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Cyber-wisdom is the ability to know and do the right thing at the right time, when using digital technologies, and is a concept that is gaining attention from educators. Whilst the theory and practice of cyber-wisdom education is established, to date there has been no attempt to investigate how the virtue of cyber-wisdom might be measured. This is a lacuna as it limits future research in the area, including, in particular, proximal evaluations of cyber-wisdom interventions. This article introduces a new four-component measure of cyber-wisdom, which is relevant to how the virtue may be cultivated in practice via formal education and the teaching of what is generally referred to as digital citizenship education. The measure was piloted with 1,331 13--16 year-olds. The findings provide initial evidence that cyber-wisdom literacy, reasoning, reflection, and motivation can be measured. This study provides preliminary validation of cyber-wisdom sub-measures that might be used in evaluations of educational interventions that seek to help children and adolescents live with wisdom in the digital age.

Abstract National and global food security depend on both supply and demand, yet the vast majority of studies on the impact of climate change on food security have focused somewhat myopically on the supply side. Here, we assess planetary implications of the changing climate for food supply, concurrently considering implications of shifts in dietary preferences on food security. From 1990 to 2018, climate change detrimentally impacted on the food production of 92% of nations assessed. During this time, demand decreased at a greater rate than food supply in 28% of countries; food security for 35% of the global population was unperturbed by climate change. On the other hand, 2% of the global population did not benefit from positive impacts of climate change on food production, due to dietary changes faster increasing food demand. If consumers shift dietary preferences en masse towards healthier diets, detrimental impacts of the climate crisis on food security may be abated, although en mass and/or abrupt transitions in dietary preferences are unlikely.

Virtual reality (VR) is an increasingly popular artificially mediated, immersive experience that is accessed through a headset. Recent research is starting to provide evidence about the positive impact that virtual reality technology can have on teaching and learning. This research, to date, has been primarily undertaken in higher education and in disciplines related to the health sciences. In this article, the possibilities, and problematics of using virtual reality in taught character education approaches are explored. The article proposes that VR can bring four learning opportunities for character educators that would not be possible in the traditional classroom. These expansive, immersive, embodied and autonomous learning opportunities can be harnessed to educate six components of virtue. In the article, the risks of VR use for character education are also investigated. The aim of the article is to get ahead of the EdTech developers and provide theoretical, conceptual and practical insights that will help ensure that the promise of VR to enhance character education can be realised.

There is a dearth of studies exploring how younger children engage in civic life, what may be expected of them given their age, and what instruments may be used to capture their levels of civic engagement. Addressing these questions, this article presents key findings from a pilot study that aimed to create a validated instrument designed to measure the civic engagement of primary school children. Based on a survey administered to 655 primary school children aged 9-11 across England, this article focuses on the new measure that was specifically designed, and then tested and validated through both exploratory and confirmatory analyses. The findings validate a tripartite measure of civic engagement that assesses the civic attitudes, actions and awareness of 9-11-year-olds. This measure was found to be both practical and efficient in its administration, and it has been shown to be easily comprehensible by this age group. This new measure addresses an important gap in the literature on civic engagement in children, providing researchers with a validated tool to effectively measure civic engagement in 9-11-year-olds. The findings have implications for both researchers and educators interested in designing and evaluating interventions aimed at promoting civic engagement among younger children.

Abstract Background Lentil is a significant legume that are consumed as a staple food and have a significant economic impact around the world. The purpose of the present research on lentil was to assess the hydrothermal time model’s capacity to explain the dynamics of Lens culinaris L. var. Markaz-09 seed germination, as well as to ascertain the germination responses at various sub-optimal temperatures (T) and water potentials (Ψ). In order to study lentil seed germination (SG) behavior at variable water potentials (Ψs) and temperatures (Ts). A lab experiment employing the hydrothermal time model was created. Seeds were germinated at six distinct temperatures: 15 0С, 20 0С, 25 0С, 30 0С, 35 0С, and 40 0С, with five Ψs of 0, -0.3, -0.6, -0.9, and − 1.2 MPa in a PEG-6000 (Polyethylene glycol 6000) solution. Results The results indicated that the agronomic parameters like Germination index (GI), Germination energy (GE), Timson germination index (TGI), were maximum in 25 0C at (-0.9 MPa) and lowest at 40 0C in 0 MPa. On other hand, mean germination time (MGT) value was highest at 15 0C in -1.2 MPa and minimum at 40 0C in (-0.6 MPa) while Mean germination rate (MGR) was maximum at 40 0C in (0 MPa) and minimum at 15 0C in (-0.6 MPa). Conclusions The HTT model eventually defined the germination response of Lens culinaris L. var. Markaz-09 (Lentil) for all Ts and Ψs, allowing it to be employed as a predictive tool in Lens culinaris L. var. Markaz-09 (Lentil) seed germination simulation models.

