Abstract: Plant types and soil bacterial communities had a close relationship, understanding the profound association between them contributes to better learn bacterial ecological function for plant growth. In this study, rhizosphere soil of six different chemotype Cinnamomum camphora trees were collected, including C. bodinieri var. citralifera, [C. camphora (Linn.) Presl], camphora-type, cineole-type, linalool-type and isoborneol-type. Soil properties content and bacterial communities were analyzed. Two chemotype C. camphora, including [C. camphora (Linn.) Presl] and linalool-type, shaped similar bacterial community structure, decreased Firmcutes relative abundance. richness estimators (Chao1 index and Ace index) of [C. camphora (Linn.) Presl] were decreased compared with the others. Furthermore, soil bacterial community structure was also similar among bodinieri var. citralifera, camphora-type, cineole-type and isoborneol-type. Hence, different chemotype C. camphora altered soil nutrient and shaped rhizosphere bacterial communities.

Among the agricultural practices promoted by the Common Agricultural Policy to increase soil functions, the use of cover crops is a recommended tool to improve the sustainability of Mediter-ranean woody crops such as olive orchards. However, there is a broad range of cover crop ty-pologies in relation to its implementation, control and species composition. In that sense, the in-fluence of different plant species on soil quality indicators in olive orchards remains unknown yet. This study describes the effects of four treatments based on the implementation of different ground covers (CC-NAT, CC-GRA and CC-MIX) and conventional tillage (TILL) on soil erosion, soil physicochemical and biological properties, and soil microbial communities after 8 years of cover crop establishment. Our results have demonstrated that the presence of a temporary cover crop (CC), compared to a soil under tillage (TILL), can reduce soil losses and maintain good soil physicochemical properties and modify greatly the structure and diversity of soil bacterial com-munities and its functioning. The presence of a homogeneous CC of gramineous (Lolium rigidum or Lolilum multiflorum) (CC-GR) for 8 years significantly increased the functional properties of the soil as compared to TILL; although the most significant change was a modification on the bacte-rial community composition that was clearly different from the rest of treatments. On the other hand, the use of a mixture of plant species (CC-MIX) as a CC for only two years although did not modify greatly the structure and diversity of soil bacterial communities compared to the TILL soil, induced significant changes on the functional properties of the soil, and reverted those properties to a level similar to that of an undisturbed soil that had maintained a natural cover of spontaneous vegetation for decades (CC-NAT).

Phase change refers to the process of maturation and transition from the juvenile to the adult stage. In response to this shift, certain species like chestnut lose the ability to form adventitious roots, thereby hindering the successful micropropagation of adult plants. While auxin is the main hormone involved in adventitious root formation, other hormones, such as ethylene, are also thought to play a role in its induction and development. In this study, experiments were carried out to determine the effects of ethylene on the induction and growth of adventitious roots. The analysis was performed in two types of chestnut microshoots derived from the same tree, a juvenile-like line with high rooting ability derived from basal shoots (P2BS) and a line derived from crown branches (P2CR) with low rooting responses. By means of the application of compounds to modify ethylene content or inhibit its signalling, the potential involvement of this hormone in the in-duction of adventitious roots was analyzed. Our results show that ethylene can modify the rooting competence of mature shoots, while the response in juvenile material was barely affected. To further characterize the molecular reasons underlying this maturation-derived shift in behaviour, specific gene expression analyses were developed. Findings suggest that several mechanisms, including ethylene signalling, auxin transport and epigenetic modifications, relate to the modu-lation of the rooting ability of mature chestnut microshoots and their recalcitrant behaviour.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a high value horticultural crop in Kenya. Nutritionally, the crop is rich in niacin, carotene, thiamine, and vitamin C. Mwea in Kirinyaga County is one of the major tomato growing areas in Kenya. Tomato production in Kenya is hindered by losses due to diseases caused by pathogens that include plant parasitic nematodes (PPN). Among the plant parasitic nematodes, the root-knot nematode (RKN) is the most predominant in Mwea. This study investigated the soil parameters that influence the distribution of the RKN for the purpose of mapping their distribution. This is important since it ensures that nematicide application is only to specific sites where these nematodes are found thereby saving on input costs as well as protecting the environment. The study consisted of surveys conducted in geo-referenced tomato production fields in seven (7) tomato production sites in Tebere and Mwea. Sampling was done in a stratified random manner in both rainfed and irrigated tomato production fields in both dry and rainy seasons for determination of the spatial and temporal distribution of nematodes, respectively. Nematode extraction was done using the centrifugal floatation technique and identification done to genera level using morphological features. Soil characteristics determining PPN distribution patterns in tomato production fields of Mwea were measured using standard methods. Soil parameters measured included soil pH, electrical conductivity, elevation and soil texture. The PPN incidence and diversity was determined using the Shannon-Weiner species diversity index. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) was performed to interpret and summarize major patterns of variation within the soil variable data and to estimate the ability of each soil variable to reflect variance in the entire PPN data set. Fourteen (14) genera of nematodes were identified with the diversity between 0.6 and 1.2. RKN distribution differed significantly (p<0.05) among the sites. Among the soil samples analyzed, 81% were positive for RKN infestation. There was an insignificant difference (p>0.05) between nematode densities in the dry and rainy seasons. Rainfed fields exhibited a significantly higher (p<0.05) RKN population densities compared to irrigated fields. The study established a great variability in the soil parameters in the area. The RKN distribution pattern, density and abundance were inversely correlated (p<0.05) with the soil pH and positively correlated (p<0.05) with soil EC. Based on the inverse relationship between soil pH and RKN distribution in the Mwea ecosystem, maps of nematode distribution and soil pH were developed. This enables the possibility of a site specific system for management of RKN

(1)Background: The prognosis of orthodontic treatment for a patient with impacted canine teeth can be affected by many factors and understanding some of the characteristics of impacted teeth can increase the effectiveness and reduce the duration of treatment. This study aims to explore the effects of positions and dentoalveolar morphological characteristics of impacted maxillary canines on the prognosis of orthodontic treatment. (2)Methods: In this study, a total of 46 adolescent individuals were divided into 3 groups: CC(no impaction), BC(unilateral maxillary buccal canine impaction), and PC(unilateral maxillary palatal canine impaction). The impacted canine and adjacent teeth were evaluated in terms of position, angulation, inclination, MD and BL widths, root length, dilaceration angle, root resorption. (3)Results: The mean values of U3Ang and U3/U2 angles were statistically significantly higher in the BC and PC groups(p&lt;0.001). The mean values of U2RL(U3root length) and U3RD (U3root dilaceration) angle were statistically significantly lower in the BC and PC groups. (4)Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that shorter lengths and reduced volumes of the maxillary lateral incisors may lead to the ectopic eruption of canines. The higher canine angulations in the PC group make treatment more difficult and increase the degree of root resorption.

