Viability Of Plants Research Articles

Optimal Wind Power Plant Layout Using Ant Colony Optimization

The optimal layout of wind power plants is very important as the arrangement of wind turbine generators (WTGs) profoundly affects the overall energy output of the wind power plant. To address this important issue, this research investigates the best layout for WTGs in wind power plants with different terrain features across three locations in Thailand using the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm. The objective functions of maximizing the net annual energy production (AEP) and minimizing the wake losses were used to achieve the optimal wind power plant layout. Using the MERRA-2 database, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) wind flow modeling was performed to create 10x10 km2 microscale wind resource maps of locations characterized by flat, semi-complex, and complex terrains to install wind power plants. The CFD wind flow modeling yielded wind speeds of 5.00 to 5.76, 4.21 to 8.90, and 3.10 to 4.45 m/s for the flat, semi-complex, and complex terrains, respectively, making them feasible for utility-scale wind power plants. WTGs of multiple blade diameters, ranging from 90 to 126 m, with a nominal capacity of 2.5 MW at 100 m above ground-level hub heights, were used in this study. The Gamesa G126-2.5MW WTG with a 126 m blade diameter produces the highest net AEP of 14.3, 76.1, and 38.9 GWh/yr for the three terrains. Hence, this WTG was used to perform an ACO-based optimization to improve the electricity production of the wind power plants. Such studies are important to improve the efficiency of wind power plants, thus extracting the maximum kinetic energy possible from the winds and improving the economic viability of wind power plants.

Comprehensive Analysis of Solar Panel Performance and Correlations with Meteorological Parameters.

To mitigate the adverse effects of fossil fuel-based energy, mankind is in constant search of clean and cost-effective sources of energy, such as solar energy. The economic viability of a power plant to harness solar energy mostly depends on the efficiency of solar panels. Investigations over the years show that the solar panel efficiency significantly depends on the different meteorological parameters. Therefore, there is an imminent need for a correlation explaining the relations between the efficiency and different meteorological parameters. In this study, an effort has been made to analyze the effects of various meteorological parameters on the efficiency and subsequently propose a correlation between them. Initial investigations reveal that the optimal tilt angle for the maximum power output is 26°. The study demonstrates that efficiency is directly proportional to solar intensity and wind speed while being inversely proportional to temperature, humidity, and dew point temperature. Regression analysis of a data set comprising 100 data sets establishes a strong correlation between efficiency and five meteorological parameters: temperature, humidity, wind speed, solar intensity, and dew factor. The calculated efficiencies using the developed correlation deviate from the experimental values, with absolute errors ranging from 0.08 to 1.20%. The findings provided valuable insights for optimizing solar power plant performance by understanding the relationship between efficiency and meteorological parameters.

Exploring the remediation potential of Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. in cadmium-contaminated soil by comparing cultivars and seedling age

The current situation regarding soil cadmium pollution in China is far from optimistic, necessitating the exploration of more viable Cd pollution-remediating plants. Several studies have shown that ornamental plants have excellent potential for application in soil pollution remediation. However, research on the Cd tolerance capacity of Hydrangea remains scarce, and the effects of plant age on heavy metal tolerance has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, greenhouse pot experiments were conducted with artificially prepared Cd-polluted soil at various concentrations (0–240 mg·kg−1). Two cultivars of H.macrophylla, “Endless Summer” (H.'ES') and “Classic Rood” (H.'CR'), were cultivated in different Cd-contaminated soil levels for 60 d, after which the growth response, physiological changes, mineral element absorption, and Cd concentration of different plant parts were measured. The effect of plant age on the heavy metal absorption capacity of H. macrophylla was also explored. The results showed that under Cd stress, the antioxidant activity and penetration-regulating substance content of H. macrophylla increased, and the absorption of Mg, Mn, and Zn changed. Under all Cd treatments, Cd concentrations in the roots were higher than those in the shoots of the cultivars, with a bioconcentration factor of > 1 and a translocation factor of < 1. The tolerance to Cd of the H.'CR' was stronger than that of the H.'ES'. The Cd tolerance of H. macrophylla increased with seedling age. This study indicated that H. macrophylla is a suitable candidate for Cd phytostabilization and the remediation of Cd-polluted soils to limit harm caused by Cd flow in the ecosystem.

