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Biomass waste is an abundant resource. The current biomass valorisation is focused on purified or more homogeneous streams of waste, such as spent grains from breweries. Mixed plant biomass waste is usually not valorised due to the high cost of separation, collection and transportation. Moreover, the challenge extends to space exploration, where the management of mixed plant biomass waste through storage or incineration is not sustainable for long-duration missions. Additionally, Rockwool, widely used in hydroponics both terrestrially and in space, presents health hazards and environmental disposal issues. There's a critical need to valorise mixed plant biomass waste and to develop safer, more eco-friendly substrates for plant growth. This study presents a circular approach to convert mixed plant biomass waste into bioplastics for plant growth substrates, with the process completed by recycling plant residues back into bioplastics. Mixed garden waste was treated with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) to enhance cellulose content by 75% while decreasing hemicellulose and lignin contents. The effectiveness of AHP in extracting cellulose was verified using FTIR and SEM analyses. Cellulose was transformed into cellulose acetate (CA) using a green acetylation process, achieving a degree of substitution of 2.5. Triethyl citrate (TEC) plasticized the CA, which was then 3D printed into porous structures for growing garden peas. Post-harvest, the plant debris was reconverted into CA, showcasing a sustainable cycle of plant biomass waste valorisation. This research has proved the concept of converting mixed plant biomass waste into growth substrates for hydroponic systems, offering advantages to the space, horticulture, waste management, and bioplastics sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of tons of zinc plant leach residues (ZPLR) have been stockpiled in Iranian hydrometallurgical zinc plants during the last few decades. Due to the low grades of zinc, lead, and silver in these residues, these residues have been abandoned without treatment. The authors of this paper studied zinc plant leach residues (ZPLR) to propose a flotation process for separating and producing lead and silver concentrate. A response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to obtain six models for optimizing the best conditions for lead recovery, lead grade, zinc recovery, zinc grade, silver recovery, and silver grade. In these models, the effect of the different main variables, including density, flotation time, pH, sodium sulfide dosage, and potassium amyl xanthate dosage, was investigated to optimize grades and recoveries. The studied ZPLRs were categorized into two types based on the disposal time, including new and old residues. The chemical analysis showed that the grades of lead, zinc, and silver in the new residues are higher than in the old residues. In a previous mineralogical study, it was found that silver forms in lead and zinc minerals as a solid solution within their structures. The resulting 3D graphs showed that the interacting variables have significant effects on responses. The ANOVA analysis exhibited the order of model significance to be lead grade (F-value of 36.46) > silver grade (19.76) > lead recovery (7.88) > zinc grade (5.63) > silver recovery (5.58) > zinc recovery (4.83). Based on these models, under the conditions of 1126.26 g/cm3 density, 20.83 min retention time, 9.9 pH, 6 kg/t sodium sulfide, and 749.66 g/t potassium amyl xanthate dosage for a new residue type, the recoveries of lead, zinc, and silver were determined to be 51.10%, 11.13%, and 72.85%, with grades of 38.87% Pb, 8.46% Zn, and 1209.11 g/t Ag, respectively. According to the feasibility study results, the presented work is reasonable in terms of technical, economic, and investment potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coastal zone of Lake Shira (The Republic of Khakassia), in forty-year-old artificial forest plantations of Siberian larch, Siberian elm, and Scots pine growing on loamy dark carbonate-accumulative agrozems (Chernozems), the state of soil microbial communities and the rate of restoration of their biological activity after the ground fire of 2015 were assessed. The condition of the soil under forest plantations was studied using physicochemical, microbiological, enzymological, and respirometric methods. In 2015 (after the fire), the intense input of the products of pyrogenesis into the soil resulted in the high values of microbial biomass (3458 mg C/g soil) and microbial respiration intensity (12.23 μg C–CO2/(g h). During 2017–2019, a decrease in the content of humus and biophilic elements and a slowdown in the activity of carbohydrate and phosphorus metabolism were generally observed in the soils of the studied plots. At the same time, in 2017, the highest cellulose-decomposing activity was observed because of the intensive mineralization of burnt plant residues. By 2023, a gradual increase in the humus content, the total number of microorganisms, and the microbial biomass took place against the background of a significant decrease in the values of the microbial metabolic quotient. These features indicate a tendency for the restoration of the functional activity of soil microbial cenoses. The biological activity of the soil in the postfire sites restored faster than that in the soil of completely burnt areas; the species composition of the tree stand affected the main soil parameters that differed under different stands, which was confirmed by the principal component analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of belowground plant residues to soil carbon stock is estimated and the main factors potentially influencing the stock of root detritus are analyzed in 67 test plots situated in different natural-climatic zones of the Krasnoyarsk region and mountain forests of the western and eastern Cisbaikalia (Irkutsk oblast and Republic of Buryatia). The studies involve both the undisturbed old-growth forests and the forest ecosystems affected by clear cutting, wildfires, and aerotechnogenic pollution. The carbon stock in root residues is comparable to that in the forest litter and is even 1.3–1.9-fold larger in some cases, accounting for 3.6–167% of the carbon stock in soil humus. This stock and its contribution to the soil carbon pool of organic matter depend on the forest-forming species, soil type, and natural- climatic zone and can significantly increase as a result of impacts that disturb the aboveground vegetation and the pool of plant residues on soil surface. The underestimation of this component when assessing the forest ecosystem carbon budgets can lead to the underestimation of total soil carbon stock by 5–32% in undisturbed forest ecosystems and up to 40% after various disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study explores the recovery and preparation of Pb from Zn plant residues (ZPR), specifically leaching filter cake (LFC), through a hydrometallurgical process that includes the cementation of Pb using Zn and Al powder. The process consists of three key stages: acidic washing of zinc, alkali leaching, and the subsequent cementation of lead using zinc and aluminum powder. The effects of various parameters such as powder amount, temperature, reaction time, and stirring speed on the reaction kinetics were systematically examined. Optimal separation conditions were determined for both zinc and aluminum powder, with Pb cementation achieving 97.56% and 99.95% respectively, under specific conditions. Additionally, a kinetic study was conducted to evaluate the reaction mechanisms and activation energies associated with Pb cementation using zinc and aluminum powder. The results indicated that Pb cementation was powder-controlled in both cases, with reaction activation energies of 8.6 kJ/mol and 4.6 kJ/mol using zinc and aluminum powder, respectively. Furthermore, the use of aluminum powder demonstrated several advantages including enhanced performance, high purity of Pb product, and reduced powder consumption. This research advances the optimization and understanding of Pb recovery processes from ZPR, emphasizing the potential of aluminum powder as a promising alternative for effective lead cementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides constitute a major threat to biodiversity, but our understanding of the complex interactions between local and landscape factors influencing their distribution in agroecosystems remains limited. We conducted a pioneering study where we screened spiders, rodents, plants and soils for multiple pesticide residues in perennial crops (orchards and vineyards) managed under organic (N = 8) and integrated pest management (N = 8) systems. We then quantified the proportional representation of major habitat types in surrounding landscapes. Additionally, we conducted interviews with farmers to gain precise insights into pesticide applications. We expected that landscape factors would be more important for mobile entities (i.e. spiders and rodents), while management type would be relatively more important for the sedentary entities (i.e. soils and plants). We detected various pesticides within studied crop types, including several forbidden in the European Union. We found that pesticide distribution in spiders was influenced by the proportion of semi‐natural habitats in the landscape, with pesticide concentration decreasing as the proportion of semi‐natural habitats increased. Additionally, we observed that the spectrum of pesticides in spiders increased with the dominance of web‐building spiders. In contrast, pesticide levels in rodents were not affected by either landscape composition or local management type. For plants, pesticide distribution was affected by the proportion of forests and shrublands and, to some extent, by local management practices. In the case of soil, pesticide distribution was primarily determined by local management. This study marks an effort in demonstrating that both local and landscape factors play crucial roles in shaping pesticide distribution within perennial crops. Importantly, the relative importance of these factors varied across the four matrices investigated. Synthesis and applications: To comprehend the factors that determine pesticide distribution in crops, it is crucial to monitor diverse ecosystem