Amount Of Arable Land Research Articles

Isolation, Identification, and Application of Endophytic Fungi from Lavandula stoechas L.: Mitigating Salinity Stress in Hydroponic Winter Cereal Fodder

Soil and irrigation water salinity is a growing global problem affecting farmland, due to poor agricultural practices and climate change, leading to reduced crop yields. Given the limited amount of arable land and the need to boost production, hydroponic systems offer a viable solution. Additionally, endophytic fungi have been shown to mitigate salinity effects through symbiosis with plants. This study evaluated three endophytic fungi isolated from Lavandula stoechas L. in the grasslands of Extremadura (i.e., Diplodia corticola L11, Leptobacillium leptobactrum L15, and Cladosporium cladosporioides L16) for their ability to improve hydroponic forage production under saline conditions. In vitro experiments were conducted assessing plant growth promotion and fungal growth under salinity, followed by research evaluating the impact of fungal inoculation on hydroponic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) forages irrigated with NaCl solutions (0, 100, and 200 mM). The results showed improved fungal growth and production of plant growth-promoting substances, which could explain the improved plant germination, shoot and root length, fresh and dry weight, and yield of inoculated plants growing under salinity. Plants inoculated with L15 or L16 showed the best performance overall. L15 demonstrated broader bioactivity in vitro, potentially explaining its superior performance in both wheat and barley growth. Conversely, L16 was more effective in barley, while L11 was beneficial in wheat but detrimental in barley. This study provides a preliminary exploration of the capabilities of these fungi and their optimization for hydroponic forage production.

Solubilization of K and P nutrients from coal gangue by Bacillus velezensis.

Coal gangue piles not only occupy significant amounts of arable land but also cause serious environmental pollution. Therefore, finding sustainable methods for the clean utilization of CG is imperative. Although previous studies have shown that bacteria can promote the solubilization of available phosphorus and available potassium from CG, their impact on promoting plant growth remains understudied. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate the potential of Bacillus velezensis in enhancing the effectiveness of CG as a mineral fertilizer to support alfalfa growth. The evidence presented in this study provides an ecological strategy for the utilization of CG.

The impact of land use change on food security under the background of rapid urbanization - a case study of Xiamen city

Abstract China has undergone a long period of rapid urbanization from 2000 to 2020, resulted in huge conversion of arable land into built-up areas. This situation has raised concerns regarding food security, including issues like reduced food supply and challenges to achieving food self-sufficiency, particularly in certain regions and during special period. To address these issues, this study focuses on Xiamen, a rapidly urbanizing coastal city in China, and examined both the food supply and demand. On hand of the supply, this study mainly analyzed the attributes of the food availability, indicators like the food production (FP) of the ecosystem service value (ESV), per capita grain production, imports and exports along with food price were calculated. The findings revealed a significant expansion of built-up areas in Xiamen, mostly at the expense of arable land. The declining arable land coupled with population growth due to rapid urbanization contributed to a decrease in per capita grain production, drop to 6 kg in 2018, which is merely 1% of China’s average. A comparison of per capita grain production across various regions, as well as changes in China’s grain import and export, highlighted a notable discrepancy between urbanization rates and food security in Xiamen. It has become challenging for Xiamen to rely on outside for sustained food import. Therefore, it is imperative for Xiamen to implement a range of measures and policy interventions to ensure a certain level of food self-sufficiency and protect basic arable land.

Biochar modulates the antioxidant system and hormonal signaling in tobacco under continuous-cropping conditions

ABSTRACT As an important economic crop, tobacco faces the common challenges of continuous cropping due to the limited amount of arable land. Biochar has certain preventive and control effects on continuous cropping obstacles and can improve crop yield and quality. This study aims to explore the regulation of the antioxidant system and hormone signaling in tobacco under continuous cropping conditions by biochar. We studied the impact of biochar (Nicotiana tabacum LJ911 and LY101) on plant physiological functions and transcriptomes of tobacco under continuous cropping conditions. The results showed that biochar regulates photosynthetic gas exchange parameters in both tobacco varieties. Biochar significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the leaves of both tobacco varieties under continuous-cropping conditions. Additionally, biochar up-regulated endogenous abscisic acid, auxin, and jasmonic acid in the leaves of both tobacco varieties, with higher levels observed in LY101 than in LJ911. Through Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), it was found that the tobacco antioxidant system and hormones showed a significant response. Biochar improved photosynthetic efficiency, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and promoted tobacco growth through hormone synthesis and signaling. In summary, biochar application can serve as a promising strategy to mitigate the challenges associated with continuous cropping in tobacco cultivation.

