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Non‐steady‐state chambers are widely employed for quantifying soil emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O. Automated non‐steady‐state (a‐NSS) soil chambers, when coupled with online gas analysers, offer the ability to capture high‐frequency measurements of greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. While these sampling systems provide valuable insights into GHG emissions, they present post‐measurement challenges, including the management of extensive datasets, intricate flux calculations, and considerations for temporal upscaling. In this study, a computationally efficient algorithm was developed to compute instantaneous fluxes and estimate diel flux patterns using continuous, high‐resolution data obtained from an a‐NSS sampling system. Applied to a 38‐day dataset, the algorithm captured concurrent field measurements of CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes. The automated sampling system enables the acquisition of high‐frequency data, allowing the detection of episodic gas flux events. By using shape‐constrained additive models, a median percentage deviation (bias) of −1.031 and −4.340% was achieved for CO2 and N2O fluxes, respectively. Simpson's rule allowed for efficient upscale from instantaneous to diel flux values. As a result, the proposed algorithm can rapidly and simultaneously calculate CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes, providing both instantaneous and diel values directly from raw, high‐temporal‐resolution data. These advancements significantly contribute to the field of GHG flux measurement, enhancing both the efficiency and accuracy of calculations for a‐NSS soil chambers and deepening our understanding of GHG emissions and their temporal dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the effect of temperature on the maximum power point of photovoltaic modules, the anticipated benefits of maximum power point tracking charge controller are also greatly affected under high-temperature environments. This paper presents experimental study results based on the investigations of the effect of high cell temperatues on the performance of maximum power point tracking charge controllers. The study was carried out over three months at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya under moderate and high temperature conditions. The experiments are carried out using two market-ready maximum power point tracking charge controllers and a normal pulse-width modulation charge controller as the reference. The study establishes that below 50 °C, the maximum power point tracking charge controller exhibits significant advantages over its counterpart with about 24% - 29%, additional energy gain. However, at high cell temperatures, the maximum power point tracking charge controller loses its added advantage over the pulse-width modulation charge controller and its performance benefits drop from an average of 28% to 0.2%. This demonstrates that an ordinary pulse-width modulation charge controller would achieve the same yields under high-temperature conditions and at an even lower premium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global contraction of biodiversity pushed most members of Felidae into threatened or endangered list except the domestic cat (Felis catus) thence preferred as the best model for conservation studies. One of the emerging conservation strategies is vitrification of ovarian tissue which is field-friendly but not yet standardized. Thus, our main goal was to establish a suitable vitrification protocol for feline ovarian tissue in field condition. Feline ovarian tissue fragments were punched with biopsy punch (1.5 mm diameter) and divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was fresh control (Fr), while the other three were exposed to 3 vitrification protocols (VIT_CT, VIT_RT1 and VIT_RT2). VIT_CT involved two step equilibrations in solutions containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethylene glycol (EG) for 10 min each at 4 °C. VIT_RT1 involved three step equilibration in solutions containing DMSO, EG, polyvinylpyrrolidone and sucrose for 14 min in total at room temperature, while in VIT_RT2 all conditions remained the same as in VIT_RT1 except equilibration timing which was reduced by half. After vitrification and warming, fragments were morphologically evaluated and then cultured for six days. Subsequently, follicular morphology, cellular proliferation (expression of Ki-67, MCM-7) and apoptosis (expression of caspase-3) were evaluated, and data obtained were analysed using generalised linear mixed model and chi square tests. Proportions of intact follicles were higher in Fr (P = 0.0001) and VIT_RT2 (P = 0.0383) in comparison to the other protocols both post warming and after the six-day culture. Generally, most follicles remained at primordial state which was confirmed by the low expression of Ki-67, MCM-7 markers. In conclusion, VIT_RT2 protocol, which has lower equilibration time at room temperature has proven superior thus recommended for vitrification of feline ovarian tissue. • Domestic cat ovarian tissue vitrification protocol as a model for endangered felids. • Manifold cryoprotectants in vitrification media produce better post-warm integrity. • Lower equilibration time at room temperature ensures better tissue morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban environments, various pollutants generated by road traffic, human, and industrial activities degrade outdoor and indoor air quality. Among these pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are subject to air quality regulations designed to protect human health and the environment. It is therefore crucial to keep their concentration as low as possible. Advanced oxidation processes are a practical choice for the degradation of NOx; among them, heterogeneous photocatalysis has proven to be a viable route. However, while the efficiency of this process has been widely demonstrated on a laboratory scale, it is still the subject of debate for real-life applications. The purpose of this study was to present a new field experiment on the application of a photocatalytic coating to outdoor walls. Air quality monitoring stations were used to evaluate the NOx concentration reduction instead of the chemiluminescent analyzer, in order to increase the number of sampling points. Statistical analysis was carried out to interpret the results. Density probability functions were plotted and showed a positive impact of the coating, leading to lower NOx concentrations. This work was completed by a laboratory-scale assessment of the coating's durability using abrasion, QUV, and immersion/drying tests. The air depollution capacity of the chosen coating was significantly reduced after QUV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Most research on radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) in honey bees has studied adult bees under controlled laboratory conditions after direct exposure to devices that generate RF-EMF. To date, there are many uncertainties about the effects of RF-EMFs on different developmental stages of honey bees under field conditions. We investigated oxidative stress in larvae, pupae and adult honey bees after exposure to RF-EMFs originating from phone base station towers under field conditions. The study was conducted on a total of fifteen honey bee colonies exposed to RF-EMFs at a frequency of 900 MHz, divided into three locations with different electric field levels. All the honey bee colonies at the three locations were exposed for one year. Antioxidant parameters such as glutathione-S-transferase, catalase and superoxide dismutase, as well as the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, were measured in samples of larvae, pupae and the midguts of adult honey bees. Our results show that the activity of antioxidant enzymes changes and that the level of the analyzed parameters depends on the developmental stage of the honey bee, the level of the electric field and the exposure time. In this study, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in honey bee larvae, pupae and the midguts of adult bees were investigated during a one-year exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) at a frequency of 900 MHz under field conditions. The experiment was carried out on honey bee colonies at three locations with electric field levels of 30 mV m−1, 70 mV m−1 and 1000 mV m−1. Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as indicators of lipid peroxidation were measured spectrophotometrically. The GST activity within the same developmental stage showed no significant differences regardless of electric field level or sampling time. The highest GST activity was found in the pupae, followed by activity in the larvae and midguts. Both CAT activity and TBARS concentration were the highest in the midguts, regardless of field level and sampling time. The larvae showed a significantly higher TBARS concentration at the location with an electric field level of 1000 mV m−1 compared to the locations with lower levels. Our results show that RF-EMFs at a frequency of 900 MHz can cause oxidative stress in honey bees, with the larval stage being more sensitive than the pupal stage, but there was no linear relationship between electric field level and effect in any of the developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seed provenance, the type of substrate and its properties, as well as the watering regime in the first years after sowing are among the most important characteristics affecting the production of containerized seedlings. The objective of this study was to analyse the growth of black locust (Robinia pseudacacia L.) seedlings on different types of substrate (six mineral and two organic) with different textures and pHs under three different regimes of available water content (no-limiting, medium drought, severe drought) over a period of five months (May–October 2023), using seeds from three sources located in the southeast, south, and west of Romania. The highest seedling emergence rate (73.7%) was obtained for the medium seeds with 18.492 g weight (1000 seed weighs) (Bucharest provenance). Direct sowing in the field and containerized seedlings both showed a trend of growing in height during unlimited water and of growing in diameter during low watering. The lowest survival rate of seedlings (86.7%) occurred in the mineral substrate in the case of rendzina with additional sand (pH 8.70), and for the organic substrate, the lowest survival rate (87.0%) occurred for the peat MKS 3 substrate (pH 4.54). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: A combined microbial and cytological examination of uterine samples is the main diagnostic method for endometritis in mares. This study aimed to describe a procedure for using the same uterine cytobrush (CB) for both bacteriological and cytological evaluation. Materials and Methods: The procedure consists of rolling the CB onto a sterilized glass slide immediately after collection and before the transfer into a sterile saline solution. In Experiment 1, a comparison between bacteriological results of the cotton swab (CS) and CB or pellet was made in 10 mares; in Experiment 2, bacteriological and cytological results were compared between different processing methods of CB in 28 mares; in other 6 mares, a CB was processed for cytology only, to investigate the reasons for the low cellularity of the pellet. Results: The agreement between culture results from the CB and CS was evaluated, and a comparison between the cytological data obtained by different processing methods of CB was performed. The perfect agreement between the CB and CS microbiological results was found. The described procedure enables useful diagnostic smears for cytology. Moreover, the seeding of both the tip of CB and the saline solution used for the transport produced accurate bacteriological results. Conclusion: The protocol described in this study for the use of CB for both cytological and bacteriological analysis could be used for the diagnosis of endometritis. To maximize diagnostic sample quality, cytology slides must be prepared with meticulous care in the field to preserve cellular integrity and minimize artifacts.

