Superior Yield Research Articles

Value of ultrathin bronchoscope in improving the endobronchial ultrasound localization rate and diagnosing peripheral pulmonary nodules by cryobiopsy

BackgroundA 3.0-mm ultrathin bronchoscope (UTB) with a 1.7-mm working channel provides better accessibility to peripheral bronchi. A 4.0-mm thin bronchoscope with a larger 2.0-mm working channel facilitates the use of a guide sheath (GS), ensuring repeated sampling from the same location. The 1.1-mm ultrathin cryoprobe has a smaller diameter, overcoming the limitation of the size of biopsy instruments used with UTB. In this study, we compared the endobronchial ultrasound localization rate and diagnostic yield of peripheral lung lesions by cryobiopsy using UTB and thin bronchoscopy combined with GS.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated 133 patients with peripheral pulmonary lesions with a diameter less than 30 mm who underwent bronchoscopy with either thin bronchoscope or UTB from May 2019 to May 2023. A 3.0-mm UTB combined with rEBUS was used in the UTB group, whereas a 4.0-mm thin bronchoscope combined with rEBUS and GS was used for the thin bronchoscope group. A 1.1-mm ultrathin cryoprobe was used for cryobiopsy in the two groups.ResultsAmong the 133 patients, peripheral pulmonary nodules in 85 subjects were visualized using r-EBUS. The ultrasound localization rate was significantly higher in the UTB group than in the thin bronchoscope group (96.0% vs. 44.6%, respectively; P < 0.001). The diagnostic yield of cryobiopsy specimens from the UTB group was significantly higher compared to the thin bronchoscope group (54.0% vs. 30.1%, respectively; p = 0.006). Univariate analysis demonstrated that the cryobiopsy diagnostic yields of the UTB group were significantly higher for lesions ≤ 20 mm, benign lesions, upper lobe lesions, lesions located lateral one-third from the hilum, and lesions without bronchus sign.ConclusionsUltrathin bronchoscopy combined with cryobiopsy has a superior ultrasound localization rate and diagnostic yield compared to a combination of cryobiopsy and thin bronchoscopy.

Reversed I1Cu4 single-atom sites for superior neutral ammonia electrosynthesis with nitrate

Electrochemical ammonia (NH3) synthesis from nitrate reduction (NITRR) offers an appealing solution for addressing environmental concerns and the energy crisis. However, most of the developed electrocatalysts reduce NO3- to NH3 via a hydrogen (H*)-mediated reduction mechanism, which suffers from undesired H*-H* dimerization to H2, resulting in unsatisfactory NH3 yields. Herein, we demonstrate that reversed I1Cu4 single-atom sites, prepared by anchoring iodine single atoms on the Cu surface, realized superior NITRR with a superior ammonia yield rate of 4.36 mg h-1 cm-2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 98.5% under neutral conditions via a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) mechanism, far beyond those of traditional Cu sites (NH3 yield rate of 0.082 mg h-1 cm-2 and Faradaic efficiency of 36.5%) and most of H*-mediated NITRR electrocatalysts. Theoretical calculations revealed that I single atoms can regulate the local electronic structures of adjacent Cu sites in favor of stronger O-end-bidentate NO3- adsorption with dual electron transfer channels and suppress the H* formation from the H2O dissociation, thus switching the NITRR mechanism from H*-mediated reduction to PCET. By integrating the monolithic I1Cu4 single-atom electrode into a flow-through device for continuous NITRR and in situ ammonia recovery, an industrial-level current density of 1 A cm-2 was achieved along with a NH3 yield rate of 69.4 mg h-1 cm-2. This study offers reversed single-atom sites for electrochemical ammonia synthesis with nitrate wastewater and sheds light on the importance of switching catalytic mechanisms in improving the performance of electrochemical reactions.