An Analysis of Challenges Facing Smallholder Crop Farmers and Informal Food Traders in the Agri-Food Value Chain in Gauteng Province, South Africa

The study's main objective was to investigate the challenges faced by smallholder crop farmers and informal food traders in the agri-food value chain in Gauteng province. A sample of 32 smallholder crop farmers and 32 informal food traders was gathered using questionnaire surveys. The different challenges identified have negatively influenced the progress and development of these actors. For example, COVID-19 lockdown regulations have destroyed the trading jobs of informal food traders, directly affecting smallholder crop farmers' income. This was because informal food traders were identified as the major customers for smallholder crop farmers, as indicated by the study data. Other challenges faced by smallholder crop farmers included a small amount of arable land, lack of grower schemes, regulatory barriers, lack of agricultural management skills and extension services, and lack of credit facilities and resources. As part of the recommendations for the smallholder crop farmers, it was proposed that the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development should improve policies on the reaction and management of shocks like COVID-19 in the economy to protect the vulnerable groups in society. Additional recommendations included addressing gender disparity in the smallholder crop farming sector as males dominated the agricultural sector; introducing easy eligibility criteria for micro-loan applications by DFIs to enable smallholder crop farmers to access loans; and the proposal for extensive arable land to aid smallholder crop farmers to expand and grow in their business trajectory. For the informal food traders, it was recommended that the municipal authority improve the by-laws that govern how informal food traders are treated.

OPTIMIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN CHERKASY REGION THROUGH ALTERNATIVE FARMING SYSTEMS

In recent years, much attention has been paid to preserving soil fertility and preventing soil degradation, driven by public interest in the environment and growing awareness of the role of soil cover in ensuring environmental and food security in any country. A negative consequence of anthropogenic impact is the deterioration of the ecological function of soils in the ecosystem. There are processes of compaction and disruption of water, air and nutrient regimes. The goal of article is to soil erosion is the main destabilizing factor of the ecological situation in the agricultural landscapes of Cherkasy region, and this publication is aimed at studying it. To determine the qualitative characteristic of the soil cover, namely the actual state of water erosion, the erodibility coefficient (CEr) and data on the distribution of eroded soils by gradations of erodibility are used. The soil erosion coefficient is calculated as a weighted average for each soil based on the coefficients (non-eroded - 1; slightly eroded - 1.2; medium eroded - 1.4; highly eroded - 1.6), which indicate a corresponding decrease in fertility compared to the full profile soil. The erodibility coefficient, together with the data on the distribution of eroded soils by gradations of erodibility, is used as an important qualitative characteristic of the soil cover. Agricultural land occupies about 70% of Ukraine's territory, which is more than 60 million hectares. Overdevelopment of agriculture and a large amount of arable land are the main environmental problems associated with agriculture. The average plowed area reaches 70%, and 90% in Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, Kherson, Kirovohrad, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The article describes the negative effects of water erosion on agricultural landscapes of Cherkasy region. The definition of the qualitative characteristics of the soil cover, namely the actual state of erosion processes using the erodibility coefficient, is given.

Modelling the exiting of South African producers from commercial agricultural production – an agent-based model

ABSTRACT This paper explores the prospects of commercial producers who would be willing to exit voluntarily in the near future to make land available in the market. In addition, it also considers what factors are restricting the acceleration of this rate of exit from a land-supply perspective with respect to barriers to exit. The prospect of structural change from such acceleration is also explored using three scenarios. An agent-based mathematical model is used to implement the three scenarios. This model is constructed from a dataset of 450 commercial producers across South Africa. The results suggest that a reasonable amount of arable land could be available for redistribution, with only modest structural change regarding animal production, despite drastic alterations in veld. These results provide some guidelines on how assistance for struggling producers can make land available for efficient producers, which could make the sector stronger. All potential exiting commercial producers have common reasons for doing so, which could be used to initiate a positively inclined, structured discussion on land supply.