The adaptation of plants to biotic and abiotic stress depends on their abilities to sense their surroundings and to generate and transmit corresponding signals to different parts of their body that can evoke changes necessary for optimizing growth and defense. Light has been shown to be one of the key environmental factors that modulate the physiology of both plants and animals via the diverse photoreceptors found in them. Both plants and animals contain a large repertoire of intra- and intercellular signals molecules that include organic and inorganic. One such molecule is a neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino acid, that rapidly accumulates in plant tissues in response to biotic and abiotic stress and regulates plant growth. Lots of research has been done on GABA in plants for slightly more than half a century now: Its discovery in plant tissues was immediately followed by physiological and biochemical studies. Thereafter molecular-genetics era of cloning the genes encoding the GABA shunt enzymes and transporters, and recombinant expression and purification of the enzymes in vitro to elucidate their regulatory properties and substrate specificity was established. Recently the discovery of the first bona fide GABA target proteins in plants, the ALMTs suggest that GABA indeed could be one of the signaling molecules in plants. All this research did not address in detail the relationship between light and GABA. To better understand the role of GABA in relation to light we set up six light conditions to investigate the changes in the hypocotyl and root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana under different light conditions, including total light, total dark, light blocker, gradient light, shoot dark, shoot dark with blocker. We treated the seedlings with 3-MPA, a GABA inhibitor, using different concentrations grown under different light conditions between 24 to 96 h. Our results show that both the root and hypocotyl are modulated by GABA when grown under different light conditions. These results clearly suggest a link in the signaling pathway of GABA with photoreceptor signaling pathways.

In the present paper, we introduced a quadratically convergent Newton’s like normal S2 iteration method free from the second derivative for the solution of nonlinear equations permitting 3 f'(x) = 0 at some points in the neighborhood of the root. Our proposed method works well 4 when the Newton method fails. Numerically it has been verified that the Newton’s like normal 5 S-iteration method converges faster than Fang et al. method [A cubically convergent Newton-type 6 method under weak conditions, J. Compute. and Appl. Math., 220 (2008), 409-412]. We studied 7 different aspects of normal S-iteration method. Lastly, fractal patterns support the numerical 8 results and explain the convergence, divergence, and stability of method.

Among the many neglected underutilized species, tuberous Andean root crops like the ahipas (Pachyrhizus ahipa) constitute a promising alternative for increasing diversity in nutrient sources and food security at a regional level. In this study, we present the content of some functional compounds in tuberous roots from several ahipa accessions and the progenies of the interspecific hybrid X207 (P. ahipa × P. tuberosus). A significant objective was to determine protein and free amino acids in the roots to evaluate their food quality as protein supply. The interspecific hybrids have been found to possess the root quality to provide the crop with a higher dry matter content. The high dry matter content of the P. tuberosus Chuin materials is retained in the root quality of the hybrids. Food functional components like carbohydrates, organic acids, and proteins were determined in several ahipa accessions and a stable (non-segregating) progeny of the interspecific hybrid, X207. The X207 roots showed a significantly higher dry matter content and a lower content in soluble sugars, but no significant differences were found in starch content or organic acids compared to the ahipa accessions. About the root mineral contents, Fe and Mn concentrations in X207 were significantly raised compared to the average of ahipa accessions. Among the ahipa and the hybrid, no prominent differences in protein content or protein amino acids were found, being both partially defective in providing sufficient daily intake of some essential amino acids. Root weight, a central component of root yield, was significantly higher in X207, but thorough field studies are required to substantiate the hybrid’s superior yield performance..

(1) Background: Bacterial reinfection and root fracture are the main culprits related to root canal treatment failure. This study aimed to assess the utility of quercetin solution as an adjunctive endodontic irrigant that strengthen root canal dentin with commitment anti-biofilm activity and bio-safety. (2) Methods: Based on a noninvasive dentin infection model, dentin tubules infected with Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) were irrigated with sterile water (control group), and 0, 1, 2, 4 wt% quercetin-containing ethanol solutions. The live and dead bacteria proportions within E. fae-calis biofilms were analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Elastic modulus and hydroxyproline release and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization was tested on irrigant-treated demineralized dentin to evaluate irrigants’ biostability. The cytotoxicity of irrigants was tested by CCK-8 assay. (3) Results: Quercetin increased the proportion of dead bacteria volumes within E. faecalis, and improved the flexural strength of dentin collagen com-pared to control group. The XPS characterization revealed an increase in C-O peak area under both C1s and O1s narrow-scan spectra. The CCK-8 assay confirmed no cytotoxicity of quercetin solutions. (4) Conclusions: Quercetin exhibited anti-biofilm activity, collagen-stabilizing effect as well as cytocompatibility, supporting quercetin as a potential candidate for endodontic irrigant.

Background: Wheat root rot disease due to soil-borne fungal pathogens leads to tremendous yield losses worth billions of dollars worldwide every year. It is very important to study the relationship between rhizosphere fungal diversity and wheat roots to understand the occurrence and development of wheat root rot disease. Results: A significant difference in fungal diversity was observed between the diseased and healthy groups in the heading stage, but the trend was the opposite in the filling stage. The abundance of most genera with high richness decreased significantly from the heading to the filling stage in the diseased groups; the richness of approximately one-third of all genera remained unchanged, and only a few low-richness genera, such as Fusarium and Ceratobasidium, had a very significant increase from the heading to the filling stage. In the healthy groups, the abundance of most genera increased significantly from the heading to the filling stage; the abundance of some genera did not change markedly, or the abundance of very few genera increased significantly. Physical and chemical soil indicators showed that low soil pH and density, increases in ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen contributed to the occurrence of wheat root rot disease. Conclusions: Our results revealed that in the early stages of disease, highly diverse rhizosphere fungi and a complex community structure can easily cause wheat root rot disease. The existence of pathogenic fungi is a necessary condition for wheat root rot disease, but the richness of pathogenic fungi is not necessarily important. The increases in ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and total nitrogen contributed to the occurrence of wheat root rot disease. Low soil pH and soil density are beneficial to the occurrence of wheat root rot disease.