Origins of strength stabilities at elevated temperatures in additively manufactured refractory high entropy alloy

While refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) show promising potential for extreme applications, those directly fabricated via additive manufacturing methods have been hindered by their inferior mechanical properties, particularly at high temperatures. In this study, we successfully produced a Hf-Nb-Ti-V RHEA using directed energy deposition (DED) technique, achieving satisfactory tensile properties across a wide temperature range. This was accomplished by inducing severe lattice distortions in the fabricated RHEA, which can be traced back to the local chemical fluctuations present in the newly fabricated RHEA and the significant atomic radius mismatch. Due to strong solute pinning, these factors contribute to the superior yield strength of the DED-fabricated RHEA across a wide temperature range. Furthermore, the elastic constants in the fabricated RHEA show a negligible temperature dependence, revealed by first-principles calculations, ensuring satisfactory strengths even at high temperatures. This alloy design strategy, which involves introducing significant lattice distortion and maintaining the temperature-low sensitivity of the elastic moduli, opens up new possibilities for directly fabricating RHEAs with superior high-temperature properties.

Revealing the microstructural evolution and mechanical response of repaired Fe–Cr–Si based alloy by directed energy deposition

This study investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of wear-resistant hardfacing structures fabricated on an AISI 1045 carbon steel substrate using a specially designed Fe–Cr based powder for directed energy deposition (DED). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis reveals that the texture predominantly consists of cube rotated {001}<110> and cube {001}<110> textures, in addition to weaker Brass {112}<111> texture components. These textures contribute to the random orientations of martensitic grains and facilitate the tracing of austenite reconstruction. Notably, the as-printed samples exhibited superior yield strength (999.4 ± 86.3 MPa) and ductility (9.6 ± 2.6%) along the build direction (BD), compared to conventional samples, which demonstrated a tensile strength of 790 MPa and ductility of 2%. This improvement is primarily attributed to the hardening effects associated with a low volume fraction of retained austenite and the precipitation of Cr carbides. Comprehensive mechanical response, nanoindentation hardness profile across the interface, and microstructural analyses were conducted to confirm the feasibility of using a Fe-based hardfacing alloy for DED. The findings underscore the outstanding balance of strength and ductility exhibited by as-printed hardfacing alloy, further enhanced by its high printability, highlighting its potential in producing wear-resistant structures for repair applications.

EVALUATION OF VARIOUS COTTON GENOTYPES THROUGH GENETIC DIVERSITY ANALYSIS

Fifty-two varieties/strains of cotton were studied to explore the genetic divergence in the yield trials at Cotton Research Station, Faisalabad. The study aimed to identify strains with earliness, CLCuD tolerance, and superior yield with better fiber quality. Correlation analysis showed significant positive association of seed cotton yield (SCY) with boll number, boll weight(g), ginning out turn (GOT) and fiber length, while significant negative association with leaf curl disease and first flower appearance date was observed. Principal components analysis revealed that four out of 11 principal component showed Eigen value ˃1. The contribution of these PCs towards total variability was 76.8% with PC-1 with maximum (44.4%), followed by PC-2 (12.2%), PC-3 (10.9 %) and PC-4 (9.3%). Traits including yield, bolls number, boll weight and plant height exhibited noteworthy positive factor loading in PC-1, while cotton leaf curl virus, days to first boll opening and first flower had maximum negative loadings. The findings of cluster analysis indicated that the genotypes present in cluster V (FH-1131, FH-1133, FH-1214, FH-525, FH-453, FH-333, FH-1132, FH-1135, FH-416, FH-1134 and FH-938) have excellent combination of all desirable traits viz., earliness, fiber quality, seed cotton yield (SCY) and its contributing traits. As apparent from the results of cluster and principal components analyses, topmost genotypes based on genetic divergence data may also be tested in provincial and national yield trials because they have combination of better yield and quality parameters.

Rootstock selection for ‘Swatow’ Mandarin trees grown at different locations throughout the Brazilian subtropics

