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The carbon footprint of crop production on the lands of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine under crops of wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, rapeseed, soy beans, sugar beets, potatoes and vegetables were determined using the UN IPCC methodology. An increase in the carbon footprint of crop production in Ukraine during 1990-2021 was revealed, which is associated with a high level of nitrogen input from mineral fertilizers to the soil and mineralization of humus. In Ukraine, during 1990-2021, a high level of humus mineralization was observed on the agricultural lands under crops of wheat, maize, sunflower seed, rapeseed, soy bean, sugar beet, potatoes, and vegetables - 8-1998 kg/ha/year with emitted into the air from 0.2 to 63.0 Tg of CO2/year. The average CO2 emissions from agricultural land per 1 Mg of main production of studied crops of Ukraine during 1990-2021 were 46-1109 kg and N2O emissions were 33-452 kg CO2-eq., respectively. Among the studied crops, the highest emissions of CO2 per unit of production due to the mineralization of humus are for the cultivation of sunflower seeds - 1109 kg/Mg/year, maize - 868 and rapeseed - 531 kg/Mg/year, and the lowest emissions for the cultivation of vegetables - 46 kg/Mg/year (2021). The highest N2O emissions from agricultural land per unit of production for the cultivation of rapeseed - 452 kg CO2-eq./Mg/year, sunflower seeds - 368 and soy beans - 300 kg CO2-eq./Mg/year, and the lowest emissions for the cultivation of vegetables and sugar beet - 33 kg CO2-eq./Mg/year (2021). According to the prognosis, this tendency will lead not only to an increase in GHG emissions, but also to soil depletion and a decrease in the country's food security. By 2035, the average level of humus mineralization will be about 2200 kg/ha/year (R² = 0.725), CO2 emissions per unit of the main production of crops will be about 800 kg of CO2 per 1 Mg of production per year (R² = 0.657) and emissions of N2O from agricultural land per 1 Mg of main production of crops will be about 200 kg CO2-eq./year (R² = 0.0591). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Enhanced phytoremediation offers a rapid and eco-friendly approach for cleaning agricultural soil contaminated with copper and cadmium which pose a direct threat to food scarcity and security. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the two commonly used additives, IAA and EDTA, for the remediation of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils using sunflower and maize. The plants were cultivated in pots under controlled conditions with four sets of treatments: control (0), Cu50/Cd50, Cu50/Cd50 + EDTA, and Cu50/Cd50 + IAA. The results showed that Cu50/Cd50 mg/kg drastically compromised the phytoremediation potential of both plants, as evident by reduced shoot and root length, and lower biomass. However, the augmentation of Cu50/Cd50 with EDTA or IAA improved the tested parameters. In sunflower, EDTA enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 58% and 21%, respectively, and improved plant biomass by 41%, compared to control treatment. However, IAA exhibited higher accumulation of Cu and Cd by 64% and 25%, respectively, and enhanced plant biomass by 43%. In case of maize, IAA was superior to EDTA which enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 87% and 32% respectively, and increased the plant biomass by 57%, compared to control treatment. Our findings demonstrate that foliar IAA is more effective than EDTA in enhancing the phytoremediation potential of sunflower and maize for Cu and Cd.

The invasion of the terrestrial ecosystem by gastropods has immense negative impacts on ecosystem functions, health, and agricultural plants. The non‐native slug, Deroceras laeve (O. F. Müller, 1774), a recognised agricultural pest in native and invaded regions, was recently reported from the Darjeeling Himalayas, India. We assessed the plant palatability and preference of D. laeve using selected plants being farmed in Darjeeling Himalayas (basil, cabbage, coriander, lettuce, mint, pumpkin leaf, and spinach) by laboratory‐based choice and non‐choice experiments. Moreover, we evaluated the correlation between different chemical features of the plants with the consumption rate of D. laeve and observed the fecundity of D. laeve reared on different plant diets. The highest consumption rate of D. laeve was observed for pumpkin (12.99 ± 1.33 mg dry mass) and the lowest for mint (1.63 ± 0.13 mg dry mass), with a significant positive correlation between consumption rate and D. laeve body mass (for lettuce: R =.47, p =.0009 and other plant species: R =.52, p =.00004) was observed through the non‐choice experiment. Moreover, the consumption rate of the non‐native slug, D. laeve, was considerably higher than a controphic slug, Meghimatium bilineatum. In the choice experiment, D. laeve preferred lettuce, followed by pumpkin, cabbage, and coriander, even in the presence of detritus and significantly avoided spinach, mint, and basil. The consumption rate of D. laeve had a significant negative correlation with calcium (R = −.49, p =.003) and potassium (R = −.37, p =.03), and a positive correlation was observed for magnesium (R =.37, p =.03). However, no correlation was observed for zinc, silica, total carbohydrate, protein, and phenol content of the leaves. The highest fecundity of D. laeve was observed in the lettuce and cabbage diet, while no eggs were laid on the mint diet. Hence, the consumption of different leaves, irrespective of physical and chemical features (hairiness, amount of silicon, protein, carbohydrate, and phenol), suitable life history traits, and suitable habitats, may facilitate D. laeve as a potential agricultural pest in the Darjeeling Himalayas, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced phytoremediation offers a rapid and eco-friendly approach for cleaning agricultural soil contaminated with copper and cadmium which pose a direct threat to food scarcity and security. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the two commonly used additives, IAA and EDTA, for the remediation of copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd) contaminated soils using sunflower and maize. The plants were cultivated in pots under controlled conditions with four sets of treatments: control (0), Cu50/Cd50, Cu50/Cd50 + EDTA, and Cu50/Cd50 + IAA. The results showed that Cu50/Cd50 mg/kg drastically compromised the phytoremediation potential of both plants, as evident by reduced shoot and root length, and lower biomass. However, the augmentation of Cu50/Cd50 with EDTA or IAA improved the tested parameters. In sunflower, EDTA enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 58% and 21%, respectively, and improved plant biomass by 41%, compared to control treatment. However, IAA exhibited higher accumulation of Cu and Cd by 64% and 25%, respectively, and enhanced plant biomass by 43%. In case of maize, IAA was superior to EDTA which enhanced the accumulation of Cu and Cd by 87% and 32% respectively, and increased the plant biomass by 57%, compared to control treatment. Our findings demonstrate that foliar IAA is more effective than EDTA in enhancing the phytoremediation potential of sunflower and maize for Cu and Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed under the state agroecological monitoring program. The purpose of this work is to conduct an environmental assessment of the contents of chromium and nickel in the agroecosystems of the southwestern part of the Central Chernozem region (CChR) from the example of Belgorod oblast. All analytical studies were carried out in the accredited testing laboratory by generally accepted methods. During this study, it was established that the average total Cr and Ni contents in the arable layer in leached chernozems are 19.8 and 24.5; in typical chernozems, 20.0 and 24.9; and in ordinary chernozems, 20.9 and 26.6 mg/kg, respectively. The average contents of mobile forms of chromium and nickel in the studied soils range within 0.13–0.14 and 0.37–0.41 mg/kg, respectively. The levels of the approximate permissible concentration of nickel and the maximum permissible concentration of mobile forms of these heavy metals in soils are not exceeded. In the agroecosystems of Belgorod oblast, Cr and Ni are mainly supplied with organic fertilizers, but this does not pose a risk for