Agronomy

14 pages, 7970 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

On the Applicability of Chitosan Oligomers-Amino Acid Conjugate Complexes as Eco-Friendly Fungicides against Grapevine Trunk Pathogens

by Laura Buzón-Durán, Natalia Langa-Lomba, Vicente González-García, José Casanova-Gascón, Jesús Martín-Gil, Eduardo Pérez-Lebeña and Pablo Martín-Ramos

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020324 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3551

Abstract

In a context in which the incidence and severity of grapevine fungal diseases is increasing as a result of both climate change and modern management culture practices, reducing the excessive use of phytosanitary products in viticulture represents a major challenge. Specifically, grapevine trunk [...] Read more.

In a context in which the incidence and severity of grapevine fungal diseases is increasing as a result of both climate change and modern management culture practices, reducing the excessive use of phytosanitary products in viticulture represents a major challenge. Specifically, grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), caused by several complexes of wood decay or xylem-inhabiting fungi, pose a major challenge to vineyard sustainability. In this study, the efficacy of chitosan oligomers (COS)–amino acid conjugate complexes against three fungal species belonging to the Botryosphaeriaceae family (Neofusicoccum parvum, Diplodia seriata, and Botryosphaeria dothidea) was investigated both in vitro and in planta. In vitro tests led to EC₅₀ and EC₉₀ effective concentrations in the 254.6−448.5 and 672.1−1498.5 µg·mL⁻¹ range, respectively, depending on the amino acid involved in the conjugate complex (viz. cysteine, glycine, proline or tyrosine) and on the pathogen assayed. A synergistic effect between COS and the amino acids was observed against D. seriata and B. dothidea (synergy factors of up to 2.5 and 2.8, respectively, according to Wadley’s method). The formulations based on COS and on the conjugate complex that showed the best inhibition rates, COS−tyrosine, were further investigated in a greenhouse trial on grafted vines of two varieties (”Tempranillo” on 775P and “Garnacha” on 110R rootstock), artificially inoculated with the mentioned three Botryosphaeriaceae species. The in planta bioassay revealed that the chosen formulations induced a significant decrease in disease severity against N. parvum and B. dothidea. In summary, the reported conjugate complexes may be promising enough to be worthy of additional examination in larger field trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biorationals as Plant Protectants and Plant Health Strengtheners)

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12 pages, 577 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Gluten Protein Compositional Changes in Response to Nitrogen Application Rate

by Daniela Horvat, Gordana Šimić, Krešimir Dvojković, Marko Ivić, Ivana Plavšin and Dario Novoselović

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020325 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3583

Abstract

Field trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrogen level on wheat protein content and composition in 16 cultivars over two years at three locations. The nitrogen treatment comprised two nitrogen levels, 0 kg ha⁻¹ as low and 100 kg ha [...] Read more.

Field trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of nitrogen level on wheat protein content and composition in 16 cultivars over two years at three locations. The nitrogen treatment comprised two nitrogen levels, 0 kg ha⁻¹ as low and 100 kg ha⁻¹ as high nitrogen, applied as top dressings of 50 kg nitrogen per ha at tillering and stem extension growth stages. Increased nitrogen level generally enhanced grain protein by 11.3% (11.5% vs. 12.8%). Considering protein composition determined by reversed phase–high-pressure liquid chromatography, higher nitrogen supply generally enhanced the proportion of total gliadins, α-gliadins, γ-gliadins and high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits by 1.1%, 2.0%, 3.7%, 0.6% and 0.9%, respectively, and reduced albumins and globulins, ω-gliadins, total glutenins and low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits by 1.1%, 1.7%, 1.9% and 3.2%. Under a high nitrogen level, the historical cultivars Libellula, San Pastore and U-1 had a higher protein content (13.1–15.2%) with significantly higher total gliadins, which resulted in a significantly higher gliadin/glutenin ratio (1.68–1.92). In the modern cultivars, protein content varied between 11.4% and 14.6% with a well-balanced gliadin/glutenin ratio (1.08–1.50), except for cultivar MV Nemere which had a high gliadin/glutenin ratio at both nitrogen levels (1.81 vs. 1.87). In summary, increasing nitrogen level enhanced grain protein content while the composition of gliadin and glutenin fractions was changed to a lesser extent and was largely cultivar specific and therefore should be considered for wheat baking quality assessment and breeding purposes. Full article

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12 pages, 529 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Pollen Paternity Can Affect Kernel Size and Nutritional Composition of Self-Incompatible and New Self-Compatible Almond Cultivars

by Wiebke Kämper, Grant Thorp, Michelle Wirthensohn, Peter Brooks and Stephen J. Trueman

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020326 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2596

Abstract

Breeding programs for horticultural tree crops focus on enhancing productivity, including developing tolerance to pests and diseases and improving crop quality. Pollination services are often critical for crop production, and pollen parents can affect crop quality. We often do not know which pollen [...] Read more.

Breeding programs for horticultural tree crops focus on enhancing productivity, including developing tolerance to pests and diseases and improving crop quality. Pollination services are often critical for crop production, and pollen parents can affect crop quality. We often do not know which pollen parents produce highest quality offspring or, in self-compatible cultivars, how much of the crop comes from cross- versus self-pollination. We quantified the proportions of self- and cross-paternity in an open pollination setting of five standard commercial almond cultivars and of six new almond cultivars selected for yield, kernel size, taste or self-compatibility. We assessed how pollination by different parents affected kernel size and nutritional quality. Kernels from most commercial cultivars and from the new cultivars selected for taste and size resulted almost entirely from cross-pollination. Most kernels from the commercial cultivar ‘Price’ resulted from cross-pollination but 21% resulted from self-pollination. In contrast, 48–91% of kernels from the new self-compatible cultivars resulted from self-pollination. Different cross-pollen parents did not greatly affect kernel size or quality. The proportions of self-paternity in the new self-compatible cultivars varied strongly in an open pollination setting suggesting that some cultivars may be good candidates for establishing monovarietal orchards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pollinator Diversity and Pollination in Agricultural Systems)

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16 pages, 12190 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Rootstocks on Blade Nutritional Content of Two Minority Grapevine Varieties Cultivated under Hyper-Arid Conditions in Northern Chile

by Nicolás Verdugo-Vásquez, Gastón Gutiérrez-Gamboa, Emilio Villalobos-Soublett and Andrés Zurita-Silva

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020327 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2543

Abstract

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, [...] Read more.

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, in recent years, autochthonous and minority varieties have been revalued due to their high tolerance to pests and diseases and because of their adaptation to thermal and water stress triggered by global warming. In this study, we assessed the nutritional status of two autochthonous grapevines grafted onto four different rootstocks under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of Northern Chile over three consecutive seasons. The results showed that R32 rootstock induced high N, P, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blades compared to Harmony rootstock. R32 rootstock and to a lesser extent, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks kept balanced levels of nutrients in blades collected from Moscatel Amarilla and Moscatel Negra grapevine varieties. Additionally, Harmony presented slight nutritional imbalance compared to the rest of studied rootstocks due to its low absorption of Mg, Mn, Ca and P, and its high K absorption, which was exacerbated under warm weather and salinity soil conditions. These results may provide a basis for specific cultivar/rootstock/site combinations, a nutritional guide for the viticulturists of Northern Chile, and options to diversify their production favoring the use of minority and autochthonous varieties that adapt well to hyper-arid conditions of Northern Chile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Fruit Trees)

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14 pages, 2422 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Chitosan Treatment on Quality and Sensorial Parameters of Minimally Processed cv. ‘Italia’ Table Grapes

by Giorgia Liguori, Giuseppe Sortino, Gregorio Gullo and Paolo Inglese

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020328 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3192

Abstract

Table grape is a non-climacteric fruit, very sensitive to water loss and gray mold during postharvest handling and storage. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of modified atmosphere packaging and chitosan treatment on quality and sensorial parameters of minimally [...] Read more.

Table grape is a non-climacteric fruit, very sensitive to water loss and gray mold during postharvest handling and storage. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of modified atmosphere packaging and chitosan treatment on quality and sensorial parameters of minimally processed cv. ‘Italia’ table grape during cold storage (14 days at 5 °C) and shelf-life (7 and 14 days of cold storage plus 5 days at 20 °C), reproducing a retail sales condition. Our data showed a significant effect of high CO₂-modified atmosphere in combination with chitosan and alone on preserving quality, sensorial parameters, and delaying decay of minimally processed table grape. The most effective treatment in terms of preservation of quality, sensory, and nutritional quality was high-CO₂ modified atmosphere packaging plus chitosan treatment. The overall results showed that when a proper modified atmosphere packaging is combined with a postharvest chitosan treatment, gray mold growth can effectively be controlled in ready-to-eat cv. ‘Italia’ table grape and that modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with high levels of CO₂ and reduced concentration of O₂ in combination with chitosan treatment could prevent the negative effect of high-CO₂ in-packages level, like berry browning and rachis browning and dehydration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fruit Postharvest Physiology and Technology)

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16 pages, 676 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Effect of Fertilization with Spent Mushroom Substrate and Traditional Methods of Fertilization of Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) on Yield Quality and Antioxidant Properties of Herbal Material

by Cezary A. Kwiatkowski and Elżbieta Harasim

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020329 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3795

Abstract

This experiment was designed to determine the effect of spent mushroom substrate, farmyard manure, and mineral fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on the yield and quality of raw material obtained from two cultivars (“Słoneczko” and “De Dolj”) of common thyme. Unfertilized plots [...] Read more.

This experiment was designed to determine the effect of spent mushroom substrate, farmyard manure, and mineral fertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium on the yield and quality of raw material obtained from two cultivars (“Słoneczko” and “De Dolj”) of common thyme. Unfertilized plots with thyme crops were included as the control treatment. Different row spacings (30 cm and 40 cm) represented the second experimental factor. The highest total yield of thyme raw material was found in the treatment with mineral NPK fertilization, but also in the treatments where spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and mineral NPK fertilization were applied at a ratio of 50:50%. Fertilization with SMS alone (100%) yielded smaller production effects, but they were higher than in the case of fertilization with manure. The high suitability of spent mushroom substrate applied alone or supplemented with mineral fertilization at different rates in spring was confirmed by the best quality parameters and antioxidant properties of the raw material. The use of a wider row spacing (40 cm) resulted in a higher yield of thyme raw material than in the case of a narrower one (30 cm). The narrower row spacing significantly positively affected some of the analyzed quality parameters of the harvested raw material, such as: essential oil content, polyphenol content, and antioxidant activity. The thyme cultivar “Słoneczko” proved to be absolutely more beneficial in terms of yield quantity and quality than the foreign cultivar “De Dolj”. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies for Conservation, Protection, and Quality of Vegetables and Fruits in a Postharvest Period)

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4 pages, 198 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceEditorial

Bioenergy Crops: Current Status and Future Prospects

by Nicolai David Jablonowski and Silvia Diane Schrey

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020316 - 11 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3520

Abstract

Biomass always played a crucial role as an energy source during the evolution of humankind and our technical development [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Crops: Current Status and Future Prospects)

15 pages, 936 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Early Intervention against Desert Locusts: Current Proactive Approach and the Prospect of Sustainable Outbreak Prevention

by Allan T. Showler, Mohammed Abdallahi Ould Babah Ebbe, Michel Lecoq and Koutaro O. Maeno

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020312 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5300

Abstract

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), a major Old World pest, is associated with agricultural losses and undesirable societal effects. There are three broad approaches to its control: reaction, proaction, and outbreak prevention. Reaction protects crops from swarms but it is [...] Read more.

