assessed every 7 days, starting from the date when the first signs of damage appeared, until they stabilized or disappeared. (Results:) Phytotoxic damage to potato and weed plants were caused by the chemical weed control methods used. The response of potato plants to herbicides was significantly related to the genetic traits of the cultivars and meteorological conditions in the years of research. (Conclusion:) Phytotoxicity is an important aspect in both agriculture and environmental protection. Research on its mechanisms and impact will enable the development of effective plant protection strategies and the preservation of ecosystem balance.

To better understand effects of agronomic practices on yield-nutrition relationships in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains for Zn biofortification while improving yields simultaneously, effects of different soil fertilization and different drone-based foliar spraying treatments were investigated. The mixture of Zn or increasing N but simultaneously reducing P in compound fertilizers were all practical to increase grain yields and Zn concentrations in calcareous soils tested. However, the overall effects are limited, with a maximal yield increase by only 7.0% and a maximal increase of the grain Zn density from 19.4 to 27.0 mg/kg, which is far below the target biofortification value of 40-50 mg/kg. Unfortunately, there was a negative side effect, which decreased Fe and Mn concentrations and the Fe bioavailability. Notably, grain yields and Zn concentrations were significantly increased by drone-based foliar Zn sprayings from 7.5 to 8.6~8.8 t/ha by 12.0-17.3% and from 33.5 to 41.9~43.6 mg/kg by 25.1~30.1%, respectively, indicating a double-win in yield and nutrition. A spraying of ZnSO4·7H2O increased grain Zn concentrations and accumulation more so than ZnO, indicating the importance of chemical Zn forms in determining the effectiveness of foliar spraying. Moreover, foliar Zn sprayings simultaneously increased grain concentrations and accumulation of Fe, Mn and Cu, demonstrating multiple benefits. There were positive correlations between Zn and Fe, Mn or Cu, indicating synergistic but not antagonistic interactions. Compared to micronutrients, concentrations of grain macro- and medium nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) were less affected. Thus, a double-win in grain yields and micronutrient (particulaly for Zn) nutrition could be effectively achieved through appropriate soil fertilization and foliar Zn spraying. These results provide a better understanding of the yield-nutrition relationship among wheat grain yields, Zn and other nutrient elements for a better integrated manipulation to achieve a win-win situation in yield and nutrition.

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa Mill.) is gaining importance in the mountainous regions of southern Europe due to the high value of its fruits. It is essential to establish effective cultivation protocols, considering that this species is still relatively understudied. In this study, we present the outcomes of the initial establishment of a chestnut orchard conducted through a nutrient omission trial for four years. The treatments included a fertilization plan with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and boron (NPKB), the control, and four other treatments corresponding to the omission of each nutrient (-NPKB, N-PKB, NP-KB, NPK-B). The -NPKB and NP-KB treatments showed significantly lower trunk circumferences and canopy volumes compared to the other treatments. The NPK-B treatment resulted in the lowest fruit production, with a total accumulated yield (2020-2022) of 0.56 kg tree–1, a value significantly lower than that of NPKB (1.12 kg tree–1) and N-PKB (1.19 kg tree–1). The assessment of nutrient concentrations in the leaves revealed plants with deficient levels of B and K in treatments that did not receive these nutrients. Conversely, N levels in the leaves in the -NPKB treatment fell within the sufficiency range (20 to 28 g kg–1). This suggests that the sufficiency range should be adjusted to higher values, given the treatment's effect on tree growth. It was also observed that the -NPKB treatment led to lower soil organic matter compared to the other treatments, likely due to reduced herbaceous vegetation development under the canopy, leading to decreased organic substrate deposition in the soil. The main findings of this study are that N and K were crucial elements for the optimal growth of chestnut trees, while B played a significant role in fruit production.

Fourteen Russian potato cultivars (cvs.) grown for three years in field plots of VIR (Northwestern region of the Russian Federation) were evaluated for productivity and a number of biochemical parameters of tubers. The 12 parameters that have been evaluated in tubers annually one month after harvesting and after cold storage (at 2 - 4°C) include the content of dry matter, starch, protein, ascorbic acid, carotenoids and β-carotene, anthocyanins, total sugars and monosaccharides (reducing sugars), phenolic compounds, as well as total acidity, and antioxidant activity. The cultivars differed significantly in productivity and biochemical composition of tubers. Dry matter content ranged from 16.40% in cv. ʻKumachʼ to 27.28% in ʻNayadaʼ, starch content ranged from 8.96 % in cvs. ʻFioletovyjʼ, ʻKumachʼ to 20.08% in ‘Sokur’, the total sugar content reached 2.46% in cv. ʻSiverskij’ whereas ‘Sokur’ has the smallest content of reducing sugars in post-harvest tubers. Protein content ranged from 1.02% to 2.77% with the highest accumulation in cv. ʻSokurʼ. Content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) ranged from 6.3 mg/100 g FW in ʻKrasa Meŝeryʼ to 26.6 mg/100 g FW in cv. ʻKrasavchikʼ. Carotenoids content ranged from 0.157 mg/100 g FW in cv. ‘Nayada’ to 0.645 mg/100 g FW in cv. ʻGrandʼ. Content of anthocyanins in potato ranged from 1.04 mg/100g FW (not colored tubers of cv. ʻKrasa Meŝeryʼ) to 283.04 mg/100g FW (colored tubers of cv. ʻFioletovyiʼ). The nutritional value of tubers (content of dry matter, sugars, starch and protein) was determined to a greater extent (38-49%) by varietal characteristics, rather than by meteorological conditions in vegetation period. The content of vitamin C, carotenoids, protein and anthocyanins varied depending on the year. The highest content of dry matter, starch and carotenoids was noted in tubers harvested in 2019, marked by low temperatures and precipitation deficit in growing season. The conditions of 2020 with low temperatures and excess precipitation were the most favorable for anthocyanin’s accumulation in potato tubers while not for other biochemical parameters. Of the cultivars, ʻSokurʼ had the highest content of dry matter, protein and starch. Cv. ʻFioletovyiʼ had small starch content and high level of anthocyanins. Cv. ʻPlamyaʼ can be recommended for potato products manufacturing due to dry matter content above 20% and reducing sugars content 0.24%..