soil contamination and crop products. The highest average chromium content (0.45 mg/kg) is observed in sunflower seeds, and the lowest (0.22 mg/kg) is in corn grain. Soybeans are characterized by an anomalously high nickel content (4.81 mg/kg), and the lowest concentration (0.63 mg/kg) is recorded in corn kernels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of salt in arable lands is a source of significant abiotic stress, contributing to a 10% decline in the world's total arable lands and threatening food productivity and the sustainability of agriculture. About 76 million hectares of productive land are estimated to have been affected by human-induced salinization such as extreme salt deposits in soil, which are mainly caused by the actions of humans. For instance, continued irrigation and the frequent use of chemical fertilizers need to be understood. To ensure food availability, it is essential to improve upon traditional farming methods using current technologies to facilitate the reclamation of saline-affected arable lands to achieve high and sustainable food production. This review details current innovative strategies such as the modification of metabolic pathways, manipulation of antioxidant pathways, genetic engineering, RNA interference technology, engineered nanoparticles, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), organic amendments, and trace elements for improving saline marginal lands. These strategies were identified to have contributed to the improvement of plants salinity tolerance in diverse ways. For instance, the accumulation of plant metabolites such as amino acids, sugars, polyols, organic acids, saponins, anthocyanins, polyphenols, and tannins detoxify plants and play crucial roles in mitigating the detrimental effects of oxidative damage posed by salinity stress. Multiple plant miRNAs encoding the up- and down-regulation of single- and multi-ion transporters have been engineered in plant species to enhance salt tolerance. Nanomaterials and plant root system colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal increase water uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, and biomass allocation in plants exposed to saline stress by excluding 65 percent of the Na+ uptake and enhancing K+ uptake by 84.21 percent. Organic amendments and trace elements reduced salinity concentrations by 22 percent and improved growth by up to 84 percent in maize subjected to salinity stress. This study also discusses how researchers can use these strategies to improve plants growth, development, and survival in saline soil conditions to enhance the productivity and sustainability of agriculture. The strategies discussed in this study have also proven to be promising approaches for developing salinity stress tolerance strategies for plants to increase agricultural productivity and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton agroecosystems are under serious threat from the cotton mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis). This study examines the host plants, prevalence, damage capacity, and control practices of P. solenopsis infestations in the area. Based on data of field surveys and literature reviews, we study the biology, ecology, and resistance of the insecticide P. solenopsis, and the effects of invasive mealybug species on agricultural crops. In addition, the life history traits and development of P. solenopsis on different host plants are discussed, presenting the importance of integrated pest management (IPM) approaches. The research highlights the critical role of monitoring techniques like migrant traps and quantitative sampling in forecasting and controlling infestations of P. solenopsis. Through amalgamation of results from different sources, this research adds to our knowledge on the dynamics of P. solenopsis populations and provides directions on sustainable pest management in cotton agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unstable yield of agricultural crops arises due to insufficient soil moisture supply at crucial moments of plant emergence and growth, complicating agriculture and exposing it to the risk of crop losses. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of the soil tillage system and previous crops on the productivity of spring barley plants. This was a long-term stationary experiment (2021-2023) with the application of statistical data processing. The influence of four previous crops was investigated – grain maize (control), soybeans, winter rapeseed, and sunflower – and three main soil tillage methods. It is established that the highest significant moisture reserves in the 0-100 cm soil layer at the sowing period were formed when spring barley was placed after soybeans, exceeding the control variant (grain maize) by 3.2 mm in 2021, 3.6 mm in 2022, and 3.4 mm in 2023, and after winter rapeseed by 8.5 mm, 6 mm, and 5.7 mm, respectively, over the years. The use of shallow no-till cultivation provided an advantage over the control (ploughing) in all years of observation: by 2.2 mm in 2021, 1.8 mm in 2022, and 8.8 mm in 2023. During the sowing period of the studied crop, the control surpassed only surface no-till cultivation by 2.7 mm in 2022. The optimal option should be considered the combination of soybeans as a previous crop with shallow no-till soil cultivation at 14-16 cm, which ensured moisture reserves during the earing period of the crop in 2021 – 75.1 mm, in 2022 – 93.2 mm, and in 2023 – 92.2 mm, and at the time of harvest, these indicators were 60.7 mm, 67.3 mm, and 60.0 mm, respectively. The grain yield of spring barley under this option was the highest in the experiment, averaging 7.26 t/ha, which is 27.3% higher than the control. The results of the study can be used to realise the genetic potential of spring barley plants to form stable productivity

Purpose: The purpose of the research is to examine the existing literature on the economic foundations of agricultural crop production in Ukraine, focusing on the evolving management strategies in light of climate change challenges during the war. Design/methodology/approach: The systemic method applied to research involves an integrated approach focusing on interconnected elements within agricultural systems. The analysis was based on the official data of crops growing in Ukraine in 1991-2022, constituting a list of scientific publications. The systemic method applied to research involves an integrated approach focusing on interconnected elements within agricultural systems. Combining multiple methods provided a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the complex interactions between crops growing and analyzing the structure of the information about new plant cultures. Findings: The study embraced an adaptive approach, recognizing that the agricultural system is dynamic and subject to constant change. It aimed to adapt strategies based on evolving insights and feedback from stakeholders involved in the system. Research limitations/implications: The implications of this study underscore the importance of stakeholder engagement and adaptive management for effective integration. Practical implications suggest the need for policy coordination, capacity building, and innovative incentive mechanisms to foster harmonious coexistence between economic development and agricultural crops production. Originality/value: Before the war, 45 agricultural enterprises controlled a total of about 4.1 million hectares of agricultural land. Their total income exceeded 10.8 billion US dollars. The average farm in Ukraine occupies an area of 1000 hectares, while in the EU - only 16 hectares, and in Poland – 11 hectares. It is not difficult to calculate that one Ukrainian tycoon owns the area of approximately 46,000 Polish farmers. This might be a new direction in correction of modern agricultural policy. These results could be especially interesting for researchers whose studies are interdisciplinary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The presence of toxic heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural crops ‎can be considered as a noteworthy threat for consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the content of HMs ‎(Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Co, Hg, and Ag) and their potential health risk in summer crops and vegetables (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, melon, tomato, onion, ‎potato, raw and