Innovation and Solution for Sustainable Agriculture

Agricultural materials (LF products) can be considered biologically living organisms due to their structure and the composition of colloidal capillary-porous substances in them. They contain a large number of microscopic pores, microcapillaries and macrocapillaries, in which water is able to pass from the inner parts to the surface of the grain, and vice versa. Thus, it can be concluded that drying is an important and demanding aspect of agricultural production. To determine the optimal drying process for agricultural cereals from a nutritional, energy, economic and environmental point of view, it is necessary to address in detail the application of the technology of vacuum drying from a thermodynamic point of view. An analysis of the research results shows that drying temperature, harvest date and corn variety can significantly affect the properties of the main components of corn grain. This study investigates the individual technological parameters of the vacuum drying process for corn, such as the pressure used in the drying chamber, the grain drying temperature and the heating time, in order to achieve a maximum reduction in water content. The aim of the investigation is to determine the optimal parameters for the design of a functional prototype of a vacuum dryer. For this purpose, laboratory and semi-operational experiments using different types of organic materials are necessary. The structural design of the individual elements of the vacuum dryer is based on an analysis of laboratory and experimental tests, whose results are presented in this article. Full article

Without a Sustainable Waste Management (SWM) system, the growing demand for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) can also lead to a considerable increase in the waste generated by the industry. Since MAP residues have a notable potential to be valorised, the implementation of Circular Economy (CE) solutions can play a central role in converting waste into economic opportunities, while fostering a sustainable planet. CE helps to mitigate environmental and social risks caused by the accumulation of biomass by turning waste into valuable products. A systematic review was conducted, aiming to identify potential applications for the valorisation of MAP residues under a sustainable approach. A total number of 47 studies were analysed, providing a novel compilation of possibilities for decision makers in the MAP industry to develop new products for crop management or new businesses in food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, chemical, paper, or building industries. Researchers in this field have focused more on the industrial value of MAP residues than on the empirical assessment of environmental and economic benefits. Further investigation should be undertaken to present empirical applications and to develop a decision support system to assess the sustainable performance of valorisation options. Full article

Excessive nutrient loss from farmland located on the west bank of Erhai Lake has resulted in significant non-point source pollution within the Lake Erhai basin. However, mitigating this issue proves challenging due to the intricate nature of soil properties and environmental factors. Here, during the rainy season in the Lake Erhai basin, we collected and analyzed soil profile samples, 35 topsoil (0–20 cm) samples, and more than 300 field baseflow samples. Our objective was to explore the influences of soil properties, field baseflow, and agricultural management measures on the spatiotemporal migration of nutrients. The results indicated that the concentration of soil organic matter (SOM) has a significant impact on the spatial patterns of nutrient distribution in sandy soil. Consequently, this leads to a substantial reduction in the potential for nutrient loss in the Lake Erhai basin. The vegetable-field baseflow exhibited the highest concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus when subjected to high fertilization and flood irrigation. The concentrations of TN and TP in baseflow increase by a factor of 2 and 7.7, respectively, during rainfall compared to periods of no rainfall. Optimizing agricultural measures, such as replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers and modifying irrigation methods to enhance the organic content of sandy soil and minimize baseflow elution, has a beneficial impact on mitigating agricultural non-point source pollution in the Erhai Lake basin. The research results can enable us to have a more systematic understanding of the problem of non-point source pollution in the Erhai River Basin, and provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted agricultural non-point source pollution mitigation plans. Simultaneously, optimizing agricultural management models to strike a balance between agricultural economic development and ecological protection issues holds significant practical significance for managers. Full article

Despite its vital importance for life and societal development, energy is a source of conflict and war in many places worldwide. It is also a source of pollution and harmful natural phenomena that affect human life and the environment. These factors have led scientists to consider alternative clean, cheap, and eco-friendly renewable energies. Examples include briquettes consisting of compressed agricultural waste, such as pruning residuals. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of briquettes derived from the pruning residuals of Ficus nitida trees. The results indicate that moisture content was the main factor affecting the physical properties of the produced briquettes. The ideal moisture content for producing high-quality briquettes was 8%. With this moisture content, the briquette durability was 96.9%, the bulk density was approximately 0.18 g·cm³, the compressive strength was 18.5 MPa, and its calorific value was 3250.7 Kcal/kg (17.38 MJ/kg). In conclusion, our research confirms the high quality of briquettes made from the pruning residuals of F. nitida and their promising potential as an energy source. Full article

The detoxification of crops grown in Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated acid soil has been widely studied, but for contaminated alkaline soil, there is still inadequate research or information. In order to investigate the effects of calcium and sulfur fertilizers, accompanied by different side elements, on the growth and Cd uptake of Spinacia oleracea grown in Cd-contaminated alkaline soil, the plants were subjected to five treatments, including calcium silicate (Ca-Si), calcium biphosphate (Ca-P), magnesium sulfate (S-Mg), ferric sulfate (S-Fe), and zinc sulfate (S-Zn), and a control group. The results showed that the S-Fe achieved the highest shoot fresh mass and dry mass and the highest shoot Cd concentration and accumulation, which were 30%, 68%, 4.6%, and 73% higher than the control group, respectively. The Ca-Si, Ca-P, S-Mg, and S-Zn reduced the root Cd concentration by 18%, 42%, 7%, and 49%, respectively, and reduced the shoot Cd concentration by 25%, 36%, 15%, and 27%, respectively, as compared to the control. S-Fe increases plant N uptake and photosynthesis, which is beneficial to biomass accumulation. Ca-P improves soil and plant P nutrition status, as well as plant K and Ca status, and helps alleviate plant Cd stress. Overall, calcium fertilizers accompanied by phosphorus have the potential to reduce plant Cd contamination risk, while sulfur fertilizers accompanied by iron show potential for enhancing Cd extraction. Full article

The application of biochar as an environmentally friendly additive for agricultural soils has recently gained significant attention. However, the influence of biochar addition on unsaturated hydraulic behavior at high suction ranges (i.e., exceeding 100 kPa) remains largely understudied. This study investigates the impact of biochar addition on the unsaturated hydraulic properties of biochar amended soil (BAS). The effects of biochar content, particle size, and soil compaction on the unsaturated hydraulic properties of BAS were also considered. Peanut shell biochar was utilized in this investigation and was amended into a compacted silty sand with distinct particle size groups. Soil water retention curves and unsaturated permeability were measured through a series of evaporation tests. Results demonstrate that the impact of soil compaction on the unsaturated hydraulic properties of BAS diminishes at high suction range, regardless of biochar particle size and content. A high degree of compaction reduces the saturated permeability of BAS by minimising soil macropores. On the other hand, incorporating high biochar contents with fine particles into the soil enhances the reduction of unsaturated permeability and the improvement of water holding capacity, thereby making biochar an effective application in soil for sustainability of the agroecological environment. Full article