Abstract Protagonists allege that artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising contemporaneous mindscapes. Here, we authoritatively review the status quo of AI and machine learning application in irrigated agriculture, evaluating the potential of, and challenges associated with, a wide range of existential AI approaches. We contend that aspiring developers of AI irrigation systems may benefit from human-centred AI, a nascent algorithm that captures diverse end-user views, behaviours and actions, potentially facilitating refinement of proposed systems through iterative stakeholder feedback. AI-guided human–machine collaboration can streamline integration of user needs, allowing customisation towards situational farm management adaptation. Presentation of big data in intuitive, legible and actionable forms for specialists and laypeople also urgently requires attention: here, AI-explainable interpretability may help harness human expertise, enabling end-users to contribute their experience within an AI pipeline for bespoke outputs. Transfer learning holds promise in contextualising place-based AI to agroecological regions, production systems or enterprise mixes, even with limited data inputs. We find that the rate of AI scientific and software development in recent times has outpaced the evolution of adequate legal and institutional regulations, and often social, moral and ethical license to operate, revealing consumer issues associated with data ownership, legitimacy and trust. We opine that AI has great potential to elicit sustainable outcomes in food security, social innovation and environmental stewardship, albeit such potential is more likely to be realised through concurrent development of appropriate ethical, moral and legal dimensions.

Abstract Background The rate of germination and other physiological characteristics of seeds that are germinating are impacted by deep sowing. Based on the results of earlier studies, conclusions were drawn that deep sowing altered the physio-biochemical and agronomic characteristics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results In this study, seeds of wheat were sown at 2 (control) and 6 cm depth and the impact of exogenously applied salicylic acid and tocopherol (Vitamin-E) on its physio-biochemical and agronomic features was assessed. As a result, seeds grown at 2 cm depth witnessed an increase in mean germination time, germination percentage, germination rate index, germination energy, and seed vigor index. In contrast, 6 cm deep sowing resulted in negatively affecting all the aforementioned agronomic characteristics. In addition, deep planting led to a rise in MDA, glutathione reductase, and antioxidants enzymes including APX, POD, and SOD concentration. Moreover, the concentration of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids, proline, protein, sugar, hydrogen peroxide, and agronomic attributes was boosted significantly with exogenously applied salicylic acid and tocopherol under deep sowing stress. Conclusions The results of the study showed that the depth of seed sowing has an impact on agronomic and physio-biochemical characteristics and that the negative effects of deep sowing stress can be reduced by applying salicylic acid and tocopherol to the leaves.

The formation of paralogs through gene duplication is a core evolutionary process. For paralogs that encode components of protein complexes such as the ribosome, a central question is whether they encode functionally distinct proteins or whether they exist to maintain appropriate total expression of equivalent proteins. Here, we systematically tested evolutionary models of paralog function using the ribosomal protein paralogs Rps27 (eS27) and Rps27l (eS27L) as a case study. Evolutionary analysis suggests that Rps27 and Rps27l likely arose during whole-genome duplication(s) in a common vertebrate ancestor. We show that Rps27 and Rps27l have inversely correlated mRNA abundance across mouse cell types, with the highest Rps27 in lymphocytes and the highest Rps27l in mammary alveolar cells and hepatocytes. By endogenously tagging the Rps27 and Rps27l proteins, we demonstrate that Rps27- and Rps27l-ribosomes associate preferentially with different transcripts. Furthermore, murine Rps27 and Rps27l loss-of-function alleles are homozygous lethal at different developmental stages. However, strikingly, expressing Rps27 protein from the endogenous Rps27l locus or vice versa completely rescues loss-of-function lethality and yields mice with no detectable deficits. Together, these findings suggest that Rps27 and Rps27l are evolutionarily retained because their subfunctionalized expression patterns render both genes necessary to achieve the requisite total expression of two equivalent proteins across cell types. Our work represents the most in-depth characterization of a mammalian ribosomal protein paralog to date and highlights the importance of considering both protein function and expression when investigating paralogs.

