Plant Productivity Research Articles

Recovery of Cleaning Solutions from Dairy Manufacturing Effluents Using Membrane Technology

The recovery concept of cleaning solutions, based on single-phase detergents from cleaning-in-place (CIP) effluents from the dairy industry, is presented. The first step consists of ultrafiltration (UF) (with a cut-off of 5 or 10 kDa) to reduce the high load of milk proteins, followed by nanofiltration (NF) (with a cut-off of 200 Da) to separate low molecular weight lactose. Membrane steps were performed in the concentration mode, achieving a recovery of 75% of the solutions. UF modules reduced 70–85% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 99% of milk proteins, and 45–70% of lactose, limiting the susceptibility of NF modules to fouling. Combined with nanofiltration, the efficiency of the purification system is 100% for proteins and more than 99% for lactose. The solutions recovered in the proposed purification variants are recognized as sodium hydroxide solutions with a surfactant admixture, and they can be successfully re-used for cleaning processes in the production plant.

Recovery of Cleaning Solutions from Dairy Manufacturing Effluents Using Membrane Technology

The recovery concept of cleaning solutions, based on single-phase detergents from cleaning-in-place (CIP) effluents from the dairy industry, is presented. The first step consists of ultrafiltration (UF) (with a cut-off of 5 or 10 kDa) to reduce the high load of milk proteins, followed by nanofiltration (NF) (with a cut-off of 200 Da) to separate low molecular weight lactose. Membrane steps were performed in the concentration mode, achieving a recovery of 75% of the solutions. UF modules reduced 70–85% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 99% of milk proteins, and 45–70% of lactose, limiting the susceptibility of NF modules to fouling. Combined with nanofiltration, the efficiency of the purification system is 100% for proteins and more than 99% for lactose. The solutions recovered in the proposed purification variants are recognized as sodium hydroxide solutions with a surfactant admixture, and they can be successfully re-used for cleaning processes in the production plant.

Root plasticity improves maize nitrogen use when nitrogen is limiting - an analysis using 3D plant modelling.

Plant phenotypic plasticity plays an important role in nitrogen (N) acquisition and use under nitrogen-limited conditions. However, this role has never been quantified as a function of N availability, leaving it unclear whether plastic responses should be considered as potential targets for selection. A combined modelling and experimentation approach was adopted to quantify the role of plasticity on N uptake and plant yield. Based on a greenhouse experiment we considered plasticity in two maize traits: root-to-leaf biomass allocation ratio and emergence rate of axial roots. In a simulation experiment we individually enabled or disabled both plastic responses for maize stands grown across six N levels. Both plastic responses contributed to maintaining a higher N uptake and plant productivity as N-availability declined, compared to stands in which plastic responses were disabled. We conclude that plastic responses quantified in this study may be a potential target trait in breeding programs for greater N uptake across N levels while it may only be important for the internal use of N under N-limited conditions in maize. Given the complexity of breeding for plastic responses, an a priori model analysis is useful to identify which plastic traits to target for enhanced plant performance.

Metabolic and Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Flavonoid Involvement in the Drought Stress Response of Mulberry Leaves

Abiotic stress, especially drought stress, poses a significant threat to terrestrial plant growth, development, and productivity. Although mulberry has great genetic diversity and extensive stress-tolerant traits in agroforestry systems, only a few reports offer preliminary insight into the biochemical responses of mulberry leaves under drought conditions. In this study, we performed a comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis on the “drooping mulberry” (Morus alba var. pendula Dippel) under PEG-6000-simulated drought stress. Our research revealed that drought stress significantly enhanced flavonoid accumulation and upregulated the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were elevated. In vitro enzyme assays and fermentation tests indicated the involvement of flavonol synthase/flavanone 3-hydroxylase (XM_010098126.2) and anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase 5 (XM_010101521.2) in the biosynthesis of flavonol aglycones and glycosides, respectively. The recombinant MaF3GT5 protein was found to recognize kaempferol, quercetin, and UDP-glucose as substrates but not 3-/7-O-glucosylated flavonols and UDP-rhamnose. MaF3GT5 is capable of forming 3-O- and 7-O-monoglucoside, but not di-O-glucosides, from kaempferol. This implies its role as a flavonol 3, 7-O-glucosyltransferase. The findings from this study provided insights into the biosynthesis of flavonoids and could have substantial implications for the future diversified utilization of mulberry.

