Increase Crop Yield Research Articles

Benefit and risk: Keystone biomes in maize rhizosphere associated with crop yield under different fertilizations

The highly diverse beneficial and deleterious microbes in the rhizosphere influence plant growth and crop production in agricultural ecosystems. However, our understanding of the relationships between beneficial and risky phylotypes in the rhizosphere, and plant growth, in addition to their potentially varied response to different fertilization treatments in black soils, remains poor. Here, we investigated variations in multitrophic (e.g., bacteria, fungi, invertebrates, and protists) community composition and diversity under different five-year fertilization treatments, and identified the potential beneficial and potential risky keystone multitrophic biota in maize rhizosphere and bulk soils based on ecological networks and soil food web structure. Bacteria and protist community compositions exhibited greater variations under different fertilization regimes when compared with those of fungi and invertebrates. In addition, two keystone phylotype groups associated with crop yield and soil function were detected, and the potential beneficial keystone phylotypes exhibited higher relative abundances in C-fixation, N-fixation, and P-mineralization genes; conversely, the potential risky keystone phylotypes were associated with denitrification and nitrate reduction genes, and included more potential fungal pathogens. Furthermore, structural equation modeling results indicated that organic amendments, particularly cow manure, could improve crop yield by enriching beneficial keystone phylotypes and suppressing risky keystone phylotypes. Altogether, the results of the present study highlight the critical roles of rhizosphere biota in food production, and identify keystone phylotypes that are beneficial or harmful to crop production and soil function, which could facilitate the conservation of beneficial biota and the early detection of potential pathogens, as well as the exploitation of beneficial biota to increase crop yield.

Photosynthesis: Genetic Strategies Adopted to Gain Higher Efficiency.

The global challenge of feeding an ever-increasing population to maintain food security requires novel approaches to increase crop yields. Photosynthesis, the fundamental energy and material basis for plant life on Earth, is highly responsive to environmental conditions. Evaluating the operational status of the photosynthetic mechanism provides insights into plants' capacity to adapt to their surroundings. Despite immense effort, photosynthesis still falls short of its theoretical maximum efficiency, indicating significant potential for improvement. In this review, we provide background information on the various genetic aspects of photosynthesis, explain its complexity, and survey relevant genetic engineering approaches employed to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis. We discuss the latest success stories of gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 and synthetic biology in achieving precise refinements in targeted photosynthesis pathways, such as the Calvin-Benson cycle, electron transport chain, and photorespiration. We also discuss the genetic markers crucial for mitigating the impact of rapidly changing environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures or drought, on photosynthesis and growth. This review aims to pinpoint optimization opportunities for photosynthesis, discuss recent advancements, and address the challenges in improving this critical process, fostering a globally food-secure future through sustainable food crop production.

Soil Organic Carbon Storage, Nitrous Oxide Emission and Net Climate Benefit of Conservation Agriculture: Insights from Two Long-Term Experiments in Zimbabwe

The slow increase in grain production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is largely the result of cropland expansion rather than an increase in crop yields, which have been stagnantly low (< 1.5 t ha-1). Sustainable intensification of crop production is therefore needed to feed a growing population whilst minimizing negative impacts on the environment, biodiversity, and climate. Full accounting of the net global warming potential (GWP) of management practices can provide a holistic approach for identifying cropping systems that promote sustainable agriculture intensification to ensure food security whilst mitigating climate change.

Effect of mechanochemically modified MoO3–ZnO on Mo supply to plants when co-granulated with macronutrient fertilizers