stewed vegetables) in Ilam province, Iran. Methods: Totally, 31 crop samples were collected from local farms during the 2019 harvest ‎season and the elements ‎ content were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The non-carcinogenic health risk of HMs to the adults and children was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation method and target hazard quotients (THQs). Results: In general, the results showed that the concentration of Cr in the studied ‎agricultural crops was higher than other HMs. As well as, the carcinogenic risk (CR) obtained for adults and children were more than the acceptable range for As. Also, CR for As in raw vegetable was the most (‎8.19E-1) and violated the threshold risk limit. The total carcinogenic risk of HMs in children was higher than that in adults. Conclusion: These results suggest that the agricultural crops were not safe for human consumption with potential risks associated. Due to the possible health effects of such products consumption, proper action should be taken to avoid chronic exposure, prevention of further pollution and consequent adverse health implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance of agricultural crops to herbicides is an important topic that concerns many researchers. One of the most popular groups of herbicides is the imidazolinone group. Resistant forms of crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) have been developed to this group of herbicides. All crops resistant to this group of herbicides have the commercial name Clearfield®. In this review, the information concerning oilseed rape resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides is collected and summarized; it will be useful for breeders and researchers engaged in this direction. This review touches upon the topic of mechanisms of oilseed rape resistance to imidazolinones. Mutation variants known to date, which provide resistance to this group of herbicides, are described, and known molecular markers of them are presented. Approaches to the selection of oilseed rape for resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides are mentioned. Various methods of utilizing imidazolinone resistance to improve the purity of hybrid seeds are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Spodoptera exempta is a global agricultural invasive pest which posing a serious threat to the planting area of major crops of maize, wheat and rice. Our study predicted the potential suitable areas for S. exempta globally based on 841 global occurrence records and eight important bioclimatic variables, and analyzed the overlap with maize, wheat and rice planting areas. The results of the study indicate that the high potential suitable areas of S. exempta are mainly distributed in developing countries (Latin America, central South America, Central Africa, and southern Asia), with the greatest impact on global maize planting areas, followed by rice and wheat. Global warming will have a smaller limitation on the distribution of S. exempta. In view of the global potential geographic distribution of S. exempta and its damage to three major crops, the above governments of various countries should pay active attention to the prevention and control of S. exempta to protect global food security. Spodoptera exempta, known as the black armyworm, has been extensively documented as an invasive agricultural pest prevalent across various crop planting regions globally. However, the potential geographical distribution and the threat it poses to host crops of remains unknown at present. Therefore, we used an optimized MaxEnt model based on 841 occurrence records and 19 bioclimatic variables to predict the potential suitable areas of S. exempta under current and future climatic conditions, and the overlap with wheat, rice, and maize planting areas was assessed. The optimized model was highly reliable in predicting potential suitable areas for this pest. The results showed that high-risk distribution areas for S. exempta were mainly in developing countries, including Latin America, central South America, central Africa, and southern Asia. Moreover, for the three major global food crops, S. exempta posed the greatest risk to maize planting areas (510.78 × 104 km2), followed by rice and wheat planting areas. Under future climate scenarios, global warming will limit the distribution of S. exempta. Overall, S. exempta had the strongest effect on global maize production areas and the least on global wheat planting areas. Our study offers a scientific basis for global prevention of S. exempta and protection of agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unstable yield of agricultural crops arises due to insufficient soil moisture supply at crucial moments of plant emergence and growth, complicating agriculture and exposing it to the risk of crop losses. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of the soil tillage system and previous crops on the productivity of spring barley plants. This was a long-term stationary experiment (2021-2023) with the application of statistical data processing. The influence of four previous crops was investigated - grain maize (control), soybeans, winter rapeseed, and sunflower - and three main soil tillage methods. It is established that the highest significant moisture reserves in the 0-100 cm soil layer at the sowing period were formed when spring barley was placed after soybeans, exceeding the control variant (grain maize) by 3.2 mm in 2021, 3.6 mm in 2022, and 3.4 mm in 2023, and after winter rapeseed by 8.5 mm, 6 mm, and 5.7 mm, respectively, over the years. The use of shallow no-till cultivation provided an advantage over the control (ploughing) in all years of observation: by 2.2 mm in 2021, 1.8 mm in 2022, and 8.8 mm in 2023. During the sowing period of the studied crop, the control surpassed only surface no-till cultivation by 2.7 mm in 2022. The optimal option should be considered the combination of soybeans as a previous crop with shallow no-till soil cultivation at 14-16 cm, which ensured moisture reserves during the earing period of the crop in 2021 - 75.1 mm, in 2022 - 93.2 mm, and in 2023 - 92.2 mm, and at the time of harvest, these indicators were 60.7 mm, 67.3 mm, and 60.0 mm, respectively. The grain yield of spring barley under this option was the highest in the experiment, averaging 7.26 t/ha, which is 27.3% higher than the control. The results of the study can be used to realise the genetic potential of spring barley plants to form stable productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil rating is a comparative characteristic of the quality of arable land and other areas, assessed in points. It is carried out on the basis of special soil surveys, taking into account the supply of nutrients and other factors that determine the level of natural fertility. Soil rating is a necessary starting point for the economic assessment of land, determining the standard price and creating a land cadastre. The article presents the results of a comprehensive study aimed at determining the qualitative characteristics of the soil cover of the Republic of Adygea. As a result of determining the quality score, it is possible to predict how much agricultural land will be harvested in the future, as well as to determine the sowing plan for this area for the year. Determining the soil quality score is also important when resolving issues such as regulation of land relations, timely adoption of measures to improve land plots that are unsatisfactory in terms of indicators. Establishing a quality score allows for high-quality implementation of agrotechnical, hydraulic and chemical measures in those areas that are considered the worst as a result of determining soil quality. The groups of soils established during rating, which are quantitatively characterized by certain natural characteristics, form the information basis for the economic assessment of land, the data of which are important for the rational use of selected agricultural production groups, taking into account their natural characteristics. Based on the conducted research, recommendations are offered for using the obtained assessment results for the cultivation of various agricultural crops. The importance of using the results of soil assessment to improve the efficiency of land use, improve agricultural production and ensure sustainable development of the region has been emphasized.