An analysis of the research, innovation and technology transfer environment carried out by the European Commission ranks Romania in one of the last places in Europe, mentioning the lack of investments in research, especially at the level of modern infrastructure and equipment, among the most important reasons. On the other hand, Romanian universities must face the competition at the international and the European level, in order to face the technical and socio-economic challenges both at the societal level, and with respect to the inherent technological evolutions. Under these conditions, this article presents a case study of a top university in Romania that has, for the first time in its history as an EU member, successfully implemented European structural funding investment and research grant for building a new advanced research institute at the level of excellence compatible with the most demanding expectations in the field of horticulture, and is using it in accordance with the standards of the European Research Area. In an analysis of the results of all horticultural labs covered by the new institute, also from a perspective of cross-cutting collaboration between them, during a 5-year study of sustainability, the model presented demonstrates the effectiveness and efficiency of European structural funds in the field of scientific research. It is a real success of advanced research, innovation, development, and technology transfer, which can be adopted by any other university in the EU. Full article

This study examines the impact of green finance on optimizing China’s agricultural industrial structure. It emphasizes the importance of innovative green financial services, improved efficiency, tailored regional approaches, and enhanced foresight to foster a high-level development in the agricultural sector amid China’s economic transformation. Based on the provincial panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2012 to 2021, this study empirically tests the effect mechanism of green finance on the optimization process of the agricultural industrial structure by constructing a fixed-effects model. This study finds that green finance can effectively promote the development of the optimization of the agricultural industrial structure. Under the current trend of China’s economic structural transformation and optimization, we suggest that China should innovate green financial service products, improve the efficiency of green finance, and enhance the depth of green financial services for the optimization of the agricultural industrial structure. It is required to strengthen foresight and improve relevant laws, regulations, policies, and standards. To help green finance be better promoted, a high-level development of the agricultural industrial structure is required. Full article

In response to tackling the environmental consequences of fertiliser production, biofertilisers from organic sources are strongly promoted in line with circular economy and maximising resource use. Despite the outstanding potential of bio-based fertilisers for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector, an environmental investigation of these fertilisers is required to replace synthesised fertilisers. Considering the importance of iron as a plant micronutrient and the scientific gap in the environmental assessment of relevant fertilisers, iron-based fertilisers produced in EU and US geographical zones are selected as a case study in this paper. Therefore, this study examines the environmental performance of two iron-based fertilisers (Fe-biochelate and Fe-EDDHA) by the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The LCA model has been implemented in Simapro software by the ecoinvent database and ReCipe 2016 method considering 1 kg iron content as a functional unit. The results revealed that the Fe-biochelate reduced impacts (69–82%) on all relevant categories, including global warming (69%), terrestrial ecotoxicity (82%), and fossil resource scarcity (77%) in comparison with Fe-EDDHA. Soymeal and acetic acid were the main stressors identified in Fe-biochelate production, while phenol, ethylenediamine and glyoxal were the most significant contributors to the impact categories related to Fe-EDDHA. As a result, Fe-biochelate can be considered a more eco-friendly alternative to Fe-EDDHA. Full article

In order to investigate the impact of peach branch derived fertilizer (PB), cow manure derived fertilizer (CM) and silicon liquid fertilizer (Si) on the growth and Cd uptake of the Spinacia oleracea L. in the Cd contaminated soil, a pot experiment was conducted. The fertilizers were applied with low (L), medium (M) or high (H) levels, leading to nine treatments and a control group (CK). As a result, compared to CK, PB increased shoot dry mass by 15 to 46% and reduced shoot Cd by 19 to 56%; CM increased shoot dry mass by 6.1 to 162% and reduced shoot Cd by 38 to 55%; Si showed no effect on plant biomass but significantly reduced the root Cd bioconcentration factor. The CMM and CMH significantly reduced soil-available Cd by 6.5 and 7.5%, respectively, compared to CK. The CM enhanced the plant biomass dilution of Cd and decreased soil-available Cd, but led to higher total shoot Cd accumulation. PB led to simultaneous decline of the shoot Cd and total shoot Cd accumulation, indicating a stronger plant Cd “rejection” effect, independent from biomass accumulation. Si reduced plant root Cd with the sacrifice of biomass accumulation. Full article

With the progress of information technology, digital technology has rapidly penetrated into all sectors of the national economy and is accelerating the reconstruction of the economic development model, which has become a new engine to drive economic growth and lead industrial development. Based on the panel data of China’s provinces from 2013 to 2020, this paper empirically tested the effect and mechanism of digital economic development on high-quality agricultural development by constructing an evaluation index system for high-quality agricultural development with economic, social, and ecological benefits. The results show that the development of the digital economy has promoted the high-quality development of agriculture, and the promotion effect in the eastern region is stronger than that in the central and western regions. In addition to direct promotion, digital economy also promotes high-quality agricultural development by promoting the development of green agriculture. We should actively promote the construction of digital economy and promote the deep integration of digital economy and agriculture. Secondly, government should improve the digital economy governance to create a good legal environment for the green development of agriculture and, at the same time, help farmers establish digital economic awareness and train farmers in digital economy vocational skills. Finally, digital agriculture development policies should be formulated according to local conditions. Full article

Crop–livestock integrated production systems (CLISs) combine cash-crop production and forage production in succession. There are plenty of options of forage cultivars with differences in production aspects and seeds cost, and there is little information on how the choice of forage cultivar can affect the results of a CLIS. We hypothesized that different forage cultivars can have important economic impacts on production systems. Thus, we evaluated the two-year economic results of using three forage species in a CLIS: (1) Urochloa ruziziensis; (2) Megathyrsus maximus cv. BRS Zuri e; and (3) Megathyrsus maximus cv. BRS Tamani. The system was evaluated during 2018 and 2019 with no-tillage soybean (Glycine max) cultivation from November to March and grazing of cattle from May to August. The seed costs were, on average, USD 25.27 ha⁻¹ for Ruziziensis grass, USD 39.97 ha⁻¹ for Zuri guinea grass, and USD 64.13 ha⁻¹ for Tamani guinea grass. Animal production varied from 96.4 to 147.5 kg of live weight per hectare per year and mean two-year soybean yields varied from 3849 to 4217 kg per hectare, both without differences between forage cultivars. However, the lowest values for animal and soybean yields were obtained with Ruziziensis grass, and the highest were obtained with Zuri grass. Thus, Zuri guinea grass presented a net income (NI) of USD 1039.87 ha⁻¹ with an annual return on equity (ROE) equal to 11.19%, while Ruziziensis grass obtained an NI equal to USD 612.65 ha⁻¹ with an ROE of 6.47%, demonstrating the economic impact of forage resource choice in CLISs. Therefore, the choice of forage cultivars adequate for the conditions of an individual farm can correspond to an increase of 69.7% in net income, which highlights the importance of continuing efforts to develop new cultivars and the simultaneous evaluation of these cultivars in different production scenarios in order to better recommend forage genetic resources for particular production environments. Full article

