Search

Contamination of waterways is of increasing concern, with recent studies demonstrating elevated levels of antibiotics, antidepressants, household, agricultural and industrial chemicals in freshwater systems. Thus, there is a growing demand for methods to rapidly and conveniently monitor contaminants in waterways. Here we demonstrate how a combination of paper microfluidic devices and handheld mobile technology can be used by citizen scientists to carry out a sustained water monitoring campaign. We have developed a paper-based analytical device and a 3 minute sampling workflow that requires no more than a container, a test device and a smartphone app. The contaminant measured in these pilots are phosphates, detectable down to 3 mg L-1. Together these allow volunteers to successfully carry out cost-effective, high frequency, phosphate monitoring over an extended geographies and periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the BERTopic model, this study analyzes 15,744 scientific papers in the field of functional agriculture from 1995 to 2024 to uncover core themes and evolutionary trends in global functional agriculture, and particularly focuses on revealing the developmental trajectory in China. The results indicate that global functional agriculture research is characterized by diverse themes and intensive study, forming a multi-topic cross-network centered on plant chemical extraction and agricultural soil research, with a focus on food nutrition, human health, and environmental protection. By contrast, China's functional agriculture research demonstrates a more focused and in-depth approach, concentrating on functional food development and agricultural environmental protection themes, with notable growth trends in areas such as selenium-enriched products and resistant starch. Combined with China's agricultural development environment, this study makes the following suggestions for the development of functional agriculture in China: (1) Promoting interdisciplinary cooperation between functional agriculture and other technologies. (2) Developing agricultural products with Chinese characteristics and forming Chinese functional agricultural product brands. (3) Utilizing smart farming technology to boost functional agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued population growth and limited land availability will facilitate the utilization of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in sustainable agriculture to enhance crop yields. The PGRs industry has progressed significantly from 2003 to 2022, resulting in a surge of research activities in the field of PGRs. However, the existing studies lack the exploration of the industry trends, as well as the challenges and opportunities for innovation in PGR development. Here, we analyze the dynamic trends within the PGR industry by examining key factors such as the PGR market, patent applications, scientific papers, and PGRs registrations from 2003 to 2022. Additionally, we investigate the specific effects of major agrochemicals on plants. These data will provide essential insights into the ongoing evolution and future trends of PGRs. Importantly, it is crucial to actively pursue research and development (R&D) of a broader range of PGRs to respond to the current needs of the PGR market and drive further growth therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, agricultural non-point source pollution has become the main source of water pollution, which mainly comes from the excessive use of agricultural chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. The TRS is another land system reform in China after the household contract responsibility system, which relaxes the management rights of rural land and clarifies the ownership of land. Using this land reform in China as a case study, this paper constructs panel data for 30 provinces in China to explore the impact of land tenure intensification on agricultural non-point source pollution, using the difference-in-difference (DID) model to identify the causal relationship between the two. The results show that the coefficient of the TRS policy variable is −4.056 at the 1% significance level, indicating that this round of land reform has suppressed agricultural non-point source pollution. The provinces that have implemented TRS have seen an average annual reduction of 405,600 tons in Agnps emissions compared to those that have not implemented TRS, and the scale operation of agriculture and the size of the agricultural economy act as two paths. Moreover, heterogeneity analysis shows that the policy effect of the provinces in non-major food-producing areas is smaller than that of the provinces in major food-producing areas, and the path to realization is also different. Therefore, we should continue to encourage large-scale agricultural operations, cultivate new agricultural business entities, and strengthen the inhibitory effect of TRS on agricultural non-point source pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times, table grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) have been one of the most important fruit crops from the standpoint both of the producer (regional economics) and the consumer (healthy eating). In recent decades, much effort has been devoted to the development of this crop in order to improve fruit quality and yield; however, these advances have also entailed considerable increases in the use of agrochemicals. Unfortunately, as is now coming to light, the increased agrochemical use has had deleterious effects on the environment and has also had significant negative effects on human health and wellbeing. Our research investigates the effects of pre-harvest fruit bagging on key fruit quality traits and also on the accumulation of agrochemical residues in the fruit. Two prevalent white table grape cultivars were used, 'Italia' (late ripening) and 'Vittoria' (early ripening). They were bagged with three different materials: (1) paper, (2) parchment (a cellulose-based material), and (3) a non-woven fabric (felted polypropylene fibers). The bags were placed on grape clusters at phenological state BBCH 75 until harvest, and the bagged clusters were then compared with the unbagged control clusters. Qualitative traits and agrochemical residuals were assessed at harvest for two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022). The results show that the parchment protection bags positively affected some key fruit quality traits, with bigger and better-colored berries than the unbagged controls. Compared with the unbagged controls, all bagging treatments greatly reduced the levels of agrochemical residues, analyzed using GC-MS/MS and HPLC-MS/MS. For cv. 'Italia', in 2021 residues fell from 0.733 mg/kg (unbagged control) to 0.006 mg/kg (bagged), and in 2022 from 0.201 mg/kg (unbagged control) to 0.008 mg/kg (bagged); for cv. 