components rather than focusing on a few model species. This approach underscores the necessity for ecologically sensitive management at landscape scale. Such management should involve the preservation and enhancement of (semi)natural habitats around crops. These combined insights can form the foundation for conservation and management initiatives aimed at mitigating the impact of pesticides on biodiversity within crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the modification of fiber morphology and the strength property development of paper from Enset fiber as a function of soda pulping conditions and refining energy. Soda pulping was conducted at pulping temperatures between 160 and 180 °C. The NaOH charge was 16, 20, and 24% based on the initial raw material. The beating of pulp was conducted using a Jokro mill. The refining of pulp was conducted in a laboratory refiner at different refining intensities. The mild Jokro mill beating was not effective on Enset fiber pulp. On the other hand, the laboratory refiner effectively refined the pulp. The fiber morphology was altered in the way of improving the paper formation and strength. The beating degree of the pulp was increased to about 49 °SR. The tensile index was enhanced to around 80 Nm/g using a refining energy input of 250 kwh/t. From the results, it can be concluded that Enset fiber pulp is suitable for packaging papers due to its high strength level. On the other hand, Enset fiber can be a potential raw material for specialty papers like filter paper and tea bags because of its high porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroisobromine cyanuric acid is a highly effective broad-spectrum systemic fungicide for disease control in agricultural crops. In this study, the degradation, residue levels, and potential dietary risks associated with the chloroisobromine cyanuric acid residues in two widely consumed crops, pepper and ginger, were evaluated through supervised field experiments conducted at 12 sites for pepper and 4 sites for ginger in China in 2021. A QuEChERS-LC-MS/MS method was established for quantifying cyanuric acid (CYA) in both crops. The method achieved a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg kg−1 for ginger and 0.05 mg kg−1 for pepper, with recovery rates ranging from 91% to 96% for ginger and 84% to 89% for pepper and the relative standard deviation of 2.9% to 11.2% for ginger and 2.8%~12.9% for pepper, respectively. The results indicated that CYA had half-lives ranging from 3.1 to 8.2 days in pepper, and the terminal CYA residues at harvest were all lower than 5 mg kg−1, the maximum residue limit established in China. Furthermore, the chronic dietary risk exposure to chloroisobromine cyanuric acid in ginger and pepper, harvested at a pre-harvest interval of three days and at the normal harvesting time after the application of 50% chloroisobromine cyanuric acid soluble powder (SP), was 37.96%, which was much lower than 100%, indicating no significant health risks to the Chinese population. This study provides basic data for establishing the MRLs and serving as a reference for developing the analytical method applicable to CYA residues in different plant matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the fate of organic carbon in thawed permafrost is crucial for predicting climate feedback. While minerals and microbial necromass are known to play crucial roles in the long‐term stability of organic carbon in subsoils, their exact influence on carbon persistence in Arctic permafrost remains uncertain. Our study, combining radiocarbon dating and biomarker analyses, showed that soil organic carbon in Alaskan permafrost had millennial‐scale radiocarbon ages and contained only 10%–15% microbial necromass carbon, significantly lower than the global average of ~30%–60%. This ancient carbon exhibited a weak correlation with reactive minerals but a stronger correlation with mineral weathering (reactive iron to total iron ratio). Peroxidase activity displayed a high correlation coefficient (p < 10−6) with Δ14C and δ13C, indicating its strong predictive power for carbon persistence. Further, a positive correlation between peroxidase activity and polysaccharides indicates that increased peroxidase activity may promote the protection of plant residues, potentially by fostering the formation of mineral‐organic associations. This protective role of mineral surfaces on biopolymers was further supported by examining 1451 synchrotron radiation infrared spectra from soil aggregates, which revealed a strong correlation between mineral OH groups and organic functional groups at the submicron scale. An incubation experiment revealed that increased moisture contents, particularly within the 0%–40% range, significantly elevated peroxidase activity, suggesting that ancient carbon in permafrost soils is vulnerable to moisture‐induced destabilization. Collectively, this study offers mechanistic insights into the persistence of carbon in thawed permafrost soils, essential for refining permafrost carbon‐climate feedbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In agriculture, plant protection products are used to improve crop yields. They pose a threat to organisms that are not the target of their control. For this purpose, biopesticides have been used, which are supposed to show less toxicity to the environment and non-targeted organisms. On the other hand, natural pesticides can also show toxicity to insects. The honey bee is one of the insects that is still exposed to contact with residues of plant protection products, which poses a threat to this organism. Honey bees use pollen and nectar from flowers to produce food. Because they often forage on crops, they are at risk of being exposed to plant protection products (PPPs), both directly and in stored food. Due to the adverse effects of synthetic PPPs on pollinators, biopesticides may be a viable alternative. Common tansy extract is used as one of the natural substitutes for synthetic pesticides. In our study, the effect of fermented common tansy extract on aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP) activity and the concentration of triglycerides (TGs), total protein (TP), total antioxidant status (TAS), and glucose in honey bee workers' hemolymph was assessed. These biochemical markers give valuable information about the immunity, detoxification, and nutrition of a bee's body. Caged bees were given tansy extract added at various concentrations in sugar syrup for 24 h. Then, they were provided with only sugar syrup. After 7 days of the experiment, hemolymph was collected and analyzed. We observed changes in the activity of AST, ALT, GGTP enzymes and TG, TP, and glucose levels, but not all changes were statistically significant. In terms of AST activity, statistically significant differences were found. All groups tested, including the negative control group, showed reduced enzyme activity values compared to the positive control group. In TG concentration, differences were observed between the groups receiving 2% extract and 1% ethanol. Glucose levels differed between the groups receiving 1% extract and 2% extract and between the positive control group and 1% extract. Bee body proper functioning is affected by changes in enzyme activity, especially those responsible for immunity and detoxification, such as AST, ALT, ALP, and GGTP. Despite the short time of bees' exposure to the agent, the results of study show visible effects. Our results provide a basis for further research on the impact of tansy extract on honey bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Xylan is one of the major hemicelluloses in plant cell walls and its xylosyl backbone is often decorated at O‐2 with glucuronic acid (GlcA) and/or methylglucuronic acid (MeGlcA) residues. The GlcA/MeGlcA side chains may be further substituted with 2‐O‐arabinopyranose (Arap) or 2‐O‐galactopyranose (Gal) residues in some plant species, but the enzymes responsible for these substitutions remain unknown. During our endeavor to investigate the enzymatic activities of Arabidopsis MUR3‐clade members of the GT47 glycosyltransferase family, we found that one of them was able to transfer Arap from UDP‐Arap onto O‐2 of GlcA side chains of xylan, and thus it was named xylan 2‐O‐arabinopyranosyltransferase 1 (AtXAPT1). The function of AtXAPT1 was verified in planta by its T‐DNA knockout mutation showing a loss of the Arap substitution on xylan GlcA side chains. Further biochemical characterization of XAPT close homologs from other plant species demonstrated that while the poplar ones had the same catalytic activity as AtXAPT1, those from Eucalyptus, lemon‐scented gum, sea apple, 'Ohi'a lehua, duckweed and purple yam were capable of catalyzing both 2‐O‐Arap and 2‐O‐Gal substitutions of xylan GlcA side chains albeit with differential activities. Sequential reactions with XAPTs and glucuronoxylan methyltransferase 3 (GXM3) showed that XAPTs acted poorly on MeGlcA side chains, whereas GXM3 could efficiently methylate arabinosylated or galactosylated GlcA side chains of xylan. Furthermore, molecular docking and site‐directed mutagenesis analyses of Eucalyptus XAPT1 revealed critical roles of several amino acid residues at the putative active site in its activity. Together, these findings establish that XAPTs residing in the MUR3 clade of family GT47 are responsible for 2‐O‐arabinopyranosylation and 2‐O‐galactosylation of GlcA side chains of xylan. Significance Statement: Xylan is one of the major hemicelluloses in plant cell walls and its GlcA side chains may be further substituted with 2‐O‐Arap or 2‐O‐Gal residues. We have uncovered the functions of a subgroup of MUR3‐clade GT47 members in catalyzing the transfer of 2‐O‐Arap and/or 2‐O‐Gal onto GlcA side chains of xylan, which expands our understanding of glycosyltransferases involved in xylan substitutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OVER 60,000 tons of veterinary antibiotics are used globally annually, with an anticipated increase to 67% by 2030. Florfenicol is a veterinary drug its residues enter the environment through fertilizer (manure) application and waste water in agricultural areas, potentially leading to plant toxicity. In the current study, the veterinary antibiotic florfenicol was tested in two ways: first, in Petri dishes during cultivation, and second, by adding the antibiotic to the soil