Maximum Production Research Articles

Halophilic Phosphate-Solubilizing Microbes (Priestia megaterium and Bacillus velezensis) Isolated from Arabian Sea Seamount Sediments for Plant Growth Promotion.

Arabian Sea is a highly productive Ocean owing to deep upwelling with reports on phosphorus cycling in ocean sediments. In this study, microbes from sea mounts of the Arabian Sea at varying depths (400m, 900m) were screened to isolate and characterize phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) with plant growth-promoting properties. Out of the seven morphologically different PSBs, two bacterial strains with maximum phosphate solubilization index were identified as Priestia megaterium (H1) and Bacillus velezensis (H2) based on biochemical and molecular characteristics. Different factors influencing phosphatase production were optimized, which showed maximum solubilization at temperature of 30°C (97.5μg/mL), glucose as best carbon source (70µg/mL), 1-M NaCl (114.1µg/mL), and pH 8 (134.3µg/mL) indicating their halophilic and alkaliphilic characteristics. Alkaline phosphatase enzyme was extracted and partially purified from both PSBs wherein H2 strains showed greater specific activity (24.83 U/mg). Metabolomics studies through HPLC revealed maximum production of gluconic acid (483.75mg/L) in addition to lactic, oxalic, acetic, and succinic acid during solubilization. Biopriming effect of PSBs on tomato seed germination showed high germination index (80%) in consortia of both isolates which was also validated through root colonization by SEM analysis. Further studies using pot assay experiments also showed comparable results in marine PSB consortia with positive control (Phosphobacteria) for plant growth attributes including root height and weight. These findings suggest that the halophilic PSB strains from marine sediments could be used as potential bio-inoculants to enhance plant growth and combat saline stress for sustainable Agriculture.

Statistical Analysis and Several Estimation Methods of New Alpha Power-Transformed Pareto Model with Applications in Insurance

This article defines a new distribution using a novel alpha power-transformed method extension. The model obtained has three parameters and is quite effective in modeling skewed, complex, symmetric, and asymmetric datasets. The new approach has one additional parameter for the model. Certain distributional and mathematical properties are investigated, notably reliability, quartile, moments, skewness, kurtosis, and order statistics, and several approaches of estimation, notably the maximum likelihood, least square, weighted least square, maximum product spacing, Cramer-Von Mises, and Anderson Darling estimators of the model parameters were obtained. A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed techniques of estimation of the model parameters. The actuarial measures are computed for our recommended model. At the end of the paper, two insurance applications are illustrated to check the potential and utility of the suggested distribution. Evaluation using four selection criteria indicates that our recommended model is the most appropriate probability model for modeling insurance datasets.

Economic and biological assessment of a new medium-ripened variety of soft winter wheat Priazovye

Relevance. In the Russian Federation, winter common wheat is the main food and strategic crop. Permanent improvement of productivity and quality of wheat grain, reducing its production costs is the main task of agricultural production. To solve this problem, the leading place is given to the continuous and constant creation and introduction into production of new competitive wheat varieties, highly adapted to stress factors, with guaranteed high yields and high grain quality.Methods. The research was carried out in the southern zone of the Rostov region at the experimental sites of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution ANTS “Donskoy” in 2021–2023 in order to create a new variety of soft winter wheat capable of forming not only high yields, but also having high frost resistance, drought resistance, resistance to leaf diseases, possessing high rheological and technological properties of grain and flour.Results. The winter common wheat variety Priazovie was developed by stepwise hybridization using the varieties Voyazh and Tanya. This is a highly productive variety. On average, over three years (2021–2023) of study in the competitive variety testing, the productivity of the variety laid in green manure fallow was 9.88 t/ha, exceeding that of the standard variety by 1.56 t/ha. The variety is capable of producing high yields after various forecrops. The maximum productivity of the variety (12.23 t/ha) was obtained in green manure fallow in 2022. The variety forms a high stem capacity (up to 800 pcs/m²), and is characterized by high resistance to the main leaf diseases, such as powdery mildew, brown and yellow mildew, loose smut, leaf blotch, etc. According to the main indicators of grain and flour quality, it belongs to valuable wheat, in terms of frost resistance (73.3%) it surpasses the standard Ermak variety (69.2%).