Metabolic and Transcriptional Analysis Reveals Flavonoid Involvement in the Drought Stress Response of Mulberry Leaves.

Abiotic stress, especially drought stress, poses a significant threat to terrestrial plant growth, development, and productivity. Although mulberry has great genetic diversity and extensive stress-tolerant traits in agroforestry systems, only a few reports offer preliminary insight into the biochemical responses of mulberry leaves under drought conditions. In this study, we performed a comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis on the "drooping mulberry" (Morus alba var. pendula Dippel) under PEG-6000-simulated drought stress. Our research revealed that drought stress significantly enhanced flavonoid accumulation and upregulated the expression of phenylpropanoid biosynthetic genes. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were elevated. In vitro enzyme assays and fermentation tests indicated the involvement of flavonol synthase/flavanone 3-hydroxylase (XM_010098126.2) and anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase 5 (XM_010101521.2) in the biosynthesis of flavonol aglycones and glycosides, respectively. The recombinant MaF3GT5 protein was found to recognize kaempferol, quercetin, and UDP-glucose as substrates but not 3-/7-O-glucosylated flavonols and UDP-rhamnose. MaF3GT5 is capable of forming 3-O- and 7-O-monoglucoside, but not di-O-glucosides, from kaempferol. This implies its role as a flavonol 3, 7-O-glucosyltransferase. The findings from this study provided insights into the biosynthesis of flavonoids and could have substantial implications for the future diversified utilization of mulberry.

Life Cycle Assessment of Abandonment of Onshore Wind Power for Hydrogen Production in China

The development of clean energy is a crucial strategy for combating climate change. However, the widespread adoption of wind power has led to significant challenges such as wind curtailment and power restrictions. A potential solution is the abandonment of onshore wind power for hydrogen production (AOWPHP). To ensure the sustainable development of clean energy, it is essential to assess the environmental impact of the AOWPHP. This study employs a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to evaluate the environmental impacts of the AOWPHP using QDQ2-1 alkaline electrolyzer technology in China. Furthermore, a scenario analysis is conducted to project these environmental impacts over the next 30 years. The findings indicate the following: (1) The global warming potential (GWP) over the life cycle is 5614 kg CO2-eq, the acidification potential (AP) is 26 kg SO2-eq, the human toxicity potential (HTP) is 12 kg DCB-eq, and the photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP) is 3.77 × 10−6 kg C2H4-eq. (2) Carbon emissions during the production stage significantly contribute to the environmental impact, with steel and concrete being notably polluting materials. The POCP shows high sensitivity at 0.97%, followed by the GWP and AP. (3) The scenario analysis indicates an upward trend in environmental impacts across low-speed, baseline, and high-speed development scenarios, with impacts peaking by 2050. For instance, under the high-development scenario in 2050, the GWP for each material reaches 41,808 kg CO2-eq. To mitigate these impacts effectively, recommendations include reducing reliance on steel and concrete, developing green logistics, enhancing operational efficiency in wind farms and hydrogen production plants, and exploring new epoxy resin materials. These insights are crucial for promoting sustainable growth within the AOWPHP in China while reducing global carbon emissions.

