Maximum Yield Research Articles

Impact of spray drying operating conditions on yield, secondary metabolites, antioxidant potential and storage quality of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) pomace powder

In the present investigation, spray drying independent operating conditions such as the inlet air temperature (A-IAT 130, 150 and 170 °C), outlet air temperature (B-OAT 60, 70 and 80 °C), needle speed (C-NS 3S, 4S, 5S), maltodextrin concentration (D-MD 10, 15, 20 %), pump speed (E-PS 5, 10, 15 mL/min) and water/grape pomace ratio (F-W/GP ratio 10, 15, 20) were optimized to develop the spray-dried grape pomace powder (SDGPP) with maximum yield. The impact of these conditions on total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC), and antioxidant activity (DPPH· values) of SDGPP samples were analyzed. The independent spray drying factors (IAT, OAT, NS, MD, PS, and W/GP ratio) impart a strong direct effect (p ≤ 0.05) on powder yield, TPC, TFC, and DPPH· values. The interaction effects (A × B, A × C, A × D, A × E, A × F, B × C, B × D, B × E, B × F, C × D, C × E, C × F, D × E, D × F, and E × F) of independent variables were noted non-significant (p ≥ 0.05) for response values. After validation of the model and verification of results, the independents' variables were found in the range of 170 °C (IAT), 80 °C (OAT), 4S (NS), 15 % (MD), 10 mL/min (PS) and 15 (W/GP ratio) for yield (64.7 ± 1.18 %), TPC (7.66 ± 0.53 mg GAE/g), TFC (3.19 ± 0.30 mg CE/g) and DPPH· 140.3 ± 1.59 (100 µL/mL), respectively. The decrease in TPC, TFC, and DPPH· values of SDGPP samples was noted during 60 days of storage at 25 ± 2 °C and 65 ± 5 % RH (p ≤ 0.05) but not greater than unprocessed samples. It could be concluded that the protection of phenolic contents and retention of antioxidant activity of dried powders can be achieved at optimized spray drying conditions for discerning food and byproduct processing industries.

Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies for Forage Maize Genotypes: Agronomic Performance, Nitrogen use Efficiency and Economic Assessment and Deter- mination of Economical N Fertilizer Rate

A field investigation was conducted using factorial experiment in randomized block design with seven genotypes and three nitrogen (N) levels (80, 120 and 160 kg N/ha) with three replications at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, India during kharif season, 2022. The objective of the study was to assess the nitrogen use efficiency, productivity and profitability of forage maize genotypes under different N levels. Among, the genotypes, J-1006 and among N levels, application of 120 kg ha-1 registered the maximum green and dry fodder yield and crude protein yield (CPY). The highest partial factor productivity of N fertilizer (PFPN) was recorded with J-1006 (103.3 kg DM/kg N applied) and application of lowest dose i.e. 80 kg/ha (99.1 kg DM/kg N applied) among genotypes and N levels, respectively. J-1006 (Rs 78109 ha-1 and 3.62) and application of 120 kg N ha-1 (Rs 65716 ha-1 and 3.21) was profitable in terms of net returns and B:C ratio among genotypes and N levels, respectively. The economic optimum dose of N for tested fodder maize genotypes was found to be 139 kg/ha.

Optimized biogas production from poultry manure with respect to pH, C/N, and temperature

This study aims to identify the optimal conditions for generating biogas from poultry manure with respect to pH, C/N ratio, and temperature. The study was conducted in lab batch bioreactor having a working volume of 2 l at different conditions with respect to pH, carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and temperature. A full factorial design is designed to analyze the impact of the three parameters and their interactions. Experiments are replicated four times to ensure the reproducibility of data. Results indicate that temperature is the only influencing parameter on biogas production from poultry manure within a pH range of 6–8 and a C/N ratio range of 10/1 to 40/1. Moreover, there is no interaction between the three parameters, and mesophilic conditions are found to be the optimum conditions for biogas production. The maximum biogas yield of 285 ml/g VS is found in mesophilic conditions at 37 °C with a retention time of 20 days. Biogas production kinetics are similar in mesophilic and thermophilic conditions but vary in psychrophilic conditions.