Association between Dynamic Agrivoltaic System and Cultivation: Viability, Yields and Qualitative Assessment of Medical Plants

Association between Dynamic Agrivoltaic System and Cultivation: Viability, Yields and Qualitative Assessment of Medical Plants

Diet of the vulnerable White-browed guan Penelope jacucaca (Galliformes Cracidae) in two contrasting Caatinga fragments in Northeastern Brazil

Diet studies of cracids have highlighted the group’s significance as seed dispersers and the impact of their disappearance from natural environments. However, the diet of Penelope jacucaca remains largely unknown, limiting our understanding of its natural history and potential ecosystem services. In this study, we investigated the diet of P. jacucaca in two Caatinga fragments with varying levels of preservation using fecal material analysis. The diet of the species consisted primarily of fruits, flowers, and leaves, comprising a total of 22 food items. The number of seeds found in individual fecal samples exhibited a negative correlation with individual seed masses. The species demonstrated a preference for zoocoric fruits of different sizes from the local vegetation. The diet varied between the sampled areas, suggesting that P. jacucaca exhibits dietary flexibility based on local vegetation. However, it is also possible that fragmentation affects the nutritional value of the species’ diet. Due to its large body size, the White-browed guan can ingest a wide variety of fruits, including larger ones, incorporating seeds that are rarely explored by other birds. We propose that plant species with “large” seeds (> 15 mm), such as Ziziphus joazeiro, Brosimum gaudichaudii, and Ximenia americana, would be mainly negatively affected by the absence of P. jacucaca in the studied areas. The decline in the population of this important seed disperser in the region is likely to have negative implications for the viability of many zoocoric plants, thereby posing a threat to the vegetation of the studied fragments.

Assessment of Climate Change Impacts and Water Restrictions on Solar Tower Plants

Climate projections under the high-emission representative concentration pathway “RCP-8.5” scenario are used to show the effects of global warming on the energy production of two similar concentrated solar tower power plants in Spain and Chile from 2025 to 2060. Results show a reduction of the annual energy production of almost 1.8% for Chile and an increase of almost 6% in the Spanish plant, but an increase of 10% water consumption due to both the increase in dry- and wet-bulb temperatures and changes in the direct normal irradiation caused by climate change. When the effect of water restrictions is included in the model caused by the foreseen reduction in water availability in Spain, the increase of the annual energy production is only 2%. Finally, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) calculated during the whole power plant lifetime (35 years) with respect to the LCOE obtained at the beginning of the project is increased by 1.1% in the Chilean plant, whereas in the Spanish plant, it can be reduced more than 2.5% if there are no water restrictions, while a reduction of 0.4% is expected in a scenario with water restrictions. Results show that careful consideration of climate projections should be considered to properly estimate the economic viability of solar tower plants.

INFLUENCE OF HEAVY METALS ON THE BASIC PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF CEREAL AND CEREAL PEGUM CULTURES

At the end of the 20th century, the constant growth of the population and the rapid development of production brought the situation with the state of the environment in many countries and regions of the world to the brink of an ecological crisis. One of the main factors in the degradation of the natural environment is its pollution by various pollutants, among which one of the main places is occupied by heavy metals. Given the above, it becomes clear the relevance of research on the impact of heavy metals on plants. Currently, they are actively held in many countries of the world. The article is aimed at studying the influence of heavy metals on the main physiological processes that occur in plants. The results of studies on the influence of heavy metals on the main physiological processes of grain and leguminous crops are presented. Based on the results of the analysis, it was proven that accumulating in large quantities in plants, heavy metals cause a negative impact on growth, development and other physiological processes. It was established that in the presence of large concentrations of these elements in cereal plants, a decrease in the height of the stem, a decrease in the number of internodes, a decrease in the accumulation of raw and dry biomass, as well as a decrease in the size of inflorescences are observed. The main reasons for the decrease in above-ground biomass productivity in plants are the negative impact of heavy metals on the growth and development of plants and the intensity of photosynthesis. Individual types of plant groups show different ability to accumulate heavy metals. The results of our own research established that in the presence of high concentrations of heavy metals, a decrease in the linear dimensions of leaves was observed in almost all types of plants with which research was conducted. All of the above testifies to various aspects of the effect of heavy metals on metabolic processes and the viability of plants. They affect various functional groups of biologically important substances of the body, displace essential metals from metal-containing complexes, and also generate active forms of oxygen, which often leads to the occurrence of an oxidative explosion in cells and even the death of plants.