Crop change detection study is the foundation of agricultural sustainability. The inherent high spectral resolution of hyperspectral images, combined with multi-temporal datasets, facilitates the detection of subtle changes. To enhance the accuracy and applicability of hyperspectral change detection in agricultural scenes, this paper introduces a fast hyperspectral change detection approach for agricultural crops based on low-rank matrix and morphological feature extraction (FLRaMF). The goal is to improve detection precision and computational efficiency of the change detection process. The method initially employs rapid low-rank matrix extraction to separate changing and non-changing pixels in the spectral domain. Subsequently, spatial information is introduced using attribute profiles, restricting spectral anomalies through hyperspectral morphology, which ultimately improves the detection results. This study utilized four hyperspectral change detection datasets in agricultural crop scenarios, optimizing and analyzing parameters. Experimental results and analysis indicate that the FLRaMF method can achieve higher detection accuracy with reduced computation cost in unsupervised, default parameter scenarios when performing agricultural crop change detection tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecotoxicological hazard assessment of pesticide use on crops was performed. The study was conducted in 2021-2023 at the experimental field of the Skvyra Research Farm of the Institute of Agroecology and Environmental Management of National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, located in the Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. The influence of herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides on the formation of environmental hazards in crop agrocenoses was studied: experiment (1) - peas, winter wheat, buckwheat; experiment (2) - winter wheat, buckwheat, oats. The ecological risk was assessed taking into account the ecotoxic properties of the chemical active ingredients of pesticides. It was found that the main parameters characterizing the occurrence of environmental risks are: (i) the pesticide load, i.e. the amount of toxicant applied per unit of sown area; (ii) the ecotoxicity of the pesticide (LD50), which is established by hygienic standards; (iii) the persistence of the pesticide in the soil, namely, its half-life (DT50), etc. The calculations proved that the pesticides used had a low environmental risk of impact on agrocenoses. This is evidenced by the ecotoxicity index (E). The total pesticide load (ΣE) on the agrocenosis of each crop during the three years of the study (2021-2023) was calculated. It was found that in experiment (1) - ΣExperiment 1 = 0.23 conventional units (c.u.); in experiment (2) - ΣEexperiment 2 = 0.04 c.u. The results obtained indicate an insignificant environmental risk of pesticide use for experimental plots of crops of the studied farm. However, prolonged use of pesticides certainly leads to the concentration of their persistent residues in the soil. This can lead to contamination of crop products and environmental. The cereals (buckwheat and oats) grown on the farm are intended for dietary consumption. To confirm the reliability of the hypothesis of the safety of the obtained grain and cereal products, it is advisable to further study their quality in terms of pesticide residues. It is shown that this methodology can be used to assess the risk of pesticide contamination of an agroecosystem. The ecotoxicity criterion (E) can be considered as a management tool for reducing environmental risks in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural materials (LF products) can be considered biologically living organisms due to their structure and the composition of colloidal capillary-porous substances in them. They contain a large number of microscopic pores, microcapillaries and macrocapillaries, in which water is able to pass from the inner parts to the surface of the grain, and vice versa. Thus, it can be concluded that drying is an important and demanding aspect of agricultural production. To determine the optimal drying process for agricultural cereals from a nutritional, energy, economic and environmental point of view, it is necessary to address in detail the application of the technology of vacuum drying from a thermodynamic point of view. An analysis of the research results shows that drying temperature, harvest date and corn variety can significantly affect the properties of the main components of corn grain. This study investigates the individual technological parameters of the vacuum drying process for corn, such as the pressure used in the drying chamber, the grain drying temperature and the heating time, in order to achieve a maximum reduction in water content. The aim of the investigation is to determine the optimal parameters for the design of a functional prototype of a vacuum dryer. For this purpose, laboratory and semi-operational experiments using different types of organic materials are necessary. The structural design of the individual elements of the vacuum dryer is based on an analysis of laboratory and experimental tests, whose results are presented in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extreme manifestations of the climate in the North Baragan Plain from Romania, with major negative effects on the productive-financial results of agriculture, demand more and more obviously the need to establish protective forest curtains for agricultural crops. FAO appreciates that the forest curtains protecting agricultural land denote the degree of development of a country's agriculture. The paper shows how forest curtains have an important role in protecting agricultural crops against drought, erosion, and landslides. According to the studies carried out, the effect of forest curtains leads to an average harvest increase of 30-55%. These results represent the effect of the influence exerted by the curtains on the significant reduction of the wind speed in the protected field. Under irrigated conditions, forest curtains increase productive transpiration by 15% and yield by up to 40% compared to fields irrigated but not protected by curtains. Also, water consumption per ton of plant mass produced is reduced by 18%, which means a reduction in the irrigation rate, thus lower costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a continuous dynamical model along with its discretized system to increase the agricultural crop production using some external efforts in presence of insects and insecticides. It is assumed that agricultural crops grow logistically and its growth deplete due to insect population, which is wholly dependent on crops. Farmers use insecticides to kill insects to protect the crop and its excessive use is hazardous to human health and therefore it is assumed that insecticides are used proportional to the density of insects. To increase field's growth potential, we presumed that some efforts (e.g. seed selection, use of fertilizers, proper water drainage, etc.) are applied proportional to the difference between carrying capacity and actual production. The quantitative features of the nonlinear crop production model is examined by a coherent non-standard finite difference scheme (NSFDS) in the absence of theoretical solution values. This scheme is formulated by discretizing the model system and renormalizing the denominator of derivatives of continuous system. Convergence analysis of the new NSFD scheme is described in detail. A graphical layout by computer-assisted numerical results is introduced to observe the effects of external efforts on production of agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the intersection of insect control and sustainability goals, dielectric heating emerges as a promising solution. In agriculture, where insect pests can reduce agricultural yields and the nutritional quality of crops under field and storage conditions. Chemical pesticides are often used to manage pests but owing to their deleterious consequences on humans and the environment, chemical-free treatments have become the preferred option. Among the existing options, applying radio frequency (RF) and microwave energy for the purpose of dielectric heating has proven to be a successful alternative to chemical pesticides for controlling some major insect pests. This review offers an overview of dielectric heating for pest control in both storage settings and field environments, which addresses pests that impact materials with varying moisture contents (MC). The review highlights the limitation of this technology in controlling insect pests within bulk materials, leading to non-uniform heating. Additionally, it discusses the application of this technology in managing pests affecting materials with high MC, which can result in the degradation of the host material's quality. The review suggests the combination of different techniques proven effective in enhancing heating uniformity, as well as leveraging the non-thermal effects of this technology to maintain the quality of the host material. This is the first review providing an overview of the challenges associated with employing this technology against high moisture content (MC) materials, making it more advantageous for controlling storage pests. Overall, the review indicates that research should particularly emphasize the utilization of this sustainable technology against insect pests that inflict damage on high (MC) substances.

