Improve Crop Productivity Research Articles

Intelligent Valve Control Mechanism for Irrigation in Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture, powered by IoT and machine learning, offers a promising solution to optimize water usage and enhance crop yields. This research presents an innovative Intelligent Irrigation System (IIS) that leverages real-time sensor data, predictive analytics, and mobile app interaction to achieve efficient and sustainable water management. Unlike traditional systems, our IIS employs a Raspberry Pi to collect critical data, including soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and rainfall. Advanced machine learning algorithms, such as Random Forest, analyze this data to accurately predict irrigation needs. The system's predictive capabilities enable precise valve control, delivering water to plants based on their specific requirements.By integrating IoT and machine learning, our IIS surpasses the limitations of existing solutions. It empowers farmers to make informed decisions, reduce water waste, and improve crop productivity. The system's user-friendly mobile app interface facilitates remote monitoring and control, enhancing accessibility and convenience. Our research aligns with the findings of previous studies (Abuzanouneh et al., 2022),(S, n.d.) (Water and Agriculture in India, n.d.)which demonstrate the potential of IoT-based irrigation systems in optimizing water usage. However, our IIS distinguishes itself by incorporating a comprehensive approach that combines sensor data, predictive analytics, and mobile app interaction. By adopting this intelligent irrigation solution, farmers can contribute to sustainable agriculture and address the challenges posed by climate change and water scarcity.

Unveiling the bacterial diversity and potential of the Avicennia marina ecosystem for enhancing plant resilience to saline conditions

BackgroundAvicennia marina ecosystems are critical for coastal protection, water quality enhancement, and biodiversity support. These unique ecosystems thrive in extreme saline conditions and host a diverse microbiome that significantly contributes to plant resilience and growth. Global food security is increasingly threatened by crop yield losses due to abiotic stresses, including saline soils. Traditional plant breeding for salt tolerance is both costly and time-consuming. This study explores the potential of bacteria from A. marina to enhance plant growth under saline conditions, emphasizing their ecological significance.ResultsWe analyzed the microbiome of A. marina from the Red Sea coast using high-throughput Illumina sequencing and culture-dependent methods across various compartments (bulk soil, rhizosphere, rhizoplane, roots, and leaves). Our findings revealed distinct compartment-specific microbial communities, with Proteobacteria being the dominant phylum. Functional predictions indicated diverse microbial roles in metal uptake and plant growth promotion (PGP). Remarkably, our culture-dependent methods allowed us to recover 56% of the bacterial diversity present in the microbiome, resulting in the isolation and characterization of 256 bacterial strains. These isolates were screened for PGP traits, including salt and heat tolerance, siderophore production, and pectinase activity. Out of the 77 bacterial isolates tested, 11 demonstrated a significant ability to enhance Arabidopsis growth under salt stress.ConclusionsOur study highlights the ecological significance of mangrove microbiomes and the potential of culture collections in offering innovative solutions for ecological restoration and crop production in saline conditions. The unique collection of mangrove bacteria, particularly from the rhizosphere and endophytes, showcases significant PGP traits and stress tolerance capabilities. These findings emphasize the importance of functional traits, such as salt tolerance, in the recruitment of endophytic bacteria by plants over taxonomic affiliation. The identified bacterial strains hold potential not only for developing biofertilizers to improve crop productivity but also for ecological restoration projects aimed at rehabilitating saline-degraded lands, thereby contributing to overall ecosystem health and sustainability.

Effects of Different Straw Cover Patterns on Water Use Efficiency and Crop Growth

Straw cover is commonly used in agriculture to reduce soil water loss and improve crop productivity. However, the effects of straw length and cover amount remain unclear. This study, conducted from 2020 to 2022 in double-cropping (Laixi County) and mono-cropping (Qingyuan County) systems, examined the impact of straw length, cover amount, and tillage methods on soil properties, crop growth, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE). Five treatments were tested: no till (NT) with long and full straw cover (LF), long and half straw cover (LH), short and full straw cover (SF), short and half straw cover (SH), and no straw cover (NS). The results showed that straw cover improved soil temperature, crop growth, yield, and WUE. Under the NS treatment, the 30-day average soil temperature was 0–1.22 °C lower than with straw cover. Meanwhile, WUE increased by 2.38% to 5.52% under straw cover treatments compared to NS. Consequently, the straw cover treatments resulted in an increase of 2.28% to 6.89% in crop yield compared with the NS treatment. In double-cropping systems, SH treatment had the best results, while LF treatment was most effective in mono-cropping systems. These findings suggest that straw cover can enhance water conservation and soil quality while improving crop yields.

