Yield Improvement Research Articles

CO2-Assisted Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane to Propylene over Modified SiO2 Based Catalysts

The oxidative dehydrogenation of propane with CO2 (CO2-ODP) was investigated over different metal oxides MxOy (M: Ca, Sn, Cr, Ga) supported on a SiO2 surface. Catalysts were characterized employing nitrogen adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), CO2 temperature programmed desorption (CO2-TPD) and pyridine adsorption/desorption experiments in order to identify their physicochemical properties and correlate them with their activity and selectivity for the CO2-ODP reaction. The effect of operating reaction conditions on catalytic performance was also examined, aiming to improve the propylene yield and suppress side reactions. Surface acidity and basicity were found to be affected by the nature of MxOy, which in turn affected the conversion of propane to propylene, which was in all cases higher compared to that of bare SiO2. Propane conversion, reaction rate and selectivities towards propylene and carbon monoxide were maximized for the Ga- and Cr-containing catalysts characterized by moderate surface basicity, which were also able to limit the undesired reactions leading to ethylene and methane byproducts. High surface acidity was found to be beneficial for the CO2-ODP reaction, which, however, should not be excessive to ensure high catalytic activity. The silica-supported Ga2O3 catalyst exhibited sufficient stability with time and better than that of the most active Cr2O3-SiO2 catalyst. Decreasing the weight gas hourly space velocity resulted in a significant improvement in both propane conversion and propylene yield as well as a suppression of undesired product formation. Increasing CO2 concentration in the feed did not practically affect propane conversion, while led to a decrease in propylene yield. The ratio of propylene to ethylene selectivity was optimized for CO2:C3H8 = 5:1 and space velocity of 6000 mL g−1 h−1, most possibly due to facilitation of the C–H bond cleavage against that of the C–C bond. Results of the present study provided evidence that the efficient conversion of propane to propylene is feasible over silica-based composite metal oxides, provided that catalyst characteristics have been optimized and reaction conditions have been properly selected.

Exploring Genetic Variability in Rice for Yield Improvement under Low Phosphorus Soil Conditions

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for all living organisms. P deficiency in soils is a major limiting factor for crop growth in rice and reduces yield. Understanding genetic variability for low P tolerance is crucial for improvement of rice genotypes for this stress. This study was conducted under low soil P and normal conditions to evaluate genetic variability in yield and its associated traits among rice genotypes. The experimental material consists of 91 F2:3 mapping population along with two checks, planted in a low P and normal plot at ICAR-IIRR, Hyderabad. Traits assessed included days to 50% flowering, plant height, total number of tillers, number of productive tillers per plant, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, panicle length, total number of grains per panicle, spikelet fertility, single plant yield, shoot length, root length, root volume, dry root weight, dry shoot weight and root to shoot ratio. ANOVA analysis suggested, mean sum of squares due to test genotypes were significant (p<0.01) for most of the traits under study. Plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of productive tillers per plant, flag leaf length, number of grains per panicle, spikelet fertility, single plant yield, shoot length, root volume, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and root to shoot ratio possessed high GCV and PCV values under low P condition. Genetic advance as per cent of mean for all traits possessed high genetic advance as per cent mean except for days to 50% flowering which showed medium GAM under low P condition. The genotypes showed varied response to genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance as per cent mean for days to 50% flowering (low), plant height (high), number of productive tillers per plant (high), panicle length (medium to high), flag leaf length (high), flag leaf width (medium to high), number of grains per panicle (high), spikelet fertility (high), single plant yield (high), root volume (high), shoot dry weight (high), root dry weight (high) and root to shoot ratio (high) under low P condition. This study identified these traits with high genetic variability and heritability, which are useful for developing P efficient rice cultivars and selection based on these traits would improve the rice for low soil P tolerance.

Site-Selective O-Arylation of Carbohydrate Derivatives through Nickel-Photoredox Catalysis.