Due to ongoing climate change, the need for the application of adaptive strategies in agriculture is increasing, particularly in areas with insufficient rainfall, high temperatures and weather fluctuations during the vegetation period. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in 2020 and 2021 to determine the influence of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) on morphological, physiological and production traits of maize. SAPs were applied using a method of seed coating, which is considered cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Due to the impact of SAPs, significantly larger weights of leaves and roots, as well as the length of roots in the initial growth stage, were found. Furthermore, the SAP treatment condition found significantly larger values of leaf relative water content and spectral indexes PRI (photochemical reflectance index) and NDVI (normalised difference vegetation index). Applying SAPs also led to a significant increase in spikes per plot and grain yield of maize. Moreover, the results significantly impact the interaction between year and treatment. The correlation analysis indicates a higher correlation between the observed traits in the SAPs treatment condition, which subsequently impacted the final maize production. These results confirm that applying SAPs can be considered a suitable strategy for mitigating the impacts of adverse weather conditions, especially in terms of sustainability and maintaining maize production.

Background and Aim: A combined microbial and cytological examination of uterine samples is the main diagnostic method for endometritis in mares. This study aimed to describe a procedure for using the same uterine cytobrush (CB) for both bacteriological and cytological evaluation. Material and Methods: The procedure consists of rolling the CB onto a sterilized glass slide immediately after collection and before the transfer into a sterile saline solution. In Experiment 1, a comparison between bacteriological results of the cotton swab (CS) and CB or pellet was made in 10 mares; in Experiment 2, bacteriological and cytological results were compared between different processing methods of CB in 28 mares; in other 6 mares, a CB was processed for cytology only, to investigate the reasons for the low cellularity of the pellet. Results: The agreement between culture results from the CB and CS was evaluated, and a comparison between the cytological data obtained by different processing methods of CB was performed. The perfect agreement between the CB and CS microbiological results was found. The described procedure enables useful diagnostic smears for cytology. Moreover, the seeding of both the tip of CB and the saline solution used for the transport produced accurate bacteriological results. Conclusion: The protocol described in this study for the use of CB for both cytological and bacteriological analysis could be used for the diagnosis of endometritis. To maximize diagnostic sample quality, cytology slides must be prepared with meticulous care in the field to preserve cellular integrity and minimize artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic fermentation of coal and corn straw is an effective tool to increase biomethane production. However, a large gap exists between the biomethane production conditions of corn straw filling coal mine goafs and laboratory experiments. In order to determine the effect of the field environment on synergistic biomethane production, biomethane production experiments with coal and corn straw were carried out under different conditions to find the key factors restricting the potential of biomethane production. The obtained results showed that various bacterial sources had significant influences on the biomethane production of coal and corn straw, and domesticated bacterial sources provided fermentation systems with more efficient biomethane production capacities than mine water sources. Biomethane production of coal and corn straw was relatively high under mixed conditions, but it was also promoted under unmixed conditions. Different inorganic minerals had different effects on synergistic biomethane production, which varied. For example, calcite, montmorillonite, and kaolin are common minerals in coal‐bearing strata that significantly enhance synergistic biomethane production of coal and corn straw. However, pyrite was found to significantly inhibit the synergistic biomethane production effect of coal and corn straw. Highly metamorphosed anthracite coal also presented biomethane production potential when stimulated by corn straw as a carbon source. The obtained results revealed the influences of different field conditions on the biomethane production of coal and corn straw and provided a reference for the field application of corn straw filling in coal mine goafs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to ongoing climate change, the need for the application of adaptive strategies in agriculture is increasing, particularly in areas with insufficient rainfall, high temperatures and weather fluctuations during the vegetation period. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in 2020 and 2021 to determine the influence of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) on morphological, physiological and production traits of maize. SAPs were applied using a method of seed coating, which is considered cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Due to the impact of SAPs, significantly larger weights of leaves and roots, as well as the length of roots in the initial growth stage, were found. Furthermore, the SAP treatment condition found significantly larger values of leaf relative water content and spectral indexes PRI (photochemical reflectance index) and NDVI (normalised difference vegetation index). Applying SAPs also led to a significant increase in spikes per plot and grain yield of maize. Moreover, the results significantly impact the interaction between year and treatment. The correlation analysis indicates a higher correlation between the observed traits in the SAPs treatment condition, which subsequently impacted the final maize production. These results confirm that applying SAPs can be considered a suitable strategy for mitigating the impacts of adverse weather conditions, especially in terms of sustainability and maintaining maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Malaria is a globally distributed infectious disease. According to the World Health Organization, Angola is one of the six countries that account for over half the global malaria burden in terms of both malaria cases and deaths. Diagnosis of malaria still depends on microscopic examination of thin and thick blood smears and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), which often lack analytical and clinical sensitivity. Molecular methods could overcome these disadvantages. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time to our knowledge, the performance of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the diagnosis of malaria in an endemic area in Cubal, Angola, and to assess the reproducibility at a reference laboratory. Methods A total of 200 blood samples from patients attended at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, Angola, were analysed for Plasmodium spp. detection by microscopy, RDTs, and LAMP. LAMP assay was easily performed in a portable heating block, and the results were visualized by a simple colour change. Subsequently, the samples were sent to a reference laboratory in Spain to be reanalysed by the same colorimetric LAMP assay and also in real-time LAMP format. Results In field tests, a total of 67/200 (33.5%) blood samples were microscopy-positive for Plasmodium spp., 98/200 RDT positive, and 112/200 (56%) LAMP positive. Using microscopy as reference standard, field LAMP detected more microscopy-positive samples than RDTs (66/67; 98% vs. 62/67; 92.5%). When samples were reanalysed at a reference laboratory in Spain using both colorimetric and real-time assays, the overall reproducibility achieved 84.5%. Conclusions This is the first study to our knowledge in which LAMP has been clinically evaluated on blood samples in a resource-poor malaria-endemic area. The colorimetric LAMP proved to be more sensitive than microscopy and RDTs for malaria diagnosis in field conditions. Furthermore, LAMP showed an acceptable level of reproducibility in a reference laboratory. The possibility to use LAMP in a real-time format in a portable device reinforces the reliability of the assay for molecular diagnosis of malaria in resource-poor laboratories in endemic areas. Graphical Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the carcass traits and meat quality of growing rabbits reared in four types of commercially available housing systems (i.e. bicellular cages, dual-purpose cages, enriched cages and elevated pens) across three production cycles covering different seasons (i.e. autumn, winter and summer) under field conditions. The rabbits originated from 12 commercial farms (three farms per housing system) located in the Northeast of Italy and were slaughtered in five commercial slaughterhouses at a slaughter age from 71 to 90 d. Twenty carcasses per farm and cycle were randomly selected at the slaughterhouse and carcass and meat quality traits were evaluated 24 h post-mortem. The heaviest carcass weights were found in rabbits reared in enriched cages, followed by those in parks, while the lightest carcasses were found in rabbits from bicellular cages. Carcass fat and longissimus lumborum proportions were higher and hind legs proportion lower in carcasses of rabbits kept in enriched cages compared to those from the other systems. Based on significant differences for meat quality traits (i.e. pH, L*, thawing losses and shear force) among housing systems, ante-mortem stress was likely lower in rabbits from enriched cages and parks than in those from bicellular and dual-purpose cages. Nevertheless, these differences were not translated into noticeable changes in meat quality because of the small variations among housing systems. Overall, the observed differences could not be strictly and exclusively related to the enclosure in which the animals were housed, but also to other production and ante-mortem factors. The rearing season significantly affected slaughter traits, with lower slaughter and carcass weights in summer compared to winter and autumn. Despite the limit in the sample size of investigated farms, this study highlighted that under field conditions the final product quality of rabbits is not clearly distinguishable based on the housing system per se.