Enhancing the irrigation water productivity of rice farming: A study on sowing and irrigation practices in Pakistan

AbstractIn Pakistan's arid agricultural landscape, this 4‐year (2020–2023) study on silty loam soil examined the relationships between sowing methods, irrigation practices, rice yield and water productivity. Using a randomized split block design, no tillage (NT) with alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and a furrow‐irrigated narrow bed (NB) emerged as being consistently competitive, showing potential for sustainable rice cultivation. Key findings indicate that AWD significantly enhances water productivity (11–35%) and increases yield (2–10%) compared to conventional practices. Drip‐irrigated wide beds (WBs) conserve substantial amounts of water (73%) but may compromise rice yield (4–47%). This study provides valuable insights into the dynamic outcomes and distinct performance trends of different rice varieties. The results suggest a potential maximum yield increase of 2–22% through optimized practices, and replacing rice may increase yield by 25–231%. Conversely, the selection of improper irrigation schedules and sowing methods for the given soil and crop conditions may lead to a yield reduction of up to 47% in high‐yielding rice varieties. These findings may help to establish a foundation for further research investigating informed decision making for sowing and irrigation methods. The potential scalability of the identified technologies and further in‐depth simulation strategies across diverse agroecological zones in Pakistan holds promise for widespread adoption, enhancing the sustainability of rice farming in the region.

Box–Behnken modeling of biodiesel production from Botryococcus braunii microalgae

AbstractThis research aimed to model and optimize the growth factors and enhance the lipid yield from Botryococcus braunii microalgae, and to design a system for obtaining biodiesel from these lipids as this does not compromise food security. Botryococcus braunii, grown on a modified Chu‐13 medium, reached the stationary phase after 27 days with a maximum cell count of 265 × 104 cells mL−1 after 27 days and maximum biomass yield of 725 mg L−1 after 30 days on modified Chu‐13 medium, which was higher than growth on Basal SAG medium. The maximum lipid content (18.47%) and lipid yield (4.46 mg L−1day) were obtained when B. braunii was cultivated on modified Chu‐13 medium after 30 days. Gas chromatography (GC) analysis for the lipids indicated that the highest percentages of SFAs (51.03%) and lowest percentages of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) (36.47%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (12.49%) were obtained by culturing B. braunii on modified Chu‐13 medium. The effect of different growth parameters (N2 level, NaHCO3, and CO2 concentrations) on growth yield was modeled by using D‐optimal design response surface methodology (RSM).

Adsorption simulation of 2,4-D pesticide on novel zinc-based 2-amino-4-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)benzoic acid coordination complexes using machine learning approach.

The capacity of zinc-based 2-amino-4-(1H-1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)benzoic acid coordination complex (Zn(NH2-TBA)2) and modified Zn(NH-TBA)2COMe complex for removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) from aqueous solutions was investigated through adsorption modeling and artificial intelligence tools. Analyzing the adsorption characteristics of pesticides helps in studying the groundwater pollution by pesticides in agriculture area.In this study, Zn(NH2-TBA)2 was synthesized using Schiff base and its surface was modified using acetic anhydride group and their physical characteristics were identified using proton NMR, FTIR, and XRD. NMR results showed maximum modification yield obtained was 65% after 5days. The porous structure and surface area monitored using nitrogen isotherm and BET surface area analysis presented relatively less surface area and porosity after modification. Adsorption modelling indicated that Toth model with a maximum adsorption capacity of 150.8mg/g and 100.7mg/g represents the homogenous adsorption systems which satisfy both low- and high-end boundary of adsorbate concentration in all settings according to the optimum point, while the kinetics and rate of 2,4-D adsorption follow the pseudo-first-order kinetic model in all situations. Artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression, and particle swarm optimized least squares-support vector regression (PSO-LSSVR) were used for the optimization and modelling of adsorbent mass, adsorbate concentration, contact time, and temperature to develop predictive equations for the simulation of the adsorption efficiency of 2,4-D pesticide. The obtained results exhibited the better performance of ANN and PSO-LSSVR for prediction of adsorption results. The mean square error values of ANN (0.001, 0.012) and PSO-LSSVR (0.121, 0.105) were obtained for Zn(NH2-TBA)2 and Zn(NH-TBA)2COMe, respectively, while their respective coefficient of determination (R2) obtained were 0.999 and 0.988 for ANN and 0.980 and 0.825 for PSO-LSSVR. The study specified that machine learning predictive behavior performed better for Zn(NH2-TBA)2 compared to Zn(NH-TBA)2COMe that is also supported by theoretical kinetics and isotherm models. The research concludes that artificial intelligence models are the most efficient tools for studying the predictive behavior of adsorption data.

