Strategies For Sustainable Production Research Articles

Sustainable paramylon production from food waste by Euglena gracilis using a waste-based cell immobilisation technique

Microalga represents a promising platform for numerous valuable bioproducts, but the production cost and efficiency remain major challenges for the industrial implementation. In this study, the production of paramylon (polysaccharides) from microalga Euglena gracilis using food waste hydrolysate and cell immobilisation cultivation was assessed. Synthetic medium supplemented with food waste hydrolysate proved to be a feasible option and achieved the paramylon productivity of 1.46 g/L/day in the heterotrophic (HT) cultivation. In addition, waste-based supporting materials were investigated for cell immobilisation cultivation, and waste sponge demonstrating good cell viability and paramylon productivity with maximum of 2.22 g/L/day was achieved using the synthetic medium in HT condition. However, sugarcane bagasse was not suitable for E. gracilis immobilisation as it induced serious cell lysis and oxidative stress under heterotrophic cultivation. The subsequent utilisation of the hydrolysate-based medium coupled with waste-based cell immobilisation cultivation resulted in the paramylon productivity of 1.77 g/L/day, demonstrating a promising fermentation strategy for sustainable and efficient paramylon production. This study serves as a noteworthy example of producing microalgal metabolites from the food waste hydrolysate using waste-based cell immobilisation technique. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into green and sustainable production of microalgal biorefineries, and contributes to the advancement of the circular bioeconomy.

Sustainable production strategies to increase the commercialization of tara in Peru

Tara (Caesalpinia spinosa) is a native Peruvian plant that grows in the dry forests of the inter-Andean valleys. It is considered a relevant opportunity for eco-business in the country due to its high efficiency of use and versatility in various industries. This study aims to characterize the production and commercialization of tara by producers located in the Sonche River Valley, in the province of Chachapoyas, in order to provide some opportunities for implementing sustainable tara production strategies to increase its production. The results indicate that tara production activity is being developed in a precarious manner, since production per hectare is below average and there is inefficient use of spaces suitable for cultivation; the production units also have organizational deficiencies such as lack of leverage, little training on sustainability issues and neglect in the harvesting process. These deficiencies are invaluable opportunities to implement strategies such as the practice of sustainable crops, the use of improved varieties, and education, research and development regarding tara production.

Integrated Nutrient Management as a Low Cost and Eco-Friendly Strategy for Sustainable Fruit Production in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.)

ABSTRACT Prolonged and excessive use of chemical fertilizers has resulted in serious harm to soil health and ecosystems. This study aimed to reduce the cultivation costs for apricot trees, nearly 1/3rd of which are spent on fertilizers. The research was conducted on fully grown apricot trees of the cultivar “New Castle,” in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The experiment consisted of fourteen treatment combinations evaluated in triplicate and statistically analyzed using a randomized block design (RBD). Results revealed that treatment T12 [50% Nitrogen (Calcium Nitrate) + 50% Nitrogen (Urea) + Azotobacter + Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria + Vermicompost] resulted in the highest percent increase in tree trunk girth (6.82%), highest leaf chlorophyll content (3.00 mg g−1 fresh weight), leaf area (58.29 cm), fruit set (61.00%) and total yield (61.9 kg tree−1). In terms of nutrient status, T12 had the highest leaf N (2.95%), leaf K (2.60%), soil N (386.33 kg ha−1), soil P (51.00 kg ha−1) and soil organic carbon (1.81%). The highest net return and profit over recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) was also recorded in treatment T12. The results of this study show that judicious fertilizer use along with integrated organic manure and bio-fertilizers can reduce cultivation costs, improve soil health, and increase fruit production with minimum ecosystem damage.