The objective of this study was to determine the association of physiological responses and root distribution patterns on yield of the second ratoon cane and the relationships among these traits. Seventeen sugarcane genotypes were planted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The second ratoon crop was evaluated for germination percentage, cane yield, SPAD chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR), chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water content (RWC), specific leaf area (SLA) and stomatal conductance. Root length density (RLD) was evaluated by auger method. The root samples were divided into upper soil layer and lowers soil layers to study root distribution patterns. Sugarcane genotypes were significantly different for RLD, germination percentage and cane yield. Root distribution patterns were classified into three groups based on the RLD. High RLD between plants in the upper soil layers at 90 DAH was positively correlated with high germination, whereas high RLD between rows in the lower soil layers at 90 and 270 DAH was associated with high cane yield. RWC at 90 DAH and stomatal conductance at 180 DAH were closely related to germination percentage, whereas chlorophyll fluorescence and stomatal conductance at 180 DAH were closely related to cane yield.

Understanding the dynamic interaction between piles and surrounding soil under vehicular impacts is essential for effectively designing and optimizing soil-embedded vehicle barrier systems. The complex behavior of pile-soil systems under impact loading, attributed to the soil’s nonlinear behavior and large deformation experienced by both components, presents significant simulation challenges. Popular computation techniques, such as the Updated Lagrangian Finite Element Method (UL-FEM), encounter difficulties in scenarios marked by large soil deformation, e.g., impacts involving rigid piles. While mesh-free particle and discrete element methods offer another option, their computational demands for field-scale pile-soil impact simulations are considerable. We introduce the erosion method to bridge this gap by integrating UL-FEM with an erosion algorithm designed for simulating large soil deformations during vehicular impacts. Validation against established physical impact tests confirmed the method’s effectiveness for flexible and rigid pile failure mechanisms. Additionally, this method was used to investigate the effects of soil mesh density, soil domain sizes, and boundary conditions on the dynamic impact response of pile-soil systems. Our findings provide guidelines for optimal soil domain size, mesh density, and boundary conditions. This investigation sets the stage for improved, computationally efficient techniques for the pile-soil impact problem, leading to better pile designs for vehicular impacts.

Oil pollution of extraction areas is an undesirable phenomenon, but very present, es-pecially in old farms. In the context in which the depollution of these areas, in Roma-nia, is carried out from public funds, this fact is more and more difficult to achieve. That is why the effect of pollutants on the environment is being analyzed more and more, it often remains that the depollution is done naturally. This material analyzes the effect of metals present in crude oil (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ni, Mn, As, Cd, V, Cr, S), on the soil affected by a historical accidental pollution in the Moinesti area, Romania. This article presents the results of analyzes performed by metal detection techniques, namely optical emission spectrophotometry with inductive coupled plasma and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The metals determined in the polluted soil were statis-tically analyzed regarding the dispersion, standard deviation and coefficient of varia-tion compared to the control sample and compared with the results from two areas in Romania. The risk of exploitation of polluted areas was also analyzed, namely the method of pollution indices and the method of combining the effects of pollutants

To investigate the effects of organic fertilizer combined with reduced chemical fertilizer on radish yield, quality, and soil environment in high mountainous areas (elevation: 1800 m), and to mitigate the environmental pollution caused by excessive use of chemical fertilizers. The field trial was conducted to study the effects of different fertilizer treatments. (Control:local fertilizer application rate: 375 kg·hm² reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer; T1:12% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer; T2:20% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² of organic fertilizer; T3:28% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² organic fertilizer). Four different fertilizer ratios were studied to assess their impacts on radish quality, yield, and soil environment. The findings showed that T2 significantly increased radish yield by 12.92%. Moreover, it led to significant improvements in the content of vitamin C, soluble sugars, soluble solids, soluble proteins, titratable acidity, and glucosinolates, which increased by 10.62%, 2.15%, 50.00%, 26.90%, 43.90%, and 44.57%, respectively. Treatment T2 also significantly increased soil nutrient content, with a 7.69% and 14.29% increase in total nitrogen and total phosphorus content compared to the control (Control) treatment, and a significant reduction of 21.64% in soil bulk density . T2 treatment significantly enhanced soil urease activity, sucrase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, and catalase activity, showing an improvement of 28.97%, 55.92%, 52.08%, and 17.47% compared to the control, respectively (p&lt;0.05). Moreover, treatment T2 resulted in a relative abundance increase of 12.25% and 10.43% in Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria respectively. Thus, the combined application of T2:20% reduction in chemical fertilizer + 4500 kg·hm² of organic fertilizer improved the quality and yield of radish while optimizing the soil environment. T2 effectively promoted radish growth, enhanced radish yield and quality, and improved the soil environment.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is important for the global carbon cycle, and hyperspectral remote sensing has proven a promising method for fast SOM content estimation. However, soil physical properties significantly affect the sensitivity of satellite hyperspectral imaging to SOM, leading to poor generalization ability of the estimation model. This study aims to improve the spatiotemporal transferability of the SOM prediction model by alleviating the coupling effect of soil physical properties on the spectra. Based on satellite hyperspectral images and soil physical variables, including soil moisture (SM), soil surface roughness (root mean squared height, RMSH), and soil bulk weight (SBW), a soil spectral correction strategy was established based on the information unmixing method. Two important grain-producing areas in Northeast China were selected as study areas to verify the performance and transferability of the spectral correction model and SOM content prediction model. The results showed that soil spectral corrections based on fourth-order polynomials and the XG-Boost algorithm had excellent accuracy and generalization ability, with residual predictive deviations (RPD) exceeding 1.4 in almost all bands. In addition, when the soil spectral correction strategy was adopted, the accuracy of the SOM prediction model and the generalization ability after model migration were significantly improved. The SOM prediction accuracy based on the XG-Boost corrected spectrum was the highest, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.76, root mean square error (RMSE) of 5.74 g/kg, and RPD of 1.68. The prediction accuracy, R2, RMSE, and RPD of the model after migration were 0.72, 6.71 g/kg, and 1.53, respectively. Compared with the direct migration prediction of the model, adopting the soil spectral correction strategy based on fourth-order polynomials and XG-Boost reduced the RMSE of the SOM prediction results by 57.90% and 60.27%, respectively. The performance comparison highlighted the advantages of considering soil physical properties in regional-scale SOM prediction.