Molybdenum (Mo) is an essential micronutrient required for plant growth but is prone to leaching from neutral and alkaline soils. The use of slow-release Mo sources could potentially reduce leaching losses from soils and increase crop yields. In this study, we assessed mechanochemistry as a green method to produce slow-release Mo sources. Molybdenum compounds (MoO3 or (NH4)6Mo7O24·4H2O) were mechanochemically (MC) treated with ZnO to synthesize compounds with a Mo content of 1–36%. Reduced Mo solubility after MC treatment, compared to the initial Mo source, was obtained with the MoO3 source and these composites were used for co-compaction with macronutrient fertilizers. Macronutrient pellets with 0.2% Mo were compacted using the 4% Mo and 36% Mo (characterized as ZnMoO4) compounds. A column dissolution test showed that the 4% Mo compound in a macronutrient carrier (DAP and MAP) only released around 40% of the total Mo compared to 80% for a non-MC treated control over 72 h. Column leaching using two soils revealed that the release behavior of Mo was strongly related to the pH of the leachate, which was affected by both the soil pH and the macronutrient carrier. More Mo was released when the MC-treated compound was co-compacted with diammonium phosphate (DAP) compared to monoammonium phosphate (MAP). The MC-treated compound with 4% Mo showed significantly less leaching than the control without ball milling when co-compacted with both MAP and DAP. In a pot trial with simulated leaching, the uptake of Mo was greater for the MC-treated 4% Mo compound co-compacted into DAP than for the other Mo sources. Overall, our results indicate that MC-treated MoO3–ZnO could be used as a slow-release Mo source in high-rainfall areas.Graphical

Bidirectional Energy Flow in the Photosystem II Supercomplex.

The water-splitting capability of Photosystem II (PSII) of plants and green algae requires the system to balance efficient light harvesting along with effective photoprotection against excitation in excess of the photosynthetic capacity, particularly under the naturally fluctuating sunlight intensity. The comparatively flat energy landscape of the multicomponent structure, inferred from the spectra of the individual pigment-protein complexes and the rather narrow and featureless absorption spectrum, is well known. However, how the combination of the required functions emerges from the interactions among the multiple components of the PSII supercomplex (PSII-SC) cannot be inferred from the individual pigment-protein complexes. In this work, we investigate the energy transfer dynamics of the C2S2-type PSII-SC with a combined spectroscopic and modeling approach. Specifically, two-dimensional electronic-vibrational (2DEV) spectroscopy provides enhanced spectral resolution and the ability to map energy evolution in real space, while the quantum dynamical simulation allows complete kinetic modeling of the 210 chromophores. We demonstrate that additional pathways emerge within the supercomplex. In particular, we show that excitation energy can leave the vicinity of the charge separation components, the reaction center (RC), faster than it can transfer to it. This enables activatable quenching centers in the periphery of the PSII-SC to be effective in removing excessive energy in cases of overexcitation. Overall, we provide a quantitative description of how the seemingly contradictory functions of PSII-SC arise from the combination of its individual components. This provides a fundamental understanding that will allow further improvement of artificial solar energy devices and bioengineering processes for increasing crop yield.

Obtaining Melanin-Synthesizing Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and their Use for Biological Preparations.

A pivotal objective in crop production and plant protection lies in developing environmentally friendly insecticidal preparations and biostimulants. We employed Bacillus thuringiensis strains with varied insecticidal spectra and engineered melanogenic mutants. We demonstrated a significant increase in insecticidal activity in the isolated mutants. Meanwhile, there was no observable impact of the enhanced synthesis of water-soluble melanin on the nature and abundance of spore and crystal formation. This heightened efficacy can be attributed to the photoprotective qualities of the synthesized pigment, shielding spores and crystals against the detrimental effects of UV radiation and insolation. We demonstrated the high biological activity of water-soluble bacterial melanin through in vivo experiments involving multiple plant species. Our findings indicate that bacterial melanin is a potent phytostimulant. This preparation accelerates and amplifies plant growth and development processes, leading to a substantial increase in crop yield by 20-40%. The simultaneous synthesis of two biologically active substance, melanin and insecticidal toxins, ensures an elevated level of effectiveness in utilizing melaninogenic strains.

ХИМИЯЛЫК ЖЕР СЕМИРТКИЧТЕРДИ АЙЫЛ ЧАРБАСЫНДА ПАЙДАЛАНУУНУН КООПСУЗДУГУ

This article talks about chemical fertilizers and provides safety precautions when using them. It also shows the classification of fertilizers, types, safety measures and negative consequences, as well as ways to solve them. Today it is noted that research is being conducted on the impact of chemicalization on agriculture, the environment and human health. Chemical fertilizers are widely used in agriculture to increase crop yields. They provide nutrients to plants, improve soil structure, and help reduce plant diseases and pests. However, improper and excessive use of chemical fertilizers can have negative impacts on the environment and human health. This article discusses the safe use of chemical fertilizers and their effects.

