Agricultural Practices Research Articles

Enhancing wheat resilience to salinity: the role of endophytic Penicillium chrysogenum as a biological agent for improved crop performance

Salinity stress severely impacts wheat productivity, necessitating effective strategies to enhance crop resilience. This study investigates the potential of Penicillium chrysogenum CM022 as a biological agent to alleviate the impact of salinity stress on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). P. chrysogenum CM022 improved germination of wheat seeds, particularly under salinity of 150 mM NaCl. Fungal inoculation significantly improved plant growth in terms of root length, plant height, and seedling biomass, even under high salinity conditions. Notably, inoculated plants preserved photosynthetic pigments and reduced oxidative damage, evidenced by lower levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and malondialdehyde (MDA), compared to non-inoculated controls. The inoculated plants also exhibited enhanced proline and soluble sugar contents, which are crucial for osmotic adjustment under stress. Additionally, P. chrysogenum CM022 significantly increased the antioxidant capacity of wheat, boosting total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity under high salinity. These findings underscore the potential of P. chrysogenum CM022 in improving wheat tolerance to salinity stress through physiological, biochemical, and antioxidant defense mechanisms, supporting its use in sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity on crop production.

Rumen microbes affect the somatic cell counts of dairy cows by modulating glutathione metabolism.

Healthy mammary glands are essential for high-quality milk production in the dairy industry. The relationship between somatic cell counts (SCCs), rumen fermentation, and microbiota interactions remains unclear. This study integrated physiological indicators, high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and metagenomics data analysis to investigate the mechanisms linking rumen microbes and mastitis and to evaluate the changes in milk production and serum cytokine levels in cows with low (L-SCC) and high (H-SCC) somatic cell counts. Compared with the L-SCC group, the H-SCC group exhibited significantly lower lactose and fat contents in milk, reduced rumen fermentation product levels, and increased abundances of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae, Prevotella, and Rumiclostridium. Elevated serum levels of IgG2, IgM, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-ɑ in the H-SCC group indicated inflammation and rumen microbiota dysbiosis. Functional analysis of microbial communities revealed significant enrichment in pathways related to glutathione metabolism, thyroid hormone synthesis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the phosphotransferase system (PTS), the P53 signaling pathway, and the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. Correlation network analysis showed that changes in bacterial families, such as Rikenellaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Prevotellaceae, were associated with cytokines, rumen fermentation, and milk quality. The study highlights the interaction between rumen microbiota homeostasis and mammary gland health, indicating that rumen fermentation status influences serum inflammation and milk quality. Modulating rumen fermentation to enhance mammary gland immune function presents a viable strategy for sustainable dairy industry development with long-lived, highly productive cows.IMPORTANCEHigh somatic cell counts (SCCs) are a key biomarker of mastitis and are associated with decreased milk production and significant economic losses in dairy farming. This study systematically examines the relationship between elevated SCCs, rumen microbial dysbiosis, and host inflammatory responses, shedding light on the intricate interplay between microbial ecosystems and host physiology. The findings highlight the potential for microbiota-targeted interventions to reduce inflammation, improve milk composition, and enhance dairy cow productivity. Rather than presuming a direct causative link between SCC-associated dysbiosis and inflammation, this research focuses on their interdependent dynamics, offering a nuanced understanding of the complex biological mechanisms involved. This work advances knowledge of host-microbiota interactions in livestock, providing practical insights for the development of innovative strategies to manage mastitis and improve overall herd health. By adhering to One Health principles, this study underscores the significance of sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and food security. These findings establish a robust foundation for future research into microbiota-driven solutions aimed at enhancing the health and productivity of dairy cattle.