Metal-catalyzed lipid oxidation is a major factor in food waste, as it reduces shelf life. Addressing this issue, our study investigates the potential of hydrolysates derived from potato protein, a by-product of potato starch production, as metal chelating antioxidants. Through sequential enzymatic hydrolysis using Alcalase or Trypsin combined with Flavourzyme, we produced various hydrolysates, which were then fractionated via ultrafiltration. Using a combination of peptidomics and bioinformatics, we predicted the presence of metal-chelating and free radical scavenging peptides across all hydrolysate fractions, with a trend indicating a higher content of antioxidant peptides in lower molecular weight fractions. To validate these predictions, we utilized Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and a 9-day emulsion storage experiment. While SPR demonstrated potential in identifying antioxidant activity, it faced challenges in differentiating between hydrolysate fractions due to significant standard errors. In the storage experiment, all hydrolysates showed lipid oxidation inhibition, though not as effectively as EDTA. Remarkably, one fraction (AF13) was not significantly different (p < 0.05) from EDTA in suppressing hexanal formation. These results highlight SPR and peptidomics/bioinformatics as promising yet limited methods for antioxidant screening. Importantly, this study reveals the potential of potato protein hydrolysates as antioxidants in food products, warranting further research.

Agriculture is one of the indispensable fields for the survival of mankind. Potatoes also have a significant role in the field of agriculture. The quality and quantity of potatoes are significantly impacted by several diseases, such as early blight and late blight, and manual interpretation of these leaf diseases is time-consuming and inconvenient. Fortunately, leaf appearance is used to detect diseases in potato plants. Productivity will considerably rise if the infections are detected early. Different types of image processing methods and machine learning methods are used for early recognition of those diseases from leaf images so that the product losses are decreased significantly. For the incredible and marvelous performance of CNN, it is the most popular deep learning method that is used immensely for the recognition of leaf diseases from images. Several pretrained deep learning models, such as VGG16, ResNet50, InceptionV3, MobileNetV2, Xception, and a deep learning model developed using CNN, are employed for potato leaf disease classification and recognition on the same dataset. The transfer learning technique is applied to the pretrained model and the data augmentation technique is applied to the Proposed CNN model for potato disease classification from leaf samples. Compared to pretrained models, the proposed CNN model offers the lowest loss and highest accuracy for potato leaf disease detection while using fewer parameters and layers. It achieves the best performance with a test accuracy of 99.33% compared to other Pretrained models used in the diagnosis of potato leaf disease.

In potato, high levels of nitrogen (N) can lead to excessive vegetative growth at the expense of tuber development, resulting in lower yield and poor quality tubers. We found that Solanum tuberosum CLE4 (StCLE4) is expressed most strongly in the roots on N-rich media and positively regulates root growth of potato in N-deficient conditions. We noted that StCLE4 functions as a negative regulator of normal shoot apex development similar to CLV3 in Arabidopsis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that overexpression of StCLE4 results in repression of the StIT1 gene, a regulator of potato tuber initiation. Overexpressing StCLE4 stolons were transformed into branches that were similar to milder it1 phenotype. We also found that NIN-like proteins, key regulators of nitrate signaling, bind to the regulatory sequence of StIT1 in yeast one-hybrid assay. Taken together, our findings suggest that StCLE4 regulates shoot, root and stolon growth in potato.

Interest in organic foods is increasing at a moment when humanity is facing a range of health challenges including the concern that some conventionally produced foods may pose possible adverse effects on human and livestock health. With the increasing human population, intensive production is increasingly trending towards high-input systems that aim to close yield gaps, increase crop yields, and develop new crop varieties with higher yield potential and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, all within the context of incorporating specific traits to satisfy consumer demand. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most consumed foods under different cultural diets, however its production faces some challenges related to soilborne diseases, marketable yield and quality, sugars and dry matter content of the produced tubers, tuber content in terms of nitrate, minerals, vitamins, bioactive compounds and antioxidants, and consumer appreciation regarding the sensory characteristics of tubers and processed products. Different studies have been investigating some of these challenges, with sometimes straightforward and sometimes connflicting results. This variability in research results indicates the general non-transferability of the results from one location to another under the same management practices in addition to differences in plant material. This review compares some characteristics of raw or boiled potato and processed products from potato tubers grown organically and conventionally. Ideally, such information may be of benefit in decision making by consumers in their dietary choices, by potato growers in their selection of crop management practices, and by scientists looking at potential areas for future research on potatoes.

Potato is among one of the most important food crops, yet maintaining plant productivity in this drought-sensitive crop has become a challenge. Competition for scarce water resources and the continued effects of global warming exacerbate current constraints on crop production. While plants’ response to drought in above-ground tissues has been well documented, the regulatory cascades in developing tubers have been largely unexplored. Using the commercial Canadian cultivar ‘Vigor’, plants were subjected to a drought treatment under high-tunnels causing a 4 ℃ increase in canopy temperature when compared to the well-watered control. Tubers were sampled for RNAseq and metabolite analysis. Approximately 2600 genes and 3898 transcripts were differentially expressed by at least four-fold in drought-stressed potato tubers, with 75 % and 69 % being down-regulated respectively. A further 229 small RNAs were implicated in gene regulation during drought. The comparison of protein homologues between Solanum tuberosum L. and Arabidopsis thaliana L. indicates that downregulated genes are associated with phenylpropanoid, carotenoid, and patatin biosynthesis. This suggests that there may be nutritive implications to drought stress occurring during the potato tuber bulking phase in sensitive cultivars.

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a polyphagous, highly destructive pest capable of vectoring viruses in most agricultural crops. Currently, information on the distribution and genetic diversity of B. tabaci in South Sudan is not available. The objectives of this study were to investigate the genetic variability of B. tabaci infesting sweet potato and cassava in South Sudan. Field surveys were conducted between August 2017 and July and August 2018 in 10 locations in Juba County, Central Equatoria State, South Sudan. Sequences of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) were used to determine the phylogenetic relationships between sampled B. tabaci. Six distinct genetic groups of B. tabaci were identified including three non-cassava haplotypes (Mediterranean (MED), Indian Ocean (IO) and Uganda) and three cassava haplotypes (Sub-Saharan Africa 1 sub-group 1 (SSA1-SG1), SSA1-SG3 and SSA2). MED predominated on sweet potato and SSA2 on cassava in all the sampled locations. The Uganda haplotype was also widespread, occurring in five of the sampled locations. This study provides important information on the diversity of B. tabaci species in South Sudan. A comprehensive assessment of the genetic diversity, geographical distribution, population dynamics and host range of B. tabaci species in South Sudan is vital for its effective management.

