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Simple Summary: To address global food security concerns, the integrated rice–fish farming system—an innovative approach in agriculture—has gained widespread adoption. However, research on its impact on agricultural ecosystems, particularly planktonic bacterial communities, is still very limited. This study analyzed the differences in diversity, composition, co-occurrence networks, and assembly processes of planktonic bacterial communities in paddy water between traditional rice monoculture and integrated rice–red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) farming during different rice growth stages. Our results revealed that an integrated rice–crayfish farming system significantly modified the bacterioplankton community structure, its co-occurrence networks and assembly dynamics, and environmental factors within paddy water in comparison to traditional rice monoculture. Importantly, these changes indicated the notable potential of integrated rice–crayfish farming in enhancing the stability of bacterioplankton communities and promoting rice growth. Our findings provided crucial data and theoretical insights into the microbiological and ecological impacts of integrated rice–crayfish farming on agricultural ecosystems, contributing to the sustainability and optimization of rice production patterns. As global food security issues become increasingly severe, an important innovation in agricultural production patterns, namely integrated rice–fish farming, has been widely implemented around the world, especially in Asia. To assess the impact of integrated rice–crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) farming (IRCF) on agricultural ecosystems, we used Illumina high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze differences in diversity, composition, co-occurrence network, and assembly process of planktonic bacterial communities in paddy water between traditional rice farming (TRM) and IRCF. Environmental factors and planktonic bacterial communities were evaluated during the tillering, jointing, flowering, and grain-filling stages on August 24, September 5, September 24, and October 16, respectively. Our findings revealed that, throughout the entire cultivation period, IRCF had no notable impacts on bacterioplankton community diversity in paddy water, but it changed the composition and relative abundance of the dominant bacterioplankton. Specifically, IRCF promoted the Chloroflexota during the tillering stage but reduced its presence during the grain-filling stage. It also significantly decreased the Bacillota during the jointing stage while notably enhancing Actinomycetota during the flowering stage. Furthermore, IRCF markedly improved the robustness and negative/positive cohesion within bacterioplankton co-occurrence networks during jointing and grain-filling stages. IRCF altered the assembly processes shaping planktonic bacterial communities, promoting a greater dominance of stochastic processes during the tillering, jointing, and flowering stages and a diminished dominance during the grain-filling stage. IRCF dramatically changed aquatic environmental factors, particularly during the jointing stage, by substantially increasing the TN, ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate levels in paddy water. These nutrient levels were closely correlated with the dynamics of the planktonic bacterial communities. Our findings underscore the considerable potential of IRCF in enhancing the stability of bacterioplankton communities and promoting rice growth while also providing valuable data and theoretical insights into the microbiological ecological impacts of IRCF on the agroecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Pest regulation may be favoured in crop fields adjacent to semi‐natural vegetation such as fragments of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyse the dynamics of mortality factors for eggs and larvae of Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in sugarcane adjacent to two types of forest fragments (Plateau and Gallery) at two distances from these fragments during two growing seasons. In each area (seven sugarcane plots), two 50 m long transects were established, parallel and spaced at 5 and 100 m from the field edge, and cohorts of the insect at each stage of development were monitored. The collected data were used to construct an ecological life table and determine the main mortality factors. Natural mortality factors that could not be characterised were grouped as unknown. In both seasons and stages of development observed, there was no difference in mortality between the two types of forest fragments (Plateau and Gallery) or between the two distances from the forest. For the egg stage, the mortality factors were classified as inviable due to infertility, predation, parasitism, desiccation and dislodgement. In both seasons, there was a significant difference in the natural mortality factors of D. saccharalis, with predation distinct from the others. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) were the most frequent predatory agents and occurred at both distances and types of forest fragments. For the larval stage, the mortality factors were classified as predation, parasitism, drowning and unknown, with the unknown group differing from the others. Unknown factors might have included predation, larval movement towards other plants and displacement caused by wind after hatching. Overall, predation is a key mortality component of D. saccharalis suppression. Therefore, agricultural practices focused on the conservation of natural enemies such as predators may provide more sustainable management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Continuous drought stress aggravates agricultural losses and threats food security. However, the responses of crops to continuous drought stress remain uncertain. Methods: To make up the limitations of field experiment and achieve the setting of multiple continuous drought stress scenarios, AquaCrop model is calibrated and validated