Drought is projected to intensify under warming climate and will continuously threaten global food security. Assessing the risk of yield loss due to drought is key to developing effective agronomic options for farmers and policymakers. However, little has been known about determining the likelihood of reduced crop yield under different drought conditions and defining thresholds that trigger yield loss at the regional scale in Australia. Here, we estimated the dependence of yield variation on drought conditions and identified drought thresholds for 12 Australia's key wheat producing regions with historical yield data by developing bivariate models based on copula functions. These identified drought thresholds were used to investigate drought statistics under climate change with an ensemble of 36 climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). We found that drought-induced yield loss was region-specific. The drought thresholds leading to the same magnitude of wheat yield reduction were smaller in regions of southern Queensland and larger in Western Australia mainly due to different climate and soil conditions. Drought will be more frequent and affect larger areas under future warming climates. Based on our results, we advocate for more effective crop management options, particularly in regions where wheat yield is vulnerable to drought in Australia. This will mitigate potential drought impacts on crop production and safeguard global food security.

In the quest for sustainable, high-yield crop production, achieving the optimal balance between nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) stands as a pivotal goal. We carried out a 3-year field experiment to evaluate the impacts of the combined application of three N rates (90, 120,180 kg N ha−1) and three K rates (120, 160, 210 kg K2O ha−1) on rice yield, fertilizer use efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global warming potential (GWP), GHG intensity (GHGI), and net ecosystem economic benefits (NEEB) in rice paddy. Our results showed that increasing K under the same N treatment proves beneficial for yield gains (average increase of 4.8 %). Such beneficial effect is also reflected in different N treatments, evidenced by the comparable grain yields between N120 × K160 (9.1 t ha−1) and N180×K120 (9.2 t ha−1). Increasing K significantly enhanced N use efficiency (NUE) through the stimulation of NR, GS/GOGAT, and GDH enzyme activities. This enhancement, along with the strengthened radiation use efficiency (4.7 %), contributed to an overall improvement in grain yield. Compared with N180×K120, both rice varieties, under N120×K160 treatment, showed higher NUE with a 47.6 % increase in PFPN, 12.1 % in NHI, 7.6 % in NUEg, and 9.5 % in NUEb, respectively. Higher NUE also reduced GHGI and improved NEEB. Compared with N180 ×K120 treatment, the GWP and GHGI under N120×K160 treatment decreased by 32.7 % and 31.0 %, while the NEEB increased by $31 ha−1. The composite sustainability scores suggested that the N120×K160 treatment was generally more sustainable compared with other treatments. These findings underscore the significance of optimizing N and K application ratios in rice paddy cultivation, not only for maximizing yields and nutrient use efficiency but also for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing economic sustainability, ultimately promoting a more environmentally and economically responsible approach to rice farming.

China’s agricultural sector has long realized innovation to meet burgeoning food demand, yet often innovation has occurred without concurrent consideration of trade-offs on blue water security. We contend that food security and blue water security should be given equal priority if sustainable production and consumption policies are to be defined. Here, we quantify the interplay between blue water and food security in China from 1990 to 2020 using blue water footprint (BWF) and blue water boundary as lenses. We find that national agri-food BWF has grown over time, being only 4 % below the sustainability boundary in 2020, and with the number of provinces with unsustainable system states increasing from nine in 1990s to 17 in 2010s. While blue water security and minimum food security have been achieved since 2012, the food consumption BWF has surpassed national food production and the BWF boundary by 32 % and 26 % in 2020, respectively. Assuming trends continue ceteris paribus, we project that China’s BWF will transgress the sustainability boundary by 2025. Even so, with appropriate intervention in production, supply chains, and consumption guidelines, the food demand/water supply conundrum could be equitable and sustainable, notwithstanding higher food consumption in 2030. This study clearly addressed the contradictions potential balancing between blue water and food security in China at the national scale, and we articulate a simple, scalable approach for nations facing water scarcity to deconstruct drivers of, and develop alternative futures for, sustainable water and food security.