Global warming caused by climate change is a challenge for dairy farming, especially in sub-Saharan countries. Under high temperature and relative humidity dairy cows suffer from heat stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects and relationship of heat stress (HS) measured by temperature-humidity index (THI) on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition of lactating Holstein Friesian crosses reared in the humid coastal region of Tanzania. A total of 29 lactating Holstein Friesian x Zebu crossbred dairy cattle with 50% (HF50) and 75% (HF75) Holstein Friesian blood levels in their second and third month of lactation were used. Breed composition of Holstein Friesian was determined based on animal recording system used at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI), Tanga. Data collected included daily temperature, relative humidity, daily milk yield, and physiological parameters (core-body temperature, rectal temperature, respiration rate, and panting score). The THI was calculated using the equation of National Research Council [39]. The THI values were categorized into three classes i.e. low THI (76-78), moderate THI (79-81) and high THI (82-84). The effects of THI on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition were assessed. Also, the effects of genotype, parity, lactation month, and interaction of these parameters with THI i on milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters were investigated. The results indicate that THI and its interaction with genotypes, parity, and lactation month had highly significant effect on all the parameters. THI affected (P ˂ 0.05) average daily milk yield and milk fat %, protein %, lactose %, and solids – not – fat %. When THI increased from moderate to high values, average daily milk yield declined from 3.49 ± 0.04 to 3.43 ± 0.05 liters/day while fat % increased from 2.66 ± 0.05% to 3.04 ± 0.06% and protein decreased from 3.15 ± 0.02% to 3.13 ± 0.03%. No decline was observed on lactose % whilst solids – not – fat % declined from 8.56 ± 0.08% to 8.55 ± 0.10%, when the THI values increased from moderate to high. Also, THI affected (P˂0.05) physiological parameters. Core-body temperature (CBT), rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and panting score (PS) increased from 35.60 ± 0.01 to 36.00 ± 0.01oC, 38.03 ± 0.02 to 38.3.30 ± 0.02oC, 62.53 ± 0.29 to 72.35 ± 0.28 breaths/min and 1.35 ± 0.01 to 1.47 ± 0.09, respectively, when THI increased from low to high. THI showed a low positive correlation with average daily milk yield and fat percentage whilst protein, lactose, and solids – not - fat percentages showed negative relationships with THI (P ≤ 0.05). The CBT, RT, RR, and PS showed positive relationships (P ≤ 0.05) with THI. These negative relationships indicate that there is an antagonistic correlation between sensitivity to HS and degree of production. It is concluded that the THI, genotype, parity, and lactation month, and their interactions with THI significantly affected milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters of lactating Holstein Friesian dairy crosses at THI thresholds ranging from 77 to 84.

Fusarium dry rot is one of the major postharvest potato diseases of during storage after harvest, which not only results in quality degradation but also brings up huge economic losses. The dis-ease can be elicited by some species of Fusarium, the pathogenic fungi of Fusarium causing potato dry rot are considerably diverse in various countries and regions. Fusarium spp. infection is as-sociated with dry rot produce mycotoxins, which has phytotoxicity and mycotoxicoses on hu-mans and animals. Chemical synthetic fungicide is considered as the main control measure to Fusarium dry rot of potato, nevertheless, it is unfortunate that the persistent application inevitably results in the emergency of resistant strain and environmental contamination. A comprehensive disease control strategy includes potato cultivar selection, appropriate cultural practices (crop rotation, cultivate pattern, fertilization, and irrigation), harvesting process and postharvest treatment (harvesting, classification, packaging, wound healing), storage condition (environ-mental disinfection, temperature, humidity and gas composition) along with the application of fungicide pre-harvest or postharvest. Recently, emerging studies indicated that eco-friendly strategies include physical control, chemical methods (such as the application of generally rec-ognized as safe (GRAS) compounds or chemical (elicitors) and biological control have been in-troduced to combat Fusarium dry rot of potato.

Given the existing movable rotating plate type grading device for potatoes with a high safety factor and heavy mass, the body frame of the grading device and movable rotating plate were optimized and a lightweight design was carried out. Based on ANSYS Workbench 2022, the static analysis of the body frame before and after improvement was compared, and it was verified that the strength and deformation of the optimized body frame met the design requirements, and the weight of the optimized body frame was reduced by 32.3%. Based on the direct optimization module of ANSYS Workbench 2022, the plate length, width, and height were used as design variables for the lightweight design of the movable rotating plate. The MOGA algorithm was used to generate sixty design solutions, and the optimal combination of size parameters for the plate was 610 mm, 95mm, and1.2 mm. Compared with the whole grading device before optimization, the total mass was reduced by 22.86% after optimization. The research of this article provides a reference for the structural design and optimization analysis of potato grading devices.

Metabolic engineering in plants offers powerful strategies to enhance crop yield and quality, addressing global challenges in agriculture and food security. This study explores cutting-edge approaches in manipulating primary and secondary metabolic pathways, utilizing advanced genetic modification tools to improve key traits in crops. We examine successful applications that have enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient use, stress tolerance, and the production of valuable metabolites. The study also delves into emerging trends, such as synthetic biology approaches and multi-gene trait stacking, which are revolutionizing the field. By integrating omics technologies and computational modeling, researchers are optimizing metabolic engineering designs with unprecedented precision. As the field rapidly evolves, we consider the regulatory and biosafety aspects of genetically modified crops, providing insights into the future of sustainable agriculture and crop improvement.

Accordingly, a lot of dry direct seeding rice would be dense planted, that the initial seedling quantity could approach or even exceed the targeted effective panicle number. While limit information is available to evaluate the effects of involved novel nitrogen application methods, that total nitrogen once applied at a determined leaf age stage, on the yield formation traits of such dense planted dry direct seeding rice. The two-year experiments with total 180 kg ha-1 nitrogen once applied time treatments at sixth (L6), seventh (L7), eighth (L8), ninth (L9) and tenth (L10) leaf age stages were carried out. Results showed that the above-ground dry matter weight at maturity and grain yield of L8 was 2.1% ~ 11.8% and 4.0% ~ 9.9% higher than those of other treatments. Compared to other treatments, the higher above-ground dry matter weight after heading stage, bigger mean leaf area index with higher leaf area index at heading stage, increased leaf area duration, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate from jointing to heading period were important traits of higher grain yield formation of L8. In addition, the L8 had relative higher grain-leaf ratio traits than other treatments. Overall, a total 180 kg ha-1 nitrogen with mixed urea and compound fertilizer once applied at eighth leaf age stage would be suggest a useful high yield cultivation method for dense planted dry direct seeding rice in rice-wheat rotation system.