One-step processing of waste dredged slurry into planting soil by targeted pretreatment and vacuum filtration

A novel method, targeted pretreatment and vacuum filtration (TP-VF), is introduced and validated in this study. TP-VF offers a one-step solution for efficiently dewatering dredged slurry (DS) characterized by heavy metal contamination, high salinity, and excessive moisture content. This innovative approach combines targeted pretreatment (TP) and vacuum filtration (VF) to transform DS into the viable planting soil. TP encompasses a dual optimization strategy that enhances both slurry dewatering efficiency and the quality of the resultant planting soil (cake). By employing flocculation pretreatment, TP increases the size of flocs and enlarges cake pores, leading to improvements in dewatering efficiency and infiltration rates. Additionally, targeted pretreatment results in the discharge of approximately 90% of heavy metal ions and most salts with the filtrate. Remarkably, the addition of chelating agents and freshwater as part of the pretreatment process positively impacts soil quality without compromising floc size or dewatering efficiency. Comparatively, TP-VF demonstrates a substantial reduction of 35.81% in operational costs when contrasted with the traditional two-step process, concurrently diminishing the potential for secondary environmental pollution. This study highlights TP-VF as a promising advancement in sustainable slurry management, addressing pressing environmental challenges while optimizing resource utilization.

Fodder beet productivity on irrigated chestnut soils in the Zavolzhye region during foliar treatments with fertilizers based on humic acids

There was studied the effect of fertilizers based on humic acids on fodder beet crops cultivated on irrigated dark chestnut soils of the Engels district of the Saratov region in 2018-2020. The object of research was the Eckendorfskaya yellow variety of fodder beet released in Povolzhye. Fertilizers based on humic acids produced by Life Force Group LLC were used for foliar treatments. On average, over three years, three-time spraying of fodder beet crops with a solution of Reasil micro Amino B (1.0 l/ha per each plant) increased the yield of root crops by 7.2 t/ha (13% of the control). The maximum increase in yields (21 t/ha or 37% of the control) was obtained annually on the option of joint use of Reasil micro Hydro Mix (1.0 l/ha) and Reasil Carb-N-Humik (2.0 l/ha per each plant). Foliar treatments with fertilizers based on humic acids increased the viability of plants for harvesting and increased the average weight of one root crop. At the same time, the content of vitamin C significantly increased in root crops (11% to control) and insignificantly the amount of sugars (3% to control). By increasing the yield, fertilizers based on humic acids significantly increased the removal from the soil of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium by 89.44 and 138 kg/ha, respectively compared to the control.

Lactic Acid Production from Cow Manure: Technoeconomic Evaluation and Sensitivity Analysis

Recently, the industrial focus has shifted to renewable raw materials due to the exhaustion and rising pressures about environmental and political issues. Lignocellulosic biowaste can be derived from a range of sources, such as animal manure, forestry waste, and agricultural waste, and it can be transformed into lactic acid through a biochemical process. There are 942.63 million cattle in the world and annually generate 3.7 billion tons of manure, which could be used to produce lactic acid. The economic viability of a lactic acid plant from cow manure has not yet been determined and is, thus, considered in this study. Using the modeling program Aspen Plus data and other sources, as well as collecting all economic inputs, the feasibility analysis of a lactic acid plant handling cow manure is assessed in this paper. Three scenarios are calculated to check the feasibility depending on the plant size: scenario I handles 1,579,328 t·year−1, scenario II handles 789,664 t·year−1, and scenario III handles 315,865 t·year−1. The results demonstrate that treating the tested lignocellulosic biomass for the manufacture of lactic acid is economically feasible because the economic analysis shows positive net present values for scenarios I, II, and III. The technoeconomic analysis reveals that the minimum lactic acid selling price for scenario I is 0.945 EUR·kg−1, which is comparable to the cost of commercial lactic acid produced from starch feedstock. Scenario II achieves a minimum selling price of 1.070 EUR·kg−1, and scenario III 1.289 EUR·kg−1. The sensitivity analysis carried out reveals that the factor with the biggest impact on the NPV is the yield. Moreover, this study provides a model of industrial application and technoeconomic evaluation for lactic acid production from cow manure.