This paper focuses upon the community engagement of young peoplegrowing up in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and the creation ofapt civic learning spaces. It is in direct response to public policy within theUK, as in many other democratic countries, giving continued attention tohow young people’s active citizenship can be best supported. As aconsequence of processes of globalisation, social change and technologicaladvancement it is being increasingly recognised that young citizens faceunprecedented challenges in the 21st century. At the same time youngpeople growing up within areas of socio-economic disadvantage arecommonly identified as being most at risk of social exclusion anddiscouragement with regard to their civic participation.This paper draws from the EngagED project, a two-year study based inEngland that used a mixed methods research approach to explore the civicaction and learning of young people living in both inner city and rural areasof socio-economic disadvantage. It presents an eco-systemic model of thehost of factors and agencies that influence young people’s civic identity andpatterns of community engagement. It outlines two new civic learningspaces that were created in response to these complex ecologies and fromthese experiments in ‘pre-figurative practice’ proposes a set of keyprinciples for the effective civic pedagogue. This radical notion of the civiceducator moves away from educational strategies that seek to ‘transform’young people into good future citizens, towards finding personalised waysof supporting young people ‘as’ citizens.

Ternatin-family cyclic peptides inhibit protein synthesis by targeting the eukaryotic elongation factor-1α. A potentially related cytotoxic natural product ('A3') was isolated from Aspergillus, but only 4 of its 11 stereocentres could be assigned. Here, we synthesized SR-A3 and SS-A3-two out of 128 possible A3 epimers-and discovered that synthetic SR-A3 is indistinguishable from naturally derived A3. Relative to SS-A3, SR-A3 exhibits an enhanced residence time and rebinding kinetics, as revealed by single-molecule fluorescence imaging of elongation reactions catalysed by eukaryotic elongation factor-1α in vitro. An increased residence time-stereospecifically conferred by the unique β-hydroxyl in SR-A3-was also observed in cells. Consistent with its prolonged duration of action, thrice-weekly dosing with SR-A3 led to a reduced tumour burden and increased survival in an aggressive Myc-driven mouse lymphoma model. Our results demonstrate the potential of SR-A3 as a cancer therapeutic and exemplify an evolutionary mechanism for enhancing cyclic peptide binding kinetics via stereospecific side-chain hydroxylation.

Abstract Green manuring is the process by which vegetative crops are incorporated into the soil, and it plays a good substitutable role in reducing chemical fertilizer applications while enhancing soil fertility. Field experiments were conducted at Lingao City of Hainan Province in 2020 and 2021, to evaluate the effects of in situ incorporation of different green manures (fallow (as control), rice, sesbania, and stylosanthes) on soil physical and chemical properties, nitrogen (N) uptake, grain yield, and the grain anthocyanin content in colored rice. Treatments included colored rice cultivated with previous fallow (T0), with previous rice straw manure (T1), with previous sesbania manure (T2), and with previous stylosanthes manure (T3). The seedlings of the colored rice variety Suixiangheinuo were transplanted 23 days after the incorporation of green manure. Our results indicated that both the grain yield and grain anthocyanin content of colored rice were significantly increased when green manure was incorporated into the soil compared to that of the control. Therein, grain yields of T1, T2, and T3 were increased by an average of 12.7%, 29.0%, and 24.5%, respectively, across 2 years in comparison with those of T0. And grain anthocyanin content in colored rice under T1, T2, and T3 was increased by 7.2%–7.5%, 13.9%–24.2%, and 9.8%–20.6%, respectively. In addition, in situ incorporation of leguminous green manure in the soil significantly increased soil fertility and partial factor productivity for N fertilizer. The above results suggested that colored rice crops should be followed in rotation with leguminous green manure, which was beneficial to increasing both grain yield and grain anthocyanin content of colored rice. This research elucidated that the incorporation of leguminous green manure sustained the production of colored rice in tropical regions, which was beneficial to reconcile the relationship between rice production and environmental protection.