As the global population grows, the demand for food increases and puts a strain on food production systems and agricultural productivity, causing soil degradation. Soil Quality Indexes (SQIs) have been developed to maintain and improve soil quality. However, due to the variety of soils and SQIs, analyzing and comparing results has been historically difficult. Therefore, in this study, we carried out a systematic review with meta-analysis focused on soil quality studies of agricultural soils under intensive agriculture using the unified weighted additive SQI methodology (SQIU). We analyzed 65 quality observations obtained from 22 studies. Chemical indicators were the most prevalent in the SQIUs, followed by physical and biological indicators. Conventional soil management had negative effects on soil quality (–7.55%). From the factors analyzed, the minimum database had a significant effect on the soil quality results, but not the number of indicators that made up the SQIU. The SQIU made up of chemical-biological indicators (CB) presented negatively overestimated measurements of soil quality (–32.53%), exaggerating the damage to the analyzed soils. The indicators that correlated most strongly with the size of the effect on agricultural soil quality were the cation exchange capacity (CEC), carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC). The SQIU is a feasible tool to interpret the quality of agricultural soils around the world, as it makes it possible to obtain a simple and generalized view of soil conditions.

Soil quality is related to food security and human survival and development. In recent years, due to the acceleration of urbanization and the increase of abandoned land, land degradation occurs, poor topsoil quality. In this study, the minimum data set (MDS) was constructed through principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the indicator data set for evaluating topsoil quality in Tieling County, China. In addition, the soil quality index (SQI) was calculated to analyze the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing reasons of topsoil quality in Tieling County. The re-sults showed that MDS included total potassium (TK), Clay, zinc (Zn), soil organic matter (SOM), soil water content (SWC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, and copper (Cu). The MDS indicators can well replace all indicators to evaluate the topsoil quality in the study area. The overall soil quality of Tieling County showed a trend of low in the east and high in the west, and gradually increased from the hilly area to the plain area. The evaluation results are consistent with field research, which can provide reference for other topsoil quality evaluation, and it also provide a basis for the formulation of soil quality improvement measures.

Land’s basic metric is soil organic carbon (SOC) yet global estimates range 1,417–15,000 Gt C. Erosion of ancient topsoil and loss of soil taxa are most urgent of all context-triage concerns, and most ignored. Re-evaluation of topographical terrain on a non-flat Earth increases most soil dynamic inventories. Carbon credits of our neglected and disappearing SOC stocks are enumerated for mineral soils (~4,100 Gt C plus ca. 20–30% glomalin), Permafrost (>4,200 Gt C), peat (1,123 Gt C), plant roots (916 Gt C), litter (600 Gt C), microbes (200 Gt C), fungi (30 Gt C), biocrust (10–20 Gt C), earthworms (2.3–3.6 Gt C), termites (0.15 Gt C), nematodes (0.06 Gt C), ants (0.024 Gt C), and soil viruses (0.02–4.0 Gt C). Net contribution to atmospheric CO₂ is more from biotic topsoil loss (>10 Gt C/yr) than fossil fuels (<10 Gt C/yr). Although higher CO₂ results in a terrestrial greening effect with Net Primary Productivity (NPP) now ~220 Gt C/yr (cf. ~20 Gt C/yr Ocean NPP), this is arguably offset by topsoil erosion, desert expansion, plus fire at net ~16–20 Gt C/yr lost due, in part, to extravagant meat-eating with unsupportable, humus-depleting farm management. In particular, excess synthetic Nitrogen acidifies topsoil and destroys the natural SOC biota. Review shows critical topsoil loss up to 20,000 tonnes per second and, when soil microbes/invertebrates are properly considered, extinctions as high as 23 taxa per second. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) fail without solid soil foundation. Rather, heritage farm-data points to resolution in organic husbandry. Remedy via natural vermi-compost, 100% organic farming and practical Permaculture is under a simple premise that the Problem (i.e., SOC loss) is the Solution (viz., SOC restoration).

The lateral pressure generated by liquefied soil on pile is a critical parameter in the analysis of soil-pile interaction in liquefaction-susceptible sites. Previous studies have shown that liquefied sand behaves like a non-Newton fluid, and its effect on piles has rate-dependent properties. In this study, a simplified pseudo-static method for liquefiable soil-pile interaction analysis is proposed by treating the liquefied soil as a thixotropic fluid, which considers the rate-dependent behavior. The viscous shear force generated by the relative movement between the viscous fluid (whose viscosity coefficient varies with excess pore pressure and shear strain rate) and the pile was assumed to be the lateral load on the pile. The results from the simplified analysis show that the distribution of bending moment is in good agreement with experiments data. Besides, the effects of various parameters, including relative density, thickness ratio of non-liquefiable layer to liquefiable layer, and frequency of input ground motion, on the pile-soil rate-dependent interaction were discussed in detail.

An adequate representation of the water infiltration process in the soil allows improving the efficiency in application and the uniformity in surface irrigation. The Green and Ampt model has shown a good representation of the process, and researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined the values of their parameters for soils of that country, which are shown in tables or through functional relationships and this information is used as reference in several parts of the world, although there is no certainty that they are representative of the soils in Mexico. In this study, the parameters of the Green & Ampt equation were determined and evaluated in some soils of agricultural importance in Mexico. The parameters were obtained in four ways: one of them applied a methodology adapted from Brooks and Corey to quantify the wetting front capillary pressure head and used an permeameter under constant hydraulic head to determine the saturated hydraulic conductivity, and the other three consisted in taking them from three studies reported by the USDA. The values of the parameters suggested in Mexico drastically underestimated the results with relative errors (RE) in a range of -49.0 to -94.0% and the most representative were those obtained with the methodology proposed in this research with RE of -15.0 to 6.0%.

Members of the genus Armillaria are widespread forest pathogens against which effective protection has not yet been developed. Due to their longevity and the creation of large-scale cloning of Armillaria individuals, the use of mycoviruses as biocontrol agents (BCAs) against these pathogens could be an effective alternative. This work describes the screening of double-stranded RNA banding patterns as a first approach for potential virus discovery and the use of stranded total RNA-seq for viral detection and characterization in Armillaria spp. collected in the Czech Republic. A total of five single-stranded RNA viruses were detected in Armillaria ostoyae and A. cepistipes, including the first virus of the family Tymoviridae found infecting a member the genus Armillaria and four viruses belonging to the recently described virus group "ambiviruses" with circular ambisense genome organization. Both hammerhead (HHRz) and hairpin (HpRz) ribozymes were detected in all the ambiviricot sequences. Armillaria viruses were compared by phylogenetic analysis and confirmed their specific host by direct RT-PCR, which showed the occurrence of interspecies transmission.