Evaluation of boron toxicity in soil and influencing factors: A case study of sodic soils of Panipat, India.

Boron toxicity is an increasingly serious problem leading to soil degradation and vegetation loss in arid and semi-arid environments worldwide. The soils of solonetzic complexes often display this characteristic. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution of hot water soluble-boron (hws-B) in the sodic and agricultural soils of Israna block in Haryana, India. The study also examined the influence of various soil variables on hws-B. The samples were collected at six depths to assess the availability of B. Additionally, an assessment was conducted to ascertain the appropriateness of the water sources for irrigation. The findings of our study revealed a notable disparity in the hws-B content between sodic soils and control agricultural soils, with the former exceeding the toxic thresholds. The levels of B available to plants were highest in the upper layers of soil and reduced as the depth increased. A number of variables influenced the water-soluble B content in sodic soils, particularly pH, calcite content, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), and calcium-boron ratio (Ca/B). The results indicated that the boron levels in both surface and groundwater were within acceptable limits for irrigation purposes, suggesting that boron toxicity may not be directly attributed to these sources. Our study suggests that sodic soils contain high levels of boron, which can be toxic, and consequently, proper management of these soils is recommended. It is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of boron levels in surface and sub-surface soils, as well as in irrigation water, in order to effectively manage soil and improve crop productivity.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea) Nodules in Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire

A thorough understanding of the diversity, functions and specific interactions of endophytic bacteria present in legumes is essential for improving crop production. This study aimed to identify roots nodule endophytes associated to Bambara groundnut by analyzing their morphological diversity and genetic diversity. A total of 34 bacterial isolates were sampled from different cultivation sites and associated with 5 local varieties of Bambara groundnut. Morphological analysis using macroscopic and microscopic observation revealed that the bacterial isolates were morphologically diverse in terms of colony appearance, shape, colony size, color, opacity and Gram stain result. These bacteria exhibited characters different from those of the symbiotic bacteria. In addition, molecular identification based on sequencing the 16S-rRNA gene and 1081 bp analysis showed the existence of non-symbiotic bacteria in Bambara groundnut nodule. The community of roots nodule endophyte isolated from Bambara groundnut belonged to the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Bacterium, microbacterium, Rahnella, Paenibacillus, Lysobacter with 98 to 99.5% similarity, classified under the Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria phyla. In Bambara groundnut, the predominant nodule endophytes were Bacillus (56%) and Pseudomonas (17%). Future research could further investigate the ecological implications of these bacterial interactions, and their potential applications in biotechnology and agronomy, particularly in biofertilization and host plant growth promotion.

Exploration of Agronomic Efficacy and Drought Amelioration Ability of Municipal Solid-Waste-Derived Co-Compost on Lettuce and Maize

Organic soil amendments, such as composts, mitigate the negative impacts on the environment that are caused by poor waste management practices. However, in the sub-Saharan African region, and Malawi in particular, studies investigating the agronomical efficacy and their ability to ameliorate drought stress when used as a soil amendment are minimal. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sewage sludge and municipal solid waste (MSW) co-compost to ameliorate drought stress and improve crop productivity. Three experiments were conducted (i) to determine optimal application rate for co-compost, (ii) to evaluate yield response of maize and lettuce to co-compost application under contrasting soils, and (iii) to assess the effect of co-compost under water-limited conditions. Our results indicate that an application rate of 350 g co-compost per station was the most effective. This rate is 50% and 37% lower than the currently recommended rate for applying conventional compost to green vegetables and maize, respectively. In addition, under drought conditions, the co-compost application enhanced growth in lettuce, with less wilting, increased biomass and yield, approximately 130% greater leaf yield, and a 138% improvement in root growth. Furthermore, the relative root mass ratio (RRMR) was enhanced with the co-compost application by 103% under drought stress. This suggests that the co-compost amendment resulted in a greater allocation of biomass to the roots, which is a crucial morphological attribute for adapting to drought conditions. The concentration of K in the leaves and roots of plants treated with co-compost was significantly increased by 44% and 61%, respectively, under drought conditions, which may have contributed to osmotic adjustment, resulting in a significant increase in leaf relative water content (RWC) by a magnitude of 11 times. Therefore, in light of the rising inorganic fertilizer costs and the limited availability of water resources, these results demonstrate the potential of MSW and sludge co-composting in ameliorating the drastic effects of water- and nutrient-deficient conditions and optimizing growth and yield under these constraining environments.