Biochar effects on salt-affected soil properties and plant productivity: A global meta-analysis

Biochar has been recognized as a promising practice for ameliorating degraded soils, yet the consensus on its effects remains largely unknown due to the variability among biochar, soil and plant. This study therefore presents a meta-analysis synthesizing 92 publications containing 987 paired data to scrutinize biochar effects on salt-affected soil properties and plant productivity. Additionally, a random meta-forest approach was employed to identify the key factors of biochar on salt-affected soil and plant productivity. Results showed that biochar led to significant reductions in electrical conductivity (EC), bulk density (BD) and pH by 7.4%, 4.7% and 1.2% compared to the unamended soil, respectively. Soil organic carbon (by 55.1%) and total nitrogen (by 31.3%) increased significantly with biochar addition. Moreover, biochar overall enhanced plant productivity by 31.5%, and more pronounced increases in forage/medicinal with higher salt tolerance than others. The results also identified that the soil salinity and biochar application rate were the most important co-regulators for EC and PP changes. The structural equation model further showed that soil salinity (P < 0.001), biochar pH (P < 0.001) and biochar specific surface area (P < 0.01) had a significant negative effect on soil EC, but it was positively impacted by biochar pyrolysis temperature (P < 0.05). Furthermore, plant productivity was positively affected by biochar pH (P < 0.001) and biochar feedstock (P < 0.01), while negatively influenced by biochar pyrolysis temperature (P < 0.01). This study highlights that woody biochar with 7.6 < pH < 9.0 and pyrolyzed at 400–600 °C under 30–70 t ha−1 application rate in moderately saline coarse soils is a recommendable pattern to enhance forage/medicinal productivity while reducing soil salinity. In conclusion, biochar offers promising avenues for ameliorating degradable soils, but it is imperative to explore largescale applications and field performance across different biochar, soil, and plant types.

Research on the Use of Organic Fertilizer Instead of Chemical Fertilizer and Its Effect on the Morphological and Yield in Fennel Plant

Objective: Organic manures can be used as an alternative method to replace chemical fertilizers for sustainable agricultural production. Sheep manure and vermicompost are the most important alternative applications. These manures can increase soil fertility, plant productivity, and quality. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) has been used as a medicinal and aromatic plant throughout human history, and it is widely used as a food additive, pharmacological substance, and medicinal application. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted to determine the effect of different organic applications (sheep manure (SM) and vermicompost manure (VM)-10, 15, and 20 t/ha) and chemical fertilizer (Ammonium sulfate (AS)-40, 80, and 120 kg/ha) with a control (no fertilizer or manure) on the morphology, yield, and essential oil, and fixed oil yield of fennel. Results: The results of the study showed that significant statistical differences were found only in plant height and the fixed oil yield of fennel. The fruit yield ranged from 90.14 kg/da to 122.72 kg/da, and the 80 kg/ha ammonium sulfate (AS-2) and 10 t/ha sheep manure (SM-1) applications had the highest values. Essential oil yield and fixed oil yield changed between 2.57-3.85 L/da and 16.18-36.90 L/da, respectively. The result of the study suggested that applications of SM-1 had the highest thousand fruit weight, fruit yield, essential oil yield, and fixed oil yield compared to other applications. PCA analysis showed the relationships among the examined properties, and component 1 and component 2 revealed 61.50% of the total variation of the valuables. Conclusion: Sheep manure application (SM-1) can be used for the high fruit, essential oil, and fixed oil yield of fennel for sustainable agriculture.

Biostimulant and Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Application on Four Major Biomass Crops as the Base of Phytomanagement Strategies in Metal-Contaminated Soils.

Using contaminated land to grow lignocellulosic crops can deliver biomass and, in the long term, improve soil quality. Biostimulants and microorganisms are nowadays an innovative approach to define appropriate phytomanagement strategies to promote plant growth and metal uptake. This study evaluated biostimulants and mycorrhizae application on biomass production and phytoextraction potential of four lignocellulosic crops grown under two metal-contaminated soils. Two greenhouse pot trials were setup to evaluate two annual species (sorghum, hemp) in Italy and two perennial ones (miscanthus, switchgrass) in China, under mycorrhizae (M), root (B2) and foliar (B1) biostimulants treatments, based on humic substances and protein hydrolysates, respectively, applied both alone and in combination (MB1, MB2). MB2 increased the shoot dry weight (DW) yield in hemp (1.9 times more), sorghum (3.6 times more) and miscanthus (tripled) with additional positive effects on sorghum and miscanthus Zn and Cd accumulation, respectively, but no effects on hemp metal accumulation. No treatment promoted switchgrass shoot DW, but M enhanced Cd and Cr shoot concentrations (+84%, 1.6 times more, respectively) and the phytoextraction efficiency. Root biostimulants and mycorrhizae were demonstrated to be more efficient inputs than foliar biostimulants to enhance plant development and productivity in order to design effective phytomanagement strategies in metal-contaminated soil.