Isolation and Characterisation of Culturable Thermophilic Cyanobacteria from Perak Hot Springs and their Plant Growth Promoting Properties Effects on Rice Seedlings (Oryza sativa L.).

Malaysia is home to a number of hot springs that are rich in microbial diversity including the photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Although this microbial community has been characterised based on metagenomics approach, the culturable thermophilic isolates have not been isolated and characterised extensively. Compared to the mesophiles, information on plant growth promoting (PGP) properties of these thermophiles remain largely untapped. As the amount of arable land for microbial bioprospecting is decreasing due to extensive human activities, the search for alternative source for microbial strains with PGP properties is important for the development of potential biofertilisers. This study sought to isolate and characterise culturable cyanobacteria strains from two local hot springs - Sungai Klah (SK) and Lubuk Timah (LT) located in Perak using morphological and molecular methods. The IAA production from the axenic cultures were measured. The PGP properties were also measured by priming the rice seeds with cyanobacterial water extracts. A total of six strains were isolated from both hot springs. Strains LTM and LTW from LT were identified as Leptolyngbya sp. whereas strains SEM, SEH, STH and STM were identified as Thermosynechococcus elongatus. All six strains produced IAA ranged from 670.10 pg/μL to 2010 pg/μL. The water extracts were found to increase the seed amylase activity of the rice seeds from 5th day of germination (DAG) to 10th DAG. In general, the IAA production and increased seed amylase activity might have contributed in enhancing the longest root length, shoot length and root-to-shoot (RS) ratio. To conclude, the thermophilic cyanobacteria from hot springs can be further exploited as a novel source of PGP microbes for the development of biofertilsers.

The influencing factors underlying the vicious ecological vulnerability-low productivity-poverty cycle in China and overcoming its related policies

There is often a vicious cycle that occurs in China encompassing ecological vulnerability, low productivity, and poverty. Existing research has not applied multiagent modelling and simulation (MAMS), which is a method suitable for analysing such complex systems. Therefore, the MAMS is here used to explore potential strategies for breaking this cycle. The MAMS method is based on complex adaptive systems and computer programs, and it includes both theoretical and simulation models, which can be used to simulate different scenarios and obtain visualized results. To sample representative poverty-stricken areas in China, the authors designed five breakthrough policy scenarios. The simulation results of these scenarios indicate that increasing the amount of arable land decreases the number of poor people. However, increasing the direct interventions of government does not reduce the number of the poor, nor does it change the Gini coefficient. On the other hand, increasing the number and variety of poverty alleviation opportunities available to the poor leads to a decrease in both the number of poor people and the Gini coefficient. These results of our five scenarios indicate that the optimal policy portfolio could be obtained by increasing the amount of arable land and providing more varied opportunities to help the poor participate in market activities while reducing direct government intervention. The combined design of these policies is conducive to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty.

Using the Reserves of Macro and Microelements from the Soil by Means of Mycorrhizae

Farmers and Agricultural Experts are Under Pressure to Increase Crop Yield Due to the Rising Demand for Food and the Shrinking Amount of Arable Land. To Increase Agricultural Output, This Has Resulted in an Overuse of Chemical Pesticides and Fertilizers. The Symbiotic Relationship between Rooted Plants and Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (Am) is one of the Earliest Known Symbiotic Relationships in Nature. About 80% of the Species of Terrestrial Plants are colonized by A Fungus Called Arbuscular Mycorrhiza. In Exchange For Carbon Sources, These Plants Take Nutrients from the Earth and Transfer Them to Hosts Plants. Indeed, Am Fungi Play a Significant Role in Sustainable Agriculture by Protecting Plants From Biotic and Abiotic Stressors. Due to the Negative Effects of Chemical-Based Fertilizers, the Am Fungi are Crucial for Biofertilizers Because of These Characteristics.

Change of urban and rural construction land and driving factors of arable land occupation.