using germination trays. Various antibiotic concentrations were applied (0.005%, 0.01%, 0.02%, and 0.04% v/v, ml/L). Results from the first experiment exhibited significant decrease in germination rates after 8 days it reached to 18.00, and in shoot, root length to 1.26, 0.92 cm, and fresh,dry seedling weights to 0.47,0.28 mg, with increased concentration compared to the control group. The second experiment demonstrated significant differences in germination rates after 8 days, along with changes in shoot and root length, fresh and dry seedling weights, and leaf count, with most traits decreasing as concentrations increased except for root length, which notably decreased at the 0.04% concentration, it record 4.86 cm. Changes in root structure, including the disappearance of fibrous roots and reduction in root system length, were observed. Germination rates after 4 days showed no significant difference in either experiment. The findings suggest that florfenicol concentrations in the first experiment affected the germination and growth of yellow corn (Zea mays L) plants, starting from the lowest concentration of 0.005%. In the second experiment, using organic-rich soil mitigated the toxic effects of florfenicol at low concentrations, except for the highest concentration of 0.04%. Florfenicol did not cause damage to chloroplasts, as the seedlings recovered their usual appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is a large, dynamic reservoir composed of a complex mixture of plant- and microbe-derived compounds with a wide distribution of cycling timescales and mechanisms. The distinct residence times of individual carbon components within this reservoir depend on a combination of factors, including compound reactivity, mineral association, and climate conditions. To better constrain SOC dynamics, bulk radiocarbon measurements are commonly used to trace biosphere inputs into soils and to estimate timescales of SOC cycling. However, understanding the mechanisms driving the persistence of organic compounds in bulk soil requires analyses of SOC pools that can be linked to plant sources and microbial transformation processes. Here, we adapt approaches, previously developed for marine sediments, to isolate organic compound classes from soils for radiocarbon (14 C) analysis. We apply these methods to a soil profile from an annual grassland in Hopland, California (USA), to assess changes in SOC persistence with depth (down to 1 m). We measured the radiocarbon values of water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), total lipid extracts (TLEs), total hydrolyzable amino acids (AAs), and an acid-insoluble (AI) fraction from bulk and physically separated size fractions (< 2 mm, 2 mm–63 µ m, and < 63 µ m). Our results show that Δ14 C values of bulk soil, size fractions, and extracted compound classes became more depleted with depth, and individual SOC components have distinct age–depth distributions that suggest distinguishable cycling rates. We found that AAs and TLEs cycle faster than the bulk soils and the AI fraction. The AI was the most 14 C-depleted fraction, indicating that it is the most chemically inert in this soil. Our approach enables the isolation and measurement of SOC fractions that separate functionally distinct SOC pools that can cycle relatively quickly (e.g., plant and microbial residues) from more passive or inert SOC pools (associated with minerals or petrogenic) from bulk soils and soil physical fractions. With the effort to move beyond SOC bulk analysis, we find that compound class 14 C analysis can improve our understanding of SOC cycling and disentangle the physical and chemical factors driving OC cycling rates and persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein, derived from plant and microbial residues, constitutes a significant portion of soil nitrogen or organic carbon pool and plays a crucial role in determining soil nitrogen and carbon sequestration. Though diversifying plant species has been regarded as a promising strategy for promoting soil nitrogen or organic carbon accumulation during vegetation restoration or afforestation, how increasing plant species diversity (PSD) would influence soil protein pool remains unknown. We selected 45 plots covering a natural gradient of PSD, which was reflected by the Shannon index and varied from 0.15 to 3.57, in a subtropical karst forest. The major objective was to investigate the impact of increasing PSD on soil protein abundance, with soil protein depolymerization rate and multiple biotic and abiotic variables being measured to explore the underlying mechanism. The relative abundance of soil protein, that is proportion in soil organic matter varied between 24.1 and 34.0% with an average of 29.2 ± 2.3% across the 45 plots. Soil protein abundance increased on average by 1.56% with each unit of PSD increase. Nevertheless, soil protease activity, protein depolymerization rate and microbial amino acid uptake rate all significantly (p < 0.05) decreased as PSD increased. The mechanism underlying the increase of soil protein abundance in response to higher PSD included three aspects, that is stimulating microbial biomass and subsequent microbial residue input to the soil, promoting mineral protection of soil protein via elevating levels of soil exchangeable calcium and magnesium, and decreasing soil protease activity and protein depolymerization due to aggravated soil microbial phosphorus limitation. Synthesis and application: Our study suggests that increasing PSD is an efficient way to promote soil protein accumulation. Given that protein is a major component of soil nitrogen or organic carbon pool, diversifying plant species during vegetation restoration or afforestation would hence benefit soil nitrogen and organic carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cys is one of the least abundant amino acids in proteins. However, it is often highly conserved and is usually found in important structural and functional regions of proteins. Its unique chemical properties allow it to undergo several post-translational modifications, many of which are mediated by reactive oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or carbonyl species. Thus, in addition to their role in catalysis, protein stability, and metal binding, Cys residues are crucial for the redox regulation of metabolism and signal transduction. In this review, we discuss Cys post-translational modifications (PTMs) and their role in plant metabolism and signal transduction. These modifications include the oxidation of the thiol group (S-sulfenylation, S-sulfinylation and S-sulfonylation), the formation of disulfide bridges, S-glutathionylation, persulfidation, S-cyanylation S-nitrosation, S-carbonylation, S-acylation, prenylation, CoAlation, and the formation of thiohemiacetal. For each of these PTMs, we discuss the origin of the modifier, the mechanisms involved in PTM, and their reversibility. Examples of the involvement of Cys PTMs in the modulation of protein structure, function, stability, and localization are presented to highlight their importance in the regulation of plant metabolic and signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline in crop yields is attributed to uneven chemical fertilization practices and poor soil fertility. From a sustainability perspective, the application of beneficial microorganisms alongside a blend of inorganic and organic fertilizers significantly influences crop productivity and food security. Concerns within the scientific community arise from the haphazard and negligent use of fertilizers. Farming communities predominantly reliant on chemical fertilizers often overlook the application of organic alternatives, leading to a gradual decline in soil organic matter and native nutrient levels, ultimately resulting in decreased crop yields. In diverse cropping systems, the amalgamation of chemical, biological, and organic sources sustains soil health, replenishes nutrients, and optimizes crop yields. Plant residues enhance soil microbial activity, expedite nutrient cycling and availability, and aid in preserving soil health through carbon sequestration. Regular utilization of plant residues and other organic materials enriches soil organic matter content, enhancing soil health and productivity. Integrating organic and chemical fertilizers presents a potential avenue to enhance maize and soybean yields in maize-wheat cropping systems, subsequently benefiting wheat crop productivity and profitability. The efficacy of specific soil nutrients can be heightened by combining organic sources with various chemical fertilization techniques. Hence, incorporating phosphorus fertilization alongside phosphorus-mobilizing and solubilizing agents (such as Trichoderma & PSB), along with the integrated management of peach waste materials including residues, compost, and biochar, is imperative for promoting crop growth, increasing seed yields, and fostering environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Petroleum Refinery Engineering is the property of Petroleum Refinery Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding the mechanisms of plant-derived carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) transformation and stabilization in soil is fundamental for predicting soil capacity to mitigate climate change and support other soil functions. The decomposition of plant residues and particulate organic matter (POM) contributes to the formation of mineral-associated (on average more stable) organic matter (MAOM) in soil. MAOM is formed from the binding of dissolved organic matter (ex vivo pathway) or microbial necromass and bioproducts (in vivo pathway) to minerals and metal colloids. Which of these two soil organic matter (SOM) stabilization pathways is more important and under which conditions remains an open question. To address this question, we propose a novel diagnostic model to describe C and N dynamics in MAOM as a function of the dynamics of residues and POM decomposition. Focusing on relations among soil compartments (i.e., modeling in phase space) rather than time trajectories allows isolating the fundamental processes underlying stabilization. Using this diagnostic model in combination with a database of 36 studies in which residue C and N were tracked into POM and MAOM, we found that MAOM is predominantly fueled by necromass produced by microbes decomposing