Analysis of Land Suitability for Maize Production under Climate Change and Its Mitigation Potential through Crop Residue Management

Land Suitability Analysis (LSA), under the impact of climate change, is a fundamental approach to the design of appropriate land management strategies for sustainable crop production and food security. In this study, the FAO framework was used to assess the impact of climate change on land suitability for maize in Flanders, Belgium. The current LSA revealed the marginal suitability for maize cultivation, characterizing most of the agricultural land in Flanders and identifying precipitation as the most limiting factor for maize suitability. The LSA, under two climate change scenarios, was based on climate projections from several CMIP5 Global Circulation Models, transformed into future land suitability projections and assembled into a multi-model ensemble (MME) of projected suitability changes. The results indicate an average reduction in projected suitability of approximately 7% by 2099 under the high-emission scenario. The potential of the Soil-Improving Cropping System (SICS) to mitigate the impacts of climate change on land suitability was statistically significant under both low- and high-emission scenarios. This research provides valuable insights into the MME modeling of climate change impacts on land suitability and its associated uncertainty, with the application of SICS as a potential long-term mitigation measure to promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Mixed ensiling plus nitrate destroy fiber structure of rape straw, increase degradation, and reduce methanogenesis through in vitro ruminal fermentation.

Better utilization of rape straw can provide alternative strategies for sustainable ruminant and food production. The research reported here investigated changes in the carbohydrate composition of rape straw as a result of mixed ensiling with whole-crop corn or inoculated with nitrate, and the consequent effects on ruminal fermentation through in vitro batch culture. The three treatments included: rape straw and corn silage (RSTC), and ensiling treatment of rape straw with whole-crop corn (RSIC) or with calcium nitrate inoculation (RSICN). Ensiling treatment of rape straw and whole-crop corn or plus nitrate enriched lactic acid bacteria and lactate. The treatments broke the fiber surface connections of rape straw, leading to higher neutral detergent soluble (NDS) content and lower fiber content. Ensiling treatments led to greater (P < 0.05) dry matter degradation (DMD), molar proportions of propionate and butyrate, relative abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes and genus Prevotella, and lower (P < 0.05) methane production in terms of g kg-1 DMD, molar proportions of acetate, and lower acetate to propionate ratio than the RSTC treatment. The RSICN treatment led to the lowest (P < 0.05) hydrogen concentration and methane production among the three treatments. Ensiling treatments of rape straw and whole-crop corn destroy the micro-structure of rape straw, promote substrate degradation by enriching the phylum Bacteroidetes and the genus Prevotella, and decrease methane production by favoring propionate and butyrate production. Nitrate inoculation in the ensiling treatment of rape straw and whole-crop corn further decreases methane production without influencing substrate degradation by providing an additional hydrogen sink. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sustainable Production Strategies: Incorporating Internet Celebrity Aspects into Yingjing Black Sand Craft Design

The study aims to explore the intersection of traditional Yingjing black sand products with modern digital age adaptations, focusing on sustainability, cultural symbolism, and the evolving consumer landscape influenced by network platforms. The research employs a tripartite design framework. The first phase involves analysing ‘Internet Celebrity’ characteristics and their associated poetic imagery to understand their impact on consumer behaviour. In the second phase, the study extracts shape semantics from these elements, translating them into actionable design information. The final phase introduces a four-step design process, utilising 3D modelling to create a Yingjing black sand product inspired by ‘Internet Celebrity’ elements. This phase highlights the integration of digital tools in refining traditional craft designs. The research demonstrates that adapting traditional Yingjing black sand crafts to modern consumer trends through digital tools and sustainable production strategies can enhance their relevance in the digital age. The study underscores the importance of preserving historical significance while promoting environmentally conscious design and production. This research provides innovative insights into the adaptation of traditional crafts within the context of the digital age. It offers a structured approach to integrating modern consumer trends with historical craftsmanship, presenting a compelling model for sustainable craft production. The study contributes to broader discussions on sustainability, cultural adaptation, and the evolution of traditional crafts, making it relevant for both academic and practical applications.

Bacterial polyynes uncovered: a journey through their bioactive properties, biosynthetic mechanisms, and sustainable production strategies.

Covering: up to 2023Conjugated polyynes are natural compounds characterized by alternating single and triple carbon-carbon bonds, endowing them with distinct physicochemical traits and a range of biological activities. While traditionally sourced mainly from plants, recent investigations have revealed many compounds originating from bacterial strains. This review synthesizes current research on bacterial-derived conjugated polyynes, delving into their biosynthetic routes, underscoring the variety in their molecular structures, and examining their potential applications in biotechnology. Additionally, we outline future directions for metabolic and protein engineering to establish more robust and stable platforms for their production.