'Vittoria', in 2021 residues fell from 0.201 mg/kg (unbagged control) to 0.008 mg/kg (bagged), and in 2022 from 0.077 mg/kg (unbagged control) to 0.046 mg/kg (bagged). The study shows the benefits of pre-harvest fruit bagging on grape berry quality and underscores the pivotal role bags can play in minimizing agrochemical residue accumulations on the fruit. The study marks the taking of a crucial step towards more sustainable and safer practices in the table grape production industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensively used agricultural mulch fabricated from nonbiodegradable polyolefin plastic causes tremendous environmental pollution. In this work, a paper-based mulch, composed of the cellulose fiber networks incorporated with Emamectin benzoate (EB)@sodium lignosulfonate (SL), has been developed with facile papermaking/coating methods. The spherical microcapsule loaded with pesticide EB has a desirable core-shell structure for better protection and sustained release of photosensitive EB. The loading rate and encapsulation efficiency reached 78.5 % and 52.3 %, respectively. Furthermore, microcapsules exhibited excellent slow-release behavior and resistance to photolysis. Natural carnauba wax was coated on the surface of the paper-based mulch to form a hydrophobic layer and increase the physical intertwinement of fibers in the mulch, thereby exhibiting superior performance, such as enhanced tensile strength, excellent hydrophobicity, high air permeability, and high light transmittance at reasonable level. Moreover, unlike conventional polyethylene mulch film, the functionalized paper-based mulch almost completely biodegraded after 75 days in the soil. Thus, multifunctional, eco-friendly mulch from lignocellulose is an innovative approach to obtaining the sustained release of agrochemicals, and it provides an excellent alternative to conventional agricultural plastic mulch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical fertilizers applied to Romania's soils represent a particularly important aspect in ensuring a qualitative and quantitative production. The expenditures that farmers have to be able to fertilize the soil correctly and with a sufficient amount have become over the years increasingly higher. The paper analyzes in evolution, over two periods of time, 2007-2014 and 2014-2021, 2 aspects: the surfaces of agricultural holdings, by classes of economic size; the main technical-economic indicators of the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural holdings, namely the expenditures per hectare of agricultural land with chemical fertilizers, in total and by types: N, P205 and K2O fertilizers, and the expenditures with chemical fertilizers to obtain 100 euros of plant production. The data were retrieved from the FADN platform and statistically interpreted using mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, growth rate, t-test of significance. The conclusion that emerges from the analysis undertaken is that there are big differences between the two analyzed periods, in both of them are signs of variations over the years and increases in chemical fertilizer expenses, but the second period, 2014-2021, shows a greater homogeneity of data, even decreases in the higher classes, while the classes (1) 2,000 - < 8,000 EUR and (2) 8,000 - < 25,000 EUR have increased expenditures per ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to quantify the loss (or leakage) of organic cattle to conventional value chains in Ireland and assess its economic and environmental impacts. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts a Bio-economy Input-Output (BIO) model, a quantitative economic model representing the interdependencies between different sectors of the economy, to assess the economic and environmental impacts of organic leakage in the Irish beef sector. Findings: The study reveals that 17% of organic cattle aged under 1 year old leave the organic value chain, leaking to the conventional market as a result of imbalances in the development of the beef value chain. The economic cost of this organic leakage is 5.66 million euros. Leakage also has environmental effects because of changes in lifecycle methane and nitrogen emissions based on longer finishing times on organic farms and chemical fertilisers applied on conventional farms. The organic leakage results in a reduction of 82 tons of methane emission and 52 additional tons of nitrogen emission, which leads to 11,484 tons of net global warming potential (GWP) for a 100-year time horizon. Research limitations/implications: Because of data availability, the research focussed on the baseline year 2015, which had national data available for disaggregation in Ireland. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to assess the economic and environmental impacts when more recent data are available and to analyse the change in the impacts over the years. Practical implications: This study contributes to the discussion on organic conversion and provides valuable insights for stakeholders, especially policymakers, for the design of future organic schemes. Originality/value: This is the first paper to assess organic leakage in the beef sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of nanotechnologies in the last 25 years has considerably improved, even revolutionized, many technology and industry sectors: information technology, medicine, transportation, energy, environmental science, and everyday products, as well. Nano-enabled agriculture (NEA) describes the application of nanotechnology in agriculture to improve the performance of agrochemicals. NEA mainly focuses on improving the agrochemical uptake efficiency by crops, enhancing plant growth and food safety, and mitigating the environmental impacts of agriculture. However, nanotechnology applications in the agricultural chain are still marginal and have not yet made it to the market in comparison with other industrial sectors. Compared to other productive sectors, the main reason for the slow development of the NAE is due to the specific peculiarities of agriculture. The use of renewable materials deriving from plant and animal waste biomass to produce nanosized delivery systems in NEA represents a crucial step towards the fulfillment of a circular economy. A paradigmatic example concerns the valorization of hydroxyapatite (nHAP). The paper provides updates on the use of nHAP for sustainable crop phosphorus fertilization and the development of nanohybrids to provide other macro-nutrients loaded on the nHAP structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA), a plant hormone, is crucial for regulating various physiological and developmental processes in plants, including adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent advancements have significantly contributed to our understanding of ABA's biosynthetic pathway, transport, signaling pathway, and metabolism. To overcome the limitations of natural ABA, scientists have developed broad-spectrum and highly active agonists of ABA receptors. However, the practical application of these receptor agonists as agrochemicals still faces several challenges. On the other hand, some ABA antagonists have also been developed to differentiate the functional differences among various receptors more accurately. This can help design ABA agonists that can selectively activate specific physiological responses, thereby eliminating the undesired physiological effects induced by ABA. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current ABA receptor agonists and antagonists to assist in developing novel ABA functional analogs with improved efficacy and simpler chemical structures that are suitable for agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the survey data of five large grain-producing provinces in China, this paper studies the effect of agricultural production trusteeship on agricultural carbon emission reduction by using a propensity score matching method. The empirical results show that the carbon emission of wheat reduces by 7.107 kg/mu, with a decrease rate of 15.5% after participating in agricultural production trusteeship. Among them, chemical fertilizers, manpower input, agricultural chemicals and diesel oil, respectively, reduce with rates of 14.2%, 27.7%, 14.1%, and 6%. However, there are differences in the facilitation effects of different trusteeship services, with the best promotion effect of field management services, followed by cultivation, planting and harvest services, and then agricultural material supply services, for which the average treatment effects on treated (ATT) is −6.160, −5.732 and −5.530, respectively. Meanwhile, there are differences in the promotion effects for farm households with different factor endowments. The promotion effect is better for small farm households with one type of agricultural machinery or less, and an operation scale of 7 mu or less. Therefore, in order to better play the role of agricultural production trusteeship in agricultural carbon emission reduction, the government should vigorously support its development and guide more smallholders to choose agricultural production trusteeship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the backdrop of the "double-carbon" target, the primary grain-producing regions in China are confronted with the tasks of mitigating pollution and carbon emissions and ensuring food security. This paper explores the eco-efficiency of cropland utilization and the factors influencing the primary grain-producing regions in China, utilizing panel data from 13 provinces spanning the period from 2000 to 2019. The analysis employs three models: the super-efficiency SBM model, the Malmquist index model, and the random-effect panel Tobit model. The findings suggest the following: (1) Although the eco-efficiency of cropland utilization in China's primary grain-producing regions did not reach the production frontier during the period of 2000–2019, it exhibited a high level with an overall upward trend. The limiting factor inhibiting the growth of total factor productivity is lower technical efficiency. (2) There is evident spatial variation in the eco-efficiency of cropland utilization across China, displaying a dynamic evolution from northeast > western > central > eastern to northeast > western > eastern > central. Total factor productivity in each province demonstrates an upward trend, with the east > northeast > west > central ranking. (3) Regarding the influencing factors, the utilization of agricultural production chemicals exerts a negative influence, while the proportion of government financial input, labor input, and irrigation index have a positive impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plant Synthetic Biology aims to enhance the capacities of plants by designing and integrating synthetic gene circuits (SGCs). Quantitative reporting solutions that can produce quick, rich datasets affordably are necessary for SGC optimization. In this paper, we present a new, low‐cost, and high‐throughput reporter system for the quantitative measurement of gene expression in plants based on autonomous bioluminescence. This method eliminates the need for an exogenous supply of luciferase substrate by exploiting the entire Neonothopanus nambi fungal bioluminescence cyclic pathway to build a self‐sustained reporter. The HispS gene, the pathway's limiting step, was set up as the reporter's transcriptional entry point as part of the new system's design, which significantly improved the output's dynamic range and brought it on par with that of the gold standard FLuc/RLuc reporter. Additionally, transient ratiometric measurements in N. benthamiana were made possible by the addition of an enhanced GFP as a normalizer. The performance of new NeoLuc/eGFP system was extensively validated with SGCs previously described, including phytohormone and optogenetic sensors. Furthermore, we employed NeoLuc/eGFP in the optimization of challenging SGCs, including new configurations for an agrochemical (copper) switch, a new blue optogenetic sensor, and a dual copper/red‐light switch for tight regulation of metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevines are one of the most intensely treated crops with a high potential risk to health and biodiversity. Thus, the distribution control of agrochemicals is crucial to obtain a high quality and sustainable product for intensive viticulture. Although the search for systems to reduce the waste of chemical products is consistent in some countries, such as Italy, the machinery used are obsolete. The development of an upgrading system for sprayers can be a good compromise to achieve the pollution reduction without requiring huge investments. Field tests were conducted using a LIDAR-based prototype coupled to a commercial sprayer. This study tested the distribution performance using water-sensitive papers and evaluated the infections of grapevine downy and powdery mildews. The results showed a distribution in the vegetation gaps with a higher frequency in the coverage classes >20% in the standard treatment and 10–15% in the LIDAR treatment. Treatments performed with LiDAR reduced the incidence of downy mildew and severity of powdery mildew. The innovative sprayer reduces the distribution of agrochemicals thanks to the on/off control of the nozzles in the voids of vegetation and, meanwhile, controls vineyard fungal disease, so it can be a good way to meet the sustainability and quality of the production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture in India faces challenges from multiple fronts, decline in productivity, climate change and sustainability. Using drones in farming contributes to sustainable agriculture in terms of social, economic and environmental dimensions. This article discusses the advantages of adopting drone technology in India. The drones are useful in multiple ways, such as, soil analysis for field planning, plant establishment, precision application of agrochemicals, crop monitoring, irrigation management, crop health assessment, livestock monitoring, and disaster management, geo-fencing, crop biomass and damage estimation, locust control, and transporting goods in agriculture. The paper also describes the initiatives of Government of India towards promoting drone technology. Challenges in use of the drone technology have been discussed. The study found that the application of drone technology saves time, labour, water, and cuts spending on chemicals. It also reduces use of chemicals and eliminates the chemical exposure to human. The paper concludes that the government should effectively adopt and leverage the potential of drone technology for transforming the agriculture sector and life of millions of farmers in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