Purpose of current study was to determine physicochemical, triglyceride composition, and functional groups of wild adlay accessions (brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple) to find out its scope as cereal crop. Triglycerides, minerals and functional groups were determined through Gas chromatography, spectrophotometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer respectively. Results revealed variation among bulk densities, specific densities, percent empty spaces, and corresponding grain counts per 10 g of sample are useful in distinguishing brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple wild adlay accessions. Specific density and grain count per 10 g sample was significantly related. No statistical relationship exists among the pronounced physical characteristics. Brown adlay expressed the highest protein, fat, and fiber contents 15.82%, 4.76% and 2.37% respectively. Protein, fat, ash, and fiber percent contents were found comparable to cultivated adlay. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed macro elements including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium in the range 0.3% - 2.2% and micro elements boron, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese in the range 1.6 mg/kg - 20.8 mg/kg. Gas chromatography showed polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constitute the primary fraction (39% ± 7.2) of wild adlay triglycerides. Linoleic and palmitic acids were present as prominent fatty acids, 43.5% ±1.4 and 26.3% ±1.4 respectively. Infra-red frequencies distinguished functional groups in narrow band and fingerprint region of protein in association with out of plane region leading to structural differences among adlay accessions. Comparison of major distinguishing vibrational frequencies among different flours indicated black adlay containing highest functional groups appeared promising for varietal development.

Cryptococcal meningitis is the most common neurological infection in HIV infected patients in Sub Saharan Africa, where gold standard treatment with intravenous amphotericin B and 5 flucytosine is often unavailable or difficult to administer. Fluconazole monotherapy is frequently recommended in national guidelines but is a fungistatic drug compromised by uncertainty over optimal dosing and a paucity of clinical end-point outcome data.From July 2010 until March 2011, HIV infected adults with a first episode of cryptococcal meningitis were recruited at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. Patients were treated with oral fluconazole monotherapy 800 mg daily, as per national guidelines. ART was started at 4 weeks. Outcomes and factors associated with treatment failure were assessed 4, 10 and 52 weeks after fluconazole initiation.Sixty patients were recruited. 26/60 (43%) died by 4 weeks. 35/60 (58.0%) and 43/56 (77%) died or failed treatment by 10 or 52 weeks respectively. Reduced consciousness (Glasgow Coma Score 3 of 5) and confusion (Abbreviated Mental Test Score

While atmospheric warming intensifies the global water cycle, regionalised effects of climate change on water loss, irrigation supply, and food security are highly variable. Here, we elucidate the impacts of the climate crisis on irrigation water availability and cropping area in Nepal’s largest irrigation scheme, the Sunsari Morang Irrigation Scheme (SMIS), by accounting for the hydraulic capacity of existing canal systems, and potential changes realised under future climates. To capture variability implicit in climate change projections, we invoke multiple Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; 4.5 and 8.5) across three time horizons (2016–2045, 2036–2065, and 2071–2100). We reveal that although climate change increases water availability to agriculture from December through March, the designed discharge of 60 m3/s would not be available in February-March for both RCPs under all three time horizons. Weed growth, silt deposition, and poor maintenance have reduced the current canal capacity from the design capacity of 60 m3/s to 53 m3/s up to 10.7 km from the canal intake (representing a 12% reduction in the discharge capacity of the canal). Canal flow is further reduced to 35 m3/s at 13.8 km from canal intake, representing a 27% reduction in flow capacity relative to the original design standards. Based on climate projections, and assuming ceteris paribus irrigation infrastructure, total wheat cropping area could increase by 12–19%, 23–27%, and 12–35% by 2016–2045, 2036–2065, and 2071–2100, respectively, due to increased water availability borne by the changing climate. The case for further investment in irrigation infrastructure via water diversion, or installation of efficient pumps at irrigation canal intakes is compelling. Such investment would catalyse a step-change in the agricultural economy that is urgently needed to sustain the Nepalese economy, and thus evoke beneficial cascading implications for global food security.