The Effect of Potassium Sulphate Applications on Plant Growth and Nutrient Content of Pepper Plants Grown Under High Temperature Stress

Objective: Abiotic stresses are one of the most important factors that negatively affect plant growth. Especially in recent years, regression in plant growth and product losses have occurred due to high temperature caused by global climate change. The aim of the study was to reduce the effect of high temperature stress and increase plant tolerance with potassium. One of the ways to increase plant tolerance is proper fertilizer and fertilization techniques. Material and Methods: Potassium sulfate fertilizer (K2SO4), which has a positive effect under abiotic stress conditions, was used as fertilizer in the experiment. The experiment was established according to the randomized plot design with 3 replications and 5 plants in each replication. The effects of foliar (0%, 1%, 2%, 3%) and soil (0-5-10-20 kg da-1) potassium applications on plant growth under high temperature stress were investigated. Results: As a result of the application of potassium sulfate from the leaves or roots, the effect of the plant green part scale, the membrane injury index, the dry weight ratio of the green parts, the relative moisture content of the leaves, the nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) concentrations in the leaves were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The results indicated that potassium applications under high-temperature stress led to increases in nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and chlorophyll concentrations, as well as in the relative moisture content of the leaves. It was found that visual damage to green parts and leaf membrane damage decreased under high-temperature stress. The experiment revealed that potassium sulfate positively influenced plant growth under stressful conditions, reducing damage severity and enhancing plant resistance. The experiment revealed that potassium sulfate positively influenced plant growth under stressful conditions, reducing damage severity and enhancing plant resistance.

Soil moisture alters the responses of alpine ecosystem productivity to environmental factors, especially VPD, on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Water availability, which can be represented by soil water content (SWC), plays a crucial role in plant growth and productivity across the cold and arid Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, the indirect effects of SWC are less well understood, and a more comprehensive understanding of its regulating effects may enhance the recognition of its importance, as this factor is pivotal for accurately predicting the future response of alpine ecosystems to climate change. In this study, in situ eddy covariance observation data from typical alpine ecosystems and satellite data covering the Qinghai-Tibetan region were used to comprehensively reveal the effects of SWC on ecosystem productivity. The results indicated that SWC played an important role in regulating the responses of gross primary productivity (GPP) to other environmental factors over both time and space, especially in terms of the responses of GPP to vapor pressure deficit (VPD). The regulating effect can be summarized as follows: there was a specific SWC value (SWC = 0.24 m3 m−3 on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau) above which SWC was no longer the primary limiting factor. The responses of GPP to certain environmental factors shifted from negative to positive when the SWC increased above this value. The responses of GPP to VPD exhibited the highest sensitivity to the regulating effects of SWC, with a general response pattern found across different temporal and spatial scales. The findings revealed divergent responses of GPP to environmental factors under different SWC conditions and between arid and humid regions, emphasizing the importance of soil water conditions. These findings suggest that water conditions should be given primary consideration in global change studies.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: An Influential Element in Alleviating Salt Stress in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas)