Corrigendum: Assessing the viability of a grid-connected PV power plant in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Corrigendum: Assessing the viability of a grid-connected PV power plant in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

Drivers and mechanisms of spontaneous plant community succession in abandoned Pb[sbnd]Zn mining areas in Yunnan, China

The drivers and mechanisms underlying succession and the spontaneous formation of plant communities in mining wasteland remain largely unknown. This study investigated the use of nature-based restoration to facilitate the recovery of viable plant communities in mining wasteland. It was found that scientific analyses of spontaneously formed plant communities in abandoned mining areas can provide insights for nature-based restoration. A chronosequence (“space for time”) approach was used to establish sites representing three successional periods with six successional stages, and 90 quadrats were constructed to investigate changes in plant species and functional diversity during succession in abandoned PbZn mining areas. A total of 140 soil samples were collected to identify changes in soil properties, including plant nutrient and heavy metal concentrations. Then, this paper used structural equation models to analyze the mechanisms that drive succession. It was found that the functional diversity of plant communities fluctuated substantially during succession. Species had similar functional traits in early and mid-succession, but traits tended to diverge during late succession. Soil bulk density and soil organic matter gradually increased during succession. Total nitrogen (N), pH, and soil Zn concentrations first increased and then decreased during succession. Concentrations of Mn and Cd gradually decreased during succession. During early succession, soil organic matter was the key factor driving plant colonization and succession. During mid-succession, soil Zn functioned as an environmental filter factor limiting the rates of succession in mining wasteland communities. During late succession, soil bulk density and competition for nutrient resources contributed to more balanced differentiation among plant species. This thesis proposed that a nature-based strategy for the stabilization of abandoned mining lands could facilitate effective plant community restoration that promotes ecosystem services and functioning.

Embryo Rescue in Plant Breeding.

Embryo rescue (ER) techniques are among the oldest and most successful in vitro tissue culture protocols used with plant species. ER refers to a series of methods that promote the development of an immature or lethal embryo into a viable plant. Intraspecific, interspecific, or intergeneric crosses allow the introgression of important alleles of agricultural interest from wild species, such as resistance or tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses or morphological traits in crops. However, pre-zygotic and post-zygotic reproductive barriers often present challenges in achieving successful hybridization. Pre-zygotic barriers manifest as incompatibility reactions that hinder pollen germination, pollen tube growth, or penetration into the ovule occurring in various tissues, such as the stigma, style, or ovary. To overcome these barriers, several strategies are employed, including cut-style or graft-on-style techniques, the utilization of mixed pollen from distinct species, placenta pollination, and in vitro ovule pollination. On the other hand, post-zygotic barriers act at different tissues and stages ranging from early embryo development to the subsequent growth and reproduction of the offspring. Many crosses among different genera result in embryo abortion due to the failure of endosperm development. In such cases, ER techniques are needed to rescue these hybrids. ER holds great promise for not only facilitating successful crosses but also for obtaining haploids, doubled haploids, and manipulating the ploidy levels for chromosome engineering by monosomic and disomic addition as well substitution lines. Furthermore, ER can be used to shorten the reproductive cycle and for the propagation of rare plants. Additionally, it has been repeatedly used to study the stages of embryonic development, especially in embryo-lethal mutants. The most widely used ER procedure is the culture of immature embryos taken and placed directly on culture media. In certain cases, the in vitro culture of ovule, ovaries or placentas enables the successful development of young embryos from the zygote stage to maturity.