Hybrid Adaptive Multiple Intelligence System (HybridAMIS) for classifying cannabis leaf diseases using deep learning ensembles

Optimizing cannabis crop yield and quality necessitates accurate, automated leaf disease classi-fication systems for timely detection and intervention. Existing automated solutions, however, are insufficiently tailored to the specific challenges of cannabis disease identification, struggling with robustness across varied environmental conditions and plant growth stages. This paper introduces a novel Hybrid Adaptive Multi-Intelligence System for Deep Learning Ensembles (HyAMIS-DLE), utilizing a comprehensive dataset reflective of the diversity in cannabis leaf diseases and their progression. Our approach combines non-population-based decision fusion in image prepro-cessing with population-based decision fusion in classification, employing multiple CNN archi-tectures. This integration facilitates a significant improvement in performance metrics: Hy-AMIS-DLE achieves an accuracy of 99.58 %, outperforming conventional models by up to 4.16 %, and exhibits superior robustness and an enhanced Area Under the Curve (AUC) score, effectively distinguishing between healthy and diseased leaves. The successful deployment of HyAMIS-DLE within our Automated Cannabis Leaf Disease Classification System (A-CLDC-S) demonstrates its practical value, contributing to increased crop yields, reduced losses, and the promotion of sus-tainable agricultural practices.

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Soil Health, Soil Quality, and Production of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.).

The integrated application of inorganic fertilizers, organic fertilizers, and biofertilizers helps sustainthe nutrient pool and benefits the soil quality, thereby boosting plant health. The effect of different combinations of biofertilizers (consortium biofertilizer [CBF]-non-rhizobial PGPR), inorganicfertilizers, and organic fertilizers on soil health, growth, and yield of cowpea was evaluated by conducting a field experiment. The application of N100FYM + CBF resulted in significantly higher populations of bacteria, fungi, PSB, and diazotroph, as well as soil dehydrogenaseand alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities. However, the application of N100 FYM recorded a significantly higher actinomycetes population. The application of N100 FYM + CBF resulted in significantly higher soil OC, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The soil pH was recorded to be highest in control, and soil EC was recorded to be lowest in control. The plant uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium was significantly higher with N50 FYM + NP50 + CBF. The root-shoot biomass, number of leaves, nodules/plant, number of pods/plants, pod biomass, pod length, and pod width were significantly higher in treatment having N50 FYM + NP50 + CBF. However, the height of the plant, number of branches, and biomass of leaves werehighest in treatment with N25 FYM + NP75 + CBF. The pod and stover yield were significantly higher in treatment with N50 FYM + NP50 + CBF. The results showed that the integrated application of non-rhizobial PGPR along with organic and inorganic fertilizer helps to improve overall soil health, quality, and plant growth of forage cowpea contributing to an increase in crop yield.

Dynamic patterns of gene expressional and regulatory variations in cotton heterosis.

Although the application of heterosis has significantly increased crop yield over the past century, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon still remain obscure. Here, we applied transcriptome sequencing to unravel the impacts of parental expression differences and transcriptomic reprogramming in cotton heterosis. A high-quality transcriptomic atlas covering 15 developmental stages and tissues was constructed for XZM2, an elite hybrid of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and its parental lines, CRI12 and J8891. This atlas allowed us to identify gene expression differences between the parents and to characterize the transcriptomic reprogramming that occurs in the hybrid. Our analysis revealed abundant gene expression differences between the parents, with pronounced tissue specificity; a total of 1,112 genes exhibited single-parent expression in at least one tissue. It also illuminated transcriptomic reprogramming in the hybrid XZM2, which included both additive and non-additive expression patterns. Coexpression networks between parents and hybrid constructed via weighted gene coexpression network analysis identified modules closely associated with fiber development. In particular, key regulatory hub genes involved in fiber development showed high-parent dominant or over dominant patterns in the hybrid, potentially driving the emergence of heterosis. Finally, high-depth resequencing data was generated and allele-specific expression patterns examined in the hybrid, enabling the dissection of cis- and trans-regulation contributions to the observed expression differences. Parental transcriptional differences and transcriptomic reprogramming in the hybrid, especially the non-additive upregulation of key genes, play an important role in shaping heterosis. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of heterosis in cotton.

Maize, Peanut, and Millet Rotations Improve Crop Yields by Altering the Microbial Community and Chemistry of Sandy Saline-Alkaline Soils.

