Decline In Production Research Articles

Growth Response of Cocoa Seedlings (Theobroma cacao L.) in several Combinations of Planting Media and Trichoderma sp. as Biological Fertilizer

Indonesia is the third largest cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) producing country in the world. In 2019 cocoa production in Lampung was 58,852 tons with a plantation area of 79,356 ha, in 2020 it was 58,623 tons with an area of 79,469 ha and in 2021 58,414 tons with an area of 77,174 ha. One of the reasons for this decline in production is plant pest organisms (OPT), namely fruit rot disease caused by the pathogen Pytophthora palmivora. Use of Trichoderma sp. can increase plant resistance and growth and act as a biological controller outside and inside the soil. The research was carried out on the grounds of the Lampung State Polytechnic from August to November 2023. This research aims to determine the effect of planting media and administration of Trichoderma sp. on the growth of cocoa seedlings. The method used was a Randomized Block Design (RAK) with 4 treatments and 4 replications so that there were 16 experimental units. Treatment P0 consisted of: Top Soil (Control), P1 Top Soil + Compost Fertilizer (2:1), P2 Top Soil + Trichoderma sp. (50:1), P3 Top Soil + Compost + Trichoderma sp. (50:25:1). The results of the research on treatments P3, P2 and P1 affected plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter. The P3 treatment showed the best results for the variables plant height 39.50 cm, number of leaves 21.58 and leaf area 37.79 cm2. Treatment P2 showed the best results for the stem diameter variable of 0.66 cm.

Exploring the impact of exogenous melatonin on agro-morphological characteristics, carvacrol, and rosmarinic acid production in Satureja rechingeri Jamzad under drought stress

Satureja rechingeri Jamzad (known as “Jatra” in Persian), which belongs to the Lamiaceae family, is a rich source of essential oil particularly carvacrol, and rosmarinic acid. Drought stress has a detrimental impact on the physiological and biochemical parameters of plants, leading to a decline in plant productivity. Melatonin (MT), a new plant growth regulator found abundantly in plants, has been found to enhance the plant's internal resistance to various environmental stresses. The present study aimed to examine the impact of exogenously applied MT on the agro-morphological, physio-biochemical, and phytochemical traits of S. rechingeri plants cultivated under different levels of drought stress. The results indicated that plants treated with 200 µM MT obtained the highest plant height, length and width of leaf, fresh, dry and drug weight under different drought stress levels. The highest values of relative water content (RWC) (93.5%) and chlorophyll content (15.4 mg/g FW) were recorded by MT 200 µM and 100 µM, respectively, in 100% FC. Drought stress treatments (40, 60, and 80% FC) without foliar spray of MT significantly enhanced the H2O2 content, electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde content in leaves, whereas MT treatment under drought stress significantly decreased the above parameters. The lowest H2O2 content (11.5 nmol/g), electrolyte leakage (3.08%), and malondialdehyde content (0.78 µM/g) were obtained by 200 µM MT at 100% FC. In contrast, drought stress treatment increased the total phenol content (TPC), rosmarinic acid (RA), essential oils (EOs) content and yield, and carvacrol. The maximum values of TPC (28.1 mg GAE/g DW), EOs content (3.63%) and yield (0.96%), and carvacrol (95.66%) were achieved by 200 µM MT at 40% FC. The highest RA content (7.43 mg GAE/g DW) was recorded in 100 µM MT at 40% FC. Thus, foliar spray MT has the potential to enhance plant growth through the mitigation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative harm, as well as the augmentation of photosynthesis pigments, secondary metabolites such as phenolics, EOs levels, overall antioxidant scavenging capacity, and the preservation of RWC during periods of drought stress.Graphical

How can information and communication technologies influence farmers’ agricultural income and labor productivity? Micro evidence from China

ABSTRACT Based on a panel data from the National Rural Fixed Point Survey of China, this study explored the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on agricultural income and labour productivity of Chinese farmers using fixed effects models and two-stage least square estimations. The results indicate that the deployment of mobile 3 G led to a reduction in both farmers’ agricultural income and agricultural net income by CNY 560.64 and 331.2, respectively, because ICTs prompted farmers to engage in off-farm employment, thereby allocating less time and input to farming activities. Village access to Internet and 3 G increased farmers’ labour productivity, measured by agricultural net income per day, with increments of CNY 2.09 and 11.15, respectively. ICTs also decreased farmers’ grain production, production cost, fertilizer use, and increased grain productivity. Furthermore, ICTs exhibited a spill-over effect, with non-users in Internet-connected villages demonstrating higher labour productivity compared to those in villages without Internet access. These results imply that agricultural labour productivity can be enhanced by employing ICTs for China and countries with small-scale farms. Nonetheless, greater attention should be paid to the potential trade-offs between the income growth facilitated by ICTs in rural out-migration and the decline in agricultural income and grain production.