Variable and sometimes contrasting effects of using artificial rhizobium inocula to increase grain legume performance have been reported. The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were therefore to (i) estimate the overall effect of rhizobium inocula on grain yield and protein content and (ii) identify potential confounding factors that explain the observed variation. A web of Science database literature search was carried out in 2016. Data from all field experiments, greenhouse and pot experiments that compared grain yields and protein contents in Rhizobium/Bradyrhizobium-inoculated with non-inoculated control crops were extracted and analyzed using previously described unweighted and weighted meta-analysis protocols. GRADE assessments of the strength of evidence of results from the weighted meta-analyses were carried which included an assessment of the risk of publication bias. Results: For unweighted meta-analyses we identified eligible data in 236 and 36 studies for grain yield and protein content respectively. For weighted meta-analyses we identified eligible data in 92 and 8 studies for grain yield and protein content respectively. Rhizobium inoculation was found to (i) significantly increase grain yield in both the unweighted (mean percent difference: 41%, 95%CI 36,46, p&lt;0.0001) and weighted meta-analysis (Standardized mean difference: 1.56, 95%CI 1.26,1.87, p&lt;0.0001) and (ii) significantly increase protein content in the unweighted meta-analysis (mean percent difference: 11%, 95%CI 5,18, p&lt;0.0001), but not the weighed meta-analyses which only detected a trend (0.1&gt;p&gt;0.05) towards higher protein content in inoculated grain legume crops. Multi-level model-based weighted meta-analyses suggest that the (i) type of experiment, (ii) type of fertilizer used in experiments, (iii) grain legume type/species and (iv) the country in which experiments were carried out, were confounding factors. The main limitation of the evidence is that a large number of publications did not report measures of variation and could therefore not be included in the more scientifically sound weighted meta-analyses. However based on the large evidence-base available for grain yield it can be concluded that overall Bradyrhizobium/Rhizobium seed inoculation results can increase grain yield by ~40% compared with non-inoculated grain legume crops.

The aim of this study is to examine an efficient and environmental friendly process for hydrolyzing starch, an industrial-derived by-product of the potato processing industry, and to use the produced hydrolysates as substrates for methane production. A full factorial experiment was designed and the optimal concentrations of FeSO4·7H2O, H2O2 and temperature were determined obtaining a yield of 99.5%, with a total carbohydrates content equal to 28.65 g, when the input parameters were at their high level: FeSO4·7H2O 1.00g/L, H2O2 0.51 g/L and temperature 70.0oC. The hydrolysis kinetics were also examined revealing that temperature was the most important factor among the three optimization parameters. Furthermore, biodegradability tests were carried out to measure the methane production potential from the produced hydrolysates. The specific methanogenic activity was reached 0.669 g CODCH4/gVSS-day proving the effectiveness of the hydrolysis process and highlighting the potential of this food manufacturing by-product for bioenergy production. A preliminary cost analysis showed that a small investment for utilizing the starch in an existing wastewater treatment facility of a potato processing industry becomes profitable before the end of the 3rd year obtaining a NPV 37.5% higher than the NPV of the current utilization scenario.

Faba bean (Vicia faba L) is the first grain legume in terms of hectarage, total production and foreign exchange earnings in Ethiopia. The current study was designed to evaluate effect of NPS and bio-organic fertilizers on the yield and yield components of faba bean in Debre Markos University research farm. A total of 16 treatments were made from the factorial combination of four levels NPS (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1) and four levels bio-organic fertilizer (Nil BOF (Bio(Nil)), rhizobium (Bio(IR)), 10 t ha-1 FYM (Bio(FYM)) and FYM+Rhizobium (Bio(FYM+IR))) in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The Walki (EH 96049-2) variety, which is high yielding, moderate disease resistant and water-logging tolerant used as test crop. The result experiment showed that, plot treated with Bio(FYM+IR)+NPS100 treatment gave statically maximum effective number of tillers (2.73), maximum number of pods per plant (20.30), hundred seeds weight (76.11g), grain yield (5.62 t ha-1), biomass yield (10.94 t ha-1) and Harvest index (59.91%) than over other treatments received NPS fertilizer with and without bio-organic fertilizers. Therefore, the combined use of 100kg ha-1 NPS with 10 tha-1 FYM and rhizobium inoculation is superior for optimum production of faba bean in study area.

The present article investigates the threshold analysis of yielding in a variable thickness rotating disk based on the Tresca criterion. The analysis is conducted on a Functionally Graded Material (FGM) constructed from tailored materials, following the theory of small deformations and for the case of plane stress. The elasticity modulus, density, and yield stress are assumed to be power functions of the radial coordinate. Poisson’s ratio is considered constant due to small variations in different materials. Additionally, the governing equation for the rotating disk is solved analytically. Besides the material type, another factor affecting the distribution of effective stress magnitudes is the cross-sectional shape (profile) of the disk. The thickness of the cross-sectional disk varies radially as a power function. In the current analysis, different conditions for the onset of yielding and the evolution of plastic flow are considered. For evaluation and validation, the obtained results are compared and validated against similar results for specific cases (homogeneous disk and constant thickness graded disk) available in previous references. The results indicate that considering variable thickness for the disk section significantly affects the stresses and the location of the initiation of yielding