In this study, the finite volume method was used to evaluate the thermal performance of a flat-plate solar collector used to dry agricultural crops. A 3D numerical model was created and used to predict the outlet air velocities and temperatures for three inlet air velocities. When compared with experimental measurements, the numerical predictions showed good agreement under all testing conditions. Then, the numerical model was used to predict the internal airflow and heat transfer characteristics of the collector. The internal baffles were found to increase the dwell time and efficiency but also promote flow separation, which resulted in flow loss. In addition, the collector has a transparent cover that results in a substantial heat loss, which can be mitigated by adding a vacuum gap between the flow inside the collector and the cover. Increasing the flow rate increased the heat loss and decreased the heat uptake, which decreased the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the collector. Because the heat was lost through long-wavelength radiation via the transparent cover and sidewalls, coating the absorber plate with black matte paint to increase the solar radiation absorption coefficient did not improve the drying performance.

The accumulation of salt in arable lands is a source of significant abiotic stress, contributing to a 10% decline in the world’s total arable lands and threatening food productivity and the sustainability of agriculture. About 76 million hectares of productive land are estimated to have been affected by human-induced salinization such as extreme salt deposits in soil, which are mainly caused by the actions of humans. For instance, continued irrigation and the frequent use of chemical fertilizers need to be understood. To ensure food availability, it is essential to improve upon traditional farming methods using current technologies to facilitate the reclamation of saline-affected arable lands to achieve high and sustainable food production. This review details current innovative strategies such as the modification of metabolic pathways, manipulation of antioxidant pathways, genetic engineering, RNA interference technology, engineered nanoparticles, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), organic amendments, and trace elements for improving saline marginal lands. These strategies were identified to have contributed to the improvement of plants salinity tolerance in diverse ways. For instance, the accumulation of plant metabolites such as amino acids, sugars, polyols, organic acids, saponins, anthocyanins, polyphenols, and tannins detoxify plants and play crucial roles in mitigating the detrimental effects of oxidative damage posed by salinity stress. Multiple plant miRNAs encoding the up- and down-regulation of single- and multi-ion transporters have been engineered in plant species to enhance salt tolerance. Nanomaterials and plant root system colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal increase water uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, and biomass allocation in plants exposed to saline stress by excluding 65 percent of the Na+ uptake and enhancing K+ uptake by 84.21 percent. Organic amendments and trace elements reduced salinity concentrations by 22 percent and improved growth by up to 84 percent in maize subjected to salinity stress. This study also discusses how researchers can use these strategies to improve plants growth, development, and survival in saline soil conditions to enhance the productivity and sustainability of agriculture. The strategies discussed in this study have also proven to be promising approaches for developing salinity stress tolerance strategies for plants to increase agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Currently, there are many scientific publications concerning changes in climatic conditions of individual regions, countries, continents and the entire earth as a planet. This fact has led us to consider these changes regarding their impact on the development of erosion processes in mountain conditions. The basis was the research presented in S.E Kuchiev’s PhD thesis of 1996-1998, as well as the verification of hypotheses put forward in the research on the development of erosion processes. The above mentioned required the continuation of research in the second period from 2008 to 2013. On average, 605 mm fell during the years of research, 478 mm in the first period 1996-1998, 668 mm in the second 2008-2013, and from 2 to 8 rains with an intensity of more than 20 mm fell in different years.The correlation analysis shows that with the increase in precipitation observed in recent years, there is a correlation with the amount of heavy rainfall. During the period under review, there were 27 to 48 rains with an intensity above 5 mm. In 2009 heavy rainfall was characterized mainly by an intensity of 20 to 40 mm per day, but in August 2009 and 2010, 71 and 73 mm each fell. The peak of heavy rains was noted in 2012, when in June it rained two days in a row with an intensity of 121 and 101 mm.The indicator of surface runoff has significantly increased, both in the control variant (pure steam) and in rotation crops, which can be arranged in ascending order of their erosion resistance: row crops, cereals of the continuous sowing method and perennial grasses. The research was carried out at the mountain long-term station of the SCNII–GPSH – a branch of the VNC RAS in the village of Dargavs.