Site-selective O-arylations of glycoside-derived diols have been achieved by couplings with bromoarenes upon irradiation with blue LEDs in the presence of an iridium photocatalyst and a nickel complex. The use of hexamethylenetetramine (hexamine) in place of quinuclidine, along with the application of a methoxy-substituted 2,2'-bipyridine ligand, provided improvements in yield for this relatively challenging substrate class. Selective arylation took place at the less sterically hindered OH group, as determined by the substitution pattern and configuration of the glycoside substrate. Percent buried volume calculations were used to quantify the relative levels of steric hindrance at the two reactive sites.

One-Off Irrigation Combined Subsoiling and Nitrogen Management Enhances Wheat Grain Yield by Optimizing Physiological Characteristics in Leaves in Dryland Regions

Irrigation practice, tillage method, and nitrogen (N) management are the three most important agronomic measures for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, but the combined effects on grain yield and wheat physiological characteristics are still poorly understood. We conducted a three-year split–split field experiment at the junction of the Loess Plateau and Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in China. The two irrigation practices (I0: non-irrigation and I1: one-off irrigation), three tillage methods (RT: rotary tillage, PT: plowing, and ST: subsoiling), and four N managements (N0, N120, N180, and N240) were assigned to the main plots, subplots, and sub-subplots, respectively. Irrigation practice, tillage method, N management, and most of their two-factor and three-factor interactions could significantly affect grain yield and the physiological characteristics of the leaves of winter wheat. One-off irrigation increased the grain yield by 46.9% by optimizing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), the contents of proline (Pro) and soluble sugar (SS), and the net photosynthesis rate (Pn) in leaves during most growth stages of wheat. The improvement of grain yield and physiological characteristics under one-off irrigation was considerably affected by the tillage method and N management, and the effectiveness of one-off irrigation was improved under subsoiling and N180 or N240. One-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N180 had no significant difference relative to one-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N240, while it significantly increased grain yield by 47.1% over the three years, as well as increasing the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and Pn in wheat leaves by 23.2%, 41.2%, 26.1%, and 53.0%, respectively, and decreasing the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), Pro, and SS by 29.2%, 65.4%, and 18.2% compared to non-irrigation rotary tillage combined with N240 across the two years and three stages. The wheat grain yield was significantly associated with the physiological characteristics in flag leaves, and the coefficient was greatest for POD activity, followed by SOD activity and Pn. Therefore, one-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N180 is an optimal strategy for the high-yield production of wheat in dryland regions where the one-off irrigation is assured.

Comparative analysis of precision, deficit, and drip irrigation for water efficiency in Iraq

Sustainable irrigation practices are critical for addressing the challenges of water scarcity and food insecurity in the face of climate change and growing global food demand. This study investigated the potential of precision irrigation (PI), deficit irrigation (DI), and drip irrigation (DRI) techniques to enhance crop productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) compared to conventional flood irrigation (CFI) in three distinct agroecological zones of Iraq. Field experiments were conducted using a randomised complete block design with wheat, maize, and rice crops. The results demonstrated that PI significantly increased crop growth parameters, grain yield, and WUE across all zones, with yield improvements of 33–38% and WUE increases of 46–51% in contrast with CFI. The DI and DRI treatments also outperformed CFI, albeit to a lesser extent. Remote sensing-derived vegetation indices strongly correlated with crop growth parameters and yield, while hydrological modelling revealed reduced evapotranspiration and surface runoff under the PI treatment. The sustainable irrigation practices resulted in substantial water savings of 20–30% compared to CFI. These findings highlight the importance of adopting efficient irrigation techniques, along with a holistic approach encompassing technological innovations, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement, to promote water- efficient agriculture and ensure food security in water-scarce regions.

ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE DELIVERY TO TOMATO FARMERS’ LIVELIHOOD IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

This study aimed to assess the contribution of Agricultural extension service delivery to tomato farmers’ livelihood in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed in selecting 214 tomato farmers. Data were collected using questionnaire and analyzed Z-test estimation analysis. The findings revealed that there was a significant increase (Z-value = 9.336) in the yield of tomato production at 1% level of probability due to agricultural extension services delivery. Based on the income and level of living of the tomato farmers, the results show that income (Z-value = 2.643) and level of living (Z-value = 2.880) were significant at 1% probability level. It is concluded that there was an improvement in yield, income, and level of living of tomato farmers as a result of utilizing extension service activities in the study areas. The study therefore recommends that to build on the success of participating farmers in tomato production, ensuring the long-term sustainability of agricultural extension services is crucial, thereby solidifying the gains made and supporting continued progress in the sector.

Proofreading mechanism for colloidal self-assembly

Designing components that can robustly self-assemble into structures with biological complexity is a grand challenge for material science. Proofreading and error correction is required to improve assembly yield beyond equilibrium limits, using energy to avoid kinetic traps in the energy landscape. Here, we introduce an explicit two-staged proofreading scheme for patchy particle colloidal assemblies that substantially improves assembly yield and robustness. The first stage implements local rules whereby particles increase their binding strengths when they detect a local environment corresponding to a desired target. The second stage corrects remaining errors, adding a reverse pathway inspired by kinetic proofreading. The scheme shows significant yield improvements, eliminating kinetic traps, giving a much broader temperature range with high yield. Additionally, the scheme is robust against quenched disorder in the components. Our findings illuminate a pathway for advancing the programmable design of synthetic living materials, potentially fostering the synthesis of novel biological materials and functional behaviors. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Effects of Different Fertilization Treatments on Bacterial Community and Citrus Quality in Yellow Soils of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau

To investigate the intrinsic driving mechanism of citrus yield and quality enhancement under different fertilizer applications, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of biochar （SW）, organic fertilizer （YJ）, farmyard manure （NJ）, chemical fertilizer （HF）, and no fertilizer as the control （CK） on soil physical and chemical properties, bacterial community characteristics, and citrus quality of citrus orchards in the yellow soil area of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The results showed that compared with those in the CK treatment, the yield, single fruit weight, edible rate, juice rate, vitamin C content, and soluble solids of citrus increased under the different fertilization treatments. In contrast, the titratable acid content of citrus decreased, resulting in an increase in the solid-acid ratio of citrus. Among the different fertilization treatments, the most significant effective treatment was SW. The SW and YJ treatments significantly increased the soil pH value, while the HF treatment decreased soil pH. Different fertilization treatments could increase the contents of soil organic matter, hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium. The SW treatment exhibited the most obvious effect on the contents of soil hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium. The YJ treatment exhibited the most obvious effect on the soil organic matter content. The different fertilization treatments significantly affected soil bacterial community diversity and community structure, among which the SW treatment significantly increased the soil Chao1 index, observed species index, and Shannon index； optimized soil bacterial community structure； and made the bacterial symbiotic network simple and stable. By contrast, the HF treatment significantly decreased the soil Chao1 index, observed species index, and Simpson index and had less effect on bacterial community structure. Redundancy analysis showed that soil available potassium （96.47%）, Chao1 index （73.80%）, and Chujaibacter （55.92%） were the key factors in improving citrus yield and quality. Variance decomposition analysis indicated that the soil bacterial community structure was the largest contributor （17.00%） to the improvement in citrus yield and quality. In conclusion, fertilization can effectively improve soil physical and chemical properties, increase soil nutrient supply level, optimize bacterial community structure, and improve citrus yield and quality. Of these, biochar can be used as a priority for the fertilization and improvement of the soil in citrus orchards in the yellow soil area of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

Residual Effects of Vinasse and Poultry Manure Application on Soil Quality and Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) Yield Grown in Calcareous Soil