Conservation agriculture (CA) could be very effective for agricultural sustainability under Mediterranean environments, where farmers rely on short rotation based on durum wheat. In this work we investigated the effect of different combination of tillage treatments and crop sequence (conventional tillage and wheat monocropping, CT-WW; conventional tillage, and wheat following faba-bean, CT-WF; zero tillage and wheat monocropping, ZT-WW; zero tillage and wheat following faba-bean, ZT-WF) on yield, grain quality traits as well as on diseases incidence and severity in durum wheat (var. Saragolla). The results of a two-years of data of a long-term experiment (7-year experiment; split-plot design) are discussed. The CA approach (ZT+WF), which induced always the highest grain yields (6.1 t ha-1 and 3.3 t ha-1 in 2016 and 2017) thanks to an increased number of spikes m-2 (296 vs 269 and 303 vs 287 spikes m-2 in 2016 and 2017, respectively) as well as to a more pronounced ear length, demonstrated significant positive influences in terms of grain quality. It promoted grain protein accumulation (12.1% for ZT+WF versus 11.4% for ZT+WW and 12.4% for ZT+WF versus 10.6% for ZT+WW in 2016 and 2017), improved gluten quality (in terms of SDS sedimentation test) and colour of the grain. The abundance of crop residues determined a higher incidence and severity of Zymoseptoria tritici leaf symptoms under CA system; nevertheless the late appearance of infection was the main reason of not affecting yield and quality traits. The presence of faba-bean (WF) in the rotation significantly reduced leaf symptoms of Z. tritici.

Cannabis (Cannabis Sativa L.) is now legally produced in many regions worldwide. Cannabis flourishes under high light intensities (LI); making it an expensive commodity to grow in controlled environments, despite its exceptionally high market value. It is commonly believed that cannabis secondary metabolite levels may be enhanced both by increasing LI and by exposing crops to ultraviolet radiation (UV). However, there is sparse scientific evidence to guide cultivators. Therefore, the impact of LI and UV on yield and quality must be elucidated to enable cultivators to optimize their lighting protocols. We explored the effects of LI, ranging from 350 to 1400 μmol m^-2 s^-1 and supplemental UV spectra on cannabis yield and potency. There were no spectrum effects on inflorescence yield, but harvest index under UVA+UVB was reduced slightly (1.6%) vs. the control. Inflorescence yield increased linearly from 19.4 to 57.4 g/plant and harvest index increased from 0.565 to 0.627, as LI increased from 350 to 1400 μmol m^-2 s^-1. Although there were no UV spectrum effects on total equivalent Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (T-THC) content in leaves, the neutral form, THC, was 30% higher in UVA+UVB vs. control. While there were no LI effects on inflorescence T-THC content, the content of the acid form (THCA) increased by 20% and total terpenes content decreased by 20% as LI increased from 350 to 1400 μmol m^-2 s^-1. High LI can substantially increase cannabis yield and quality, but we found no commercially-relevant benefits of adding supplemental UV radiation to indoor cannabis production.

Early disease detection is crucial for maximizingcrop yields and minimizing financial losses in agriculture. Inorder to categorise leaf diseases in pepper, tomato, and potato plants, this study suggests a revolutionary CNN design. The algorithm collects disease-specific features from input photos by using data augmentation techniques to artificially enlarge the training dataset. ReLU-activated convolutional layers gradually capture features at different levels, from low to high, while max pooling layers minimise spatial dimensionality. After thecharacteristics are extracted, a fully-connected layers with a softmax activation function classify them into illness groups. A well chosen dataset containing labelled healthy and sick leaves is used to train and validate the model. Generalizability to untesteddata is ensured via performance evaluation on an independent testing set. The field of deep learning for agricultural applications benefits from this research. This strategy has the ability to rev- olutionise agricultural practices by enabling automated disease identification. This might result in early interventions, better crop health, and eventually sustainable agricultural production.

Brown leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria spp. is among the most common diseases in potato crops. Typical brown spot symptoms were observed in commercial potato-cultivated areas of northern Korea during June 2021–2022. In total, 77 isolates were collected, and based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the collected isolates were identified as Alternaria spp. (83.1%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that a majority of these isolates clustered within a clade that included A. alternata. Additionally, the ITS region and rpb2 yielded the most informative sequences for the identification of A. alternata. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the collected pathogens elicited identical symptoms in the field. In the pathogenicity test performed on seven commercial cultivars, the pathogens exhibited strong virulence in both wound and non-wound inoculations. Among the cultivars tested, Arirang-1ho, Arirang-2ho, and Golden Ball were resistant to the pathogens. Furthermore, when testing effective fungicides in vitro, mancozeb and difenoconazole were found to be effective agents for inhibiting mycelial growth. In summary, our findings suggest that A. alternata plays a critical role in leaf disease in potato crop regions and emphasise the necessity for continuous monitoring and management to protect against this disease in South Korea.

To evaluate dryland wheat genotypes' performance to different pre-crop and residue management under dryland conditions, a split-split plot experiment based on RCB design with three replications was conducted for two years (2017-2018 and 2018-2019). The site of study's long-term average precipitation, temperature, and relative humidity are 376 mm, 9 ◦C, and 50%, respectively. Wheat-wheat and vetch-wheat cropping systems were considered in the main plots, different wheat and vetch residue levels including 0, 2, and 4 t ha-1 were located in subplots, and five dryland wheat genotypes including Sadra, Hashtroud, Baran, Varan, and Ohadi were allocated in sub-sub plots. Results indicated that leaf chlorophyll content index (CCI) and stomatal conductance (gs) were greater in the vetch-wheat cropping system compared to the wheat monoculture system for all genotypes. Normalized differences vegetative index (NDVI) of genotypes improved by applying the crop residue. Over two years, the application of crop residues resulted in higher variable fluorescence at J and I steps as well as an increase in the photosynthesis performance index (PI). Varan and Baran genotypes stood out as the superior genotype, exhibiting the highest values physiological characteristics and grain yield under the application of 4 t ha-1 of vetch residue. Grain filling rate (GFR) was reduced, while grain filling duration (GFD) was increased with increasing the crop residue levels. The enhanced grain yield of wheat genotypes grown under vetch residue attributed to the factors such as improvement in leave pigments and photosynthetic efficiency which facilitate longer grain filling duration with high grain weight. As a result, it is advisable to adopt a vetch-wheat cropping system with a high proportion of crop residue in dryland regions to achieve increased and sustainable wheat production.