Classical and Bayesian inference of Cpc$\mathcal {C}_{pc}$ for Wilson–Hilferty distribution under progressively first‐failure type‐II censoring samples

AbstractThis study uses two frequentist approaches and the Bayesian method of estimation using progressively first‐failure type‐II censored data to estimate process capability index (PCI), , for the Wilson–Hilferty (WH) distribution. A competitive maximum product of spacing (MPS) method for estimation of is proposed in the frequentist method as an alternative to conventional likelihood (LK)‐based estimation. We have also taken into account the PS function in the Bayesian setup as an alternative to the conventional LK function, and both LK and PS‐based Bayesian estimates are given for . Further, the Bayes estimates are evaluated by applying Tierney–Kadane (TK) approximation method and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method with the help of both LK and PS functions and Jeffrey's prior. Additionally, the approximate confidence intervals based on the suggested frequentist techniques as well as the Bayes highest posterior density (HPD) credible intervals are built for the index . In addition, two bootstrap confidence intervals are obtained. In the simulation exercise, the performance of the Bayes and traditional estimates of is assessed in terms of their mean squared errors, and the average width and coverage probabilities of the CIs and HPD intervals are compared. An actual data set from the electronic industries is reanalyzed in order to show the efficacy of the proposed index and estimation methodology.

Spatial Variation of Microclimatic Parameters Inside a Polyhouse with Fog Cooling System

The importance of protected cultivation is increasing day by day due to its capability of producing crop all round the year and increase in the crop productivity. This advantage of protected cultivation can be efficiently achieved by adapting the polyhouse cultivation. To obtain the maximum crop productivity inside a polyhouse, it is necessary to understand the variability of microclimate inside it. The present study aims to understand the spatial variability of microclimate inside a naturally ventilated polyhouse installed with fog cooling system during summer season. The main aim of the study is to understand the effect of fogging system in spatial variability of microclimate. For the study, the data of microclimatic parameters were collected daily from April to June at four different time intervals 8.30 AM, 12.30 PM, 4.30 PM and 8.30 PM. The data recorded was then analyzed in Golden Surfer Software to generate contour plots of weekly averages of microclimate parameters. The analysis revealed that the temperature and relative humidity varied across the polyhouse depending upon the wind velocity and its distribution pattern. The light intensity varied based upon the orientation of polyhouse and the position of sun. Carbon dioxide concentration varied based on temperature, light intensity, crop transpiration and respiration. It can be concluded that, inside a naturally ventilated polyhouse, the microclimate varied both spatially and temporally with fogging system also due to wind effect. Thus, having accurate understanding of the microclimate inside a polyhouse helps to maintain optimal conditions for plant growth and thus improve crop yield and productivity.

Tunning Pr to achieve ultra-high magnetic properties of anisotropic nanocrystalline (Sm,Pr)Co5 magnets

In this study, we reported on the bulk anisotropic nanocrystalline Sm1-xPrxCo5 (x = 0.2–0.6) magnets aimed at achieving excellent energy products. Through a combination of advanced processing techniques, including melt spinning, hot pressing, and hot deformation process, bulk magnets with a fine nanocrystalline structure were successfully synthesized. The results revealed that the substitution of Pr strengthened the c-axis texture and the saturation magnetization, facilitating the enhancement of remanence (Mr) and maximum magnetic energy product [(BH)max]. However, Pr substitution decreased the coercivity (Hci) due to the reduced magnetocrystalline anisotropy field. Excellent magnetic properties are obtained for Sm0.4Pr0.6Co5 magnets with the (BH)max of 23.2 MGOe and Hci of 11.8 kOe. The prepared (Sm,Pr)Co5 magnets with different Pr contents have essentially the same microstructure with RECo5 main phase grains of about 400 nm in diameter and fine dispersed rare earth-rich nanoprecipitates. Our findings can provide reliable reference for manufacturing nanocrystalline permanent magnet materials and promote the development of rare earth permanent magnet new materials.