The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), a major Old World pest, is associated with agricultural losses and undesirable societal effects. There are three broad approaches to its control: reaction, proaction, and outbreak prevention. Reaction protects crops from swarms but it is costly and disruptive. Proaction involves early intervention during outbreaks to avert further development to plague status; it is in current use because it is effective, relatively inexpensive, and it is the best available option for now. Outbreak prevention, largely unavailable since the 1970s, at least on a regional scale, will require highly sensitive surveillance to detect the onset of gregarization. Sufficiently early intervention can, hypothetically, extend desert locust recession indefinitely. While research on desert locust biology and behavior is, almost, no longer an urgent requirement to improve the efficacy of control, new priorities have arisen for developing outbreak prevention capability (and for enhancing proaction). Salient needs presently include long residual tactics for prophylactic (preventive) control in breeding areas, intervention thresholds, and improved, sustainable coordination among stakeholders at national, regional, and international levels. The most recent desert locust episode of 2020 provides an illustrative example of how prevention might have averted the entire upsurge, and how proaction in some countries contained the spread of swarms. The initial outbreak in Saudi Arabia escaped control due to unpreparedness, and impacts of armed conflict in Somalia and Yemen, which weakened surveillance and control, further contributed to the invasion of ≥22 countries, and the spraying of ≈4.9 million ha, by the end of 2020. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue How to Manage Migratory Pests and Potential Food Crises: Locusts Plagues in the 2020’s)

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14 pages, 2923 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Cultivar Determines Fatty Acids and Phenolics Dynamics for Olive Fruit and Oil in Super-High-Density Orchards

by Juan J. Polari, Lauren M. Crawford and Selina C. Wang

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020313 - 10 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3113

Abstract

The dynamics of maturation index, water and oil concentrations, and total phenols in olive fruit, together with fatty acids and total phenols content in olive oil, was studied as a function of time after flowering for super-high-density ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’ using data [...] Read more.

The dynamics of maturation index, water and oil concentrations, and total phenols in olive fruit, together with fatty acids and total phenols content in olive oil, was studied as a function of time after flowering for super-high-density ‘Arbequina’, ‘Arbosana’ and ‘Koroneiki’ using data collected in three seasons. Oil concentration increased linearly from the middle of August until reaching a plateau by the end of November for all three cultivars, with ‘Koroneiki’ (45.7 g/100 g) and ‘Arbosana’ (45.4 g/100 g) showing higher maximum oil concentration than ‘Arbequina’ (41.8 g/100 g). While total phenols in the fruit decreased linearly during the harvest for all three cultivars, phenolics in oil peaked at 180 days after flowering (400 mg/kg) for ‘Arbequina’ and at 160 days after flowering (600 mg/kg) for ‘Koroneiki’. For ‘Arbosana’, total phenols in oil decreased linearly with a maximum of 400 mg/kg for early harvest oils. Fatty acid dynamics was largely affected by genotype, with ‘Arbequina’ displaying the largest variation in fatty acid concentrations along the season. ‘Koroneiki’ presented the highest values of oleic acid (73.0–77.1%), followed by ‘Arbosana’ (70.2–72.4%) and ‘Arbequina’ (64.4–74.0%). Results presented here are useful for growers to make planting and harvesting decisions, for producers to understand the differences in oil made from the most common super-high-density cultivars during the harvest seasons, and for regulators to consider legal standards for authentic olive oil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olive Tree Cultivation and Olive Fruit Ripening: Physiological and Nutritional Management)

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26 pages, 6629 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Preliminary Effects of Crop Residue Management on Soil Quality and Crop Production under Different Soil Management Regimes in Corn-Wheat Rotation Systems

by Morad Mirzaei, Manouchehr Gorji Anari, Ehsan Razavy-Toosi, Hossein Asadi, Ebrahim Moghiseh, Nermina Saronjic and Jesús Rodrigo-Comino

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020302 - 9 Feb 2021

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 6288

Abstract

Strategic management of crop residues is essential to enhance soil quality for sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the specific amounts of crop residues needed to improve soil quality characteristics which are key to develop economic plans. In this study, we investigated [...] Read more.

Strategic management of crop residues is essential to enhance soil quality for sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the specific amounts of crop residues needed to improve soil quality characteristics which are key to develop economic plans. In this study, we investigated the effects of applying crop residue at five rates, including 100% (R₁₀₀), 75% (R₇₅), 50% (R₅₀), 25% (R₂₅), and 0% (R₀), on wheat yield and soil properties. Field experiments were conducted for two cropping seasons in a wheat-corn rotation under conventional (CT) and no-till (NT) systems to observe the first results obtained during short-term periods (one-year application). During the study, the wheat and corn fields were irrigated. Application of plant residue resulted in increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and available nutrients and improved soil physical properties, i.e., aggregates mean weight diameter in wet (MWDw) and dry (MWD_d) conditions, water-stable aggregates (WSA), dry-stable aggregates, (DSA), soil water infiltration (SWI), soil available water (SAW), and yield of wheat and corn. The effects were stronger at higher residue application rates. In the CT system, compared to R₀, R₁₀₀ resulted in the highest increase equal to 38, 29, 23, 34, 35, 41, and 11% for SOC, MWDw, MWD_d, WSA, DSA, SAW, and wheat grain yield, respectively. This was equivalent to 28, 19.5, 19, 37, 44, 52, and 6% for the NT system, respectively. Generally, the NT system resulted in a stratification of the soil properties within 0–10 cm compared to 10–20 cm soil depth, but a uniform distribution for both depths under CT system. Overall, these results show that crop residue application can improve soil quality and yield in cereal production systems under semi-arid conditions during the first year of application. It will be key to monitor these changes in along-term field studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conservation Tillage in Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems)

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17 pages, 1890 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Amelioration Effect of LED Lighting in the Bioactive Compounds Synthesis during Carrot Sprouting

by Lorena Martínez-Zamora, Noelia Castillejo, Perla A. Gómez and Francisco Artés-Hernández

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020304 - 9 Feb 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3417

Abstract

Background: This work investigates the morphological and compositional changes of carrots sprouts during 17 days at 20 °C. Methods: Growing conditions were 7 days in darkness (dD) followed by 3, 7, or 10 days of a 16 h light/8 h darkness photoperiod (dP). [...] Read more.

Background: This work investigates the morphological and compositional changes of carrots sprouts during 17 days at 20 °C. Methods: Growing conditions were 7 days in darkness (dD) followed by 3, 7, or 10 days of a 16 h light/8 h darkness photoperiod (dP). Light stimuli used were fluorescent light (Fl), Blue+Red (B+R), Blue+Red+Far-Red (B+R+FR) Light-Emitting Diodes—LEDs- and darkness as control. Results: Results showed that lighting conditions improved the total antioxidant activity and increased the bioactive compounds compared to darkness treatment. However, hypocotyl and sprout length were increased under darkness conditions. Both LEDs treatments (B+R and B+R+FR) increased the phenolic content (phenolic acids and rutin) by 45% and 65% compared to darkness and by 32% regarding Fl. Moreover, a similar trend was observed in the carotenoids content under B+R LEDs, but not when FR was added. Conclusions: Our results suggest that LED lighting during carrot sprouting improved the synthesis of health-promoting compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sprouts, Microgreens and Edible Flowers as Novel Functional Foods)

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18 pages, 453 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Quanti-Qualitative Response of Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cycla) to Soil Amendment with Biochar-Compost Mixtures

by Angela Libutti and Anna Rita Rivelli

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020307 - 9 Feb 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3695

Abstract

In recent years, soil addition with organic amendments, such as biochar and compost, has gained attention as an effective agronomic practice to sustain soil fertility, enhance plant growth and crop yield. Well known are the positive effects of compost on yield of a [...] Read more.

In recent years, soil addition with organic amendments, such as biochar and compost, has gained attention as an effective agronomic practice to sustain soil fertility, enhance plant growth and crop yield. Well known are the positive effects of compost on yield of a wide crop varieties, while both positive and negative responses are reported for biochar Therefore, the aim of the study was to verify the effect of biochar mixed with three types of compost on quanti-qualitative response of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. cycla), a leafy green vegetable rich in dietary antioxidants, largely consumed worldwide. A factorial experiment in pots with two factors, including biochar (without biochar and with biochar from vine pruning residues) and compost (without compost, with compost from olive pomace, with vermicompost from cattle manure, and with compost from cattle anaerobic digestate), was setup. Two growth cycles were considered, and a set of quantitative (height of plants, number, area and fresh weight of leaves) and qualitative parameters (carotenoids, chlorophyll, total N, and NO₃⁻content of leaves) were analyzed. Biochar decreased plant growth and NO₃⁻ leaf content; on the contrary, it increased total N leaf content, while compost improved all the considered parameters. The interactive effect of biochar and compost was evident only on total N and NO₃⁻ leaf content. In our experimental conditions, the compost showed to be the best option to improve Swiss chard growth and increase the content of phytopigments, while the biochar-compost mixtures did not produce the expected effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochar from Agricultural Residues for Sustainable Farming and Recultivation)

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13 pages, 676 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Advantages and Constraints of Eco-Efficiency Measures: The Case of the Polish Food Industry

by Anna Zielińska-Chmielewska, Anna Olszańska, Jerzy Kaźmierczyk and Elena Vladimirovna Andrianova

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020299 - 8 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3182

Abstract

The issue of the efficiency of food processing enterprises is ever-present because of the continuous process of improving the quality standards of raw materials, complying with the procedures in food production, introducing modern production technology, and, above all, due to the large number [...] Read more.

The issue of the efficiency of food processing enterprises is ever-present because of the continuous process of improving the quality standards of raw materials, complying with the procedures in food production, introducing modern production technology, and, above all, due to the large number of actors who are competing for customers in the domestic and foreign food market. In the coming years, the Polish food processing sector will be facing significant challenges with the inevitable slow and gradual decrease in the cost advantages of raw material prices as well as ready-to-eat products. Manufacturing businesses, in the long run, will need to determine the efficiency, and hence the competitiveness of the Polish food processing sector. The aim of this paper was to review the domestic and foreign literature in terms of the classification and systematization of the concept of eco-efficiency and to find the most optimal set of eco-efficiency measures based on the research in chosen food processing enterprises in Poland. In the theoretical part of the study, methods of descriptive, comparative, deductive, and synthetic analysis were used. In the practical part of the study, appropriately selected qualitative methods, such as a questionnaire, were presented. The results of the analysis were based on the results of the authors’ own calculations, as well specific findings from business practice, both from inland and abroad. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sociology in Sustainable Agriculture)

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14 pages, 4160 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceTechnical Note

Application of Lateral Overturning and Backward Rollover Analysis in a Multi-Purpose Agricultural Machine Developed in South Korea

by Seok-Joon Hwang, Moon-Kyeong Jang and Ju-Seok Nam

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020297 - 6 Feb 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3667

Abstract

This study analyzed the lateral overturning and backward rollover characteristics of a multi-purpose agricultural machine recently developed in South Korea. Free body diagrams for theoretical analysis and a three-dimensional model for dynamic simulation were created by reflecting the actual dimensions and material properties [...] Read more.