Few mechanisms turn field-specific ecological data into management recommendations for crop production with appropriate uncertainty. Precision agriculture is mainly deployed for machine efficiencies and soil-based zonal management, and the traditional paradigm of small plot research fails to unite agronomic research and effective management under farmers’ unique field constraints. This work assesses the use of on-farm experiments applied with precision agriculture technologies and open-source data to gain local knowledge of the spatiotemporal variability in agroeconomic performance on the subfield scale to accelerate learning and overcome the bias inherent in traditional research approaches. The on-farm precision experimentation methodology is an approach to improve farmers’ abilities to make site-specific agronomic input decisions by simulating a distribution of economic outcomes for the producer using field-specific crop response models that account for spatiotemporal uncertainty in crop responses. The methodology is the basis of a decision support system that includes a six-step cyclical process that engages precision agriculture technology to apply experiments, gather field-specific data, incorporate modern data management and analytical approaches, and generate management recommendations as probabilities of outcomes. The quantification of variability in crop response to inputs and drawing on historic knowledge about the field and economic constraints up to the time a decision is required allows for probabilistic inference that a future management scenario will outcompete another in terms of production, economics, and sustainability. The proposed methodology represents advancement over other approaches by comparing management strategies and providing the probability that each will increase producer profits over their previous input management on the field scale. Full article

The purpose of the study was to design a device for the dissolution of fertilizers for agricultural use in an automatic and environmentally sustainable way to facilitate the work of farmers. To achieve this goal, an outdated blade design was used, which generates turbulent and laminar flows thanks to the angle of inclination of its blades. In tests, the combination of these two flows gave a better result compared to laminar and turbulent flows separately. The best results were achieved by varying the spin and speed, the time between spins, and the rest time. The time it would take to dissolve the mixture was drastically reduced if it were conducted in the traditional way (manually) or compared with commercial mixers. In conclusion, the technique used for the dissolution of agricultural minerals is more effective and reduces time, energy, and effort. This was able to reduce the time necessary to dissolve the fertilizer by 93 percent compared to doing it manually and by 66 percent compared to using commercial mixers, in a solution of 100 L of water per 100 kg of ammonium sulfate. Full article

Italian wine consumers show a progressive shift in favor of organic wine. Sustainability is an important driver for the emerging consumers who tend to adopt eco-friendly behaviors, avoiding food waste and respecting the environment. In this scenario, it is of interest to understand the profile of organic wine consumer, the cues that are used in the process and their impact on purchasing choice. The results from a regression on data from a sample survey showed that price is an important factor driving perceptions of organic wine quality. We found an asymmetry in the impact of price as a quality cue: while high prices may be in fact able to elicit a positive perception, low prices do not lead to non-positive perception necessarily. In addition, consumers who value sustainable consumption, have a vegan lifestyle, purchase their wine directly from wineries are more likely to have a positive perception of organic wine. Similarly, elder, educated consumers could have a higher probability to exhibit a positive perception of organic wine. This research shows that the Veblen effect can also exists for food markets in particular with the product with the greatest evocative charge, such as in the wine market. Full article

Agricultural development and farmers’ welfare occupy a central place in the development goals of India. Various pathways which have evolved over the years have been implemented in the country to propel agricultural growth by shifting its focus from achieving food sufficiency to sustainable income and inclusive growth. The Farmer FIRST Programme (FFP), an innovative frontline extension program of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was launched in 2016 to enhance the reach and effectiveness of agricultural research with a multi-stakeholder approach. This paper evaluates the outcomes of the FFP implemented in ICAR institutions for the upscaling of those promising technologies, which have resulted in a significant impact on the farming community. The criteria chosen for assessing the outcomes are farm income, cropping intensity, use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and organic manure, and nutritional security. The data were collected from 50 FFP-implementing institutions for the period 2016–2021 and grouped into six different zones. The results revealed that there is a significant increase in income, cropping intensity, nutritional security, and saving pesticides through this program. The nutritional security, measured using cereal equivalent quantity (CEQ), showed a considerable increase in average consumption in all the zones. Overall, FFP interventions have resulted in achieving significantly higher income and the nutritional security of the farmholds compared to the control. The recorded results are favorable for scaling up and institutionalizing the FFP approach at the national level. The study recommends a participatory mode of an interdisciplinary approach for the effective scaling-up of the FFP across the agricultural research and development landscape of India. Full article

Freshwater resources around the world are under increasing pressure from agricultural activities. As a result, regulatory frameworks around on-farm environmental compliance have become more complex. Consequently, farm plans which have been used in New Zealand to identify risks to and develop mitigation strategies for freshwater quality can be time consuming and costly to develop and monitor. Using semi-structured interviews, this study investigated the views of the regulators working in environmental policy and implementation on the use of drones to increase the efficiency of on-farm environmental compliance. Results show that drones can improve process robustness by providing an aerial view, and that they are quicker and safer to use on steeper contoured farms. However, there is confusion around the permissions required in order to capture footage, its ownership and storage, and who has access rights to the footage. This ambiguity in the implementation of environmental regulations can lead to uncertainty on the part of policy implementors around how to integrate drones in on-farm environmental compliance. In addition, positive relationships between farmers and compliance officers are needed in order for the benefits of drone use to be realised for on-farm environmental compliance purposes. Full article