A Short Review on Prickly Pear Fruit Opuntia spp

In India, a significant portion of the population has settled in dry rain-fed areas that need perennial vegetation to protect them from erosion. The use of drought tolerant and economically viable plants appears to be an option to sustain livelihoods, reduce poverty and create employment opportunities. Prickly pear is drought tolerant due to its carbon dioxide fixation pathway (CAM), well suited to dry zones where it can be used as an alternative food and fodder as well as a hedge to protect agricultural fields. In the seventh century, the British introduced cacti to India to produce cochineal dye, but these plantations gradually disappeared due to pests and flooding of the areas. Recent attempts to introduce the cultivated cactus pear began in the late 1980s. In addition to the adaptation trials, some other aspects have been studied in the country: plant productivity, nutritional aspects, salinity tolerance, fruit quality, etc., which are briefly described in this article.

Techno-economic assessment of sugarcane bagasse pith-based briquette production and performance analysis of briquette feed gasifier-engine system

Utilizing agriculture co-products and agricultural residues directly leads to Energy, Economic, and Environmental sustainability. Sugar production industries produce a considerable amount of sugarcane bagasse (SB) as a co-product, whereas SB is used in paper-mill sectors, which have a large amount of waste as sugarcane bagasse pith (SBP). In this view, the novelty of the present study aims to ensure the economic viability of the SBP briquette production plant, after that, briquette-based producer gas (PG) generation and application to compression ignition (CI) engine for diesel substitution. The economic analysis includes the Net Present Value (NPV) and Profitability Index (PI) for the feasibility check. And gasifier-engine analysis includes the effect of gasification equivalence ratio (GER), engine compression ratio (CR), and load on engine brake thermal efficiency (BTE), diesel saving, Sound, Exhaust gas temperature (EGT), and emissions (CO, HC, CO2, NOx). Further, operating variables were optimized with the desirability approach of Response surface methodology (RSM). In the result, NPV and PI values were found to be Rs 49,64,379.5 (≈0.06 million USD) and 1.98, respectively. However, the economic feasibility of the plant is sensitive to capital cost, briquette market price, and discount percentages. Regarding gasifier-engine performance, the maximum diesel substitution was found to be 66.15% at dual fuel (DF) mode engine run. RSM-based optimization result showed the optimum operating setting of 0.10 GER, 16 CR, and 9.93 kg load at 1500 rpm with a composite desirability of 0.798. Accordingly, at optimal input parameters, the magnitudes of engine performance as BTE, Sound, CO, HC, CO2, and NOx were found to be 27.18%, 91.21 db, 0.10%vol., 53.19 ppm, 2.33%vol., and 8.43 ppm respectively. Thus, the higher value of the economic index and substantial amount of diesel fuel saving through the gasifier-engine system ensures the economic feasibility of briquetting and power generation technology.

Chemical composition and herbicidal activity of Oregano (Origanum onites) essential oil on weeds and wheat

ABSTRACT Oregano essential oil (EO) is known as one of the EOs with the highest biological activity on target plant species. In this study, the inhibitory effects of different doses of oregano (Origanum onites L.) EO on the germination and seedling growth of some wheat cultivars and some problem weed species in wheat fields was investigated. For this purpose, both laboratory and pot experiments were carried out. Oregano EO obtained by steam distillation method and component analysis was made via GS/MS. Germination tests and pot experiments were carried out under controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions. In the study, five wheat varieties, four for bread and one for durum, and five different weed species were used. The effects of different doses of oregano EO on the germination rate, viable plant rate, seedling length, and biomass of test plants were analyzed. According to the results, it was observed that oregano EO showed bioactivity on all species and cultivars included in the experiment. In terms of all parameters, it was concluded that wheat varieties showed higher resistance to oregano EO than weed species. These results show that oregano EO can be used to control some weed species that are a problem in wheat.

Some Perspectives for the Gasification Process in the Energy Transition World Scenario

Energy demand has increased over the years due to population growth, industrial, and socio-economic developments, cornerstones of human civilization. Additionally, climate change alarms are placing the energy transition in the top concerns of intergovernmental organizations. Therefore, there are several reasons for concern regarding the need for a new paradigm in the world energy scenario. This perspective article focuses on the contribution that the gasification process may have in the global energy transition scenario. The perspectives for a full world energy transition are that it cannot be accomplished without a transportation fuel transition and an industry transition. Biomass gasification is a sustainable process that allows the production of a large range of commodities such as electricity and heat, biofuels, and chemicals. Meanwhile, some challenges such as tar, impurities, and soot must be overcome or at least limited to an acceptable minimum to promote the economic viability of the gasification plants before they can effectively contribute to the world energy transition. In this regard, further research should be made focused on improving the syngas quality and the economic viability of a biomass gasification plant. This can be achieved by several means including new reactor designs, advanced gasification processes (e.g., plasma gasification and supercritical water gasification), and intensifying the gasification process.