Evaluating citrus rootstocks is of paramount importance in determining their suitability for a certain region and promoting resilience in orchards by increasing the genetic pool, thereby potentially contributing to a more strategic establishment of new plantings. This long-term field study (2000–2013) aimed to evaluate different rootstocks for ‘Swatow’ mandarin grown at two locations (Paranavaí and Londrina) in the Brazilian subtropics. Nine rootstocks were evaluated, including ‘Rangpur’ lime, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo, ‘Volkamer’ lemon, ‘Caipira DAC’ sweet orange, ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sunki’ mandarins, ‘Trifoliate’ orange, ‘Carrizo’, and ‘Fepagro C-13’ citranges. Trees were assessed for vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality, density, and yield estimates. The experimental design was a randomized block arranged in a 9 × 2 setting (rootstock × location) with 6 replicates and 4 trees per plot. ‘Swatow’ trees grew more vigorously in Londrina than Paranavaí, particularly for ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Sunki’ pairings. Tree vigor was reduced with ‘Trifoliate’, resulting in higher tree density estimates and yield efficiency. This rootstock, along with ‘Rangpur’, ‘Swingle’, and ‘Carrizo’ provided superior yield to the scion. All tested rootstocks conferred good fruit quality. Fruits were larger and heavier in ‘Sunki’ pairings, showing higher soluble solids (SS) content, along with ‘Caipira DAC’, ‘Trifoliate’, ‘Swingle’, and ‘Carrizo’ at both locations. Our findings confirm the suitability of ‘Trifoliate’ orange, ‘Carrizo’ citrange, or ‘Caipira DAC’ orange rootstocks as promising candidates for ‘Swatow’ mandarin cultivation in humid subtropical and analogous regions. Further investigations are invoked to improve the horticultural performance of ‘Swatow’ mandarin trees grafted onto these rootstocks.

Assessment of Elite Mulberry Genotypes for Fruit Traits and Biochemical Composition

This study aimed to identify the most promising mulberry genotypes for fruit production by evaluating fruit characteristics, biochemical traits and nutritional composition. Eight elite mulberry genotypes were selected from the mulberry germplasm unit at the Department of Sericulture, GKVK, Bengaluru. The saplings were raised and transplanted into the main field 90 days after planting, following a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with a spacing of 5 × 3 feet, with three replications per genotype. The results revealed that among the eight genotypes, ME-0006 exhibited superior fruit characteristics, with the highest values for fruit length (3.16 cm), fruit width (2.01 cm), fruit weight (3.02 g) and fruit yield per plant (166.55 g). Biochemical analyses indicated that ME-0220 had the highest total soluble solids (TSS) (19.71°B), carbohydrate content (166.49 mg/g), anthocyanin (38.41 mg/g), and zinc content (mg/100g). Genotype ME-0006 recorded the highest calcium content (153.80 mg/100 g), while MI-0014 showed the highest levels of phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. Additionally, ME-0086 was notable for its higher content of micronutrients and vitamin C (34.17 mg/100 g). These findings may provide valuable insights for selecting mulberry genotypes with superior fruit yield and biochemical properties, which can be further utilized in breeding programs and commercial mulberry fruit cultivation.

Rice Yield and Grain Quality under Fluctuating Soil Moisture Stress

In rainfed lowlands and water-saving cultivation systems, rice plants are often exposed to soil moisture fluctuation (SMF). Improving yield as well as grain quality is the main target for breeding under water-stressed environments. This study investigated the effects of different water treatment on yield, growth parameters, and grain quality under field conditions in Japan for 2 years. Two rice genotypes, Nipponbare (japonica) and G3-3 (derived from Nipponbare and KDML105, indica), were grown under continuous waterlogging (CWL) and SMF conditions. As the grain quality characteristics, grain appearance, dimension, and taste parameters were evaluated as well as yield and yield components. SMF reduced the yield, and G3-3 showed a higher yield than Nipponbare under SMF, which was attributed to the higher number of spikelets per panicle. G3-3 showed a better taste score (mark) with lower protein and amylose contents compared to Nipponbare. However, G3-3 had a higher percentage of broken grains, indicating a trade-off in grain quality traits. Non-structural carbohydrate dynamics may be involved as one of the grain quality characteristics. G3-3 demonstrated a superior yield under SMF conditions and have potential to show superior grain quality, indicating that the introgressed segments of G3-3 may be responsible for the grain quality traits associated with root plasticity.