China is a large flax-growing country, with planting area and production ranking among the top three in the world. However, the cultivation range of flax in China is very broad, complex, and diverse, resulting in different planting scales and patterns, making it difficult to apply foreign large combine harvesters, and China lacks a dedicated flax combine harvester. This research improved the design of the 4LZ-4.0 crawler-type flax combine harvester for the regional features and flax cropping patterns in China. First, the structure, technical parameters, and working principles of the machine were introduced; second, the theoretical analysis and optimization of key components were performed; and finally, with the advancing speed of the machine, the speed of the threshing drum, and the speed of the suction fan as independent variables and the rate of removal and the total loss rate as response values, a three-factor, three-level response surface analysis method was used. For each component and response value, a mathematical model was created, and the factors and their interactions were evaluated and confirmed. The results demonstrated that the three parameters impact the threshing drum speed, advancing speed, and centrifugal fan speed in that order of priority, as well as the total loss rate in that order of priority. The machine’s optimal operating settings were 1.5 m·s⁻¹ advancing speed, 788.49 r·min⁻¹ threshing drum speed, and 885.34 r·min⁻¹ centrifugal fan speed, and the validation test results indicated that under the typical dryland dense flax cultivation mode, it had a 97.46% threshing rate and 2.99% total loss rate after the test. This demonstrated that optimizing operational parameters may decrease losses in the process of mechanical flax harvesting, enhance harvesting efficiency, and satisfy the marketable flax harvesting standards. Full article

Soil type, crop management practices, annual plant growth patterns, and seasonal changes have all been shown to influence asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) roots. This study describes the changes in root growth that occur over the three establishment seasons of three asparagus cultivars. Starting one year after planting, asparagus root length density and biomass were estimated from soil cores (55 mm diam. × 0.2 m long) collected to 0.9 m at three locations adjacent to the row (0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 m from row center). Samples were collected each spring during the spear harvest period (late April to early May). Soil cores were divided into 0.15 m lengths and fleshy roots were collected for the soil, root length density determined, and dry weights measured. The year of sampling had a significant effect on root development and, as time progressed, fleshy asparagus roots grew deeper into the soil. There was no difference in fleshy root length or fresh weight between the three cultivars evaluated. However, root distribution patterns varied between the cultivars. Fleshy roots for the cultivars Atlas and Jersey Giant extended further from the crown and deeper in the soil when compared to Guelph Millennium. Results can be used to improve crop management practices and increase our understanding of the dynamic changes of root development that occur over time in asparagus. Full article

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) occurs naturally at a low concentration in fruits, but can be increased following several stress events, playing a physiological effect. Lemon trees were preharvest treated with GABA at three concentrations (10, 50, and 100 mM) during two consecutive seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021). Fruit growth (diameter) and crop yield (kg tree⁻¹ and number of fruits tree⁻¹) and quality traits were evaluated at harvest. Results showed that treatments were effective at increasing lemon size (a 5% higher) and yield, especially for GABA at 100 mM, for the two assayed seasons. Thus, yield was increased between 13 and 18% with respect to the control trees for the two harvest dates. With respect to the quality traits, GABA treatments did not impact any negative effects on the quality attributes, since the total soluble solids (7–8° Brix), total acidity (5–6 g 100 g⁻¹), and fruit firmness (13–14 N mm⁻¹) were similar to the control fruits. Therefore, GABA applied as preharvest treatment could be considered as a potent tool to enhance the yield of lemon fruits. Full article

Face masks have become an essential commodity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and their use rises daily. Excessive face mask use will likely continue to combat the virus and bacterial impacts in the long term. Afterward, used face masks are hazardous to the environment since most are made of nonbiodegradable porous polymeric fibrous materials. Thus, finding new ways to recycle waste face masks is urgently needed. Similarly, managing agricultural water for irrigation is a crucial challenge in saving water. This study demonstrates an approach for recycling face masks as bag- or small-sized pillows filled with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) for the slow release of water near plant roots. Previous studies have reported that SAPs or hydrogel could boost soil’s water retention capacity, mixed with hydrogel/SAP. However, mixing SAPs into soil is improper because biodegradation generates low toxic organic molecules and contaminates soil and surface water. The objective of this research was to develop a face mask reuse approach, reduce irrigation water using polymers, and reduce toxic contamination in the soil. Here, swollen SAPs were taken inside the pillow and buried near plants, and the growth of the plants was studied. The moisture of the inner soil was constant for a long time, boosting plant growth. Afterward, the face mask pillows could be removed from the soil and maintained for further use. This new approach could be helpful in pot farming. This approach could contribute to the circular economy and the development of environmental sustainability. Full article

The quality of sugarcane broth can be affected by soil management. In compacted soils the productivity is reduced, and the raw material is poor. This research aimed to evaluate productivity and quality of sugarcane for four soil management types: (CT) heavy harrow + light harrow; (CTI) Subsoiler + light harrow; (MT) Subsoiler and (NT) no soil movement. The variables investigated were resistance to soil penetration (SPR), the chemical raw material quality (broth) and crop yield. In crop rows, SPR did not reach severe levels up to 0.3 m for sugarcane root development. However, below this layer, MT, NT, and CTI reached SPR limiting values of 2.50, 2.35 and 1.95 MPa, respectively. In inter-crop rows, compaction was concentrated in soil surface layers (0–0.3 m). In addition, all adopted managements presented SPR above the critical value (2 MPa). The soil preparation forms qualitatively affected the sugarcane broth, showing higher fiber and protein contents in NT, MT, and CT. The PS, Brix, TRS, and Pol were not affected by soil management. Still, higher absolute values were found in the NT, indicating an increase in broth quality when applying conservation management. The highest yields were obtained by reduced tillage (MT), surpassing the lowest yield management (NT) with an increase of 10.5 Mg ha⁻¹. Full article

Mixed cropping systems can constitute important agroecological adaptation strategies for enhancing crop growth and productivity in view of climate change, while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and providing important ecosystem services. The aim of this study was to investigate growth, competitiveness, and productivity of two forage mixtures combining triticale (X triticosecale Wittmack) to common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), and to fenugreek (Trigonella fœnum-græcum L.) in different mixture combinations (40% T–60% V vs. 60% T–40% V and 40% T–60% F vs. 60% T–40% F). Field results showed that both forage legumes were higher inside the different crop mixtures (+225% for vetch, +94% for fenugreek) than in monocropping. In regard to the competition ration (CR), triticale was the more dominant and competitive species in three out of four studied mixtures. Forage yield was higher in crop mixtures than for corresponding sole crops. Yield gain was greater for common vetch-based mixtures than fenugreek ones (+60% vs. +30%). The results show that using cereal–legume mixtures can provide important productivity increase for fodder yield compared to conventional pure crops. The method is an important adaptive agricultural strategy in view of climate change. Full article