This study analyzed the lateral overturning and backward rollover characteristics of a multi-purpose agricultural machine recently developed in South Korea. Free body diagrams for theoretical analysis and a three-dimensional model for dynamic simulation were created by reflecting the actual dimensions and material properties of the multi-purpose agricultural machine. The simulation model was verified using the minimum turning radius and angle of static falling down sidelong derived through the certified performance test. The lateral overturning and backward rollover characteristics of the multi-purpose agricultural machine were analyzed using a verified simulation model and theoretical equations derived through literature review. In the lateral overturning analysis, the critical traveling speed at which lateral overturning occurs was derived according to the inner steering angle of the front wheels under steady-state turning conditions. In the backward rollover analysis, the critical angular velocity and theoretical traveling speed of the main body at which backward rollover occurs were derived according to lifting angle of the front wheels. There was no significant difference between the theoretical analysis and simulation results at 5% significance level, and we derived the appropriate traveling speed conditions of the multi-purpose agricultural machine that do not cause lateral overturning and backward rollover. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Automation for Digital Farming)

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25 pages, 5705 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Impacts of Root-Lesion Nematode (Pratylenchus thornei) on Plant Nutrition, Biomass, Grain Yield and Yield Components of Susceptible/Intolerant Wheat Cultivars Determined by Nematicide Applications

by John P. Thompson and Timothy G. Clewett

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 296; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020296 - 6 Feb 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3072

Abstract

Field experiments testing rates of various nematicides, with and without NPZn fertiliser, were analysed to investigate how root-lesion nematode (Pratylenchus thornei) affects growth and yield components of susceptible/intolerant wheat cultivars in a subtropical environment. Plant response to nematode attack was assessed [...] Read more.

Field experiments testing rates of various nematicides, with and without NPZn fertiliser, were analysed to investigate how root-lesion nematode (Pratylenchus thornei) affects growth and yield components of susceptible/intolerant wheat cultivars in a subtropical environment. Plant response to nematode attack was assessed by regression and principal components analyses of various plant parameters at different crop development stages, in relation to different nematode population densities in the roots and root-zone soil. Reduction in P. thornei population densities by nematicides resulted in increased numbers of tillers, plant biomass, N and P concentrations and uptakes, numbers of spikes and kernels, and grain yield. Grain yield was strongly correlated with number of kernels, biomass and number of spikes, and negatively correlated with number of P. thornei in the root-zone soil at stem elongation. This study showed that P. thornei damage to roots decreased wheat yield through limiting N and P concentrations and uptakes in plant tops causing poor growth that commenced early and continued through the life of the crop. Genetic, environmental and management factors that reduce population densities of P. thornei, and decrease the impact of the nematodes starting in early crop growth, will greatly increase spike and kernel numbers and grain yield. Full article

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15 pages, 977 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Tracking Changes on Soil Structure and Organic Carbon Sequestration after 30 Years of Different Tillage and Management Practices

by Ramón Bienes, Maria Jose Marques, Blanca Sastre, Andrés García-Díaz, Iris Esparza, Omar Antón, Luis Navarrete, José L. Hernánz, Víctor Sánchez-Girón, María J. Sánchez del Arco and Remedios Alarcón

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020291 - 5 Feb 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4375

Abstract

Long-term field trials are essential for monitoring the effects of sustainable land management strategies for adaptation and mitigation to climate change. The influence of more than thirty years of different management is analyzed on extensive crops under three tillage systems, conventional tillage (CT), [...] Read more.

Long-term field trials are essential for monitoring the effects of sustainable land management strategies for adaptation and mitigation to climate change. The influence of more than thirty years of different management is analyzed on extensive crops under three tillage systems, conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and no-tillage (NT), and with two crop rotations, monoculture winter-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and wheat-vetch (Triticum aestivum L.-Vicia sativa L.), widely present in the center of Spain. The soil under NT experienced the largest change in organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, macroaggregate stability, and bulk density. In the MT and NT treatments, SOC content was still increasing after 32 years, being 26.5 and 32.2 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively, compared to 20.8 Mg ha⁻¹ in CT. The SOC stratification (ratio of SOC at the topsoil/SOC at the layer underneath), an indicator of soil conservation, increased with decreasing tillage intensity (2.32, 1.36, and 1.01 for NT, MT, and CT respectively). Tillage intensity affected the majority of soil parameters, except the water stable aggregates, infiltration, and porosity. The NT treatment increased available water, but only in monocropping. More water was retained at the permanent wilting point in NT treatments, which can be a disadvantage in dry periods of these edaphoclimatic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Healthy in Agro-ecosystems)

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17 pages, 2953 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Enhanced Carbon Sequestration in Marginal Land Upon Shift towards Perennial C₄Miscanthus × giganteus: A Case Study in North-Western Czechia

by Karim Suhail Al Souki, Hana Burdová, Jakub Trubač, Jiří Štojdl, Pavel Kuráň, Sylvie Kříženecká, Iva Machová, Karel Kubát, Jan Popelka, Hana Auer Malinská, Diana Nebeská, Sergej Ust’ak, Roman Honzík and Josef Trögl

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020293 - 5 Feb 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3410

Abstract

Bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus × giganteus are foreseeable as an alternative source to replace fossil fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are also assessed as an environment-friendly solution for polluted, marginal and low-quality agricultural soils. Several studies had been launched on [...] Read more.

Bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus × giganteus are foreseeable as an alternative source to replace fossil fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They are also assessed as an environment-friendly solution for polluted, marginal and low-quality agricultural soils. Several studies had been launched on soil organic carbon sequestration potentials of miscanthus culture along with its impacts on restoring soil functionality, most of which focus on the long-term basis of the plant’s cultivation. Nevertheless, information concerning the short term impacts as well as the situation in Czechia is still scarce. In this context, a field experiment was launched in 2017 in a poor-quality agricultural land in the city of Chomutov (North-Western Czechia) to compare the impacts of the perennial C₄ miscanthus with an annual C₃ forage crop (wheat) on the soil carbon stocks as well as enhancing its functionality. Results through the 0–30 cm soil profile examination showed that miscanthus plants played a role in improving the studied soil physico-chemical (bulk density and soil organic carbon concentrations) and biological (Phospholipid fatty acids stress indicator, basal respiration and fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity) parameters. The naturally occurring δ¹³C concentrations were used to evaluate the direct plant contribution to the total soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and revealed considerable miscanthus contribution all over the detected soil layers (1.98 ± 0.21 Mg C. ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) after only 3 growing seasons. It is thus suggested that the C₄ perennial miscanthus possess remarkable prospects for SOC sequestration and restoring degraded lands. Full article

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26 pages, 2745 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

An Overview of Olive Cultivation in Turkey: Botanical Features, Eco-Physiology and Phytochemical Aspects

by Munir Ozturk, Volkan Altay, Tuba Mert Gönenç, Bengu Turkyilmaz Unal, Recep Efe, Eren Akçiçek and Andleeb Bukhari

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020295 - 5 Feb 2021

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 13495

Abstract

Global climate change, especially global warming, is affecting olive production efficiency as well as its product quality. The size and water content of fruit varies depending on the olive fruit yield along with the region, climate, and geographical position as well as agricultural [...] Read more.

Global climate change, especially global warming, is affecting olive production efficiency as well as its product quality. The size and water content of fruit varies depending on the olive fruit yield along with the region, climate, and geographical position as well as agricultural applications. Anthropogenic activities also affect its ecology to a great extent. The plant prefers areas with mild winters and short rainy seasons but is facing long and dry summers, sunny habitats, well drained dry, poor, loamy, clayey-loamy, slightly calcareous, pebbly and nutrient-rich soils, with a pH around 6–8. It is resistant to drought but suffers much from harsh winters and air pollutants, which affect its production. Although the olive plant tolerates temperatures between −7 °C to 40 °C, the optimum temperature demanded for growth, development, and fruit yield is 15–25 °C. The annual precipitation demand lies between 700–850 mm. An important part of the composition of its fruit consists of water and oil or the “liquid gold”. Main ingredients are additionally fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, organic sugars, and phenolics. Phenolic substances are responsible for many beneficial health effects as well as the taste and aroma of olive fruit. Oleuropein stands out due to its inhibition of oxidation of low density lipoproteins and its hypoglycemic and cholesterolemic effects. It is also a component that protects the olive tree against various parasites and diseases, one of the reasons why olive is recorded as the “immortal tree”. Olive trees are cultivated in different regions of Turkey. A series of changes occur in morphological, physiological, and biochemical features to overcome different types of stress. In this review, information about the botanical aspects, eco-physiology, and pharmaceutical features of the oil, fruit, and leaves has been evaluated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olive Tree Cultivation and Olive Fruit Ripening: Physiological and Nutritional Management)

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14 pages, 2894 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Optimization of Tomato Productivity Using Flowering Time Variants

by Sujeevan Rajendran, Jung Heo, Yong Jun Kim, Dae Heon Kim, Kisung Ko, Young Koung Lee, Seok Kwi Oh, Chul Min Kim, Jong Hyang Bae and Soon Ju Park

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 285; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020285 - 4 Feb 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4436

Abstract

The control of flowering time is a major contributing factor to the improvement of crop yield by optimizing plant growth in a crop cycle. Genetic variants that determine flowering time can provide insights into optimizing flowering time for higher yields and other beneficial [...] Read more.

The control of flowering time is a major contributing factor to the improvement of crop yield by optimizing plant growth in a crop cycle. Genetic variants that determine flowering time can provide insights into optimizing flowering time for higher yields and other beneficial traits in tomato crops. Here, we examined a collection of flowering time variants to assess their effects on biomass and total tomato yields. Five late flowering (lf), thirteen large plant (lp), and seven floral homeotic (fh) mutants were identified as flowering time variants that could be rearranged according to leaf production in the primary shoot meristem (PSM). A flowering time continuum of mutants was translated into a positive continuum of biomass yield with more leaves, branches, and floral organs. The flowering time continuum showed an optimal curve of fruit yield, indicating a certain late flowering time as optimal for fruit yield, with the yield gradually decreasing in both directions with earlier or later flowering times. We isolated lf1, lf10, lp22, and fh13 as high-yielding genotypes with optimal flowering time, showing a new balance between the vegetative and flowering phases of tomato. Additionally, lp8, fh8, and fh15 produced extremely high biomass in leaves, axillary shoots, and floral organs due to late flowering in shoot apices with additional production of floral organs and lateral shoot. Our new late-flowering variants provide new genetic resources that can be used to optimize crop yield by fine-tuning flowering time, and future molecular studies could be conducted by revisiting our yield model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Crop Breeding and Genetics)

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14 pages, 1389 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Field Screening of Wheat Advanced Lines for Salinity Tolerance

by Ehab S. A. Moustafa, Mohamed M. A. Ali, Mohamed M. Kamara, Mohamed F. Awad, Abdallah A. Hassanin and Elsayed Mansour

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 281; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020281 - 3 Feb 2021

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4696

Abstract

Salinity in soil or irrigation water requires developing genetically salt-tolerant genotypes, especially in arid regions. Developing salt-tolerant and high-yielding wheat genotypes has become more urgent in particular with continuing global population growth and abrupt climate changes. The current study aimed at investigating the [...] Read more.