N-terminal acetylation of the βC1 protein encoded by the betasatellite of tomato yellow leaf curl China virus is critical for its viral pathogenicity

N-terminal acetylation (N-acetylation) is one of the most common protein modifications and plays crucial roles in viability and stress responses in animals and plants. However, very little is known about N-acetylation of viral proteins. Here, we identified the Thr residue at position 2 (Thr-2) in the βC1 protein encoded by the betasatellite of tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNB-βC1) as a novel N-acetylation site. Furthermore, the effects of TYLCCNB-βC1 N-acetylation on its function as a pathogenicity factor were determined via N-acetylation mutants in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. We found that N-acetylation of TYLCCNB-βC1 is critical for its self-interaction in the nucleus and viral pathogenesis, and that removal of N-acetylation of TYLCCNB-βC1 attenuated tomato yellow leaf curl China virus-induced symptoms and led to accelerated degradation of TYLCCNB-βC1 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Our data reveal a protective effect of N-acetylation of TYLCCNB-βC1 on its pathogenesis and demonstrate an antagonistic crosstalk between N-acetylation and ubiquitination in this geminiviral protein.

Assessing the viability of a grid-connected PV power plant in Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

This paper is based on a techno-economic analysis and the environmental impact of a proposed 1 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at the main campus of the Federal Polytechnic Mubi (FPM) in north-eastern Nigeria. A photovoltaic power plant converts solar radiation into electricity that can be used as a source of electrical power to meet the daily energy requirements of homes, equipment, and all tertiary institutions. RETScreen Expert software was used to evaluate the techno-economic and environmental sustainability of installing a grid-connected PV power plant. The research results revealed that with an annual solar radiation of 5.74 kWh/m2/day, the maximum annual energy production was estimated to be 1,550.98 MWh. It was discovered that the maximum energy production in March was 146.89 MWh. The project’s profitability and economic sustainability were determined with a good internal rate of return (IRR) of 11.9% and a positive net present value (NPV) of $681,164. The proposed PV power plant has a simple payback period of 11.4 years. The maximum greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction is 670.9 tCO2, equivalent to 61.7 ha of forest-absorbing carbon emissions.

Application of Cold Storage and Short In Vitro Germination for Somatic Embryos of Pinus radiata and P. sylvestris.

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is an advanced vegetative propagation technology that, when used in combination with breeding and cryopreservation, offers the forest industry a powerful tool for the deployment of elite genotypes. Germination and acclimatization are critical and cost-intensive phases in the production of somatic plants. The efficient conversion of somatic embryos into robust plants is a necessity if a propagation protocol is to be successfully adopted by the industry. In this work, these late phases of the SE protocol of two pine species were investigated. A shortened germination protocol and more controlled acclimatization were investigated for Pinus radiata, testing embryos from 18 embryogenic cell lines. A more simplified protocol, including a cold storage phase, was also compared among 10 of these cell lines. A shortened germination period and more controlled protocols significantly improved the acclimatization of somatic embryos directly from the lab to the glasshouse. When results for all cell lines were pooled, there were significant improvements in all growth characteristics (shoot height, root length, root collar diameter, and root quadrant score). When the more simplified protocol involving cold storage was tested, improvements were seen in the root architecture. For Pinus sylvestris, the late phases of somatic embryogenesis were investigated on seven cell lines in a set of two trials (four to seven cell lines per trial). During the germination phase, a shortened and simplified in vitro period, a cold storage option and basal media were explored. Viable plants were obtained from all treatments. However, there is still the need to improve germination and related protocols together with growing regimes for Pinus sylvestris. The improvements to protocols presented here, particularly for Pinus radiata, result in greater survival and quality of somatic emblings, leading to reduced costs and increased confidence in the technology. Simplified protocols using a cold storage option show great promise and, with some further research, could lead to reductions in the cost of the technology.