Integrated nitrogen and irrigation management strategies for sustainable wheat production: Enhancing yield and environmental efficiency

Integrated nitrogen and irrigation management strategies for sustainable wheat production: Enhancing yield and environmental efficiency

Mechanistic insights into the early life stage microbiota of silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii).

Deep investigations of host-associated microbiota can illuminate microbe-based solutions to improve production in an unprecedented manner. The poor larval survival represents the critical bottleneck in sustainable marine aquaculture practices. However, little is known about the microbiota profiles and their governing eco-evolutionary processes of the early life stages of marine teleost, impeding the development of suitable beneficial microbial management strategies. The study provides first-hand mechanistic insights into microbiota and its governing eco-evolutionary processes in early life stages of a tropical marine teleost model, Trachinotus blochii. The microbiota profiles and their dynamics from the first day of hatching till the end of metamorphosis and that of fingerling's gut during the routine hatchery production were studied using 16S rRNA amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing. Further, the relative contributions of various external factors (rearing water, live feed, microalgae, and formulated feed) to the microbiota profiles at different ontogenies was also analyzed. A less diverse but abundant core microbial community (~58% and 54% in the whole microbiota and gut microbiota, respectively) was observed throughout the early life stages, supporting 'core microbiota' hypothesis. Surprisingly, there were two well-differentiated clusters in the whole microbiota profiles, ≤10 DPH (days post-hatching) and > 10 DPH samples. The levels of microbial taxonomic signatures of stress indicated increased stress in the early stages, a possible explanation for increased mortality during early life stages. Further, the results suggested an adaptive mechanism for establishing beneficial strains along the ontogenetic progression. Moreover, the highly transient microbiota in the early life stages became stable along the ontogenetic progression, hypothesizing that the earlier life stages will be the best window to influence the microbiota. The egg microbiota also crucially affected the microbial community. Noteworthily, both water and the feed microbiota significantly contributed to the early microbiota, with the feed microbiota having a more significant contribution to fish microbiota. The results illustrated that rotifer enrichment would be the optimal medium for the early larval microbiota manipulations. The present study highlighted the crucial foundations for the microbial ecology of T. blochii during early life stages with implications to develop suitable beneficial microbial management strategies for sustainable mariculture production.

Design of nanostructured 2D (photo-)electrocatalysts for biomass valorization coupled with H2 production

Electrocatalytic water splitting driven by renewable energy is a promising strategy for sustainable hydrogen production. However, the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics severely limit the rate of the hydrogen...

MOF/graphene oxide based composites in smart supercapacitors: a comprehensive review on the electrochemical evaluation and material development for advanced energy storage devices.

The surge in interest surrounding energy storage solutions, driven by the demand for electric vehicles and the global energy crisis, has spotlighted the effectiveness of carbon-based supercapacitors in meeting high-power requirements. Concurrently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained attention as a template for their integration with graphene oxide (GO) in composite materials which have emerged as a promising avenue for developing high-power supercapacitors, elevating smart supercapacitor efficiency, cyclic stability, and durability, providing crucial insights for overcoming contemporary energy storage obstacles. The identified combination leverages the strengths of both materials, showcasing significant potential for advancing energy storage technologies in a sustainable and efficient manner. In this research, an in-depth review has been presented, in which properties, rationale and integration of MOF/GO composites have been critically examined. Various fabrication techniques have been thoroughly analyzed, emphasizing the specific attributes of MOFs, such as high surface area and modifiable porosity, in tandem with the conductive and stabilizing features of graphene oxide. Electrochemical characterizations and physicochemical mechanisms underlying MOF/GO composites have been examined, emphasizing their synergistic interaction, leading to superior electrical conductivity, mechanical robustness, and energy storage capacity. The article concludes by identifying future research directions, emphasizing sustainable production, material optimization, and integration strategies to address the persistent challenges in the field of energy storage. In essence, this research article aims to offer a concise and insightful resource for researchers engaged in overcoming the pressing energy storage issues of our time through the exploration of MOF/GO composites in smart supercapacitors.