Crop rotation increases crop yield, improves soil health, and reduces plant disease. However, few studies were conducted on the use of intensive cropping patterns to improve the microenvironment of saline soils. The present study thoroughly evaluated the impact of a three-year maize-peanut-millet crop rotation pattern on the crop yield. The rhizosphere soil of the crop was collected at maturity to assess the effects of crop rotation on the composition and function of microbial communities in different tillage layers (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) of sandy saline-alkaline soils. After three years of crop rotation, the maize yield and economic benefits rose by an average of 32.07% and 22.25%, respectively, while output/input grew by 10.26%. The pH of the 0-40 cm tillage layer of saline-alkaline soils decreased by 2.36%, organic matter rose by 13.44%-15.84%, and soil-available nutrients of the 0-20 cm tillage layer increased by 11.94%-69.14%. As compared to continuous cropping, crop rotation boosted soil nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism capacity by 8.61%-88.65%. Enrichment of Actinobacteria and Basidiomycota increased crop yield. Crop rotation increases microbial community richness while decreasing diversity. The increase in abundance can diminish competitive relationships between species, boost synergistic capabilities, alter bacterial and fungal community structure, and enhance microbial community function, all of which elevate crop yields. The obtained insights can contribute to achieving optimal management of intensive cultivation patterns and green sustainable development.

The implications of various seed priming treatments on seed yield in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum)

The experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) season of 2021 and winter (rabi) season of 2022 at Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu to identify suitable seed priming technique, soaking duration and priming agents for halo, osmo, and bio-priming in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.). To increase crop yield and sustainability in present-day agriculture, seed priming continues to be essential by utilizing scientific knowledge and technical breakthroughs. The experiment was laid out in factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) with three replications. The fresh seeds of proso millet cv. CO4 were imposed for halo, osmo, and bio priming treatments, viz. Agent for halo-priming: Control, hydropriming, KH2PO4 (1 and 2%), ZnSO4 (1 and 2%), and CaCl2 (1 and 2%); Agent for osmo-priming: Control, hydropriming, NaCl (1 and 2%), Mannitol (1 and 2%), and PEG (-10 and -15 Bar); Agent for bio-priming: Control, hydropriming, Azospirillum (15 and 20%), P. fluorescens (LF) (10 and 15%), Prosophis LE (5 and 10%), and soaked in equal volumes for 6 and 8 h. The results revealed that for halo priming, seeds soaked in 2% KH2PO4 for 8 h; for osmo priming seeds soaked in 2% mannitol for 8 h and for bio-priming seeds soaked in 15% P. fluorescens (LF) for 8 h outperformed other treatments. Field experiments were also conducted to determine the productivity of seed primed proso millet. The results showed that the crop performance was superior in seeds primed with 2% KH2PO4 for 8 h during kharif season than rabi.

Gravel Mulching Significantly Improves Crop Yield and Water Productivity in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Northwest China: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

In the arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China, periodic rainfall deficits, high field evaporation, limited freshwater resources, and high irrigation costs restrict crop yield and water productivity (WP). Gravel mulching (GM), a traditional agricultural tillage management practice widely used in arid and semi-arid regions, improves crop yield and WP. However, the combined impacts of GM on crop yield and WP are unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of GM on crop yield and WP under different factors and to find the most critical regional factors and gravel characteristics that affect crop yield and WP. To quantitatively assess the impact of GM on crop yield and WP, this study performed a meta-analysis, a regression analysis, and a path analysis of 185 yield comparisons and 130 WP comparisons from 30 peer-reviewed scientific reports. This study found that GM significantly increased crop yield and WP by an average of 29.47% and 28.03%, respectively. GM was reported with the highest response percentages (I) of crop yield and WP in regions whose average annual precipitation (AAP) was 200–400 mm, average annual temperature (AAT) was 0–9 °C, and altitude (A) was >1000 m. Overall, AAP, AAT, and A had significant effects on the I of crop yield (p < 0.001), but AAT and A had an insignificant impact on the I of crop WP (p > 0.05). Gravel size (GS), the amount of gravel mulching (AGM), the degree of gravel mulching (DGM), and the gravel mulching thickness (GMT) had a significantly positive impact on crop yield and WP (p < 0.05). The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis results indicated that the primary regional factors influencing yield were AAT and A, contributing 43.14% and 53.09%, respectively. GMT and GS were identified as significant gravel characterization factors impacting yield, contributing 82.63% and 17.37%, respectively. AAP and GMT were the main regional factors and gravel characterization factors affecting WP. Furthermore, the I values for cash crop yield and WP were higher than that for food crops, and moderate fertilization and irrigation would increase the I values of yield and WP. The benefits of GM are strongly correlated with the planting year. This study’s results show that GM generally improves crop yield and WP, although the extent of this impact varies based on different conditions. These findings are not only useful in relation to their direct applicability to other countries worldwide but also due to their potential to provide new ideas for agricultural practices in similar crop-growing environments.