The unprincipled principal: how Romania’s inconsistent research reform impacted scientific output

This study employs the synthetic control method to assess the effects of Romania’s 2016 research reforms on the nation’s research output. Prior reforms were unstable and led to persistent deviations from international publication practices, where a disproportionate share of national research was published in national journals and subsequently in conference proceedings. The 2016 reforms, which introduced rigorous publication quotas and criteria, including reduced emphasis on conference proceedings, were notably stable. However, these reforms coincided with a consistent reduction in research funding. To understand the impact of the tension between increased publication demands and reduced research funding, the study analysed changes in research output distribution before and after the reform, focusing on total scientific output, conference proceedings, and articles published in MDPI and non-MDPI journals. The results revealed a significant decline in overall scientific production following the intervention. This decrease can be attributed to two key factors. First, the shift away from conference proceedings was not fully compensated for by the increase in articles published in MDPI journals. Second, there was also a decline in the articles published in non-MDPI journals.

Farmers’ adaptation to climate change in Southern Issyk-Kul

Agriculture is a key sector for people’s livelihoods in Kyrgyzstan, which highlights the role of local people’s perceptions of agricultural practices and optimisation of land use management. The purpose of this study was to assess the understanding of land use practices by local residents in four districts of the Southern Issyk-Kul. The level of awareness of sectoral issues was investigated by randomly selected farmers. The study found that modern farmers are aware of the existing problems and their contribution to the decline in agricultural productivity and increased vulnerability to environmental change. It was generalised that the solution of the problem under study requires practical interaction between government agencies and farmers aimed at providing the necessary information and resources for adaptation to climate-oriented agricultural practices. The potential of innovative precision farming technologies in the context of the studied issues was analysed. An important problem of the lack of a mechanism for the exchange of agricultural knowledge between farmers was identified, as it is difficult for them to determine where and from whom to gain experience. It was substantiated that the integration of agricultural consulting elements into the environment of farm operation has the potential to significantly stimulate the positive dynamics of agricultural development. Such an approach would allow for the most accurate selection of optimisation measures, which would affect the economic efficiency and environmental performance of farming. The practical value of the results of the study is seen in the possibility of using them to mitigate the process of adaptation of agricultural production in developing countries to inevitable climate change

On Developing a Machine Learning-Based Approach for the Automatic Characterization of Behavioral Phenotypes for Dairy Cows Relevant to Thermotolerance

The United States is predicted to experience an annual decline in milk production due to heat stress of 1.4 and 1.9 kg/day by the 2050s and 2080s, with economic losses of USD 1.7 billion and USD 2.2 billion, respectively, despite current cooling efforts implemented by the dairy industry. The ability of cattle to withstand heat (i.e., thermotolerance) can be influenced by physiological and behavioral factors, even though the factors contributing to thermoregulation are heritable, and cows vary in their behavioral repertoire. The current methods to gauge cow behaviors are lacking in precision and scalability. This paper presents an approach leveraging various machine learning (ML) (e.g., CNN and YOLOv8) and computer vision (e.g., Video Processing and Annotation) techniques aimed at quantifying key behavioral indicators, specifically drinking frequency and brush use- behaviors. These behaviors, while challenging to quantify using traditional methods, offer profound insights into the autonomic nervous system function and an individual cow’s coping mechanisms under heat stress. The developed approach provides an opportunity to quantify these difficult-to-measure drinking and brush use behaviors of dairy cows milked in a robotic milking system. This approach will open up a better opportunity for ranchers to make informed decisions that could mitigate the adverse effects of heat stress. It will also expedite data collection regarding dairy cow behavioral phenotypes. Finally, the developed system is evaluated using different performance metrics, including classification accuracy. It is found that the YoloV8 and CNN models achieved a classification accuracy of 93% and 96% for object detection and classification, respectively.