using field experiment data of summer maize in 2017 and 2018 seasons. Then, the whole growth processes under different continuous drought stress scenarios at two growth stages of maize are simulated. The quantitative responses of transpiration (Tr), biomass accumulation, and yield formation to continuous drought stress are analyzed. Results and discussion: The results show that when the maize encounters serious drought at the seedling stage, the reduction rates of Tr at the jointing stage, the tasseling stage, and the milking stage are 57.45%, 43.61%, and 5.24%, respectively. Drought stress at a growth stage of maize not only have negative impacts on transpiration and biomass accumulation at this stage, but also have after-effects on these elements at the subsequent stages. In addition, continuous serious drought at the seedling and jointing stages reduces yield by 100%, which is higher than the sum of the loss rates at these two stages [>33.30% + 24.16%)], while the loss rate due to continuous light drought is lower than the sum [20.66% < (18.80% + 12.45%)]. The impact of continuous drought stress at two growth stages generally exceeds the sum of the impacts of the two single stages. Nevertheless, drought at the seedling stage promotes the adaptability of maize to drought, alleviating the negative impacts of light drought at the jointing stage, while the adaptability disappears when drought at the jointing stage is serious. Therefore, in the actual production of maize, serious drought at the seedling stage should be avoided to ensure seed survival. Meanwhile, continuous drought at the seedling and jointing stages should be prevented to reduce the severe accumulative effects, which guides drought disaster reduction and sustainable agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agricultural products are sophisticated because they are directly related to the health of end users and have a specific quality and yield. The market for these products is specific and determined by various factors. This paper analyses the placement of sustainable agricultural products on small farms in the Serbian economy through multiple sales channels. We organized a one-on-one meeting with 150 small and medium-sized farm owners and collected data through a questionnaire. We then created a model through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP method) to evaluate the decision-making of small farmers about placing products on the market. The results showed that the quality of the products is crucial for small farmers, who need to distribute them through local shops, retail chains, and markets. In this way, we have opened space for future analyses that can include regression models and assess relationships between individual categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant segment within the sustainable development of agricultural production and economic prosperity is production in controlled conditions, such as production in greenhouses and glasshouses. In the Republic of Serbia, vegetable production is almost entirely concentrated on family farms. Considering the importance of family farms, the subject of this study is a comparative analysis of vegetable production on family farms and vegetable production in greenhouses, as well as open-air vegetable production. In this context, the paper presents two models for optimising the vegetable production structure, using the method of linear programming and the software package LINDO. The first model refers to vegetable production in greenhouses (variant I) and the second one is formulated for open-air vegetable production (variant II). The analysis and solving models have pointed to differences in the optimal sowing-planting structure, in the number of independent variables or vegetables included in models, but also in realised net income, wherein variant I achieves both higher net income per hectare and higher production economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agricultural products are sophisticated because they are directly related to the health of end users and have a specific quality and yield. The market for these products is specific and determined by various factors. This paper analyses the placement of sustainable agricultural products on small farms in the Serbian economy through multiple sales channels. We organized a one-on-one meeting with 150 small and medium-sized farm owners and collected data through a questionnaire. We then created a model through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP method) to evaluate the decision-making of small farmers about placing products on the market. The results showed that the quality of the products is crucial for small farmers, who need to distribute them through local shops, retail chains, and markets. In this way, we have opened space for future analyses that can include regression models and assess relationships between individual categories.

One of the most noticeable problems associated with the close location of piggeries is gaseous compounds emission. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions affect the quality of life of people living in the vicinity of such facilities. Among the diverse methods for managing and controlling malodorous substances, biological methods, which involve the utilization of microbiological agents, are widely employed. The use of bacterial strains is a relatively simple, low-cost, and ecological method. The study aimed to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the implementation of a novel consortium of deodorizing bacteria. The study involved the selection of bacteria, assessment of the antagonistic properties, implementation of the inoculum in a mesh-filled biofilter, and analysis of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and fine dust content in the air before and after passing through the mature biological bed. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the biofiltration bed in reducing ammonia levels, with a maximum decrease observed at 73.90%. For hydrogen sulfide, a removal efficiency of >72.08% was observed. Reduction in fine dust pollution also decreased from a level of 3.75 mg/m3 to 1.06 mg/m3. The study's findings demonstrate the promising potential of utilizing a consortium of deodorizing bacteria as an effective approach to mitigating emissions from piggeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving agricultural productivity to ensure food security while maintaining sustainability is a challenge that needs to be overcome in Bali, Indonesia. Ten farmers in Karangasem Regency, which is among the areas in Bali with a low food security index, were interviewed regarding their agricultural practices and government support for increasing the production of rice and chili—the main crops in the regency—while maintaining sustainability. The interview results revealed that the farmers recognized a lack of sunlight and disease as constraints to cultivation and attempted to improve productivity and control the disease by selecting varieties, cropping systems, and synthetic insecticides based on their previous experiences and the recommendations of agricultural extension workers. The Karangasem Regency Government actively encourages farmers to use biofertilizers and biological control agents to promote sustainable agriculture. Their use to improve rice and chili productivity is important to sustainably increase food security not only in Karangasem Regency but also in Bali Province. Furthermore, since agricultural extension workers are a source of information on agricultural production for farmers, it is important to train them for further extension activities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) availability in soil is often limited, posing a challenge for sustainable agricultural production. Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) have emerged as a promising biological approach to enhance soil P availability while minimize negative environmental impacts. Exploring the impact of PSMs on increasing soil available P is crucial for optimizing the utilization of insoluble P in soil and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review on the dynamics of soil available P, including its input, loss and transformation processes. Additionally, we draw a conclusion about how PSMs increase the availability of P in soil, including solubilizing inorganic P (Pi) and organic P (Po) by secreting substances such as protons, organic acids, inorganic acids, exopolysaccharides, hydrogen sulfide, siderophores and phosphatases. Notably, the factors influencing the P solubilizing activity of PSMs in soil are thoroughly discussed. Moreover, practical applications of PSMs for increasing soil P availability are summarized. Future research should focus on exploring novel PSM isolates, conducting long-term field experiments to assess the effects and potential risk of PSMs under diverse conditions, and investigating synergistic approaches with other P activators or beneficial microorganisms. This review will advance our understanding of PSMs and their practical application, enabling their widespread adoption in agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using manure compost can be an effective strategy to sustain crop production, mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and promote soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, in the North China Plain (NCP)—a key food hub in China—the disconnect between livestock farms and croplands limits manure recycling, obscuring its potential environmental benefits and economic costs. This study employs a life cycle assessment method to quantify GHG and ammonia emissions, SOC sequestration, economic performance, and the eco-efficiency of wheat–maize production in the NCP across six livestock–cropland coupling scenarios: farmers’ practice (FP), traditional household farming (HF), modern intensive decoupled systems with low (L), medium (M), and high (H) manure returning rates, and an intensive coupled system with optimum manure returning rate (IC). The results show that increasing manure return rates in intensive systems decreases the net global warming potential (NGWP), emphasizing the importance of livestock–cropland re-coupling. Emissions embodied in the field input supply chain was identified as a major NGWP contributor, while SOC accumulation significantly contributed to net GHG mitigation. The IC scenario is both the most economically viable ($322.8 (t grain) ^−1 ) and eco-efficient (1.03 kg CO _2 -eq USD ^−1 ) system. With the same compost application rates, intensive farming reduced the NGWP by 26.1% compared to household farming, despite trade-offs between GHG and NH _3 emissions. The FP scenario had the highest climate impact (722.8 kg CO _2 -eq (t grain) ^−1 ) and the lowest eco-efficiency (4.91 kg CO _2 -eq USD ^−1 ). These insights advance our understanding of sustainable management practices for pursuing synergistic progress in economic gains, environmental conservation, and sustainable agricultural production.

This study aimed to characterize potato varieties for producing potato juice media (PJM) that allow bacterial cellulose (BC) effective and cost-efficient production. The study used 12 edible and 10 starch potato varieties from an accredited company for breeding and seed production. In general, edible varieties produced a 73 % higher PJ yield. Favorable BC yields were obtained using five edible and two starch varieties. Notably, the average BC yields in PJM from three edible varieties (Altesse, Mazur, and Owacja) were above the average BC yield from Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium (4.3, 4.1, and 3.9 g/L v. 3.69 g/L, respectively); these varieties had relatively high concentrations of glucose (3.3–4.2 g/L), fructose (3.0–4.2 g/L), and sucrose (2.9–4.2 g/L). It was also shown that the macro- and microstructure, crystallinity, and polymerization degree showed no significant differences between PJM-derived BC and HS-BC. As estimated, the cost of PJM required to produce 1 kg of BC is approximately EUR 60. In contrast, the cost of HS medium exceeds 1200 EUR. In conclusion, our research has proven that PJM can significantly reduce the costs (by over tenfold) of the medium for BC biosynthesis, ultimately lowering overall costs of producing this valuable biomaterial. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abia State faces a severe erosion problem that affects agricultural production which may lead to poverty of crop farmers. The use of vetiver grass strips technology (VGT) helps control soil erosion. However, there is a dearth of information on the determinants of adoption of VGT in Abia and therefore was investigated. Random sampling technique in 4 stages was adopted for this study. The ADP zones (Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia) in the state were considered, 13 blocks were selected from the 38 blocks in the state. 30 cells out of 93 cells in the selected blocks were randomly selected. 250 farming households were randomly selected proportionate to size of the cells. Data on socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, awareness and adoption of VGT, quantity of inputs and outputs of crops, expenditure on food and nonfood items were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, adoption index and probit regression at a0.05. Respondents mean age was 48 years and 51.2% were male farmers. The household size and farm-size were 6.0 members and 2.0 ha, respectively. About 36% of them had tertiary education, while 59.2% were aware of VGT but 49.6% adopted it. 53.2% of the female were adopters with farm size of 1.57 ha and 42.7% had tertiary education. A unit increase in age, level of education and being a female increased the probability of adoption of VGT by 0.3169, 0.3078 and 0.2097 respectively, while a unit increase in farm-size reduced the probability of adoption by 0.0824 unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed extracts are widely used in agriculture as plant growth biostimulants and constitute an ecological alternative to the excessive consumption of synthetic agrochemicals. These bioproducts are complex mixtures of several bioactive compounds such as plant growth regulators, polysaccharides, phenols, amino acids, sterols, betaines, vitamins, macro and microminerals. Its application in the production of different crops generates a wide spectrum of positive responses in the soil-plant system. However, the biostimulatory potential of these formulations has not been fully exploited due to the limited knowledge about their mechanisms of action in plants. This review aims to analyze the perspectives of seaweed as a source of bioactive extracts for the promotion of plant growth and crops protection. The main compounds with biological activity in seaweed extracts and the methods for their extraction are described. In addition, the hormetic effects of these bioproducts on seed germination, root-system development, rhizospheric microbiome, crop yield and quality, plant nutrient uptake and assimilation, plant metabolism and physiology are analyzed; as well as in the mitigation of abiotic stress and the management of pests and diseases. Finally, the predominant metabolites in Cuban seaweed extracts for the development of new bioproducts for agricultural purposes are described.

Zinc (Zn) insufficiency and water deficiency are primary challenges in intensive rice production systems. This study aims to examine the influence of two irrigation regimes, flood irrigation (FI) and water-saving irrigation (WSI), on rice grain yield and mobile Zn accumulation in soil and rice grains. Experiments were conducted in An Vien rice fields in the Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province, located in the middle of the Red River delta during four rice seasons from 2015 to 2016. The results showed that the WSI regime dramatically increased the grain yield and Zn concentrations in grain of rice. Grain yield was increased by 14.76% and grain Zn concentration by 17.93% when compared with the FI regime. The decrease in the mobile Zn concentration in soil was only 5.7% in the WSI technique, compared with 73.6% for FI techniques. Therefore, it can be concluded that WSI can be effective agricultural practice to elevate grain yield and increase Zn retention in soil and bioavailability in rice grains.

The application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as vital components for plant growth promotion against biotic and abiotic stresses could be a promising strategy to improve crop production in areas vulnerable to increasing salinity. Here, we isolated Seventy-five endophytic bacteria from roots of healthy Oryza sativa grown in a saline environment of the southern coastal region of Bangladesh. The endophytes in a culture of ~108 CFU/ml showed arrays of plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities: phytohormone (Indole acetic acid) production (1.20–60.13 μg/ ml), nutrient (phosphate) solubilization (0.02–1.81 μg/ml) and nitrogen fixation (70.24–198.70 μg/ml). Four genomically diverse groups were identified namely, Enterobacter, Achromobacter, Bacillus, and Stenotrophomonas using amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis followed by their respective 16S rDNA sequence analyses with that of the data available in NCBI GenBank. These four specific isolates showed tolerance to NaCl ranging from 1.37 to 2.57 mol/L in the nutrient agar medium. Under a 200 mmol/L salt stress in vitro, the bacteria in a culture of 108 CFU/ml exhibited competitive exopolysaccharide (EPS) production: Stenotrophomonas (65 μg/ml) and Bacillus (28 μg/ml), when compared to the positive control, Pseudomonas spp. (23.65 μg/ml), a phenomenon ably supported by their strong biofilm-producing abilities both in a microtiter plate assay, and in soil condition; and demonstrated by images of the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Overall, the isolated endophytic microorganisms revealed potential PGP activities that could be supported by their biofilm-forming ability under salinity stress, thereby building up a sustainable solution for ensuring food security in coastal agriculture under changing climate conditions.