However, this would require industry cooperation and availability in the peer-review process and, at the same time, scientists writing review papers should be open to, and proactively seek, industry peer-revision and/or direct industry contribution via co-authorship. From an industry viewpoint, review articles are important if they provide reliable and relevant information, which can be translated into effective knowledge transfer and ultimately industry advancement. Following on from the recommended and auspicated increased industry involvement in the review writing process, we conclude this editorial introducing three articles showing industry co-authorship out of the 25 articles published in this issue. [Extracted from the article]

Piperazine and morpholine are important heterocyclic structures, which are widely used in the discovery of agrochemicals. Piperazine and morpholine rings are often used as active substructures or bridges to design and synthesize new agrochemicals. In the past decade, piperazine and morpholine compounds have made rapid progress in the research and development of new pesticides, especially in the discovery of fungicides and antibacterial agents. In the future, more piperazine and morpholine pesticides may be commercialized. However, there is no comprehensive review on the use of piperazine and morpholine derivatives in the creation of new agrochemicals. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the application of piperazine and morpholine active compounds in the creation of new pesticides in the past 12 years. This paper not only summarizes the biological activities of piperazine and morpholine compounds, but also discusses the structure–activity relationship, physiological and biochemical changes, and mechanism of action. This work aims to provide inspiration and ideas for the discovery of new agrochemicals of piperazine and morpholine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agrociencia is the property of Colegio de Postgraduados 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 search for new classes of fungicides has long been important in plant protection due to the development of fungal resistance to currently used agrochemicals. Organic peroxides have long been regarded as exotic and unstable compounds. The discovery of the antimalarial activity of the peroxide natural product Artemisinin, an achievement that was recently recognized with the Nobel Prize, has brought organic peroxides into the medicinal and agrochemistry. In this paper, fungicidal activity of synthesized organic peroxides—geminal bishydroperoxide, bridged 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes, and tricyclic monoperoxides—were tested in vitro against an important species of phytopathogenic fungi (F. culmorum, R. solani, A. solani, P. infestans, C. coccodes). We discovered that substituted bridged 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes exhibit fungicidal activity comparable or superior to azoxystrobin and superior to geminal bishydroperoxide and tricyclic monoperoxides. The contact mode of action was demonstrated for the bridged 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing sufficient high-quality forage to meet the increasing domestic demand for safe and nutritious milk products is one of the critical challenges that Chinese dairy farms are facing. The increased forage biomass production, mainly contributed by agrochemicals inputs in China, is accompanied by tremendous impacts on the ecology of dairy farms and soil quality. This paper presents a framework for healthy dairy farms in which targeted management practices are applied for quality milk products with minimal adverse environmental impacts. The paper also summarizes biodiversity management practices at the field and landscape scales toward lessening inputs of water, fertilizers, pesticides and mitigating soil compaction. Dairy farming with biodiversity-driven technologies and solutions will be more productive in producing quality milk and minimizing environmental damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benin is an underdeveloped country whose economy is dependent on agriculture, principally cotton production. Kandi is a community in the country's northeast region, and is regarded as one of Benin's top four cotton-producing communities. This community has a deficient level of education. The present paper aimed to investigate whether education could contribute to increasing cotton production in Kandi. A questionnaire was distributed to educated, uneducated, and organic farmers in the research area to achieve this goal. A linear regression strategy was applied, with the key components of the research areas being the usage of agricultural chemical inputs (pesticides and fertilizers), miscellaneous factors, and the level of education of farmers. The data collected were utilized to compare the different groups polled (educated and uneducated farmers). Organic farmers are used in this paper as a model of suitable agriculture development in the study area. The key finding is that primary education affects agricultural production. Solutions are presented with a focus on organic farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The hydraulic spray delivery (HSD)‐based solid set canopy delivery system (SSCDS) emitter configuration has been optimized for agrochemical applications in vertical shoot position (VSP) vineyards. It uses cost‐prohibitive emitters, and their placement restricts the mechanical pruning activities. Therefore, this study focused on optimizing the spray performance of a pneumatic spray delivery (PSD)‐based SSCDS variant that addresses the earlier issues. Three PSD‐SSCDS emitter configurations (C1–C3) were designed using modified low‐cost emitters (E1: modified flat fan, E2: 90° modular flat fan) for agrochemical applications in VSP vineyards. C1 had an E1 installed on trellis posts at 1.67 m above ground level. C2 had a pair of E2 installed per vine at 0.3 m below the cordon, while C3 combined the emitter placement of C1 and C2. The spray deposition (ng cm−2) and coverage (%) were quantified (mean ± standard error) using mylar cards and water‐sensitive paper samplers placed within the canopy, respectively. RESULTS: Spray deposition for C1, C2, and C3 was 301.12 ± 63.30, 347.9 ± 66.29, and 837.6 ± 92.53 ng cm−2, respectively. Whereas spray coverage for corresponding configurations was 18.02 ± 2.63, 8.98 ± 1.84, and 28.84 ± 2.46%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, configuration C3 provided significantly higher spray deposition and coverage than C1 and C2. Substantially reduced system installation cost and emitter density per hectare with improved spray performance were achieved by C3 compared to earlier optimized HSD‐SSCDS configuration in the VSP vineyards. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bismuth(III) complexes have been reported to act as inhibitors of the enzyme urease, ubiquitously present in soils and implicated in the pathogenesis of several microorganisms. The general insolubility of Bi(III) complexes in water at neutral pH, however, is an obstacle to their utilization. In our quest to improve the solubility of Bi(III) complexes, we selected a compound reported to inhibit urease, namely [Bi(HEDTA)]·2H2O, and co-crystallized it with (i) racemic DL -histidine to obtain the conglomerate [Bi2(HEDTA)2(μ- D -His)2]·6H2O + [Bi2(HEDTA)2(μ- L -His)2]·6H2O, (ii) enantiopure L -histidine to yield [Bi2(HEDTA)2(μ- L -His)2]·6H2O, and (iii) cytosine to obtain [Bi(HEDTA)]·Cyt·2H2O. All compounds, synthesised by mechanochemical methods and by slurry, were characterized in the solid state by calorimetric (DSC and TGA) and spectroscopic (IR) methods, and their structures were determined using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) data. All compounds show an appreciable solubility in water, with values ranging from 6.8 mg mL−1 for the starting compound [Bi(HEDTA)]·2H2O to 36 mg mL−1 for [Bi2(HEDTA)2(μ- L -His)2]·6H2O. The three synthesized compounds as well as [Bi(HEDTA)]·2H2O were then tested for inhibition activity against urease. Surprisingly, no enzymatic inhibition was observed during in vitro assays using Canavalia ensiformis urease and in vivo assays using cultures of Helicobacter pylori, raising questions on the efficacy of Bi(III) compounds to counteract the negative effects of urease activity in the agro-environment and in human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed conditioning with ultraviolet light (UV-C) might (1) improve crop yield and quality, (2) reduce the use of agrochemicals during cultivation, and (3) increase plant survival in high salinity environments. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of UV-C conditioning of white oat seeds at two doses (0.85 and 3.42 kJ m−2) under salinity stress (100 mM NaCl). Seeds were sown on germination paper and kept in a germination chamber at 20°C. Germination and seedling growth parameters were evaluated after 5 and 10 days. Data demonstrated that excess salt reduced germination and initial growth of white oat seedlings. In all the variables analyzed, exposure of seeds to UV-C under salt stress exerted a positive effect compared to non-irradiated control. The attenuating influence of UV-C in germination was greater at 0.85 than at 3.42 kJ m−2. Thus, data indicate that conditioning white oat seeds in UV-C light produced greater tolerance to salt stress. These findings suggest that UV-C conditioning of white oat seeds may be considered as a simple and economical strategy to alleviate salt-induced stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper aims to examine agrochemical traders' tax morale in three Ghanaian regions. Design/methodology/approach: Primary data were collected from 92 respondents using structured questionnaires. A multistage sampling technique was employed and used in selecting respondents.. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and quantile regression analysis were used to analyse data obtained via the questionnaires. Findings: The study found tax reporting knowledge, tax calculating knowledge and tax payment knowledge to be the keen factors influencing agrochemical traders' tax knowledge. It was also revealed that age, religion and marriage positively influence the tax morale of traders. Inversely, gender, high level of education and monthly sales were found to affect tax morale negatively. Moreover, trust (respect, trustworthiness and expertise knowledge) negatively influenced tax morale. Authorities' tax knowledge and power (sanction and lockdown) were revealed to impact tax morale positively. However, tax morale decreases amongst agrochemical traders with higher tax morale when sanction increases. Originality/value: Unlike previous studies which focussed on tax morale amongst individuals and firms outside the agribusiness sector, this study examined the tax morale within the informal agrochemical trading sector, which has recently attracted colossal patronage due to the high usage of agrochemicals amongst farmers in Africa and Ghana. This study also assumed tax morale to be at different levels; hence the factors that affect the morale at different levels differ. Therefore, the study examined the factors influencing tax morale amongst agrochemical traders by segregating tax morale into quartiles. Relating to theory, the economic deterrence theory was used to ground the study, which is not usually used in most tax morale studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science / Nongyaoxue Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Pesticide Science 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 field experiment was conducted with the aim of developing and testing an automatic sprayer for agricultural spray experiments and studying the effect of spray pressure, spray speed and spray height on the spraying process. The effects of the major spraying factors (pressure, speed, and height) on the spraying performance of the automatic sprayer were studied. This study included several traits: First - the drop sizes - Second - the penetration of the spray into the vegetation cover - Third, the spray wasted. The results showed: - First: - Increase in coverage percentage when using the first speed, 2 km / h, which amounted to 26.85%. An increment in the spraying penetration of the vegetation cover was observed at the second speed, 4 km/h, reaching 70%. Second - Pressure: The increment in pressure was accompanied by an increment in the coverage trait at the third pressure 3 bar, which amounted to 24.37%. The penetration trait was 81% at pressure of two bar, and wastage increased at the second pressure of two bar, which amounted to 25%. Spraying height: - Height) 40 & 50 cm (have no significant effect on the trait of coverage. However, it was significant in the trait of spraying penetration of the vegetation cover, as it reached at the first height (40 cm) 53% and at the second height (50 cm) 74%, and the trait of the lost at the first height, 40 cm was 13%, and at the second height, 50 cm, it reached 23%. It is concluded from the data, the extent of the effect that the spraying factors show on the studied trait, as The factors value increased is accompanied by an increment in some trait, in contrast to others. So, it becomes clear the necessity of coordinating the values of the factors with each other to obtain an equal spray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a ridge-to-reef case study on Philippine biodiversity conservation that focused on reducing agricultural chemicals as a contribution to development goals of optimized food security, improving water quality, and mitigating maternal malnutrition. Building upon an earlier study that