Polyphenols from Sage Leaves (Salvia officinalis L.): Environmentally Friendly Extraction under High Hydrostatic Pressure and Application as a Corrosion Inhibitor for Tinplate

Due to the diversity of organic molecular structures present in sage extract, sage extract is a promising potential source of a cheap and effective biodegradable green corrosion inhibitor for tinplate in 3% NaCl solution, which was evaluated in this study. HHP proved to be a new and emerging technology for the useful extraction of polyphenols from sage as a functional ingredient from natural sources. Analysis of variance among all tested independent factors (ethanol concentration, HHP parameters and temperature) revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in total polyphenol content as well as for rosmarinic acid as the major phenolic compound in sage extract, while extraction time had no effect (p ˃ 0.05). The optimum HHP conditions (600 MPa, 30% ethanol, 60 °C and 5 min) gave a maximum extraction yield of total polyphenols of 3811.84 mg/100 g. Sage-leaf extracts were found to be a mixture of phenolic acids, namely rosmarinic and salvianolic acid K, epicatechin and luteolin-7-O-glucuronide glycoside. The corrosion results show that the sage extract at a concentration of 0.6 g/L in 3% NaCl is an effective corrosion inhibitor (93%), forming a passivation layer of sage extract consisting of organic compounds such as polyphenols on the surface of tinplate.

A sustainable green-approach for biofabrication of chitosan nanoparticles, optimization, characterization, its antifungal activity against phytopathogenic Fusarium culmorum and antitumor activity.

Chitosan is a natural non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and mucoadhesive polymer. It also has a broad spectrum of applications such as agriculture, medical fields, cosmetics and food industries. In this investigation, chitosan nanoparticles were produced by an aqueous extract of Cympopogon citratus leaves as a reducing agent. According to the SEM and TEM micrographs, CNPs had a spherical shape, and size ranging from 8.08 to 12.01 nm. CNPs have a positively charged surface with a Zeta potential of + 26mV. The crystalline feature of CNPs is determined by X-ray diffraction. There are many functional groups, including C꞊C, CH2-OH, C-O, C-S, N-H, CN, CH and OH were detected by FTIR analysis. As shown by the thermogravimetric study, CNPs have a high thermal stability. For the optimization of the green synthesis of CNPs, a Face centered central composite design (FCCCD) with 30 trials was used. The maximum yield of CNPs (13.99 mg CNPs/mL) was produced with chitosan concentration 1.5%, pH 4.5 at 40°C, and incubation period of 30 min. The antifungal activity of CNPs was evaluated against phytopathogenic fungus; Fusarium culmorum. A 100% rate of mycelial growth inhibition was gained by the application of 20mg CNPs/mL. The antitumor activity of the green synthesized CNPs was examined using 6 different cell lines, the viability of the cells reduced when the concentration of green synthesized CNPs increased, the IC50 dose of the green synthesized CNPs on the examined cell lines HePG-2, MCF-7, HCT-116, PC-3, Hela and WI-38 was 36.25 ± 2.3, 31.21 ± 2.2, 67.45 ± 3.5, 56.30 ± 3.3, 44.62 ± 2.6 and 74.90 ± 3.8; respectively.