Boeremia exigua var. exigua is a recurrent pathogen causing root rot in industrial chicory. Currently, there is no chemical or varietal control for this disease, and thus management strategies need to be developed. This study determined the biocontrol effect of strains of Pseudomonas protegens bacteria with antimicrobial compounds on the fungus B. exigua var. exigua under in vitro, in vivo and field conditions. In addition, root colonization by these bacteria was estimated by molecular analysis. Eighteen isolates of Pseudomonas spp were evaluated and the strains that showed the greatest in vitro inhibition of fungal mycelial growth (mm), Ca10A and ChB7, were selected. Inoculation with the strain ChB7 showed less severity (necrotic area) under in vivo conditions (root trials) compared to the control inoculated with the pathogen (P≤0.05). The molecular analysis revealed that root colonization of plants grown in pots was equal or greater than 70%. Similar levels were observed in the field trials conducted in Selva Negra and Canteras experimental stations (2015-16 season), with values ranging from 85.7 to 70.5% and from 75.0 to 79.5%, respectively. Regarding yield (ton ha-1), values were higher in the treatments inoculated with strains Ca10A and ChB7 (P≤0.05) in both experimental sites, while a lower incidence and severity of root rot were observed in Selva Negra. These results suggest that the Chilean strains of P. protegens are a promising tool for the control of root diseases in industrial chicory.

Irrigation is crucial in cleaning and disinfection of the root canal system, because endodontic instruments are unable to reach a large part of the root canal system (isthmuses, accessory canals, apical ramifications) and bacteria that can reside. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is currently used as irrigant in root canal therapies for its non-specific protheolytic and antimicrobial properties, but undesirable effects may be observed especially when used near the terminus of apical foramen. This study aims to evaluate antimicrobial properties of Thyme Essential Oil (TEO) used alone or in combination with NaOCl against different bacterial strains, especially Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. TEO non-cytotoxic concentration (9,28mg/mL) showed antimicrobial properties comparable to NaOCl after 1min of contact, both in presence of organic material (6% sheep blood). Moreover, the combination of TEO and NaOCl did not compromise their individual antimicrobial properties at the same time of contact. These data suggest that TEO could be used as antimicrobial irrigant in root canal therapies in association with NaOCl, to reduce concentration of NaOCl and its undesirable side effects. Due to the absence of cytotoxic effects at tested dilution, TEO could be safely used also near the terminus of apical foramen for its cytocompatibility.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint limiting sustainable rice cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa—partly due to the deeply weathered soils that have low pH and contain high P-fixing Fe and Al oxides. Soil texture also affects P availability and use efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of soil texture (sand, clay loam, and clay) and P treatments (P-dipping and two other P fertilizer levels) on growth of NERICA 4 rice in the initial growth stages. In a factorial experiment, we measured the interaction effects of soil texture and P treatments on shoot parameters and root morphology. Both treatments had significant interaction effects on all measured parameters, except shoot biomass, and affected the photosynthetic rate, with the highest mean values obtained under clay loam soil texture and P-dipping treatment, respectively. The treatments also affected rice root morphology. In a striking contrast, whereas mean root length under clay was significantly higher than that under clay loam texture, mean shoot P uptake under clay loam soil was significantly higher than that under clay soil texture. The interactive effect of soil texture and P-dipping influenced NERICA 4 shoot and root physiological and morphological characteristics under clay loam soil texture.

Commercial formulates of beneficial microbes have been used to enrich the rhizosphere microbiome of tomato plants grown in pots located in a glasshouse. These plants have been subjected to attacks by soil-borne parasites, such as root-knot nematodes (RKNs), and herbivores, such as the miner insect Tuta absoluta. The development of both parasites and the symptoms of their parasitism were restricted in these plants with respect to plants left untreated. A mixture, named in the text as Myco, containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), opportunistic biocontrol fungi (BCF), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was more effective in limiting pest damages than a formulate containing the sole AMF (Ozor). Therefore, Myco-treated plants inoculated with RKNs were taken as a model to further study which biocontrol agent (BCA) was specifically responsible of plant immunization and the molecular pathways exploited to achieve such an immunization. The PGPR contained in Myco were not able to reduce nematode infection, rather, they worsened symptoms on plants, compared with those observed on untreated plants. When plants were treated with suspensions of Bacillus subtilis at concentrations similar to those provided with Myco and then inoculated with RKNs, infection was actually more severe than that on untreated plants. Therefore, it was argued that both BCF and AMFwere the microorganisms that, colonizing roots, synergistically stimulate plant immune system against RKNs. Beneficial fungi lowered the activities of the defense supporting enzymes endochitinases and β-1,3-glucanase to be able to colonize the roots. However, as early as three days after nematode inoculation, these enzyme activities, and the expression of the encoding pathogenesis related genes (PR-2, PR-3) were found to be enhanced in roots with respect to not inoculated plants, thus indicating that plants had been primed against RKNs. Addition of paclobutrazol, which reduced salicylic acid (SA) levels in cells, and of diphenyliodonium chloride, which inhibits superoxides generation, completely abolished the repressive effect of Myco on nematode infection and presumably plant immune reaction. Inhibitors of copper enzymes and of the alternative cyanide-resistant respiration did not significantly alter resistance induction by Myco. When Myco-treated plants were subjected to a moderate water stress and inoculated with nematodes, they retained numbers of developed individuals in the roots similar to those present in regularly watered plants, in contrast to what occurred in roots of untreated stressed plants that hosted very few individuals because of poor nutrient availability.