Reuse poultry manure (PM) and vinasse (V) is a promising technology for the sustainability of various agricultural systems without environmental impact, but its effects on soil fertility index (SFI), hydraulic conductivity (Ks), porosity (TP), available water (AW), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) growth in calcareous soils are poorly understood. Therefore, we studied the residual effect of combining PM either individually or mixed with V at different rates in pots. This study found that adding PM alone or in conjunction with V at various application rates resulted in an important improvement in SFI, Ks, TP, AW, and spinach yield. Vinasse contributed to an increase in more than 20% of the organic matter when adding it as 4.2 g V and 6.3 g PM kg−1 soil, and gave the best results in the organic matter fresh weight of spinach plant, SFI, and AW by 43.8%, 26.33%, 41.24%, and 63.63% compared to control. Spinach leaf uptake of NPK rose considerably when the soil was treated with PM alone or in combination with V. The SFI, cation exchange capacity (CEC), available N (AN), available P (AP), Ks, and AW were shown to be positively associated with spinach fresh weight utilizing principal component analysis, but soil electrical conductivity (EC), exchange sodium percentage (ESP), pH, and bulk density (BD) were found to be negatively correlated. Additionally, it was estimated by the K-Nearest Neighbors technique that under certain soil conditions, including AP 14.89 mg kg−1, AN 38.25 mg kg−1, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) 2.47 mg kg−1, CEC 11.66 cmol kg−1, exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) 11.65%, and SFI 26.55%, spinach fresh weight increases to 13.8 t ha−1. These findings show how adding PM and V can improve soil quality and enhance nutrient uptake, all of which can contribute to a higher productivity of spinach and sustainability in calcareous soils.

Strategies and Protocols for Optimized Genome Editing in Potato.

The potato family includes a highly diverse cultivar repertoire and has a high potential for nutritional yield improvement and refinement but must in line with other crops be adapted to biotic and abiotic stresses, for example, accelerated by climate change and environmental demands. The combination of pluripotency, high ploidy, and relative ease of protoplast isolation, transformation, and regeneration together with clonal propagation through tubers makes potato highly suitable for precise genetic engineering. Most potato varieties are tetraploid having a very high prevalence of length polymorphisms and small nucleotide polymorphisms between alleles, often complicating CRISPR-Cas editing designs and strategies. CRISPR-Cas editing in potato can be divided into (i) characterization of target area and in silico-aided editing design, (ii) isolation and editing of protoplast cells, and (iii) the subsequent explant regeneration from single protoplast cells. Implementation of efficient CRISPR-Cas editing relies on efficient editing at the protoplast (cell pool) level and on robust high-throughput editing scoring methods at the cell pool and explant level. Gene and chromatin structure are additional features to optionally consider. Strategies and solutions for addressing key steps in genome editing of potato, including light conditions and schemes for reduced exposure to hormones during explant regeneration, which is often linked to somaclonal variation, are highlighted.

Polyhouse Agriculture with AI: Strategies for Climate Control, Energy Efficiency and Yield Improvement

Polyhouse Agriculture with AI: Strategies for Climate Control, Energy Efficiency and Yield Improvement

Tracing nitrogen use efficiency of diverse Canadian spring wheat cultivars.

Decades of wheat breeding have provided growers with numerous high-yielding options, but it is unknown if these yield improvements are likewise characterized with improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Fertilizer nitrogen (N) is an ever-increasing expense, so improving NUE by reducing the requirement for N fertilizer without risking yield and quality is necessary. The goal of our research is to identify cultivars and associated traits that may improve NUE while maintaining productivity. We compared 25 spring wheat cultivars over a three-year period (2020, 2021, 2022) at two field sites differing in background soil N level for the ability to use fertilizer-N and allocate it to the grain. To do so, we employed the 15N stable isotope technique to trace the flow of fertilizer-N and determine the 15N recovery efficiency (15NRE). The 15NRE in the grain averaged 25.0% at the higher soil N site, and 15.5% at the lower soil N site. At the higher soil N site only, dwarfing alleles (Rht-B1b) were associated with greater 15NRE. Grain 15NRE was positively associated with yield, grain N content, and the 15N harvest index (15NHI) at the high soil N environment, but never at the low soil N environment. Our findings support the notion that the genetic development of high yielding semi-dwarf cultivars also translates into an improved ability to recover fertilizer-N-but this outcome is only expressed only under rich soil N conditions. Cultivars that simultaneously produced higher 15NRE and yields, grain N, or 15NHI differed by environment; possibly suggesting different mechanisms for improving crop NUE depending on background soil N level. Ultimately, cultivar-specific 15NRE information, including that presented here, will be useful breeders to design new crosses and approaches aimed at increasing NUE for spring wheat.