The use of small emitter flow rate in drip irrigation favored methane uptake in arid potato fields

Drip irrigation has been widely used in agriculture, while the mechanism underlying the effect of drip irrigation system design and management on soil methane (CH4) uptake have not been fully studied. A two-year experiment was conducted to explore the effects of different emitter flow rates of drip irrigation (1.3, 2.0, and 3.0 L/h) on CH4 uptake in potato fields in an arid region of Northwest China. Results showed that compared to emitter flow rates of 2.0 and 3.0 L/h, the 1.3 L/h flow rate significantly increased the cumulative CH4 uptake by 6.3–16.2%, mainly due to the increase in the abundance of the pmoA gene by 15.2–49.5%, and by the decrease of water-filled pore space (WFPS), increasing the effective CH4 diffusion coefficient (Dp) and soil oxygen concentration in the topsoil. A hump-shaped relationship was found between WFPS and CH4 uptake flux, and the optimum WFPS for CH4 uptake was about 44.8%. The treatment with an emitter flow rate of 1.3 L/h exhibited the highest frequency (28.6%) of favorable WFPS for CH4 uptake, compared to the 2.0 and 3.0 L/h treatments. In addition, significant negative quadratic relationships were observed between both Dp and soil oxygen with CH4 uptake, and optimal values were 0.02 cm2 s−1 and 18.7%, respectively. There was no significant difference in CH4 uptake between 2.0 and 3.0 L/h treatments in 2021 and 2022, due to high WFPS and low oxygen concentrations in both treatments. Multiple linear regressions indicated that soil oxygen concentration became a major limiting factor under emitter flow rates of 2.0 and 3.0 L/h. This study provides insights into mechanisms of soil CH4 uptake in drip-irrigated farmland, which gives guidance on developing irrigation strategies for sustainable production and CH4 mitigation in irrigated arid land.

Choice of metrics matters—Future scenarios on milk and beef production in Norway using an LCA approach

The consumption of dairy and beef products is expected to increase globally in the future, and at the same time, food must be produced in a more sustainable way, including reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, avoided feed-food competition, and reduced biodiversity loss. The purpose of the study was to a) provide an overall life cycle assessment (LCA) of these impacts for various future milk and beef production systems in Norway and b) determine how the choice of metrics for climate change affects the results. System boundaries were from cradle to farm gate and the temporal boundary was 2017 with future scenarios for 2040. The actual production and consumption in Norway in 2017 was used as a baseline (BL), and the sustainability of future Norwegian domestic production of milk and beef was assessed through three scenarios for 2040: 1) a trend yield scenario (TrendY) based on an expected increase in milk yield following the present trend, 2) a high yield scenario (HighY) with higher increase in the milk yield per cow per year than the trend, and 3) a low yield scenario (LowY) where the milk yield per cow per year was adjusted for covering the domestic demand for beef solely from dual-purpose production and no domestic specialized beef production. The beef production per dual-purpose cow was kept constant and the remaining domestic demand in scenario 1 and 2 were covered by specialized beef production. Climate change was assessed using both a GWP100 and a GWP* approach. The HighY scenario had the lowest impact on climate change using GWP100, but when taking the different behaviors of short- and long-term climate pollutants into account (GWP*), the ranking of the future scenarios changed and favored LowY. The potential biodiversity loss was lower for the LowY scenario because the proportion of concentrates in the dairy cow ration was decreased due to lower milk yield. Similarly, the feed-food competition was lower (land use ratio < 1) for the LowY. The results of our study suggest that the choice of metric for GWP and time frame highly affects the results and conclusions and strategies for climate smart and sustainable livestock production should therefore be made with caution.