Application of Irrigation Management and Water-Lifting Technologies to Enhance Fodder Productivity in Smallholder Farming Communities: A Case Study in Robit Bata, Ethiopia

Small-scale cultivation of irrigated fodder is emerging as a vital production system in mixed farming communities. Efficient water management plays a key role in enhancing forage production, especially in the face of changing climate. A field-scale experimental study was conducted in Robit Bata kebele, Ethiopia, with the following objectives: (1) to examine the effects of conventional farmers’ irrigation scheduling versus climate-based irrigation scheduling; and (2) to assess the influence of water-lifting technologies (manual pulley and solar Majipump) on dry matter yield (DMY), water productivity (WP), irrigation labor productivity (ILP), and water productivity in terms of crude protein and metabolizable energy (WP.CP and WP.ME) of Napier grass. The experiment used 10 farmers’ plots each with a size of 100 m2. Half of the plots were treated using farmers’ scheduling while the other half were treated using climate-based irrigation scheduling. Monitoring of irrigation water use and crop yield took place over two irrigation seasons from November 2020 to June 2021. Results showed there was an interaction effect of irrigation management (p = 0.019) and water-lifting technologies (p = 0.016) with season on DMY. The highest DMY occurred in the first irrigation season with climate-based scheduling and solar Majipump use. The interaction effect of irrigation management and season affected WP (p = 0.047). Climate-based scheduling had a higher WP in the first season, while farmers’ scheduling had a higher WP during the second season. On average, the solar Majipump outperformed the pulley, achieving 5 kg m−3 WP compared to the pulley’s 4 kg m−3 (p = 0.018). Emphasizing the seasonal impact, it is recommended to promote full irrigation (climate-based) in the first season for maximum yield and WP. Conversely, in the second season, advocating only deficit irrigation is advised due to water scarcity and sustainability concerns. Statistical parity in DMY and lower WP with full irrigation in the second season supports this recommendation, addressing the challenge of optimizing water use in the context of a changing climate and ensuring sustainable smallholder agriculture practices. Therefore, implementing appropriate irrigation management alongside efficient water-lifting technologies holds the potential to enhance fodder productivity and bolster smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. Future research should explore the comparative benefits of irrigated fodder versus other crops and the overall advantages of investing in irrigated fodder over vegetables.

Effects of Different Film Types on Cotton Growth and Yield under Drip Irrigation

To address residual plastic film in fields in which mulched drip irrigation technology is applied, a sprayable degradable film (consisting of 1–5% clay, 5–20% humic acid, 0.5–5% crosslinker, and 0.5–5% auxiliary and water) can be used as a superior alternative to the plastic film applied in drip-irrigated fields. A field experiment was conducted in Xinjiang, Northwest China, to test the impacts of five different mulching treatments (SF1, sprayable degradable film applied at 1900 kg ha−1; SF2, sprayable degradable film applied at 1900 kg ha−1; SF3, sprayable degradable film applied at 2500 kg ha−1; PF, plastic film; and NF, no film mulching) on cotton growth and development, yield, and water use efficiency. The results showed that, compared to the NF treatment, sprayable degradable film mulching (SF1, SF2, and SF3) positively impacted the soil hydrothermal environment, promoted root growth, significantly increased plant height and leaf area, and enhanced physiological characteristics, which, in turn, increased yield and water use efficiency by 11.79–15.00% and 21.88–30.21%, respectively. The maximum yield and water use efficiency were observed in the PF treatment, amounting to 5345 kg ha−1 and 1.28 kg m−3, respectively, and they had no significant differences from those in the SF3 treatment. In general, applying moderate amounts of sprayable degradable film at a rate of 2500 kg ha−1 represents an effective agronomic strategy for managing residual film contamination while maintaining stable cotton yields.

Field Experiment on Integrated Nutrient Management in Aggregatum Onion (Allium cepa var. aggregatum)

A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal, U.T. of Puducherry during the summer season of 2023 to investigate the integrated effects of organics and bioenhancers on the growth, bulb yield and quality of aggregatum onion (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) cv ‘Perambalur Local’. The experiment utilized a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two replications, incorporating two factors viz., fertilizers level (F1 with 6 levels) and bioenhancers (F2 with 3 levels), resulting in eighteen treatments in a factorial manner. The study materials included vermicompost, poultry manure, panchagavya and jeevamirtham, in addition to recommended Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and N, P, K fertilizers. Noteworthy observations were made in the treatment receiving Recommended Dose of FYM (RDFYM) + 75% N + Recommended Dose of P (RDP) + Recommended Dose of K (RDK) + 25% N through Poultry manure, coupled with the application of jeevamirtham at 500 L ha-1 as a soil drench thrice, coinciding with irrigation at planting, 20 and 45 days after planting (DAP). This treatment exhibited significant enhancements in various parameters including maximum plant height at 30 DAP (31.40 cm), leaf girth at 30 DAP (1.94 cm), number of leaves plant-1 at 30 DAP (25.80), fresh weight of top (12.26 g), polar (3.17 cm) and equatorial diameter of bulblet (2.94 cm), bulblet weight (9.30 g), number of bulblets plant-1 (10.00), maximum bulb yield (43.18 g plant-1 and 6.91 t ha-1) and dry matter production of bulbs (788.51 kg ha-1). These findings underscore the efficacy of integrating organic inputs and bioenhancers in optimizing the growth, yield and quality of aggregatum onion.