Climate change has intensified abiotic stresses, notably salinity, detrimentally affecting crop yield. To counter these effects, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising tool to mitigate the adverse impacts on plant growth and development. Specifically, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have demonstrated efficacy in facilitating a gradual release of zinc, thus enhancing its bioavailability to plants. With the goal of ensuring sustainable plant production, our aim was to examine how green-synthesized ZnO-NPs influence the seedling growth of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas) under conditions of salinity stress. To induce salt stress, solutions with three different NaCl concentrations (0, 100, and 200 mM) were prepared. Additionally, Zn and ZnO-NPs were administered at four different concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 ppm). In this study, plant height (cm), plant weight (g), plant diameter (mm), chlorophyll content (SPAD), K/Na value, Ca/Na value, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD: EU g−1 leaf; CAT: EU g−1 leaf; POD: EU g−1 leaf), H2O2 (mmol kg−1), MDA (nmol g−1 DW), proline (µg g−1 FW), and sucrose (g L−1), content parameters were measured. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure of ZnO nanoparticles with identified planes. Salinity stress significantly reduced plant metrics and altered ion ratios, while increasing oxidative stress indicators and osmolytes. Conversely, Zn and ZnO-NPs mitigated these effects, reducing oxidative damage and enhancing enzyme activities. This supports Zn’s role in limiting salinity uptake and improving physiological responses in quinoa seedlings, suggesting a promising strategy for enhancing crop resilience. Overall, this study underscores nanomaterials’ potential in sustainable agriculture and stress management.

Apoplast-Extraction Based Method to Improve the Purity of Plant Produced Recombinant Protein.

Plants are a newly developing eukaryotic expression system being explored to produce therapeutic proteins. Purification of recombinant proteins from plants is one of the most critical steps in the production process. Typically, proteins were purified from total soluble proteins (TSP), and the presence of miscellaneous intracellular proteins and cytochromes poses challenges for subsequent protein purification steps. Moreover, most therapeutic proteins like antigens and antibodies are secreted to obtain proper glycosylation, and the presence of incompletely modified proteins leads to inconsistent antigen or antibody structures. This work introduces a more effective method to obtain highly purified recombinant proteins from the plant apoplastic space. The recombinant Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is engineered to be secreted into the apoplast of Nicotiana benthamiana and is then extracted using an infiltration-centrifugation method. The GFP-His from the extracted apoplast is then purified by nickel affinity chromatography. In contrast to the traditional methods from TSP, purification from the apoplast produces highly purified recombinant proteins. This represents an important technological improvement for plant production systems.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: An Influential Element in Alleviating Salt Stress in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas)

Climate change has intensified abiotic stresses, notably salinity, detrimentally affecting crop yield. To counter these effects, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising tool to mitigate the adverse impacts on plant growth and development. Specifically, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have demonstrated efficacy in facilitating a gradual release of zinc, thus enhancing its bioavailability to plants. With the goal of ensuring sustainable plant production, our aim was to examine how green-synthesized ZnO-NPs influence the seedling growth of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa L. Cv Atlas) under conditions of salinity stress. To induce salt stress, solutions with three different NaCl concentrations (0, 100, and 200 mM) were prepared. Additionally, Zn and ZnO-NPs were administered at four different concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 ppm). In this study, plant height (cm), plant weight (g), plant diameter (mm), chlorophyll content (SPAD), K/Na value, Ca/Na value, antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD: EU g−1 leaf; CAT: EU g−1 leaf; POD: EU g−1 leaf), H2O2 (mmol kg−1), MDA (nmol g−1 DW), proline (µg g−1 FW), and sucrose (g L−1), content parameters were measured. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structure of ZnO nanoparticles with identified planes. Salinity stress significantly reduced plant metrics and altered ion ratios, while increasing oxidative stress indicators and osmolytes. Conversely, Zn and ZnO-NPs mitigated these effects, reducing oxidative damage and enhancing enzyme activities. This supports Zn’s role in limiting salinity uptake and improving physiological responses in quinoa seedlings, suggesting a promising strategy for enhancing crop resilience. Overall, this study underscores nanomaterials’ potential in sustainable agriculture and stress management.

Beyond the Coagulation Cascade: Vitamin K and Its Multifaceted Impact on Human and Domesticated Animal Health.

Vitamin K (VK) is an essential micronutrient impacting many systems in the body. This lipid-soluble vitamin is found in various plant and animal products and is absorbed via the lymphatic system. This biomolecule's importance to human health includes but is not limited to its promotion of brain, cardiovascular, bone, and immune functions. These biological properties are also necessary for maintaining domesticated animal health. The synergistic impact of both VK and vitamin D (VD) maximizes these health benefits, specifically for the circulatory and skeletal systems. This manuscript reviews VK's properties, molecular structures, nutrikinetics, mechanisms of action, daily requirements, safety in supplemental form, biomarkers used for its detection, and impacts on various organs. The purpose of synthesizing this information is to evaluate the potential uses of VK for the treatment or prevention of diseases.