Machine learning (ML) can make use of agricultural data related to crop yield under varying soil nutrient levels, and climatic fluctuations to suggest appropriate crops or supplementary nutrients to achieve the highest possible production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of five distinct ML models for a dataset sourced from the Kaggle repository to generate practical recommendations for crop selection or determination of required nutrient(s) in a given site. The datasets contain information on NPK, soil pH, and three climatic variables: temperature, rainfall, and humidity. The models namely Support vector machine, XGBoost, Random forest, KNN, and Decision Tree were trained using yields of individual data sets of 11 agricultural and 10 horticultural crops, as well as combined yield of both agri-horticultural crops. The results strongly suggest to evaluate individual data sets separately for each crop category rather than using combined the data sets of both categories for better predictions. Comparing the five ML models, the XGBoost demonstrated the highest level of accuracy. The precision rates of XGBoost for recommending agricultural crops, horticultural crops, and a combination of both were 99.09 % (AUC 1.0), 99.3 % (AUC 1.0), and 98.51 % (AUC 0.99), respectively. This non-intrusive method for generating crop recommendations in diverse environmental conditions holds the potential to provide valuable insights for the development of a user-friendly AI cloud-based interface. Such an interface would enable rapid decision-making for optimal fertilizer applications and the selection of suitable crops for cultivation at specific sites.

In this study, the finite volume method was used to evaluate the thermal performance of a flat-plate solar collector used to dry agricultural crops. A 3D numerical model was created and used to predict the outlet air velocities and temperatures for three inlet air velocities. When compared with experimental measurements, the numerical predictions showed good agreement under all testing conditions. Then, the numerical model was used to predict the internal airflow and heat transfer characteristics of the collector. The internal baffles were found to increase the dwell time and efficiency but also promote flow separation, which resulted in flow loss. In addition, the collector has a transparent cover that results in a substantial heat loss, which can be mitigated by adding a vacuum gap between the flow inside the collector and the cover. Increasing the flow rate increased the heat loss and decreased the heat uptake, which decreased the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the collector. Because the heat was lost through long-wavelength radiation via the transparent cover and sidewalls, coating the absorber plate with black matte paint to increase the solar radiation absorption coefficient did not improve the drying performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blueberry industry is one of the successful and expanding agricultural cropping systems in South Africa. As a result of this growth, research into identifying plant disease agents has become increasingly important, yet there are relatively few scientific reports published on the subject in the country. The aim of this study was to identify the causal agents of stunting and leaf scorch on blueberry plants and evaluate their pathogenicity. Root samples were collected from a commercial southern highbush blueberry planting in North West, South Africa. The resulting isolates were identified based on sequence data from the rDNA‐ITS. Three Pythiaceae were identified including Globisporangium ultimum var. sporangiiferum, Globisporangium splendens and Pythium aphanidermatum. Results of pathogenicity trials showed that the isolated species were able to cause disease on 40% of the plants. This is the first official report for G. ultimum var. sporangiiferum in South Africa and the first report of G. ultimum var. sporangiiferum and P. aphanidermatum from blueberry plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weeds nearby crop fields are considered as unwanted noxious plants and exhibit many harmful effects on growth, germination and physiology of cultivated crops. Cosmos sulphureus Cav. is widely distributed dominant weed and is found in abundance after onset of monsoon. The present study was conducted to assess its allelopathic effects by using aqueous leaf extracts on various germination parameters of Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench) (jowar), Vigna aconoitifolia L. (moth bean) and Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) from Pune district. At lower concentrations (50%) stimulatory effects were observed while inhibitory effects were observed at higher concentration on germination of Triticum aestivum (20%), Sorghum bicolor (46%) Vigna aconitifolia (70%). Germination percentage, root length-shoot length and vigor index were significantly reduced with increasing concentrations. Root length, shoot length were at par with control at lower concentrations (50%) but as concentrations increased gradual reduction in parameters was observed in jowar and wheat, whereas moth bean exhibited moderate reduction in germination of seeds. Phytochemical analysis of aqueous crude extract showed presence of alkaloids, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, amino acids in varying amounts while saponins were absent. The variations in phytochemicals can be attributed to response of the plants to different environmental stresses as abiotic and biotic factor and mainly the geographical location. Thus, as per the results obtained Cosmos sulphureus exhibits allelopathic effects on germination and growth of Sorghum bicolor, Triticum aestivum and Vigna aconitifolia from Pune district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial wastewater irrigation of agricultural crops can cause a lot of environmental and health problems in developing countries due to heavy metals deposition in agricultural soils as well as edible plant consumption by human beings. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out the heavy metals concentration in industrial wastewater and soil irrigated with that wastewater. In addition, the aim was to determine the impact of industrial wastewater irrigation on Parthenium hysterophorus and Zea mays genes involved in growth improvement and inhibition. For this purpose, plant samples from agriculture fields irrigated with wastewater from Hattar Industrial Estate (HIE) of Haripur, Pakistan, and control plants from non-contaminated soil irrigated with tape water were collected after 15 and 45 days of germination. Heavy metals concentration in the collected plant samples, wastewater, and soil was determined. The results revealed that the soil of the sample collection site was predominantly contaminated with Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, and Cd up to the concentrations of 38.98, 21.14, 46.01, 155.73, 12.50, 68.50, and 7.01 mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of these heavy metals were found to surpass the permissible limit in normal agricultural soil. Expansins, cystatins (plant growth enhancers), and metacaspases (plant growth inhibitor) gene expression were studied through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that the expression of these genes was higher in samples collected from wastewater-irrigated soils as compared to control. The expression of these genes was observed in 45 days old samples, 15 days old samples, and control. Taken together, this study suggests the use of Parthenium and maize for phytoremediation and that they should not be used for eating purposes if irrigated with industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study presents the spatio-temporal distribution of the main agricultural crops in Romania using a