Multi-model fusion method for predicting CO2 concentration in greenhouse tomatoes

With the rapid development of greenhouse agriculture, accurate prediction of environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration is crucial for optimal crop growth. Traditional forecasting models struggle with the nonlinear and complex nature of greenhouse data, leading to challenges in model robustness. This study addresses these issues by proposing a multi-model fusion strategy for predicting CO2 concentration in greenhouse tomatoes. The proposed method integrates wavelet denoising (WT), variational mode decomposition (VMD), and long short-term memory networks (LSTM). This innovative nonlinear ensemble model effectively extracts key time series features and removes noise, while an introduced attention mechanism enhances the model’s focus on essential time steps, improving prediction accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate that the multi-model fusion approach significantly outperforms single models in terms of accuracy and stability, achieving mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0117 and 0.0194, respectively. The proposed method offers significant advantages for CO2 prediction in greenhouse crops, providing a theoretical basis and technical support for optimizing and controlling greenhouse parameters. This contributes to the advancement of smart agriculture by offering an efficient environmental monitoring and prediction tool. Additionally, the study presents new ideas and technical solutions for addressing similar agricultural environment prediction challenges, optimizing greenhouse environment control strategies, and improving crop production efficiency.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Smart Irrigation Systems in Improving Agricultural Productivity

This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of smart irrigation systems in increasing agricultural productivity in a specific area. The study used a group randomised design (RAK) with two main treatments: Treatment 1 (P1): Use of IoT-based smart irrigation system. The results show that smart irrigation significantly increased crop productivity (34.9% higher than traditional irrigation systems) through precision watering that matches crop needs. Water savings of up to 47.8% prove that the system is able to optimise the use of water resources, while supporting agricultural sustainability. Smart irrigation systems are proven to be more effective than conventional irrigation in improving crop productivity, water resource efficiency and economic returns.

Synthetic Microbial Community Isolated from Intercropping System Enhances P Uptake in Rice.

Changes in root traits and rhizosphere microbiome are important ways to optimize plant phosphorus (P) efficiency and promote multifunctionality in intercropping. However, whether and how synthetic microbial communities isolated from polyculture systems can facilitate plant growth and P uptake are still largely unknown. A field experiment was first carried out to assess the rice yield and P uptake in the rice/soybean intercropping systems, and a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) isolated from intercropped rice was then constructed to elucidate the potential mechanisms of growth-promoting effects on rice growth and P uptake in a series of pot experiments. Our results showed that the yield and P uptake of intercropped rice were lower than those of rice grown in monoculture. However, bacterial networks in the rice rhizosphere were more stable in polyculture, exhibiting more hub nodes and greater modularity compared to the rice monoculture. A bacterial synthetic community (SynCom) composed of four bacterial strains (Variovorax paradoxus, Novosphingobium subterraneum, Hydrogenophaga pseudoflava, Acidovorax sp.) significantly enhanced the biomass and P uptake of potted rice plants. These growth-promoting effects are underpinned by multiple pathways, including the direct activation of soil available P, increased root surface area and root tip number, reduced root diameter, and promotion of root-to-shoot P translocation through up-regulation of Pi transporter genes (OsPht1;1, OsPht1;2, OsPht1;4, OsPht1;6). This study highlights the potential of harnessing synthetic microbial communities to enhance nutrient acquisition and improve crop production.