Multi-property digital soil mapping at 30-m spatial resolution down to 1 m using extreme gradient boosting tree model and environmental covariates

Information on the variability of soil properties including clay, calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) and acidity (pH) in space and depth play major role in sustainable agricultural development but scarce in many regions in the world, specifically in developing countries. Digital soil mapping technique has shown strong success in the prediction of soil properties both in space and depth from their relationship with environmental covariates. The aim of the study was to digitally map soil properties including clay, CCE and pH at multiple depths and identify the dominant factors controlling their variability using Minadoab region of Iran as a case study area due to its significance for agricultural production and economic development in the country. A total of 104 soil profiles were randomly selected and described in field during 15–30 July 2017, and 386 samples were collected from each genetic horizon with variable depths. A continuous spline function was fitted to the horizon data and properties were estimated at five standardized depths following GlobalSoilMap project. The soil layers were then grouped into three classes: i) H1: top (0–5 cm); ii) H2–H4: middle (5–15, 15–30 and 30–60 cm); and iii) H5: bottom (60–100 cm) for easy interpretation. A total of 17 static environmental covariates were derived from terrain-related attributes. Additionally, matching with the soil sampling date, a total of eight band ratios in addition to six individual bands were derived from Landsat-8 OLI (Product ID: LC08_L1TP_168034_20170721_20170728_01_T1) for the study area. Finally, all covariates were categorized in nine groups representing various factors controlling soil variations. The digital maps associated with uncertainties were prepared using extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) Tree model and bootstrapping method, respectively. Overall, the highest accuracy using XGBoost Tree model was found for CCE (R2 = 0.73, on average), followed by pH (R2 = 0.72, on average) and clay (R2 = 0.70, on average). The highest amount of clay was observed for the bottom layer, followed by middle and top layers across the study area. H1 to H3 layers were subjected to tillage operations over the time and may have contributed to the redistribution of clays. A similar trend was also observed for CCE and pH as the location of the study area is underlain by massive limestone. The uncertainties helped quantify over- and under-estimation of the predictions and the factors with the highest variable importance was identified as the dominant factor. The information generated for the study area provides soil variability information that is critical for developing management strategies for sustainable production in the area.

Covalent Organic Frameworks Enable Sustainable Solar to Hydrogen Peroxide

AbstractAs a chemical product with rapidly expanding demand in the field of modern energy and environmental applications, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has garnered widespread attention. However, the existing industrial production of H2O2 is plagued by high energy consumption, harmful waste emission, and severe safety issues, making it difficult to satisfy the environmental/economic production concept. Artificial photosynthesis offers a viable strategy for green and sustainable H2O2 production since it uses sunlight as an energy source to initiate the reaction of oxygen and water to produce H2O2. Among various photocatalysts, covalent organic frameworks (COFs), featuring highly ordered skeletons and well‐defined active sites, have emerged as promising photocatalysts for H2O2 production. This review presents the nascent and burgeoning area of photocatalytic H2O2 production based on COFs. First, a brief overview of photocatalytic technology is provided, followed by a detailed introduction to the principles and evaluation of the photocatalytic H2O2 generation. Subsequently, the latest research progress on the judicious design of COFs for H2O2 photosynthesis is expounded, with a particular emphasis on manipulating the electronic structures and redox active sites. Finally, an outlook on the challenges and future opportunities is proposed, in the hope of stimulating further explorations of novel molecular‐designed COFs for sustainable photosynthesis.

Comprehensive Characterization of Lignocellulosic Biomass and their effective Delignification for Sustainable Bioenergy

The study provides a thorough examination of the biofuel potential of three unique lignocellulosic crop residues: rice straw (Oryza sativa), corn stalk (Zea mays) and sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum officinarum) of Odisha. In the investigation, we explored the compositional, thermal and structural characteristics of these biomass sources, shedding light on their suitability for sustainable bioenergy production. Proximate analysis indicated variances in critical factors in the range of 5.9-14.8% (moisture content), 1.8-19.4% (ash content), 60-72.4% (volatile matter) and 9.6-14.7% (fixed carbon) which contribute to the various energy generating capacities of these materials. An in-depth investigation of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin concentration revealed the promise of sugarcane bagasse as a cellulose-rich option for bioethanol synthesis. Thermochemical profiling using thermogravimetric and FTIR analysis revealed information about thermal stability and chemical changes, with pretreatment having an important role in increasing biomass accessibility and crystallinity. The significance of pretreatment-induced crystallinity for effective enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentable sugar generation was highlighted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) . Overall, this study advances our understanding of the intricate relationships between biomass composition, structure and bioenergy potential, offering valuable insights for the development of sustainable biofuel production strategies.