modern digitalisation technique, namely interactive GIS mapping. Interactive GIS mapping includes various features specific to the development of sustainable Romanian agriculture, including the arable area of Romania, information on the area (hectares) cultivated with corn, wheat, sunflower, and rape during the 1990–2018 period, the degree of mechanisation, the number of tractors, and information regarding the landforms, a natural factor in relation to cultivated surfaces. Agricultural land should be properly used based on its ability to meet the demands of consumers of traditional Romanian products with an ecological label, but also the needs of the local population, and, at the same time, to ensure the sustainability of the natural environment through the practice of ecological agriculture. The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the current state of the main agricultural crops in Romania. From a theoretical but also practical point of view, this research presents, for the first time, a retrospective analysis of each county in Romania in terms of the geospatial distribution of major agricultural crops using interactive GIS mapping. Geospatial data were processed in ArcGIS Geographic Information System 10.7.2. The results of this study show that the most extensive cereal areas at the county level in Romania are corn and wheat. The largest areas cultivated with corn and wheat in 2018 were recorded in the Western Plain, the Romanian Plain, and the Moldavian Plateau. For wheat, increases were also recorded in the Dobrogea Plateau. The intensification of labour productivity and the promotion of the sustainability of the natural environment in Romania is presented through the main indicator (the number of tractors) of the degree of mechanisation of agriculture. The higher values of this indicator are in the counties of Bihor, Timiș, and Maramureș. Limitations in Romania's agricultural data present substantial challenges to the sector's development and sustainability. Addressing these challenges is essential for informed decision making, policy formulation, and effective resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pollinators are critical for human food security and the proper functioning of natural ecosystems, but long-term declines of wild bee populations have necessitated a broader understanding of how different land cover types can support bee conservation. In contrast to regularly tilled agricultural crops that seldom provide nesting areas for wild bees, perennial grass seed fields experience long intervals between soil disturbance (5-15 y) and may provide suitable nesting habitat for ground-nesting bees. In this study we sampled wild bees in perennial grass seed fields planted to tall fescue (Schedonorus phoenix) that were devoid of bloom to assess the potential for perennial grass seed fields to support bee populations when floral resources were absent. We sampled bees at both near (50 m) and far (200 m) distances from field edges, capturing > 750 individual bees that represented 41 species/morphospecies in 12 genera and 3 families within grass seed fields. Most of the bees we captured were ground-nesting species, with several of the most abundant genera harboring species that are critical for crop pollination including bumble bees (Bombus spp.), long-horned bees (Melissodes spp.), and sweat bees (Halictus spp.). When considering females of nest-building species, we detected no differences in observed species richness or abundance at sampling locations that were near and far from field edges. We also found no strong differences in body size differences between near and far sampling locations, suggesting small bees with limited foraging distances nested within grass seed fields. Our results indicate that native bees use floral-devoid grass seed fields, perhaps because they serve as nesting areas for ground-nesting species, and that such bees have the potential to spill over into adjacent crops and enhance pollination when grass seed fields are embedded within a mixed crop landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is an important economic sector for Ecuador, sustained by food crops like maize, potatoes, and vegetables cultivated in the highlands while cash crops such as coffee, bananas, cacao, and palm oil are grown on the coastal plains. But, Ecuador is also a country under the influence of several natural hazards due to its geographical location, atmospheric dynamics, and geological characteristics. One of the main risks to food security is the presence of a large number of active volcanoes scattered all over the country with the most representative enemy, the falling volcanic ash. The bibliography in general highlights the potential toxicity of volcanic ash from a human health perspective, but it also negatively influences plant development at the seed's germination, as well as low crop pollination, damaged fruits, reduced leaf respiration depending on the type of crop, the developmental stage, the ash layer, and the climate. The mineral composition of the volcanic ash can also be beneficial for the soil by increasing fertility but at the same time with contrasting effects on plants due to the influence on soil characteristics such as pH, soil aeration, and biodiversity, which can detrimentally affect some crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review included resistant starch and its health aspects due to its importance in our diet as it has enormous benefits, especially for people who suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Moreover, resistant starch is an important component in the meals of people who follow a diet to lose weight as it has complex carbohydrates which are difficult to digest. Resistant starch is used in the prevention of intestinal inflammation and some cancerous diseases due to its ability to enhance the work of beneficial bacteria in the intestine and thus prevent colon and rectal cancer. This reviewprovides a comprehensive overview of the physical properties of resistant starch, which include odour, colour and viscosity, in addition to its chemical composition including amylose and amylopectin, and to identify the structure and shape of the starch granule. Some methods of forming resistant starch of its five types from some plant sources such as wheat, oats, corn, rice, potatoes, legumes, etc. were also reviewed, and the possibility of increasing its percentage in these sources through a series of sequential processes such as cooking, then cooling and freezing.

Spodoptera exempta, known as the black armyworm, has been extensively documented as an invasive agricultural pest prevalent across various crop planting regions globally. However, the potential geographical distribution and the threat it poses to host crops of remains unknown at present. Therefore, we used an optimized MaxEnt model based on 841 occurrence records and 19 bioclimatic variables to predict the potential suitable areas of S. exempta under current and future climatic conditions, and the overlap with wheat, rice, and maize planting areas was assessed. The optimized model was highly reliable in predicting potential suitable areas for this pest. The results showed that high-risk distribution areas for S. exempta were mainly in developing countries, including Latin America, central South America, central Africa, and southern Asia. Moreover, for the three major global food crops, S. exempta posed the greatest risk to maize planting areas (510.78 × 104 km2), followed by rice and wheat planting areas. Under future climate scenarios, global warming will limit the distribution of S. exempta. Overall, S. exempta had the strongest effect on global maize production areas and the least on global wheat planting areas. Our study offers a scientific basis for global prevention of S. exempta and protection of agricultural crops.