Genome‐Wide Association Studies Predicted Drought Stress Occuring at Anthesis and Post‐Anthesis Stages in Novel Diverse Germplasm of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

ABSTRACTThis study employed genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) to identify the crucial marker–trait associations (MTAs) for agronomic and physiological traits in bread wheat grown under full irrigation and 40% reduced irrigation. One hundred twenty‐four genotypes derived from three‐way crosses of landraces and synthetic bread wheat were evaluated for 2 years in the field conditions of CIMMYT Obregon, Mexico. Irrigation was not provided at anthesis and post‐anthesis stage for the drought treatment, and data of 12 traits were recorded. Most of the traits were reduced significantly under drought conditions except for vigour, wax and spike length (SL); genotypes were significantly different for the eight traits except for days to heading (DTH), number of grains spike−1 (NGS), normalized difference in vegetation index (NDVI) and canopy temperature depression (CTD); and differences were also significant for five traits between the years. Moreover, GY was significantly and negatively correlated with wax and CTD. Our GWAS results indicated 117 significant (p ≤ 0.001) MTAs distributed on all the wheat chromosomes except chromosomes 4B and 4D explaining 10%–21.5% of the phenotypic variation of the corresponding traits. Moreover, 22 MTAs were recorded for grain yield and explaining the phenotypic variations up to 14.7% with one common association under both irrigated and drought conditions. Additionally, we also identified the associations for NDVI, CTD and SL at chromosome 1B, suggesting that genotypes are sustaining superior grain yield through better values of traits like NDVI, CTD, and SL under the challenging conditions of anthesis and post‐anthesis drought stress.

Dynamic mechanical behavior of titanium matrix composites reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets

In this investigation, graphene nanoplatelets reinforced pure titanium matrix (GNPs/TA1) composites were synthesized via short-term ball milling followed by spark plasma sintering. The mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of these composites were examined under both quasi-static and dynamic compression conditions. The results indicate that as the strain rate increases from 10−3 to 3000 s−1, the yield strength rises from 436.9 MPa to 1209.6 MPa, consistent with the positive strain rate effect. The superior yield strength of GNPs/TA1 composites arises from the dynamic Hall-Petch effect, dislocation strengthening and load transfer strengthening, with the contribution from load transfer strengthening being the most significant due to the reinforcement's (TiC-GNPs-TiC) facilitation of load transfer. As the strain rate increases, interfacial debonding gradually extends along the reinforcement and grain boundaries, but no macroscopic fracture occurred in this study. At a strain rate of 3000 s−1 during compression, {112‾2}, {101‾2}, and {11 2‾ 1} twins were generated. However, at a strain rate of 10 s−1, only {112‾2} and {101‾2} twins were produced, while {11 2‾ 1} twin was inhibited. Under high strain rate loading, the plastic flow behavior of GNPs/TA1 composites was predicted using the Johnson-Cook constitutive model, modified to account for adiabatic temperature rise, and the predictions showed good agreement with experimental results.

A comparative analysis of red and white dragon fruit pulp and juice characteristics.

To ascertain their potential applications in the food industry, dragon fruit varieties, namely H. undatus and H. polyrhizus, were thoroughly analyzed for their physical, nutritional, and phytochemical properties. The focus was on pulp and juice, emphasizing color, mineral content, proximate analysis, and phytochemical constituents. Red flesh dragon fruit displayed a bright pink color, a slightly smaller length (9.1 cm), and a larger diameter (8.3 cm) compared to white flesh dragon fruit (9.9 cm length, 7.53 cm diameter). Red flesh dragon fruit also exhibited higher circumference and weight. White flesh dragon fruit demonstrated superior juice yield (36.23 %) compared to red flesh dragon fruit (35.28 %). Red flesh dragon fruit had higher levels of total sugar (8.45 %), protein (1.36 %), and ascorbic acid (19.83 mg/100g) in its pulp. It also showed elevated mineral content of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Conversely, white flesh dragon fruit had higher fat content (0.65 %) and carbohydrate content (9.76 %) in its pulp. White flesh dragon fruit displayed brighter color characteristics with higher L*, a*, and b* values. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of betacyanin in red flesh dragon fruit (30.87 mg/100g) but not in white flesh dragon fruit. Red flesh dragon fruit exhibited significantly higher total phenolic content in pulp (49.67 mg GA/100g) and juice (41.25 mg GA/100g) than white flesh dragon fruit. These findings highlight substantial differences (P &lt; lt; 0.05) between red and white flesh dragon fruit in physical, nutritional, and phytochemical aspects, offering valuable insights for their incorporation into diverse food products, such as beverages and ice cream.