Screening and Optimization of Pathogenic Strains of Pseudomonas sp. for Cholinesterase Enzyme Activity

The identification and optimization of pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas sp. with significant Cholinesterase enzyme activity has promising implications for environmental and medical applications. This study aimed to screen various Pseudomonas strains to identify those exhibiting high cholinesterase activity and to optimize the conditions for maximal enzyme production. Multiple Pseudomonas strains were isolated and characterized from diverse clinical samples, employing selective media and biochemical assays to determine cholinesterase activity. The strains with maximum enzyme activity were further subjected to optimization experiments, including variations in growth conditions such as Temperature, pH and Nutrient availability. The findings revealed sample no.39 among the collected 50 samples had significant enzyme activity of 0.19151 IU is obtained when choline chloride was 0.3999%, Ammonium Chloride was 0.01M, pH was 7.0, Temperature was 27°C and Time of incubation was 24hrs. These results not only advance our understanding of Pseudomonas sp. enzyme capabilities but also offer potential applications in bioremediation, biosensor development and pharmaceutical industries. Future research will focus on the molecular characterization of the cholinesterase enzyme and its applications in various industrial processes.

Optimization of Cellulase Production from Agri-Industrial Residues by Aspergillus terreus NIH2624

The objective of this study was to assess the cellulase production of four fungi: Aspergillus terreus NIH2624, Aspergillus clavatus NRRL1, Aspergillus versicolor CBS583.65 and Aspergillus phoenicis ATCC3157, under submerged cultivation conditions. When these fungi were cultured in shake flasks using Mandels and Weber’s minimal medium with 1% sugarcane bagasse as a carbon source and 1.8 g/L of rice bran extract as a nitrogen source, A. terreus showed maximum cellulase production (filter paper activity (FPase) 3.35 U/mL; carboxymethyl cellulase activity (CMCase) 1.69 U/mL). Consequently, A. terreus was selected for the optimization study for cellulase production. Among the different tested carbon sources, A. terreus showed higher CMCase activity when it was cultivated on delignified sugarcane bagasse (1.64 U/mL) and higher FPase activity on sugarcane straw (7.95 U/mL). Regarding the nitrogen sources, the maximum FPase activity was observed when using rice bran (FPase, 8.90 U/mL) and soybean meal (FPase, 9.63 U/mL). The optimized fermentation medium (minimal medium with delignified sugarcane bagasse and rice bran as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively) resulted in an enzymatic cocktail mainly composed of xylanases, with a maximum activity of 1701.85 U/mL for beechwood xylan, 77.12 U/mL for endoglucanase and 21.02 U/mL for cellobiohydrolase. Additionally, the enzymatic cocktail showed efficient activities for β-glucosidase, β-xylanase, arabinofuranosidase and lytic polysaccharide monoxygenases (LPMOs). This cellulase enzyme solution has the potential to efficiently hydrolyze lignocellulosic biomass, producing second-generation sugars in biorefineries.

Improving yield and irrigation water productivity of green beans under water stress with agricultural solid waste-based material of compacted rice straw as a sustainable organic soil mulch

AbstractThis research aimed at water saving in irrigation by applying deficit irrigation using two strategies, standard drip and partial root drying (PRD), while applying organic and plastic mulch over two growing seasons of green beans. A field experiment was conducted in 2022 and 2023, using four irrigation treatments supplying 100% of the irrigation requirement (IRg), 75% IRg, 50% IRg, and 50% IRg—PRD, and four soil mulching treatments: uncovered soil (UC), plastic mulch (PM), rice straw mulch (RSM), and compacted rice straw mulch (CRSM). The combined effect of deficit irrigation strategies and soil mulching showed that the maximum irrigation water productivity (IWP) of 5.56 kg m−3 was achieved under 50% IRg—PRD & CRSM for both growing seasons, followed by 50% IRg—PRD & RSM and 50% IRg—PRD & PM, with 5.19 and 4.96 kg m−3, respectively. The highest yield of 8936 kg ha−1 was achieved with 50% IRg—PRD & CRSM, followed by 8914 kg ha−1 and 8898 kg ha−1 with 100% IRg & CRSM and 75% IRg & CRSM, respectively. The lowest yield of 6009 kg ha−1 was obtained with 50% IRg & UC. The highest soil moisture content was observed under 100% IRg & CRSM. The application of organic mulches was found to be particularly effective in conserving soil moisture due to enhanced infiltration, improved retention capacity, and suppression of weed growth, ultimately fostering optimal crop development and higher yield. The results of soil temperature variations beneath soil mulches showed that CRSM is effective in alleviating plant water stress, lowering the temperature below the cover and reducing water loss through evaporation from the soil surface. The combination of 50% IRg—PRD & CRSM produced plants with enhanced plant height, fresh and dry weight, leaf area, pod length, and green bean weight, as well as the highest vegetative growth indices. Generally, the organic mulching increased soil temperature, soil moisture, IWP, and green bean production.