Ascophyllum nodosum and Spirulina platensis affect plant growth, yield, concentration of hormones in the leaves and nematode communities in the rhizosphere of cucumber plants

ABSTRACT Increased concerns about residues in vegetables and soil contamination necessitate the use of safer and eco-friendly fertilisers and pesticides. The present study investigated effects of applying Ascophyllum nodosum extract (SW) and Spirulina platensis (SP) on in vitro plant morphogenesis of Hybrid Beit Alpha F1 cucumbers, followed by an evaluation of their effects on plant growth, fruit yield and rhizosphere inhabiting nematodes under greenhouse conditions. Treatments in the greenhouse trial consisted of soil drenching with Spirulina platensis at: 1000 mg l−1 (SP2) and 2000 mg l−1 (SP4); with Ascophyllum nodosum (v:v%) at: 0.25% (SW0.25), 0.5% (SW0.5) and 0.75% (SW0.75); and a control where seedlings were treated with neither seaweed or Spirulina (Control: C). In the greenhouse trial, both biostimulants improved the growth of the cucumbers; plant height, biomass (SW only), leaf chlorophyll, fruit firmness (SW only), fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit total soluble solids, compared with the control. SW0.25 resulted in the highest overall positive effects on the cucumbers with enhancement of plant growth and yield parameters. Application of Ascophyllum nodosum and Spirulina platensis significantly influenced the endogenous IAA hormonal concentration in the cucumber leaves. In addition, the tested biostimulants influenced the relative abundance of major nematode taxa in the cucumber rhizosphere: percentages of free-living nematodes (FLN%) and bacterivores and fungivores (BF%). The results of the study indicated opportunities for developing strategies for sustainable organic production of cucumbers using safe biostimulants to replace the traditional use of chemical inputs.

Soil arthropod communities collected from agricultural soils influence wheat growth and modify phytohormone responses to aboveground herbivory in a microcosm experiment

Soil arthropods can affect plant growth and aboveground interactions directly via root herbivory and indirectly through nutrient cycling and interactions with soil microorganisms. Research on these effects of soil arthropods has focused on a few taxa within natural systems, largely neglecting agroecosystems and arthropod community-level effects. This study investigated the effects of soil arthropod communities from cereal-based agroecosystems on wheat plant growth and above-belowground interactions. Nutrient cycling and wheat growth were measured in a greenhouse microcosm experiment using field-collected agricultural soils from two rotational schemes with and without their soil arthropod communities. The effects of soil arthropods on aboveground phytohormones and colony growth of an aphid [Metopolophium festucae cerealium (Stroyan)] infesting the plants were measured. Wheat grown in soils with arthropod communities had significantly greater root (+ Arth mean: 0.15 ± 0.01 g; − Arth mean: 0.06 ± 0.01 g; F1,54 = 72.34, p < 0.001) and shoot biomass (+ Arth mean: 0.39 ± 0.03 g; − Arth mean: 0.24 ± 0.03 g; F1,54 = 17.61, p < 0.001), greater soil nitrate concentrations (+ Arth mean: 62.18 ± 4.76 mg NO3− - N kg−1 soil; − Arth mean: 13.06 ± 0.61 mg NO3− - N kg−1 soil; F1,54 = 99.89, p < 0.001), and altered root architecture compared to controls. Soil arthropod communities collected from the two rotational schemes differed significantly in abundance and diversity, but affected wheat growth similarly. Aphid colony growth (+ Arth mean: 30.50 ± 4.06; − Arth mean: 22.13 ± 3.36; χ21,27 = 21.19, p < 0.001), but not plant damage by aphids (+ Arth mean: 2.72 ± 0.17, − Arth mean: 2.69 ± 0.16; F1,27 = 0.02, p > 0.05), was significantly greater on wheat grown in soils with arthropods. Aphids, in turn, modified the effects of soil arthropods on root architecture and increased the abundance of soil arthropods. Wheat grown in soils with arthropods had increased levels of stress- and defense-related phytohormones in response to aphid herbivory, while phytohormones of wheat plants grown in soils without arthropods did not differ with aphid presence. Soil arthropod communities may help plants defend against herbivores aboveground by facilitating phytohormone induction while offsetting costs by increasing soil nutrients and modifying plant growth. By using taxonomically diverse field-collected soil arthropod communities from agroecosystems, this study showed that community-level effects on plant growth are more complex and dynamic than the effects of any single taxon, such as Collembola, illustrating that interactions within communities can produce emergent properties that alter the net effect of soil arthropods on plant growth. The results indicate that community-level effects of soil organisms should be considered as part of sustainable plant production and protection strategies.