Fly bioash-borne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon removal by rapid-growth remediation systems of poplar, industrial hemp and parsley

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous, persistent, potentially carcinogenic organic pollutants in the environment. They are emitted mainly from the incomplete combustion of coal, oil, and wood, and energy crops. During biomass combustion for energy production, PAHs can accumulate mainly in fly ashes, and these ‘fly bioashes’ are sometimes used in agriculture as a source of mineral nutrients. The main aim of this study was to investigate the use of fast-growing plants for the removal of PAH contamination from fly bioash-treated soil. For PAH phytoremediation we chose fast-growing trees (poplars), an energy crop (industrial hemp), and a taproot vegetable (parsley). The removal of total PAHs from soil by natural attenuation in control treatments was less than 10%. Phytoremediation using poplar resulted in the greatest removal of 27% of the PAHs and there was no significant difference in PAH removal between poplar and hemp at 120 days post-planting. Individually screened PAHs with 2 to 4 benzene rings were removed from soil by poplars or hemp to a level of 21 − 39%. The parsley crop’s ability to accumulate and remove PAH was very low. Localization data showed the greatest accumulation of the tested PAHs in the roots, with little translocation of fly bioash PAHs from roots to shoots. Although the uptake of PAHs by plants is relatively low in general, poplar and hemp seem very promising for phytoremediation of soil containing PAHs from fertilization with biomass ash. We found that the removal efficiency of poplar could be improved through extended use over different vegetation periods. Innovation points include the identification of specific PAH removal efficiencies by different fast-growing plants, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of poplar and hemp in fly bioash-treated soils. The practical implications of this research suggest that integrating these plants into agricultural practices could enhance soil remediation while simultaneously serving as bioenergy crops, thereby providing a sustainable solution for managing soil PAH contamination.

Safety Analysis of Agricultural Implement for Mulching and Soil Covering

In recent years, the increasing use of mulching in agricultural practices has been driven by its benefits in weed suppression, soil moisture retention, and improved soil structure. However, Korean farms typically perform mulching and soil covering separately, leading to excessive labor requirements. To address this issue, this study analyzes the safety of a newly developed mulching and soil covering machine. To evaluate its structural safety, strain gauges were attached to critical points of the machine, and strain data were collected under various Power Take-Off (PTO) and engine speed conditions. The measured strain was converted into von Mises stress and maximum shear stress, and the safety factor was calculated using the maximum shear stress theory and the strain energy theory. Additionally, fatigue life was predicted using the rainflow counting method, the Goodman equation, and Palmgren–Miner’s rule. The results indicate that the safety factor ranged from 1.65 to 16.54 based on the maximum shear stress theory and 2.42 to 19.83 based on the strain energy theory, confirming that the machine can withstand operational loads without failure. Furthermore, fatigue life prediction revealed that the lowest estimated fatigue life is 14,575 h, equivalent to approximately 607 years of continuous use. These findings demonstrate that the developed machine possesses high safety, making it a viable solution for improving efficiency in mulching and soil covering operations.

Cytochrome P450 Enzyme-Mediated Enantioselective Biotransformation of Chiral Fungicide Tebuconazole in Earthworm.

Tebuconazole is widely used in agricultural practices, leading to elevated residue levels in agricultural soils. However, its biotransformation and the ecotoxicological effects of the corresponding transformation products (TPs) remain insufficiently explored. To fill this research gap, the TPs of tebuconazole in an earthworm-soil system were identified by UHPLC-QTOF/MS combined with UHPLC-QLiT/MS. Six chiral TPs were tentatively identified, with four TPs detected in both earthworms and soil, while two TPs were found exclusively in earthworm. Significant enantioselectivity was observed for tebuconazole and five TPs in earthworms, involving cytochrome P450 enzyme-mediated hydroxylation and dechlorination. In vitro metabolism experiments using earthworm microsomes revealed that CYP1A2, CYP2J2, and CYP2E1 were involved in the hydroxylation pathway of tebuconazole. Molecular docking results confirmed that S-(+)-tebuconazole produced more hydroxylated transformation products than R-(-)-tebuconazole due to its lower binding energy with these enzymes. Predictions from the ECOSAR model indicated that hydroxylation was the most significant transformation pathway for reducing the toxicity of tebuconazole. These findings provide valuable insights into the environmental fate and risk assessment of tebuconazole at the enantiomeric level.