Seaweed extracts are widely used in agriculture as plant growth biostimulants and constitute an ecological alternative to the excessive consumption of synthetic agrochemicals. These bioproducts are complex mixtures of several bioactive compounds such as plant growth regulators, polysaccharides, phenols, amino acids, sterols, betaines, vitamins, macro and microminerals. Its application in the production of different crops generates a wide spectrum of positive responses in the soil-plant system. However, the biostimulatory potential of these formulations has not been fully exploited due to the limited knowledge about their mechanisms of action in plants. This review aims to analyze the perspectives of seaweed as a source of biactive extracts for the promotion of plant growth and crops protection. The main compounds with biological activity in seaweed extracts and the methods for their extraction are described. In addition, the hormetic effects of these bioproducts on seed germination, root-system development, rhizospheric microbiome, crop yield and quality, plant nutrient uptake and assimilation, plant metabolism and physiology are analyzed; as well as in the mitigation of abiotic stress and the management of pests and diseases. Finally, the predominant metabolites in Cuban seaweed extracts for the development of new bioproducts for agricultural purposes are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The adoption of rice straw and stubble management approaches can be affected by various factors. To understand the psychological factors influencing Thai farmers’ adoption of rice straw and stubble management approaches, three integrated behavioral theories were employed: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Then, a practical communication framework was synthesized and proposed to promote rice straw utilization for social-ecological benefits to achieve more sustainable agricultural production. Through a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with 240 local farmers, a statistical analysis was performed employing cross-tab, stepwise multiple linear regression, one-way ANOVA and descriptive content analysis using QDA lite miner software. The key results clearly showed that perceived pro-environmental personal norms, perceived cues to rice straw utilization, perceived behavioral control, perceived severity of rice straw burning, perceived ascription of responsibility, and the perceived benefits of rice straw utilization were significantly negatively influenced by burning, and that there was a significantly negative difference to non-burning approaches. Meanwhile, cost savings as perceived benefits of the current option of burning showed a significantly positive difference when compared with incorporation and free-duck grazing options. In communication strategies to promote rice straw utilization for achieving sustainable agriculture, key messages should highlight the clear steps of rice straw utilization, as well as the costs and benefits of each option in terms of economic, health, environmental and social perspectives. Moreover, messages designed to promote action knowledge and self-efficacy at the group level, to promote perceived responsibility via self-awareness and self-commitment, and convenient channels of communication to the farmers can help to achieve more effective non-burning rice straw and stubble management.

Aim: the substantiation of necessity of land reclamation as the key element affecting the increase in agricultural production and sustainable development of the agroindustrial complex of the Russian Federation. Materials and Methods: the works of scientists in the field of land reclamation, statistical data, etc. are used. Results: the data of changes in reclaimed areas, including irrigated lands in Russia and in the world are presented. The impact of adverse weather factors on agricultural production is described. The increase in the average yield of grain crops on the basis of creating an optimal water regime by irrigation is studied. It was found that it is 33 % higher than the increase in the average yield of non-irrigated crops. The natural-agricultural zoning, assessment of biological productivity of land resources, water availability of territories and the influence of these factors on the fluctuations of irrigated and rainfed crop yields is presented. The analysis of the impact of adverse weather conditions in the form of drought on a sharp fall in crop yields. The studies conducted in Krasnodar territory, Rostov and Astrakhan regions show that in rainfed agriculture under adverse weather conditions wheat yield fluctuations are 20.5; 32.5 and 50.2 %, respectively, which leads to unstable operation of the agro-industrial complex of these regions, and it can be concluded on the basis of induction judgments that this is true to the agro-industrial complex of the whole country. Conclusions: to obtain a high level of productivity it is necessary to develop the reclamation complex further and increase the areas of reclaimed land; the decrease in the growth of irrigated land leads to a decrease in sustainable agricultural production and, in general, to a decrease in the stable development of agro-industrial complex of the country.

Zinc (Zn) insufficiency and water deficiency are primary challenges in intensive rice production systems. This study aims to examine the influence of two irrigation regimes, flood irrigation (FI) and water-saving irrigation (WSI), on rice grain yield and mobile Zn accumulation in soil and rice grains. Experiments were conducted in An Vien rice fields in the Tien Lu district, Hung Yen province, located in the middle of the Red River delta during four rice seasons from 2015 to 2016. The results showed that the WSI regime dramatically increased the grain yield and Zn concentrations in grain of rice. Grain yield was increased by 14.76% and grain Zn concentration by 17.93% when compared with the FI regime. The decrease in the mobile Zn concentration in soil was only 5.7% in the WSI technique, compared with 73.6% for FI techniques. Therefore, it can be concluded that WSI can be effective agricultural practice to elevate grain yield and increase Zn retention in soil and bioavailability in rice grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although increasing numbers of research papers regarding biochar are being published worldwide, in