The ongoing criticism of conventional agricultural activities being unsustainable in the face of climate change and global population growth has been one of the key drivers for technological innovation in this space. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), especially in the high-tech form of vertical farming, as a new agri-food technology, has been positioned as a sustainable solution to the dilemma of feeding the world and preserving the planet. Acknowledging sustainability as a multi-dimensional concept encompassing environmental, economic, social, and cultural aspects, this review briefly outlines the evolving meaning of sustainability, and how CEA has been framed as sustainable in the literature. Specifically, the review examines studies that have investigated consumer perceptions and acceptance of CEA and discussed how sustainability features of CEA were presented to consumers in a diverse way across these studies. The review highlights that the social and cultural dimensions of sustainability were largely neglected not only in research that focused on the development of CEA, but also in the exploration of consumers’ perceptions of CEA. A more holistic examination of the sustainability of CEA and a comprehensive understanding from consumers is important for transitioning towards more sustainable production systems enabled by new technologies such as CEA. Full article

Vineyard mechanical winter pruning has been spreading worldwide, and the physiological basis ascribable to it has been consolidated throughout the years. Despite labor savings and reduction of costs having been proven, the demonstration of its economic viability might be challenging. In this context, this work aims to evaluate the vine performances and the costs of different degrees of the mechanization of winter pruning over a five-year trial (2011–2015). In a vineyard of cv. Trebbiano Romagnolo (Vitis vinifera L.) located in northern Italy, three pruning treatments were laid out as follows: (a) manual pruning (MAN); (b) mechanical pre-pruning and simultaneous manual follow-up (MP + F); (c) mechanical pruning without a manual follow-up (MP). The results showed a strong increase in the node number of MP. Nevertheless, the yield compensation factors (i.e., the shoot fruitfulness and cluster weight) limited the increase in productivity. Soluble solids did not differ between the pruning treatments, while titratable acidity resulted slightly higher only on the MP berries. The MP treatment was the most economically convenient, with a vineyard surface of 1.5 hectares, while mechanical pruning with manual finishing resulted more advantageous, compared to manual pruning when the vineyard surface was greater than 2.9 hectares. The agronomic and economic results obtained in this five-year trial suggest that mechanical pruning may be profitably applied also on grapevine varieties characterized by low basal bud fruitfulness, such as Trebbiano Romagnolo. Full article

Cover crops (CC) promote soil health, but the termination method can condition the benefits for soil microorganisms. In a greenhouse experiment, we evaluated the legacy effects of four common CC termination methods on mycorrhization, soil microbial abundance, structure, and activity, as well as other soil properties, and its interaction with water levels (well-watered and water deficit). Mowing and residue incorporation (INC), glyphosate (GLY), roller crimper (ROL) and glyphosate + roller crimper (RGL) were evaluated, together with no CC, at two sampling dates of a subsequent maize. The water level modulated the soil microbial response to CC termination methods, especially in the glyphosate methods. Legacy effects on soil microbial attributes were notable and evolved differently from maize, from pre-emergence to ~3 months later. At final sampling, INC showed the best microbial response at both water levels, enhancing most microbial attributes. ROL was the second most beneficial method, especially in well-watered soil, promoting fungi but nullifying the CC positive effect on bacteria. Regardless of water level, GLY and RGL showed a similar microbial response. In well-watered soil, GLY and RGL had a negative effect on the total fungi, which separated the RGL response from the ROL. Overall, the time since CC termination and water level modulated the soil microbial response to the termination methods. Further research is needed to investigate CC termination impacts under different environmental conditions, in order to better understand the processes involved and provide farm-level recommendations. Full article

Maintaining soil fertility and obtaining good crop yields in highly weathered tropical soils through organic practices–without chemical/synthetic inputs—requires a scientific approach and skillful managements, especially for phosphorus (P) nutrient. Our objective was to find a combination of lime and rock phosphate additions that made soil pH low enough so that rock phosphate would be adequately soluble, yet high enough so soil acidity is not harmful to most crops. Thus, a controlled (greenhouse) experiment was conducted to quantify soil properties, and soybean (Glycine max cv. Kahala) growth when rock phosphate, coral lime, and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) green manure were applied as organic amendments to an acid, nutrient poor Oxisol of Hawaii. The treatments were a factorial combination of 3 application rates (0, 1, 2 g/kg) of coral lime (86% CaCO₃ equivalent) from Western Samoa, 3 rates (0, 75, 150 mg/kg total P) of rock phosphate (10.6% total P, and 3.7% citrate extractable P) from central Florida, and 3 rates (0, 5, 10 g/kg) of a local cowpea green manure (2.7% N, 2.8% K). Each treatment was replicated 3 times, yielding a total of 81 pots of 2 kg soil each. Soybean seedlings were grown as a test crop. Our results showed that a combination of 1 g/kg (2 tons/ha) of lime and 75 mg/kg (150 kg P/ha) of rock phosphate provided enough P for soybean growth and simultaneously alleviated soil acidity problems (the green manure was to supply adequate N and K to the crop). Corresponding soil parameters were: soil pH = 5.2, exchangeable (KCl-extractable) Al = 3.6 mg/kg, Olsen (NaHCO₃- extractable) P = 11 mg/kg, and soil-solution P of 0.05 mg/L. Our results lent support to the sustainable potential of organic farming. Full article

The closed greenhouse is an innovative crop system in the horticulture sector, integrating appropriate climate control equipment and optimized techniques to collect, store, and reuse solar energy for heating and/or cooling the greenhouse. This concept aims to improve the crop yield and quality with energy efficient and water-saving technologies. A specific focus on the opportunities of implementing closed greenhouses under arid climate conditions is detailed in this work. Guidelines for selecting appropriate techniques and design parameters are investigated, aiming for profitable and sustainable greenhouse production. This paper provides an overview of the design aspects of the closed greenhouse and a state of the art of its applications in arid areas. Firstly, the microclimate parameters, including temperature, relative humidity (RH), light intensity, and CO₂ concentration are introduced. Then, an in-depth focus on the effects of these parameters on crop productivity, water, and energy efficiency are thoroughly discussed. Finally, the limitations of closed greenhouse applications are pointed out as opportunities for further research and development in this emerging agriculture field. Full article

In recent decades, people have blindly pursued increased yield; the excessive use of fertilizer not only causes the widespread waste of resources but also puts great pressure on environmental protection. In this study, to find out the optimum nitrogen application to endive crops under hydroponic conditions, this experiment was conducted to investigate the changes in nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities under different nitrogen supply levels, and to fit the equations between nitrogen supply levels and aboveground dry matter accumulation, the aboveground nitrogen accumulation, and the yield of endive crops. The results showed that the activities of the key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism were higher at nitrogen supply concentrations of 8 and 11 mmol·L⁻¹. The dry matter and nitrogen accumulation of endive at different nitrogen supply levels were analyzed with the logistic model; the theoretical yield was found to be the highest at 9.935~11.448 mmol·L⁻¹ of nitrogen application in the two different fertility trials by function fitting. Full article