Combining ability studies in desi cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) genotypes

BackgroundStudies on genetic variation and combining ability are essential tools to employ the suitable breeding programme, particularly for hybrid production, to exploit the heterosis in cross-pollinated crops like cotton. Thus, combining ability studies in desi cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) was carried out using 13 diverse parents through diallel mating design, evaluating 78 F1 hybrids along with their parents, without reciprocals using Griffing’s and Hayman’s approaches.ResultsGenotypes H 509, AC 3265, AKH 496, and PBN 565 exhibited superior per se performance, indicating their potential use as parents in future breeding programs to develop superior hybrids. The general combining ability (GCA) effect of the genotypes revealed that AC 3097 and AKA 13-SP1 were good general combiners for most traits in this study. Genotypes PBS 1127-SP1, AKH 496, H 509, N11-54–31-32, and AKA 13-SP1 exhibited strong combining ability, contributing to a significant specific combining ability (SCA) effect in seven selected crosses (AC 3265 × PBS 1127-SP1, AKH 496 × H 509, AKH 496 × AC 3097, PBS 1127-SP1 × N11-54–31-32, AC 3216 × AKA 13-SP1, H 503 × N11-54–31-32, and H 509 × AKA 13-SP1) for yield improvement. These crosses showed positive heterosis in a positive direction.ConclusionFrom the present study, five genotypes (AC 3097, AKA 13-SP1, N11-54–31-32, AC 3265, and H 509) were identified as good general combiners for producing hybrids, and seven combinations showed a promising hybrid for future breeding programs.

Delayed application of water and fertilizer increased wheat yield but did not improve quality parameters

Context or problemWheat is an important food crop for mankind, simultaneous improvement of wheat yield and quality is human most important goal, but they often cannot increase at the same time. Objective or research questionThe effects of irrigation mode, nitrogen application rate and topdressing time on yield and quality of two wheat varieties were studied, and the possibility of synergistic improvement of yield and quality was also explored. MethodsTwo irrigation treatments (conventional border irrigation and micro-sprinkling irrigation) were set up, and three nitrogen application rate treatments (120, 210 and 300kgN ha−1) were set up under each irrigation treatment. The yield formation and quality parameters of wheat were investigated. ResultsThe grain yield, key enzyme activities of protein synthesis, protein content and dough processing quality of the two cultivars increased with the increase of nitrogen application rate. However, when the nitrogen level was higher than 210kgN ha−1, the grain yield and processing quality of winter wheat did not increase further. Under the same nitrogen application rate, compared with conventional border irrigation (CBI), micro-sprinkling irrigation (MSI) significantly increased the grain yield and total protein content, but did not improve the ratio of glutenin to gliadin and dough processing quality parameters. ConclusionsUnder the experimental conditions, the synergistic improvement of wheat yield and quality parameters could be achieved by optimizing nitrogen application rate, and the delayed application of water and fertilizer could further increase wheat grain yield, but did not improve grain quality parameters. Implications or significanceThis study provided theoretical guidance for further improving the grain yield and quality of winter wheat in the North China Plain.