some countries growing interest in biochar has only recently been observed; this is true of Poland. We analysed information on biochar research in Poland alongside lessons learned elsewhere in order to identify the significant opportunities and risks associated with biochar use. This data fed into a GIS-based multicriteria analysis to identify areas where biochar application could deliver greatest benefit. We found that 21.8% of agricultural land in Poland has at least moderate indication for biochar use (soil organic matter below 2% and pH below 5.5), while 1.5% was categorized as a priority as it also exhibited contamination. Potential barriers identified included biomass availability and associated risks of indirect land-use change due to possible national and transnational biomass production displacement. Biochar use could have positive global consequences as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly relevant in a country with limited alternatives. Scaling up a mitigation technology that is viable on account of its co-benefits might be cost-effective, which could, in turn, adjust national perspectives and stronger involvement in developing mitigation policies at the regional level. Biochar has much promise in temperate conditions and further research should therefore be assigned to explore biochar’s environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Although increasing numbers of research papers regarding biochar are being published worldwide, in some countries growing interest in biochar has only recently been observed; this is true of Poland. We analysed information on biochar research in Poland alongside lessons learned elsewhere in order to identify the significant opportunities and risks associated with biochar use. This data fed into a GIS-based multicriteria analysis to identify areas where biochar application could deliver greatest benefit. We found that 21.8% of agricultural land in Poland has at least moderate indication for biochar use (soil organic matter below 2% and pH below 5.5), while 1.5% was categorized as a priority as it also exhibited contamination. Potential barriers identified included biomass availability and associated risks of indirect land-use change due to possible national and transnational biomass production displacement. Biochar use could have positive global consequences as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly relevant in a country with limited alternatives. Scaling up a mitigation technology that is viable on account of its co-benefits might be cost-effective, which could, in turn, adjust national perspectives and stronger involvement in developing mitigation policies at the regional level. Biochar has much promise in temperate conditions and further research should therefore be assigned to explore biochar’s environmental and socio-economic impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This paper investigates the environmental sustainability and competitiveness perceptions of small farmers in a region in northern Brazil. The main data collection instruments included a survey questionnaire and an analysis of the region's strategic plan. In total, ninety-nine goat and sheep breeding farmers were surveyed. Data analysis methods included descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, and chi-squared tests. The main results relate to the impact of education, land size, and location on the farmers' perceptions of competitiveness and environmental issues. Farmers with longer periods of education have higher perception scores about business competitiveness and environmental sustainability than those with less formal education. Farmers who are working larger land areas also have higher scores than those with smaller farms. Lastly, location can yield factors that impact on farmers' perceptions. In our study, farmers located in Angicos and Lajes had higher perception scores than Pedro Avelino and Afonso Bezerra, despite the geographical proximity of these municipalities. On the other hand, three other profile variables did not impact on farmers' perceptions, namely: family income, dairy production volume, and associative condition. The authors believe the results and insights can be extended to livestock farming in other developing countries and contribute generally to fostering effective sustainable development policies, mainly in the agribusiness sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The authors investigate how consumption and production of agricultural products have developed in the past and could possibly evolve in the future. The main focus is on changing consumption patterns and the consequences for food security and for the pressure on natural resources. In this context, the question is raised as to how foresight work can reflect the mechanisms by which a transition towards more sustainable consumption can influence the sustainability of the production systems. The authors first analyze the main drivers of the past and future evolution of food systems and then the implications for foresight analysis. An attempt is made to identify specific issues and policies that should be further analyzed. In particular, future foresight will be challenged to incorporate the interactions between consumption and production more explicitly and to address four issues: (i) intra-national heterogeneity of diets and resulting nutritional outcomes, (ii) externalities resulting from the process of production, processing, and marketing along the product chain, (iii) competition between food and non-food uses of agricultural commodities and between agricultural and non-agricultural use of land and (iv) mechanisms by which food scarcity causes hunger and malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that the persistence of a short-term, reductionist perspective on food production, together with a separation of the management of human food systems from that of natural ecosystems, is rooted in a paradigm of science and organization of research. The health concerns that the public associated with agriculture include failures of modern agricultural science, threats to the environment by genetically improved animals and fish and toxicity of genetically engineered crops. Agricultural research that focuses on increasing productivity and ignores externalities is built on technologies that maximize biological uniformity.

