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Focusing on sustainability, the new Common Agricultural Policy (2023–2027) sets ambitious goals for water management, as reducing irrigation water use is a vital issue. Cooperation among farmers, relevant authorities, and researchers plays a significant role in achieving these objectives. Therefore, this study applies a multicriteria mathematical programming model to optimize land use, considering water use, profit, labor, and cost. The model was applied to three farmer groups located in Greece and proved to be valuable in the implementation of irrigation water use. Using the same methodology, two additional cases of farmer groups that utilize drylands are presented in complementary ways to investigate how the new CAP affects non-irrigated land uses. Regarding the irrigated case, reducing water usage involves decreasing the land dedicated to crops characterized by high water demand, such as rice, corn, vetch, and clover. This adjustment stems from the necessity to replace irrigated land with non-irrigated land because climate change demands low water consumption for crops and underscores the importance of the new policy framework to promote sustainable agriculture. As for the non-irrigated case, achieving optimal farm planning entails reducing the cultivated areas of vetch, grassland, and sunflower. This result is driven by the need to increase crops receiving primary subsidies, highlighting the necessity for non-irrigated farms to enhance their profitability through the benefits provided by the Common Agricultural Policy. Lastly, it is important to note that this study significantly contributes to guiding decision-makers in achieving alternative agricultural land uses and farm plans while also aiding in the comprehension of the new cross-compliance rules.

Measuring efficiency and determining factors that may influence it are very important steps to improve the businesses’ competitive position, growth, and sustainability. This paper aims to investigate the efficiency of small accommodation businesses located in Greek non-coastal areas and to determine a set of factors that may affect it, from the perspective of the three dimensions of family businesses (family, business, ownership). The method adopted, in order for the research objective aim to be fulfilled, is the two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis model. In the first stage, the efficiency was estimated from a sample of 150 businesses. In the second stage, the influence of various factors on the examined efficiency was investigated by implementing a Bootstrap Truncated regression. The results showed that the majority of the examined businesses presented a low level of efficiency. Regarding the determination of the factors, it occurred that the manager’s age, ownership form, and business type influenced the relative efficiency level in contrast to the factors of the business’s age, the manager’s sex and education level, the state of succession, as well as the manager’s agricultural employment. By fulfilling the aim of this study, a significant contribution to the relative literature and especially to the hospitality field is offered.

Virtual reality (VR) can be useful in efforts that aim to improve the well-being of older members of society. Within this context, the work presented in this paper aims to provide the elderly with a user-friendly and enjoyable virtual reality application incorporating memory recall and storytelling activities that could promote mental awareness. An important aspect of the proposed VR application is the presence of a virtual audience that listens to the stories presented by elderly users and interacts with them. In an effort to maximize the impact of the VR application, research was conducted to study whether the elderly are willing to use the VR application and whether they believe it can help to improve well-being and reduce the effects of loneliness and social isolation. Self-reported results related to the experience of the users show that elderly users are positive towards the use of such an application in everyday life as a means of improving their overall well-being.

Abstract The term "Smart Classroom" has evolved over time and nowadays reflects the technological advancements incorporated in educational spaces. The rapid advances in technology, and the need to create more efficient and creative classes that support both in-class and remote activities, have led to the integration of Artificial Intelligence and smart technologies in smart classes. In this paper we discuss the concept of Artificial Intelligence in Education and present a literature review related to smart classroom technology, with an emphasis on emerging technologies such as AI-related technologies. As part of this survey key technologies related to smart classes used for effective class management that enhance the convenience of classroom environments, the use of different types of smart teaching aids during the educational process and the use of automated performance assessment technologies are presented. Apart from discussing a variety of technological accomplishments in each of the aforementioned areas, the role of AI is discussed, allowing the readers to comprehend the importance of AI in key technologies related to smart classes. Furthermore, through a SWOT analysis, the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of adopting AI in smart classes are presented, while the future perspectives and challenges in utilizing AI-based techniques in smart classes are discussed. This survey targets educators and AI professionals so that the former get informed about the potential, and limitations of AI in education, while the latter can get inspiration from the challenges and peculiarities of educational AI-based systems.

The aim of this study is to change land use by applying a decision support model that will contribute to the assimilation of the new cross-compliance rules, to optimal water management, and to the enhancement of the effectiveness and profitability of the farms. The research objective will be achieved by establishing 50-acre pilot fields for five farmer groups through the optimal allocation of limited economic and land resources. The result extracted will lead to the gradual incorporation of the new directives to reduce production costs and recognize the new cross-compliance rules.

This study aims to change land use by implementing a Decision Support Model (DMS) with the goal of reducing water and fertilizer use. The problem is solved by deriving the necessary results of a set of selected pilot fields that belong to a farmer group located in the region of Central Macedonia. In order to define the pilot farms, the necessary data are collected and then processed using multicriteria weighted goal programming in order to develop a Decision Support Model that is related to the reduction of water and fertilizer use.

The digitalization of farming is considered the fourth revolution in agriculture. The necessity of providing decision support tools and electronic platforms to help Greek farmers in their work is becoming increasingly evident. For this reason, this article presents the electronic platform called “FarmEconomicMonitoring” to monitor the operations of farms to control production costs and improve efficiency. With the use of the electronic platform by the farmer–entrepreneurs, their easy adaptation to the new technologies concerning decision-making and farm management systems becomes achieved.