Effects of cover crop and tillage management practices on in situ and ex situ water infiltration parameters

ABSTRACT Water infiltration is important for improved crop productivity and environmental sustainability, but the combined effects of cover crops (CCs) and tillage on cumulative infiltration and infiltration parameters are not fully understood. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of CCs and tillage on cumulative water infiltration and infiltration parameters. The field was set up using a randomized complete block design with two levels of CCs (CCs vs no cover crop [NC]) and two levels of tillage (till vs no-till [NT]). The CCs used included winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), and the tillage included disc tillage (to a depth of 10 cm). Results showed that CCs and tillage significantly increased the Parlange and Green-Ampt model estimated sorptivity and saturated hydraulic conductivity parameters during 2022 compared with NC and NT, respectively. Additionally, K Guelph was significantly higher under CC compared with NC during both years, suggesting that CCs can increase groundwater recharge. While CC-Till management had the highest 2-h cumulative infiltration, tillage only significantly increased water infiltration during early times, and CCs increased water infiltration during the infiltration period. Conclusively, CCs can improve the ability of tillage to increase water infiltration.

Microbial community of cultivated and uncultivated citrus rhizosphere microbiota in Brazil

The rhizosphere microbiome is known to contain beneficial microorganisms that promote plant growth and increase tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Understanding citrus microbiome diversity and the percentage of diversity that can be recovered in the laboratory is essential for developing innovative approaches to improve plant health and promote sustainable agricultural practices. However, information about the citrus root microbiome, especially in the context of exploring commercial citrus growing areas to identify beneficial plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), is scarce. Here, we present the microbiome data of healthy citrus trees sampled from geographical regions of São Paulo and Amazonas States, in Brazil. The resulting rhizosphere microbiome data comprise an average of 126,180 and 138,707 high-quality reads for the 16S rRNA V3–V4 and ITS1-5F regions, respectively. The taxonomic analysis of cultivated diversity revealed a total of 91 bacterial genera recovered in the laboratory. These data provide valuable information for understanding how the microbiome supports citrus plants in different environments and for developing new strategies to improve crop productivity by using PGPR.

Enhancing NPK Detection in Agriculture through Electrochemical Sensors Utilizing 2D Nanomaterials

NPK electrochemical soil sensors are essential tools for sustainable agriculture, enabling farmers to optimize nutrient management practices, improve crop productivity, and protect the environment for future generations. Those sensors are designed to primarily measure the levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in the soil. These are essential nutrients for plant growth and health, and monitoring their levels can help optimize fertilizer application and improve crop yield, while minimizing environmental impact, effectively supporting precision agriculture practices.Novel 2D nanomaterials can enhance the electrochemical properties of the sensors, enabling them to detect trace levels of nutrients with high precision. The operation principle of the sensors is based on the electrochemical reactions occurring at the surface of 2D nanomaterials when they come into contact with target ions in the soil solution through an ion-selective membrane. The presence and concentration of these ions cause changes in the electrical properties of the nanomaterial, which are then measured and correlated with the nutrient levels. By applying specially designed composite nanomaterials made of transition metal dichalcogenides, Mxenes, Graphene-based materials, conjugated conducting polymers, and ion-selective membranes, it is possible to precisely and stably measure soil ion content as batch, or continuous readout. These materials offer high surface area-to-volume ratios, excellent electrical conductivity, and sensitivity to changes in the chemical environment, making them ideal candidates for sensing applications. The laboratory experiments show that various combinations of nanomaterials in composites at the sensor working electrode have a high impact in increasing the selectivity of the ISM towards omitting ions in soil, repeatability of measurements, and durability of the sensor, compared to the electrodes with only ISM on top. Several nitrate ionophores and ISM cocktails are tested and compared toward ionic selectivity.The electrochemical sensors are controlled by the electronic circuitry, designed to give input and readout of the data from the sensing elements, as well as for sensor conditioning and calibration, data storage, and wireless communication. Various electrochemical methods through controlling electronics, like Open circuit potentiometry, Chronopotentiometry, and Chronoamperometry are employed for sensor control and data collection. Those methods were tested and compared in terms of the response time and durability of the sensor.Overall, the integration of electrochemical sensors with 2D nanomaterials represents a significant advancement in precision agriculture, offering farmers the tools they need to efficiently manage nutrient levels in soil and improve crop productivity, contributing to traceability and quality assurance in food production.*This work is supported through the ANTARES project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement SGA-CSA. No. 739570 under FPA No. 664387. https://doi.org/10.3030/739570 Figure 1