Comparative transcriptome and genome analysis between susceptible Zhefang rice variety Diantun 502 and its resistance variety Diantun 506 upon Magnaporthe oryzae infection

BackgroundRice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is the most severe and devastating disease in rice results in serious losses worldwide. Based on this, the interaction between rice and M. oryzae has been studied extensively for decades, but the pathogen always has a negative effect on the new and emerging rice varieties.ResultsThe present study employed comparative transcriptome strand-specific RNA sequencing and genome approaches of Diantun rice susceptible (D502) and resistance (D506) lines (leaves) in the presence of blast fungus, M. oryzae. Overall differential expression genes (DEGs) displayed 5838 and 3719 DEGs in D502 and D506, respectively 24hpi, however, the expression of DEGs in the former line was 5113, and in later line it was 4794 after 48hpi. Interestingly, only 2493 and 2418 DEGs were similar at both time hour points in both lines, respectively. Among DEGs, mostly exhibited down-regulated expression only in D502 major pathways, including plant hormones signal transduction and starch and sucrose metabolism at both time hours, suggesting susceptibility D502 on upon pathogen infection. Additionally, protein-protein interaction network analysis based on DEGs was performed between both varieties to find possible connections and increase interaction network complexity at 24h to 48h in D506, that might result in resistance to M. oryzae. We found many up and down-regulated DEGs only in D506 after pathogen infection, which might have a significant role in PTI and ETI immunity response. Next, through genomic analysis, different non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) were identified between both D502 and D506 rice varieties. Here, four up-regulated genes, including WAK1, WAK4, WAK5, and OsDja9 harboring nsSNPs were found only in resistant D506 variety. Following alignment of open reading frame (ORF) region sequences revealed that the exonic SNPs lead the amino acid variation.ConclusionOur study proved that SNPs in these four genes were related to providing resistance in D506 line upon pathogen infection. In summary, we conclude that above-targeted rice defense and resistance genes identified through gene transcripts and modern genomic approaches could help us provide robust rice breeding and agricultural practices in future.

Unravelling the dynamics of rainfall patterns in Bihar, India: A comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis.

Climate change, resulting from anthropogenic activities, poses a substantial global challenge, inducing discernible shifts in hydro-climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, river discharge, and extreme weather events. Its implications extend to India's natural resources and agricultural sectors. This research rigorously examines the long-term spatial and temporal changes in rainfall patterns in Bihar, India, utilising high-resolution daily rainfall gridded data from the India Meteorological Department, which includes data from a total of 133 grid points. Coefficient variation analysis reveals low monsoon and annual rainfall variability but substantial variations in the pre-monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter seasons, indicating pronounced changes in Bihar's precipitation patterns. Trend analysis offers nuanced insights, using Modified Mann-Kendall (MMK) and Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA). Pre-monsoon rainfall exhibits a statistically significant increasing trend (Z = 3.252), with an annual increment of 0.748mm. In contrast, a persistent decline characterises monsoon (Z = - 0.598), post-monsoon (Z = - 0.112), winter (Z = - 0.297), and annual (Z = - 0.219) precipitation patterns over 72years. Change point analysis identifies pivotal shifts in 1982 (annual), 2007 (monsoon), 2012 (pre-monsoon), 1954 (post-monsoon), and 1997 (winter). Spatial-temporal analysis indicates regional shifts post-1982, with maximum annual rainfall significantly decreasing from 2769 to 2453mm. The findings underscore the necessity to reassess water resource management, employing diverse analytical approaches for robust climate adaptation, resource planning, and disaster preparedness. This research enhances the scientific understanding of long-term climate dynamics, offering insights into sustainable practices in Bihar's agriculture and environmental ecosystems.

Advantages and disadvantages of oil palm-ruminant integration system and potential knowledge gaps for improvement