In urban environments, various pollutants generated by road traffic, human, and industrial activities degrade outdoor and indoor air quality. Among these pollutants, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are subject to air quality regulations designed to protect human health and the environment. It is therefore crucial to keep their concentration as low as possible. Advanced oxidation processes are a practical choice for the degradation of NOx; among them, heterogeneous photocatalysis has proven to be a viable route. However, while the efficiency of this process has been widely demonstrated on a laboratory scale, it is still the subject of debate for real-life applications. The purpose of this study was to present a new field experiment on the application of a photocatalytic coating to outdoor walls. Air quality monitoring stations were used to evaluate the NOx concentration reduction instead of the chemiluminescent analyzer, in order to increase the number of sampling points. Statistical analysis was carried out to interpret the results. Density probability functions were plotted and showed a positive impact of the coating, leading to lower NOx concentrations. This work was completed by a laboratory-scale assessment of the coating’s durability using abrasion, QUV, and immersion/drying tests. The air depollution capacity of the chosen coating was significantly reduced after QUV testing.

Background: Malaria is a globally distributed infectious disease. According to the World Health Organization, Angola is one of the six countries that account for over half the global malaria burden in terms of both malaria cases and deaths. Diagnosis of malaria still depends on microscopic examination of thin and thick blood smears and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), which often lack analytical and clinical sensitivity. Molecular methods could overcome these disadvantages. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time to our knowledge, the performance of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the diagnosis of malaria in an endemic area in Cubal, Angola, and to assess the reproducibility at a reference laboratory. Methods: A total of 200 blood samples from patients attended at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, Angola, were analysed for Plasmodium spp. detection by microscopy, RDTs, and LAMP. LAMP assay was easily performed in a portable heating block, and the results were visualized by a simple colour change. Subsequently, the samples were sent to a reference laboratory in Spain to be reanalysed by the same colorimetric LAMP assay and also in real-time LAMP format. Results: In field tests, a total of 67/200 (33.5%) blood samples were microscopy-positive for Plasmodium spp., 98/200 RDT positive, and 112/200 (56%) LAMP positive. Using microscopy as reference standard, field LAMP detected more microscopy-positive samples than RDTs (66/67; 98% vs. 62/67; 92.5%). When samples were reanalysed at a reference laboratory in Spain using both colorimetric and real-time assays, the overall reproducibility achieved 84.5%. Conclusions: This is the first study to our knowledge in which LAMP has been clinically evaluated on blood samples in a resource-poor malaria-endemic area. The colorimetric LAMP proved to be more sensitive than microscopy and RDTs for malaria diagnosis in field conditions. Furthermore, LAMP showed an acceptable level of reproducibility in a reference laboratory. The possibility to use LAMP in a real-time format in a portable device reinforces the reliability of the assay for molecular diagnosis of malaria in resource-poor laboratories in endemic areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in agriculture practices is guaranteeing an adequate and bioavailable phosphorus supply for plants on phosphorus-deficient soils. A promising alternative lies in the utilization of phosphate nano-fertilizers (NFs) through spray applications. Therefore, this short-term study aimed to investigate the yet undetermined widespread impact of P-NFs on crops characterized by broad leaves, an intensive rate of photosynthesis, and belonging to the oilseed plant, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). To achieve this, NFs were applied at lower concentrations of various phosphate-based NFs, including (i) nano-hydroxylapatite (nano-Hap) and (ii) a mixture of nano-calcium zinc phosphate and macro-sized parascholzite (nano/macro-ZnPhos), in comparison to the NF-free control. The study was carried out under authentic field conditions during the 2022 vegetation season at the Dolná Malanta site within the Central European Region. The empirical evidence presented herein indicates that the utilization of biocompatible and bioactive nano-Hap, initially engineered for biomedical applications, and nano/macro-ZnPhos, now foliarly applied at reduced concentrations, elicited a statistically significant elevation in quantitative parameters and seasonal physiological responses. The parameters analyzed included head diameter, dry head weight, seed yield per hectare, nutritional seed oiliness, etc. as well as the physiological normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), stomatal conductance index (Ig), and crop water stress index (CWSI). In terms of agro-ecological terrestrial bio/diversity, it was evident that the nano/macro-ZnPhos was the most hospitable variant for the terrestric insect community, but surprisingly, the agronomically more popular nano-Hap showed only statistically insignificant changes in the diversity of the detected communities. However, the relevance of outcomes highlighted using nano-fertilizers, supporting the concept of precision and sustainable agriculture under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenicity assessment of Fusarium head blight (FHB) species is crucial for disease management in wheat because of the ineffective control measures of pathogens is due to variability among their populations. Ideally, two or more experiments should be conducted and the data should be compared to examine whether the ranking in pathognicity is constant. The objective of this study was to evaluate pathogenicity involved in artificial inoculations and in previous analyzed in vitro and field tests in 16 isolates of four FHB species. Two pathogenicity criteria: disease incidence (DI) of head inoculation and disease severity (DS) of floret inoculation were analyzed in a growth chamber on two Syrian durum and bread wheat cultivars with known in vitro and field reactions to FHB. There were significant differences in pathogenicity intra- and inter-species and in susceptibility between wheat cultivars, suggesting that assessment for disease resistance requires the use of aggressive isolates or a mixture of isolates representative of the FHB diversity. The four FHB species did not vary in their DI and DS because of the relative similarity in pathogenic level among the 16 fungal isolates. The values of DI and DS were significantly correlated with standardized area under disease progress curve values previously obtained in vitro and the values of DI under field conditions, indicating that growth chamber indices can predict pathogenicity at the earliest and latest wheat development stages during FHB infection. Artificial inoculation data confirmed in vitro and field results in which the bread cultivar was more resistant to FHB infection than durum, highlighting that the assessment of resistance level is repeatable and stable under several experimental conditions. The two tested wheat cultivars were shown to exhibit acceptable resistance levels to both initial fungal infection (Type I resistance) and disease spread (type II resistance). The present research shows that Syrian wheat plants could be new resistant donors with favorable agronomical characteristics in FHB-wheat breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa's exceptional capacity to tolerate high salt levels presents a promising solution to the agricultural challenges posed by salt stress. This study aimed to explore salt stress effects on three quinoa accessions (18 GR, R-132, and DE-1) and to compare the influence of greenhouse and field growing conditions on their salinity tolerance. The plants were irrigated by 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl concentrations. The results showed that quinoa plants' response to morphological, physiological, biochemical, and enzymatic parameters was influenced by NaCl concentration, accession, growing conditions, and their interactions. As salinity irrigation increased, aerial part length and leaf area decreased significantly (p < 0.05) for all studied accessions, correlating with plant photosynthetic parameters. Greenhouse conditions promote faster and more vigorous growth with a larger leaf area compared to field cultivation. Furthermore, at 200 mM concentration, the DE-1 accession displayed greater photosynthetic activity, recording values of 195.66 ± 3.56 and 120 ± 1.13 µmol·m−2·s−1 for greenhouse and open field conditions, respectively. NaCl stimulated MDA and H2O2 in both conditions for all accessions, and the DE-1 accession displayed the lowest levels. Proteins, sugars, proline, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase were stimulated by salt stress, except in the R-132 accession. Field cultivation resulted in a more severe salinity response. Greenhouse conditions may enhance quinoa's salt tolerance due to the less demanding growth conditions. DE-1 exhibited the highest salt tolerance, while R-132 showed the lowest. This study sets the stage for further research into the genetic basis of salt tolerance in various quinoa accessions, optimizing growth in salty regions through farming practices, and confirming the obtained results in real-world conditions for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in honey bee larvae, pupae and the midguts of adult bees were investigated during a one-year exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) at a frequency of 900 MHz under field conditions. The experiment was carried out on honey bee colonies at three locations with electric field levels of 30 mV m−1, 70 mV m−1 and 1000 mV m−1. Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as indicators of lipid peroxidation were measured spectrophotometrically. The GST activity within the same developmental stage showed no significant differences regardless of electric field level or sampling time. The highest GST activity was found in the pupae, followed by activity in the larvae and midguts. Both CAT activity and TBARS concentration were the highest in the midguts, regardless of field level and sampling time. The larvae showed a significantly higher TBARS concentration at the location with an electric field level of 1000 mV m−1 compared to the locations with lower levels. Our results show that RF-EMFs at a frequency of 900 MHz can cause oxidative stress in honey bees, with the larval stage being more sensitive than the pupal stage, but there was no linear relationship between electric field level and effect in any of the developmental stages.