: The primary use of the potato is direct consumption. The classification of potatoes into consumption type is made on the basis of consumption evaluation of hydrothermally treated tubers. Nutrient deficiency in the soil, including Mg, contributes to the inhibition of potato growth and development and negatively affects the cooking characteristics of the tubers. Magnesium and biostimulants are responsible for plant nitrogen management. Thus, it is necessary to control the content of harmful nitrates and toxic nitrites in tubers. In potato production, it is also important to maintain appropriate conditions during storage. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mineral fertilization with magnesium and a biostimulant preparation during cultivation of edible potato and long-term storage on the traits determining utility-consumption type and the content of harmful nitrogen compounds in tubers. The study was conducted using the early potato variety Satina. In a three-year (2015-2017) three-factor experiment: evaluation date (immediately after harvest and after six months of storage), soil fertilization with mineral magnesium (0, 30, 60, 90 kg MgO ha-1), application of an amino acid biostimulant (0, 1.5, 3.0 l ha-1), five consumption traits of tubers after cooking determining the utility-consumption type of potato were determined. In addition, the consumer safety of the potato was determined based on the nitrate and nitrite content of the tubers. The tendency to overcook tubers significantly depended on all the factors used during potato cultivation. In contrast, the texture and structure of tuber flesh after cooking depended only on mineral fertilization with magnesium. The flesh of the tubers after cooking was most tender (1.0 pt) and firm (1.4 pt) after the application of 60 and 90 kg MgO ha-1, respectively. The moisture level of the flesh after cooking was significantly influenced by the interaction of magnesium fertilization with the biostimulant preparation. The factors of the experiment did not modify the utility-consumption type (B/A), while there was a change in the type in relation to that specified by the grower - general utility (B). The applied cultivation technology and long-term storage did not deteriorate the consumer safety of tubers (&lt;200 mg kg-1) in terms of NO3 (max. 112.1 mg kg-1) and NO2 (max. 1.08 mg kg-1) contents. Organoleptic traits: mealiness, moisture and flesh structure were significantly positively related to nitrate and nitrite content of tubers immediately after harvesting and to nitrite concentration after long-term storage.

Precision agriculture is a technology used by farmers to help food sustainability amidst growing population. One of the tools of precision agriculture is yield monitoring, which helps a farmer manage his production. Yield monitoring is usually done during harvest, however it could also be done early in the growing season. Early prediction of yield, specifically for fruit trees, aids the farmer in the marketing of their product and assists in managing production logistics such as labor requirement and storage needs. In this study, a machine vision system is developed to estimate fruit yield early in the season. The machine vision system uses a color camera to capture images of fruit trees during the full bloom period. An image segmentation algorithm based on an artificial neural network was developed to recognize and count the blossoms on the tree. The artificial neural network segmentation algorithm uses color information and position as input. The resulting correlation between the blossom count and the actual number of fruits on the tree shows the potential of this method to be used for early prediction of fruit yield.

The objective of this work was to investigate the use of remotely sensed vegetation indices to improve the quality of yield maps. The method was applied to the yield data of twelve cornfields from the Data Intensive Farm Management project. The results revealed the need to time shift the yield values up to three seconds to better match the sensor readings with the geographic coordinates. The residuals of the yield prediction model were used to identify points with unlikely yield values for that location, as an alternative to traditional approaches using local spatial statistics, without any assumption of spatial dependence or stationarity. The temporal and spatial distribution of the standardized coefficients for each experimental unit highlighted the presence of trends in the data. At least five out of the twelve fields presented trends that could have been induced by data collection.

Abstract This trial was realized in Yenisehir Vocational School between 2007 and 2008 on the purpose of study out the influence of lack of water in four growth periods of cabbage. In this trial, fourteen irrigation treatments was formed considering the growth periods (establishment, vegetative, yield formation and ripening) of cabbage (Brassicaceae Oleracea var. capitata L. Grandslam F1) and the results obtained from these treatments were evaluated. According to the content of the treatments, the water amount to the plants varied between 0 and 524 mm in the 2007 year, and between 0 and 536 mm in the 2008 year. Water consumption of cabbage in the 2007 year ranged between 200 and 795 mm and in the 2008 year ranged between 190 and 802 mm. Yield, head weight, diameter, height and dry matter ratio were determined statistically important. In 2007 and 2008 years, the maximal yield were found as 74.2 t ha-1 and 72.4 t ha-1 in the E100V100Y100R100 treatments, while the minimal yield were found as 2.0 t ha-1 and 4.0 ha-1 in the E0V0Y0R0 treatments, respectively. Water- yield relationship factor (ky) in 2007 and 2008 years were found as 0.96 and 0.97, respectively.

Irrigation and fertilization are indispensable links in the jujube planting industry in southern Xinjiang, China. However, the water and fertilizer integration effects on jujube growth and fruit quality remain unclear. A two-year water and fertilizer optimization coupling test was conducted to determine the optimal water- and nutrient-supply scheme. The three-factor randomized block experiment included water (W), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). According to the principal component analysis of each index, each treatment’s comprehensive score was obtained. Using yield and economic regression models, the theoretical value and yield value of the optimal economic benefit are inferred. When W, N, and P were applied together, the fruit quality and yield of each treatment significantly differed, and the vitamin C, soluble sugar, and sugar–acid ratio increased significantly with an increase in nitrogen fertilizer. However, the titratable acid decreased. An increase in irrigation and nitrogen application significantly increased fruit yield. The comprehensive score was the highest in the N3P3W2 treatment, which improved fruit quality, and the lowest in the N4P3W2 treatment. When the amounts of N, P, and W were 275.56 kg·hm-2, 413.66 kg·hm-2, and 7278.19 m3·hm-2, respectively, the theoretical economic benefit was the best. The N4P3W2 treatment is the optimal treatment.

Conservation tillage and deep side-fertilization both hold the potential to reduce nitrogen leaching and improve grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in fragrant rice cultivation practices. However, the combined impact of different tillage practices with deep side-fertilization on nitrogen leaching remains uncertain. Therefore, this study conducted on-site experiments for four rice growing seasons in both early and late seasons in 2018 and 2019, using the fragrant rice varieties "Meixiangzhan 2"(MX) and "Xiangyaxiangzhan"(XY). The four experimental treatments included:conventional tillage with regular fertilization (T1), conventional tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T2), reduced tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T3) , and no-tillage with simultaneous deep fertilization (T4). Our results indicate that the T4 treatment exhibited higher nitrogen leaching rates and potential nitrogen losses throughout the entire rice growth cycle, with a 4.51% increase in total nitrogen leaching and a 1.86% increase in potential nitrogen leaching compared to T1. In contrast, the T2 treatment demonstrated the lowest nitrogen leaching rate, resulting in a 6.01% reduction in total nitrogen leaching and a 9.57% decrease in potential nitrogen leaching compared to T1, demonstrating the most optimal performance. For MX, the T1 treatment resulted in lower daily grain outputs compared to the other treatments, with disparities ranging from 5.35% to 9.94%. Similarly, for the XY, the T1 treatment yielded significantly lower daily grain outputs compared to the other treatments, with discrepancies ranging from 6.26% to 10.81% during the late season of 2019. Overall, this study shows that conventional tillage with deep fertilization effectively reduces nitrogen leaching and boosts fragrant rice yields. Minimizing nitrogen leaching enhances nitrogen utilization efficiency. These insights highlight the significance of strategic fertilization and cultivation for environmental conservation and agricultural sustainability.