Phoenixin-14 (PNX) - a bioactive peptide recently discovered in the rat brain, is highly conserved among many animal species: rodents (rat, mouse), pig, dog as well as humans. In rodents, PNX is expressed in areas responsible for the transmission of sensory information dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, where it is present at relatively high levels and may preferentially suppress visceral pain. However, so far the presence of PNX has not been investigated in DRG in pigs, a species which, due to its anatomical and histological similarity to humans, is considered a better model for biomedical studies than rodents. The present study aimed to investigate the immunoreactivity of PNX in the DRG of the domestic pig. The collected spinal ganglia from the cervical (C), thoracic (Th), lumbar (L) and sacral (S) sections were transversely divided into serial sections of 10 μm thickness. DRG sections from each level of the spinal cord were double-labeled immunohistochemically using antibodies to PNX in a mixture with antibodies to: cocaine and amphetamine related transcript (CART), calretinin (CRT), calcytonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), galanin (GAL), nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), pituitary adenylate cyclase-acrivating polypeptide (PACAP), substance P (SP) or somatostatin (SOM), respectively. Immunohistochemical studies revealed PNX immunoreactivity in approximately 20% of nerve cells in all DRG examined, highlighting mainly the presence of the peptide in cells of small diameter (approximately 74% of all PNX-positive neurons found). Double labeling of DRG sections showed that PNX-immunopositive neurons stained also for CGRP (96.1%), SP (88.5%), nNOS (52.1%), GAL (20.7%), CRT (10.05%), PACAP (7.4%), CART (5.1%), or SOM (4.7%). Our research revealed for the first time the presence of the new peptide PNX in the sensory ganglia of the domestic pig, its co-localization with other important neurotransmitters involved in sensory transmission and its percentage distribution in ganglion domains. The exact function of PNX in DRG is not yet known, however, the high degree of co-localization of this peptide with the main nociceptive transmitters SP and CGRP may indicate its function in modulation of pain transmission.

Even after debridement and chemical root canal preparation, multispecies bacterial biofilms can still be found in root canals and dentinal tubules. This demonstrates the necessity of using suitable antibacterial endodontic sealers. Due to their well-known biological qualities, calcium silicate based root canal sealers or “bioceramic’ sealers have recently been launched and can be successful in endodontic procedures. This study's objective was to compare the impact of CerasealR, Total Fill BC SealerR, Bio-C SealerR, AH Plus BioceramicR, K-biocerR and SealiteR on the elimination of a multispecies’ endodontic biofilm at 3, 7 and 14 days. Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Candida Albicans and Proteus Mirabilis were cultured on specific agars and later grown in Brain Heart Infusion broth on hydroxyapatite discs pretreated with collagen type 1 and incubated for 18 days. The resulting biofilm was then placed on a 10mm round shaped blotting paper set on a metallic net in a 6cm petri dish with an orthodontic bend filled with the calcium silicate based root canal sealer in direct contact with the biofilm. In all tested groups, the total bacterial count has significantly decreased between day 3 and day 14 (P<0.05) with no statistically significant differences among the different sealers’ groups at all time points. Sealite group was capable of decreasing the Candida Albicans count significantly between day 3 and day 14 (P<0.05) in comparison with the bioceramic groups. All sealers had antibacterial activity against the multispecies biofilm between day 3 and day 14.

Nitrogen (N) strongly affects plant growth and metabolism. For shikonin biosynthesis, although the ammonium toxicity phenomenon has been reported, the effects of nitrogen on the shikonin synthesis remains obscure. In this study, we carried out four different concentrations of NH4+ treatments on Arnebia euchroma hairy roots (AEHR) to clarify the influence of NH4+ on the growth and shikonin accumulation in A. euchroma and the possible mechanism. The results showed that compared with the 0% NH4+ treatment (only nitrate as nitrogen source), 10% NH4+ treatment increased the fresh weight and the dry weight of AEHR, and promoted the synthesis of shikonins; 20% NH4+ treatment started to show the inhibition effects on growth and shikonin accumulation of AEHR and 30% NH4+ treatment exhibited the strongest inhibition effects. With increased percentage of NH4+, AEHRs became shorter and thicker with more branches. To further elucidate the mechanism, we analyzed the time-course of nitrogen assimilation, gene expression level of key enzymes involved in the shikonin biosynthesis pathway, and contents of various endogenous hormones under NH4+ toxicity condition. Results indicated that auxin and cytokinin might regulate the growth and architecture of AEHR under NH4+ toxicity, and jasmonate level was reduced along with the inhibition of shikonin biosynthesis. This first comprehensive investigation into the effects of ammonium/nitrate ratio on shikonin biosynthesis not only provided valuable data for optimizing the in vitro culture and shikonin production in A. euchroma, but also suggested potential fertilizer strategies for its cultivation.

Preclinical studies have identified glial cells as pivotal players in the genesis and maintenance of neuropathic pain after nerve injury associated with diabetes, chemotherapy, major surgeries, and virus infections. Satellite glial cells (SGCs) in the dorsal root and trigeminal ganglia of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS) express similar molecular markers and are protective under physiological conditions. They also serve similar functions in the genesis and maintenance of neuropathic pain, downregulating some of their homeostatic functions and driving pro-inflammatory neuro-glial interactions in the PNS and CNS, i.e. “gliopathy”. However, the role of SGCs in neuropathic pain is not simply as “peripheral astrocytes”. We delineate how these peripheral and central glia participate in neuropathic pain by producing different mediators, engaging different parts of neurons, and becoming active at different stages following nerve injury. Finally, we highlight the recent findings that SGCs are enriched with proteins related to fatty acid metabolism and signaling such as Apo-E, FABP7, and LPAR1. Targeting SGCs and astrocytes may lead to novel therapeutics for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Common root rot caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana infestation of wheat is one of the main reasons of yield reduction in wheat crops worldwide. In current study, strain JK-25 was isolated from soil of wheat rhizosphere and identified as Bacillus halotolerans based on morphological, physiological, biochemical characteristics and molecular identification. The strain showed significant antagonism to B.sorokiniana and broad-spectrum resistance to Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium graminearum and Rhizoctonia zeae. Inhibition of Bipolaris sorokiniana mycelial dry weight and spore germination rate by JK-25 fermentation supernatant reached 60% and 88% respectively. The crude extract of JK-25 was found by MALDI-TOF-MS to contain the surfactin that exerted an inhibitory effect on B.sorokiniana. The disruption of mycelial cell membranes was observed under microscopy (LSCM) after treatment of B.sorokiniana mycelium with the crude extract. The antioxidant enzyme activity of B.sorokiniana was significantly reduced and the oxidation product MDA content increased after treatment with the crude extract. The incidence of root rot was significantly reduced in pot experiments with the addition of JK-25 culture ferment, which had a significant biological control effect of 72.06%. Its ability to produce siderophores may help to promote wheat growth, and the production of proteases and pectinases may also be part of the strain's role in suppressing pathogens. These results demonstrate the excellent antagonistic effect of JK-25 against B.sorokiniana and suggest that this strain has great potential as a resource for biological control of wheat root rot strains.