Salinity in soil or irrigation water requires developing genetically salt-tolerant genotypes, especially in arid regions. Developing salt-tolerant and high-yielding wheat genotypes has become more urgent in particular with continuing global population growth and abrupt climate changes. The current study aimed at investigating the genetic variability of new breeding lines in three advanced generations F6–F8 under salinity stress. The evaluated advanced lines were derived through accurate pedigree selection under actual saline field conditions (7.74 dS/m) and using saline water in irrigation (8.35 dS/m). Ninety-four F6 lines were evaluated in 2017–2018 and reduced by selection to thirty-seven F7 lines in 2018–2019 and afterward to thirty-four F8 lines in 2019–2020 based on grain yield and related traits compared with adopted check cultivars. Significant genetic variability was detected for all evaluated agronomic traits across generations in the salt-stressed field. The elite F8 breeding lines displayed higher performance than the adopted check cultivars. These lines were classified based on yield index into four groups using hierarchical clustering ranging from highly salt-tolerant to slightly salt-tolerant genotypes, which efficiently enhance the narrow genetic pool of salt-tolerance. The detected response to selection and high to intermediate broad-sense heritability for measured traits displayed their potentiality to be utilized through advanced generations under salinity stress for identifying salt-tolerant breeding lines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Translational Genomics for Wheat Quality Improvement)

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11 pages, 3436 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Prediction of Rice Yield in East China Based on Climate and Agronomic Traits Data Using Artificial Neural Networks and Partial Least Squares Regression

by Yuming Guo, Haitao Xiang, Zhenwang Li, Fei Ma and Changwen Du

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020282 - 3 Feb 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3424

Abstract

Rice yield is not only influenced by factors of varieties and managements, but also by environmental factors. In this study, agronomic trait data of rice and climate data in eastern China were collected, and rice yields were predicted using a variety of algorithms, [...] Read more.

Rice yield is not only influenced by factors of varieties and managements, but also by environmental factors. In this study, agronomic trait data of rice and climate data in eastern China were collected, and rice yields were predicted using a variety of algorithms, including the non-linear tool of feed-forward backpropagation neural networks (FFBN) and the linear model of partial least squares regression (PLSR). The results showed that both the agronomic traits and the climate data were significantly related with rice yield. The PLSR model showed that covariates occurred among the parameters, and modifications should be considered for climate data-based modelling. The FFBN model demonstrated better prediction performance than that of PLSR, in which the relation coefficient (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.611 vs. 0.374 and 0.578 vs. 0.865 ton/ha using climate data, respectively; and 0.742 vs. 0.689 and 0.556 vs. 0.608 using agronomic trait data, respectively. When using fused data the R² and RMSE improved to 0.843 vs. 0.746 and 0.440 vs. 0.549, respectively. The optimum architecture of the FFBN consisted of one hidden layer with 29 neurons. Therefore, the FFBN algorithm is an effective option for the prediction of rice yield in complex systems of rice production. Full article

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14 pages, 1530 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Relationship between Delayed Leaf Senescence (Stay-Green) and Agronomic and Physiological Characters in Maize (Zea mays L.)

by Nadia Chibane, Marlon Caicedo, Susana Martinez, Purificación Marcet, Pedro Revilla and Bernardo Ordás

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020276 - 2 Feb 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3660

Abstract

Stay-green (SG) is a term used to describe genotypes that have delayed leaf senescence as compared to reference genotypes. SG could be favorable for grain yield, silage yield and quality, double exploitation (grain for feed and stover for bioenergy), stress resistance, etc. However, [...] Read more.

Stay-green (SG) is a term used to describe genotypes that have delayed leaf senescence as compared to reference genotypes. SG could be favorable for grain yield, silage yield and quality, double exploitation (grain for feed and stover for bioenergy), stress resistance, etc. However, some studies show contradictory results regarding the influence of senescence or SG in the uptake and remobilization of nutrients and the yield and moisture of stover and grain. This experiment is aimed to study the impact of senescence in grain and stover yield and moisture in inbred lines of maize and assess the potential of SG genotypes for double exploitation. We also study the influence of senescence in the uptake of N and remobilization of dry matter and N from stover to grain. We evaluated 16 maize inbred lines with contrasting expression of senescence in the field at two locations in Galicia in 2017. We confirmed that SG is functional, meaning that the SG genotypes maintained photosynthesis activity for a lengthy period. Coordinated with a delayed senescence, the grain filling of the SG genotypes was 9 days longer than NSG genotypes. SG genotypes took up more N after flowering, although the remobilization of N and, in general, of dry matter from stover to kernels was less efficient. However, the higher uptake compensated the poor remobilization, and the final effect of SG on the N content of the kernels was favorable. SG was also favorable for kernel weight and the kernels of SG genotypes were 20% heavier than for NSG. The stover yield was also higher in the SG genotypes, indicating a potential of SG for breeding for double purpose (grain for feed and stover for bioenergy). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maize Breeding for Alternative and Multiple Uses)

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11 pages, 2328 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Development and Characterization of Wheat-Agropyron cristatum Introgression Lines Induced by Gametocidal Genes and Wheat ph1b Mutant

by Alejandro Copete-Parada, Carmen Palomino and Adoración Cabrera

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020277 - 2 Feb 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2688

Abstract

The P genome of Agropyron cristatum Gaertn. contains many desirable genes that can be utilized as genetic resources to improve wheat. In this research, we used both the gametocidal chromosome 2C^c and the pairing homologous gene (Ph1b) mutant to induce [...] Read more.

The P genome of Agropyron cristatum Gaertn. contains many desirable genes that can be utilized as genetic resources to improve wheat. In this research, we used both the gametocidal chromosome 2C^c and the pairing homologous gene (Ph1b) mutant to induce structural aberrations and translocations between wheat and the 4P, 5P, and 6P genome chromosomes. By using the two approaches, a total of 19 wheat-A. cristatum translocations have been identified, in which 13 were induced by the Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring (CS) ph1b mutant (CS ph1b) and six were induced by gametocidal chromosome 2C^c from Aegilops cylindrica Host. The wheat-4P, -5P and -6P A. cristatum translocations were characterized by in situ hybridization and by a set of conserved orthologous set (COS) molecular markers. The aberrations included centromeric translocations, terminal translocations, dicentric translocations, and deletions. The average induction frequency of chromosome structural aberrations was 10.9% using gametocidal 2C^c chromosome and 8.8% using ph1b mutant. The highest frequency obtained was for chromosome 4P using both approaches. All the wheat-A. cristatum translocation lines obtained were valuable for identifying A. cristatum chromosome 4P, 5P, and 6P related genes. In addition, these lines provided genetic resources and new germplasm accessions for the genetic improvement of wheat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization and Use of Species from Triticeae Tribe in the Wheat Breeding)

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17 pages, 2061 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Foliar Application of Ulva rigida Water Extracts Improves Salinity Tolerance in Wheat (Triticum durum L.)

by Salma Latique, Reda Ben Mrid, Imad Kabach, Anass Kchikich, Hasnaa Sammama, Abdelaziz Yasri, Mohamed Nhiri, Mimoun El Kaoua, Allal Douira and Karima Selmaoui

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020265 - 31 Jan 2021

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 4526

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of seaweed extract (SWE) sprays obtained from Ulva rigida on wheat plants (Triticum durum L., variety Karim) grown under salt stress conditions for six weeks. Three levels of NaCl (0, 34.22, 68.44 mM) and four different concentrations [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effect of seaweed extract (SWE) sprays obtained from Ulva rigida on wheat plants (Triticum durum L., variety Karim) grown under salt stress conditions for six weeks. Three levels of NaCl (0, 34.22, 68.44 mM) and four different concentrations (0, 12.5, 25 and 50%) of Ulva rigida as a water extract were applied. The obtained results indicated that seaweed treated plants showed higher ability to tolerate salt stress (34.22 or 68.44 mM of NaCl) by a significant (p < 0.05) increase of plant growth and the photosynthetic pigment contents, compared to those of control (non-treated plants). Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in antioxidant enzyme activity, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) activities in the stressed plants, especially in those treated with 12.5% of SWE. Overall, our results suggest that the application of the Ulva rigida water extract could be used as a promising plant growth biostimulant for treating wheat plants under salinity stress. Full article

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18 pages, 9156 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Crop Water Requirements and Suitability Assessment in Arid Environments: A New Approach

by Abdelrazek Elnashar, Mohamed Abbas, Hassan Sobhy and Mohamed Shahba

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020260 - 30 Jan 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4515

Abstract

Efficient land and water management require the accurate selection of suitable crops that are compatible with soil and crop water requirements (CWR) in a given area. In this study, twenty soil profiles are collected to represent the soils of the study area. Physical [...] Read more.

Efficient land and water management require the accurate selection of suitable crops that are compatible with soil and crop water requirements (CWR) in a given area. In this study, twenty soil profiles are collected to represent the soils of the study area. Physical and chemical properties of soil, in addition to irrigation water quality, provided data are utilized by the Agriculture Land Evaluation System for Arid and semi-arid regions (ALES-Arid) to determine crop suitability. University of Idaho Ref-ET software is used to calculate CWR from weather data while the Surface Energy Balance Algorithms for Land Model (SEBAL) is utilized to estimate CWR from remote sensing data. The obtained results show that seasonal weather-based CWR of the most suitable field crops (S1 and S2 classes) ranges from 804 to 1625 mm for wheat and berssem, respectively, and ranges from 778 to 993 mm in the vegetable crops potato and watermelon, respectively, under surface irrigation. Mean daily satellite-based CWR are predicted based on SEBAL ranges between 4.79 and 3.62 mm in Toshka and Abu Simbel areas respectively. This study provides a new approach for coupling ALES-Arid, Ref-ET and SEBAL models to facilitate the selection of suitable crops and offers an excellent source for predicting CWR in arid environments. The findings of this research will help in managing the future marginal land reclamation projects in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Plant Water Use Efficiency for a Sustainable Environment)

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15 pages, 4152 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Classification of Medicinal Plant Leaves Based on Multispectral and Texture Feature Using Machine Learning Approach

by Samreen Naeem, Aqib Ali, Christophe Chesneau, Muhammad H. Tahir, Farrukh Jamal, Rehan Ahmad Khan Sherwani and Mahmood Ul Hassan

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020263 - 30 Jan 2021

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 46285

Abstract

This study proposes the machine learning based classification of medical plant leaves. The total six varieties of medicinal plant leaves-based dataset are collected from the Department of Agriculture, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. These plants are commonly named in English as (herbal) [...] Read more.