Cultivating sustainable futures: multi-environment evaluation and seed yield stability of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes by using different stability parameters in Ethiopia

Faba bean is an important legume crop with significant potential to contribute to sustainable agricultural systems and food security in Ethiopia. Despite its importance, the crop is prone to various biotic and abiotic constraints that can reduce seed yield and affect its stability and adaptability. To identify stable and adaptable genotypes, 10 faba bean genotypes were evaluated at three locations over two growing seasons using different stability parameters. Genotype-by-environment interaction (GGE biplot) and additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analyses are the statistical methods used to evaluate crop genotype performance across different environments to identify high-performing, stable, and adaptable genotypes and to highlight preferable environments for genotype differentiation. This study utilized cultivar superiority, regression coefficients, and deviations from regression parameters that provide valuable insights into genotype performance under varying environmental conditions. This approach helps to identify robust cultivars that can thrive across different agricultural settings and challenges, ultimately contributing to improved crop production and food security. The results revealed that G9, G8, and G7 are the three most stable and adaptable genotypes. These faba bean genotypes showed greater resilience to environmental changes and improved suitability for sustainable production, making them better options for local farmers. They also bolster resilience against climate variability and ultimately ensure agricultural sustainability. The AMMI model indicated that the genotype-environment interaction (GEI) significantly influences seed yield. These findings provide crucial insights into the genetic potential of faba bean genotypes that can help breeding programs to develop high-yielding, adaptable, and stable varieties for the region and other areas with similar agro-ecological conditions.

Exaptation of ancestral cell-identity networks enables C4 photosynthesis

C4 photosynthesis is used by the most productive plants on the planet, and compared with the ancestral C3 pathway, it confers a 50% increase in efficiency1. In more than 60 C4 lineages, CO2 fixation is compartmentalized between tissues, and bundle-sheath cells become photosynthetically activated2. How the bundle sheath acquires this alternate identity that allows efficient photosynthesis is unclear. Here we show that changes to bundle-sheath gene expression in C4 leaves are associated with the gain of a pre-existing cis-code found in the C3 leaf. From single-nucleus gene-expression and chromatin-accessibility atlases, we uncover DNA binding with one finger (DOF) motifs that define bundle-sheath identity in the major crops C3 rice and C4 sorghum. Photosynthesis genes that are rewired to be strongly expressed in the bundle-sheath cells of C4 sorghum acquire cis-elements that are recognized by DOFs. Our findings are consistent with a simple model in which C4 photosynthesis is based on the recruitment of an ancestral cis-code associated with bundle-sheath identity. Gain of such elements harnessed a stable patterning of transcription factors between cell types that are found in both C3 and C4 leaves to activate photosynthesis in the bundle sheath. Our findings provide molecular insights into the evolution of the complex C4 pathway, and might also guide the rational engineering of C4 photosynthesis in C3 crops to improve crop productivity and resilience3,4.

Impact of long-term integrated nutrient management on productivity, profitability, soil microbial activity and nutrient content ofrice (Oryza sativa) in Assam

A study was carried out during 2021 to 2022 at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam to study the effect of long-term integrated nutrient management on productivity, profitability, soil microbial activity and nutrient content of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Assam. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design (RBD) comprised of 5 nutrient management practices, viz. T1, Absolute control; T2, 100% recommended dose (RD) through chemical fertilizers (CF); T3, 50% RD through CF + liquid biofertilizers; T4, 50% RD through CF + solid biofertilizers; and T5, 50% RD through CF + enriched compost (EC) (@1 t/ha), with 4 replications. The results showed higher grain yield and profitability in treatment T2 (5.23 t/ha and $1472.29/ha) followed by T5 (5.23 t/ha and $1446.29/ha), T3 (4.90 t/ha and $1362.29/ha), T4 (4.87 t/ha and $1346.69/ha), and the lowest in T1 (3.21 t/ha and $897.85/ha). Notably, treatment T5 delivered comparable yield and returns to T2. However, treatment T5 significantly increased the essential nutrients (N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe) in grain compared to T2 or T3/T4. In addition, soil microbial activity such as dehydrogenase activity, phospho-monoesterase activity, microbial biomass carbon, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, and arylsulphatase activity were significantly higher under treatment T5. These findings highlight that treatment T5 i.e. 50% CF + EC (@1 t/ha) not only matches conventional 100% fertilizer application in yield and returns but also enhances soil microbial activity. Study highlights the potential of integrated nutrient management practices with 50% RD through CF + enriched compost (EC) (@1 t/ha) to address micronutrient deficiencies, improve crop productivity, profitability, and promote sustainable agriculture in the region.