Germination test, seedling growth, and physiochemical traits are used to screen okra varieties for salt tolerance

Excess soil salinity is a major stress factor that inhibits plant growth, development, and production. Among the growth stages, seed germination is particularly susceptible to salt stress. Okra, a nutraceutical vegetable, has a low germination percentage. Literature has revealed genetic diversity in okra, which can be studied to develop salt-tolerant varieties. This study examined the salt tolerance of 13 okra varieties using germination tests and then tested five varieties in pot experiments with different NaCl levels (75, 100, and 125 mM NaCl). Results showed that salt levels affected all varieties, with differential variations in stress response. Salt stress reduced agronomic and physiochemical traits in the studied varieties. In variety “MALAV-27”, the highest salt concentration significantly reduced the shoot length (68.12%), root length (65.11%), shoot fresh weight (78.73%), root fresh weight (68.32%), shoot dry weight (75.60%), root dry weight (75.81%), along with different physiochemical traits. Variety “NAYAB-F1” performed the best, maintaining the highest shoot length (57.12%), root length (58.72%), shoot fresh weight (68.26%), and root fresh weight (58.34%), shoot dry weight (69.23%), root dry weight (62.50%), and numerous physiochemical traits such as sugar (0.74 μg/g), proline (0.51 μmol/g), and chlorophyll ‘a’ (7.97 mg/g), chlorophyll ‘b’ (9.56 mg/g). The study recommended 'NAYAB-F1', 'Arka anamika', and 'Shehzadi' as salt-tolerant varieties suitable for selection in salt-tolerant okra breeding programs.

From Lab to Nursery: Novel Approaches of Seed Disinfection for Managing Pine Pitch Canker Propagation

Fusarium circinatum, the causative agent of pine pitch canker disease, is a pathogenic fungus that poses a significant threat to pine forests globally. It infects various Pinus species, causing resinous cankers, needle discoloration, and tree death. The disease severely impacts forest ecosystems, necessitating cost-effective and environmentally friendly management strategies. Contaminated pine seeds and seedlings are the main pathways for introducing this fungus to disease-free areas. To mitigate this disease and prevent its spread, it is crucial to implement new processes in forest plant production systems that align with the existing conditions of forest nurseries, ensuring effective and sustainable management. With this in mind, a national collaborative study involving 14 Portuguese partners was initiated to develop new prevention and mitigation strategies. In this work, four different treatments—MennoFlorades, Captan, ethanol, and hot water—were tested for their ability to eliminate F. circinatum from contaminated Pinus seeds in vitro. The most effective treatments were selected for further in vitro assays and real-context nursery germination trials to assess their impacts on seed germination, plant production, and certification. MennoFlorades, Captan, and hot water were tested in the nursery, with hot water showing the most promising results due to its negligible impact on seedlings, eco-friendly nature, ease of implementation, and cost-effectiveness. These findings offer promising prospects for preventing pine pitch canker outbreaks in nurseries and, consequently, in forests.

The Effect of Socio-Economic Factors and Crop Cultivation Techniques on the Increase in Shallot Plant Productivity Using SEM Method