Mobile Phosphorus Presence of Typical Chernozems on Fertiliser System

Abstract Due to the systematic utilisation of substantial amounts of phosphorus fertilisers on agricultural crops in crop rotation, the amount of available phosphate compounds increases in the soil. It ensures the maximum increase in crop yields. The study of the phosphate level in chernozem soils in various agrocenoses is really up-to-date. The gist of our research was to determine the specifics of providing mobile phosphorus in typical chernozem in field crop rotation, especially in sunflower, varying according to fertilisation systems in the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine. The assessment of mobile phosphorus content was conducted using the Chirikov method, which involves extracting mobile phosphorus compounds from the soil using a solution containing acetic acid (CH3COOH) at a concentration of 0.5 mol dm−3, with a soil–to–solution ratio of 1:25. Phosphorus was determined with the spectrophotocolorimetric method, which is based on the colour intensity of the phosphorus-molybdenum complex. Our investigations showed that the typical low-humus chernozems have considerable reservoirs of potentially exploitable phosphorus for plant nourishment. We established that the mineral and organic-mineral fertilisation system leads to a greater use of mobile phosphorus with agricultural crops of crop rotation resulting in the formation of elevated phosphate content in the chernozem soil. By the end of the second rotation, the organic-mineral fertilisation system variant displayed the greatest concentration of mobile phosphorus within the 0–25 cm soil depth, marking a surge of 15.6 mg kg−1 compared to the unfertilised variant. In the period of sunflower germination, the content of mobile phosphates increased in the soil layers at depths of 0–25 cm and 25–50 cm in the variant of the mineral fertilisation system on 17.6 and 22.2 mg kg−1 of soil compared to the alternative without the fertiliser. In the sunflower’s ripening period, the mobile phosphorus concentration in the soil at 0–25 cm depth increased significantly in the variant of organic-mineral fertilisation system by 12.0 mg kg−1 and mineral fertilisation by 14.7 mg kg−1 of soil if compared with the variant lacking the fertiliser. In the variant of the mineral fertilisation system, the amount of mobile phosphorus increased in the 0–30 cm soil depth by 18.7 mg kg−1 of soil in two crop rotations compared to the beginning of the first crop rotation.

IMAGE PROCESSING-DRIVEN DEEP LEARNING MODEL FOR PLANT DISEASE DETECTION TO ENHANCE IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY IN SMART AGRICULTURE

In the era of smart agriculture, efficient irrigation management is crucial for optimizing crop yield and resource use. Traditional methods of plant disease detection often rely on manual inspection, which is time-consuming and prone to errors. Smart agriculture leverages technology to improve agricultural practices. Accurate and timely plant disease detection is vital for effective irrigation management and overall crop health. Current methods are limited by their manual nature and inability to process large volumes of data quickly. Manual plant disease detection is labor-intensive and may not provide timely information, leading to inefficient irrigation practices. This inefficiency can result in reduced crop yield and wasted resources. LeNet integrates advanced image processing techniques with a deep learning architecture tailored for plant disease detection. The model utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to analyze plant leaf images, identifying disease patterns with high precision. LeNet incorporates preprocessing steps such as image normalization and augmentation to enhance model robustness. The network is trained on a comprehensive dataset of plant disease images, employing transfer learning to leverage pre-trained weights for improved accuracy. Evaluation of LeNet on a test dataset comprising 10,000 images demonstrated an impressive accuracy of 92.5%, with a precision of 90.3% and recall of 94.1%. The model significantly outperforms traditional methods, reducing disease detection time by 60% and enhancing irrigation efficiency by 30%. The reduction in water usage and increased crop yield were observed in practical trials.