4E Analysis of Productivity and Efficiency Enhancements in Pyramid Solar Distillation: Innovations in Tray Design, Water Heating, and Forced Condensation Integration

This research enhances the thermal efficiency of a pyramid solar distiller (PSD) through 4E (energy, exergy, economic, and environmental) analysis. The modified distiller (MPSD) features suspended trays on three vertical walls, tested with and without heaters, and various water levels (6.2 to 49.6 L) in the basin. The study also examined MPSD's performance with an external condenser, aided by a fan operating at different speeds (0.25 to 1.5 rpm). Results showed that the MPSD, with a water depth of 1 cm and 12.4 L in the basin, achieved a 33% yield improvement and 50.2% efficiency. Total productivity of MPSD reached 3755 mL/m2 compared to 2820 mL/m2 for the PSD. MPSD with heaters produced 6430 mL/m2, reflecting a 98.5% increase. The best performance occurred at 1.25 rpm, with a 133% productivity increase, 66.5% thermal efficiency, and 4.58% exergy efficiency. The water cost was $0.23/L for the MPSD, lower than the PSD's $0.34/L. CO₂ emissions were 30.93 to 32.23 tons per year for different configurations, and enviroeconomic indicators were 447.46 to 467.33 annually, depending on the setup.

Strategies for Soil Rehabilitation and Yield Improvement under Saline Irrigation Water Conditions: The Role of Combining Soil amendments and Compost Tea

Strategies for Soil Rehabilitation and Yield Improvement under Saline Irrigation Water Conditions: The Role of Combining Soil amendments and Compost Tea

Genetic Variability and Characters Association for Lodging, Yield and Related Traits of Field Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Genotypes in Contrasting Plant Types

A total of 49 field pea genotypes, belonging to two different plant types were evaluated for 13 traits at Bekoji and Kofele in 2020 to assess the extent of genetic variability and association among morpho-agronomic traits. Analysis of variance revealed a highly significant difference between plant types and among the tested genotypes within each plant type for most of traits. Relatively, genotypes within prostrate type are more variable in thousand seed weight and genotypes within semi-leaf less type are more diverse in plant height, ascochyta blight and lodging severity score. Moderate to high genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), heritability in broad sense (H2b) and genetic advance as a percent of mean (GAM) combination were recorded from seed yield, thousand seed weight, plant height and number of seeds per plant in both plant types. The path and correlation analysis showed that lodging score had significant negative association and negative direct effect on seed yield in prostrate type. Number of seeds per plant and plant height had both positive direct effects and significant positive association with seed yield consistently in both plant types. Thousand seed weight also showed both positive direct effects and significant positive association with seed yield in semi-leaf less type. Therefore, great emphasis should be given for those traits while making selection of field pea genotypes for high seed yield. However, for the improvement of yield and lodging simultaneously there should be balance between yield and lodging related traits especially in prostrate type. The principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the first five principal component axes accounted for 71.67% of the total variability. Generally, the results suggested the possibility of further improvement of seed yield and associated desired traits through selection in both plant types.

Research on Cuttings and Flower Yield Improvement of Marigold cv. Siracole for Sustainable Production through Jeevamrit application