residues and POM. The relevance of this in vivo pathway is higher in clayey soils but lower in C-rich soils and with N-poor added residues. Overall, our novel modeling in phase space proved to be a sound diagnostic tool for the mechanistic investigation of soil C dynamics and supported the current understanding of the critical role of both microbial transformation and mineral capacity for the stabilization of C in mineral soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of waste plant residues in useful work particularly as the source of green dyes in textiles is now a days welcoming by global community. In this study, brown bollygum chips (Litsea glutinosa) called tallow laurel has been explored for silk dyeing using ecofriendly approaches. Extraction has been done in suitable medium and utilized onto fabric before and after microwave (MW) treatment up to 10 min. Response surface methodology was employed to observe the significant of selected dyeing parameters at which shade development with improved colorfastness was observed. It was found that 2 min radiation to both acidic extract of tallow laureal and silk fabric is the useful condition to get colorfast shade when employed before and after mordanting with iron salt and tannic acid solution as eco‐chemical agent, whereas with walnut bark and pine nut hulls extract as eco bio agents. The highest color strength value of 4.58 was observed using tannic acid as postchemical mordant for silk dyeing. The standard methods for fastness as per ISO to light, washing, and rubbing reveal that using selected shades made under ecofriendly cost time and energy effective conditions, stable colorfast hues were rated good with the value of 4/5. Therefore, it is recommended that MW treatment in addition with statistical approach i.e., central composite design used for exploring new dye yielding plant, then using eco‐mordanting technique will help in getting promising colorfast shades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the allelopathic effects of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) on the growth and yield of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Shamamar-Hawler/Kurdistan Region of Iraq using a complete randomized factorial design (CRD) within 3 replications. The roots, shoots, and seeds of wild barley were dried, powdered, and added to the soil at different concentrations (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) in 500 g pots. Each pot was planted with 5 seeds, which were later reduced to 3 seedlings. Growth parameters such as shoot and root lengths, dry weights, number of tillers, weight of spikes, seeds number per plant, and biological yield was measured. The results indicated significant effects of wild barley residues on the studied crops. Wheat showed the highest roots, shoots and total lengths were (29.56 cm, 17.05 cm and 46.58 cm, respectively) and the highest shoots and roots dry weights were (0.24 g and 0.30 g). Barley showed the highest number of stems (1.96) but the lowest shoots and dry weights of roots were (0.11 g and 0.23 g). Wild barley had the highest biological weight and harvest index (HI). Among the plant parts, seed extracts significantly enhanced growth parameters, while roots and shoots extract had the greatest inhibitory effects as wild barley residue concentrations increased. Nevertheless, the HI showed a decline as the concentrations increased, suggesting a detrimental effect on growth efficiency. The study shows the potential of wild barley as a bio-herbicide, emphasizing its allelopathic effects. This suggests that agricultural practices should be carefully considered to maximize the efficiency of crops. Incorporating these results into precision agriculture can greatly improve crop management and increase yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era there are huge quantities of waste organic matter available, creating a big burden to the environment. To address these issues, researchers started to apply effective and microbial induced biotechnological processes that can mitigate these waste matters. In this context, different nature of microbial systems are involved in hydrolysing the waste organic material into fermentable sugar. These can be easily consumed by specific microbial systems like Saccharomyces cerevisiae MTCC 3821 and Clostridium acetobutylicum that produced bioethanol and biobutanol, respectively. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultured in specific media and incubated at rotary shaker with 150 rpm at 30°C for 72 to 96 hours. Ethanol concentrations from different waste matters were found in the range of 1.2-1.5 g.L-1. Ethanol synthesis was done by shake flask experiment with addition of glucose (50 g.L-1) to waste organic hydrolyzed solution. Non-glucose media produced less than 3 g.L-1 ethanol but glucose media produced 4.5 g.L-1. Next, Clostridium acetobutylicum was grown in culture media containing waste organics as sole carbon substrate with pH 7 and then was incubated in anaerobic conditions at 35°C for 72 hours, produced butanol (0.7 to 1.25 g.L-1). This research work promoted biofuels synthesis by keeping a waste mitigation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camelina sativa plant residue was used as feedstock for the production of biogasoline (a mixture of paraffinic and olefinic hydrocarbons) by catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction (cHTL) process. The experiments were conducted at temperature range 200–375°C and pressure range 10–19 MPa. Molecular hydrogen was added for the hydro-deoxygenation processes. Various experiments were performed to understand the contributions of process parameters such as temperature, pressure, hydrogen, and retention time on reaction conversion and products distribution. This was followed by screening of different catalyst supports – γ-Al2O3, HZSM-5, SiO2-Al2O3, SBA-15, and Al2O3-HZSM-5 to understand their impacts as well as catalytic activities. The Al2O3/HZSM-5 exhibited the best properties and was impregnated with a varying range of cobalt metal for the HTL of Camelina sativa. The 5%Co/γ-Al2O3-HZSM-5 catalyst exhibited highest liquefaction conversion (79%) and biogasoline yield (43%) at optimized reaction conditions due to the presence of strong brønsted acidity on the catalyst were that enhanced both the hydrocarbon cracking and hydrogenation leading to the production of low boiling point and low molecular weight hydrocarbon within the boiling point range of fossil gasoline. Across all the data point used in the work, the average deviation was within ± 3%, these are mostly indicated by the error bars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to delve deeper into the alterations in the microbial residual carbon (MRC) accumulation in the Yangtze River's wetland ecosystems as a consequence of afforestation and to evaluate their impact on soil organic carbon (SOC). The hypothesis posited that afforestation could foster soil aggregation by augmenting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) hyphae and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) in deep soil, thereby suppressing the proliferation of genes pivotal to microbial residue decomposition and enhancing MRC accumulation. We collected soil samples at 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80 and 80–100 cm respectively. Metagenomic sequencing, the quantification of soil amino sugars and MRC, soil aggregate distribution profiling and the measurement of AMF mycelium length density alongside GRSP levels were analyzed. Our findings showed that afforestation notably elevated the concentration of soil amino sugars and the levels of total and fungal MRC, with increases ranging from 53%–80% and 82%–135%, respectively, across the five soil depths examined, in stark contrast to the eroded, non-afforested control. The role of MRC in the SOC was observed to escalate with increasing soil depth, with afforestation markedly amplifying this contribution within the 40–60 cm, 60–80 cm and 80–100 cm soil layers. The study concludes that the SOC content in the deeper soil horizons post-afforestation witnessed a significant rise, paralleled by a substantial increase in both total and fungal MRC, which exhibited a robust positive correlation with the SOC levels. This underscores the pivotal role that amino sugar accumulation from microbial residues plays in the retention of SOC in the deeper soil layers of afforested regions, challenging the conventional wisdom that plant residues are recalcitrant to decomposition within forested SOC matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To protect greenhouse crops from pests, millions of liters of toxic solutions are used each year. To ensure food security, it is very important to reduce the consumption of these toxins. Monitoring the pesticide residue in plants and fruits is a vital research topic. In this study, the magnitude and percentage of the contaminated area with the pesticide were evaluated in tomato fruit after treating tomatoes using a High-Voltage Electric Field (HVEF). The parameters related to the HVEF for monitoring pesticide residue changes have been assessed to simulate variable scenarios of the application of pesticides on land. Using an image processing technique, a percentage of pesticide residue reduction was measured in MATLAB. Results: The effect of independent parameters was significantly different, no interaction was significant and it revealed that the penetration of the pesticide does not affect the performance of the HVEF to reduce the residue in tomato samples. Conclusion: The application of HVEF for 10 min is the best performance of the device to reduce pesticide residues. The percentage of pesticide residue reduction, which is an efficient way to monitor pesticide residues in tomatoes utilizing image processing techniques, can also be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era there are huge quantities of waste organic matter available, creating a big burden to the environment. To address these issues, researchers started to apply effective and microbial induced biotechnological processes that can mitigate these waste matters. In this context, different nature of microbial systems are involved in hydrolysing the waste organic material into fermentable sugar. These can be easily consumed by specific microbial systems like Saccharomyces cerevisiae MTCC 3821 and Clostridium acetobutylicum that produced bioethanol and biobutanol, respectively. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultured in specific media and incubated at rotary shaker with 150 rpm at 30°C for 72 to 96 hours. Ethanol concentrations from different waste matters were found in the range of 1.2-1.5 g.L-1. Ethanol synthesis was done by shake flask experiment with addition of glucose (50 g.L-1) to waste organic hydrolyzed solution. Non-glucose media produced less than 3 g.L-1 ethanol but glucose media produced 4.5 g.L-1. Next, Clostridium acetobutylicum was grown in culture media containing waste organics as sole carbon substrate with pH 7 and then was incubated in anaerobic conditions at 35°C for 72 hours, produced butanol (0.7 to 1.25 g.L-1). This research work promoted biofuels synthesis by keeping a waste mitigation strategy.