The hypothesis of this research was to verify the feasibility of using rhizobacteria in maize production, aiming to reduce the effect of water stress and the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphophysiological responses and yield of maize plants inoculated with A. brasilense cultivated under two water conditions and with two nitrogen fertilization situations. The experiment was carried out in a field under irrigated conditions (IR) and water stress (WS) using a randomized block design with split plots. The treatments consisted of two concentrations of nitrogen (N) applied to the soil (20 and 120 kg ha−1) and three inoculation levels of A. brasilense (Az1, Az2, and control), with four replications. Stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, leaf area, yield, harvest index, and soil enzymes (arginase and urease) were evaluated. Inoculation with Az1 and Az2 resulted in an increase in chlorophyll content, regardless of N content in the soil and water conditions. With Az2, there was a 10% increase in grain yield regardless of water condition and soil N content. Inoculation with Az2 level of A. brasilense and 120 kg ha−1 of N under IR was the best treatment that resulted in the highest maize yield, around 10%. Under water deficit conditions, plant inoculation with A. brasilense may reduce the effects of environmental stress by approximately 11%; however, the inoculation was not enough to equalize the maize yields to those observed in irrigated areas with the inoculant Az1 and 120 kg ha−1 of N, which promoted the best results. The inoculation of plants with A. brasilense is a cheap and easy-to-use technology that should be considered for the sustainability of maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the carcass traits and meat quality of growing rabbits reared in four types of commercially available housing systems (i.e. bicellular cages, dual-purpose cages, enriched cages and elevated pens) across three production cycles covering different seasons (i.e. autumn, winter and summer) under field conditions. The rabbits originated from 12 commercial farms (three farms per housing system) located in the Northeast of Italy and were slaughtered in five commercial slaughterhouses at a slaughter age from 71 to 90 d. Twenty carcasses per farm and cycle were randomly selected at the slaughterhouse and carcass and meat quality traits were evaluated 24 h post-mortem. The heaviest carcass weights were found in rabbits reared in enriched cages, followed by those in parks, while the lightest carcasses were found in rabbits from bicellular cages. Carcass fat and longissimus lumborum proportions were higher and hind legs proportion lower in carcasses of rabbits kept in enriched cages compared to those from the other systems. Based on significant differences for meat quality traits (i.e. pH, L*, thawing losses and shear force) among housing systems, ante-mortem stress was likely lower in rabbits from enriched cages and parks than in those from bicellular and dual-purpose cages. Nevertheless, these differences were not translated into noticeable changes in meat quality because of the small variations among housing systems. Overall, the observed differences could not be strictly and exclusively related to the enclosure in which the animals were housed, but also to other production and ante-mortem factors. The rearing season significantly affected slaughter traits, with lower slaughter and carcass weights in summer compared to winter and autumn. Despite the limit in the sample size of investigated farms, this study highlighted that under field conditions the final product quality of rabbits is not clearly distinguishable based on the housing system per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring food security with severe shortages of freshwater and drastic changes in climatic conditions in arid countries requires the urgent development of feasible and user-friendly strategies. Relatively little is known regarding the impacts of the co-application (Co-A) of salicylic acid (SA), macronutrients (Mac), and micronutrients (Mic) through foliar (F) and soil (S) application strategies on field crops under arid and semiarid climatic conditions. A two-year field experiment was designed to compare the impacts of seven (Co-A) treatments of this strategy, including a control, FSA + Mic, FSA + Mac, SSA + FMic, SSA + FSA + Mic, SSA + Mic + FSA, and SSA + Mic + FMac + Mic on the agronomic performance, physiological attributes, and water productivity (WP) of wheat under normal (NI) and limited (LMI) irrigation conditions. The results reveal that the LMI treatment caused a significant reduction in various traits related to the growth (plant height, tiller and green leaf numbers, leaf area index, and shoot dry weight), physiology (relative water content and chlorophyll pigments), and yield components (spike length, grain weight and grain numbers per spike, thousand-grain weight, and harvest index) of wheat by 11.4–47.8%, 21.8–39.8%, and 16.4–42.3%, respectively, while WP increased by 13.3% compared to the NI treatment. The different Co-A treatments have shown a 0.2–23.7%, 3.6–26.7%, 2.3–21.6%, and 12.2–25.0% increase in various traits related to growth, physiology, yield, and WP, respectively, in comparison to the control treatment. The SSA+ FSA + Mic was determined as the best treatment that achieved the best results for all studied traits under both irrigation conditions, followed by FSA + Mic and SSA + Mic + FSA under LMI in addition to FSA + Mac under NI conditions. It can be concluded that the Co-A of essential plant nutrients along with SA accomplished a feasible, profitable, and easy-to-use strategy to attenuate the negative impacts of deficit irrigation stress, along with the further improvement in the growth and production of wheat under NI conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining high yields of agricultural plants with their proper quality on soils contaminated with heavy metals is of the utmost importance for modern farmers of the Kuban. The purpose of the research is to study the accumulation of heavy metals in the vegetative organs of pumpkin plants, depending on the properties of the soil and the physical and chemical properties of pollutants. The tasks are to determine the influence of the physical and chemical properties of the soil on the accumulation of heavy metals in the vegetative part of the studied plants; to determine the influence of the chemical properties of heavy metals on their accumulation in the vegetative part of the studied plants. By the method of field research, the accumulation of heavy metals in the vegetative mass of pumpkin, Mramornaya variety, when applied by sprinkling method, depending on the physico-chemical properties of the soil, has been studied. Heavy metals in plants are determined by the AAS method. It has been found that when growing the studied plant on a rain-fed plot of meadow-chernozem soil, copper and cadmium accumulated in the foliage less than in the soil of rice check, respectively 2.2 and 4.9 times. The studied heavy metals had a depressing effect on the biometric parameters of the pumpkin. On the experimental plots of meadow-chernozem soil of the bogarny plot and the soil of the rice check, there was a decrease in the studied biometric parameters compared with the control. Moreover, on the meadow-chernozem soil of the rice check, this decrease was more intense. Under the influence of heavy metals and soil properties, the yield of the studied plant decreased: for the first variant it was 24.0 t/ha, for the second – 8.2 t/ha. When growing Mramornaya pumpkin variety on meadow-chernozem soil, a rain-fed area of cadmium accumulated more than copper by 16.0 times, on meadow-chernozem soil of rice check, this difference was 47.0 times. One of the reasons for this difference in the accumulation of heavy metals is their physiological role for the plant under study.