Assessing molecular genetic and immunological predictors of COVID-19 course in healthcare worker risk group

Relevance. Studying features of innate and adaptive mechanisms of immune response in medical workers (MW), the most vulnerable social group with a high risk of infection, is an urgent research task. The aim of the study: Comprehensive study of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms and analyzing relationships between clinically significant polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR2, TLR4 genes, TLR2 expression level on peripheral blood monocytes, peripheral blood cytokine profile (IL-1β, IL-10, IL-6, IFNγ, platelet activation marker) and SARS-CoV-2-specific humoral immune response in medical workers (MW) at a temporary infectious disease hospital in early and late COVID-19 convalescence. Materials and methods. immunologic, cytofluorimetric and molecular-genetic research methods were applied. Adaptive immune response in medical workers — COVID-19 convalescent subjects. Results. Early post-COVID-19 convalescence period in MW was linked to higher TLR2 monocyte expression; the mean fluorescence intensity was significantly elevated by 1.5-fold compared to control group. Late convalescence period (7 months post-COVID-19) was characterized by lowered serum IFNγ level. A decline in IFNγ production was significant: decreased by 82-fold in MR that was markedly stronger compared to control group (59 times). The imbalance of cytokines controlling antiviral innate and adaptive immune response was revealed in MW with identified combination of polymorphisms rs5743708 and rs4986790 in TLR2, TLR4 genes with the rate not exceeding 6.7%. It was found that 7 months after COVID-19 there was a markedly decreased IFNγ, IL-1β and IL-10 levels. The studies indicate both altered innate and adaptive immune mechanisms and a need to optimize therapeutic and prophylactic measures aimed at increasing patient-intrinsic resistance, protection of respiratory tract mucosal barriers and identification of genetic predictors of defects in innate and adaptive immune response in medical workers — COVID-19 convalescent subjects.

Enhancing Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Productivity and Biochemical Traits: A Comparison of Straw Mulch and Polythene Mulch Under Prolonged Salinity Stress

ABSTRACTThe escalating population growth has spurred a demand for increased oilseed production, necessitating urgent attention. However, the expansion of saline‐affected regions posed a significant obstacle to maintain peanut productivity in these areas. Thus, to tackle the productivity decline in saline‐affected regions, we investigated whether substituting polythene mulch with straw mulch, as part of an agronomic management strategy, could mitigate the rapid decrease in peanut productivity. Three mulching methods (control, polythene mulch and straw mulch) were employed to cultivate the crop (cv. TG 37A) under salinity levels of 0.5, 2, 4 and 6 dS m−1. As salinity levels increased, there was a notable decrease in germination percentage, growth, yield and biochemical characteristics, including pod and haulm yields were reported. Despite salinity reduced free amino acids and oil content, it exhibited significant increase in protein and sugar content. Saline irrigation water led to a reduction in pod yield, haulm yield and oil content by 24.67%, 23.84% and 5.07%, respectively, at a salinity level of 6.0 dS m−1 compared to the control with 0.5 dS m−1 salinity. Moreover, straw mulching resulted in a boost in pod yield, haulm yield and oil content by 30.09%, 4.83% and 1.75%, respectively, compared to the control. The reduction in pod yield and oil content under the interaction of mulching and salinity was 46.44% and 6.87% at M0S6, 21.42% and 4.44% at M1S6, and 7.55% and 3.87% at M2S6 compared to M0S0, M1S0 and M2S0, respectively. A similar trend was also observed in 100‐pod weight, 100‐kernel weight and shelling percentage. Accordingly, it was concluded that the declining trend in all attributes under straw mulching at various salinity levels surpassed polythene mulching, ensuring superior peanut production under salinity stress conditions.