The adoption of rice straw and stubble management approaches can be affected by various factors. To understand the psychological factors influencing Thai farmers' adoption of rice straw and stubble management approaches, three integrated behavioral theories were employed: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Then, a practical communication framework was synthesized and proposed to promote rice straw utilization for social-ecological benefits to achieve more sustainable agricultural production. Through a questionnaire survey and in-depth interviews with 240 local farmers, a statistical analysis was performed employing cross-tab, stepwise multiple linear regression, one-way ANOVA and descriptive content analysis using QDA lite miner software. The key results clearly showed that perceived pro-environmental personal norms, perceived cues to rice straw utilization, perceived behavioral control, perceived severity of rice straw burning, perceived ascription of responsibility, and the perceived benefits of rice straw utilization were significantly negatively influenced by burning, and that there was a significantly negative difference to non-burning approaches. Meanwhile, cost savings as perceived benefits of the current option of burning showed a significantly positive difference when compared with incorporation and free-duck grazing options. In communication strategies to promote rice straw utilization for achieving sustainable agriculture, key messages should highlight the clear steps of rice straw utilization, as well as the costs and benefits of each option in terms of economic, health, environmental and social perspectives. Moreover, messages designed to promote action knowledge and self-efficacy at the group level, to promote perceived responsibility via self-awareness and self-commitment, and convenient channels of communication to the farmers can help to achieve more effective non-burning rice straw and stubble management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, agricultural production areas and farmer numbers have been decreasing in Turkey, which has started to cause concern. This study aimed to analyze the satisfaction levels of farmers in different irrigation areas in the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP)-Şanlıurfa region, based on indicators related to agricultural production and influencing factors. The data were obtained through face-to-face surveys with farmers in 2020 and analyzed by logistic regression in STATA. According to the results, 43.3% of the farmers are happy to be farmers in the current situation, and 35.6% want their children to continue farming activities. It was determined that the area of irrigation, education level, income, and farming experience were statistically significant at different rates in terms of the happiness of the farmers. On the other hand, livestock, number of households, and land size were not statistically significant. While 27.5% of the participants were fully satisfied with the given public support, 15.7% were satisfied with the market selling prices of their products, and 43.5% stated that effective organizations are needed to live well. To ensure agricultural sustainability in the research area, there is a need for more agricultural support, effective extension services, and the development of rural tourism with the participation of the public and private sectors. This study was the first of its kind to be conducted in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity causes severe environmental stress that affects agriculture production and food security throughout the world. Salt-tolerant plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and nitric oxide (NO), a distinctive signaling molecule, can synergistically assist in the alleviation of abiotic stresses and plant growth promotion, but the mechanism by which this happens is still not well known. In the present study, in a potential salt-tolerant rhizobacteria strain, ASN-1, growth up to 15% NaCl concentration was achieved with sugarcane rhizosphere soil. Based on 16S-rRNA gene sequencing analysis, the strain ASN-1 was identified as a Bacillus xiamenensis. Strain ASN-1 exhibits multiple plant-growth-promoting attributes, such as the production of indole-3-acetic acid, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, siderophores, HCN, ammonia, and exopolysaccharides as well as solubilized phosphate solubilization. Biofilm formation showed that NO enhanced the biofilm and root colonization capacity of the PGPR strain ASN-1 with host plants, evidenced by scanning electron microscopy. The greenhouse study showed that, among the different treatments, the combined application of PGPR and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as an NO donor significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced sugarcane plant growth by maintaining the relative water content, electrolyte leakage, gas exchange parameters, osmolytes, and Na+/K+ ratio. Furthermore, PGPR and SNP fertilization reduced the salinity-induced oxidative stress in plants by modulating the antioxidant enzyme activities and stress-related gene expression. Thus, it is believed that the acquisition of advanced information about the synergistic effect of salt-tolerant PGPR and NO fertilization will reduce the use of harmful chemicals and aid in eco-friendly sustainable agricultural production under salt stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Tillage regime affects soil respiration by altering bulk density and gas diffusivity. • Residue practice affects soil respiration by increasing organic C stock and lability. • All tillage and residue managements serve as small net C sources for atmosphere. • Conservation tillage could reduce net C flux and enhance agricultural sustainability. Conservation tillage is not only beneficial to the improvement of integrated soil fertility and crop yield, but also plays a pivotal role in the achievement of ecological agricultural production. Based on a continuous 10-year conservation tillage experiment in the North China Plain, this paper aimed to investigate the effects on soil respiration and net carbon (C) flux in the wheat-maize cropping system, and to identify the physicochemical controls of soil respiration C emission under different tillage and residue managements. Results showed that soil respiration was generally determined by soil temperature, with the lowest and highest rates of 0.50 and 6.54 μmol CO 2 -C m−2 s-1 in January and July, respectively. Compared with continuous tillage, the reduced/no-tillage without residue significantly reduced soil respiration rate and the cumulative CO 2 emissions, which was principally due to the increased bulk density and decreased effective gas diffusivity according to the redundancy analysis. Whereas, over 90 % increases in soil respiration C emission could be ascribed to the accumulation of organic C, especially for the labile fraction, under residue returning than under residue