This study proposes the machine learning based classification of medical plant leaves. The total six varieties of medicinal plant leaves-based dataset are collected from the Department of Agriculture, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. These plants are commonly named in English as (herbal) Tulsi, Peppermint, Bael, Lemon balm, Catnip, and Stevia and scientifically named in Latin as Ocimum sanctum, Mentha balsamea, Aegle marmelos, Melissa officinalis, Nepeta cataria, and Stevia rebaudiana, respectively. The multispectral and digital image dataset are collected via a computer vision laboratory setup. For the preprocessing step, we crop the region of the leaf and transform it into a gray level format. Secondly, we perform a seed intensity-based edge/line detection utilizing Sobel filter and draw five regions of observations. A total of 65 fused features dataset is extracted, being a combination of texture, run-length matrix, and multi-spectral features. For the feature optimization process, we employ a chi-square feature selection approach and select 14 optimized features. Finally, five machine learning classifiers named as a multi-layer perceptron, logit-boost, bagging, random forest, and simple logistic are deployed on an optimized medicinal plant leaves dataset, and it is observed that the multi-layer perceptron classifier shows a relatively promising accuracy of 99.01% as compared to the competition. The distinct classification accuracy by the multi-layer perceptron classifier on six medicinal plant leaves are 99.10% for Tulsi, 99.80% for Peppermint, 98.40% for Bael, 99.90% for Lemon balm, 98.40% for Catnip, and 99.20% for Stevia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Learning Applications in Digital Agriculture)

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14 pages, 4821 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Genome-Wide Identification of the NHX Gene Family in Punica granatum L. and Their Expressional Patterns under Salt Stress

by Jianmei Dong, Cuiyu Liu, Yuying Wang, Yujie Zhao, Dapeng Ge and Zhaohe Yuan

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020264 - 30 Jan 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4128

Abstract

Most cultivated lands are suffering from soil salinization, which is a global problem affecting agricultural development and economy. High NaCl concentrations in the soil result in the accumulation of toxic Cl⁻ and Na⁺ in plants. Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter (NHX) [...] Read more.

Most cultivated lands are suffering from soil salinization, which is a global problem affecting agricultural development and economy. High NaCl concentrations in the soil result in the accumulation of toxic Cl⁻ and Na⁺ in plants. Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter (NHX) can regulate Na⁺ compartmentalization or efflux to reduce Na⁺ toxicity. This study aims to identify the NHX genes in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) from the genome sequences and investigate their expression patterns under different concentrations of NaCl stress. In this study, we used the sequences of PgNHXs to analyze the physicochemical properties, phylogenetic evolution, conserved motifs, gene structures, cis-acting elements, protein tertiary structure and expression pattern. A total of 10 PgNHX genes were identified, and divided into three clades. Conserved motifs and gene structures showed that most of them had an amiloride-binding site (FFI/LY/FLLPPI), except for the members of clade III. There were multiple cis-acting elements involved in abiotic stress in PgNHX genes. Additionally, protein-protein interaction network analysis suggested that PgNHXs might play crucial roles in keeping a balance of Na⁺ in cells. The qRT-PCR analysis suggested that PgNHXs had tissue-specific expressional patterns under salt stress. Overall, our findings indicated that the PgNHXs could play significant roles in response to salt stress. The theoretical foundation was established in the present study for the further functional characterization of the NHX gene family in pomegranate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology of Crop Plants Breeding - Series Ⅱ)

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33 pages, 1650 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Consequences and Mitigation Strategies of Abiotic Stresses in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under the Changing Climate

by Akbar Hossain, Milan Skalicky, Marian Brestic, Sagar Maitra, M. Ashraful Alam, M. Abu Syed, Jamil Hossain, Sukamal Sarkar, Saikat Saha, Preetha Bhadra, Tanmoy Shankar, Rajan Bhatt, Apurbo Kumar Chaki, Ayman EL Sabagh and Tofazzal Islam

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 241; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020241 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 113 | Viewed by 13031

Abstract

Wheat is one of the world’s most commonly consumed cereal grains. During abiotic stresses, the physiological and biochemical alterations in the cells reduce growth and development of plants that ultimately decrease the yield of wheat. Therefore, novel approaches are needed for sustainable wheat [...] Read more.

Wheat is one of the world’s most commonly consumed cereal grains. During abiotic stresses, the physiological and biochemical alterations in the cells reduce growth and development of plants that ultimately decrease the yield of wheat. Therefore, novel approaches are needed for sustainable wheat production under the changing climate to ensure food and nutritional security of the ever-increasing population of the world. There are two ways to alleviate the adverse effects of abiotic stresses in sustainable wheat production. These are (i) development of abiotic stress tolerant wheat cultivars by molecular breeding, speed breeding, genetic engineering, and/or gene editing approaches such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas toolkit, and (ii) application of improved agronomic, nano-based agricultural technology, and other climate-smart agricultural technologies. The development of stress-tolerant wheat cultivars by mobilizing global biodiversity and using molecular breeding, speed breeding, genetic engineering, and/or gene editing approaches such as CRISPR-Cas toolkit is considered the most promising ways for sustainable wheat production in the changing climate in major wheat-growing regions of the world. This comprehensive review updates the adverse effects of major abiotic stresses and discusses the potentials of some novel approaches such as molecular breeding, biotechnology and genetic-engineering, speed breeding, nanotechnology, and improved agronomic practices for sustainable wheat production in the changing climate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Crop Physiology and Stress)

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26 pages, 5095 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Biodegradable Polymer Compounds Reinforced with Banana Fiber for the Production of Protective Bags for Banana Fruits in the Context of Circular Economy

by Pablo Bordón, Rubén Paz, Carolina Peñalva, Gisela Vega, Mario Monzón and Lidia García

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020242 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 14974

Abstract

Bags used to protect and accelerate the ripening of bananas are a clear example of the environmental problem of packaging waste. Small pieces of these non-biodegradable bags are frequently disposed on the soil by accident (environmental conditions and poor handling during the harvest) [...] Read more.

Bags used to protect and accelerate the ripening of bananas are a clear example of the environmental problem of packaging waste. Small pieces of these non-biodegradable bags are frequently disposed on the soil by accident (environmental conditions and poor handling during the harvest) and remain there for years. This work focuses on the development of protective biodegradable bags reinforced with banana fiber, obtained from waste of the banana plants, thus promoting a circular economy and a more environmentally friendly process. To achieve this, different bio-based composites were tested (processability) by compounding extrusion (biopolymer and banana fiber with different process steps) and blown film extrusion. The bags produced were tested in field and sequentially improved in three generations of biofilms. The results showed that the maximum processable fiber content was 5 wt %. Additionally, the micronizing of the compounds was crucial to simplify the blown film extrusion and improve the smoothness of the bags (scratches avoidance on the banana surface). The final bags (Mater-Bi biopolymer, 5% combed and sieved banana fiber, and 2.5 wt % TiO₂ for ultraviolet light filtration), performed better than the conventional ones (faster maturing, i.e., earlier harvest, and easier handling) and fulfilled the biodegradability, composting and ecotoxicity test requirements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)

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16 pages, 1000 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Phosphorus and Carbohydrate Metabolism in Green Bean Plants Subjected to Increasing Phosphorus Concentration in the Nutrient Solution

by Pedro García-Caparrós, María Teresa Lao, Pablo Preciado-Rangel and Esteban Sanchez

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 245; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020245 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4154

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is considered an elementary mineral nutrient for plants. Nevertheless, excessive or deficit supply to the crop may cause negative changes at the physiological level. Plants were cultivated in pots in a growth chamber under increasing P concentration (P₁ (0.5 mmol/L [...] Read more.

Phosphorus (P) is considered an elementary mineral nutrient for plants. Nevertheless, excessive or deficit supply to the crop may cause negative changes at the physiological level. Plants were cultivated in pots in a growth chamber under increasing P concentration (P₁ (0.5 mmol/L (control treatment)), P₂ (1 mmol/L); P₃ (2 mmol/L); P₄ (4 mmol/L); P₅ (6 mmol/L), and P₆ (8 mmol/L)) in the nutrient solution for 40 days. At the end of the experimental period, biomass, carbohydrates concentration, and enzymatic activities related to the synthesis and degradation of sucrose as well as the different fractions of P in different organs of the plant were assessed. The results obtained in this experiment reveal a decrease in biomass under increasing P supply. Fructose, glucose, sucrose, and starch concentrations were higher in the shoots compared to the roots. There were different trends in the roots and shoots in enzymatic activities related to sucrose. The increase in P dose increased the concentration of the different forms assessed for P in all the organs studied. Seed phytate concentration surpassed the threshold established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for green bean plants grown under P₄, P₅, and P₆ treatments. Considering the results obtained, we suggest fertigation with a concentration of 2 mmol/L to obtain a higher productivity without excess of phytate in seeds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management of Crops Fertigation)

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23 pages, 4873 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Effects of Potassium Fertilization and Irrigation on the Yield and Health Status of Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.)

by Bożena Bogucka, Agnieszka Pszczółkowska, Adam Okorski and Krzysztof Jankowski

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020234 - 27 Jan 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3276

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of potassium fertilization (applied to soil at 150, 250, and 350 kg K₂O ha⁻¹) and irrigation on the yield (fresh matter yield and dry matter yield of above-ground biomass [...] Read more.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of potassium fertilization (applied to soil at 150, 250, and 350 kg K₂O ha⁻¹) and irrigation on the yield (fresh matter yield and dry matter yield of above-ground biomass and tubers) and the health status of tubers and leaves of three Jerusalem artichoke—JA (Helianthus tuberosus L.) cultivars (Topstar, Violette de Rennes, Waldspindel). The Topstar cultivar was characterized by the highest total tuber yield (60.53 Mg FM ha⁻¹) and the highest above-ground biomass yield (65.74 Mg FM ha⁻¹). An increase in the rate of potassium fertilizer to 350 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ did not affect total tuber yields. The greatest increase in above-ground biomass yields was observed in response to the potassium fertilizer rate of 150 kg K₂O ha ⁻¹ (64.40 Mg FM ha⁻¹). Irrigation increased tuber yields by 59% and above-ground biomass yields by 42% on average. Phytopathological analyses revealed that JA leaves were most frequently colonized by fungi of the genera Alternaria, Fusarium, and Epicoccum. Alternaria and Fusarium fungi were more prevalent in non-irrigated than in irrigated plots. A higher number of fungal pathogens was isolated from the leaves of cv. Violette de Rennes grown in a non-irrigated plot fertilized with 250 kg K₂O ha⁻¹. Tubers were most heavily colonized by fungi of the genera Penicillium, Fusarium, Alternaria, Botrytis, and Rhizopus. Fungal species of the genus Fusarium were isolated from tubers in all irrigated treatments, and they were less frequently identified in non-irrigated plots. Only the tubers of cv. Topstar grown in non-irrigated plots and supplied with 150 kg K₂O ha⁻¹ were free of Fusarium fungi. The number of cultures of pathogenic species isolated from Jerusalem artichoke tubers had a minor negative impact on fresh and dry matter yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Plant Water Use Efficiency for a Sustainable Environment)

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17 pages, 2305 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Exogenous Application of Mg, Zn and B Influences Phyto-Nutritional Composition of Leaves and Fruits of Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.)

by Muhammad Moaaz Ali, Raheel Anwar, Muhammad Waleed Shafique, Ahmed Fathy Yousef and Faxing Chen

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020224 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2852

Abstract

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) on the level of macronutrients (Na, Mg, K, Ca), micronutrients (Zn, B, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu), and heavy metals (Cd, As, Hg, Pb) in loquat [...] Read more.