Effects and mechanisms of armed conflict on agricultural production: Spatial evidence from terrorist violence in Burkina Faso

AbstractExtensive studies have been conducted on the link between armed conflict and agricultural production. However, the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. A better understanding of these mechanisms could unpack the subsequent effects of conflict‐induced food and welfare shortages, as well as identify promising policy interventions. We study the effects of terrorist violence on household agricultural production in Burkina Faso and explore the underlying mechanisms. To achieve this, we combine nationally representative five‐year panel data on plots and households with spatial conflict data. Our analysis reveals negative and significant effects of terrorist violence on agricultural productivity and total output. Despite reducing cereal crop output, increased intensity of terrorist violence is significantly associated with higher production of cash crops, which require fewer inputs in Burkina Faso. Further investigations uncover that the decline in household agricultural productivity results from a significant decrease in the number of farming plots, land size, and short‐term production investments, including chemical fertilisers and pesticides. These findings remain robust across various alternative empirical specifications and measures of violence, offering insights that can help policymakers faced with similarly scaled armed conflict. For instance, ensuring a secure environment and providing reliable access to essential production inputs, such as chemical fertilisers and pesticides, can help support conflict‐affected household agricultural production during and after the violence periods.

Quality seed production scenario of Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) in India: A 24-year retrospective analysis

Egyptian clover/Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) is the most popular winter leguminous multi-cut fodder crop widely cultivated in the northwest and central parts of India. Quality seed significantly impacts farm productivity, farmers’ profitability, and socioeconomic welfare. Foundation and certified seeds enable high-quality seed production, making breeder seed (BS) the most important link in the seed supply chain. In India, berseem BS indent had increased from 1998 - 99 to 2012–13; afterwards, it followed a constant but decreasing trend. Of the 27 notified cultivars, 24 came into the seed supply chain between 1998–1999 and 2021–2022, indicating high varietal availability to stakeholders. The study examines the potential causes of the national decline in BS indent and production and the differences in these figures over time. The highest BS indent was received for the variety JB-1 (276.1 q), followed by BL-10 (205.1 q), Mescavi (165.6 q) and Wardan (153.7 q) from 1998 - 99 to 2021–22. The varietal replacement rate (VRR) is high, 43.30 %, for the varieties that have reached the age of five or less in the recent three years (2019–20 to 2021–22). Additionally, it has been calculated that if the seed chain operates at 100 % efficiency, the BS generated (48.1q) in 2021–22 can cover an area of almost 0.12 million hectares in 2024–25. The study offers an in-depth overview of berseem BS indent and production, an analysis of the difficulties encountered in BS production, and future directions for expanding variety and producing excess BS in the nation.

Social impact of brain fog and analysis of risk factors: Long COVID in Japanese population.

To reveal the clinical features and assess risk factors linked to brain fog and its societal implications, including labor productivity, providing valuable insights for the future care of individuals who have experienced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We analyzed a comprehensive cohort dataset comprising 1,009 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Japanese hospitals. To assess brain fog, we analyzed patients who responded to a questionnaire indicating symptoms such as memory impairment and poor concentration. The prevalence of brain fog symptoms decreased 3 months posthospitalization but remained stable up to 12 months. Neurological symptoms such as taste and smell disorders and numbness at hospitalization correlated with a higher frequency of identifying brain fog as a long COVID manifestation. Our findings indicated that advanced age, female sex, a high body mass index, oxygen required during hospitalization, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and elevated C-reactive protein and elevated D-dimer levels were risk factors in patients exhibiting brain fog. Additionally, we demonstrated the negative impact of brain fog on labor productivity by presenteeism scores. This study clarified the clinical characteristics of patients experiencing brain fog as a long COVID manifestation, specifically emphasizing neurological symptoms during hospitalization and their correlation with brain fog. Additionally, the study identified associated risk factors for its onset and revealed that the emergence of brain fog was linked to a decline in labor productivity.

Breeding of local white glutinous corn (Zea mays ceratina L.) with multigamma irradiation methods to obtain superior mutant cultivars

This study aims to enhance local white glutinous corn through breeding with multigamma irradiation to develop high-yielding varieties that are resilient to extreme weather, drought stress, and pests. The research addresses the significant decline in white sticky corn production due to adverse conditions and a lack of superior seeds. Methods included observation, sampling, irradiation at 3000 rads for 30 minutes, and rigorous selection processes. The results showed that the newly developed corn varieties adapted well to harsh conditions and exhibited a substantial increase in production, averaging 12.16 tonnes per hectare compared to the parent variety's 7.15 tonnes per hectare, reflecting a 41.20% production increase. This method significantly outperformed conventional breeding techniques, which yielded between 2.50 and 3.21 tonnes per hectare.