Although phytoremediation is more economical when compared with traditional physical and chemical soil remediation methods, it remains very expensive when considering the substantial area of the contaminated field. If the quantity of harvested residues can be reduced after each phytoremediation cycle, the practicability and commercial implementation of this environment friendly method can be improved. In this study, cadmium excretion on the leaf surface of Festuca arundinacea was evaluated under various blue and red light conditions. The results indicated that the percentage of decaying and deceased leaves increased by 8.5%, 31.1%, 59.7%, and 35.9% at a blue light ratio of 10%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, respectively, when compared with the control. The highest cadmium concentration was found in decaying and deceased leaves under 75% blue light treatment. Light treatments also altered the excreted cadmium amount on different leaf types. Under all treatments including the control, significantly more cadmium can be washed off from emerging and mature leaves than from decaying and deceased leaves, owing to the detoxification mechanism of the plant (p < 0.05). The differences in cadmium excretion on senescent and dead leaves under all treatments were not statistically significant, but the mass of cadmium excretion on young leaves under 75% and 100% blue light irradiation were significantly higher than that under other treatments (p < 0.05). Herein, a novel phytoremediation method involving the harvesting decaying and deceased leaves and washing emerging and mature leaves was proposed to decrease the costs of plant residue disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted in the warehouse of the Department of Biology / College of Education for Pure Sciences for the 2023-2024 season to study the effect of adding levels of hydrogel (0, 2, 4) gm/kg of soil and residues of the vegetative part of soybeans at levels (0, 4, 8) gm/kg soil in the mineral content of yellow corn plants soaked with concentrations of (0,100, 200 ppm) of ascorbic acid. The results were analyzed using a completely randomized design and a factorial experiment with three replications. The results confirmed the existence of a discrepancy in the effect of soybean residues on mineral elements, as they ranged between inhibition and stimulation, as the residues had a stimulating effect on the calcium and nitrogen elements, While its effect was inhibitory to the element sodium and magnesium, and the addition of hydrogel showed a stimulating effect in all the nutritional elements mentioned above. On the other hand, there was a significant superiority in the content of the elements with an increase in the concentration of ascorbic acid compared to the control treatment without addition. The interactions showed a stimulating effect, especially the interaction of hydrogel levels with ascorbic acid concentrations in the studied characteristics

Kombucha is a well-known fermented beverage traditionally made from black tea infusion. Recent studies have focused on finding alternative materials to create novel kombucha beverages with various health benefits. In this study, we prepared and evaluated two novel kombucha beverages using Rhodiola rosea and Salvia miltiorrhiza as materials. The effects of fermentation with the residue of these plants on the kombucha were also investigated. The antioxidant activities, total phenolic contents, and concentrations of the bioactive compounds of the kombucha beverages were determined by the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity test, ferric-reducing antioxidant power test, Folin–Ciocalteu method, and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The results revealed that the kombucha beverages made with Rhodiola rosea and Salvia miltiorrhiza had strong antioxidant capacities and abundant phenolic contents. Additionally, the kombucha fermented with Rhodiola rosea residue had higher FRAP, TEAC and TPC values than that fermented without residue. On the other hand, the Salvia miltiorrhiza kombucha fermented with residue had similar FRAP and TEAC values but lower TPC values compared to that fermented without residue. The correlation analysis showed that gallic acid, salidroside, and tyrosol were responsible for the antioxidant abilities and total phenolic contents of the Rhodiola rosea kombucha, and salvianolic acid A and salvianolic acid B contributed to the antioxidant abilities of the Salvia miltiorrhiza kombucha. Furthermore, the kombucha fermented with Rhodiola rosea residue had the highest sensory scores among the kombucha beverages studied. These findings suggest that Rhodiola rosea and Salvia miltiorrhiza are suitable for making novel kombucha beverages with strong antioxidant abilities and abundant phenolic contents, which can be used in preventing and managing oxidative stress-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the sorption capacity and field application of activated carbons (ACs) derived from plant residues for the remediation of oil-contaminated soils. ACs were prepared from rice husks, reed stalks, pine sawdust and wheat straw using two-stage pyrolysis and chemical activation with potassium hydroxide. The structural and physicochemical properties of these ACs were analyzed using BET surface area measurements, SEM analysis, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Sorption experiments at room temperature demonstrated that AC from rice husks (OSL) exhibited the highest sorption capacities for gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel, with values of 9.3 g/g, 9.0 g/g and 10.1 g/g, respectively. These results are attributed to the well-developed microporous and mesoporous structures of OSL, as confirmed by SEM images and a BET surface area of 2790 m2/g. Field tests conducted at the "Zhanatalap" oil deposit showed that the ACs effectively reduced the oil content in contaminated soils from 79.2 g/kg to as low as 2.6 g/kg, achieving a purification degree of up to 67% within 16 days. This study highlights the critical role of structural properties, such as porosity and graphitization degree, in enhancing the sorption efficiency of ACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-tillage planters need to be equipped with row cleaners to remove post-harvest plant residue from the seedbed. The two-disc row cleaners cannot effectively remove the plant residue at high speed because the working depth is unstable, which leads to poor seeding quality of the seeder. A straw cleaning unit with double air springs was designed to achieve better straw cleaning performance at high speeds. The analysis of the mechanical characteristics of the double air spring system showed that it enabled separate adjustment of force and stiffness. A dynamic model of the straw cleaning unit was established, and the effectiveness of the double air spring system with adjustable stiffness in stabilizing the working depth of the row cleaners was analyzed. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the straw cleaning performance and consistency of downforce against the ground of the straw cleaning unit with double air springs at different high speeds. The results showed that the stiffness of the double air spring system for better straw cleaning performance of the straw cleaning unit was different at different working speed, and the required stiffness increased as the working speed increased; When the working speed was 8- 12 km/h, the coefficient of variation of cleaned strip width was 6.9%-12.1%, the straw cleaning rate was 81.6%-92.2% and the root mean square error of downforce was 19.93-28.63 N; the coefficient of variation of cleaned strip width was moderately positively correlated with the root mean square error of downforce, and the cleaned strip width consistency was better when the root mean square error of downforce was lower than 25.00 N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of pesticides in agriculture is constantly rising in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Over the past decade, pesticide use per unit area of agricultural land has almost tripled. In 2008, this figure was 0.2 kg/ha, while in 2018, it reached 0.593 kg/ha. In crop production, pesticide application contaminates the soil, water, and plants with toxic residues, negatively affecting human health and the environment. Organic agriculture provides high-quality food and sustainable rural development. However, the development of organic crop production is slow in Kazakhstan. To date, field areas processed using organic production technologies are about 200,000 ha in Kazakhstan, as confirmed by European certifying organizations. In organic agriculture, employing biological agents (manures, straw, siderates, and biofertilizers), according to biological buffering laws, without disturbing the ecological balance, contributes to maintaining soil fertility and enhancing environmentally safe productivity. Plant protection measures require implementation through producing resistant crop genotypes and non-chemical methods like mechanical and biological in organic agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to Article 12 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA has reviewed the maximum residue levels (MRLs) currently established at European level for the pesticide active substance difenoconazole. To assess the occurrence of difenoconazole residues in plants, processed commodities, rotational crops and livestock, EFSA considered the conclusions derived in the framework of Council Directive 91/414/EEC, the MRLs established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission as well as the European authorisations reported by Member States and the UK (including the supporting residues data). Based on the assessment of the available data, MRL proposals were derived, and a consumer risk assessment was carried out. Some information required by the regulatory framework was missing and a possible acute risk to consumers was identified. Hence, the consumer risk assessment is considered indicative only, some MRL proposals derived by EFSA still require further consideration by risk managers and measures for reduction of the consumer exposure should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basalt powder (BP) is the residue of a plant that crushes basalt stones. This work deals with the effect of waste BP on the properties of cement mortars and the physical properties of hardened mortars. Modified concrete was prepared by partial replacement of BP in amount of 5, 10, 20% by weight of cement. Physico-mechanical properties and corrosion resistance were investigated. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to examine the corrosion behavior of cement pastes with a partial addition of basalt powder in aggressive solutions of 5% NaCl and 5% MgCl2 for up to 270 days. Infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were also performed to investigate the hydration process and microstructure formation of the basalt blended paste. Results indicate that the addition of basalt powder as a partial replacement of cement influences the microstructure of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), which is denser and stronger than in cement paste without basalt powder. The filler effect of the basalt powder improves the compressive strength of cement paste. Also, comparing BP0 and BP20 in 5% NaCl after 270 days, the partial substitution of cement with BP resulted in a higher compressive strength of 671 and 895 kg/cm2, respectively. The EIS results also showed the highest values of Rp 953 ohms cm2 after 270 days. This high corrosion resistance might indicate the binding by high Al2O3 that reduced the free aggressive chloride ions in the solution. Article Highlights: The addition of basalt powder as a partial replacement of cement, improved the compressive strength of the concrete. The physicochemical and mechanical investigations showed that the basalt addition led to physical densification and more ITZ robust of cement matrix. EIS measurements showed that BP20 sample in 5% NaCl had a high Rp, 953 ohms cm2 after 270 days indicated higher corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of agricultural residues in biogas plants is becoming increasingly important, as they represent an efficient and sustainable substrate alternative. Pelletizing straw can have positive effects on transportation, handling, and biogas production. In this study, different grain straw pellets from mobile and stationary pelleting plants in Germany as well as the corresponding untreated straw were characterized and investigated for their suitability for anaerobic digestion (AD). Therefore, tests on the biochemical methane potential (BMP) and the chemical–physical characterization of unpelletized straw and straw pellets were carried out. The characterization of the pellets and the straw revealed a high average total solid content of 91.8% for the industrially produced straw pellets and of 90.8% for the straw. The particle size distribution within the tested pellet samples varied greatly depending on the pelleting process and the pre-treatment of the straw. In addition, a high C/N ratio of 91:1 on average was determined for the straw pellets, whereas the average higher heating value (HHV) content of the pellets was 17.58 MJ kg−1. In the BMP tests, the methane production yields ranged from 260–319 normal liter (NL) CH4 kg−1 volatile solids (VS) for the straw pellets and between 262 and 289 NL CH4 kg−1 VS for the unpelletized straw. Overall, pelleting increases the methane yield on average from 274 to 286 NL CH4 kg−1 VS, which corresponds to an increase in methane yield of 4.3%. Based on the results, the feasibility of using straw pellets for AD could be confirmed, which can facilitate the possibility of increased biogas production from agricultural residues such as straw pellets and thus make the substrate supply more sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Considering the extensive cultivation of wheat in the drylands of Kermanshah province and farmers' lack of proper management of plant residues, it is necessary to think of a solution for the appropriate management of residues and wheat cultivation. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different tillage systems on soil physical characteristics and quantitative traits of varying wheat cultivars in the drylands of the Dalahoo region. Materials and Methods: A split-plot experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Tillage systems (conventional, reduced, and no-tillage) were investigated as main plots, and 26 wheat genotypes were analyzed as secondary plots. Soil physical characteristics and wheat yield and yield components were also investigated. Results: The results showed significant changes in the physical characteristics of the soil, the change of soil organic matter, and the yield and yield components of wheat. They were affected by tillage systems, genotype, and the interaction effect of tillage in genotype. The results showed that with increasing depth, soil temperature decreased, and soil moisture increased. Conclusion: In no-till cultivation, the change of soil organic matter was less than in other tillage systems. The highest wheat grain yield (6658 kg.ha-1 ) was under the interaction effect of the Mirzabey (Durum) genotype (genotype 24) in the no-tillage system. Conservation tillage proves the importance of residues on the soil surface in maintaining moisture in drylands, and probably in Dalahoo areas, conservation tillage methods are better for improving yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for electronics necessitates the development of novel environmentally responsible materials. A potential approach involves incorporating renewable and sustainable materials with mechanical and electrical properties while ensuring environmentally friendly disposal. Herein, this study reports the dielectric properties of chitosan (CS) reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals (CN) extracted from post‐harvest tomato plant residue. The resulting bionanocomposite material demonstrated remarkable characteristics, including dielectricity, transparency, thermal stability, and mechanical robustness. Additionally, the effect of high‐loading fillers (5 and 10 wt %) on the final properties of the material is investigated, as well as the effect of surface functionality of the CNs. The results showed that both the high‐loading fillers and the surface functionality of the CNs had a significant impact on the properties of the nanocomposite material. The bionanocomposite materials produced in this study hold great potential as an eco‐friendly substitute for conventional electronic materials and beyond. Its dielectric, transparent, thermally stable, and mechanically robust properties render it well‐suited for diverse applications. Highlights: The phosphorylated groups insured high Crl (%) and high interface between the filler and matrix.High interface and crystallinity enhanced the mechanical characteristics.Low crystallinity increases the dielectric constant, case of 5% CNS.Filler' type can tailor and optimize the energy dissipation up to tan δ = 0.5 for 5% CNP.Detection of Warburg impedance proves the interface polarization presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effect of fertilization systems on indicators of cellulose-degrading activity of microorganisms of a typical deep heavy loamy chernozem under the bed technology of growing garden strawberries using drip irrigation. Methods. Comparative profile, microbiological, mathematical and statistical. The cellulose-destroying activity of soils was carried out by the method of deep sowing of soil suspension on a dense agarized medium (Hutchinson-Clayton agar). The glucose formed after the decomposition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was determined by titration with sodium hyposulfite. Also, the activity of cellulose-destroying microorganisms was additionally evaluated by the rate of decomposition of cotton fabric (size 10*10 cm) during six months. The degree of decomposition was calculated based on the difference in weight. Results. Statistical analysis of the results of our research confirmed the significant influence on indicators of the number of cellulose-degrading microorganisms and cellulase activity of such factors as sampling depth and fertilization system, in particular, sampling depth has a more significant effect than fertilization system and vice versa, the fertilization system has a more significant effect on decomposition fabrics The highest activity of cellulase is characteristic of chernozem of the fallow area, and among the strawberry variants, the highest indicators were recorded under the condition of using organic fertilizers. An increase in cellulase activity at a depth of 20-30 cm in arable land as a result of plowing plant residues was noted. The highest cellulase activity was recorded in chernozem from the fallow area (6.4-11.2 µg of glucose per 1 g of soil in 7 days) and somewhat lower in strawberries, and comparing fertilization systems, we are talking about the positive effect of organic fertilizers (5.2-6.7 µg of glucose per 1 g of soil for 7 days). Conclusion. The largest number of cellulose-destroying microorganisms was recorded in summer, but enzymatic activity is greater in spring and autumn. Perennial strawberry plantations have higher biological activity compared to arable land, and a comparison of different fertilization systems shows the advantage of organic fertilization. Cultivated soils are characterized by a decrease in the activity of soil enzymes compared to fallow. In the strawberry area, under the organo-mineral system of fertilization, the decomposition of cotton fabric is more intense, even compared to fallow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Тhe development of technologies for