Semi-continuous cultivation of microalgae to treat coal mine effluent in pilot scale: Nutrient removal, biodesalination and fatty acid composition analysis

Coal excavation is associated with discharge of an enormous amount of mine water rich in salt and trace metal ions, which require efficient treatment before use. Considering the potentiality of microalgae for high salt tolerance, salt removal and metallic pollutant removal from aqueous system, present study focuses semi-continuous cultivation of candidate microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa (NCIM 2738) in bubble column reactor (BCR) and open raceway pond (ORP) for nutrient supplemented coal mine effluent (NSCME) treatment. In between different hydraulic retention times (HRTs), HRT 6 d provide maximum average biomass productivity of 950 mg L−1 d−1 in BCR and 728.4 mg L−1 d−1 in ORP. HRT 9 d facilitates a maximum lipid content of 1.8 g L ̶ 1 in BCR and 1.4 g L ̶ 1 in ORP. Further, HRT 9 d had the maximum COD removal efficiency (96.5 % in BCR and 94.2 % in ORP) and maximum salinity removal efficiency (93 % in BCR and 92 % in ORP). Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) characterization highlighted potential biodiesel applicability with cetane number (CN) of 53.94. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed an excess amount of salt and metal ions deposition on the surface of harvested microalgae samples. Outdoor large-scale C. pyrenoidosa cultivation can be integrated with coal mine closure plans to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs) 6, 7 and 13.

Discovery and characterization of novel lipopeptides produced by Virgibacillus massiliensis with biosurfactant and antimicrobial activities

The study aimed to evaluate the biosurfactants (BSs) production by SM-23 strain of Virgibacillus identified by phenotypical and WGS analysis as Virgibacillus massiliensis. We first demonstrated the lipopeptides production by Virgibacillus massiliensis specie and studied their biochemical and molecular analysis as well as their biological potential. The GC–MS analysis indicated that methyl.2-hyroxydodecanoate was the major fatty acid compound with 33.22%. The maximum BSs production was obtained in LB medium supplemented by 1% olive oil (v/v) at 30 °C and 5% NaCl with 1.92 g/l. The obtained results revealed the significant biosurfactants/bioemulsifier potential compared to triton X100 with E24 of 100%, and an emulsification stability SE of 83%. The lipopeptides types were identified by FTIR analysis. A strong antimicrobial action was observed by the produced lipopeptides by the agar diffusion method against E.coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, Fusarium sp, Alternaria sp, and Phytophtora sp. The complete genome sequencing showed genes involved in the synthesis of multiple compounds identified as amphipathic cyclic lipopeptides such as locillomycin/locillomycin B/locillomycin C and bacillibactin. Our results highlighted significant lipopeptides properties displayed by V. massiliensis that can be exploited to develop a novel strategy in the formulation of natural biocidal and fungicidal agents.

Waste to hydrogen: Investigation of different loads of diesel engine exhaust gas

In this study, green hydrogen production by utilizing diesel engine exhaust gas waste heat in steam and organic Rankine with internal heat exchanger with two thermoelectric generators and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer combined system under different load conditions is investigated. Thermo-economic, enviro-economic and exergo-environmental analyses of the maximum hydrogen production point determined for different waste heat conditions are carried out. Total and specific investment cost and levelized cost of hydrogen determined under different loads are compared. Simple and dynamic payback period, profit ratio of investment and net present value of the combined system at different selling prices of hydrogen are determined and their feasibility is analyzed. Carbon reduction and carbon credit gain amount due to green hydrogen produced in line with zero emission targets are compared under different waste heat conditions. Exergetic sustainability index of the system were determined within the scope of exergo-environmental analysis. In terms of economic and environmental performance, a hydrogen cost of 2.04 $/kg was obtained under 100% load and a carbon saving of 7211 $ was achieved depending on the hydrogen produced. Dynamic payback period and net present value were found to be 4.467 years and 404,696 $, respectively, if the hydrogen selling price was 5 $/kg under 100% load. It is found that a 50% load reduction leads to an increase in dynamic payback period and levelized cost of hydrogen by 18.6% and 13.72%, respectively, and a decrease in net present value and profit ratio of investment by 54.39% and 12.39%, respectively. On the other hand, since the exergy destruction decreases with the decrease in the load, exergo-environmental index is found to decrease by 2.03%.