Government Efforts to Boost Rice Farmers' Harvest Yields

General Background: Economic development in developing countries aims to enhance economic growth, job opportunities, income distribution, and balance the economic structure. Specific Background: Indonesia, known as an agrarian country due to its fertile land, still relies on rice imports despite its agricultural potential. Knowledge Gap: The effectiveness of government roles in increasing rice production remains unclear, especially at the local level, where farmers face challenges with seed and fertilizer assistance. Aims: This study examines the government's role in increasing rice yields in Karangtanjung Village, Candi District, Sidoarjo Regency, focusing on its function as a stabilizer, innovator, pioneer, and implementer. Results: The findings reveal that the government’s role has been implemented but not fully effective. Farmers perceive challenges with assistance, notably in obtaining superior seeds and affordable, environmentally friendly fertilizers. Moreover, government efforts to enhance production through agricultural support face obstacles, including irrigation issues and limited farmer participation in training programs. Novelty: This study highlights the gaps in the current government interventions, emphasizing the need for improved policies to provide superior seeds and sustainable farming practices tailored to the specific conditions of Karangtanjung Village. Implications: For the government to enhance rice production effectively, there must be efforts to address the supply of superior seeds and environmentally friendly fertilizers, tailored training programs, and better irrigation systems to meet the needs of local farmers. This study underscores the importance of a more targeted approach in agricultural policy to ensure sustainable and increased crop yields. Highlights: Government acts as a stabilizer, innovator, pioneer, and implementer to support rice farming. Empowerment programs include providing seeds, fertilizer, irrigation systems, and agricultural machinery. Challenges remain in distribution, farmer education, and ensuring sustainable farming practices. Keywords: Government Role, Crop Yield, Rice Farmers, Agricultural Regulation, Village Empowerment

The high-low seedbed cultivation increases crop yield, economic benefit, and energy efficiency while reducing the carbon footprint of winter wheat

It is critical to develop sustainable approaches to growing more grain yield while reducing environmental pressure. The high-low seedbed cultivation (HLSC) pattern can enhance crop productivity in the semi-humid North China Plain (NCP), but comprehensive assessments of its advantages from economic, energy, and environmental perspectives relative to traditional cultivation (TC) are still limited. Therefore, two-site field experiments with two cultivation patterns (i.e., HLSC and TC), one for 3-years (2017–2020 wheat season) and another for 2-years (2020–2022 wheat season), were performed to determine the economic benefits, energy balance and carbon footprint (CF) in the NCP. Results showed that, on average, the HLSC pattern exhibited 16.2 ± 6.3 % higher grain yield, 27.5 ± 13.1 % higher biomass yield, and 61.0 ± 23.7 % higher net profit over the TC pattern. Meanwhile, the HLSC have obviously increased net energy (28.8 ± 13.9 %), energy use efficiency (24.8 ± 12.2 %), and energy input intensity (14.7 ± 6.3 %), while decreased specific energy (15.3 ± 4.8 %). Furthermore, the CF per grain yield and biomass yield under HLSC decreased by 10.9 ± 5.6 % and 20.5 ± 4.5 % relative to the TC, respectively. The results suggest that HLSC is a promising wheat cultivation practices to cater to the demands of crop production with environmental sustainability in the NCP.

Changes in Soil Microbial Communities Induced by Biodegradable and Polyethylene Mulch Residues Under Three Different Temperatures

Mulching is a common method increasing crop yield and achieving out-of-season production; nevertheless, their removal poses a significant environmental danger. In this scenario, the use of biodegradable plastic mulches comes up as a solution to increase the sustainability of this practice, as they can be tilled in soil without risk for the environment. In this context, it is important to study the microbial response to this practice, considering their direct involvement in plastic biodegradation. This study evaluated the biodegradation of three commercial mulch residues: one conventional non-biodegradable mulch versus two biodegradable ones (white and black compostable Mater-Bi mulches). The experiment was conducted under three incubation temperatures (room temperature 20–25 °C, 30 °C, and 45 °C) for a 6-month trial using fallow agricultural soil. Soil without plastic mulch residues was used as a control. White mater-bi biodegradable mulch residues showed higher degradation rates up to 88.90% at 30 °C, and up to 69.15% at room temperature. Furthermore, incubation at 45 °C determines the absence of degradation for all types of mulch considered. Moreover, bacterial alpha diversity was primarily influenced by plastic type and temperature, while fungal populations were mainly affected by temperature. Beta diversity was impacted by all experimental variables. Predicted functional genes crucial for degrading complex substrates, including those encoding hydrolases, cutinases, cellobiosidases, and lipases, were derived from 16S rRNA gene sequencing data. Cluster analysis based on predicted enzyme-encoding gene abundance revealed two clusters, mainly linked to sampling time. Finally, core microbiome analysis identified dominant bacterial and fungal taxa in various soil-plastic ecosystems during degradation, pinpointing species potentially involved in plastic breakdown. The present study allows an assessment of how different temperatures affect the degradation of mulch residues in soil, providing important insights for different climatic growing zones. It also fills a gap in the literature by directly comparing the effects of biodegradable and polyethylene mulches on soil microbial communities.