removing. Additionally, the increased organic C stock in topsoil possibly accounted for the accelerated respiration C emission under reduced/no-tillage with residues. From the perspective of net C flux, it was suggested that decreasing tillage intensity generally reduced the C emissions from agricultural inputs by 11.0 %, while those were increased on average by 7.7 % through implementing residue crushing under residue returning relative to residue removing. Residue returning also increased the mean annual organic C accumulation rate by 115.2 % at the 0–20 cm depth. Collectively, each of the tillage and residue management served as small net C source, but reduced/no-tillage with residues significantly decreased the net C flux while increasing the sustainability and C productivity indexes for wheat-maize cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of sustainable suppliers (SSS) is the first step in applying a sustainable supply chain and sustainable production. Therefore, it is necessary to select the supplier that best meets the set sustainability criteria. However, the selection of suppliers cannot be done by applying symmetric information, because the company does not have complete information, so asymmetric information should be used when selecting suppliers. Since the SSS applies three main sustainability criteria, environmental, social, and economic criteria, this decision-making problem is solved by applying multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM). In order to solve the SSS for the needs of agricultural production, interval fuzzy logic was applied in this research, and six suppliers with whom agricultural pharmacies in Semberija work were taken into consideration. The application of interval fuzzy logic was performed using the methods PIPRECIA (Pivot pairwise relative criteria importance assessment) and MABAC (Multi-Attributive Border Approximation Area Comparison). Using the PIPRECIA method, the weights of criteria and sub-criteria were determined. Results of this method showed that the most significant are economic criteria, followed by the social criteria. The ecological criteria are the least important. The supplier ranking was performed using the MABAC method. The results showed that supplier A4 best meets the sustainability criteria, while supplier A6 is the worst. These results were confirmed using other MCDM methods, followed by the sensitivity analysis. According to the attained results, agricultural producers from Semberija should buy the most products from suppliers A4, in order to better apply sustainability in production. This paper showed how to decision make when there is asymmetric information about suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis of this paper is that the "rational fool" syndrome can be applied to mainstream public sector agricultural research that is conducted in a way that is rational in the short term, but acts against its own long-term viability. Historically, a main concern of such research has been to maximize high levels of food production together with low prices to consumers. As a result, mainstream agricultural science has ignored negative impacts or externalities, which has contributed to a crisis of credibility with the general public and politically sensitive decision makers. A long-term strategic research agenda for the public sector is being defined that is new and relevant to present efforts to integrate natural resource management and sustainable agricultural production. Such an agenda must be understood as a way of managing natural resources for the production of food and environmental services essential to human well-being. If agricultural systems are viewed and managed as parts of whole ecosystems, the key properties of complex systems that need to be taken into account will force researchers to consider long-term effects and environmental externalities. Research products will then be increasingly strategic in nature, and the research process will be "democratized" as it involves and gains the support of a broad set of stakeholders. Private sector research cannot be expected to meet this need because strategic studies of resource management are required that cannot be made exclusive or proprietary and are, in other words, public goods. Several innovative research initiatives are under way that signal opportunities for change. This paper first elaborates on this argument and then illustrates key elements of the integrated natural resource management approach, with examples of approaches that show promise as alternatives to mainstream agricultural science. Although numerous and diverse, integrated approaches manifest several properties that can be defined as the keystones of a new paradigm.

Using manure compost (MC) as a substitute for chemical fertilizer (CF) has been regarded as an effective strategy to promote sustainable crop production. The application of biochar in compost production could significantly mitigate the emission of gaseous pollutants and improve compost quality. However, comprehensive investigations of the environmental performance of crop production using CF, MC, and biochar-amended MC strategies are scarce. Therefore, in this study, wheat production using four fertilizer strategies, including CF, MC, and biochar-amended MC with biochar addition rates of 5% (MCB5) and 10% (MCB10), was comparatively assessed in terms of their environmental performance using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. Compared to the CF strategy, the majority of midpoint impact categories and all assessed damage categories (except for human health and resources in MCB10) were mitigated using the compost strategies. Furthermore, as the biochar application rate increased, the biochar-amended MC strategies remarkably decreased the impacts on the global warming potential, stratospheric ozone depletion, and land use, and greatly increased the impacts on ozone formation (human health), fine particulate matter formation, and terrestrial acidification. Overall, biochar-amended MC with a biochar addition rate of 5% (MCB5) is recommended as the optimal strategy due to its relatively low environmental impact. Moreover, combined with the results of the sensitivity analysis, biogenic air pollutant emissions derived from the compost and biochar production stages were identified as the most important hotspots contributing to the undesirable environmental impacts. These findings advance our understanding of the environmental performance of wheat production using biochar-amended MC. Unlabelled Image • Environmental LCA of wheat production with different strategies was compared. • All the compost strategies showed lower environmental impacts. • Biochar-amended manure compost strategies had a greater GWP mitigation potential. • Compost and biochar production stages were the hotspots of environmental impact. • Biochar addition rate of 5% (MCB5) was optimal due to its low environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]