Comparative Morphological, Physiological, and Transcriptomic Analyses of Diploid and Tetraploid Wucai (Brassica campestris L.).

Polyploid plants often exhibit superior yield, stress resistance, and quality. In this study, homologous tetraploid wucai (Brassica campestris L.) was successfully obtained by spraying seedling growth points with colchicine. The morphological, cytological, and physiological characteristics of diploid and tetraploid wucai were analyzed, and transcriptomic sequencing was performed at three stages of development. Tetraploid seedings grew slowly but exhibited darker leaves, enlarged organs and cells, increased stomatal volume, decreased stomatal density, improved nutritional content, and enhanced photosynthesis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in diploid and tetraploid plants at three stages of development were enriched in different pathways. Notably, DEGs identified in the tetraploid plants were specifically enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. In addition, we found that the light green module was most relevant to ploidy, and DEGs in this module were significantly enriched in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and TCA cycle pathways. The differential expression of key glycolysis-associated genes at different developmental stages may be the driver of the observed differences between diploid and tetraploid wucai. This study lays a technical foundation for the development of polyploid wucai germplasm resources as well as the breeding of new varieties with improved quality, yield, and stress resistance. It also provides a good empirical reference for the genetic breeding of closely related Brassica species.

Combined effects of organic solvent and ultrasonic pretreatments on cellulose fiber extraction from hemp

Extracting pure cellulose fibers from hemp bast for potential textile industry applications requires the removal of non-cellulosic gummy materials. However, traditional degumming methods are largely limited because of the long procedure time, high energy consumption, heavy environmental pollution and insufficient efficiency. Organic solvents have been proved to be an innovative method for lignocellulose extraction. Herein, ethylene glycol solvent combined ultrasonic pretreatment was explored to degum hemp fibers without any further treatment. The purified hemp fibers were systematically characterized using analytical test techniques. Results revealed that the combined degumming could effectively remove non-cellulosic components without damaging the cellulose, and reducing the reaction temperature by 10 ℃ for reaction process. Comparing to the traditional method, the fibers by ultrasonic pretreatment-ethylene glycol process had superior average yield of 68.32 %, higher thermal stability (maximum degradation temperature reached 395 ℃), higher breaking tenacity of 6.13 cN/dtex, higher crystallinity of 78 % and the cellulose content of over 91 %. Moreover, the degumming time and chemical usage were reduced to 40 % and 51.8 %, respectively. Besides, the changes of fibers chemical structure were further investigated and verified by FTIR, EDS, and 13C NMR analysis. Featured with less chemical and energy consumption, eco-friendly and short time-consuming, this treatment has a broad application scope for hemp cellulose fiber extraction.

Enhanced cellobiose hydrolysis over fluorine-modulated carbon-based solid acid catalysts

In this study, we synthesized novel carbon-based solid acid catalysts using plasma engineering by integrating sulfonic acid groups as primary catalytic sites and supplemented these with fluorine-containing, chlorine-containing, and other oxygenated functional groups (OFGs). Notably, the catalyst with the fluorine-containing functional groups results superior glucose yield (58.2 %) than that containing only OFGs (37.6 %). Theoretical analysis of the reaction energetics revealed that the cleavage of cellobiose's 1,4-O linkage to form two glucose molecules potentially constitutes the rate-determining step (RDS) in cellobiose hydrolysis. The reaction energy for this RDS was found to increase in the sequence of G–SO3H–F, G–SO3H–Cl, and G-SO3H, consistent with the experimentally obtained catalytic activity trends. Through extensive characterization, including textural analysis, surface chemistry, and density functional theory calculations, we identified that the –F groups are the key to strengthening cellulose–catalyst interactions. This study is the first study to demonstrate the potential of fluorine-modulated carbon-based solid acid catalysts for upgrading cellulosic biomass to value-added compounds.