Abstract This review critically examines the integration of ruminant livestock with oil palm cultivation, using the PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal) framework to analyse the factors influencing its adoption and implementation. Crop-livestock integration, a climate-smart agriculture strategy, offers the potential to reduce dependency on chemical herbicides, improve sustainability, and address global vegetable oil production challenges. The review spans literature from 1995 to 2024, identifying critical barriers and opportunities. Political factors include the absence of coherent policies and lack of incentives to promote adoption. Economic analyses reveal significant cost reductions and income diversification potential, though initial investments pose challenges. Social considerations highlight benefits like enhanced rural livelihoods and food security but resistance to change and limited technical expertise remain issues. Technological advancements, including GPS-based fencing, manure management innovations, and analytical models such as stocking density optimisation and metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) techniques, play a crucial role in enhancing system efficiency and sustainability. These tools contribute to better decision making by aligning stocking density with palm growth stages, thereby optimising forage availability and nutrient recycling. However, accessibility to such innovations remains a challenge for many stakeholders. Environmental benefits include improved soil health, reduced herbicide use, and nutrient recycling; however, challenges like worm eggs in manure and cattle grazing aversion near manure patches need to be addressed. Legal factors indicate the need for more transparent regulations and sustainability standards to facilitate integration. This review provides actionable insights into overcoming adoption barriers and bridging knowledge gaps through interdisciplinary research, supportive policies, and stakeholder collaboration. By addressing these PESTEL dimensions, integrating oil palm cultivation with ruminant livestock farming offers a promising pathway to align agricultural practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Empowering Precise Crop Recommendation System by Accompanying Tree Covariance Matrix-Parallel Random Forest Classifier

Transformation in crop management systems, particularly in creating an environment that gives rise to sustainable farming, is achieved due to innovation and the advancement of modernized agricultural technology. Anyhow, meeting the increasing food demand is one of the great challenges that stand in front of the farmers. By taking into account, factors like soil, climate, and seasonality, the crop recommendation system plays a central role in providing customized guidance to the farmers. Current crop recommendation models are often confined by a paucity of feature selection, spatial-temporal integration shortfalls, and a finite amount of decision-tree diversity. All these shortfalls retrain their scalability and accuracy. To overcome the aforementioned blocks, an innovative framework is projected that includes the Best Incremental Random Subset (BIRS) feature selection method for choosing the best features and the Parallel Random Forest (PRF) -Tree Covariance Matrix model (PRF-TCM) encourages decision-tree diversity, permitting more accurate and efficient crop recommendations. Experimental results reveal that the proposed framework outperforms existing models with accuracy (89.7), precision (88.6), and recall (87.5). The framework shows significant improvements over current models, responsible for more viable agricultural practices.

Enhancing precision agriculture through cloud based transformative crop recommendation model

Modern agriculture relies more on technology to boost food production. It aims to improve both the quality and quantity of food. This paper introduces a novel TCRM (Transformative Crop Recommendation Model). It uses advanced machine learning and cloud platforms to give personalized crop recommendations. Unlike traditional methods, TCRM uses real-time data. It includes environmental and agronomic factors to optimize recommendations. The system has SMS alerts for remote farmers. It outperforms baseline algorithms like Logistic Regression, KNN(k-nearest neighbor), and AdaBoost. TCRM empowers farmers with actionable insights, reducing resource wastage while boosting yield. By offering region-specific recommendations, it enhances profitability and promotes sustainable agricultural practices. The model has 94% accuracy, 94.46% precision, and 94% recall. Its F1 score is 93.97%. The fivefold cross-validation score is 97.67%. These findings show that the model can improve precision farming. It can make agriculture more sustainable and efficient.

Enhancing bread wheat resilience to cadmium and drought stress: insights from physiological, morphological, and transcriptomic responses to biochar and 24-epibrassinolide application