engaged participants and jurisdictions, farmers were oriented on biodiversity considerations and engaged in ecologically-based rodent management that was extended across the province of Aurora through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Subsequently, a Participatory Action Research and Learning (PARL) cycle was conducted among 14 farmer participants to support biodiversityfriendly agriculture. Developed with local farmers, a biodiversity assessment demonstrated that organic approaches in rice farms increased arthropod biodiversity and reduced the number of key insect pests. The organizational results from this biodiversity study further indicated that local government participation can promote positive change by helping overcome the disconnect between communities and sustainability research. The approach to biodiversityfriendly agriculture reached a milestone through the collaborative development of an agricultural protected area supported by drafting a municipal ordinance to encourage the continued expansion of biodiversity-friendly agriculture and reductions in the chemical load of a key Aurora watershed. This paper discusses the biodiversity analysis and organizational results within the context of transecosystem knowledge management and the goal of improving chronic maternal malnutrition that has been identified in coastal settlements of Aurora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is a snail-borne parasitic disease, which is affecting almost 240 million people worldwide. The number of humans affected by schistosomiasis is continuously increasing with the rise in the use of agrochemicals. In this paper, a mathematical model is formulated and analyzed to assess the effect of agrochemicals on the transmission of schistosomiasis. The proposed model incorporates the effects of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides on susceptible snails and snail predators along with schistosomiasis disease transmission. The existence and stability of the equilibria in the model are discussed. Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the key parameters of the proposed model, which contributes most in the transmission of this disease. Numerical simulations are also performed to assess the impact of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides on schistosomiasis outbreaks. Our study reveals that the agricultural pollution can enhance the transmission intensity of schistosomiasis, and in order to prevent the outbreak of schistosomiasis, the use of pesticides should be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrochemicals provide huge agronomic and economic benefits. However, excessive agrochemicals cause serious environmental pollution. The use of surfactants can effectively improve the utilization rate of agrochemicals in the soil, and an amphiphilic alginate derivative (Ugi-alg) was prepared in this work. This paper mainly discussed the affinity between Ugi-alg and soil colloids and the influence of Ugi-alg on the adsorption behavior of pesticides on colloidal particles. In the presence of 2.4 mM Ca2+, the affinity between soil colloids and Ugi-alg (30 mg/L) was enhanced (~ − 12.33 mV) compared with pure soil colloids (~ − 30 mV). The strong affinity between Ugi-alg and the colloids reduced the migration of acetamiprid. Transmission electron microscopy showed that soil colloids were wrapped by the network structure of Ugi-alg, indicating that Ugi-alg easily adhered to the surface of soil colloids. Studies of the adsorption showed the adsorption capacity of acetamiprid on soil colloids was 556 mg/g in the presence of Ugi-alg (30 mg/L) and Ca2+ (2.4 mM). And the adsorption behavior of acetamiprid in soil colloids was also not greatly affected by changes in pH and temperature. Ugi-alg is a degradable polysaccharide-based surfactant which provides a new concept and a practical method for the remediation of soil pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-Fano resonances optical refractive sensor with high sensitivity and sharp Fano resonances is proposed in this paper. The unit cell of the designed structure consists of two asymmetric silicon cylinders on top of a thin dielectric layer. Based on quasi-bound states in the continuum (quasi-BIC), three Fano resonances are excited, which can be applied in multiple object detection. It is worth noting that the three Fano resonances are caused due to the excitation of the electric quadrupole (EQ) and toroidal dipole (TD), which is verified by the localized field distribution. The three Fano resonances with a narrow linewidth, the maximum Q-factor of 414.93 and the maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 261.67 RIU−1 can be excited. Particularly, the maximal sensitivity can reach 578.3 nm/RIU. Due to the significant near-field constraints, the multi-Fano resonances optical refractive sensor can be widely used in biomedical, agricultural and chemical sensing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar activation methods have attracted extensive attention due to their great role in improving sorptive properties of carbon-based materials. As a result, chemically modified biochars gained application potential in the purification of soil and water from xenobiotics. This paper describes changes in selected physicochemical properties of high-temperature wheat-straw biochar (BC) upon its deashing. On the pristine and chemically activated biochar (BCd) retention of five pesticides of endocrine disrupting activity (carbaryl, carbofuran, 2,4-D, MCPA and metolachlor) was studied. Deashing resulted in increased sorbent aromaticity and abundance in surface hydroxyl groups. BCd exhibited more developed meso- and microporosity and nearly triple the surface area of BC. Hydrophobic pesticides (metolachlor and carbamates) displayed comparably high (88–98%) and irreversible adsorption on both BCs, due to the pore filling, whereas the hydrophilic and ionic phenoxyacetic acids were weakly and reversibly sorbed on BC (7.3 and 39% of 2,4-D and MCPA dose introduced). Their removal from solution and hence retention on the deashed biochar was nearly total, due to the increased sorbent surface area and interactions of the agrochemicals with unclogged OH groups. The modified biochar has the potential to serve as a superabsorbent, immobilizing organic pollutant of diverse hydrophobicity from water and soil solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For yield estimation, it is crucial to achieve quick and precise identification of mango fruits in the natural situations and surroundings. Using imaging with computer vision to accurately detect and count fruits during plant growth is important. It is not just because it is a vital step toward automating procedures like harvesting but also for minimizing labour-intensive human assessments of phenotypic information which can be useful for the farmer. Fruit farmers or cultivators in agriculture would benefit greatly from being able to track and predict production prior to fruit harvest. In order to make the best use of the resources needed