Tomato is considered the most important vegetable crop worldwide. Improving the nutritional value of fruits must be based on sustainable production in terms of varieties and fertilization management. This study aimed to improve the nutritional value (total soluble solids, acidity, lycopene, β-carotene, polyphenols, macro and microelements) of two tomato varieties (‘Cristal’ and ‘Siriana’) under three fertilization types (NPK chemical fertilizer, chicken manure and biological fertilizer with microorganisms) for the greenhouse. Primary metabolism compounds do not vary significantly according to the type of fertilizer used. The results for the antioxidant compounds showed a better effect of biological fertilization compared to chemical fertilizer and control unfertilized. The tomato fruits from the local cultivar (‘Siriana’) are richer in nutritional compounds such as rutin, regardless of the type of fertilization, which denotes a good ability to adapt to crop conditions. Tomato cultivars reacted positively to microbiological fertilization compare to chemical, thus producing nutritious fruits under sustainable management. Tomato fruits were richer in the quality of microelement contents.

Due to increase demand of food grain in the world, assessment of yield before actual production is important in making policies and decisions in agricultural production system. For a large area, forecast models developed from vegetation indices derived from remote sensing satellite data possesses the potential to give quantitative and timely information on crops over large areas. Different vegetation indices are being made used for this purpose, however, their efficiency in estimating crop yield is needed to be certainly tested. In this study, wheat yield forecast was derived by regressing ground truthing yield data against time series of spatial vegetation indices for the 2013 to 2019 growing seasons. These spatial vegetation indices derived from Landsat 8 image data: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) were compared to evaluate the most appropriate index that performs better in forecasting wheat production at Karcag, Kunhegyes and Ecsegfalva settlements in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county, in the Northern Great Plain region of central Hungary. The best time for making wheat yield prediction with Landsat 8- SAVI and NDVI was found to be the beginning of ripening period (160th day of the year) with higher correlation between the vegetation indices and the wheat yield. The validation results revealed that the model from SAVI provides more consistent and accurate forecasts yield compared to NDVI. The SAVI model forecast yield for the validation years, 2018 and 2019 were within 6.00% and 4.41% of the final reported values while that of NDVI model were within 8.31% and 6.27%. Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency index is positive with E1= 0.99 for the model from SAVI and for NDVI, E1=0.57, which connote that the forecasting method developed and evaluated performs acceptable forecast efficiency.

Subsoil tillage loosens compacted soil for better plant growth, but promotes water loss, which is a concern in areas commonly irrigated. Therefore, our objective was to determine the physiological responses of high yield spring corn (Zea mays L.) to Subsoil tillage depth when grown in the western plain irrigation area of Inner Mongolia that leads to the best water use efficiency. The experiment during 2014 and 2015 used Zhengdan958 and Xianyu335 with three differing subsoil tillage depths (30, 40, or 50 cm) as trial factor and shallow rotary as a control. Subsoil tillage increased shoot dry matter accumulation, leading to a greater shoot/root ratio. Subsoil tillage helped retain greater leaf area index in each growth stage, increase the leaf area duration, net assimilation rate, and relative growth rate, with greater effects as tillage was deeper, effectively delaying the aging of the blade. Grain yields were increased by 0.7%–8.9% on average in subsoil tillage treatments compared to conventional soil treatment shallow rotary, Water use efficiency were increased by 1.93%–18.49% on average in subsoil tillage treatment compared to shallow rotary, resulting in net income increases by 2.24% to 6.97% compared to shallow rotary. Among the three different subsoil tillage depth treatment, the grain yield, water use efficiency, and net income is the best under the treatment of subsoil tillage depth of 50 cm.

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), as an important regulator of potato growth, seriously affects the growth and yield of potato. Although many studies have reported that IAA-producing Bacillus can promote plant growth, little research has been done on its synthesis pathway and the molecular mechanisms. In this study, IAA-producing strain WL35 was identified as Fitibacillus barbaricus, and its yield was 48.79 mg·L-1. The results of the pot experiments showed that WL35 significantly increased plant height, stem thickness, chlorophyll content and number of leaves of potato plants by 31.68%, 30.03%, 32.93% and 36.59%, respectively. In addition, in the field experiments, WL35-treated plants increased commercial potatoes yield by 16.45%, vitamin C content by 16.35%, protein content by 75%, starch content by 6.60%, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation by 9.98%, 12.70% and 26.76%, respectively. Meanwhile, the synthetic pathway of WL35 was found to be dominated by the tryptophan-dependent pathway, the IAM, TAM and IPA pathways worked together, and the pathways that played a role at different times were different. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis showed that there were a total of 2875 DEGs regulated in the samples treated with WL35 seed dressing compared with the CK, of which 1458 genes were up-regulated and 1417 genes were down-regulated. Potato roots express differential genes enriched in processes such as carbohydrate metabolism processes and cellular polysaccharide metabolism, which regulate potato plant growth and development. The above results provide a theoretical basis for the further exploration of the synthesis pathway of IAA and its growth-promoting mechanism on potato.