Global assessment of production benefits and risk reduction in agroforestry during extreme weather events under climate change scenarios

Climate change and extreme weather events are threatening agricultural production worldwide. The anticipated increase in atmospheric temperature may reduce the potential yield of cultivated crops. Agroforestry is regarded as a climate-resilient system that is profitable, sustainable, and adaptable, and has strong potential to sequester atmospheric carbon. Agroforestry practices enhance agroecosystems’ resilience against adverse weather conditions via moderating extreme temperature fluctuations, provisioning buffers during heavy rainfall events, mitigating drought periods, and safeguarding land resources from cyclones and tsunamis-type events. Therefore, it was essential to comprehensively analyze and discuss the role of agroforestry in providing resilience during extreme weather situations. We hypothesized that integrating trees in to the agro-ecosystems could increase the resilience of crops against extreme weather events. The available literature showed that the over-story tree shade moderates the severe temperature (2–4°C) effects on understory crops, particularly in the wheat and coffee-based agroforestry as well as in the forage and livestock-based silvipasture systems. Studies have shown that intense rainstorms can harm agricultural production (40–70%) and cause waterlogging. The farmlands with agroforestry have been reported to be more resilient to heavy rainfall because of the decrease in runoff (20–50%) and increase in soil water infiltration. Studies have also suggested that drought-induced low rainfall damages many crops, but integrating trees can improve microclimate and maintain crop yield by providing shade, windshield, and prolonged soil moisture retention. The meta-analysis revealed that tree shelterbelts could mitigate the effects of high water and wind speeds associated with cyclones and tsunamis by creating a vegetation bio-shield along the coastlines. In general, existing literature indicates that implementing and designing agroforestry practices increases resilience of agronomic crops to extreme weather conditions increasing crop yield by 5–15%. Moreover, despite its widely recognized advantages in terms of resilience to extreme weather, the systematic documentation of agroforestry advantages is currently insufficient on a global scale. Consequently, we provide a synthesis of the existing data and its analysis to draw reasonable conclusions that can aid in the development of suitable strategies to achieve the worldwide goal of adapting to and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

Peluang dan Tantangan Pengembangan Usahatani Tomat dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Pendapatan Petani di Kecamatan Ruteng Kabupaten Manggarai

Agriculture is a sector that has an important role in the economy in Indonesia. One agricultural commodity that has great potential is horticulture. Horticulture is one of the agricultural subsectors that has the potential to make a major contribution to economic development and plays an important role in the source of farmers' income, trade and employment. This research aims to determine the opportunities and challenges of developing tomato farming and its impact on farmers' income in Ruteng District, Manggarai Regency. The research was conducted in Ruteng District, Manggarai Regency with the consideration that this area is one of the areas for developing tomato horticulture farming. Data collection was carried out by interviewing main and key informants consisting of farmers, heads of farmer groups, agricultural extension workers. Data sources consist of primary data and secondary data. Research result. By taking advantage of supportive climate conditions, optimizing high market demand, managing stable selling prices, and diversifying products, farmers in Ruteng District have a good opportunity to develop tomato farming in a sustainable manner and can improve their standard of living. In facing farming challenges, it is important to have a holistic and integrated approach between governments. in terms of providing technological support, education, access to capital and risk management to help increase productivity, sustainability and income of farmers in Ruteng District. Apart from that, intense assistance to farmers in implementing good agricultural practices will also support increasing crop yields and farmer welfare. With the implementation of the right strategy and continuous support, tomato farming in Ruteng District has great potential to increase productivity, farmer income and contribution to the local economy.