Sustainable Maize Farming: Organic Soil Amendments Boost Maize Production and Soil Quality

Soil organic matter depletion leads to soil structural degradation in cultivated ecosystems. Organic soil amendment reduces inorganic fertilizer dependency, maintains soil properties, and enhances crop production. Organic soil amendments are crucial for sustainable agriculture, providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to soil and plants. They help address soil organic carbon depletion and environmental issues, as inorganic fertilization hinders sustainable agriculture by affecting soil fertility and crop productivity. A two-year field experiment at the Agriculture Research Farm, University of Agriculture Peshawar-Pakistan, examined the effects of combining organic and inorganic amendments on maize variety Azam and hybrid CS 220, aiming to compensate for soil organic carbon loss. Treatments were Control, Half (H) NPK, Full NPK, Legume Residues (LR) @ 10 tons ha-1, Humic Acid (HA) @ 5 kg ha-1, Biochar (BC) @ 10 tons ha-1, LR + HNPK, HA + HNPK, BC + HNPK, HLR +HHA+ HNPK, HLR + HBC + HNPK and HBC + HHA + HNPK. The study used a two-factorial randomized complete block design with three replications to study maize two-year data. Results showed significant cob lengths in HLR + HBC + HNPK treatment, while maximum results in plant population, 1000 grain weight, and biological yield were in HBC + HHA + HNPK treatment. The highest soil organic matter was recorded in plots with only BC application at 10 tons ha-1, with the highest soil K recorded in BC + HNPK treatment. The hybrid CS 220 maize variety showed superior yield and component performance compared to the Azam variety, while the Azam variety yielded the best results in soil parameters. The maize production improved significantly in the second year compared to the first year. The study suggests that combining organic and half-inorganic fertilizers improves soil fertility, making it a viable strategy for crop yield regulation and sustainable maize production. This can be achieved using efficient organic soil amendments alone or in combination with commercially available inorganic fertilizers.

Effect of melatonin foliar sprays on morphophysiological attributes, fruit yield and quality of Momordica charantia L. under salinity stress

Soil salinity is one of the increasing problems in agricultural fields in many parts of the world, adversely affecting the performance and health of the plants. As a pleiotropic signal and antioxidant molecule in both animals and plants, melatonin has been reported to possess significant roles in combating with stress factors, in general and salt stress, in particular. In this study, the interactive effects of melatonin (0, 75, and 150 μM) and salt stress (0, 50 and 100 mM NaCl) were investigated by assaying the some agronomic, physlogical and biochemical attributes and essential oil compounds of bitter melon (Momordica charantia). The results showed that exogenous melatonin could promote net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm), increase K+ content and activity of antioxidant enzymes and decrease reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde and Na+ content in stress-submitted seedlings, in comparison to the non-stressed seedlings (p < 0.05). Melatonin increased content of essential oils. Concerning the major compounds of fruits of bitter melon, charantin, momordicin and cucurbitacin were increased with the melatonin treatments, whereas they were critically decreased with the salt stress. In addition, melatonin increased the antioxidant capacity in fruits under non-saline and salinity conditions. Amid the concentrations of melatonin, plants treated with 150 μM of melatonin under either non-saline or saline conditions showed better performance and productivity. Therefore, application of 150 μM melatonin resulted in a significant improvement of salinity tolerance and essential oil compounds in bitter melon plant, suggesting this as an efficient ‘green’ strategy for sustainable crop production under salt stress conditions.