Under the background of global urbanization, the continuous expansion and extensive utilization of urban and rural construction land has caused a large amount of arable land to be occupied, which seriously threatens national food security. This paper describes the spatio-temporal patterns of urban and rural construction land expansion and its occupation of arable land by using the urban and rural construction land expansion intensity, the urban and rural construction land expansion intensity difference index, and geo-detector model. It also explores the mechanisms through which the arable land was occupied. Results showed that construction land in both urban and rural areas expanded over the period 2009-2018 despite a large number of rural and urban migrants, and the major contributor to the rapid urbanization in China. This dual expansion could mainly be attributed to the tendency of these migrants to keep or even enlarge their rural construction land, which also resulted in a severer arable land loss than that caused by the expansion of urban construction land. Second, the rate of arable land occupied by urban and rural construction land in Henan province has been gradually slowing down, whereas the expansion of rural construction land is most dependent on arable land occupation. Third, according to the geo-detector model, the relationship between urbanization level and arable land occupied by urban and rural construction was the strongest, followed by the growth rate of fixed asset investment and the proportion of secondary and tertiary industries in GDP.

Maize/Peanut Intercropping Reduces Carbon Footprint Size and Improves Net Ecosystem Economic Benefits in the Huang-Huai-Hai Region: A Four-Year Study

The dual challenges of global climate change and reductions in the amount of arable land represent growing threats to the stability of global human populations. Efforts to further optimize cropping systems to maximize yields while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions in limited land areas have thus emerged as a focus in modern agriculture. Cereal-intercropping management strategies may represent a promising approach to simultaneously addressing both of these challenges in China. We aimed at comprehensively assessing changes in yield, carbon footprint, and net ecosystem economic benefit when transitioning from maize/peanut monoculture to intercropping in a field-scale study in an effort to aid in the development of low-carbon intercropping systems that do not have an adverse impact on Chinese grain yields. Beginning in June of 2018, a randomized complete block design with three treatments was used to initiate this study: (1) peanut monoculture (P), (2) maize monoculture (M), and (3) maize/peanut intercropping (MP). We compared yield, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon footprint and net ecosystem economic benefit. Results over four years showed that the land equivalent ratio associated with MP was greater than 1. All three of these cropping systems were net CO2 and N2O sources as well as net CH4 sinks, with MP generating significantly (p < 0.05) lower N2O and CO2 flux as well as smaller seasonal N2O and CO2 emissions relative to M. MP additionally reduced the carbon footprint associated with this cropping system by 11.11–31.65% and 30.37–43.62% relative to M and P, respectively. Consistently, MP treatment resulted in respective 70.69% and 26.25% net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB) increases relative to the M and P conditions while simultaneously enhancing energy use efficiency. In summary, MP systems have potential economic benefit with lower environmental risk alternative to traditional peanut or maize monocropping systems. Converting from peanut or maize monocropping systems to MP systems practices contributed to improved farmland use efficiency, clean production and increased farmers’ income in an agricultural system.

Habitat quality assessment based on InVEST model - Zhengzhou, China

Human activities and global urbanisation have affected the integrity and continuity of ecological land, and resulted in the fragmentation of natural habitats and worldwide ecological security issues. Some ecological functions of landscape patches have been degraded or even lost. We need to study the impact of land use changes on natural habitats that are caused by urbanisation. As the research area, we selected Zhengzhou, a city in central China that has undergone rapid urbanisation in the early 21st century. By using the InVEST-habitat quality model and ArcGIS geographical analysis, we evaluated changes in land use and habitat quality in Zhengzhou from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: The area of construction land increased sharply by 806.76km2 from 2000 to 2010, while during 2010-2020 the growth rate slowed to 33km2 per year, and most of it was converted from arable land. The area of forest and grassland was also greatly reduced in 2000-2010, but did not change significantly in 2010-2020. This indicates that urban expansion gradually shifted from the acceleration of 2000-2010 to a period of stability in 2010-2020, and construction land has taken over a large amount of arable land. Habitat quality was higher in the mountain forests to the west and the south, while the low habitat quality areas in the eastern plain gradually expanded with the development of urban construction. The Yellow River, the most important river in China, was also negatively affected by urbanisation in the north of Zhengzhou, but its habitat quality gradually improved during 2010-2020. In the central urban area, habitat quality was improved in some places due to the creation of green spaces and artificial lakes in recent years, and also through with the improved maintenance of green spaces. However, it is worth continuing to explore whether artificial lakes and large-scale green spaces are the optimal solutions to improve habitat quality. In the future, we will be able to seek the best cost-effective ecological protection methods in terms of economic investment and ecological benefits.

ANTHROPOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF AGSUCHAY

Aim: The purpose of the research is to determine the transformation characteristics of the forest ecosystems of the Agsuchay basin of the Greater Caucasus and to analyze the results of anthropogenic effects. The methodological basis For the study of anthropogenic effects in forests there were used satellite images, scientific literature and the results of observations in experimental areas. Results: The article analyzes the initial state of forest ecosystems in the upper reaches of the Agsuchay and the subsequent anthropogenic transformation. The causes, directions and consequences of anthropogenic transformation of forest ecosystems in the research areas are shown. Due to the mountainous nature of the study area (750-2200 m a.s.l.), the trees formed here have very important tree species in terms of composition. As a result of anthropogenic transformation, the formation, development and gradual expansion of landslides on bare slopes as a result of deforestation and destruction. Scientific novelty: The obtained scientific results can be used to prevent the transformation of forests and restore the forest cover in the study area. As a result of anthropogenic transformation, deforestation and deforestation, landslides were formed, developed and gradually spread on bare slopes. At the same time, the directions and dynamics of anthropogenic transformation are reflected in the altitudinal belts. On the plains of the Agsuchay basin, forests are cut down mainly for the construction of farms and public catering establishments, and in mountainous areas, forests are cut down for firewood. Grazing in forests also leads to the drying up and destruction of forests. At the same time, this area has been inhabited since ancient times due to its geographical location, climate, water and land resources. Over time, large cities were formed here. As the population grew, the economy expanded, the number of livestock increased, and the anthropogenic impact also increased. People who thought about increasing their income by increasing the amount of arable land and pastures and increasing the number of livestock did not take into account the natural landscape of the area. They began to use it blindly, unplanned and intensively.

Evolution and Ecological Implications of Land Development and Conservation Patterns on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau serves as an important ecological security shelter in China and across Asia. During the past two decades, the patterns of land development and conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have undergone significant changes under the impacts of global climate change and human expansion. This paper analyzes the evolution of land development and conservation patterns and potential ecological implications on the Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020 based on urbanization, agricultural and pastoral patterns with multi-source data, such as long-term time series land use data, ecological indices, environmental pollution, and population and economics. It was found that: (1) Coinciding with the agglomeration of population and economy, the urban development pattern on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has spatial-temporal differentiation. Urban development in the 2010s was more significant than that in the 2000s, with the intensity increased by 63.31%, and the development pattern varies spatially, which can be seen from the finding that central Tibet (the Yarlung Tsangpo, Lhasa river, and Nyangchu basins) and Huangshui River Basin in Qinghai Province were developed in a planar pattern, while other node cities and border towns in a dotted pattern. (2) The agricultural production pattern is relatively stable, the grain yields have increased by 34.68% in the past 20 years, but the total amount of arable land is shrinking, and the degree of fragmentation has increased. The pattern of pastoralism has changed greatly, showing a migration trend from west to east spatially, and there is a serious problem of pasture overload, with an increase of 18.4% in livestock products. Regardless of the pattern of urbanization or agricultural and livestock development, the intensity of human activities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has shown an intensified trend in the past. (3) It shows that Lhasa City area and the middle and lower reaches of Huangshui show a trend of diffusion of atmospheric and water environmental pollution. The western part of the Ali region and the northern foothills of the Himalayas and other regions, under the combined impact of climate change and human activities, have undergone significant ecological degradation. Accordingly, this paper proposes policy recommendations for optimizing production and living space, advancing the establishment of national park clusters and nature reserve systems, and the integrated recovery of mountain, water, forest, lake, grass, sand, and ice with ecological value achievement.