The enhancement of green animal husbandry has a significant effect on carbon emissions, carbon neutrality, and ecological development. Promoting the production transformation of polluting enterprises has caught the attention of local governments, and breeding companies are faced with either maintaining current practices or green development. This study investigated the evolution of decision-making processes between local governments and breeding companies from the perspective of evolutionary game theory, offering an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) for both parties, based on replicator dynamics. Within the model, the static rewards and punishments were framed by conventional environmental protection requirements, and the dynamic rewards and punishments were based on stricter environmental standards. Numerical simulation and sensitivity analyses were then performed. We found that when environmental protection policy was not considered, no ESS emerged in the replicator dynamic system. When tightening of environmental protection policy was considered, the system spirally converged to a stable equilibrium point. Hence, more demanding environmental protection requirements facilitated the development of green animal husbandry. Reasonable reward and punishment mechanisms can achieve the goal of the green development of enterprises under the premise of reducing regulatory costs. This study provides guidance for optimizing government decision-making and promoting the green development of animal husbandry. Full article

Offshore renewable energy is essential to reduce carbon emissions in China. However, due to the lack of application scenarios, it is difficult to use renewable energy locally near offshore power plants. To find an application scenario for offshore renewable energy, a growing container is developed and combined with offshore renewable energy for food production. Small experimental containers were tested, and their light intensities were compared to simulation results. The light intensity range and uniformity of 20-foot containers were evaluated for some short-growth cycle crops. Adding side reflectors and using LED light beads improved the energy efficiency considerably. Side reflectors improved both the light intensity U and lighting uniformity u on the irradiated surface, but the improvement decreased with increased plant height. With a plant height of 0–25 cm, U increased by 57.4–16.6% and u by 13.1–8%, compared to the case without reflectors. Considering the energy consumption of lighting, air conditioning, and ventilation, the daily power consumption of growing containers was between 50 and 79 kWh; a 5 MW wind plant could support the operation of up to 294 growing containers. Growing containers can also tolerate short-term output fluctuations in renewable power production and they can be adapted to sizeable seasonal output fluctuations by reducing the proportion of leafy vegetables and increasing the proportion of sprouts and mushrooms, which require less light. Full article

Shelf life estimation is an important factor to predict the freshness of fruits. This study aimed to investigate the shelf life and the changes in the physicochemical properties of three different pineapple varieties, namely MD2, Josapine, and Morris stored at 5, 10, and 25 °C. The effect of storage temperature on pineapple changes in total soluble solids, pH, moisture content, firmness, and colour was evaluated for 21 days of the storage period. It was revealed that different storage temperatures have a significant effect on the shelf life and quality of different pineapple varieties. The firmness and moisture content showed high regression coefficients, hence were used for the shelf life prediction of pineapple based on kinetic models. By using first-order kinetics, the coefficient of determination (R²) values for quality changes in pineapples ranged from 0.893 to 0.992. The results also demonstrated that the samples stored at 10 °C had the longest shelf life in relation to the changes in firmness and moisture content of the fruit. The findings indicated that shelf life estimation plays an important role to improve the quality preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables during storage. Full article

Under a water scarcity situation, it is expected to manage water more efficiently. This study aims to evaluate the effect of treated grey water (from laundry and tableware), pre-treated through a wetland mini-reactor with a horizontal underground flow, on soil and tomatoes. The experiment included two tomato cultivars (Dart and Firenze), planted in completely randomized bloc design, and irrigated with treated grey water (TGW) vs. ground water (C) as control. Soil, tomato leaves and fruits were assessed for microbial contamination. Tomato yield, physico-chemical characteristics and antioxidant contents were studied. Results showed that TGW met the standards for irrigation water for most water quality variables. Irrigation with TGW increased the concentrations of phosphorus (P), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) in the soil. Although, the soil ionic composition was still in the suitable range for agriculture. Opportunely, there was no contamination by fecal coliforms, streptococcus and E. coli in soil and tomatoes. Dart cultivar seems to be more responsive to TGW and had higher fruit number and weight. This response was accompanied by an effective antioxidant response, higher water and juice content. The findings of this study emphasize that TGW may provide a way to preserve water resources and to avoid soil contamination. Full article

In response to the problems of excessive wheat stubble blocking the opener during corn seeding in wheat–corn double cropping areas, an active-strip stubble removal method was proposed under the premise of conservation tillage. Firstly, the effects of two conventional rotary blade structures (inward and outward) on the stubble-cleaning effect and power consumption were studied under five rotary speeds (400, 500, 600, 700, 800 rpm). The results show that when the rotary speed was 400–600 rpm, the outward structure of the rotary blade was more suitable for stubble cleaning. Then, a torque sensor and a six-component force sensor were applied to the soil bin test platform to measure the relative data of four oblique angles (0°, 15°, 22.5°, 30°) on the stubble-cleaning effect, seedbed parameters, and power consumption at three rotary speeds (400, 500, 600 rpm). The results show that the straw residue on the seedbed was effectively reduced when increasing the oblique angle and rotary speed. Moreover, the quality parameters of the seedbed were improved and the power consumption was reduced when reducing the oblique angle and rotary speed. When the rotary speed was 400–500 rpm, the difference between the vertical resistance and lateral resistance was relatively small, while the difference between the horizontal resistance was large. Full article

Plant selection plays a critical role in phytoremediation. However, previous research has focused on comparing different plant species but has ignored different cultivars. Here, a laboratory experiment was performed to analyze the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal performance of different cultivars of Oenanthe javanica, which are widely employed for phytoremediation in China. Seven cultivars were planted on simulated livestock wastewater with high N and P content prepared with compounds for 22 days in two artificial climate chambers with different temperatures. N and P contents were monitored to estimate the nutrient removal performance of the cultivars. ‘Suzhou Yuanye’ had the highest N removal ability at room temperature (45.33 ± 1.92%) and under cold stress (39.63 ± 2.15%) in 22 days, and it could also remove P effectively (99.32 ± 0.33% at room temperature and 77.50 ± 0.08% under cold stress). ‘Yixing Yuanye’ performed the best in P removal (97.90 ± 2.89% at room temperature and 99.57 ± 0.61% under cold stress). ‘Liyang Baiqin’ performed well in N removal only at room temperature (44.30 ± 1.03%). ‘Suqian Jianye’ had low removal efficiencies for both N and P. From the biomass and N content, we could conclude that the high N removal efficiency of ‘Suzhou Yuanye’ is due to high N assimilation of the plant. However, ‘Yixing Yuanye’ did not show higher P assimilation ability than other cultivars. Taken together, the selection of cultivars is important for phytoremediation projects using O. javanica, and ‘Suzhou Yuanye’ is much more suitable for phytoremediation than other cultivars. Full article