Integrated processes for olive mill wastewater treatment and its revalorization for microalgae culture.

The olive oil industry generates 30 million cubic meters of olive mill wastewaters (OMWWs) annually. OMWWs are a major environmental concern in the Mediterranean region due to their high organic matter content, suspended solids, unpleasant odor, and dark color. The application of primary treatments such as coagulation-flocculation, adsorption, and hybrid systems combining coagulation-flocculation with adsorption has enabled to remove part of the organic matter, color, turbidity, and growth-inhibiting compounds from OMWWs. Among these methods, the hybrid system combining activated carbon and chitosan has proven to be the best removal efficiency. Subsequently, secondary treatment involving the cultivation of Chlorella sp. on OMWWs pretreated with chitosan achieved the highest maximal specific growth rate (0.513 ± 0.022day⁻1) and biomass productivity (0.621 ± 0.021g/L/day). Notably, the fatty acids (FA) profile produced by Chlorella sp. cells grown under these conditions differed, underscoring the potential of OMWWs as a microalgal growth medium. This innovative approach not only addresses environmental issues but also opens new avenues for sustainable bioproducts.

Integration of Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) and algal PhotoBioReactors (aPBR) for achieving carbon neutrality in wastewater treatment

Carbon neutrality is a primary goal for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as they are responsible for significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as unpleasant odour emissions.The paper shows a new modular biotechnology that enables simultaneous treatment of gaseous emissions and biofixation of CO2.A comparative assessment of system performances in removing target pollutants (toluene, p-xylene and hydrogen sulphide) was implemented. Results showed that the highest removal efficiency (RE) was recorded for the toluene, equaling 99.9 ± 0.1 %, for an inlet load (IL) of 9.91 ± 3.44 g m−3 d−1. During the experimental tests regarding hydrogen sulphide removal, the system recorded the highest CO2 assimilation, equal to −3.03 ± 0.93 g m−3 d−1. However, this assimilation rate did not correspond to the maximum volumetric biomass productivity (MVBP), equal to 1.3 g L−1 d−1, recorded with toluene treatment, with a maximum lipid productivity (MLP) of 450 mg L−1 d−1.The results demonstrated the complete adaptability of the investigated system, which can help to fill the gaps in the current technological landscape, providing an innovative biotechnology that can be directly implemented and environmentally sustainable.

Effects on the productivity, haematological indices, and carcass quality of Nile tilapia reared at different stocking densities in a hybrid biofloc-RAS

The performance at varied over-stocking of Oreochromis niloticus was evaluated in a hybrid biofloc-recirculating aquaculture system (HBR) viz., 150 fish/m3 (HBR-SD150), 200 fish/m3 (HBR-SD200), 250 fish/m3 (HBR- SD250), and 300 fish/m3 (HBR- SD300) along with 150 fish/m3 (BFT-SD150) and 150 fish/m3 (RAS-SD150) each maintained in triplicate. Tapioca flour was used to maintain the carbon to nitrogen ratio of 15:1 within the HBR and BFT units throughout the experimental period of 120 days. At the conclusion of the experiment, assessments were made of productivity, biological and haematological indices; and proximate composition of the fish and the floc. Evern though significantly higher productivity was observed in HBR-SD200, a quadratic regression model applied to the productivity as a function of stocking density {Stocking density (fish/m3) = −21.008 × 2 + 532.15× - 3090.2, R2 = 0.6929} and the optimum productivity for O. niloticus (Nile tilapia) found to be 13.2 Kg/m3 at 229.89 fish/m3. Notably, HBR-SD150 groups exhibited significantly higher levels of haematological indices including NBT. The Proximate composition of the floc revealed that a significantly higher quantity of protein and ash was found in HBR-SD150 and HBR-SD300, respectively. There was no significant difference in carcass composition of Nile tilapia across the treatments except for that of crude protein levels. Profitability analysis demonstrated that low stocking density groups achieved greater profits than high stocking density HBR and control. The findings of present study indicate that the maximum production that can be accomplished from the HBR culture system is 13.2 Kg/m3 at a density of 229.89 fish/m3 without affecting the growth, immunity, and survival of Nile tilapia.