Identifying the contradiction between the cultivated land fragmentation and the construction land expansion from the perspective of urban-rural differences

Land use contradictions and conflicts between arable and construction land areas have long been major topics in the field of land use research. However, few studies have explored the impact of differences in development between urban and rural areas on the amount and landscape level of arable land. In this study, two decades of data were combined to classify the Yangtze River Delta mega-city cluster area, where urbanization has been evident in China, into urban and rural areas. Based on this, we analyzed the differences in the changes in the amount of arable land caused by the expansion of urban and rural construction land. In this study, a comprehensive framework of arable land fragmentation indicators was constructed and the geographically weighted regression model was introduced to detect spatial and temporal dynamic change patterns of arable land fragmentation caused by different urbanization processes in urban and rural areas. The results show the following: (a) The expansion of urban and rural construction land caused arable land loss, and both contributed non-negligibly to arable land loss. (b) The distribution of the arable land fragmentation index showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, and its low-value area corresponded to a lower level of urban/rural construction land development. However, its high-value area did not show a stable dependence on the level of urban/rural construction land development. (c) Changes in urban and rural built-up land were the driving factors for changes in the degree of arable land fragmentation. In general, the expansion of the urban fringe increased the fragmentation of arable land, and the intensive expansion of urban centers curbed the fragmentation of arable land. However, rural construction land exhibited a stronger and more widespread impact than urban areas as a whole. This study contributes new ideas for arable land conservation policies under the growing mechanization of agriculture, especially in areas with large differences in development between urban and rural areas. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for rational planning of construction land in rural areas. The results of this study can provide references for urban-rural development planning, rural revitalization, and implementation of arable land protection.

Urban Agriculture: Potential to Rehabilitate Spaces and Edifices Without Use and its Contribution to the Sustainable City

The world's urban population is on a constant growth, which generates food supplying issues. Other than this, the common agricultural practice causes pressure on the natural ecosystems, for it requires a great amount of arable land. In a near future, there won't be enough land available for plantations in the rural area to meet the needs of an urban population that is on an exponential growth. Therefore, this research has the objective to understand how urban agriculture aids the sustainable city, and how it can contribute to the requalification of unused buildings and spaces throughout the cities. The methodology adopted has a qualitative theoretical approach, based on the revision of existing bibliography related to the theme, such as Dickson Despommier's theoretical concept of vertical farm, and Toyoki Kozai's practical studies on the same matter. As part of the research, study cases will be mentioned regarding the use of urban agriculture in vacant spaces, with the purpose that these will give a new meaning for obsolete spaces and buildings that exist in the urban perimeter. A solution for this problem is to produce perishable food inside the cities, which is known as urban agriculture. Results demonstrate that urban agriculture has a fundamental role regarding city's sustainable growth worldwide. As a conclusion, urban agriculture on top of buildings is the most prominent solution to give use to unutilized spaces in the cities.

Spring waters as an indicator of nitrate and pesticide pollution of rural watercourses from nonpoint sources: results of repeated monitoring campaigns since the early 2000s in the low mountain landscape of Saarland, Germany

BackgroundSpring waters, which are fed mainly by near-surface groundwater, provide a comprehensive picture of emissions of nitrate and other pollutants caused by the type and intensity of land use in the topographic catchment area. One aim of this study was to develop a model for predicting the contribution of nonpoint-source inputs to the nitrate load of small- and medium-sized watercourses based on the type of agricultural use in the catchment areas.MethodsFifty-five springs in the German Land Saarland and the adjacent Rhineland-Palatinate were monitored for pollutants during three monitoring periods of at least 12 months between 2000 and 2019. The catchment areas are representative of the natural regions in the study area and are outside the influence of settlements and other developments. In addition to nitrate and other physicochemical parameters, 25 agriculturally impacted springs were screened for pesticides and their metabolites.ResultsSince the first measurements were taken in 2000, the vast majority of agriculturally impacted springs have consistently exhibited high nitrate concentrations of between 20 and 40 mg/L NO3−. Springs not influenced by agriculture contained an average of 3.6 mg/L nitrate. The extreme values observed in the early 2000s decreased to the limit value of 50 mg/L, but most of the springs with moderate levels exhibited an increase to approximately 30 mg/L. The number of pesticidal agents detected in the spring waters demonstrated a clear correlation with the watershed’s amount of arable land and the nitrate content detected. Moreover, we found a highly significant correlation between nitrate content and the share of cropland in the catchment area. From this, we derived a regression model that could be used to quantify the share of nitrate pollution attributable to nonpoint-source inputs for larger catchments in the region under investigation.ConclusionNitrate discharged from farmland has not decreased since the European Water Framework Directive (EU WFD) entered into force. At the historically extremely heavily polluted sites, measures have been implemented that have led to compliance with the limit value of the Nitrate Directive. However, below this limit, nitrate levels have increased significantly almost everywhere in the last two decades. We therefore recommend introducing stricter requirements for official water pollution control, such as the marine ecological target value.