The wonder multistorey garden (WMSG) is an innovative vertical farming system tailored for urban settings that can be constrained by the irrigation regime, and by types and levels of fertilizer application. This study evaluated the effects of applying NPK fertilizer and black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) under different irrigation regimes on the growth, yield, and pest infestation of kale (Brassica oleracea) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris). The fertilizers were applied at rates equivalent to 371 kg N ha⁻¹. For each crop, the BSFFF or NPK was applied to supply 100% of the N required (100% BSFFF), and then a combination of BSFFF and NPK was applied so that each fertilizer supplied 50% of the N required (50% BSFFF + 50% NPK). Crops’ water requirements were provided using three irrigation regimes: daily, every two days, and every three days. The control treatment was not amended with any fertilizer, while water was provided ad libitum. The results revealed that the irrigation regime significantly affected the leaf production of both vegetables. Irrigation regimes significantly influenced kale plant height, where plants provided with water daily achieved the highest average heights of 20 cm, 46 cm, and 54 cm at 14, 28, and 42 days after transplanting (DAT), respectively. Furthermore, the application of 100% BSFFF produced kale with significantly higher plant heights (55 cm) and number of leaves (9.9 leaves) at 42 DAT compared to other treatments. The interaction between irrigation regimes and fertilizer significantly influenced kale height at 14 DAT and 42 DAT. Use of daily irrigation regime and 100% BSFFF produced the tallest kale plants of 59 cm at 42 DAT. Application of 50% BSFFF + 50% NPK or 100% BSFFF with daily irrigation achieved the highest values of kale and Swiss chard leaf chlorophyll concentration, recorded at 42 DAT. Fertilizer application significantly affected pest population, with the lowest pest infestation being recorded from kale and Swiss chard grown in soil amended with BSFFF. The application of 100% BSFFF or NPK, together with daily irrigation, significantly increased the fresh shoot weight and leaf dry matter of kale and Swiss chard, as compared with the control. The fresh shoot yields of kale and Swiss chard achieved through using a combination of 100% BSFFF and daily irrigation were 14–69% and 13–56% higher than those of NPK, respectively. The same treatment combination also produced kales and Swiss chard with 8–73% and 16–81% higher leaf dry matter compared to NPK, respectively. It was noted that soil amendment with BSFFF maintained higher values of kale (41–50%) and Swiss chard (33–49%) leaf dry matter compared with NPK treatments, during periods of water stress. Our study has demonstrated the high potential of single (100% BSFFF) or combined applications of BSFFF (50% BSFFF + 50% NPK) with a daily irrigation regime to improve the growth, yield, and pest management in Swiss chard and kale under vertical farming. Our study advocates for the scaling of WMSG and BSFFF for sustainable food systems in urban settings. Full article

From the perspective of sustainable agri-food production, farmers need to make the best use of natural resources. Biochar can be a solution to adopt a more sustainable way of farming. Despite its environmental and agronomic advantages, biochar has a low plant nutrient value. This study evaluated the effect of biochar and the co-application of an inorganic or organic fertilizer on the soil properties, growth and nutrient content of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cycla, Caryophyllales order, Chenopodiaceae family). The experiment consisted of two factors: biochar type (from vineyard prunings and wood chips) and fertilizing source (ammonium nitrate and vermicompost). Biochars were applied at a 2% rate (w/w) and fertilizers at a dose providing 280 kg N ha⁻¹. The soil properties (pH, EC, extractable anions, cations, total N, Corg and C/N ratio) were measured before the plants were transplanted and at the end of the growing cycle, along with the growth parameters (leaf number, length and fresh weight) of each leaf cut, the productive parameters (total number of leaves and yield per plant) at the end of the growing cycle and the leaf content of anions (NO₃⁻, P₂O₄³⁻, SO₄²⁻), cations (NH₄⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) and total N. The co-application of biochar and a fertilizing source had a positive effect on soil properties and leaf nutrient content. Vermicompost increased plant growth by 22% and plant yield by 116%, in contrast to biochar, and increased limited leaf NO₃⁻ accumulation by about 81% in comparison to ammonium nitrate. The co-application of biochar and vermicompost is the better option to increase Swiss chard yield while preserving the nutritional and health qualities of the product. Full article

Abiotic stresses are the most significant factors reducing agricultural productivity. Plants face extreme environmental conditions that may affect their biological mechanisms, thereby influencing their growth and development. Microorganisms possess substantial metabolites that aid in helping plants mitigate abiotic stresses. Plants’ interaction with microbes constitutes a diversified ecosystem, as sometimes both the partners share a mutualistic relationship. Endophytes, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs) are examples of microorganisms that play an essential role in alleviating abiotic stresses and, hence, improving plant growth. The plant–microbe interaction leads to the modulation of complex mechanisms in the plant cellular system. Moreover, the residing microbial flora also inhibits the phytopathogens, therefore, it becomes part of plants’ innate defense system. Keeping in view the growing environmental concerns, it is important to identify the role of the plant microbiome in the transportation of nutrients to maintain sustainable production. Furthermore, it is important to identify the factors enabling plants to recruit beneficial microbial species and how to deal with the potential pathogens. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the impacts of various abiotic stressors on agricultural productivity and the role of beneficial microorganisms in mitigating the negative effects of abiotic stresses. The literature review also shows that the beneficial microbes, including PGPRs, AMFs, and endophytes, adopt various mechanisms for ameliorating the negative effects of various stresses. It has been observed that biochar and microbes, either individually or in combination, can play a significant role in maintaining plant growth under stress conditions. Although conventional inoculation of beneficial microbes mitigates abiotic stresses and enhances productivity, the advancement in genetic engineering would help transfer specific genes from the microbes to plants to aid in abiotic stress mitigation. Full article