Technical efficiency is considered a useful advisory tool for managers whose main goal is to maximize profit and minimize costs. Data envelopment analysis is a widely accepted methodology for technical efficiency estimation in the sector of agriculture. For that reason and with the view to extract useful conclusions regarding farmers’ effective management of inputs, this study aims to present the DEA method through its implementation in a set of farms located in the regional unit of Pieria. To conduct this analysis, relevant data were collected through a survey in which 40 farms participated. The output variable was chosen to be each farm’s total amount of sales, while the inputs were selected in a way to represent the main factors of production, such as (1) land in acres, (2) labor in hours, and (3) variable costs in EUR. The results showed that the examined farms need to reduce the inputs used by 34.6% to operate more efficiently from the point of view of the CRS model. Therefore, farmers should be motivated to reduce the inputs used, something that can be done through the provision of specialized advisory services. This will, of course, be helped by both the local authorities and the policies of the country in which the rational use of inputs seems to be necessary. This study may contribute to the relevant literature, agriculture, and the area since management suggestions are formulated for the farmers of Pieria’s regional unit.

Management and utilization of factors of production, in addition to diversification of land use, affect the performance of farms. In this article, it is identified whether the diversification of land use through its disposal to tourism infrastructure has a positive impact on the farms’ income. This identification was conducted by processing technical and economic data and applying bootstrap regression analysis. The research was conducted using a sample of 56 farms active in hospitality alongside agriculture, utilizing possibly uncultivated areas of land. Data collection was carried out by personal visits to the examined farms. The results showed that the performance of the farms is enhanced by tourism activity. At the same time, the results showed that land used for tourism activities has a positive impact on farms’ income. Paid labor also appears to have a positive influence. Although this investigation was executed in the Region of Central Macedonia (Greece), it contributes to strengthening the existing literature on rural tourism and land use. At the same time, it gives alternatives to policy-makers and owner-managers of farms regarding the utilization of the available factors of production with an emphasis on the land one.

This study aims to identify the relationships between critical factors and successful Enterprise Resource Planning implementation in the agricultural processing companies of Central Macedonia’s (Greece) region. Therefore, critical factors are taken into account collectively, as aspects of ERP implementation and its life cycle. Based on that, two versions of the particular information system’s management were presented, aiming to its success in the Greek agricultural processing field. The methodology which was used in order for the purposes of this analysis to be served, was that of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling. Through the answers given, it was determined whether the importance shown to the two different versions of critical factors is related to the degree of ERP systems’ success—or not—and in which way. Based on that, two management versions of ERP system are provided but also the scientific literature regarding the Greek and Central Macedonian field, is enriched. Lastly, helpful guidelines are developed in order for professionals and managers to understand the ways in which critical factors can be taken into account so as for the successful implementation of ERP in agribusinesses -specialized in the field of agricultural products processing- to be feasible.

Strong interaction between instructors and students during online course delivery is essential for supporting the educational experience. As part of the efforts to maximize the interaction between educators and students, a pilot application that monitors the actions of the students in online courses while protecting as much as possible students' privacy was developed. The purpose of the present research is to determine whether the proposed application for monitoring is acceptable to the stakeholders involved in online classes and whether this application can contribute to the enhancement of the educational experience. As part of the research, the application was evaluated by 75 participants, which included students, parents, and educators, ensuring that the views of the main stakeholders in the educational process are considered. Before the intervention, an online questionnaire was completed by the participants, who then watched a video about the function of the application and/or used the actual application. After the intervention, the participants completed an online questionnaire with similar questions. The results indicate that the use of student action recognition systems is feasible in online courses and accepted by teachers, students, and parents. Based on the results, most participants believe that the proposed application can contribute to the enhancement of the efficiency of distance education with regard to the student active participation, concentration level, learning results, teacher-student interaction, students' interest, and students' evaluation.

Carnosic acid (CA) is a phenolic diterpene with anti-tumour, anti-diabetic, antibacterial and neuroprotective properties that is produced by a number of species from several genera of the Lamiaceae family, including Salvia fruticosa (Cretan sage) and Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary). To elucidate CA biosynthesis, glandular trichome transcriptome data of S. fruticosa were mined for terpene synthase genes. Two putative diterpene synthase genes, namely SfCPS and SfKSL, showing similarities to copalyl diphosphate synthase and kaurene synthase-like genes, respectively, were isolated and functionally characterized. Recombinant expression in Escherichia coli followed by in vitro enzyme activity assays confirmed that SfCPS is a copalyl diphosphate synthase. Coupling of SfCPS with SfKSL, both in vitro and in yeast, resulted in the synthesis miltiradiene, as confirmed by 1D and 2D NMR analyses (1H, 13C, DEPT, COSY H-H, HMQC and HMBC). Coupled transient in vivo assays of SfCPS and SfKSL in Nicotiana benthamiana further confirmed production of miltiradiene in planta. To elucidate the subsequent biosynthetic step, RNA-Seq data of S. fruticosa and R. officinalis were searched for cytochrome P450 (CYP) encoding genes potentially involved in the synthesis of the first phenolic compound in the CA pathway, ferruginol. Three candidate genes were selected, SfFS, RoFS1 and RoFS2. Using yeast and N. benthamiana expression systems, all three where confirmed to be coding for ferruginol synthases, thus revealing the enzymatic activities responsible for the first three steps leading to CA in two Lamiaceae genera.