processing organic resources, including plant residues, into organic and organomineral fertilizers and their application is relevant. Purpose. Studying the effect of hydrogen peroxide oxidation of plant residues in the presence of sulfuric acid on the composition and functional groups of organic substances. Methodology. The study of the influence of hydrogen peroxide oxidation of plant residues in the presence of sulfuric acid on the composition and functional groups of organic substances is carried out by determining the elemental composition of the organic part of the original plant material and oxidation products, determining the functional groups, graphostatic and IR spectroscopic studies of the original plant material and oxidation products. Originality. For the first time, the degree of oxidation and the kinetics of transformation of plant substances into extractive substances extracted by 1% sodium hydroxide solution were studied, the changes in the chemical composition and functional groups of the formed organic acids during the oxidation of plant residues using hydrogen peroxide in the presence of sulfuric acid were determined. Findings. The elemental composition of the original and oxidized plant residues, the extractive substances extracted by 1% sodium hydroxide solution, and the residual plant residue after extraction of the extractive substances, as well as the content of functional groups in them, have been determined. It has been shown that as a result of the oxidation of plant substances in the latter, the content of oxygen and active functional groups increases, both in the shroud itself and in its extractive substances, including extractive substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of varieties and hybrids of grain crops with the use of scientific technologies with elements of biologization helps to preserve biodiversity and reduce the negative impact on the environment, while simultaneously solving the grain-food problem and providing consumers of the world market with high-quality grain products, especially in conditions of climate change. The article examines Ukraine's prospects on the world market of corn grain and outlines ways to increase the efficiency of its production, taking into account the global challenges and threats of today. The purpose of the article is to establish the long-term dynamics of sown areas, production and yield of maize in Ukraine, ways to increase the export potential of Ukrainian maize based on the complex implementation of high-yielding hybrids and scientific technologies with elements of biologization in the conditions of the negative impact of climate change and other stress factors. The methodological approach takes into account the general concepts of the development and features of agrarian production based on the use of data of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United States Department of Agriculture, United Nations, Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Statistical data on the world production and export of maize grain, the dynamics of sown areas, production and yield of maize in Ukraine are demonstrated, which directly focus attention on the competitiveness of Ukrainian maize on the world grain market. These arguments are confirmed by the analytical results, which show that in 2022, despite the negative impact of the climatic factors and a full-scale armed attack by the russian federation, Ukraine entered the top five global producers and the top four global exporters of maize grain. Conceptually identified key problems, the solution of which will ensure further growth of maize productivity in different soil-climatic conditions. For the effective production of grain maize, a number of adaptation measures are proposed to overcome the negative impact of climate change and other stress factors, which consist in the complex application of high-yielding hybrids and environmentally safe technologies, which include: the use of plant residues with the use of modern biodestructors for the maximum use of their natural mass, which along with the implementation of scientifically based crop rotations, the introduction of organic and mineral fertilizers and plant protection products, will contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the solution of the grain-food problem in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the extensive exposure to imidacloprid residues in food plants, there has been little research on imidacloprid residues in amaranth. The dissipation trend and residue behavior of imidacloprid were evaluated to provide guidelines for imidacloprid application on amaranth under open field and greenhouse. The dissipation rate of imidacloprid in amaranth conformed to the first-order kinetic equation, and the half-lives of imidacloprid in amaranth ranged from 0.29 days in open field to 1.29 days in the greenhouse. After 7 and 14 days from the application of imidacloprid (pesticide dosage, 45 or 67.5 g a.i./ha), the amaranth under the open field and greenhouse growth could be consumed safely with average residues of 0.19 and 0.38 mg/kg, respectively. This result demonstrated that the cultivation has the dominant influence on imidacloprid residue, and the residue of imidacloprid in amaranth planting on open field was much lower than that in the greenhouse, indicating a significant difference in the pesticide residues between the two cultivations with a p-value less than 0.05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants play a crucial role as a removal pathway in constructed wetlands, demonstrating the ability to absorb and tolerate antibiotics from wastewater. However, the specific contribution of plants in this regard has not yet to be sufficiently established. To gain a more comprehensive insight into the associated processes, we selected three common wetland plant species, Canna indica L. (C. indica), Cyperus alternifolius L. (C. alternifolius), and Thalia dealbata Fraser (T. dealbata), to evaluate their capacity for uptake, accumulation, and physiological response in the removal of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) at varying initial concentrations (10, 30, 100, and 300 µg/L) under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that SMX removal was more efficient at lower concentrations (10 and 30 µg/L) than at higher concentrations (100 and 300 µg/L). Moreover, plant systems were found to consistently outperform unplanted systems in SMX removal. Among the assessed species, C. indica was identified as being relatively effective in the removal of SMX, whereas the performance of C. alternifolius was notably less pronounced. A positive correlation was observed between the concentration of SMX in the plant tissues and that in the external aqueous medium. However, plant tissue residues contributed only a minor fraction to the overall removal of SMX. Wetland plants absorb SMX through their roots, and we accordingly detected significantly higher concentrations in submerged plant tissues. Furthermore, we also detected reductions in net photosynthetic rates indicative of potential phytotoxicity, which is associated with the accumulation of antibiotic in the shoot tissues. Accumulation of SMX in the roots and rhizomes was also found to be associated with the development of shorter roots, with this effect becoming more pronounced with an increase in the concentration of exogenous SMX. However, despite these adverse effects, plants can detoxify antibiotics via the glutathione pathway. Of the assessed plant species, C. indica was identified as the most SMX tolerant, as indicated by Km and Vmax values, with C. alternifolius being the least tolerant. Our findings in this study reveal the potential value of wetland plants in the sequestration of antibiotics and provide evidence for the underlying mechanisms of action. These findings could make an important contribution to the implementation of phytoremediation in antibiotic-contaminated water. Three wetland plants with fibrous root systems, namely Canna indica, Cyperus alterniflius, and Thalia dealbata, were selected to investigate the removal efficiencies of sulfamethoxazole in the hydroponic system by different emergent plants, quantify the contribution of uptake and accumulation for sulfamethoxazole in plant tissues, and assess the physiological responses of plants and their effect on the removal of sulfamethoxazole. The knowledge obtained from this study shows the potential use of wetland plants for removing antibiotics and the inherent mechanisms, which will be useful for the application of phytoremediation in antibiotic contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant residue on the soil surface increases the sustainability of food and fiber production in agricultural systems. Automated assessments of residue cover based on imagery have the potential to reduce labor and human bias associated with in-field measurements. We evaluate the capacity of a transfer learning strategy to improve the determination of residue level from high-resolution RGB images. The imagery for the study was collected from 88 field locations in 40 row crop fields in five Missouri counties between mid-April and early July in 2018 and 2019. At each field location, 50 contiguous 0.3 m × 0.2 m region of interest (ROI) images (ground sampling distance of 0.014 cm pixel--1) were extracted from imagery, resulting in a dataset of 4,400 ROI images; 3,000 were used for cross-validation and training (data collected in 2018) and 1,400 were used for testing (data collected in 2019). The percentage residue for each ROI image (ground truth) was determined by a bullseye grid method (n = 100). Features were extracted from ROI images using the VGGNet-16 CNN model, a pre-trained convolutional neural network model. We extracted 1,472 features per ROI using a global averaging and pooling strategy. The optimum feature set was identified using recursive feature elimination using a support vector machine (RFE-SVM). To estimate crop residue percentage using selected features, expert two-class SVMs were trained to separate adjacent levels of residue cover, where the rationale of the ensemble was to allow each of the two-class SVMs to find the hyperplanes that maximize the margin between the corresponding two consecutive classes. Based on the distance of the samples to these hyperplanes, probabilistic estimates of the data-point