Sustainable Soil Management in Alkaline Soils: The Role of Biochar and Organic Nitrogen in Enhancing Soil Fertility

Biochar (BC) serves a vital function in sequestering carbon, improving nutrient cycles, and boosting overall soil quality. This research explored the enhancement of the chemical and physical properties of soil (alkaline) using nitrogen and biochar (from organic and inorganic sources) in a semi-arid climate during the autumn seasons of 2015–2016 and 2016–2017. The study involved applying biochar at various rates (0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha⁻1) and nitrogen at different levels (0, 90, 120, and 150 kg ha⁻1) using urea, poultry manure (PM), and farmyard manure (FYM) as nitrogen sources, which were applied to the field in a randomized complete block design with split-plot arrangement. The application of biochar at the highest rate (30 t ha⁻1) resulted in a significant increase of over 120% in soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil moisture content (SMC). Additionally, it increased total soil nitrogen (STN) by 14.16% and mineral nitrogen (SMN) by 9.09%. In contrast, applying biochar at this rate reduced soil bulk density (SBD), pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) by 28.52%, 3.38%, and 2.27%, respectively, compared to the control. Similarly, applying nitrogen at 150 kg ha⁻1 using FYM significantly improved SOC, SOM, SMC, and SBD. At the same rate, using PM as a nitrogen source enhanced STN and SMN while reducing soil pH and EC. In conclusion, this study shows that applying biochar at 30 t ha⁻1 combined with nitrogen at 150 kg ha⁻1, sourced from either PM or FYM, offers great potential for improving soil fertility and promoting carbon sequestration in alkaline soils of semi-arid regions. These findings highlight the value of integrating BC and organic N sources for enhancing agroecosystem sustainability. Thus, this study provides a promising pathway to enhance soil quality, improve crop productivity, and support sustainable agricultural practices in challenging environments.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of Adoption Trends, Impacts, and Challenges Among Smallholder Farmers

Sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) remain the panacea to addressing challenges relating to climate change, low rainfall, and low agricultural productivity in many rural parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These practices include but are not limited to crop rotation, intercropping, cover cropping, and conservation tillage. The aforementioned practices have been scientifically proven to enhance crop productivity while safeguarding environmental resources. This review assesses the trends, effectiveness, and challenges associated with the adoption and utilization of SAPs among smallholder farmers in the SSA region, analyzing the literature and reports from 2000 to 2024 sourced from databases such as Google Scholar and Scopus. The inclusion criteria focused on key concepts such as SAPs, adoption, and challenges. Findings indicate that crop rotation, intercropping, improved seed varieties, manure, and mulching are among the most adopted practices. In reality, practices such as conservation tillage, agroforestry, and water harvesting systems remain the least adopted practices in many rural parts of SSA. The review further reveals that challenges relating to land tenure insecurity, lack of knowledge, training, and limited access to financial institutions all have a direct or indirect influence on farmers’ choice of adoption. Overcoming the aforementioned challenges through policy interventions and capacity building is vital for improved crop productivity and rural livelihoods.