Dissecting wheat above-ground architecture for enhanced water use efficiency and grain yield in the subtropics

BackgroundGrowing wheat under climate change scenarios challenges, scientists to develop drought and heat-tolerant genotypes. The adaptive traits should therefore be explored and engineered for this purpose. Thus, this study aimed to dissect surface traits and optimizing the leaf architecture to enhance water use efficiency (WUE) and grain yield. Twenty-six wheat genotypes were assessed for five novel leaf traits (NLTs: leaf prickle hairs, groove type, rolling, angle and wettability) under normal, drought and heat conditions following triplicated factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD). The data for NLTs, physiological traits (stomatal conductance, WUE, transpiration, and photosynthesis), and standard morphological and yield traits were recorded. Leaves were sampled at the stem elongation stage (Zadoks 34) to measure the leaf water content (%), contact angle, and to obtain pictures through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The air moisture harvesting efficiency was evaluated for five selected genotypes. The ideotype concept was applied to evaluate the best-performing genotypes.ResultsThe correlation analysis indicated that long leaf prickle hairs (> 100 μm), short stomatal aperture and density (40–60 mm− 2), inward to spiral leaf rolling, medium leaf indentation, low contact angle hysteresis (< 10°), and cuticular wax were positively associated with WUE. This, in turn, was significantly correlated to grain yield. Thus, the genotypes (E-1) with these traits and alternate leaf wettability had maximum grain yield (502 g m− 2) and WUE supported with high photosynthesis rate, and relative water content (94 and 75% under normal and stress conditions, respectively). However, the genotype (1-hooded) with dense leaf hairs on edges but droopy leaves, spiral leaf rolling, and lighter groove, also performed better in terms of grain yield (450 g m− 2) under heat stress conditions by maintaining high photosynthesis and WUE with low stomatal conductance and transpiration rate.ConclusionThe SEM analysis verified that the density of hairs on the leaf surface and epicuticular wax contributes towards alternate wettability patterns thereby increasing the water-use efficiency and yield of the wheat plant. This study paves a way towards screening and and developing heat and drought-tolerant cultivars that are water-saving and climate-resilient.

Influence of ocean alkalinity enhancement with olivine or steel slag on a coastal plankton community in Tasmania