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and boron (B) on the level of macronutrients (Na, Mg, K, Ca), micronutrients (Zn, B, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu), and heavy metals (Cd, As, Hg, Pb) in loquat leaves and fruit tissues (peel, pulp, and seed) using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Fruits were obtained from a loquat orchard located in Fujian (Yun Xiao/Zhangzhou). The results revealed that the foliar application of Mg increased the concentrations of Mg, K, Ca, Zn, B, Mn, Ni, and Cu in leaves; Mg, Ca, Zn, B, Mo, and Mn in fruit pulp; and Na, K, B, Mo, Co, Ni, and Cu in seeds. Zinc increased Mg, K, Ca, Zn, B, Ni, and Cu in leaves; Fe, Co and Ni in fruit peel; K, B, Mn, Fe, and Co in fruit pulp; and Na and K in seeds. Similarly, B application increased the concentrations of Na, Mg, K, Ca, and B in leaves; Ca and Ni in fruit peel; Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, B, Mn, Fe, and Co in fruit pulp; and Na, K, Ca, Zn, B, Mo, Mn, Co, and Ni in loquat seeds. Overall, mineral concentrations detected in the leaves and fruit tissues of loquats were greatly influenced by the application of Mg, Zn and B. Although heavy metal concentrations in fruit pulp were increased by the foliar application of B, the fruits were under safe limits for human consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineral Nutrition of Fruit Trees)

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15 pages, 1513 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Reduced N Fertilization on Plant Growth, Root Morphology and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato Grown in Soilless Culture

by Ikram Ullah, Hanping Mao, Ghulam Rasool, Hongyan Gao, Qaiser Javed, Abid Sarwar and Muhammad Imran Khan

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020228 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4436

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various irrigation water (W) and nitrogen (N) levels on growth, root-shoot morphology, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes in spring–summer and fall–winter. The experiment consisted of three irrigation water levels (W: [...] Read more.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various irrigation water (W) and nitrogen (N) levels on growth, root-shoot morphology, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes in spring–summer and fall–winter. The experiment consisted of three irrigation water levels (W: 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 80%, and 60% of full irrigation) and three N application levels (N: 100%, 75%, and 50% of the standard nitrogen concentration in Hoagland’s solution treatments equivalent to 15, 11.25, 7.5 mM). All the growth parameters of tomato significantly decreased (p < 0.05) with the decrease in the amount of irrigation and nitrogen application. Results depicted that a slight decrease in irrigation and an increase in N supply improved average root diameter, total root length, and root surface area, while the interaction was observed non-significant at average diameter of roots. Compared to the control, W₈₀ N₁₀₀ was statistically non-significant in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. The W₈₀ N₁₀₀ resulted in a yield decrease of 2.90% and 8.75% but increased irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) by 21.40% and 14.06%. Among interactions, the reduction in a single factor at W₈₀ N₁₀₀ and W₁₀₀ N₇₅ compensated the growth and yield. Hence, W₈₀ N₁₀₀ was found to be optimal regarding yield and IWUE, with 80% of irrigation water and 15 mM of N fertilization for soilless tomato production in greenhouses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimizing Plant Water Use Efficiency for a Sustainable Environment)

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24 pages, 1646 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Plant Growth Stimulation by Microbial Consortia

by Gustavo Santoyo, Paulina Guzmán-Guzmán, Fannie Isela Parra-Cota, Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos, Ma. del Carmen Orozco-Mosqueda and Bernard R. Glick

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020219 - 24 Jan 2021

Cited by 176 | Viewed by 21512

Abstract

Plant-associated microorganisms play an important role in agricultural production. Although various studies have shown that single microorganisms can exert beneficial effects on plants, it is increasingly evident that when a microbial consortium—two or more interacting microorganisms—is involved, additive or synergistic results can be [...] Read more.

Plant-associated microorganisms play an important role in agricultural production. Although various studies have shown that single microorganisms can exert beneficial effects on plants, it is increasingly evident that when a microbial consortium—two or more interacting microorganisms—is involved, additive or synergistic results can be expected. This occurs, in part, due to the fact that multiple species can perform a variety of tasks in an ecosystem like the rhizosphere. Therefore, the beneficial mechanisms of plant growth stimulation (i.e., enhanced nutrient availability, phytohormone modulation, biocontrol, biotic and abiotic stress tolerance) exerted by different microbial players within the rhizosphere, such as plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and fungi (such as Trichoderma and Mycorrhizae), are reviewed. In addition, their interaction and beneficial activity are highlighted when they act as part of a consortium, mainly as mixtures of different species of PGPB, PGPB–Mycorrhizae, and PGPB–Trichoderma, under normal and diverse stress conditions. Finally, we propose the expansion of the use of different microbial consortia, as well as an increase in research on different mixtures of microorganisms that facilitate the best and most consistent results in the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potential of Bacterial Endophytes as Crop Growth Promoting Factors)

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15 pages, 2017 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Soybean Development and Productivity in Response to Organic Management above the Northern Boundary of Soybean Distribution in Europe

by Monika Toleikiene, Jonas Slepetys, Lina Sarunaite, Sigitas Lazauskas, Irena Deveikyte and Zydre Kadziuliene

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020214 - 23 Jan 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5379

Abstract

Climate change, new varieties, better technological abilities, and increased demand for local resources provide significant reasons to introduce soybeans in northern regions, above the typical soybean distribution area in Europe. This research examined the effects of two delayed sowing times, wide 25 cm [...] Read more.

Climate change, new varieties, better technological abilities, and increased demand for local resources provide significant reasons to introduce soybeans in northern regions, above the typical soybean distribution area in Europe. This research examined the effects of two delayed sowing times, wide 25 cm and 50 cm row spacings, seed inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and the interaction of all these factors on soybean development and productivity in an organic farming system. Length of soybean vegetation varied from 142 to 161 days at latitude 55° N. Yield varied from 673 to 3154 kg ha⁻¹ in response to management factors. In the dry 2015 year, the combination of later sowing dates and wide 50-cm row spacing significantly (p < 0.01) increased the number of pods per plant by 28%, aboveground dry biomass by two times, and seed yield by 36% plant⁻¹. In the wet 2016, yield components reached their highest values of 16.8 g dry biomass, 19.9 pods plant⁻¹ and 7.9 g seeds plant⁻¹ when inoculated soybeans were sown earlier, with 50-cm row spacings. Protein content significantly varied from 27.4 to 35.3%, and fat content 17.4–21.5%. This study suggests that regular soybean development could be maintained in organically managed locations above the present northern soybean distributional region, but its development, productivity, and production quality significantly depends on management practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Agriculture at the Heart of Agroecological Transition)

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12 pages, 500 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Organic Matter Properties of Spent Button Mushroom Substrate in the Context of Soil Organic Matter Reproduction

by Marcin Becher, Magdalena Banach-Szott and Agnieszka Godlewska

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020204 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4199

Abstract

The objective of the work was to evaluate selected properties of spent substrates used for growing button mushrooms (SMSs) and the content and quality of the organic matter in this material in the context of rational use for fertilisation purposes and potential impact [...] Read more.

The objective of the work was to evaluate selected properties of spent substrates used for growing button mushrooms (SMSs) and the content and quality of the organic matter in this material in the context of rational use for fertilisation purposes and potential impact on the soil environment. The materials were sampled at production facilities located in the east of Mazovia. The density and amount of spent substrate on shelves where mushrooms were cultivated were determined. The following were analysed in the laboratory: reaction, carbonate content, TC (total carbon) and TOC (total organic carbon) contents, total nitrogen, organic matter fraction composition, and humic acids properties. It was confirmed that this material had a marked potential to enrich soils in organic matter, nitrogen, and carbonates. The analysis revealed that the most important qualitative properties of the organic matter were related to the relatively high share of labile organic compounds (the fraction separated with 0.05 M H₂SO₄ and the fraction of fulvic acids). The humic acids had similar properties regardless of their origins. The humic acids (HAs) molecules displayed a substantial share of aliphatic structures which are typical of these materials at their initial decomposition stage. It can be assumed that, due to such properties, spent mushroom substrates are materials which can be directly introduced into the soil to improve their quality and prevent degradation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrated Nutrient Recovery from Organic Waste and Bio-Based Fertilizers)

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15 pages, 1768 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Improving the Biocontrol Potential of Bacterial Antagonists with Salicylic Acid against Brown Rot Disease and Impact on Nectarine Fruits Quality

by Nadia Lyousfi, Rachid Lahlali, Chaimaa Letrib, Zineb Belabess, Rachida Ouaabou, Said Ennahli, Abdelali Blenzar and Essaid Ait Barka

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020209 - 22 Jan 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3656

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of both antagonistic bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SF14) and Alcaligenes faecalis (ACBC1) used in combination with salicylic acid (SA) to effectively control brown rot disease caused by Monilinia fructigena. Four concentrations of [...] Read more.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of both antagonistic bacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SF14) and Alcaligenes faecalis (ACBC1) used in combination with salicylic acid (SA) to effectively control brown rot disease caused by Monilinia fructigena. Four concentrations of salicylic acid (0.5%, 2%, 3.5%, and 5%) were tested under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Furthermore, the impact of biological treatments on nectarine fruit parameters’ quality, in particular, weight loss, titratable acidity, and soluble solids content, was evaluated. Regardless of the bacterium, the results indicated that all combined treatments displayed a strong inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of M. fructigena and disease severity. Interestingly, all SA concentrations significantly improved the biocontrol activity of each antagonist. The mycelial growth inhibition rate ranged from 9.79% to 88.02% with the highest reduction rate recorded for bacterial antagonists in combination with SA at both concentrations of 0.5% and 3.5%. The in vivo results confirmed the in vitro results with a disease severity varying from 0.00% to 51.91%. A significant biocontrol improvement was obtained with both antagonistic bacteria when used in combination with SA at concentrations of 0.5% and 2%. The lowest disease severity observed with ACBC1 compared with SF14 is likely due to a rapid adaptation and increase of antagonistic bacteria population in wounded sites. The impact of all biological treatments revealed moderate significant changes in the fruit quality parameters with weight loss for several treatments. These results suggest that the improved disease control of both antagonistic bacteria was more likely directly linked to both the inhibitory effects of SA on pathogen growth and induced fruit resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biocontrol of Plant Diseases Using Beneficial Microorganisms and Their Derivatives: From Perception to Mode of Action)

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19 pages, 1132 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Agriculture: A Survey

by Jaime del Cerro, Christyan Cruz Ulloa, Antonio Barrientos and Jorge de León Rivas

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020203 - 21 Jan 2021

Cited by 134 | Viewed by 15083

Abstract

The number of tasks that nowadays are accomplished by using unmanned aerial vehicles is rising across many civil applications, including agriculture. Thus, this work aims at providing the reader with an overview of the agronomical use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The work starts [...] Read more.