Mitigasi Penyebab Risiko Usahatani Kopi Arabika (Studi Kasus pada Kelompok Tani Hutan Giri Senang, Kampung Legok Nyenang, Kecamatan Cilengkrang, Kabupaten Bandung)

The Giri Senang Forest Farmer Group (KTH) has experienced a significant decline in arabica coffee production over the past few years. This indicates the existence of risks that need to be addressed immediately. The research was conducted with the aim of identifying the causes of risks in arabica coffee farming, understanding the mitigation actions that have been taken by KTH Giri Senang, and proposing mitigation actions that can be implemented to overcome these problems. The research was carried out using descriptive qualitative analysis with a case study research technique. The causes of risk were identified using a Fishbone Diagram and analyzed with the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) method. Based on the results of the research, there are 7 priority risk causes out of 26 total causes: unfavorable weather, leaf rust disease, insufficient or excessive rainfall, leaf spot disease, coffee berry borer pests, weather changes due to the La Nina-El Nino phenomenon, and lack of pruning. Mitigation actions that have been taken include making a holding pond, using pesticides, traps, pest control agents, harvesting spoils, and sanitation to eradicate pests and diseases, as well as forming a Pest Control Team. Proposed mitigation actions that can be implemented include organizing agricultural insurance, subsidizing insurance premiums, making holes or roraks, switching to organic farming, using spare harvest bags, collaborating with educational or research institutions, holding discussion forums for farmers, and creating video tutorials and educational content as alternative extension activities.

Mineral and fluid transformation of hydraulically fractured shale: case study of Caney Shale in Southern Oklahoma

This study explores the geochemical reactions that can cause permeability loss in hydraulically fractured reservoirs. The experiments involved the reaction of powdered-rock samples with produced brines in batch reactor system at temperature of 95 °C and atmospheric pressure for 7-days and 30-days respectively. Results show changes in mineralogy and chemistry of rock and fluid samples respectively, therefore confirming chemical reactions between the two during the experiments. The mineralogical changes of the rock included decreases of pyrite and feldspar content, whilst carbonate and illite content showed an initial stability and increase respectively before decreasing. Results from analyses of post-reaction fluids generally corroborate the results obtained from mineralogical analyses. Integrating the results obtained from both rocks and fluids reveal a complex trend of reactions between rock and fluid samples which is summarized as follows. Dissolution of pyrite by oxygenated fluid causes transient and localized acidity which triggers the dissolution of feldspar, carbonates, and other minerals susceptible to dissolution under acidic conditions. The dissolution of minerals releases high concentrations of ions, some of which subsequently precipitate secondary minerals. On the field scale, the formation of secondary minerals in the pores and flow paths of hydrocarbons can cause significant reduction in the permeability of the reservoir, which will culminate in rapid productivity decline. This study provides an understanding of the geochemical rock–fluid reactions that impact long term permeability of shale reservoirs.

Soil quality enhancement by multi-treatment in the abandoned land of dry-hot river valley hydropower station construction area under karst desertification environment.

The medium-intensity karst desertification environment is typically characterized by more rocks and less soil. The abandoned land in the construction areas of the dry-hot river valley hydropower station has more infertile soil, severe land degradation, and very low land productivity. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the soil quality to curb the increasingly degrading land and reuse the construction site. Few studies have focused on the effect of soil restoration and comprehensive evaluation of soil quality with multi-treatment in abandoned land in the dry-hot valley hydropower station construction area. Here, 9 soil restoration measures and 1 control group were installed at the Guangzhao Hydropower Station construction in Guizhou Province, China, for physical and chemical property analysis. In total, 180 physical and 90 chemical soil samples were collected on three occasions in May, August, and December 2022. Soil fertility and quality were evaluated under various measures using membership functions and principal component analysis (PCA). This study showed that almost all measures could enhance soil water storage capacity (The average total soil porosity of 9 soil treatments was 57.56%, while that of the control group was 56.37%). With the increase in soil porosity, soil evaporation became stronger, and soil water content decreased. Nevertheless, no decrease in soil water content was observed in the presence of vegetation cover (soil water content: 16.46% of hairy vetch, 13.99% of clover, 13.77% of the control). They also proved that manure, synthetic fertilizer, and straw could promote total and available nutrients (Soil total nutrient content, or the total content of TN、TP、TK,was presented as: synthetic fertilizer (11.039g kg-2)>fowl manure (10.953g kg-2)>maize straw (10.560g kg-2)>control (9.580g kg-2);Total available nutrient content in soil, or the total content of AN,AP,A,was shown as:fowl manure (1287.670 mg kg-1)>synthetic fertilizer (925.889 mg kg-1)>sheep manure (825.979 mg kg-1)>control (445.486 mg kg-1). They could also promote soil fertility, among which the first two reached the higher comprehensive soil quality. Fertilizer was conducive to improve soil quality and fertility, yet long-term application could cause land degradation like soil non-point source pollution, compaction, and land productivity decline. Ultimately, combining fertilizer with biochar or manure is recommended to improve soil fertility. Biochar and green manure could play an apparent role in soil improvement only when there is abundant soil water. The above views provide theoretical support for curbing soil degradation, improving soil fertility and quality, enhancing land productivity, and promoting the virtuous cycle of the soil ecosystem.