belonging to the class were computed. With the combined knowledge of probabilistic estimates from each expert classifier, the percentage crop residue cover of each ROI image was calculated. We tested our approach with 3-, 4-, 5-, and 8-class problems, achieving the best results with the 8-class problem with r2 = 0.93 at the ROI level, r2 = 0.97 at the field-location level, and minimal bias in residue estimates in low residue conditions. These results are superior to other reported estimates of percent residue derived from imagery. This research confirms the utility of high-resolution RGB imagery to quantify residue cover in agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the properties of natural fibers and their effectiveness in sound absorption have been widely studied in an attempt to replace traditional sound-absorbing synthetic materials. This is because traditional synthetic fibers carry health risks for humans and have a significant environmental impact. This study includes a summary of previous studies highlighting existing and newly invented natural fiber sound absorbers in three categories: raw materials, plant fibers, and plant residues, which study the mechanism of sound absorption, in addition to several prediction models and widely used acoustic characterization methods. These studies include a comparison of the sound absorption of several natural sound absorbers and fiberglass in two groups of thin and thick materials. These studies have proven that many natural materials have high efficiency in absorbing sound, such as pineapple leaf fibers, which are ideal alternatives to fiberglass. Finally, the concluding section of this analysis provides a future outlook on enhancing the commercial use of plant waste through theoretical research and practical experiments to renew their effectiveness in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is regarded amongst the most dominant horticultural crops globally. Yet, due to its elevated water and fertilization needs, its environmental footprint is significantly high. The recent efforts to reduce the footprint of agriculture have rekindled the search for optimized fertilization regimes in tomato. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of different urea fertilizers and tomato pomace-based composts on the performance and quality traits of processing tomato. A two-year field experiment was conducted in the Larissa region, Central Greece, during 2018–2019. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with five treatments: control, urea (Urea), urea with nitrification and urease inhibitors (Urea + NI + UI), processing tomato pomace with farmyard manure (TP + FM), and processing tomato pomace with compost from plant residues (TP + CM). Measurements included soil total nitrogen (STN), soil organic matter (SOM), root length density (RLD), arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) colonization, dry weight per plant, fruit yield (number per plant, total yield, weight, diameter), fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), lycopene content and yield, and fruit surface color (L*, a*, b*, CI). Overall, the best results in soil properties and quality traits were reported in the organic fertilization treatments (STN, SOM, AMF, TSS, TA, lycopene content, L*, a*, b*) and the differences among TP + FM and TP + CM were insignificant in their majority. On the contrary, fruit yield and its components were significantly improved in Urea + NI + UI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study showcases a promising approach to sustainably unlocking plant biomass residues by combining biodegradation with artificial intelligence to optimize the process. Specifically, we utilized the definitive screening design (DSD) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) to optimize the degradation of common bean biomass by the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum WNZ-21. The optimized process yielded a fungal hydrolysate rich in 12 essential and non-essential amino acids, totaling 18,298.14 μg/g biomass. GC-MS analysis revealed four potential novel components not previously reported in microbial filtrates or plants and seven components exclusive to plant sources but not reported in microbial filtrates. The hydrolysate contained phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin compounds, as confirmed by FT-IR analysis. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy depicted structures resembling amino acid micelles and potential protein aggregates. The hydrolysate exhibited antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties and innovatively induced apoptotic modulation in the MCF7 cancer cell line. These findings underscore the potential of ANN-optimized fermentation for various applications, particularly in anticancer medicine due to its unique composition and bioactivities. The integration of the DSD and ANNs presents a novel technique for biomass biodegradation, warranting the valorization of plant biomass and suggesting a further exploration of the new components in the fungal hydrolysate. This approach represents the basic concept for exploring other biomass sources and in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity and drought are major environmental challenges that significantly affect soil functioning and soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. Despite their importance, the combined effects of drought and salinity on residue decomposition are not well understood. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the decomposition of maize residue under salinity and drought stresses over a 75-day incubation period at 20 °C under controlled conditions. The experiment included two moisture levels: optimum moisture at 80% water-holding capacity (WHC) and drought conditions at 30% WHC, in both normal (ECe = 1.48 dS m−1) and saline (ECe = 8 dS m−1) soils, with 5 g DM kg−1 soil maize residues mixed in. A control treatment without maize residue addition was also included. The results indicated that salinity stress reduced maize residue decomposition, as evidenced by lower soil respiration, decay constant, metabolic quotient (qCO2), and soil extracellular enzyme activities. While drought did not affect total soil respiration in the presence of maize residue, it significantly decreased soil extracellular enzyme activities and decay constant rates. Combined drought and salinity stress further diminished maize residue decomposition, marked by reduced soil respiration, decay constant, microbial biomass carbon, and soil extracellular enzyme activities, while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and qCO2 increased significantly. Similarly, extracellular enzyme activities were significantly reduced under abiotic stresses and further diminished under combined stress conditions. In conclusion, the simultaneous occurrence of drought and salinity can have compounded detrimental effects on microbial functioning, particularly in the presence of fresh plant residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of return of Eruca residues and hairy vetch at different levels of nitrogen on the yield of purslane seeds, an experiment was conducted in two crop years 2013-2014 and 2014- 2015 in the research farm of Birjand University. The experiment was carried using split plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors included four levels of return of plant residues (Eruca, hairy vetch, mixture of Eruca and hairy vetch and control) as the main factor and three levels of pure nitrogen (zero, 50, and 100 kg ha-1) as secondary factors. The traits studied in this experiment included: organic carbon and soil nitrogen percentage, soil absorbable phosphorus, soil pH and EC, and biomass nitrogen percentage. The results showed that the use of plant residues increased the percentage of organic carbon, soil nitrogen, and absorbable phosphorus and decreased soil pH. Among the treatments of the plant residues studied, the cluster flower vetch was superior to the others. Also, the use of nitrogen fertilizer increased the amount of absorbable phosphorus, soil electrical conductivity, and grain yield and decreased soil pH. According to the results of this experiment, to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers and support sustainable agriculture, the combination of Eruca and marigold without nitrogen fertilizer is recommended for maximizing nitrogen absorption in purslane biomass. To achieve the maximum seed yield of marigold, applying 100 kg of nitrogen per hectare in the Birjand area is advised. Let me know if you need further adjustments! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany, warm water Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are generally integrated with biogas plants. The process sludge produced in aquaculture could be utilized to generate energy. This study investigates the potential of process sludge from commercial African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) warm water RAS, alongside associated plant production residues (whole plants and pruning residues) for energy generation through anaerobic digestion. Biogas tests, including batch, semi-Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR), and Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB) were conducted. In batch, methane yields were 229 L(N) / kg VS from the sludge and 173-184 L(N) / kg VS from the various plant substrates (cucumber, paprika, and tomato plants). During CSTR operation, mono-fermentation of sludge produced a methane yield of 265 L(N) / kg VS. Co-fermentation with 25% cucumber residues, based on VS, increased this value to 381 L(N) / kg VS. Mono-fermentation of sludge in the UASB reactor yielded a maximum of 329 L(N)/kg VS. The relatively low TS content and unfavorable C/N ratio in C. gariepinus sludge, along with the low energy density and occasional high sulfur content in the investigated plant substrates, present challenges for CSTR biogas production. These challenges can be partially mitigated through substrate combination. For mono-fermentation of African catfish RAS sludge, the UASB reactor is recommended. Improved solids separation, extraction, and concentration techniques at aquaculture operations are essential for the efficient utilization of aquaculture sludge, especially from African catfish, in biogas plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]