The number of tasks that nowadays are accomplished by using unmanned aerial vehicles is rising across many civil applications, including agriculture. Thus, this work aims at providing the reader with an overview of the agronomical use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The work starts with a historical analysis of the use of aircrafts in agriculture, as pioneers of their use in modern precision agriculture techniques, currently applied by a high number of users. This survey has been carried out by providing a classification of the vehicles according to their typology and main sensorial and performance features. An extensive review of the most common applications and the advantages of using unmanned aerial vehicles is the core of the work. Finally, a brief summary of the key points of the legislation applicable to civil drones that could affect to agricultural applications is analyzed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Artificially Intelligent Robotics for Agriculture – Current Developments and New Trends)

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13 pages, 5451 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Direct and Indirect Detoxification Effects of Humic Substances

by Lydia Bondareva and Nadezhda Kudryasheva

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020198 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3324

Abstract

The review summarizes studies on the detoxification effects of water-soluble humic substances (HS), which are products of the natural transformation of organic substances in soils and bottom sediments that serve as natural detoxifying agents in water solutions. The detoxifying effects of HS on [...] Read more.

The review summarizes studies on the detoxification effects of water-soluble humic substances (HS), which are products of the natural transformation of organic substances in soils and bottom sediments that serve as natural detoxifying agents in water solutions. The detoxifying effects of HS on microorganisms are quite complex: HS neutralize free pollutants (indirect bioeffects) and also stimulate the protective response of organisms (direct bioeffects). Prospects and potential problems of bioluminescent bacteria-based assay to monitor toxicity of solutions in the presence of HS are discussed. The main criterion for the bioassay application is versatility and ease of use. The detoxification efficiency of HS in different pollutant solutions was evaluated, and the detoxification mechanisms are discussed. Particular attention was paid to the direct and complex direct + indirect effects of HS. The review focuses on the protective function of HS in solutions of radionuclides and salts of stable metals, with special consideration of the antioxidant properties of HS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Humic Substances: A Novel Eco-Friendly Fertilizer)

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19 pages, 844 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Sugarcane Distillery Spent Wash (DSW) as a Bio-Nutrient Supplement: A Win-Win Option for Sustainable Crop Production

by Muhammad Umair Hassan, Muhammad Aamer, Muhammad Umer Chattha, Tang Haiying, Imran Khan, Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Adnan Rasheed, Muhammad Nawaz, Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Talha Aslam, Aniqa Afzal and Guoqin Huang

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010183 - 19 Jan 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 16388

Abstract

Industrial pollution has been continuously soaring and causing serious threats to the soil, water, and air quality. The increase in industrialization has not only covered the large areas, but also created a large quantity of wastewater which is difficult to handle. The water [...] Read more.

Industrial pollution has been continuously soaring and causing serious threats to the soil, water, and air quality. The increase in industrialization has not only covered the large areas, but also created a large quantity of wastewater which is difficult to handle. The water produced from different industries is getting its place in the agriculture. However, the challenge is to properly use wastewater, so that the application of wastewater does not cause any soil and environmental problems. The distillery spent wash (DSW) is a liquid waste that is produced from the sugarcane industry. It contains a large load of both organic and inorganic substances. Also, DSW contains a sufficient amount of macronutrients (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and Sulphur (S)) and micronutrients (zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn)), which in turn improves the growth and yield of crops. The optimized doses of DSW substantially improve soil enzymatic and microbial activities, organic carbon, nutrient uptake, soil porosity, water holding capacity, aggregate stability, and anti-oxidant activities, which in turn improve the photosynthetic efficiency, growth and yield. However, the inadequate knowledge about the DSW characteristics and methods of its agricultural application present questions concerning environmental quality for groundwater pollution. Therefore, to obtain a better understanding about the DWS, here, we discussed the effects of DSW on soil quality, crop yield, and its implications for agriculture and water quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Organic Wastes as a Source of Innovative Fertilizers, a Down-to-Earth Principle for Sustainable Agriculture)

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27 pages, 2496 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Early-Stage Phenotyping of Root Traits Provides Insights into the Drought Tolerance Level of Soybean Cultivars

by Elana Dayoub, Jay Ram Lamichhane, Céline Schoving, Philippe Debaeke and Pierre Maury

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010188 - 19 Jan 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4936

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) may contribute to the agro-ecological transition of cropping systems in Europe, but its productivity is severely affected by summer drought. New drought-avoidance cropping strategies, such as early sowing, require cultivars with high early plant growth under suboptimal [...] Read more.

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) may contribute to the agro-ecological transition of cropping systems in Europe, but its productivity is severely affected by summer drought. New drought-avoidance cropping strategies, such as early sowing, require cultivars with high early plant growth under suboptimal conditions. This study aims at phenotyping early-stage root and shoot traits of 10 cultivars commonly grown in Europe. Cultivars were grown in minirhizotrons under two soil moisture status in controlled conditions. Root and shoot traits were evaluated at 10 days after sowing. Field early growth of two cultivars was also analyzed under early and conventional sowing dates. A significant intraspecific variability (p < 0.05) was found for most investigated shoot and root morpho-physiological traits regardless of the soil moisture status under controlled conditions. However, no significant difference among cultivars (p > 0.05) was found in terms of root architectural traits that were mainly affected by water stress. Total root length was positively correlated with shoot length and shoot dry matter (p < 0.05). Under field conditions, the differences between cultivars were expressed by the canopy cover at emergence, which determines the subsequent canopy cover dynamics. The significant early growth difference among cultivars was not related to the maturity group. Cultivars characterized by high root depth and length, high root density and narrow root angle could be considered as good candidates to cope with water stress via better soil exploration. New agronomic strategies mobilizing the diversity of cultivars could thus be tested to improve soybean water use efficiency in response to climate change. Full article

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13 pages, 1775 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Overexpression of Transcription Factor GmTGA15 Enhances Drought Tolerance in Transgenic Soybean Hairy Roots and Arabidopsis Plants

by Zhanyu Chen, Xiaokun Fang, Xueshun Yuan, Yingying Zhang, Huiying Li, Ying Zhou and Xiyan Cui

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010170 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3953

Abstract

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the important oil crops worldwide. In recent years, environmental stresses such as drought and soil salinization have severely deteriorated soybean yield and quality. We investigated the overexpression of the transcription factor GmTGA15 in response to [...] Read more.

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the important oil crops worldwide. In recent years, environmental stresses such as drought and soil salinization have severely deteriorated soybean yield and quality. We investigated the overexpression of the transcription factor GmTGA15 in response to drought stress in transgenic soybean hairy roots and Arabidopsis plants. The results of quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses showed that GmTGA15 was greatly induced by salt, PEG6000, salicylic acid (SA), gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in soybean. In response to drought stress, the contents of both chlorophyll and proline were significantly increased, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly decreased in the soybean hairy roots with the overexpression of GmTGA15 in comparison to wild type (WT). Under the simulated drought conditions, the transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed significantly longer roots and lower mortality than that of the wild type. These results suggest that GmTGA15 promotes tolerance to drought stress in both soybean and Arabidopsis plants. This study provides the scientific evidence for further functional analysis of soybean TGA transcription factors in drought stress and the breeding of drought-resistance crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Molecular Investigations of Crop Plants and Crop Plant–Environment Interactions from Genetic and Genomic Perspectives: Applications and Challenges)

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18 pages, 2395 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Fibre and Seed Productivity of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Varieties under Mediterranean Conditions

by Eleni Tsaliki, Apostolos Kalivas, Zofija Jankauskiene, Maria Irakli, Catherine Cook, Ioannis Grigoriadis, Ioannis Panoras, Ioannis Vasilakoglou and Kitsios Dhima

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010171 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7664

Abstract

Farmers’ interest in renewable raw materials such as hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibres has recently increased, but hemp productivity is strongly affected by genotype and environment conditions. A 3-year field experiment was conducted under Mediterranean environment in northern Greece to evaluate the [...] Read more.

Farmers’ interest in renewable raw materials such as hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibres has recently increased, but hemp productivity is strongly affected by genotype and environment conditions. A 3-year field experiment was conducted under Mediterranean environment in northern Greece to evaluate the productivity (regarding fibres and seeds) of six monoecious hemp varieties. The vars. Futura 75 and Bialobrzeskie provided the greatest (p < 0.01) fibre productivity (4.57 and 4.27 t ha⁻¹, respectively), which were 77.1% and 65.5%, respectively, greater than that of the least productive var. Fedora 17. However, the vars. Santhica 27, Tygra and Bialobrzeskie provided the highest (p < 0.05) seed yield (2.7, 2.9 and 2.6 t ha⁻¹, respectively), which were 28.6%, 38.1% and 23.8%, respectively, greater than that of the least productive var. Futura 75. Hemp fibre yield was strongly positively correlated with total biomass (R² = 0.8612) and stem biomass yield (R² = 0.9742), while it was inversely correlated with fibre strength (R² = 0.424). Hemp seed yield was not correlated with the hemp plant density, height, total biomass or stem biomass yield. The six hemp genotypes evaluated in the study had Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content lower than 0.2% satisfying the European legislation requirements for industrial hemp varieties. The results of the study indicated that, under Mediterranean conditions (northern Greece), the var. Bialobrzeskie showed high productivity, as averaged across years, for both fibres and seeds. This result is very helpful for farmers which should prefer hemp varieties of dual-purpose production (stems and inflorescences or stems and seeds) adapted best to their local environment. Full article

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22 pages, 4685 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Conservation and Use of Latin American Maize Diversity: Pillar of Nutrition Security and Cultural Heritage of Humanity

by Filippo Guzzon, Luis Walquer Arandia Rios, Galo Mario Caviedes Cepeda, Marcia Céspedes Polo, Alexander Chavez Cabrera, Jesús Muriel Figueroa, Alicia Elizabeth Medina Hoyos, Teófilo Wladimir Jara Calvo, Terence L. Molnar, Luis Alberto Narro León, Teodoro Patricio Narro León, Sergio Luis Mejía Kerguelén, José Gabriel Ospina Rojas, Gricelda Vázquez, Ricardo Ernesto Preciado-Ortiz, José Luis Zambrano, Natalia Palacios Rojas and Kevin V. Pixley

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010172 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 19162

Abstract

Latin America is the center of domestication and diversity of maize, the second most cultivated crop worldwide. In this region, maize landraces are fundamental for food security, livelihoods, and culture. Nevertheless, genetic erosion (i.e., the loss of genetic diversity and variation in a [...] Read more.