Simple Summary: Portugal has the largest chestnut tree plantation area for fruit production in Europe. The carpophagous pests Cydia splendana Hübner and Curculio elephas Gyllenhal are among the main pests that affect nut productivity and quality in the country. Their control is considered difficult due to the large size of the trees, and chestnut orchards are mostly located in mountain regions with high slopes. On the other hand, the biology of the insects, which spend most of their life cycle inside the fruit or buried in the ground, is an aspect that makes them difficult to control. Entomopathogenic fungi are considered safe biological organisms for the environment and capable of regulating the natural population of pests. Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. is one of the most used for this purpose; however, its effectiveness is highly influenced by environmental factors. The study aimed to investigate the efficiency of B. bassiana in controlling these two carpophagous pests under environmental conditions. The fungus could infect and kill C. splendana and C. elephas larvae under the two conidial concentrations tested, showing favorable results for its use in the biocontrol of these insects. The chestnut moth (Cydia splendana Hübner) and the chestnut weevil (Curculio elephas Gyllenhal) cause serious damage to European producers and companies that transform and market the chestnut. The objective of the present work was to evaluate, under field conditions, the possibilities of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. to infect and kill the larvae of the two main carpophagous pests of European chestnut, in treatments directed at the soil. For this purpose, the surfaces of vases were sprayed with two concentrations of conidia/mL 5 × 107 (T1) and 1 × 108 (T2). The control (T0) was sprayed with distilled water. Larval mortality and infection were evaluated on five dates (D8 to D220). Confirmation of the fungus present in the larva was performed by molecular analysis. The results obtained are promising for the use of B. bassiana as a biological control agent against these key pests of the chestnut crop. There were no significant differences in mortality between the T1 and T2 modalities, however, they were significantly higher than the control. In the case of total mortality (dead and infected larvae), no significant differences were observed for C. elephas either. In the case of C. splendana, the T2 modality obtained better results in terms of total mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater shortage and inadequate nutrient management are the two major challenges for sustainable wheat production in arid agro-ecosystems. Relatively little is known about the positive roles of the application methods for the combination of salicylic acid (SA) and plant nutrients in sustaining wheat production under arid climatic conditions. A two-year field study was undertaken to assess the impact of seven treatments for the integrated application of SA, macronutrients, and micronutrients on the morpho-physiological traits, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) of wheat subjected to full (FL) and limited (LM) irrigation regimes. The results showed that the LM regime caused a significant reduction in different plant growth traits, relative water content, chlorophyll pigments, yield components, and yield, while a significant increase was observed in IWUE. The sole application of SA or co-application with micronutrients through soil did not significantly affect the studied traits under the FL regime, while they achieved some improvement over untreated plants under the LM regime. Based on the different multivariate analyses, the soil and foliar applications for the combinations of SA and micronutrients, as well as a foliar application for the combinations of SA, macronutrients, and micronutrients were identified as an efficient option for mitigating the negative impacts of water deficit stress and enhancing the growth and production of wheat under normal conditions. In conclusion, the results obtained herein indicated that the co-application of SA and macro- and micronutrients is an effective option to greatly enhance and improve the growth and production of wheat crops in water-scarce countries of arid regions, such as Saudi Arabia, while an appropriate application method for this combination was required for positive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytostabilization of metal-contaminated soils is effective to reduce their solubility and availability in soils and reduce their toxicity to plants. However, the evaluation of appropriate treatments and efficient plant species needs to consider the effects not only of soil characteristics, but also of microbial population. In this work, the effects of seven different plants, including crops and locally adapted species, in two metal-contaminated soils based on a field phytoremediation experiment were evaluated. The two soils (agricultural and mining) contained 6.1, 2322 and 1422, and 13.5, 2071 and 13,971 ​mg ​kg−1 Cd, Pb and Zn concentrations, respectively. In the agricultural soil, combination of crop species Cynara cardunculus and Brassica juncea Czern. was the most effective in reducing metal extractability and in stimulating microbial activity. In the mining soil, compost-assisted phytostabilization decreased CaCl2-extractable Cd and Zn (12–50% for Cd and 71–76% for Zn). The reduced metal toxicity enhanced microbial biomass activity and diversity, particularly under B. juncea. Thus, phytostabilization using selected species was effective in reducing metal toxicity in contaminated soils.

Simple Summary: The use of boars for breeding purposes is common on small farms in rural regions of Italy. These animals are butchered at the end of their reproductive life for the production of charcuterie. In this regard, orchiectomy is required to remove boar taint caused by testosterone metabolites. The purpose of this study is to validate the efficacy of a safe, rapid and inexpensive castration procedure. To accomplish this objective, 91 boars were orchiectomised using the suture ligation technique. Following castration, characteristics of the severed ductus deference were evaluated in order to understand how much force would be required to tie knots without breaking the deferens and achieving proper haemostasis. After identifying a correlation between tensile strength and the age and weight of boars, a sutureless technique was successfully applied to 20 animals. The heterogeneity of Italian manufacturing processes results in the production of a large variety of pork products. In Sardinia, boars are raised and butchered to produce charcuterie. These animals are castrated before slaughter as androstenone would otherwise taint the meat, rendering it unfit for human consumption. However, to date, the literature concerning surgical orchiectomy in adult boars is limited. The goal of this study is to assess whether a sutureless swine orchiectomy procedure is feasible. Additionally, this study aims to determine the appropriate traction force needed to tie knots in the deferens duct of pigs of different weights and ages. Two groups were created: the first (n = 91) underwent orchiectomy by suture ligation; the second (n = 20) was castrated using the sutureless technique. Deferens ducts of animals in the first group (n = 182) were collected following castration, and their tensile strength was measured. Pearson's linear correlation was used to determine the relationship between the maximum traction force and weight and age groups. A correlation of 0.99 and 0.96 was shown between traction force and age and traction force and weight, respectively. In accordance with these results, sutureless castration was performed on 20 animals, calibrating the pulling force needed according to the age and weight of the boars. No complications were observed during the feasibility study, thus validating sutureless orchiectomy in adult boars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strengthening agriculture involves various approaches to developing high-yielding new cultivars, optimization of soil composition, rational use of fertilizers, and pre-sowing treatment of seeds and seedlings. The safest and most environmentally friendly approach is to develop new genotypes, combining the most suitable characteristics in the existing growing area and environmental conditions. In this regard, the completed study aimed to breed various cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars during the years 2020-2021 under the environmental conditions of Aktobe region, Kazakhstan. Cucumber cultivars 584, 577, 427, 294, and 264 gained selection from the nursery based on a complex of economically valuable traits, laying of seed fruits, and individual selection from F2 to F8 populations, using the hybrid cultivar 'Ular' as the standard of comparison. Recorded phenological observations on growth stages, morphometrics, types of flowering, disease resistance, production, and biochemical traits of the fruits received analysis. Cucumber samples came from the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Growing (KazNIIKO), Kazakhstan. The hybrid was a derivative of the L-1 maternal line and the Phoenix 640 paternal line. The research result on the above-recorded parameters characterized six promising domestic cultivars of cucumber, namely, 264, 294, 427, 524, 577, and standard hybrid 'Ular.' Based on the complex of economically valuable features, the most predominant C. sativus L. cultivar was 294. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Romanian hamster Mesocricetus newtoni is a threatened and cryptic species, with a distribution limited to North-eastern Bulgaria and South-eastern Romania (Dobruja region). Current literature does not provide sufficient data regarding diel activities and behavior of this species, especially under field conditions. In this context, one female M. newtoni, during the rearing period of her four pups, was monitored for ten days using camera traps. For each documented activity, the date, time, age of the individual, type of activity, and duration were recorded. In total, from the 26140 media files, 72968 seconds were recorded as active behaviors. Data analysis revealed that diurnal activity was predominant and documented for all monitored days; however, the animals spent more time per each activity during the night. The nocturnal activity was present but erratic, without significant patterns. No significant differences were observed in the median duration of activities of the adult compared to the immature individuals. Both the adult female and pups spent time exploring the burrow entrance, especially during the day, but immatures were more reserved to leave the burrow than the female. The female used four burrows for rearing the pups. During this time, food storage behaviors and transferring of immatures between burrows, as well as the weaning of the pups were documented. This study demonstrates that M. newtoni exhibits significant diurnal activity, at least in certain ecological and physiological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants integrate time of day (TOD) information over an entire season to ensure optimal growth, flowering time, and grain fill. However, most TOD expression studies have focused on a limited number of combinations of daylength and temperature under laboratory conditions. Here, an Oryza sativa (rice) expression study that followed TOD expression in the field over an entire growing season was re-analyzed. Similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, almost all rice genes have a TOD-specific expression over the developmental time course. As has been suggested in other grasses, thermocycles were a stronger cue for TOD expression than the photocycles over the growing season. All the core circadian clock genes display consistent TOD expression over the season with the interesting exception that the two grass paralogs of EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) display a distinct phasing based on the interaction between thermo- and photo-cycles. The dataset also revealed how specific pathways are modulated to distinct TOD over the season consistent with the changing biology. The data presented here provide a resource for researchers to study how TOD expression changes under natural conditions over a developmental time course, which will guide approaches to engineer more resilient and prolific crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulent flow in natural river channels drives geophysical processes and exerts a fundamental influence on aquatic biota. An extensive range of turbulence properties have previously been synthesized into four categories or "dimensions" with ecological relevance: intensity, periodicity, orientation and scale (IPOS). We apply this framework across three rivers with differing morphologies in order to assess the statistical coherence of the four IPOS categories within turbulence field data and their utility in discriminating between fundamental units of river habitat. Intensity, periodicity‐scale and orientation were identified as the key gradients in the turbulence data set using multivariate analysis. These gradients all revealed statistically significant differences between rivers and/or geomorphic units. The intensity gradient accounted for the highest variance and most pronounced inter‐reach differences, but the periodicity‐scale and orientation gradients were also useful in distinguishing between certain combinations of rivers and/or geomorphic units. Different turbulence gradients, or combinations of gradients, were important in characterizing differences between rivers and geomorphic units (riffes, pools, steps). The gradients provided improved prediction of geomorphic units compared to standard hydraulic variables (mean velocity, depth), although the extent of improvement in prediction varied between river morphologies. The analysis reveals the statistical coherence of the four categories or "dimensions" of turbulence in multivariate space, connects the ecologically defined IPOS categories of turbulence properties with river types and fundamental units of river habitat (geomorphic units). Turbulence signatures of natural channel morphology are expressed across all four dimensions of turbulence, providing clear evidence that these four dimensions should be routinely considered in ecohydraulics and hydromorphology research to facilitate a full understanding hydraulic habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to evaluate under field conditions potato genotypes derived from true seeds, that showed tolerance to in vitro induced water stress. The biological material was represented by 3 genotypes: GIL19-03-07, ZIL19-02-43 and GIL19-03-29, for which tuber number, yield and culinary quality were determined. The genotype GIL19-03-07 obtained the best results in terms of total number of tubers (647.20 thousand/ha), surpassing the variety Cosiana (control). In a dry growing year, in terms of total tuber production, the results obtained point to the genotype ZIL19-02-43 which obtained a production of 27.19 t/ha, followed by the genotype GIL19-03-07 with a production of 21.21 t/ha. The results of the culinary and technological quality analyses suggest that genotypes GIL19-03-07 and ZIL19-02-43 are suitable as raw material for chips, while genotype GIL19-03-29 is suitable for salads and other culinary preparations due to its pleasant taste and pulp texture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical grasslands are very important to global carbon and water cycles. C4 plants have increased heat tolerance and a CO2 concentrating mechanism that often reduces responses to elevated concentrations of CO2 ([CO2]). Despite the importance of tropical grasslands, there is a scarcity of studies that elucidate how managed tropical grasslands will be affected by elevated [CO2] and warming. In our study, we used a combination of a temperature-free air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) and a free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) systems to increase canopy temperature and [CO2] under field conditions, respectively. We warmed a field-grown pasture dominated by the C4 tropical forage grass Megathyrsus maximus by 2°C above ambient under two levels of [CO2] (ambient (aC) and elevated (eC - 600 ppm) to investigate how these two factors isolated or combined regulate water relations through stomatal regulation, and how this combination affects PSII functioning, biochemistry, forage nutritive value, and digestibility. We demonstrated that the effects of warming negated the effects of eC in plant transpiration, water potential, proline content, and soil moisture conservation, resulting in warming canceling the eCO2-induced improvement in these parameters. Furthermore, there were additive effects between eC and warming for chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and aboveground nutritive value. Warming sharply intensified the eCO2-induced decrease in crude protein content and increases in forage fibrous fraction and lignin, resulting in a smaller forage digestibility under a warmer CO2-enriched atmosphere. Our results highlight the importance of multifactorial studies when investigating global change impacts on managed ecosystems and the potential consequences for the global carbon cycle like amplification in methane emissions by ruminants and feeding a positive climate feedback system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is difficult to estimate the contribution of individual sources to the total CO2 efflux from soil with vegetation. Long-term experiments with bare soil will provide useful conclusions. In this study, we aimed to mathematize the effect of soil temperature and soil moisture content on bare soil CO2 efflux in a four-season semiarid region to assess the adequacy of different models and to enable future predictions by seasons. We proved that the exponential model adequately described the relationship between the CO2 efflux and the soil temperature. The model calculations showed no significant relationship in the case of an additional quadratic exponential function, while, in the case of the linear model, the homoscedasticity criteria were not met, and the accuracy of the estimation was found to be dependent on the level of CO2 efflux. When the soil moisture content with either an exponential function or power was added to the exponential formula, the models did not provide more accurate results. Our findings confirm that the best-fitting models are dependent on the local environmental conditions, and there are areas in which the moisture content does not significantly affect the CO2 efflux of bare soil. Using trends in historical hourly temperature data in the exponential model, the CO2 emission was estimated to be in the range 772–898 g m−2 y−1 in 2050 in the location we used. Trends in climate change are expected to have considerable effects on the processes that govern the CO2 emissions of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana tree cultivation requires high doses of fertilizers to reach the productive potential of improved cultivars. On the other hand, more than 70% of banana plantations are concentrated in family farming, which has low capital availability and technology. The present study aimed to evaluate the ability of Trichoderma asperellum to improve the efficiency of nutrient use and economic viability of the banana tree cultivation under nutritional management with native T. asperellum, in a family production system in the Amazon region. Three treatments were tested: 100% of fertilizers (control), 50% of fertilizers + T. asperellum (TA) and 100% of fertilizers + TA. Fertilization consisted of inorganic fertilizers and poultry litter. The first banana cycle production and the economic viability of the practices were evaluated. The inoculation of TA + 100% of fertilizers increased productivity by 23%. The banana productivity was similar for control treatments (100%) and 50% for fertilizers + TA, however, using 50% of fertilizers reduced the production costs by 7.2% in the year of implantation and, in 17, 6% from the 2nd year of planting. In six years, the inoculation with T. asperellum increased revenues by US$ 8,944.40 with 100% of fertilizers, and by US$ 1,936.35 with 50% of fertilizers. Our results show for the first time that using T. asperellum in the nutritional management of bananas improves the agronomic performance of the crop, being economically viable in a family production system in the Amazon. The use of biostimulants is a promising practice to increase the earnings for farmers and make banana production more sustainable in the region.