Long-term investigation of the irrigation intervals and supplementary irrigation strategies effects on winter wheat in the U.S. Central High Plains based on a combination of crop modeling and field studies

Implementing optimized irrigation strategies to achieve acceptable wheat yield while conserving groundwater resources is critical for extensively irrigated regions. Field experiments regarding winter wheat irrigation management were conducted for two growing seasons (2013–2014 and 2014–2015) to calibrate and validate the AquaCrop model. To determine proper parameterization of the AquaCrop model for various data availability conditions, the model performance was tested for calibration based on three different datasets, including a) calibration based on a full irrigation condition (CA 1), b) calibration based on a dryland condition (CA 2), and c) calibration based on diverse irrigation conditions, which included full irrigation, different deficit irrigation levels, and dryland (CA 3). The CA 3 calibration scenario resulted in the model's highest accuracy in simulating biomass, grain yield, total soil water, and seasonal evapotranspiration during the calibration and validation process. However, the model performance was also convenient when calibration based on full irrigation conditions was pursued. The calibrated and validated AquaCrop model based on the CA3 was used to analyze long-term (36-year) irrigation management scenarios for identifying the optimized water-conservative winter wheat irrigation strategies. The long-term analysis emphasized that increasing irrigation intervals from 7 to 15 or 20 days could reduce groundwater withdrawal by 52–64 % while expecting a 14–19 % reduction in grain yield. By implementing one 25 mm irrigation after planting and two 25 mm depth irrigation events at jointing or leaf growth stages, 91 % of Kansas's average winter wheat yield (2.88 tons/ha) could be achieved. During wet years, the 1.2 ton/ha reduction in biomass and 0.27–0.62 ton/ha reduction in grain yield is expected irrespective of irrigation management strategies. Considerable uncertainty was detected in grain yield production during dry years under dryland (rainfed) conditions. The maximum winter wheat production could be achieved under normal years, establishing a balance between precipitation and heat units. Our agro-hydrological analysis revealed that the highest irrigation water use efficiency could be attained by the application of two 25 mm irrigation events at jointing or flag leaf growth stages during normal years, the application of two irrigation events during jointing or heading during wet years, and two 25 mm irrigations at heading or flowering during dry years. The results of this research could be used as a baseline for producers of the U.S. Central High Plains and semi-arid regions with similar climate characteristics to cope with water scarcity in winter wheat production.

Can Rice Farming through the National Strategy Food Estate Increase Regional Production?

Food estate is a large-scale food development program that is carried out in an integrated manner. This includes agriculture, plantations and livestock within an area. This research aims to (1) analyze the production factors of lowland rice farming as an effort to increase rice production in the national food estate strategy program in Central Kalimantan; (2) analyze the technical efficiency of lowland rice farming in an effort to increase rice production in the national food estate strategy program in Central Kalimantan. This research was carried out at the Siam Village Food Estate (COE). The sampling method used a random sampling method with a total sample of 89 people. The analysis method uses Cobb-Douglas production function analysis and Frontier Stochastic technical efficiency analysis. Research results: (1) land (X1), seeds (X2), lime (X3), and fertilizer (X4) have a significant effect (α<0.05) on lowland rice production results in the Balanti Siam village food estate, while pesticides (X5), labor (X6), machinery (X7), planting system dummy (D1), and planting pattern dummy (D2) do not have a significant effect on lowland rice production results on food aesthetic land in Balanti Siam village; (2) Farmers in Balanti Siam village are classified as technically efficient with an average technical efficiency of 96.5% (cut-off > 0.70), while individually there are 88 farmers who are classified as technically efficient. The production factors used in rice farming play an important role in production results. By using production factors efficiently, this can increase maximum rice production yields.

Identification and characterisation of dextran produced by a novel high yielding Weissella cibaria Fiplydextran strain

An exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing bacterial strain was isolated from fermented soy milk and identified as Weissella cibaria strain Fiplydextran through morphological, biochemical and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Here, we report the optimisation of cultural conditions for the organism to achieve maximum EPS production, along with its molecular characterisation, functional properties, and prebiotic potential. The exceptionally high EPS yield (0.61 g per g of sucrose) was obtained from the optimised medium (200 g/L of sucrose, 15 g/L of yeast extract) at 30 °C after 48 h. HPAEC-PAD analysis revealed that the EPS is homopolymer of glucose having Mw as 3.23 × 107 Da determined using viscosity method. Methylation analysis and NMR results confirmed the EPS as dextran with α (1 → 6)-linkage (96.5 %) as main chain and α (1 → 3)- as branch chain linkage (3.5 %). Thermogravimetric analysis exhibited higher thermal stability of EPS. The EPS was observed to support the growth of Bacteroides spp. in pure culture form but not that of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium spp. However, a low level of bifidogenic activity was observed upon use of mixed culture of B. fragilis and B. longum. The research implies industrial applications of W. cibaria Fiplydextran for the production of high molecular weight dextran with better yield.