Water is crucial for enduring horticultural productivity, but high water-use requirements and declining water supplies with the changing climate challenge economic viability, environmental sustainability, and social justice. While the scholarly literature pertaining to water management in horticulture abounds, knowledge of practices and technologies that optimize water use is scarce. Here, we review the scientific literature relating to water requirements for horticulture crops, impacts on water resources, and opportunities for improving water- and transpiration-use efficiency. We find that water requirements of horticultural crops vary widely, depending on crop type, development stage, and agroecological region, but investigations hitherto have primarily been superficial. Expansion of the horticulture sector has depleted and polluted water resources via overextraction and agrochemical contamination, but the extent and significance of such issues are not well quantified. We contend that innovative management practices and irrigation technologies can improve tactical water management and mitigate environmental impacts. Nature-based solutions in horticulture—mulching, organic amendments, hydrogels, and the like—alleviate irrigation needs, but information relating to their effectiveness across production systems and agroecological regions is limited. Novel and recycled water sources (e.g., treated wastewater, desalination) would seem promising avenues for reducing dependence on natural water resources, but such sources have detrimental environmental and human health trade-offs if not well managed. Irrigation practices including partial root-zone drying and regulated deficit irrigation evoke remarkable improvements in water use efficiency, but require significant experience for efficient implementation. More advanced applications, including IoT and AI (e.g., sensors, big data, data analytics, digital twins), have demonstrable potential in supporting smart irrigation (focused on scheduling) and precision irrigation (improving spatial distribution). While adoption of technologies and practices that improve sustainability is increasing, their application within the horticultural industry as a whole remains in its infancy. Further research, development, and extension is called for to enable successful adaptation to climate change, sustainably intensify food security, and align with other Sustainable Development Goals.

Waterlogging increasingly challenges crop production, affecting 10% of global arable land, necessitating the development of pragmatic strategies for mitigating the downside risk of yield penalty. Here, we conducted experiments under controlled (tank) and field conditions to evaluate the efficacy of nitrogenous fertiliser in alleviating waterlogging stress. Without intervention, we found that waterlogging reduced grain yields, spike numbers and shoot biomass, but had a de minimus impact on grain number per spike and increased grain weight. Soil fertiliser mitigated waterlogging damage, enhancing yields via increased spike numbers, with crop recovery post-waterlogging catalysed via improved tiller numbers, plant height and canopy greenness. Foliar nitrogen spray has little impact on crop recovery, possibly due to stomatal closure, while modest urea application during and after waterlogging yielded similar results to greater N application at the end of waterlogging. Waterlogging-tolerant genotypes (P-17 and P-52) showed superior growth and recovery during and after waterlogging compared to the waterlogging-sensitive genotypes (Planet and P-79). A comparison of fertiliser timing revealed that field fertilizer treatment two (F2: 90 kg·ha−1 at 28 DWL, 45 kg·ha−1 at sowing and 45 kg·ha−1 at 30 DR) yielded the highest and fertilizer treatment three (F3: 45 kg·ha−1 at sowing and 45 kg·ha−1 at 30 DR) recovered the lowest yield and spike number, while fertilizer treatment one (F1: 45 kg·ha−1 at 28 DWL, 45 kg·ha−1 at 0 DR, 45 kg·ha−1 at sowing and 45 kg·ha−1 at 30 DR) and four (F4: 90 kg·ha−1 at 0 DR, 45 kg·ha−1 at sowing and 45 kg·ha−1 at 30 DR) had the highest shoot biomass in the field. Treatment five (T5: 180 kg·ha−1 at 0 DR, 30 kg·ha−1 at sowing and 90 kg·ha−1 at 30 DR) presented the most favourable results in the tank. Our results provide rigorous evidence that long periods of waterlogging caused significant yield penalty, mainly due to decreased spike numbers. We contend that increasing fertiliser rates during waterlogging up to 90 kg·ha−1 can provoke crop growth and mitigate waterlogging-induced grain yield losses, and is more beneficial than applying nitrogen post-waterlogging.

No abstract available.