Facile synthesis of yellow emissive heteroatom doped carbon quantum dots fluorescent probe with superior quantum yield for fast-track ionic detection in aqueous media

In this work, heteroatom (B and N) doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) materials were synthesized via facile hydrothermal method using o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) as a nitrogen source and 3-aminophenyl boronic acid (3APBA) as a boron source. The synthesis parameters were optimized and optimal synthesis temperature and reaction time were 260 °C and 2 h, respectively. The chemical structures were characterized using various techniques. The experimental results showed that B,N co-doped CQDs had the strongest fluorescence intensity when the weight ratio of 3APBA:o-PD was 3:1 and showed a phenomenal quantum yield of 59% with high selectivity for Fe3+ and Hg2+ ions, with quenching constants 1.25 × 103 M–1 and 8.3 × 103 M–1, respectively. The high fluorescence quenching was attributed to the photoinduced electron transfer phenomenon, making it suitable for fluorescent sensing materials. Cytotoxicity data revealed synthesized materials are safe for biomedical applications within a 1–10 µg/mL concentration.

Genotype-environment interaction for grain yield in maize (Zea mays L.) using the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model

Genotype-environment interaction consists of the different response of individual genotypes resulting from changing environmental conditions. Its significance is a phenomenon that makes the breeding process very difficult. On the one hand, the breeder expects stable genotypes, i.e., yielding similarly regardless of environmental conditions. On the other hand, selecting the best genotypes for each region is one of the key challenges for breeders and farmers. The aim of this study was to evaluate genotype-by-environment interaction for grain yield in new maize hybrids developed by Plant Breeding Smolice Co. Ltd., utilizing the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model. The investigation involved 69 maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids, tested across five locations in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Grain yield varied from 8.76 t ha–1 (SMH_16417 in Smolice) to 16.89 t ha–1 (SMH_16043 in Płaczkowo), with a mean yield of 13.16 t ha–1. AMMI analysis identified significant effects of genotype, environment, and their interaction on grain yield. Analysis of variance indicated that 25.12% of the total variation in grain yield was due to environment factor, 35.20% to genotypic differences, and 21.18% to genotype by environmental interactions. Hybrids SMH_1706 and SMH_1707 are recommended for further breeding programs due to their high stability and superior average grain yield.

Comparative phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis reveals genotypic differences in nitrogen use efficiency in sorghum

Sorghum (Sorghumbicolor L.), a model for C4 grass and an emerging biofuel crop, is known for its robust tolerance to low input field. However, the focus on enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in sorghum under low nitrogen (N) conditions has been limited. This study conducted hydroponic experiments and field trials with two sorghum inbred lines, contrasting in their N efficiency: the N-efficient (398B) and the N-inefficient (CS3541) inbred lines. The aim was to analyze the key factors influencing NUE by integrating phenotypic, physiological, and multi-omics approaches under N deficiency conditions. The field experiments revealed that 398B displayed superior NUE and yield performance compared to CS3541. In hydroponic experiments, the growth of 398B outperformed CS3541 following N deficiency, attributing to its higher photosynthetic and sustaining activity of N metabolism-related enzymes. Genomic and transcriptomic integration highlighted fewer genomic diversities and alterations in global gene expression in 398B, which were likely contributor to its high NUE. Additionally, co-expression network analysis suggested the involvement of key genes which impact N uptake efficiency (NUpE) and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) in both lines, such as an N transporter, Sobic.003G371000.v3.2leaf(NPF5.10) and a transcription factor, Sobic.002G202800.v3.2leaf(WRKY) in bolstering NUE under low-N stress. The findings collectively suggested that 398B achieved higher NUpE and NUtE, effectively coordinating photosynthesis and N metabolism to enhance NUE. The candidate genes regulating N uptake and utilization efficiencies could provide valuable insights for developing sorghum breeds with improved NUE, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and bioenergy crop development.

A novel Anaerobic Cathodic Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor (AnCDMBR) for efficient mitigating fouling and recovering bioenergy from municipal wastewater