Growing food autonomously on Mars is challenging due to the Martian soil's low nutrient content and high salinity. Understanding how plants adapt and evaluating their nutritional attributes are pivotal for sustained Mars missions. This research delved into the regeneration, stress tolerance, and dietary metrics of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) across different Mars Global Simulant (MGS-1) concentrations (0, 25, 50, and 75%). In our greenhouse experiment, 75% MGS-1 concentration most significantly inhibited sweet potato growth, storage root biomass, and chlorophyll content. This concentration also elevated plant tissues' H2O2, proline, and ascorbic acid levels. Higher MGS-1 exposures (50 and 75%) notably boosted vital amino acids and sugar groups in the plant's storage roots. Yet, increased MGS-1 concentrations notably diminished the total C: N ratio and elemental composition in both vines and storage roots. In summary, sweet potato exhibited optimal growth, antioxidant properties, yield, and nutrient profiles at 25% MGS-1 exposure, compared to higher concentrations. This study underscores the need for future interventions, like nutrient enhancement and controlled metal accessibility, to render it a suitable plant for space-based studies.

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) and UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are involved in the evolution of insecticide resistance. Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), Colorado potato beetle (CPB), is the notorious insect that has developed resistance to various of insecticides including neonicotinoids. This study investigated whether the differentially expressed P450 genes CYP9Z140 and CYP9AY1 and UGT gene UGT321AP1, found from our transcriptome results conferred resistance to thiamethoxam in L. decemlineata. Resistance monitoring showed that sampled field populations of L. decemlineata adults collected from Urumqi City, Qapqal, Jimsar and Mulei County of Xinjiang in 2021-2023 developed low levels to thiamethoxam with resistance ratios ranging from 6.66- to 9.52-fold. Expression analyses indicated that CYP9Z140, CYP9AY1, and UGT321AP1 were significantly upregulated in thiamethoxam-resistant populations compared with susceptible population. The expression of all three genes also increased significantly after thiamethoxam treatment compared with control. Spatiotemporal expression patterns showed that the highest expression of CYP9Z140 and CYP9AY1 occurred in pupae and midgut, whereas UGT321AP1 was highly expressed in adults and Malpighian tubules. Knocking down all three genes individually or simultaneously using RNA interference increased the sensitivity of adult L. decemlineata to thiamethoxam. These results suggest that overexpression of CYP9Z140, CYP9AY1, and UGT321AP1 contribute to the development of thiamethoxam resistance in L. decemlineata and provide scientific basis for improving new resistance management of CPB.

Understanding the interrelationships between land use, climate change, and regional water yield is critical for effective water resource management and ecosystem protection. However, comprehensive insights into how water yield evolves under different land use scenarios and climate change remain elusive. This study employs the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) models, Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, and Geodetector within a unified framework to evaluate the dynamics of land use, water yield, and their relationships with various factors (meteorological, social, economic, etc.). To forecast the Land Use/Cover Change (LUCC) pattern of the Yellow River Basin by 2030, three scenarios were considered: economic development priority (Scenario1), ecological development priority(Scenario2), and cropland development priority(Scenario3). Climate change scenarios were constructed using CMIP6 data, representing low stress (SSP119), medium stress (SSP245), and high stress (SSP585) conditions. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, cropland was predominant in the Yellow River Basin, Henan Province, with significant land conversion to impervious land (construction land) and forest land; (2) Water yield changes during this period were primarily influenced by meteorological factors, with land use changes having negligible impact; (3) By 2030, the water yield of Scenario1 is highest among different land use scenarios, marginally surpassing ecological development priority by 0.5%; (4) Climate scenarios reveal significant disparities, with SSP126 yielding 67% higher water production than SSP245, driven predominantly by precipitation; (5) Geodetector analysis identifies precipitation as the most influential single factor, with significant interactions among meteorological and socio-economic factors. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and researchers in formulating land use and water resource management strategies.

The formation and development of potato tissues and organs is a complex process regulated by a variety of genes and environmental factors. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the growth and development are still unclear. In this study, we used autotetraploid potato JC14 as experimental subject to analyze the transcriptome of root, stem and leaf at seedling, tuber formation and tuber expansion stages to explore the spatio-temporal expression pattern of genes and genetic development characteristics. The results identified thousands of differentially expressed genes and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in defense response and carbohydrate metabolism pathways. A total of 12 co-expressed Gene modules were identified by Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), and 4 modules were screened out with the highest correlation with potato stem developmental traits. Core genes in the network were further investigated and functionally annotated by computing the connectivity of genes within the module. The results unveiled number of hub genes in stems at different developmental stages, including carbohydrate metabolism related genes, the defense response related genes, and transcription factors. These findings provide important leads for further understanding of the molecular regulation and genetic mechanisms of potato tissue development.

Non-destructive, accurate, and timely approach for crop yield prediction at field scale is vital for precision agriculture. This study aimed to investigate the appropriate wavelengths and their combinations to explore the new SIs derived from UAV hyperspectral images in predicting yield during the growing season of spring maize. The best wavelengths and new SIs, including the difference spectral index, ratio spectral index, and normalized difference spectral index forms, were obtained by the contour maps constructed by the coefficient of determination (R2) from the linear regression models between the yield and all possible SIs screening out from the 450-950 nm wavelengths. The results showed that the most sensitive wavelengths were 640-714 nm at WJQ, 450-650 nm and 750-950 nm at SKS, and 450-700 nm and 750-950 nm at FJJ. The new SIs established here were different across the three experimental fields, and their performance on maize yield prediction were generally better than that of the published SIs. In addition, the new SIs presented different response to various N fertilization levels. This study demonstrated the potential of exploring new spectral characteristics from remote sensing technology for predicting field-scale crop yield in spring maize cropping systems before harvest.

The study was conducted to evaluate the agronomic performance, forage yield, and nutritive values of Desho grass varieties under supplementary irrigation at Dambi Dollo University experimental site, Western Ethiopia. Three Desho grass varieties (Areka /DZF#590, Kindu kosha-1/DZF #591, and Kulumsa /DZF #592) were arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The CROPWAT 8.0 model, local climate data, forage data, and soil data were used to determine Desho grass water requirements and irrigation schedules. The agronomic parameters, yield, chemical composition, and in vitro digestibility of the feed samples at standardization cut were determined following the standard procedures. The results showed significant differences (p

We evolve our past models PYR, Loukeris, et al. (2016) to provide a competitive system whose infiltration of categorical information and fundamentals into advanced higher moments, supports a more objective Portfolio Selection, aided by Intelligent Computing. The system of Portfolia Yield Reactives (PYR) searches for hidden prototypes into big data of accounting and financial statements, restricting malicious patterns such as hoax, noise, manipulation, incorporated to a novel optimal portfolio selection method.