For thousands of years, plants have been utilized for medicinal purposes. For its naturally existing antibacterial properties, Nigella sativa is one of the most researched herbs. A study was conducted during rabi 2020-21 at The University of Haripur in order to evaluate the potential of ascorbic acid as plant growth enhancer. Two concentrations of ascorbic acid i-e 350 μm and 400 μm were sprayed along with control and water only spray on Nigella sativa crop. The study was arranged in RCBD two factor factorial arrangement. Factor A: ascorbic acid concentrations along with control and water spray, factor B: Growth stages (Stage1 = 40 days after sowing, Stage 2 = 80 DAS, Stage 3 = 120 DAS, Stage 4 = 40 + 80 DAS, Stage 5 = 40 + 120 DAS, Stage 6 = 80 + 120 DAS, Stage 7 = 40 + 80 + 120 DAS). Crop was sown in first week of November. Results reviled that chlorophyll b content, fixed oil content, 1000 seed weight, grain yield, Photosynthetic rate (μ mole m−2s−1), Transpiration rate (mmole m−2s−1), photosynthetic water use efficiency, Internal CO2 concentration (Ci) of leaf tissue and Stomatal conductance (mmole m−2s−1) were significantly affected by ascorbic acid concentrations and stage of application. Crop growth rate increased by 19.88% and 17.29%, chlorophyll b by 12.3% and 11.2%, fixed oil by 11.7% and 9%, grain yield by 10.29% and 9.8%, harvest index by 4% and 5.7% photosynthetic rate by 33%, 20% and stomatal conductance by 24.24% and 24.25 with application of ascorbic acid @ 350 μm, over control and water spray respectively. On the basis of these results it is concluded that application of ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 μm, followed by ascorbic acid at the rate of 400 μm significantly improves black cumin (Nigella sativa) yield and production. Hence it is recommended to apply ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 μm at 40 + 80+120 days after sowing of Nigella sativa crop for obtaining maximum results.

Abstract This review explores the potential of genetically engineering cyanobacteria with the aim of synthesizing high‐value protein directly from atmospheric nitrogen. The article examines numerous techniques that may enhance protein synthesis in cyanobacteria, and discusses advantages, barriers, and opportunities for this strategy going forward. Genetic manipulation of cyanobacteria shows promise in sustainably raising protein production via reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower dependence on synthetic fertilizers, but also potentially fewer environmental implications traditionally caused by conventional protein production methods. The article uncovers many difficulties in genetically modifying cyanobacteria for protein production. For example, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have legal and regulatory ramifications that must be accounted for if ethical, moral and secure use of these technologies is to be ensured. Economic viability, too, must be evaluated, taking into consideration production costs, scalability, market demand and future market potential. We suggest that processing of cyanobacterial proteins in downstream stages need further development. Effective and economical methods are needed for protein extraction, purification, and formulation into commercially viable products. For successful application of cyanobacterial protein production at scale, such obstacles must be overcome. We conclude that genetic engineering of cyanobacteria for protein synthesis has a great deal of potential to offer a resource‐effective and sustainable replacement for the synthesis of high‐value proteins, so promoting a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.

While livelihoods of Somalian livestock smallholders rely heavily on seasonal climate conditions, little is known of long-term implications of the changing climate for this nation. Here, we quantify implications of the changing climate on the productivity and profitability of livestock smallholders across a rainfall gradient in northwestern Somalia. Using the Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) model, we explore 80 future climate realisations, with global climate model projections including low- and high-impact socio-economic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585), two climate horizons (2040 and 2080) and four case study farm regions. In general, future seasonal and annual rainfall and temperature relative to the baseline period (1981–2020) increased for most regions. Mean annual temperatures increased by 9%–14%, while cumulative annual precipitation increased by 37%–57% from mid to late century, respectively. Grassland production increased with later climate horizons, as higher average annual rainfall together with elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide drove up growth rates in spring and autumn. Under the low emissions scenario (SSP245), changes in farm profit were modest or positive, ranging from negative 4% in Berbera–20% plus in Sheikh. Under the higher emissions scenario (SSP585), farm profits were higher, ranging from 23% to 42% above baseline profits, largely due to greater pasture production and lower requirements for supplementary feed. We conclude that future climates will benefit the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in Somalia, although more agile farm management will be required to cope with increased seasonal climate variability.