Partial replacement of soybean meal with Chlorella vulgaris in broiler diets influences performance and improves breast meat quality and fatty acid composition

Alternative feed ingredients, such as microalgae, may be more sustainable in comparison to conventional feedstuffs that need large amounts of arable land and are often imported. This study evaluates the effects of Chlorella vulgaris various inclusion levels in the diet of broiler chickens on performance, carcass yield, organ measurements, breast meat quality, fatty acids profile, and antioxidant capacity. A total of two hundred forty 5 d old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly allotted to 4 groups (6 replicates of 10 birds each). Each group received either a control diet or a diet where soybean meal was replaced with 10% (CV10%), 15% (CV15%), or 20% C. vulgaris for 40 d. Performance parameters, carcass and meat traits were evaluated. Compared to the control group, birds supplemented with C. vulgaris (15% and 20%) had lower body weight, weight gain, and feed intake (P < 0.0001), whereas no differences were observed between the control and CV10% groups (P > 0.05). Feed conversion ratio did not differ between control and CV groups. Diets containing C. vulgaris significantly increased ileal digesta viscosity, weight and size of several gastrointestinal compartments, as well as breast muscle yield (P < 0.0001). Incorporation of C. vulgaris resulted in yellower breast muscle (P < 0.0001), with significantly increased chlorophyll a (P < 0.05), chlorophyll b, and total carotenoids contents (P < 0.0001). Inclusion of C. vulgaris decreased bacterial count in meat samples in comparison to controls (P < 0.0001). A 20% C. vulgaris inclusion resulted in higher water holding capacity (P < 0.05) and lower cooking loss (P < 0.05). As dietary C. vulgaris increased, concentrations of DHA + EPA (P < 0.05) and n-3 PUFA (P < 0.0001) increased in breast meat, while the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio decreased (P < 0.0001). Sensory analysis showed that breast meat from the CV10% group had the highest acceptance score. Overall, dietary concentrations of C. vulgaris of up to 20% improve breast meat quality, whereas 10% of C. vulgaris inclusion is recommended.

Sustainable Approach to Weed Management: The Role of Precision Weed Management

In the last few decades, the increase in the world’s population has created a need to produce more food, generating, consequently, greater pressure on agricultural production. In addition, problems related to climate change, water scarcity or decreasing amounts of arable land have serious implications for farming sustainability. Weeds can affect food production in agricultural systems, decreasing the product quality and productivity due to the competition for natural resources. On the other hand, weeds can also be considered to be valuable indicators of biodiversity because of their role in providing ecosystem services. In this sense, there is a need to carry out an effective and sustainable weed management process, integrating the various control methods (i.e., cultural, mechanical and chemical) in a harmonious way, without harming the entire agrarian ecosystem. Thus, intensive mechanization and herbicide use should be avoided. Herbicide resistance in some weed biotypes is a major concern today and must be tackled. On the other hand, the recent development of weed control technologies can promote higher levels of food production, lower the amount of inputs needed and reduce environmental damage, invariably bringing us closer to more sustainable agricultural systems. In this paper, we review the most common conventional and non-conventional weed control strategies from a sustainability perspective, highlighting the application of the precision and automated weed control technologies associated with precision weed management (PWM).