Pratylenchus loosi is an important root-lesion nematode that cause damage to tea plantations in Iran and all over the world. The present study reports on the characterization and evolution of three ß-1,4-engoglucanase genes Pl-eng-2, Pl-eng-3 and Pl-eng-4. The gene structure of Pl-eng-2 was fully determined with the predicted signal peptide and devoid of the linker domain and carbohydrate-binding domain, while Pl-eng-3 and Pl-eng-4 were only partially sequenced. The transcription of Pl-eng-2 was localized in the secretory esophageal glands of all life stages, but it was upregulated in male and females stages. Exon/intron structures of Pl-eng-2, Pl-eng-3 and Pl-eng-4 confirmed that they resulted from gene duplication followed by sequence and gene structure diversification with loss of linker domain and carbohydrate-binding domain during evolution. Phylogenetic analysis further confirmed that nematode endoglucanases resulted from horizontal gene transfer of a bacterial gene as Pl-eng-3 showed sister relationships with CelB cellulase of Bacillus subtilis. Silencing Pl-eng-2 by in vitro RNA interference, produced a 60% decrease of the transcript level. The reproductive ability of silenced P. loosi showed a 35% reduction of eggs and larval stages compared to untreated nematodes suggesting that this gene is involved in the early steps of invasion.

The current work aimed to screen the ruminal cyanide-utilizing bacteria and evaluate the influence of fresh cassava root (FCR) and pellets containing high sulfur (PELFUR) on cyanide content, kinetics of gas, in vitro degradability, and ruminal fermentation. The experiment was conducted in a Completely randomized design (CRD) for a screening of cyanide-utilizing bacteria and the dietary treatments were the level of cyanide at 0, 150, 300, and 450 ppm. A 5 × 3 factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design was used for in vitro study. Factor A was the level of FCR at 0, 260, 350, 440, and 530 g/kg of 0.5 g dry matter (DM) substrate, and factor B was the level of PELFUR at 0, 15, and 30 g/kg DM substrate. Adding different doses of cyanide significantly affected cyanide-utilizing rumen bacterial growth (p < 0.05). Increasing the concentration of cyanide from 0 to 150 and 150 to 300 ppm, resulted in an increase in cyanide-utilizing rumen bacteria of 38.2% and 15.0%, respectively. Increasing the FCR level to more than 260 g/kg of 0.5 g substrate could increase cumulative gas production (p < 0.05), whereas increasing doses of PELFUR from 15 to 30 g/kg increased the cumulative gas production when compared with that of 0 g/kg PELFUR (p < 0.05). Cyanide concentration in rumen fluid decreased with PELFUR (p < 0.05) supplementation. Degradability of in vitro dry matter and organic matter following incubation increased at 12 and 24 h due to PELFUR supplementation with FCR and increased additionally with 15 g/kg PELFUR (p < 0.05) in 440 g/kg FCR. Proportions of the total volatile fatty acids, acetic acid (C2), propionic acid (C3), and butyric acid, as well as the ratio of C2 to C3 among supplementations with FCR (p < 0.05) were significantly different. As the proportion of FCR increased to 530 g/kg of the substrate, the volume of C3 increased by 14.6%. This is the first finding of bacteria in the rumen capable of utilizing cyanide, and cyanide might function as a nitrogen source for bacterial cell synthesis. Inclusion of FCR of 530 g/kg with 30 g/kg PELFUR could increase the cumulative gas production, the bacterial population, the in vitro degradability, the proportion of C3, and the rate of the disappearance of cyanide.

There are different treatment options in modern dentistry for the replacement of lost dentition. Of these the most upcoming and acceptable treatment option is Dental implants. The common problem usually with immediate implant placement in the anterior region is the post-operative soft tissue contour as a part of the bone modelling during healing. Hurzeler et al in 2010 introduced a new technique called the “socket shield technique”. This technique has been used as an alternative treatment modality for immediate implant placement in the aesthetic zone.This review articles provides a detailed information regarding the clinical concept of Root membrane technique.

The mechanical hill wet-seeded rice machine is benefits to establish uniform seedling, and ditches were established by using this machine. However, little knowledge is known on the effect of the establishment of ditches on growth, lodging and yield, and their relationship with root traits. In this study, two field experiments were conducted during 2012 and 2013 with using two super rice varieties (i.e. hybrid rice ‘Peizataifeng’ and inbred rice ‘Yuxiangyouzhan’) grown under three ditches establishment treatments (i.e. T1: both water ditches and seed ditches were established by the machine, T2: seed ditches were established by the machine, T3: neither water nor seed ditches were established by the machine). The lodging index and lodging resistance traits, the grain yield and above-ground dry weight and the root traits were measured. The results showed that the lodging index was significantly affected by the treatments with ditches. The strongest lodging resistance was detected in mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with ditches treatment in both 2012 and 2013. The lodging resistance was strongly related to the breaking resistance, the root volume and root superficial area at the heading stage and maturity stage and the total root length at the heading stage. No significant difference was investigated in grain yield or dry weight of mechanical hill wet-seeded rice. Yuxiangyouzhan showed higher grain yield, dry weight and better lodging resistance but unfavorable root growth attributes than Peizataifeng. Therefore, the mechanical hill wet-seeded rice with ditches treatment increased rice lodging resistance is related to root traits.

The barley (Hordeum vulgare) genome comprises over 32,000 genes, with differentiated cells expressing only a subset of genes; the remainder being silent. Mechanisms by which tissue-specific genes are regulated are not entirely understood, although DNA methylation is likely to be involved. DNA methylation patterns are not static during plant development, but it is still unclear whether different organs possess distinct methylation profiles. Methylation-sensitive GBS was used to generate DNA methylation profiles for roots, leaf-blades and leaf-sheaths from five barley varieties, using seedlings at the three-leaf stage. Differentially Methylated Markers (DMMs) were characterised by pairwise comparisons of roots, leaf-blades and leaf-sheaths of three different ages. While very many DMMs were found between roots and leaf parts, only a few existed between leaf-blades and leaf-sheaths, with differences decreasing with leaf rank. Organ-specific DMMs appeared to target mainly repeat regions, implying that organ differentiation partially relies on the spreading of DNA methylation from repeats to promoters of adjacent genes. Furthermore, the biological functions of differentially methylated genes in the different organs correlated with functional specialisation. Our results indicate that different organs do possess diagnostic methylation profiles and suggest that DNA methylation is important for both tissue development and differentiation and organ function.