A sustainable approach of farming involves using desi-cow waste products helps to improve soil biology. Jeevamrit, a traditional biofertilizer, enhances soil health and organic carbon and also reduces the need for farmyard manure, hence minimizing carbon footprint and supports eco-friendly agriculture. The present study investigated the effectiveness of Jeevamrit compared to chemical fertilizers and growth regulators for maintaining a healthy mother block of marigold. Jeevamrit was applied at a rate of 2 liters per square meter every 15 days in the mother block. A comprehensive evaluation of seven nutritional and growth regulator modules was conducted across five harvesting flushes (H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5), with subsequent planting occurring in both summer and winter, and vegetative parameters compared to other treatments. Comparing cuttings from various treatments, Jeevamrit-treated plants had higher diameter (3.64 mm), rooting percentage (77.62 %), roots per cutting (35.46), survival rate (81.59 %), faster rooting (14.90 days), the microbial analysis shows a higher microbial population i.e. bacterial (18.27 × 105 cfu g-1 Soil), fungal (3.64 × 103 cfu g-1 Soil), and actinomycetes (3.12 × 103 cfu g-1 Soil) in soil and a higher uptake of N (17.73 kg ha -1), P (9.48 kg ha -1), and K (15.03 kg ha -1) by plants resulting into better growth and development. Yet, the highest cutting yield per plant (92.92) and m-2 (826.64) was observed with foliar application of benzyl adenine @ 100 ppm combined with N-P-K @ 30:20:20 g m-2. Among the harvesting flushes, H4 yielded the highest number of cuttings per plant (109.39) and per square meter (973.34). In contrast, H1 achieved the best results for rooting percentage (81.90 %), number of roots per cutting (29.78), survival percentage (78.07 %), and the shortest rooting time (14.49 days). Additionally, H3 showed the highest microbial activity, with viable bacterial counts at 14.38 × 105 cfu g-1, fungal counts at 3.56 × 103 cfu g-1, actinomycetes at 2.84 × 103 cfu g-1, and organic carbon content at 0.97 %. Under the second experiment the plants grown under natural farming produce more number (0.76 %) and yield of marketable flowers per plant (3.77 %) over recommended dose of fertilizers. The study concludes that while Jeevamrit significantly enhances plant growth and soil health, the combination of benzyl adenine with a balanced N-P-K fertilizer results in higher cutting yield. Moreover, Jeevamrit has been identified as an effective alternative to chemical fertilizers for the cultivation of marigold, specifically in the production of cuttings and flowers.

Hyperthermophilic xylanase and thermophilicity analysis by molecular dynamic simulation with quantum mechanics

Thermophilic xylanases catalyzing the cleavage of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds in xylan have applications in food, feed, biorefinery, and pulp industries. In this study, a hyperthermophilic endo-xylanase was obtained by further enhancement of thermal tolerance of a thermophilic GH11 xylanase originated from metagenome of bagasse pile based on rational design. Introducing N13F and Q34L to the previously reported X11P enzyme shifted the optimal working temperature to 85 °C and led to 20.7-fold improvement in thermostability at 90 °C along with a marked increase in Tm to 93.3 °C. X11PNQ enzyme converted xylan to prebiotic xylooligosaccharides with high specificity on xylobiose to xylohexaose and high operational stability at 85 °C, resulting in 10.3-folds yield improvement compared to the parental enzyme. Molecular dynamic simulation and quantum mechanical analysis revealed improved H-bonding networks within GH11 xylanase principal domains and greater dynamic cross-correlations. A novel thermostabilization mechanism by π-amide interaction with slightly lower interaction energy than the native H-bond, but compensated by increased occurrence frequency was firstly demonstrated for thermophilic enzymes. The enzyme represents one of the most thermostable xylanases ever reported with biotechnological potential.Key points• Hyperthemophilic xylanase X11PNQ was obtained by rational design engineering.• X11PNQ showed specificity to prebiotic xylooligosaccharides (XOS) at 85 °C with improved t1/2 at 90 °C.• Novel thermostabilization by π-amide interaction was demonstrated by MD/QM.

Garlic and its processing products, prospects of their utilization

Relevance. Garlic is one of the most popular agricultural crops characterized by high nutritional value and unique chemical composition providing significant beneficial effect on human health.Methods. The review summarizes the most significant publications on garlic biochemical composition, utilization in medicine, human nutrition and agriculture for a period from 1988 to 2024 with the predominant utilization of Scopus and WoS publications.Results. The diversity of garlic processing products (fresh, dry powder, ‘Green' garlic, Laba garlic, garlic essential oil macerate, ethanolic extract (‘aged garlic extract' AGE) and black garlic) provides the diversity of biochemical composition and the direction of biological effect. The possibility to utilize both garlic bulbs, leaves, stems and peel in medicine and agriculture (for yield and stress resistance improvement) are the most important factors for successful waste free production and wide utilization of garlic.