For sustainable agriculture, the contentious input of peat in growing media needs to be replaced by a substitute with the best possible water-holding capacity (WHC). Wood from fast growing poplar trees, cultivated in short rotation coppices (SRC), is a suitable alternative if it is processed correctly in a twin-screw extruder. The processing parameters, such as the aperture setting of the extruder, moisture content, and specific energy demand (SED), during twin-screw extrusion, as well as their influence on fibre properties such as WHC and particle size distribution, are investigated. SRC-poplar wood chips from clone Max3 are the raw material used for this research. As a result, the best volume-based WHC (75%) at −1 kPa suction tension was achieved for dry extruded wood chip fibre at an aperture setting of 15 mm and an SED of 340 kWh*t⁻¹. The smallest SED of 140 kWh*t⁻¹ was measured at apertures of 35 mm and 40 mm, which resulted in a volume-based WHC of approximately 30% and a dry matter mass flow during processing of 0.289 t*h⁻¹ (40 mm). The particle size distribution of semi-dry wood chips has the highest fine fraction as well as the smallest coarse fraction. Conclusively, poplar wood can be processed fresh and dry into fibre at an acceptable SED, which results in an acceptable WHC. Full article

The oil palm (OP) Elaeis guineensis is a robust feeder of nutrients and necessitates the adjustment and adequate allocation of nutrients for optimum growth and yields. Therefore, information on leaf nutrient concentrations during the immature stage is essential for maximal OP yield at the mature stage. Currently, in Malaysia, fertilizer by the standard practice application (Treatment 1; T1) is considered a cost-effective fertilization practice in terms of fertilization cost and the overall cost per palm oil tree per hectare. However, there is an idea to further reduce the costs of fertilizers and labour per hectare to make it more cost-effective. Therefore, the present study aims to develop a novel biochemical fertilizer by testing the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) biochemical fertilizer (Treatment 2; T2) in the immature OP. Since the use of T1 has been well established in Malaysia, the present study is to compare the leaflets’ nutrient levels (nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and boron (B)) and vegetative parameters (frond length (FL), frond number of leaves (FNL), frond width (FW), frond thickness (FT), chlorophyll index (CI), and the canopy of immature OP by using T2 to compare with those in T1. This study was conducted 6 to 48 months after planting (MAP) at the Telang OP plantation, Kuala Lipis (Pahang), from January 2015 to December 2018. Based on the chemical levels of the pre-treatment soil samples collected at the weeded circle area in January 2015 in the two depths (0–15 cm and 15–30 cm), there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in all 11 chemical parameters (pH, total N, organic carbon (Org C), total P, available P (Av P), cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable K, (Ex K), exchangeable Ca (Ex Ca), exchangeable Mg (Ex Mg), exchangeable aluminium (Ex Al) and B between T1 and T2. This indicated that the chemical levels in the OP soils in both T1 and T2 would not be significant factors when T1 and T2 were applied. All six leaflets’ nutrient levels showed at least ‘Optimum’ or ‘Excessive’ compared to the established guideline using T1 and T2. Overall, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in all the above six leaflets’ nutrient levels and six vegetative parameters between T1 and T2 based on the t-Test, multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, and correlation analysis. These results suggested that rates of T1 and T2 applied in this study are enough to provide the amount of nutrients needed to support the OP vegetative growth during the immature period. The estimated cost savings for the combination of T2 fertilizers per hectare (RM 1113.43 or 250 USD) and reduction of the number of rounds (RM 133.85; or 30 USD) of T2 fertilizer application would give a sum of total cost savings of at least RM 1247.25 (280 USD) per hectare. If only based on the T2 fertilizer per hectare, the economic benefit of the total cost saving is estimated to be at least 10.6%. In summary, this study recommends the utilization of T2 as a novel, cost-effective, and alternative biochemical fertilizer treatment for better management of immature OP plantations in Malaysia. Full article

Hydroponics has become a popular production technology for leafy greens in greenhouses. However, year-round production of cool-season leafy greens remains challenging due to costly heating and cooling during winter and summer seasons, depending on location. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of nutrient solution cooling and heating in deep-water hydroponic systems on the performance of several leafy green vegetables. Two experiments of nutrient solution cooling during the summer season and another two experiments of nutrient solution heating during the winter season were conducted in Texas, USA in 2020–2021. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) ‘Bergams Green’ and ‘Red Mist’, Pak Choi (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) ‘Purple Magic’ and ‘White Stem’, and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) ‘Mandolin’ and ‘Seaside’ were grown in the summer experiments, and only the two lettuce cultivars were grown for the winter experiments. For both cooling and heating studies, six deep-water culture systems were used with two treatments: cooling (23 °C) vs. no cooling, and heating (22 °C) vs. no heating, with three replications in each experiment. In the nutrient solution cooling study, spinach was the most heat-sensitive species, and ‘Mandolin’ was more heat-tolerant than ‘Seaside,’ as evidenced by its lower mortality rate in both experiments. Lettuce and pak choi grew well and solution cooling increased shoot fresh weight in both lettuce cultivars and in ‘White Stem’ pak choi but not in ‘Purple Magic’ pak choi. Conversely, during the winter season, solution heating increased shoot fresh weight of both lettuce cultivars; however, ‘Red Mist’ was more responsive than ‘Bergams Green’ lettuce. These results indicate the potential to increase crop yield by controlling nutrient solution temperature throughout the year, depending on the season. Also, there were genotypic differences in both cooling and heating experiments, indicating that more research is needed to determine the species-dependent and even cultivar-dependent nutrient solution temperature control strategies to achieve optimum year-round production. Full article

This article assesses the use of under-vine living mulches in Mediterranean vineyards characterized by limited water resources, one of the reasons why this agronomic practice is currently unusual in these environments. The aim of the study was to test whether the use of this alternative method in Mediterranean vineyards could suppress noxious weeds without hindering optimal vineyard development. For this purpose, four native species were selected as living mulches: Festuca ovina, Pilosella officinarum, Plantago coronopus, and Plantago lanceolata. The variables measured during three years in two different experimental farms were: (a) living mulch cover, as a possible predictor of weed suppression success; (b) weed density and weed biomass, with special attention to noxious weed species; and (c) pruning weights, measured in the last year to analyze the cumulative effect of the treatments on the grapevine vegetative growth. Our results revealed that living mulches with high cover rates (average over 70%) also showed weed suppression of up to 95%, significantly controlling the occurrence of noxious weeds such as Erigeron canadensis. No significant effect of the different treatments on vine vegetative growth was found, although further studies would be necessary. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that under-vine living mulches could be an efficient and environmentally friendly method for weed control in Mediterranean vineyards where irrigation is available. Full article