Sustaining mental health amidst high-pressure job scenarios: a narrative review

Today’s fast-paced world presents with increased work-related demands and pressures. These pressures may overwhelm an individual’s coping ability. From recognizing the signs of stress to implementing proactive measures for self-care, we embark on a journey to promote resilience and a healthy equilibrium between professional aspirations and mental well-being. Maintaining mental health and well-being is essential to living a healthy life even in high-pressure professional contexts. Nursing is one of the most challenging and demanding professions and use their psychological and emotional resources in service of their patients as well as navigating through the ups and downs of their own lives. Workplace stress has the potential to adversely impact both the physical and mental well-being of individuals, leading to a decline in job productivity through heightened stress levels. This leaves the professionals depleted and drained. Through this article, the author tries to highlight major stressors related to nursing and some practical coping measures.

House Prices and Misallocation: The Impact of the Collateral Channel on Productivity

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of local house price booms on capital misallocation within industries. Using the geographical variation provided by the Spanish housing boom (2003–7), we show that firms exposed to positive local house price shocks received more bank credit and their investment grew more when they had a higher proportion of real estate assets. This collateral channel results in an increasing dispersion of the capital-labour ratio within industries. A counterfactual calculation suggests that the capital misallocation generated by this channel can account for around 40% of the total factor productivity decline experienced by the Spanish economy during the housing boom.

Nutrient dynamics study and yield optimization for soybean through integrated nutrient and weed management

Soybean production faces many constraints with several factors, such as biotic and abiotic factors, and the crop management practices where inadequate nutrient management leads to a decline in production potential of the crop. Among the biotic factors, exploitation of resources by weeds not only causes a decline in production but also decreases the crop quality. Managing the weeds during the critical period of crop weed competition plays outstanding role in maximizing soybean production. In order to study the influence of integrated nutrient and weed management on nutrient dynamics and yield optimization of soybean an experiment was conducted in Split Plot Design with three nutrient management treatments in main plot {100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), 75% RDF + 25% N through farmyard manure (FYM) + Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and 50% RDF + Rhizobium + PSB} and five weed management treatments in the sub-plot (Hand weeding at 15, 30 and 45 DAS, Mechanical weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 PE fb Hand weeding at 30 DAS, Propaquizafop @ 0.075 kg a.i. ha−1 PoE fb Hand weeding at 45 DAS, and Weedy check as control). The results indicated that application of 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PSB recorded the highest seed yield, nutrient content in seed and uptake of N, P, K, and S in the seed and stover, microbial population, and soil nutrient status. Highest partial factor productivity was recorded under 50% RDF + Rhizobium + PSB. Under weed management, hand weeding recorded the highest growth, yield attributes and nutrient content, but was found to be at par with Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 PE fb Hand weeding at 30 DAS and Propaquizafop @ 0.075 kg a.i. ha−1 PoE fb Hand weeding at 45 DAS. Application of 75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PSB and pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. ha−1 fb hand weeding at 30 DAS proves to be an effective strategy for soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted at the experimental farm of School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema, India.