for each individual site, such as water use, fertiliser use, and other agricultural chemical compounds. Mango fruit is considered in this paper. A comparative study on Faster R-CNN, YOLOv3 algorithms, and YOLOv4 algorithms, which are widely used in the field of object recognition in the past on various fruits and objects, was conducted to find the best model. The YOLOv4 algorithm was chosen as it was the best technique for mango fruit recognition based on the findings of the above comparative study. A real-time mango fruit detection method utilizing YOLOv4 deep learning algorithm is put forward. The YOLOv4 (You Only Look Once) model was developed under the CSPDarknet53 framework. Also, the number of mangoes in the image or frame was counted and displayed in images as well as videos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encapsulation in agriculture today is practically focused on agrochemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers to enhance the protective or nutritive aspects of the entrapped active ingredients. However, one of the most promising and environmentally friendly technologies, biostimulants, is hardly explored in this field. Encapsulation of biostimulants could indeed be an excellent means of counteracting the problems posed by their nature: they are easily biodegradable, and most of them run off through the soil, losing most of the compounds, thus becoming inaccessible to plants. In this respect, encapsulation seems to be a practical and profitable way to increase the stability and durability of biostimulants under field conditions. This review paper aims to provide researchers working on plant biostimulants with a quick overview of how to get started with encapsulation. Here we describe different techniques and offer protocols and suggestions for introduction to polymer science to improve the properties of biostimulants for future agricultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the Aralkum (Aral Desert), following the severe desiccation of the former Aral Sea since the 1960s, has created what may be regarded as one of the world's most significant anthropogenic dust sources. In this paper, focusing on dust emission and transport patterns from the Aralkum, the dust life‐cycle has been simulated over Central Asia using the aerosol transport model COSMO‐MUSCAT (COnsortium for Small‐scale MOdelling‐MUltiScale Chemistry Aerosol Transport Model), making use of the Global Surface Water data set to take into account the sensitivity to changes in surface water coverage over the region between the 1980s (the "past") and the 2010s (the "present"). Over a case study 1‐year period, the simulated dust emissions from the Aralkum region increased from 14.3 to 27.1 Tg year−1 between the past and present, an increase driven solely by the changes in the surface water environment. Of these simulated modern emissions, 14.5 Tg are driven by westerly winds, indicating that regions downwind to the east may be worst affected by Aralkum dust. However a high degree of interannual variability in the prevailing surface wind patterns ensures that these transport patterns of Aralkum dust do not occur every year. Frequent cloud cover poses substantial challenges for observations of Central Asian dust: in the Aralkum, over two‐thirds of the yearly emissions are emitted under overcast skies, dust which may be impossible to observe using traditional satellite or ground‐based passive remote sensing techniques. Furthermore, it is apparent that the pattern of dust transport from the Aralkum under clear‐sky conditions is not representative of the pattern under all‐sky conditions. Plain Language Summary: Since the 1960s the Central Asian lake that used to be known as the Aral Sea has almost completely dried out, due to human activity. This environmental disaster has created a new desert known as the Aralkum (the "Aral Desert"), which now has a size of 245 km × 245 km across. Dried lakes such as the Aralkum can be very effective sources of wind‐driven atmospheric dust. The soils of the Aralkum are also contaminated with agricultural chemicals from nearby croplands, making the Aralkum a major regional threat to human health. Using an atmospheric computer model, we explore the consequences of the new Aralkum for the patterns of atmospheric dust and their potential impacts in Central Asia. We find that the new Aralkum has contributed an extra 7% per year to the total dust quantity over Central Asia, however due to thick cloud cover over two thirds of this dust from the Aralkum cannot be seen by Earth‐observing satellites. The wind patterns over the Aralkum vary from year to year, so while our simulations predict that most of the Aralkum's dust is transported to the east during the simulation year, during other years plenty more dust will be transported elsewhere. Key Points: The impact of changes in surface water coverage over the Aralkum (the former Aral Sea) for dust emission and transport is investigatedThere is a high degree of interannual variability in the directions of dust‐emitting winds over the AralkumOver two thirds of Aralkum dust activity occurs under thick cloud cover, limiting the possibility of it being observed by satellites [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights ways to address the knowledge–practice gap in the agricultural domain by examining the initiatives of the Community-managed Natural Farming (CNF) Program of the Andhra Pradesh Government in India. The novel initiative to motivate and involve youth known as "Natural Farming Fellows" (NFF), amongst others, has facilitated farmers' transition to sustainable agriculture practices. As agricultural graduates trained in the mainstream knowledge systems of chemical farming, the NFFs journey entails unlearning and learning with farmers. Through interviews with the NFFs, we suggest that such institutional innovations offer newer pathways in managing sustainable transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the effect of conventional (use of NPK mineral fertilizers and pesticides) and organic (no use of agrochemicals) farming systems on selected parameters of antioxidant properties of winter wheat, spring barley and oat grain. The research was carried out during the period 2017–2019 at the Czesławice Experimental Farm (central Lublin region, Poland) on loess soil (second quality class). The aim of the research was to evaluate the functional (antioxidant) properties of winter wheat, spring barley and oat grain in whole grain and its milling fractions (dehulled grain, flour and bran). The reduction potential (Fe+3 → Fe+2), the ability to eliminate the free DPPH• radical and the total antioxidant potential in the β-carotene/linoleic acid system were determined. Polyphenol content was also determined using Folin–Ciocalteau reagent. The organic system did not significantly increase the antioxidant properties of cereal grains compared to the conventional system. Under organic farming conditions, oat grain was characterised only by the most favourable antioxidant properties. A highly statistically significant