Effect of Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems on Soil Properties and Microbial Diversity in Soybean Production

Integrated crop and livestock systems (ICLSs) have been considered an important management-based decision to improve soil health by carbon sequestration. A two-year study (2019–2021) at CPBES in Newton, MS, was conducted to evaluate the effect of an ICLS on soil microbial diversity in the southeastern region of the USA, representing agroclimatic conditions that are warm and humid. Amplicons targeting bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS2 regions were sequenced. Taxonomic assignment and characterization of microbial diversity were performed using QIIME2®. Soil fungal diversity pattern showed significant difference (alpha diversity, p = 0.031 in 2020 and beta diversity, p = 0.037 in 2021). In contrast, no significant differences were observed in bacterial diversity. However, there were several beneficial bacterial phyla, such as Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, and fungal phyla such as Ascomycota, which were dominant in both years and did not show significant differences due to cover crop treatments. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) and Mantel test showed significant influence on fungal diversity due to carbon (rm = 0.2581, p = 0.022), nitrogen (rm = 0.2921, p = 0.0165), and electrical conductivity (rm = 0.1836, p = 0.0583) in 2021, and on bacterial diversity due to EE-GRSP (rm = 0.22, p = 0.02) in 2020. However, the results showed that there were no significant differences between the cover crop treatments that were consistent over a two-year study period. However, the mix of different cover crops such as oats (Avena sativa L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus L.) demonstrated higher positive correlation and lower negative correlation with different bacterial and fungal phyla. Long term study of ICLS is suggested to understand the shift in microbiome that would help in understanding the role of cover crops and grazing in improving crop production sustainably.

Effect of the Root Endophytic Fungus Piriformospora indica on Strawberry Growth, Fruit Quality and Physiological Traits Under Elevated Electrical Conductivity

Strawberries are sensitive to abiotic stresses such as salinity, high levels of electrical conductivity, and nutrient imbalances. The mutualistic endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has significant potential to be used in improving crop production under adverse conditions, with a large host range. However, greenhouse production requires novel tactics to improve the efficiency of saline water irrigation in areas with limited freshwater resources. This study was conducted at the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah), KSA, to investigate the impact of P. indica colonization on the growth, photosynthesis traits, productivity, and fruit quality of Fragraria × ananassa Duch cv. Festival strawberry grown in pots and irrigated with two electrical conductivity (EC) nutrient solutions of 1.5 and 3.0 dS/m. The results showed that higher-EC-nutrient solution clearly reduced growth and early yield and improved vitamin C, TSS, and anthocyanin of strawberry in comparison to low-EC-nutrient solution. On the other hand, P. indica colonization significantly increased plant height, shoot fresh weight, root length, and early yield of plants grown under high-EC-nutrient solution with no impact on fruit quality. Obviously, the symbiosis between strawberry roots and P. indica enhanced chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate, as well as antioxidant activity such as proline, malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase under higher-EC-nutrient solution. Our study indicated that P. indica might be used as a sustainable tool for strawberry production in arid and semiarid zones, to mitigate the negative impacts of higher-EC-nutrient solution.

Greener Production and Application of Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer Using Plasma and Nanotechnology: A Review

The potential of both plasma and nanotechnology in producing slow-release fertilizer is immense. These technologies, when combined, may offer green and inexpensive nitrogen fertilizers, from rich renewable resources available in local areas. Together, these technologies may overcome some limitations of conventional synthetic fertilizers, which are currently expensive and associated with low nitrogen use efficiency and significant environmental concerns. This review explores the utilization of recent advances in plasma and nanotechnology, which can be leveraged to create new slow-release nitrogen fertilizers. It emphasizes their crucial role in addressing nitrogen depletion and improving crop production. Despite the lack of attempts to develop slow-release nanofertilizers from low-cost liquid nitrate generated by emission-free nonthermal plasma, the effectiveness of plasma nitrate matches that of conventional fertilizer for crop production. We propose a more efficient electrocatalytic conversion of plasma nitrate to ammonium salt, then coating it with plant-based cellulose nanoparticles to create a slow-release form. This set of processes would synchronize nutrient release with the dynamic N requirements of plants. Formulations using agro-based, low-cost cellulose nanomaterials could replace high-cost carrier hydrogels associated with low mechanical strength. This review also highlights the isolation of nanocellulose from various plant materials and its characterization in different formulations of slow-release nanoplasma N fertilizer. Additionally, we discuss mechanisms of N loss, slow-release, and retention in the soil that can contribute to the production and use of efficient, sustainable fertilizers to improve food security and, consequently, the health of our planet.