Drought and cadmium (Cd) stress threaten sustainable crop production, highlighting the need for resilent agricultural practices. Individual application of biochar (BC) and brassinosteroids (24-epibrassinolide; EBL) can mitigate drought and Cd stress. However, their synergistic effects on alleviating drought and Cd stress at transcriptomic level in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) remain underexplored. This study investigated the combined impact of BC (B0 = 0% w/w and B1 = 5% w/w) and EBL (H0 = control and H1 = 10–6 M) on wheat physiology, biomass, and digital gene expression under Cd (30 ppm) and drought stress (D0 = 75% water holding capacity (WHC) and D1 = 35% WHC). Drought and Cd stress significantly reduced biomass and photosynthetic activity while increasing oxidative stress and Cd uptake. However, the combined application of BC and EBL treatments showed notable improvements: root fresh biomass, leaf area, and shoot fresh biomass were increased by 39.41%, 66.49%, and 78.25% under D0 and by 48.24%, 63.76%, and 73.49% under D1, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, Cd uptake by wheat leaves decreased by 71.42% under D0 and 184.10% under D1 with BC and EBL combined application. Transcriptome analysis identified 6,174 differentially expressed genes linked to detoxification, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and stress responses. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses highlighted metabolic processes and catalytic functions. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed key modules for stress adaptation, including secondary metabolite biosynthesis and signaling pathways. Transcription factor profiling showed upregulation of AP2/ERF, MYB, and WRKY families in the combined BC and EBL treatments. qPCR validation of RNA-seq data confirmed significant changes in gene expression, with the nitrate transporter and photosystem II CP47 exhibiting increased expression levels by 53.60% and 29.66%, respectively, under BC + EBL treatment at optimal moisture, and 53.38% and 48.82% under drought stress. In contrast, heavy metal transporter genes PMPCB and YCF1 were downregulated, which correlated with a reduction in Cd uptake. Interestingly, the regression analysis demonstrated that Cd concentration in leaves negatively correlated with (dehydrin-/LEA group) and (cadmium tolerance factor). Overall, this study confirms that combining BC and EBL effectively mitigates Cd stress in drought-affected wheat, enhancing growth and resilience.Graphical abstract

Noncoding RNAs as Tools for Advancing Translational Biology in Plants.

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), once considered the "dark matter" of the genome, have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression in plants. Research initially focused on model organisms has laid the groundwork for harnessing the potential of ncRNAs in agriculture, particularly for crop protection, improvement and modulation. This review explores the role of long and small ncRNAs in plant biology, highlighting their application as powerful tools in agricultural biotechnology. We examine the latest strategies for ncRNA expression and delivery in crops, including transgenic and non-transgenic approaches, as well as emerging technologies that enable precise and efficient modulation of gene activity in plants and pathogens. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in the regulation of RNA-based products, addressing the challenges and opportunities for integrating these innovations into sustainable agricultural practices. As the regulatory landscape evolves, understanding the safety, efficacy, and environmental impact of ncRNA-based technologies will be crucial for their successful deployment. By leveraging the advances in plant science research, long and small ncRNAs hold promise for designing highly specific tools to boost crop productivity while preserving genetic diversity, contributing to global food security and sustainable agriculture.

Degradation of Glyphosate to Benign N‐Formyl Glycine Using MOF‐808 Nanocrystals

AbstractGlyphosate (N‐phosphonomethyl glycine, GPh) is an industrial herbicide used worldwide in modern agricultural practices. With the growing concerns regarding cumulative environmental and health effects, pathways for catalytic GPh degradation to benign products are becoming a pressing societal need. This report demonstrates that Zr‐based metal–organic framework (MOF‐808) with different crystal sizes and designed defect sites can be employed as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the complete degradation of GPh at room temperature. Importantly, the degradation mechanism produces N‐formyl glycine and hydroxymethyl‐phosphonate, which are largely innocuous chemicals, especially when compared to more common GPh degradation products. Nanocrystalline MOF‐808 (nMOF‐808) exhibits enhanced reactivity than larger MOF‐808 crystals, attributed to the higher coordination of hydroxyl and water molecules to the secondary building units (SBU) as determined using a range of X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) techniques. These studies indicate that the crystal size‐dependency in GPh degradation is related to structural modifications on coordinative unsaturated Zr site that promote the fast exchange of weakly bonded ligands. Taken together, this study demonstrates that GPh degradation can be optimized through ligand field tuning in MOFs, which can help improve overall reactivity while also pushing the reaction toward desirable, nontoxic products.

Factors influencing heavy metal contamination in black pepper fields: a randomized study of the traditional chemical fertilized black pepper fields of South India concerning soil types.