Optimization of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization for enhanced forage production and quality of Festuca Krylovianacv. Huanhu artificial grassland in alpine regions

Artificial grasslands of F. kryloviana in the region surrounding Qinghai Lake have been observed to a decline in productivity following three years of establishment. Traditional fertilization practices, aimed at maintaining ecological balance, have predominantly focused on the application of phosphorus. However, it remains unclear whether phosphorus fertilizers offer a superior advantage over nitrogen fertilizers in sustaining productivity. Consequently, from 2017 to 2019, we conducted an experimental to assess the impact of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on forage yield and quality. We designed with four levels of phosphorus and two levels of nitrogen, resulting in eight distinct fertilizer combinations. Our experimental findings indicate that the degradation of artificial grasslands leads to a shift in the allocation pattern of aboveground biomass. There was a respective decrease of 68.2 % and 62.5 % in the biomass proportions of stems and ears, contrasted by a greater than 200 % increase in the biomass proportion of leaves. The application of nitrogen not only elevated the total aboveground biomass but also promoted a preferential allocation of biomass to stems and leaves, consequently enhancing the forage's crude protein content. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased aboveground biomass, and crude protein content by 63.21 %, and 6 %, respectively. Phosphorus fertilization's impact varied annually but favored the distribution of biomass to stems and ears. The net photosynthetic rate improved by over 53.12 % with fertilizer application, although the differences among treatments were not statistically significant. The balanced application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers significantly bolstered the aboveground biomass, ear biomass, stem biomass, leaf biomass, and crude protein content in varying years by 17.25 %–209.83 %, 34.7 %–438.9 %, 25.5 %–250.2 %, 18.4 %–133.3 %, and 10.21 %–25.62 %, respectively. Our analysis revealed that nitrogen-only fertilization exhibited the most optimal fertilizer use efficiency and economic returns. In conclusion, nitrogen fertilization is crucial for sustaining the productivity and quality of F. kryloviana artificial grasslands. The local practice of 75 kg ha−1 phosphorus fertilizer is detrimental to the maintenance of productivity in F. kryloviana artificial grasslands. This study offers valuable insights into the optimization of fertilization strategies for sustainable forage production within alpine regions.

Tracing Holocene temperatures and human impact in a Greenlandic Lake: Novel insights from hyperspectral imaging and lipid biomarkers

Global warming particularly impacts terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the Arctic. To constrain the sensitivity of Arctic lakes and make meaningful predictions about future change under global warming, we need to examine their response to previous warm phases. Lake sediments from Greenland's deglaciated area offer valuable archives to investigate past climate variability and associated lake changes.Here, we applied hyperspectral imaging and lipid biomarker thermometry to a Holocene-length sediment record from Lake 578 in the Eastern Settlement of the Norse (61.08° N, 45.62° W; ∼155 m a.s.l) to investigate local temperature, productivity, and anoxia histories. We calibrated branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) with summer mean water temperatures (SMWT) using a previously published site-specific calibration and analyzed pigment fluxes based on hyperspectral imaging. Notably, the anoxia reconstructions were corroborated with two independent proxies (GDGT-0/Crenarchaeol and bacterio pheophytins). We investigated the lake's environmental history and identified periods of significant change by employing generalized additive models (GAMs).Our results reveal significant transitions in Lake 578 driven both by natural climate shifts and anthropogenic impacts. During the early Holocene, low SMWT and productivity coupled with high anoxia suggest strong seasonality and prolonged inverted thermal stratification, possibly enhanced by extended ice cover. The mid-Holocene showed higher SMWT and productivity along with low anoxia, indicating a dimictic lake system. The early Holocene temperature rise lagged that of to the Northern Hemisphere, but closely followed the Atlantic-Fennoscandian stack. The Holocene Thermal Maximum (7.5–4.5 cal ka BP) aligns with other regional reconstructions. After 3 cal ka BP, we observed a Neoglacial cooling characterized by increased anoxia and reduced temperatures due to enhanced stratification. At around 1.0 cal ka BP, Lake 578 saw a surge in productivity and anoxia, which we attribute to land use and lake damming by the Norse. Despite a post-Norse decline in productivity and disappearance of anoxia, the lake never reverted to its pre-Norse state, with modern sheep farming further intensifying productivity in recent decades. While early Holocene anoxia resulted from natural cold temperature stratification, anoxia during the Norse period was anthropogenically induced.This research underscores the value of integrating lipid biomarkers with hyperspectral imaging for detailed reconstructions of changes within Arctic lakes. It provides crucial insights for anticipating the ecologic and climatic resilience of Arctic lakes to ongoing global warming and anthropogenic influence.