Leptospira spp. is poorly studied in sheep raised in field Caatinga biome conditions. We conducted a follow-up investigation for Leptospira spp. infection in sheep reared in field conditions in the Caatinga biome. Serum, urine and vaginal fluid samples were collected from adult sheep over five collection periods in rainy and dry seasons. Serological diagnosis was performed using the microscopic agglutination technique (MAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to urine and vaginal fluid samples. Overall, 45 sheep were monitored during the five collections: July 15, September 30 and November 27 of 2020 and March 3 and June 25 of 2021. The frequencies of seropositive animals at MAT (cut-off 25) per collection were 13.3 %, 15.6 %, 31.1 %, 20 % and 35.6 %, respectively. The most frequent serogroups in all collections were Autumnalis, Ballum, Icterohaemorrhagiae and Pyrogenes. PCR of urine and vaginal fluid carried out for the first two collections detected an average of 28.1 % and 48.1 % positive animals, respectively. In the other three collections, there was no PCR positivity for either urine or vaginal fluid. Two samples of vaginal fluid from the first collection were sequenced and showed 99 % similarity to L. interrogans and L. santarosai. The occurrence of Leptospira spp. genital carrier sheep may be important in the spread of infection in the Caatinga biome field conditions, where the environment is often unfavourable and challenges the adaptability of Leptospira spp., forcing the agent to seek alternative routes of transmission and highlighting the public health exposure risk, mainly in people who are at occupational risk. • Leptospira spp. genital carrier sheep are important in the spread of infection under field conditions in the Caatinga biome; • In the first two sample collections, positivities of 28.1% (urine PCR) and 48.1% (vaginal fluid PCR) were detected; • Follow-up investigation allowed a better understanding of the epidemiology of sheep leptospirosis in Caatinga biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive study investigated the distribution, dissipation, and environmental impact of diuron and its metabolites (DPMU, DPU, and DCA), as well as its effects on enzyme activities, bacterial abundance, and community composition in response to different soil treatments using two vermicomposts. One vermicompost was derived from vine shoot waste, and the other from wet olive cake (alperujo). The study was conducted under field conditions in a semi-arid region. The results indicated that diuron concentrations decreased with soil depth, with the highest levels in the upper 0–5 cm layer. The application of both vermicomposts reduced diuron leaching into the soil, facilitating its dissipation compared to the organically unamended soil. DPMU was the main metabolite detected in the soil, especially at the end of the experiment. Enzyme activities, including dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, protease, and acid phosphatase, showed variations with treatment and time, indicating microbial adaptation. In general, both vermicomposts increased soil enzyme activities, even when diuron was co-applied. Bacterial communities were affected by diuron and vermicomposts, with Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria showing significant shifts in relative abundance. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed structural changes in bacterial communities due to diuron and vermicomposts. Warmer temperatures and evapotranspiration may contribute to the distribution of diuron in the different layers of soil and affect microbial activity. Overall, vermicomposts from wet olive cake proved effective in mitigating diuron in the different soil layers, promoting enzyme activities, and influencing bacterial communities. These findings underscore the complexity of interactions between diuron, organic amendments, and soil microorganisms, highlighting the potential for enhanced herbicide dissipation and microbial resilience and adaptation. • In field, vermicomposts reduced soil diuron leaching, favouring its dissipation. • Vermicomposts from agroindustrial wastes increased soil enzyme activities. • The use of diuron with vermicompost developed a positive synergistic effect. • Vermicomposts diminished the impact of diuron on soil microbial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diseases lead to severe losses in crop yield worldwide. The conventional approach for diagnosing diseases relies on manual scouting. In recent years, advances in convolutional neural networks have motivated the use of deep learning-based computer vision for automatically identifying plant diseases. Although image classification techniques are commonly used for analyzing agricultural data, their use for accurately identifying diseased regions corresponding to different disease types on individual plant leaves is limited. In this study, Simple Linear Iterative Clustering (SLIC) segmentation was used on corn leaf images from the PlantVillage and CD&S datasets to create super-pixels, a cluster of pixels representing a region of interest on a corn leaf. The VGG16, ResNet50, DenseNet121, Xception, and InceptionV3, pre-trained deep learning models were utilized to identify diseased regions corresponding to five super-pixel classes (healthy, northern leaf blight (NLB), gray leaf spot (GLS), common rust, and background) for the PlantVillage dataset and four super-pixel classes (NLB, GLS, northern leaf spot, and background) for the CD&S dataset, on corn leaves. After setting the spatial proximity value (sigma) for SLIC segmentation to five, a total of 100 models were trained by using different numbers of segments per image (five and fifteen) in the SLIC algorithm for both datasets and choosing training: testing split ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50 for each of the five models. The highest overall testing accuracy of 97.77% was observed after training the DenseNet121 model to identify super-pixels created from the CD&S dataset, belonging to the four classes created using a sigma value of five, five segments per image, and an 80:20 training: testing split ratio. Web and mobile applications were developed to identify diseased regions on corn leaves using the best deep learning model as the classifier. The results suggest that SLIC segmentation on corn leaf images helps accurately identify diseased regions. This research demonstrates the potential of image-based scouting as an efficient alternative to manual scouting for disease monitoring.

The important worldwide forage crop red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is widely cultivated as cattle feed and for soil improvement. Wild populations and landraces have great natural diversity that could be used to improve cultivated red clover. However, to date, there is still insufficient knowledge about the natural genetic and phenotypic diversity of the species. Here, we developed a low-cost complexity reduced mRNA analysis (mRNA-GBS) and compared the results with population genetic (GBS) and previously published mRNA-Seq data, to assess whether analysis of intraspecific variation within and between populations and transcriptome responses is possible simultaneously. The mRNA-GBS approach was successful. SNP analyses from the mRNA-GBS approach revealed comparable patterns to the GBS results, but due to site-specific multifactorial influences of environmental responses as well as conceptual and methodological limitations of mRNA-GBS, it was not possible to link transcriptome analyses with reduced complexity and sequencing depth to previously published greenhouse and field expression studies. Nevertheless, the use of short sequences upstream of the poly(A) tail of mRNA to reduce complexity are promising approaches that combine population genetics and expression profiling to analyze many individuals with trait differences simultaneously and cost-effectively, even in non-model species. Nevertheless, our study design across different regions in Germany was also challenging. The use of reduced complexity differential expression analyses most likely overlays site-specific patterns due to highly complex plant responses under natural conditions.

Tropical grasslands are very important to global carbon and water cycles. C4 plants have increased heat tolerance and a CO2 concentrating mechanism that often reduces responses to elevated concentrations of CO2 ([CO2]). Despite the importance of tropical grasslands, there is a scarcity of studies that elucidate how managed tropical grasslands will be affected by elevated [CO2] and warming. In our study, we used a combination of a temperature-free air-controlled enhancement (T-FACE) and a free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) systems to increase canopy temperature and [CO2] under field conditions, respectively. We warmed a field-grown pasture dominated by the C4 tropical forage grass Megathyrsus maximus by 2°C above ambient under two levels of [CO2] (ambient (aC) and elevated (eC - 600 ppm) to investigate how these two factors isolated or combined regulate water relations through stomatal regulation, and how this combination affects PSII functioning, biochemistry, forage nutritive value, and digestibility. We demonstrated that the effects of warming negated the effects of eC in plant transpiration, water potential, proline content, and soil moisture conservation, resulting in warming canceling the eCO2-induced improvement in these parameters. Furthermore, there were additive effects between eC and warming for chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and aboveground nutritive value. Warming sharply intensified the eCO2-induced decrease in crude protein content and increases in forage fibrous fraction and lignin, resulting in a smaller forage digestibility under a warmer CO2-enriched atmosphere. Our results highlight the importance of multifactorial studies when investigating global change impacts on managed ecosystems and the potential consequences for the global carbon cycle like amplification in methane emissions by ruminants and feeding a positive climate feedback system.