Despite the prevalence of heavy metal contamination in crop fields, targeted studies examining how factors like soil type affect contamination in chemically fertilized fields are scarce. This study assessed heavy metal contamination in Kerala's traditional black pepper fields, focusing on soil types-both soil order and series-and cultivation practices. We collected 266 soil samples from 70 diverse black pepper fields across five districts, which were categorized into 39 composite samples representing 13 soil series from two soil orders based on standard previous studies. Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry, we quantitatively measured nine heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) along with macronutrients (Mg and Ca). We analyzed heavy metal indices, including contamination factor, geo-accumulation index, pollution load index (PLI), and human health risk assessment, and explored correlations between heavy metals and soil nutrient parameters. It indicated that Cd, Zn, Cr, Pb, and Cu were the contaminants in the region's black pepper soils, while Fe and Mn levels were within natural limits. The PLI > 1 indicated significant contamination across both soil orders and most soil series. Mg levels were significantly higher (p > 0.05) in chemicalized fields, but Ca was undetectable in most samples, except from the Paippara series. Notable correlations were found between heavy metals and soil fertility parameters. This study underscores the extent of heavy metal contamination in black pepper fields relative to soil types and emphasizes the need for tailored soil fertility amendments and pesticide applications to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Evaluation of teff production in Ethiopia using water footprint analysis for food security

Achieving Sustainable Development goal (SDG)2; Zero Hunger by 2030 in Africa requires reconsidering the challenges of food security in relation to several factors including agricultural practices and water availability. Teff crop plays a significant role in Ethiopia but the yield is low due to rain-fed production practices. The water footprint (WF) concept provides a useful perspective on the dependency of crops on precipitation, revealing the need for irrigation. So, WF analysis of teff production can help farmers to increase the yield and maintain water efficiency. In this study, the green and blue water footprints of teff production in Ethiopia were estimated for 2019/2020 season using the CROPWAT 8.0 and CLIMWAT 2.0 models. The results show that WFgreen is dominant with a value of 1170 m3 ton-1 in Tigray region to 1481 m3 ton-1 in SNNPR region. On the other hand, the WFblue varied significantly from 264 m3 ton-1 in Amhara to 1022 m3 ton-1 in Tigray, respectively, indicating the need for irrigation since water requirement is much higher than the effective precipitation. The economic water productivity of teff was found to be 0.68 USD m-3, which is higher than other crops such as maize. Given the potential impact of climate change and droughts, this study suggests increasing water allocation to teff production and implementing appropriate irrigation practices at a national level. Integrating water footprint analysis into river basin-level water allocation plans would be beneficial for sustainable water resource management and food security.

Assessing the Economic Burden of Black Pod Disease and Cherelle Wilt on Cocoa Farmers in Nigeria

Cocoa is a highly valuable global crop, but about 20-25% of its yield is lost to pests and diseases. This study evaluated the economic impact of premature pod loss on cocoa production in Ibadan, Nigeria, using a demonstration plot at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria. Data was collected from August to October 2022, focusing on healthy pods, black pods, cherelles, and cherelle wilt. The analysis, conducted with descriptive statistics and cost analysis using STATA 12, revealed that 2595 pods were healthy, and 562 pods were infected within a 481.17m² area. The total cost for uninfected pods per hectare was ₦3,625,600, while the cost for infected pods was ₦785,600. Black pod disease caused the loss of 562 pods on the 481.17m² plot and 12,266 pods on a one-hectare area, translating to a total loss of ₦785,600 per hectare. This resulted in a 22% loss of cocoa pods, with 82% surviving. It was estimated that 2266 kg of dried cocoa beans would survive per hectare, while 491 kg could be lost to black pod disease. In total, 18% of cocoa beans were expected to be lost due to black pod disease. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing good agricultural practices to reduce the occurrence of black pod disease and minimize its impact on cocoa production.

Impact of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Health and Yield of Mungbean: A Review

Sustainable agriculture is increasingly recognized as a vital strategy to combat soil pollution and degradation, particularly in the face of climate change. This review highlights Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) as an effective approach that combines both inorganic and organic fertilizers to enhance soil health and boost crop productivity. Key components of INM, including Nano DAP, vermiwash, vermicompost and traditional fertilizers, have been examined for their impact on mungbean growth and yield. The integration of these fertilizers not only improves soil fertility but also enhances nutrient uptake, which is crucial for adapting to fluctuating climate conditions. By fostering a balance between organic and inorganic inputs, INM supports sustainable agricultural practices that can mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on food security. To determine the “Impact of integrated nutrient management (nano dap, vermiwash, vermicompost and inorganic fertilizer) on soil health and mungbean yield,” 41 research papers were examined. This particular review paper read and explained the results from all the reviews. In conclusion, adopting INM strategies represents a promising path forward for sustainable agriculture. These practices not only promote high crop productivity but also contribute to long-term soil health, thereby addressing the challenges posed by climate change and soil degradation. As we move forward, the continued exploration and implementation of INM can play a pivotal role in creating resilient agricultural systems that ensure food security while preserving our environmental resources for future generations. By investing in such sustainable practices, we can pave the way for a more sustainable and productive agricultural landscape.