Abstract. Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) aims to increase atmospheric CO2 sequestration in the oceans through the acceleration of chemical rock weathering. This could be achieved by grinding rocks containing alkaline minerals and adding the rock powder to the surface ocean where it dissolves and chemically locks CO2 in seawater as bicarbonate. However, CO2 sequestration during dissolution coincides with the release of potentially bioactive chemicals and may induce side effects. Here, we used 53 L microcosms to test how coastal plankton communities from Tasmania respond to OAE with olivine (mainly Mg2SiO4) or steel slag (mainly CaO and Ca(OH)2) as alkalinity sources. Three microcosms were left unperturbed and served as a control, three were enriched with olivine powder (1.9 g L−1), and three were enriched with steel slag powder (0.038 g L−1). Olivine and steel slag powders were of similar grain size. Olivine was added in a higher amount than the steel slag with the aim of compensating for the lower efficiency of olivine to deliver alkalinity over the 3-week experiment. Phytoplankton and zooplankton community responses as well as some biogeochemical parameters were monitored. Olivine and steel slag additions increased total alkalinity by 29 and 361 µmol kg−1, respectively, corresponding to a respective theoretical increase of 0.9 % and 14.8 % of the seawater storage capacity for atmospheric CO2. Olivine and steel slag released silicate nutrients into the seawater, but steel slag released considerably more and also significant amounts of phosphate. After 21 d, no significant difference was found in dissolved iron concentrations (&gt;100 nmol L−1) in the treatments and the control. The slag addition increased dissolved manganese concentrations (771 nmol L−1), while olivine increased dissolved nickel concentrations (37 nmol L−1). There was no significant difference in total chlorophyll-a concentrations between the treatments and the control, likely due to nitrogen limitation of the phytoplankton community. However, flow cytometry results indicated an increase in the cellular abundance of several smaller (∼&lt;20 µm) phytoplankton groups in the olivine treatment. The abundance of larger phytoplankton (∼&gt;20 µm) decreased much more in the control than in the treatments after day 10. Furthermore, the maximum quantum yields of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) were higher in slag and olivine treatments, suggesting that mineral additions increased photosynthetic performance. The zooplankton community composition was also affected, with the most notable changes being observed in the dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans and the appendicularian Oikopleura sp. in the olivine treatment. Overall, the steel slag used here was more efficient for CO2 removal with OAE than the olivine over the 3-week timescale of the experiment. Furthermore, the steel slag appeared to induce less change in the plankton community than the olivine when comparing the CO2 removal potential of both minerals with the level of environmental impact that they caused.

Rare-Earth Lanthanum-Evoked Amorphization and Optimization to Boost Ambient Nitrogen Fixation over Single-Atom Catalysts.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been widely studied in a variety of electrocatalysis. However, its application in the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) field still suffers from unsatisfactory performance, due to the sluggish mass transfer and significant kinetic barriers. Herein, a novel rare-earth-lanthanum-evoked optimization strategy is proposed to boost ambient NRR over SACs. The incorporation of La with a large atomic radius tends to break the atomic long-range order and trigger the amorphization of SACs, endowing a greater density of dangling bonds that could modify affinity for reactants and adsorbates. Moreover, with unique 5d16s2 valence-electron configurations, its presence could further enrich the electron density and enhance the intrinsic activity of single-metal center via the valence orbital coupling. As expected, the La-modified catalyst presents excellent activity toward the electrochemical NRR, delivering a maximum ammonia yield rate of 33.91 μg h-1 mg-1 and a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 53.82%.

The effect of cultivation technologies on weed infestation and productivity of peas

The current paper has presented the study results obtained in 2020–2023, in the stationary field trial of the FSBSI “KurskFARC”. The purpose of the study was to identify and evaluate the impact of technologies with different levels of soil tillage minimization on weed infestation, the formation of yield structure elements and pea productivity in the conditions of the CBR. There have been studied four pea cultivation technologies, such as traditional (plowing at 20–22 cm, main application of N15P40K40 + top dressing with N34); differentiated (chiseling by 20–22 cm + disking by 8–10 cm, main application N15P40K40 + top dressing with N34); minimal (discing up to 8 cm, main application N15P40K40 + top dressing with N34); direct sowing (no-tillage, main application N5P14K14 + pre-sowing N10P26K26 + top dressing with N34). There has been established the advantage of traditional technology in reducing weed infestation, and direct sowing in the formation of yield structure elements, indicators of grain quality and pea productivity. The traditional pea cultivation technology reduced the total number of weeds by 1.9–2.0 times and their dry weight by 1.2–1.8 times during the period critical for the growth and development of the crop, and by 2.1–2.5 and 1.3–2.0 times before harvesting. The highest indicators of plant density for harvesting, the mean number of grains per plant and unit area, and protein percentage in grain were identified with direct sowing, which made it possible to obtain the maximum pea productivity (2.31 t/ha) and protein yield with the harvest (460.6 kg/ha). The use of traditional, differentiated, and minimal technologies contributed to a reduction of plant density before harvesting by 5.4–9.3 %, the mean number of grains per 1 m2 by 4.2–22.6 % and per plant by 0.6–18. 6 %, protein percentage in grain by 0.25–0.90 %, which led to a productivity decrease by 4.3–10.8 %, protein yield per hectare by 5.3–12.6 %.