Experimental studies of biotic interactions in real field conditions are essential to understand the structure and functioning of ecological networks. The use of artificial caterpillars to mimic actual prey availability is generally seen as a standard approach to compare the activity and diversity of predators along environmental gradients. Yet, even with standardized material and procedures, biases may still affect data from multiple observers with different expertise. We used pictures of artificial caterpillars with or without various predation marks, in an online survey that was targeted for the participants of the project, to evaluate the reliability of predation marks identification made by non‐scientists and by scientists with and without experience in predation mark identification. Pictures of artificial caterpillars displayed typical marks left by birds, mammals, and arthropods, as well as non‐predation marks ('false positive'). In total 357 respondents scanned 7140 pictures of artificial caterpillars. Scientists were more confident and accurate in their observations than non‐scientists, but the differences in correct identifications among scientists and non‐scientists were low. Scientists with experience were also more accurate than scientists without experience, whereas there were no differences in self‐confidence among scientists with and without experience. Accuracy in predation mark identification did not differ among types of predators, but respondents were more keen to identify marks left by birds or mammals than marks left by arthropods. Our results have practical implications for the design of multi‐observer projects relying on artificial caterpillars as a proxy to assess predation intensity, in particular in the context of citizen science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing is a method used for monitoring and measuring agricultural crop fields. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are used to effectively monitor crops via different camera technologies. Even though aerial imaging can be considered a rather straightforward process, more focus should be given to data quality and processing. This research focuses on evaluating the influences of field conditions on raw data quality and commonly used vegetation indices. The aerial images were taken with a custom-built UAV by using a multispectral camera at four different times of the day and during multiple times of the season. Measurements were carried out in the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020. The imaging data were processed with different software to calculate vegetation indices for 10 reference areas inside the fields. The results clearly show that NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) was the least affected vegetation index by the field conditions. The coefficient of variation (CV) was determined to evaluate the variations in vegetation index values within a day. Vegetation index TVI (transformed vegetation index) and NDVI had coefficient of variation values under 5%, whereas with GNDVI (green normalized difference vegetation index), the value was under 10%. Overall, the vegetation indices that include near-infrared (NIR) bands are less affected by field condition changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Increasing populations and temperatures are expected to escalate food demands beyond production capacities, and the development of maize lines with better performance under heat stress is desirable. Here, we report that constitutive ectopic expression of a heterologous glutaredoxin S17 from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtGRXS17) can provide thermotolerance in maize through enhanced chaperone activity and modulation of heat stress‐associated gene expression. The thermotolerant maize lines had increased protection against protein damage and yielded a sixfold increase in grain production in comparison to the non‐transgenic counterparts under heat stress field conditions. The maize lines also displayed thermotolerance in the reproductive stages, resulting in improved pollen germination and the higher fidelity of fertilized ovules under heat stress conditions. Our results present a robust and simple strategy for meeting rising yield demands in maize and, possibly, other crop species in a warming global environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to compare the impact of different treatments with N and P fertilizers (low and high rates) on grain yield and some technological traits. The experiment was set up in 1966 at the Field Crops Institute, Chirpan, Bulgaria, as a stationary fertilizer trial. This study included 2018/19 and 2019/20. Saya durum wheat variety was tested after its cotton predecessor. The following treatments were studied: N40P40; N80P40; N120P40; N160P40; N40P80; N80P80; N120P80; N160P80. As a control was adopted N0P0. In our study, we proved that the high fertilization rates do not always have the most effective impact on the durum wheat productivity. In general, the total variance proved the influence of mineral fertilization and the environmental conditions for all studied parameters. The interaction between the two factors was not observed only in grain vitreous. N fertilization had a greater impact than P fertilization. Imports of N120P40 affected grain yield and thousand kernel weight the most, 74.9% and 16.2%, respectively. N180P40 intake had the greatest effect on grain vitreous, protein content and gluten content – 41.5%, 38.7% and 61.4%, respectively. The lowest N and P rates (N40P40) increased the most test weight – 3.7%. The strongest correlation was observed between grain vitreous and gluten content (0.976 ***). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a new approach to employ the hydrology-based predictions of the water fate, rather than empirical ones, to estimate crop water requirements (CWRs) in artificially-drained agricultural lands. The study area comprises a 12 ha-wheat-land that locates in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China, for the growing season of 2018–2019. Despite there was almost no need for irrigation in the study area due to the amble rainfall; the empirical prediction of the water fate caused overestimations in CWRs (30840 m3). Under the same data of evapotranspiration and precipitation, the new approach enhanced CWRs estimates (12750 m3), and this is due to the well-known accuracy of hydrology-based approaches in predicting the water fate. In addition, the water fate in the study area was hydrological simulated and predicted under some scenarios of field conditions and management practices, and the new approach was applied to estimate CWRs under these scenarios. It was revealed that changes in the water fate affected much CWRs and caused an increase (up to 80%), compared to the estimated value under baseline conditions. Therefore, the accurate prediction of the water fate is indispensable for better CWRs estimates along with better utilization of available water resources. In addition, the new approach presented in this study can be applied to estimate future CWRs in artificially drained lands, along with the assessment of various impacts of many field conditions and management practices on CWRs.

Ensuring food security with severe shortages of freshwater and drastic changes in climatic conditions in arid countries requires the urgent development of feasible and user-friendly strategies. Relatively little is known regarding the impacts of the co-application (Co-A) of salicylic acid (SA), macronutrients (Mac), and micronutrients (Mic) through foliar (F) and soil (S) application strategies on field crops under arid and semiarid climatic conditions. A two-year field experiment was designed to compare the impacts of seven (Co-A) treatments of this strategy, including a control, FSA + Mic, FSA + Mac, SSA + FMic, SSA + FSA + Mic, SSA + Mic + FSA, and SSA + Mic + FMac + Mic on the agronomic performance, physiological attributes, and water productivity (WP) of wheat under normal (NI) and limited (LMI) irrigation conditions. The results reveal that the LMI treatment caused a significant reduction in various traits related to the growth (plant height, tiller and green leaf numbers, leaf area index, and shoot dry weight), physiology (relative water content and chlorophyll pigments), and yield components (spike length, grain weight and grain numbers per spike, thousand-grain weight, and harvest index) of wheat by 11.4–47.8%, 21.8–39.8%, and 16.4–42.3%, respectively, while WP increased by 13.3% compared to the NI treatment. The different Co-A treatments have shown a 0.2–23.7%, 3.6–26.7%, 2.3–21.6%, and 12.2–25.0% increase in various traits related to growth, physiology, yield, and WP, respectively, in comparison to the control treatment. The SSA+ FSA + Mic was determined as the best treatment that achieved the best results for all studied traits under both irrigation conditions, followed by FSA + Mic and SSA + Mic + FSA under LMI in addition to FSA + Mac under NI conditions. It can be concluded that the Co-A of essential plant nutrients along with SA accomplished a feasible, profitable, and easy-to-use strategy to attenuate the negative impacts of deficit irrigation stress, along with the further improvement in the growth and production of wheat under NI conditions.

The aim was to quantify the frequency of distress and discomfort related behaviors displayed by horses during their carriage pulling activity. The study lasted three months during the 2018 rainy season in Merida, México, using 24 light-morphology (400 ± 50 kg liveweight) horses randomly selected to be observed. All animals were in good body condition and health status. Horses served for tourism tours of five kilometers, being theoretically used for a maximum of six tours per day and having one resting day every three working days. Behavior observations were performed at three points of the carriage tour: at the start point with horses stopped at the middle during carriage pulling activity, at the end with horses stopped. Behaviors chosen corresponded to measurable criteria, for the welfare of working equids according to the World Organization for Animal Health and easy to be observed on field conditions: aberrant vocalization as related to distress or high-level stressors exposure, and nodding, nibbling, limp and hit the floor as related to discomfort or mid to low-level stressors. Frequencies of behaviors were compared between the three points of the tour using a Fisher Exact Test in R Studio software. Horses were tracked from one to six tours performed in different days totaling 66 observed tours. None of the horses had aberrant vocalizations. Seven horses (62.5%) showed zero or one concerning behavior (8 horses), and only a 4.2% (one horse) demonstrated six behaviors. No discomfort behaviors were observed in 60.6% of the tours, with one discomfort behavior noted in 25.7% of the tours, and 1.5% of the tours where five discomfort behaviors were noted. Similar frequencies of behaviors (P >0.05) were found at the start, middle and final points of the tour. Although it was displayed at a low frequency, nodding at the start point was the main behavior observed (19.6% of the 66 tours). This frequency could have been lower if drivers had avoided staying more than 90 minutes in the waiting zones with the animals stopped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]