Geothermal Power, and a Battery as Well

One of geothermal energy’s key advantages is that it’s always on. But making money selling power increasingly requires being able to react to shifts in electric prices by adjusting production up and down. The fact this is a concern now is an indication of the ambition of a new generation of companies that have shown it is possible to use horizontal drilling and fracturing to build subsurface heat exchangers to harvest large amounts of geothermal energy. The geologic potential is huge—there are a lot of places with hot rock at a drillable depth. But monetizing that potential will require grabbing a sizeable share of the market in big states such as California and Texas where the price of electricity can sink toward zero when sunny conditions allow maximum solar power production, and then rebound as the sun sets. This is a pressing concern for Houston-based Fervo Energy because it is one of the first firms in a small pack of innovators to reach the point where it is building a large scale power plant using this emerging technology. Unlike wind and solar, it can deliver power on demand, similar to coal, gas, and nuclear-powered plants that supply baseload power to the electric market. Fervo’s founders play up its ability to deliver power on demand, but they resist the label baseload power provider because, as Jack Norbeck, chief technology officer and cofounder of Fervo, said, “In the future, baseload power will be a thing of the past.” Baseload power plants are not yet an endangered species. There are still large, mostly old fossil-fueled plants providing baseload power that are still around because they were paid for long ago. However, their numbers are declining as they wear out and are hit with demands for costly emission reductions. The initial sales by Fervo’s Cape Station project in Utah will provide baseload power to southern California power suppliers, complying with a unique California rule that requires them to source low-carbon power supplies that are available 24/7. But for new geothermal companies to sell enough power to become significant players in US power markets, they will need to provide what the electricity business describes as “more flexible, dispatchable power.” Big baseload plants ruled the power universe back when regulators set rates high enough to maintain a sizable surplus of generating capacity—ensuring the lights stayed on. Now, in markets such as Texas and California, power pricing rises and falls based on supply and demand, with selling at all times sometimes resulting in very low payments during peak production periods for solar and wind. This is particularly true during seasons where days tend to be sunny and windy with moderate temperatures. “If you are consuming electricity, particularly in the spring and fall, it is an extremely clean grid you are pulling from,” said Christian Gradl, vice president of operations for Fervo during a panel at this year’s Offshore Technology Conference.

Growth and Productivity of Coffea arabica var. Esperanza L4A5 in Different Agroforestry Systems in the Caribbean Region of Costa Rica

This study focused on evaluating the growth and productivity of Coffea arabica var. Esperanza L4A5 in different agroforestry systems in the Caribbean region of Costa Rica, a non-traditional area for coffee cultivation due to its low altitude and challenging climatic conditions. Three tree coverages were investigated, in combination with two types of differentiated fertilization (physical and chemical), comparing the results with full sun coffee plots as a control: (1) Albizia saman, (2) Hymenaea courbaril + Erythrina poeppigiana, and (3) Anacardium excelsum + Erythrina poeppigiana. The results showed that tree associations significantly reduced the mortality of coffee plants and increased both the height and mature cherry production compared to full sun treatments. In particular, the tree coverages associated with chemical and physical fertilization achieved the highest growth and production rates, with A. excelsum + E. poeppigiana and H. courbaril + E. poeppigiana standing out with maximum mature cherry productions of 3.35 t/ha and 3.28 t/ha, respectively. Growth analysis revealed that rapid initial growth, especially under chemical fertilization, is crucial for maximizing productivity, although a rapid slowdown in growth was also observed after reaching the peak. These findings underscore the importance of combining tree coverages with appropriate fertilization strategies to optimize coffee production in agroforestry systems, particularly in low-altitude areas like the Costa Rican Caribbean. This study concludes that agroforestry systems not only improve the resilience of coffee crops to adverse environmental conditions but can also be a viable strategy for increasing productivity in non-conventional regions. This suggests the need for further research to assess the long-term impacts on soil health, biodiversity, and the economic viability of these systems.