correlation was found between total polyphenol content and DPPH• free radical quenching capacity, especially for oat and barley in the organic system. The closest correlations were for the fractions of bran and whole grain. Dehulling of grain, with the exception of oat grain, irrespective of the farming system, resulted in a significant deterioration of the antioxidant potential of grain extracts. In summary, the study showed that the bran obtained from oat grown under an organic system had the strongest antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated the effectiveness of different biocontrol agents and botanical extracts against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the bacteria responsible for bacterial blight in rice. The study found that Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens were effective in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria, while garlic extract showed the highest inhibitory effect. Other botanical extracts, such as tulsi and neem, also demonstrated effectiveness. These findings are consistent with previous research and provide valuable insights for managing bacterial blight in rice, particularly for farmers in Gujarat. [Extracted from the article]

Growing vegetables is seen as a promising method for ensuring sustainable food and nutrition security in the tropics. The rise in demand for tomatoes in this region has influenced production practices and strategies to meet local and export needs. Many tropical countries have expanded their tomato cultivation to fulfill local demand and potentially generate income from exports, as they have become increasingly important for food and nutrition security. Various successful production systems have been implemented around the world to grow tomatoes. However, Zimbabwean farmers are experiencing decreased yields and shorter shelf lives of tomatoes due to insufficient use of calcium, despite the pivotal role agrochemicals have played in boosting global agricultural production. This study aimed to assess the impact of different types and levels of basal chemical fertilizers on tomato quality. The three types of basal fertilizers used were Compound D [7:14:7], Gypsum, and a combination of both in equal proportions. These fertilizers were applied at rates of 50, 100, and 200 kg/ha. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications was utilized for the study. Tomato quality parameters such as ripe fruit count, size, disease prevalence, firmness, total soluble solids, weight loss, and shelf-life were measured. The results revealed significant differences (p<0.05) between the application rates and types of basal chemical fertilizers. The combination of Compound D and Gypsum had the most noTable effect, as the addition of calcium and sulfur improved the quality of tomato fruits. Ultimately, it was concluded that the best tomato quality was achieved when using a combination of Compound D and Gypsum at a rate of 200 kg/ha. These findings highlight the urgent need to promote the use of gypsum in tomato production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista PAMPA is the property of Universidad Nacional del Litoral 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.)

Wastes of biological origin from wastewater treatment systems and slaughterhouses contain substantial amounts of phosphorus (P) with high recovery potential and can contribute to alleviating the global P supply problem. This paper presents the performance of fertilizer (AF) and biofertilizer (BF) from sewage sludge ash and animal blood under field conditions. BF is AF incorporated with lyophilized cells of P-solubilizing bacteria, Bacillus megaterium. In the experiments with spring or winter wheat, the biobased fertilizers were compared to commercial P fertilizer, superphosphate (SP). No P fertilization provided an additional reference. Fertilizer effects on wheat productivity and on selected properties of soil were studied. BF showed the same yield-forming efficiency as SP, and under poorer habitat conditions, performed slightly better than AF in increasing yield and soil available P. Biobased fertilizers applied at the P rate up to 35.2 kg ha–1 did not affect the soil pH, did not increase As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb content, and did not alter the abundance of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi in the soil. The findings indicate that biobased fertilizers could at least partially replace conventional P fertilizers. Research into strain selection and the proportion of P-solubilizing microorganisms introduced into fertilizers should be continued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most botanical species contain various types of bioactive compounds. This study focusses on the extraction and identification of bioactive compounds from Calicotome spinosa (Gorse), including flavones, α-linolenic acid and sugar. During the investigation of gorse flowers, leaves and bark, flavones were isolated from the bark and leaves. Calicotome spinosa showed a total isoflavonoid content of 1.5% from the bark of gorse and 1.3% from the leaves. To find the best conditions for flavone extraction, samples of Calicotome spinosa were extracted with different solvents (methanol, water and acetonitrile). Methanol was found to be a suitable solvent to selectively extract flavone. An unsaturated cis fatty acid (α-linolenic acid, C18:3 ∆9, 12, 15) was identified as the principal component of the triacylglycerol fraction from the flowers. Hydrolyses process conditions were used to study Gorse wood. The results indicated that the wood of gorse is not a suitable substance for making paper. The extracted bioactive compounds were analysed using NMR, GCMS, UV, TLC and Fibre Analyser techniques. The extracted compounds offered uses as antioxidants and agricultural chemicals in addition to other benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the work completed by different specialists to get an all-encompassing picture of the present status of execution of robotization in rural practices throughout the planet. World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said the total populace is relied upon to arrive at 9.1 billion by the year 2050, so take care of this populace food creation ought to be expanded by essentially 70%. Robotization of cultivating rehearses has been demonstrated to expand the food creation levels. Non-industrial nations need to twofold their food creation. The customary strategies for cultivating and consistently diminishing homestead work accessibility are making horticulture monetarily unviable and wasteful. In the above setting research on the advancement of insightful, self-ruling apparatus for conveying agrarian activities is fundamental to work on the amount and nature of the horticultural produce. Today there is a dire need to resolve the issues like unpredictable utilization of agrochemicals, protection of energy, control on ecological contamination and impacts of a worldwide temperature alteration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]