Boosting Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis via NOx Reduction over Sulfur‐Doped Copper Oxide Nanoneedle Arrays

Boosting Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis via NO<i>_x</i> Reduction over Sulfur‐Doped Copper Oxide Nanoneedle Arrays

CO2 photoreduction integrated with oxidative coupling of amines over WO3/Cu(BTC) nanocomposite

Here, we report an efficient integrated CO2 photoreduction to methanol accompanied with the simultaneous oxidation of benzyl amines to corresponding imines using quadrangular WO3 nanoplates grafted with Cu(BTC) as a photocatalyst under visible light, enabling to provide efficient use of the photogenerated electrons and holes. Under the optimized reaction conditions, the maximum yield of methanol and N-(4-methoxybenzyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)methanimine was found to be 642 μmol-g−1 and 98 %, respectively. The developed integrated dual functional system comprising CO2 reduction coupled with the oxidative organic synthesis opens a new window for value chain up gradation at both ends using sustainable solar energy.

Optimization Studies of Anticancer Enzyme -asparaginase from Actinomycetes

Optimization Studies of Anticancer Enzyme -asparaginase from Actinomycetes

Differences of Maize Fodder Yield and Crop Attributes under Different Irrigation and Nutrient Management

Irrigation and nutrient management are two vital components of modern agriculture playing crucial roles in ensuring optimal plant growth, maximizing crop yields and sustaining agricultural productivity. A field trial was conducted to evaluate how irrigation and nutrient management affect the growth characteristics and dry fodder yield of maize. The experiment involved four irrigation levels viz. no irrigation (I0), one irrigation at 20 days after sowing (DAS) (I1), two irrigations at 20 and 40 DAS (I2) and three irrigations at 20, 40 and 60 DAS (I3) and four fertilizer levels viz. recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (275-125-80-125-8 kg ha-1 of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, gypsum and sulphur) (F1), poultry manure (PM) (5 t ha-1) (F2), 75% RDF + PM (2.5 t ha-1) (F3) and 50% RDF + PM (5 t ha-1) (F4). The study was conducted with a split-plot layout and included three replications. Research results demonstrated significant impacts of both irrigation and nutrient management on growth metrics and the production of dry forage. At harvest, the highest plant height (177.72 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (12.16) and chlorophyll content (47.15) were recorded with three irrigations at 20, 40 and 60 DAS fertilized with 75% RDF + PM @ 2.5 t ha-1 whereas the highest total dry matter (40.60 g) and dry fodder yield (4.51 t ha-1) was recorded with two irrigations at 20 and 40 DAS along with RDF. These results emphasize that maize can produce maximum dry fodder yield with two irrigations at 20 and 40 DAS along with RDF whereas three irrigations at 20, 40 and 60 DAS fertilized with 75% RDF + PM @ 2.5 t ha-1 obtained the superior growth traits of maize.

'Emerging into the World' - the regulation and control of dormancy and sprouting in geophytes.

Geophytic plants synchronize growth and quiescence with the external environment to survive and thrive under changing seasons. Besides seasonal growth adaptation, dormancy and sprouting are critical factors determining crop yield and market supply as various geophytes also serve as major food, floriculture, and ornamental crops. Dormancy in such crops decides crop availability in the market, as most of such crops are consumed during the dormant stage. On the other hand, uniform/maximal sprouting is crucial for maximum yield. Thus, dormancy and sprouting regulation have great economic importance. Dormancy-sprouting cycles in geophytes are regulated by genetic, exogenous (environmental), and endogenous (genetic, metabolic and hormonal, etc.) factors. Comparatively, the temperature is more dominant in regulating dormancy and sprouting in geophytes, unlike aboveground tissues, where both photoperiod and temperature control are involved. Despite huge economic importance, studies concerning the regulation of dormancy and sprouting are scarce in the majority of geophytes. To date, only a few molecular factors involved in the process have been suggested. Recently, omics studies on molecular and metabolic factors involved in dormancy and growth regulations of underground vegetative tissues have provided more insight into the mechanism. Here, we discuss current knowledge of the environmental and molecular regulation and control of dormancy and sprouting in geophytes and discuss challenges/questions that need to be addressed in the future for crop improvement.