Uranium (U) and fluoride (F−) contamination in agricultural products, especially vegetable and cereal crops, has raised serious concerns about food safety and human health on a global scale. To date, numerous studies have reported U and F− contamination in vegetable and cereal crops at local scales, but the available information is dispersed, and crop-wise differences are lacking. This paper reviews the current status of knowledge on this subject by compiling relevant published literatures between 1983 and 2023 using databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Based on the median values, F− levels ranged from 0.5 to 177 mg/kg, with higher concentrations in non-leafy vegetables, such as Indian squash "Praecitrullus fistulosus" (177 mg/kg) and cucumber "Cucumis sativus" (96.25 mg/kg). For leafy vegetables, the maximum levels were recorded in bathua "Chenopodium album" (72.01 mg/kg) and mint "Mentha arvensis" (44.34 mg/kg), where more than 50% of the vegetable varieties had concentrations of >4 mg/kg. The concentration of U ranged from 0.01 to 17.28 mg/kg; tubers and peels of non-leafy vegetables, particularly radishes "Raphanus sativus" (1.15 mg/kg) and cucumber "Cucumis sativus" (0.42 mg/kg), contained higher levels. These crops have the potential to form organometallic complexes with U, resulting in more severe threats to human health. For cereal crops (based on median values), the maximum F− level was found in bajra "Pennisetum glaucum" (15.18 mg/kg), followed by chana "Cicer arietinum" (7.8 mg/kg) and split green gram "Vigna mungo" (4.14 mg/kg), while the maximum accumulation of U was recorded for barley "Hordeum vulgare" (2.89 mg/kg), followed by split green gram "Vigna mungo" (0.45 mg/kg). There are significant differences in U and F− concentrations in either crop type based on individual studies or countries. These differences can be explained mainly due to changes in geogenic and anthropogenic factors, thereby making policy decisions related to health and intake difficult at even small spatial scales. Methodologies for comprehensive regional—or larger—policy scales will require further research and should include strategies to restrict crop intake in specified "hot spots". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomy Journal / Agronomski Glasnik (0002-1954) is the property of Croatian Society of Agronomists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in energy consumption and environmental indicators in the production of crops, including sugarcane, wheat, canola and sunflower during the years 2018 to 2022. Relevant information was collected through statistics recorded in planning management of Imam Khomeini Sugarcane Agro-Industrial Company in Khuzestan province. Using these statistics and sources, the production situation of agriculture and industry products was investigated. Based on the obtained results, in sugarcane fields, energy consumption in the years 2018 to 2022 was calculated as 131.05, 142.47, 152.16, 155.45 and 161.71 GJ ha-1 respectively. Also, energy consumption was equal to 30.49, 32.70, 35.10, 36.52, and 38.02 GJ ha-1 in wheat fields in the considered period. On the other hand, for the production of canola in the years 2018 to 2022, it varied and was equal to 19.44, 20.81, 22.68, 23.83 and 24.86 GJ ha-1 respectively. Also, in sunflower fields in the same period of time, it was estimated as 44.19, 82.14, 61.15, 20.16 and 76.16 GJ ha-1 respectively. The results of environmental effects showed that the highest amount of pollution caused by the effect of resources in sugarcane production is in the mentioned years of 12.08, 12.64, 12.91, 12.40 and 12.47 USD2013. Also, in wheat production this index increased from 61.96 to 68.23, in canola production increased from 79.86 to 85.51, and finally, in sunflower production increased from 61.82 to 65.73. Based on the ranking of the by-products, sunflower, wheat and canola are prioritized for cultivation from the first to the third place respectively. Optimal use of electricity inputs, diesel fuel and chemical fertilizers can help reduce energy consumption and environmental pollution. In order to reduce energy consumption in the production of agricultural and industrial products, it is recommended to use renewable energy sources such as electricity produced from solar sources by photovoltaic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the state agroecological monitoring program, the Cd content in the main components of the forest–steppe agroecosystems in the Belgorod region located in the southwestern part of the Central Black Earth Region was studied. The soil cover was mainly composed of leached and typical chernozems. According to the study results, the average total Cd was 0.32 mg/kg in the 0- to 20-cm layer of arable leached black soil, while mobile forms were 0.08 mg/kg, corresponding to the background values and much lower than the approximate allowable concentrations. The background Cd concentrations were excessive in the soils of roadside ecosystems at a distance of up to 60 m from the roadbed. Most Cd was brought into the Belgorod agroecosystems with organic fertilizers, but it did not cause contamination of the soil or crop products. Out of the crops studied, the minimum level of Cd was in white lupine grain (0.011 mg/kg), and the maximum was in sunflower seeds (0.086 mg/kg). The average Cd contents of corn, barley, and winter wheat grains were not drastically different and ranged from 0.037 to 0.042 mg/kg. In clover and alfalfa hay, the average Cd was almost the same: 0.012–0.013 mg/kg; these values were much lower than in natural forbs (0.045 mg/kg). The maximum allowable Cd concentrations of food grains and maximum allowable Cd level of feed were not excessive in the crop products studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed Benincasa hispida peel as a raw material for the preparation of Benincasa hispida peel extract (BHPE) via hot water extraction and freeze-drying processes. The synergistic effect of BHPE and KI on the corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 1 M HCl was investigated. The compositional analysis shows that BHPE consists mainly of a mixture of sugars, characterized by a high density of hydroxyl groups and unsaturated functional groups, characteristic of highly effective corrosion inhibitors. Electrochemical experiments and surface analysis show that the composite of BHPE and KI can effectively provide protection to mild steel. Moreover, the synergistic coefficient of BHPE and KI under various concentration conditions was greater than 1, and the highest corrosion inhibition efficiency was 94.4%. In addition, the corrosion inhibition mechanism of BHPE was thoroughly investigated using quantum chemistry (QC) and molecular dynamics simulation (MDS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Arthropods are essential in maintaining healthy and productive agricultural ecosystems. Agricultural crops such as apples are typically pollinated by domesticated honey bees, but wild bees and other arthropod flower visitors also contribute to pollination. Flower visitors can also be natural enemies of crop‐pests or herbivores. Biodiversity is under pressure and knowledge of wildflower visitors is an important tool in designing orchards that can support high functional biodiversity. In our study, we assessed the diversity of arthropod flower visitors in four Danish apple orchards using both molecular and nonmolecular techniques to study arthropod communities in agricultural ecosystems. Arthropod DNA collected from apple flowers was analyzed using a DNA metabarcoding approach using the mitochondrial COI marker, while arthropod pollinators were recorded through visual assessment surveys. These complementary techniques resulted in a total of 19 arthropod taxa detected. Nonbee arthropods constituted a large proportion of arthropods detected by both methods (84%, 16 taxa). Metabarcoding detected 12 taxa and had 83% species resolution. Visual census recovered flower visiting groups to the order level (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera) but not species level and also provided relative abundance data, which is not possible with molecular methods. We demonstrated that by utilizing both molecular and nonmolecular techniques to assess arthropod communities, we are able to obtain a broader overview of the arthropod fauna present. The methodology used and the outcome of this study can be used to inform and tailor suitable arthropod‐pest management practices in orchards to increase crop yield and maintain healthy agricultural systems.