Latin America is the center of domestication and diversity of maize, the second most cultivated crop worldwide. In this region, maize landraces are fundamental for food security, livelihoods, and culture. Nevertheless, genetic erosion (i.e., the loss of genetic diversity and variation in a crop) threatens the continued cultivation and in situ conservation of landrace diversity that is crucial to climate change adaptation and diverse uses of maize. We provide an overview of maize diversity in Latin America before discussing factors associated with persistence of large in situ maize diversity, causes for maize landrace abandonment by farmers, and strategies to enhance the cultivation of landraces. Among other factors, maize diversity is linked with: (1) small-holder farming, (2) the production of traditional food products, (3) traditional cropping systems, (4) cultivation in marginal areas, and (5) retention of control over the production system by the farmers. On the other hand, genetic erosion is associated with substitution of landraces with hybrid varieties or cash crops, and partial (off-farm labor) or complete migration to urban areas. Continued cultivation, and therefore on-farm conservation of genetic diversity held in maize landraces, can be encouraged by creating or strengthening market opportunities that make the cultivation of landraces and open pollinated varieties (OPVs) more profitable for farmers, supporting breeding programs that prioritize improvement of landraces and their special traits, and increasing the access to quality germplasm of landraces and landrace-derived OPVs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maize Breeding for Alternative and Multiple Uses)

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17 pages, 5694 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Identifying Cotton Fields from Remote Sensing Images Using Multiple Deep Learning Networks

by Haolu Li, Guojie Wang, Zhen Dong, Xikun Wei, Mengjuan Wu, Huihui Song and Solomon Obiri Yeboah Amankwah

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010174 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4036

Abstract

Remote sensing imageries processed through empirical and deterministic approaches help predict multiple agronomic traits throughout the growing season. Accurate identification of cotton crop from remotely sensed imageries is a significant task in precision agriculture. This study aims to utilize a deep learning-based framework [...] Read more.

Remote sensing imageries processed through empirical and deterministic approaches help predict multiple agronomic traits throughout the growing season. Accurate identification of cotton crop from remotely sensed imageries is a significant task in precision agriculture. This study aims to utilize a deep learning-based framework for cotton crop field identification with Gaofen-1 (GF-1) high-resolution (16 m) imageries in Wei-Ku region, China. An optimized model for the pixel-wise multidimensional densely connected convolutional neural network (DenseNet) was used. Four widely-used classic convolutional neural networks (CNNs), including ResNet, VGG, SegNet, and DeepLab v3+, were also used for accuracy assessment. The results infer that DenseNet can identify cotton crop features within a relatively shorter time about 5 h for training convergence. The model performance was examined by multiple indicators (P, F1, R, and mIou) produced through the confusion matrix, and the derived cotton fields were then visualized. The DenseNet model has illustrated considerable improvements in comparison with the preceding mainstream models. The results showed that the retrieval precision was 0.948, F1 score was 0.953, and mIou was 0.911. Furthermore, its performance is relatively better in discriminating cotton crop fields’ fine structures when clouds, mountain shadows, and urban built up. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Deep Learning in Smart Agriculture)

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14 pages, 798 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Root Characteristics and Metal Uptake of Maize (Zea mays L.) under Extreme Soil Contamination

by Leila Romdhane, Anna Panozzo, Leila Radhouane, Cristian Dal Cortivo, Giuseppe Barion and Teofilo Vamerali

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010178 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3480

Abstract

Root characteristics and metal uptake in the maize hybrid Naudi were studied in a pot trial, using soil artificially highly polluted with Zn, Cu, Co, Cd, and Pb. The addition of these metals as sulfates decreased the soil pH and increased electrical conductivity. [...] Read more.

Root characteristics and metal uptake in the maize hybrid Naudi were studied in a pot trial, using soil artificially highly polluted with Zn, Cu, Co, Cd, and Pb. The addition of these metals as sulfates decreased the soil pH and increased electrical conductivity. As a result of increased bioavailability in the soil pore water, significantly higher concentrations of metals, particularly Pb, Cu, and Co, were found in the shoot tissues of maize at the 3–4 leaf stage. While the lowest increase was in Cd (0.89 mg kg⁻¹ vs. 0.33 mg kg⁻¹ for controls), Zn reached a critical threshold of 75 mg kg⁻¹ vs. 2.76 mg kg⁻¹. Fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, as well as root length, were markedly reduced, whereas root diameter, tip density, and the branching index increased considerably. A significant adaptation strategy by maize in the polluted soil was an increased fraction of coarse root length and a decreased fraction of finer roots. We conclude that maize is very sensitive to multiple metal pollution, suggesting its potential use as a test plant to evaluate contaminated soils. As length was the most affected root characteristic, measurement of this parameter could be a way of screening genotypes for tolerance to metal contamination and possibly salinity. There also is future scope for investigating whether K fertilization might mitigate metal phytotoxicity, in view of the negative correlations between the shoot K concentration and concentrations of the supplied metals. Full article

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18 pages, 561 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Crop Management with the IoT: An Interdisciplinary Survey

by Giuliano Vitali, Matteo Francia, Matteo Golfarelli and Maurizio Canavari

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010181 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 7413

Abstract

In this study, we analyze how crop management will benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT) by providing an overview of its architecture and components from agronomic and technological perspectives. The present analysis highlights that IoT is a mature enabling technology with articulated [...] Read more.

In this study, we analyze how crop management will benefit from the Internet of Things (IoT) by providing an overview of its architecture and components from agronomic and technological perspectives. The present analysis highlights that IoT is a mature enabling technology with articulated hardware and software components. Cheap networked devices can sense crop fields at a finer grain to give timeliness warnings on the presence of stress conditions and diseases to a wider range of farmers. Cloud computing allows reliable storage, access to heterogeneous data, and machine-learning techniques for developing and deploying farm services. From this study, it emerges that the Internet of Things will draw attention to sensor quality and placement protocols, while machine learning should be oriented to produce understandable knowledge, which is also useful to enhance cropping system simulation systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Artificially Intelligent Robotics for Agriculture – Current Developments and New Trends)

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17 pages, 704 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Contribution of Agro-Environmental Factors to Yield and Plant Diversity of Olive Grove Ecosystems (Olea europaea L.) in the Mediterranean Landscape

by Alexandra D. Solomou and Athanassios Sfougaris

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010161 - 16 Jan 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3819

Abstract

Olive cultivation (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most significant sources of income for agricultural areas in the Mediterranean basin, and the olive oil industry as well as the environmental protection are an important part of the Greek agricultural sector. Generalized [...] Read more.

Olive cultivation (Olea europaea L.) is one of the most significant sources of income for agricultural areas in the Mediterranean basin, and the olive oil industry as well as the environmental protection are an important part of the Greek agricultural sector. Generalized Linear Models were applied in order to investigate the predictive strength of several biodiversity components and agro-environmental factors for yield and herbaceous plant diversity (species richness) in organic and conventional olive groves of Greece. Our study highlights an increase in yields of organic olive groves by increasing manure application and the earthworms’ density. In the conventional olive groves, yields increase by increasing soil organic matter and the application of inorganic fertilizer N. Also, the herbaceous plant species richness increases with increasing the Shannon diversity index of herbaceous plants, the field area, the application of organic fertilizer K and the manure in organic olive groves. As for the conventional ones, herbaceous plant species richness increases with the increase of the application of inorganic fertilizer N. Moreover, some plant species could be regarded as indicators of the differently managed olive groves. Conclusively, this study contributes to the integration of biodiversity conservation with ecologically sustainable agriculture and conservation of agroecosystem. Finally, it could be utilized as a decision and management tool to the scientific and agricultural community reinforcing the knowledge about the agro-environmental impact in olive grove management systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olive Tree Cultivation and Olive Fruit Ripening: Physiological and Nutritional Management)

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18 pages, 3081 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Phytochemical and Functional Characterization of Phenolic Compounds from Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) Obtained by Green Extraction Technologies

by M. Victoria Avanza, Gerardo Álvarez-Rivera, Alejandro Cifuentes, José A. Mendiola and Elena Ibáñez

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010162 - 16 Jan 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4775

Abstract

This work presents a green, downstream process, from extraction to phytochemical characterization and bioactivity testing, to obtain and evaluate the functional properties of phenolic compounds from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) seeds and pods. Phenolic-rich extracts were obtained by pressurized liquid [...] Read more.

This work presents a green, downstream process, from extraction to phytochemical characterization and bioactivity testing, to obtain and evaluate the functional properties of phenolic compounds from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) seeds and pods. Phenolic-rich extracts were obtained by pressurized liquid extraction (PLE). The main factors affecting the extraction conditions (temperature and solvent) were optimized in order to attain extracts with the highest extraction yield, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content. The optimal extraction conditions were 1:1 ethanol:water at 170 °C with one extraction cycle for seeds and three extraction cycles for pods. Phenolic compounds of optimal extract were analyzed by UHPLC-q-TOF-MS/MS (quadrupole-time of flight tandem MS). The obtained PLE-extracts exhibited higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to conventional extraction procedures. The in vitro anti-neurodegenerative potential of extracts was measured through Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition assay. The results revealed the higher bioactivity observed in cowpea pod samples compared to seed extracts, which might be related to higher levels of quercetin and quercetin glycosides, kaempferol diglucoside, and other tetrahydroxylated flavones and flavonols identified in these samples. These results also provide an added-value benefit to the cultivation of this legume, considering the high potential of cowpea phenolic extracts as nutraceutical and functional ingredients in food formulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safety and Bioactivity of Agri-Food Products—Methods for Chemicals Residues Analysis and Phytochemicals Investigation)

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19 pages, 1182 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Potato Growth and Yield Characteristics under Different Cropping System Management Strategies in Northeastern U.S.

by Robert P. Larkin, C. Wayne Honeycutt, Timothy S. Griffin, O. Modesto Olanya and Zhongqi He

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010165 - 16 Jan 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5596

Abstract

Cropping systems and management practices that improve soil health may greatly enhance crop productivity. Four different potato cropping systems designed to address specific management goals of soil conservation (SC), soil improvement (SI), disease suppression (DS), and a status quo (SQ) standard rotation, along [...] Read more.

Cropping systems and management practices that improve soil health may greatly enhance crop productivity. Four different potato cropping systems designed to address specific management goals of soil conservation (SC), soil improvement (SI), disease suppression (DS), and a status quo (SQ) standard rotation, along with a non-rotation (PP) control, were evaluated for their effects on potato crop growth, nutrient, and yield characteristics under both irrigated and non-irrigated (rainfed) conditions in field trials in Maine, USA, from 2004 to 2010. Both cropping system and irrigation significantly (p < 0.05) affected most potato crop parameters associated with growth and yield. All rotations increased tuber yield relative to the non-rotation PP control, and the SI system, which included yearly compost amendments, resulted in overall higher yields and a higher percentage of large-size tubers than all other systems with no irrigation (increases of 14 to 90%). DS, which contained disease-suppressive green manures and cover crops, produced the highest yields overall under irrigation (increases of 11 to 35%). Irrigation increased tuber yields in all cropping systems except SI (average increase of 27–37%). SI also resulted in significant increases in leaf area duration and chlorophyll content (as indicators of photosynthetic potential) and root and shoot biomass relative to other cropping systems, particularly under non-irrigated conditions. SI also resulted in higher shoot and tuber tissue concentrations of N, P, and K, but not most micronutrients. Overall, cropping systems that incorporate management practices such as increased rotation length and the use of cover crops, green manures, reduced tillage, and particularly, organic amendments, can substantially improve potato crop growth and yield. Irrigation also substantially increased growth and yield under normal field conditions in Maine, but SI, with its large organic amendments, was essentially a substitute for irrigation, producing comparable results without irrigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cropping Systems and Agronomic Management Practices of Field Crops)

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