The success of farmers in obtaining productive yields of shallot plants from stable and adaptive superior varieties plays a crucial role in increasing plant productivity. Technological innovations are conducted by examining the Socio-Economic Factors and Technical Factors of Shallot Plant Cultivation. However, merely considering the Socio-Economic Aspects and Technical Cultivation Factors (TCF) of shallot plants is insufficient in selecting stable and adaptive superior varieties. Hence, this research combined the Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS) method and SEM (Structural Equation Modeling). Through SEM-AMOS, the modeling of socioeconomic factors and Crop Cultivation Techniques was conducted while considering the physiological processes of growth and development of genotypes, which explained the interrelation of Socio-Economic Factors and Crop Cultivation Techniques (CCT) with yield components and their effect on the Increase in Shallot Plant Productivity. The results of the AMOS Modeling. If the Probability value (P) &gt; 0.05, then H0 is accepted, and H1 is rejected; if the Probability value (P) &lt; 0.05, then H0 is rejected, and H1 is accepted. Cultivation of Shallot Plants - Socio-Economic Aspect: It was observed that the P-value was 0.094, which is &lt; 0.05. This value is significantly lower than 0.05; therefore, H1 is accepted. Hence, it can be said that socio-economic factors have a positive and significant effect on the cultivation of shallot plants. Cultivation of Shallot Plants - Crop Cultivation Techniques: It was observed that the P-value was 0.019, which is &lt; 0.05. This value is significantly lower than 0.05; therefore, H1 is accepted. Hence, it can be said that there is a positive and significant effect of Crop Cultivation Techniques on Shallot Plants.

The supply of phosphate fertilizers affects the uptake of macronutrients and the productivity of Brachiaria cultivars during the establishment period

Phosphate fertilizer is necessary in Brachiaria species to boost fodder yield and nitrogen uptake. Know Plant response the phosphate guides nutrient dosing for optimal growth. The goal was to assess how phosphorus (P) dose affected forage production and macronutrient uptake in forage plants during the establishment period. The experimental design was in a 9 × 2 factorial scheme. Nine forage plants of the genus Brachiaria were evaluated: B. decumbens cv. Basilisk, B. humidícola cv. BRS Tupi, B. humidícola, B. ruziziensis, B. brizantha cvs. Marandu, BRS Piatã, Xaraés, BRS Paiaguás and hybrid (B. brizantha × B. ruziziensis) cv. BRS Ipyporã, two doses of P: 6 and 72 mg/dm−3 of P. At the lowest dose of P, the most productive forages were Paiaguás and ruziziensis. In contrast, at the highest dose of P, the forages ruziziensis, Basilisk, Piatã, Paiaguás and Xaraés were the most productive. When compared to the use of 6 mg/dm−3 P, dose of 72 mg/dm−3 P generated an increase in forage production of 803%. The greater forage production provided by the higher P content in the soil is reflected in greater uptakes of macronutrients by forages, following the decreasing order of N > K > Mg > Ca > S = P. The highest efficiencies to produce 1 g of dry matter (DM) at doses of 6 and 72 mg/dm−3 of P were observed in the Paiaguás and humidicola, respectively. In soils with more readily available phosphorus, macronutrient conversion into plant material is more effective. As a result, grasses of the genus Brachiaria generate more DM with less mineral content.

Cause Analysis and Improvement Measures for Superheated Platen Tubes Failure of a 580 t/h CFB Boiler

Superheaters are crucial components of boilers operating under high temperatures and pressures. Understanding potential damages, especially in components like superheaters, is essential for enhancing boiler, turbine, and overall power plant productivity. This paper highlights a study for the failure investigation of platen superheater tube in Unit 2 of a 2x150 MW coal-fired power plant in South Sumatra. Various tests including chemical composition, hardness, tensile, metallography, SEM fracture surface examination, and XRD compound analysis were conducted to assess the failure of the platen superheater tube. The investigation revealed that the failure of platen superheater tube was initiated by the plugging of the tube elbow due to deposits and ashes adhering to the tube's interior. This obstruction prevented saturated steam flow inside the tube, leading to overheating and a subsequent drop in mechanical strength. Overheating was confirmed by the presence of spheroid particles in the ferrite matrix. Prolonged overheating resulted in the formation of microvoids, leading to creep failure and crack formation in the tube. Following improvements made during Unit 2 maintenance outage, which involved adding refractory material inside the furnace on the platen superheater panel, positive results were observed. The platen superheater tubes, which previously exceeded temperature limits, now operate within normal range temperatures. This improvement also reduced spray water consumption and significantly increased boiler efficiency from 83.19% to 83.54%.