Concerns regarding membrane fouling and suboptimal bioenergy recovery have constrained the implementation of anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) for treating low-strength municipal wastewater. This study presents a novel anaerobic cathodic dynamic membrane bioreactor (AnCDMBR) designed to address these challenges. A self-formed cathodic dynamic membrane (CDM) on inexpensive carbon cloth was developed to function as both a membrane and biocathode to achieve dual-function effects of mitigating membrane fouling and accelerating organics conversion. Compared with common dynamic membrane (1.52 kPa/d) and commercial membranes (7.52 kPa/d), the developed CDM presented a significantly reduced fouling rate (1.02 kPa/d), exhibiting the potential as a substitute for high-cost conductive membranes. Furthermore, efficient and stable biomethanation occurred in AnCDMBR with a superior methane yield rate of 0.26 L-CH4/g-COD (CH4 content > 95 %), which was 1.42 times higher than the control, linked to the higher activities of microbial metabolism and methanogenic-related key enzymes. Further analysis revealed that electrostimulation-induced niche differentiation of microbiota regulated interspecies interactions between electroactive microorganisms and complex anaerobic digestion microbiomes, facilitating organic matter conversion to methane and leading to superior bioenergy recovery. This study offered a new strategy for effectively mitigating fouling and recovering bioenergy from low-strength wastewater, potentially expanding the application of AnMBRs.

Genetic variability for salinity tolerance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon MILL.) genotypes determined by stress tolerance indices

BackgroundTomato is an important vegetable crop; however, salinity hampers its growth and yield-related traits. Different tomato genotypes significantly differ in their salinity tolerance; thus, selecting the tolerant genotypes could improve yield and productivity under saline environments. MethodsThis study investigated salinity tolerance of five tomato genotypes, i.e., ‘Pakit’, ‘Riogrande’, ‘Roma’, ‘Continental’, and ‘Nagina’ under 0-, 100-, 150- and 200-mM salinity levels. Data relating yield-related traits (plant height, shoot fresh and dry weights, number of fruits per plant, single fruit weight and fruit yield per plant) and nine different stress tolerance indices were employed to infer salinity-tolerance of the genotypes. ResultsIncreasing salinity levels negatively affected the yield-related traits of genotypes; however, genotypes exhibited varied tolerance to salinity. The better and the poor yield-related traits were noted under 0- and 200-mM salinity levels, respectively. Similarly, genotypes ‘Pakit’ and ‘Nagina’ recorded the highest and the lowest values of yield-related traits. The genotype ‘Pakit’ proved the most tolerant to tested salinity levels compared to the rest of the genotypes. The ‘Pakit’ genotypes had the highest stress tolerance index (0.19, 1.06 and 1.79) and the lowest relative change in yield (6.00, 32.59, and 55.75%) under all salinity levels. Principal component analysis biplot revealed that ‘Pakit’ genotypes had superior yield traits and tolerance indices. ConclusionThe genotype ‘Pakit’ exhibited a higher level of salinity tolerance (6 % yield reduction under 100 mM salinity compared to 27.67 % reduction in ‘Nagina’ genotype. Therefore, genotype ‘Pakit’ can be recommended for cultivation on low to moderate saline soils without significant yield losses. On the other hand, ‘Nagina’ genotype proved the most sensitive to salinity (27.67 %, 56.79 %, and 68.90 % yield reduction under 100-, 150-, and 200-mM salinity, respectively). Therefore, this genotype should not be cultivated on saline soils.

Optimal Brassicaceae family microgreens from a phytochemical and sensory perspective

Microgreens, also called superfoods, emerge because of their high levels of nutrients, diverse flavour profiles, and sustainable cultivation methods, which make them culinary delights and valuable to a healthy and flavorful diet. The present study investigated Brassicaceae family microgreens, proposing a novel system (quality indices) that allows scoring among them. Fourteen Brassica microgreen species were morphological, phytochemical, and sensorial investigated. The morphological assessment revealed that radish microgreens exhibited the highest leaf area (p < 0.05), while red mizuna demonstrated superior yield. Cauliflower microgreens contained the highest concentrations of ascorbic acid (HPLC-DAD) and total phenolic content (p < 0.05). Phytochemical analysis using HPLC-MS/MS identified over 18 glucosinolates and phenolic compounds. Red mustard and red cabbage showed the highest glucosinolate content (p < 0.05). Watercress exhibited the highest phenolic compound content (p < 0.05), primarily flavonoids, while broccoli and radish contained the highest isothiocyanate levels. Cauliflower microgreens resulted in the most consumer-accepted variety. Appling quality indices scoring system identified radish, cauliflower, and broccoli microgreens as the most promising species. This study underscores the potential of Brassica microgreens as an excellent source of health-promoting phytochemicals with favorable market acceptance, providing valuable insights for both nutritional research and commercial applications.