Optimizing Irrigation with Solar Energy: Implementation of the Photovoltaic Integrated Control System (PICS)

In Bangladesh, agricultural yields heavily depend on groundwater and traditional irrigation methods, creating dire water scarcity problems and energy inefficiency. The Photovoltaic Integrated Control System (PICS) has been developed as part of this research work to address this issue. As a sustainable irrigation model, the PICS optimizes resource consumption via renewable energy integration and intelligent automation using a quantitative and qualitative approach. The design of PICS is based on photovoltaic panels, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology, and fuzzy logic controllers, which means adjusting directly to weather conditions, soil moisture, temperature, and reservoir levels. Experimental results presented in the paper show that the PICS system saves up to 28.4 percent of water during operation and 53.56 percent in motor power consumption compared with the existing alternatives. These results underscore the potential for the model to aid in resolving groundwater depletion and enhancing energy efficiency. Additionally, integrating solar energy into the PICS enhances sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By combining renewable energy with automation, PICS offers farmers an innovative and transformative approach to irrigation, enabling more efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Its scalability and adaptability across diverse environments, along with its ability to mitigate climate-related challenges and optimize resource utilization, position it as a highly promising solution for advancing agricultural sustainability on a global scale.

Smart Farming Equipment Rental System

Agriculture is a labour-intensive sector, requiring a lot of machinery for agriculture. These machines are able to finish tasks in agriculture considerably quicker. The various types of machinery used in agriculture include tractors, harvesting tools, tillage tools and other farming equipment. However, these machineries and tools are priced very expensive and are not affordable by all farmers. The high purchase and maintenance cost leads to high demand for renting these machineries. The Smart Farm Equipment Rental Platform is an innovative approach to address the challenges faced by small and medium scale farmers. By providing a systematic and reachable system for renting high-cost farming equipment or machineries, the platform breaks the gap between farmers and equipment owners. It enables efficient resource utilization, reduces costs and helps in promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Equipment owners will also be able to utilise their resource instead of keeping the resources unutilised. This platform also helps the farmers that invested a huge amount on this equipment to utilise their resource and generate an additional income. This platform helps farmers to rent equipment and cut the additional expenses.

The Role of FT/TFL1 Clades and Their Hormonal Interactions to Modulate Plant Architecture and Flowering Time in Perennial Crops

Human nutrition is inherently associated with the cultivation of vegetables, grains, and fruits, underscoring the critical need to understand and manipulate the balance between vegetative and reproductive development in plants. Despite the vast diversity within the plant kingdom, these developmental processes share conserved and interconnected pathways among angiosperms, predominantly involving age, vernalization, gibberellin, temperature, photoperiod, and autonomous pathways. These pathways interact with environmental cues and orchestrate the transition from vegetative growth to reproductive stages. Related to this, there are two key genes belonging to the same Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins family (PEBP), the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1), which activate and repress the floral initiation, respectively, in different plant species. They compete for transcription factors such as FLOWERING LOCUS D (FD) and 14-3-3 to form floral activation complexes (FAC) and floral repression complexes (FRC). The FT/TFL1 mechanism plays a pivotal role in meristem differentiation, determining developmental outcomes as determinate or indeterminate. This review aims to explore the roles of FT and TFL1 in plant architecture and floral induction of annual and perennial species, together with their interactions with plant hormones. In this context, we propose that plant development can be modulated by the response of FT and/or TFL1 to plant growth regulators (PGRs), which emerge as potential tools for mitigating the adverse effects of environmental changes on plant reproductive processes. Thus, understanding these mechanisms is crucial to address the challenges of agricultural practices, especially in the face of climate change.