Capital structure decision plays an imperative role in firm’s performance. Recognizing the importance, there has been many studies inspected the rapport of capital structure with performance of firms and findings of those studies are inconclusive. In addition, there is relative deficiency of empirical studies examining the link of capital structure with performance of banks in Bangladesh. This paper attempted to fill this gap. Using panel data of 22 banks for the period of 2005-2014, this study empirically examined the impacts of capital structure on the performance of Bangladeshi banks assessed by return on equity, return on assets and earnings per share. Results from pooled ordinary least square analysis show that there are inverse impacts of capital structure on bank’s performance. Empirical findings of this study is of greater significance for the developing countries like Bangladesh because it will call upon concentration of the bank management and policy makers to pursue such policies to reduce reliance on debt and to accomplish optimal level capital structure. This research also contributes to empirical literatures by reconfirming (or otherwise) findings of previous studies.

The present study was performed to examine that transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in root-surrounding tissues on deciduous teeth during the physiological root resorption regulates the differentiation induction into odontoclast. We prepared root-surrounding tissues with (R) or without (N) physiological root resorption scraped off at three regions (R1-R3 or N1-N3) from the cervical area to the apical area of the tooth and measured both TGF-β and the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activities. The TGF-β activity level was increased in N1-N3, whereas the TRAP activity was increased in R2 and R3. In vitro experiments for RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation revealed that TGF-β in N1-N3 and R1-R3 enhanced the TRAP activity in RAW264 cells. A genetic study indicated that the mRNA level of TGF-β1 in N1 and N2 was significantly increased, and corresponded with that of osteoprotegerin (OPG). In contrast, the expression level of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) was increased in R2 and R3. Our findings suggest that TGF-β is closely related to the regulation of OPG induction and RANKL-mediated odontoclast differentiation depending on the timing of RANKL and OPG mRNA expression in the root-surrounding tissues of deciduous teeth during physiological root resorption.

Soil improvement methods can result in changes in the microbial community in blueberry soil. However, there have been few reports on the impacts of different soil improvement methods on the microbial function, particularly on endophytic microbe. In this study, we analyzed the response of microbial community composition, microbial function and nitrogen (N) cycle to different improvement methods using high throughput sequencing. We aimed to investigate the best soil improvement method from a microbial perspective. The results showed that the highest microbial diversity was observed in the T4 treatment (peat combined with mushroom bran), followed by the T2 treatment (peat combined with acidified rice husk) both in the rhizosphere and roots. The dominant phyla were Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, which were most abundance in the T4 and T1 (peat combined with sulfur) treatments in the rhizosphere soil, respectively, but showed the opposite trend in the root endophytic bacterial community. Interestingly, Acidobacterium and Paludibaculum, belonging to the Acidobacteria phylum, were found to have the highest influence according to the correlation network analysis. And these bacteria were most abundant in the T2 treatment in the rhizosphere soil. The rhizosphere soil microbial communities were clustered into two categories: one for T1 and T2 treatments, and another for T3 (mushroom bran) and T4 treatments. Compared to the other treatments, the T1 treatment had the most significant impact on microbial functional pathways in the blueberry roots. T2 treatment promoted the growth of N fixation functional bacteria both in the rhizosphere soil and roots. At the module level, the T2 treatment increased the relative abundance of N fixation and decreased the relative abundance of assimilating nitrate reduction reaction (ANRA), dissimilating nitrate reduction reaction (DNRA), denitrification and completed nitrification in the blueberry rhizosphere soil. Additionally, the T2 treatment increased the abundance of root endophytic microbes involved in N fixation. Overall, our findings suggest that the addition of peat combined with acidified rice husk is the optimal soil improvement method for blueberry cultivation.

Declining agricultural productivity caused by soil salinization are becoming global dilemmas in recent years. Biofertilizers show great potential as a sustainable and environmentally friendly fertilization strategy for soil improvement, but their effectiveness for saline soil amendment and improving plant growth under saline stress is not well understood. Assess the effectiveness of biofertilizers in improving saline soils and enhancing crop growth under saline stress, as well as investigate its related potential mechanisms. Changes in soil physico-chemical properties, plant physiological parameters and soil microbial communities were analyzed through pot experiments. The results showed that the application of biofertilizer reduced total soluble salts (TSS) in soil by 30.8% and increased the Brassica rapa L. biomass by 8.4 times. Biofertilizer application increased soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP). Biofertilizer applications also increased the SOD, CAT, chl.a, chl.b, total soluble sugars, and Proline content. Biofertilizers present plant growth promotion and potential pathogenic fungi reduction by increasing the abundance of Bacillus and Planococcus and decreasing the abundance of Mortierella and Aspergillus. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated the excellent efficacy of biofertilizers in improving saline soils, and the application of biofertilizer strategies will greatly promote agricultural production.

Soil moisture plays a crucial role in various hydrological processes and energy partitioning of the global surface. The Soil Moisture Active Passive-Sentinel (SMAP-Sentinel) remote sensing technology has demonstrated a great potential in monitoring soil moisture at a scale greater than 1 km. This capability can be applied to improve weather forecast accuracy, enhance water management for agriculture, and climate-related disasters. Despite the techniques increasing used worldwide, its accuracy still requires field validation in specific regions like Thailand. In this paper, we report on extensive in-situ monitoring of soil moisture (from surface up to 1 m depth) at 10 stations across Thailand spanning the years 2021 to 2023. The aim was to validate SMAP surface soil moisture (SSM) Level 2 product over a period of two years. Using one month averaging approach, the study revealed linear relationships between the two measurement types, with the coefficient of determination (R-squared) varying from 0.13 to 0.58. Notably, areas with more uniform land use and topography such as croplands tended to have a better coefficient of determination. We also conducted detailed soil core characterization, including soil-water retention curves, permeability, porosity, and other physics properties. These soil properties were then used for estimating the correlation constants between SMAP and in-situ soil moistures using multiple linear regression. The results demonstrated R-squared values between 0.933 and 0.847. An upscaling approach of SMAP was proposed which showed a promising results when using 3-month average of all measurements in cropland together. The finding also suggest that the SMAP-Sentinel remote sensing technology exhibits significant potential for accurate soil moisture monitoring in diverse applications. Further validation efforts and research, particularly in terms of root zone depths and area-based assessments, especially in the agricultural sector, can greatly improve the technology’s effectiveness and usefulness in the region.

This study has simulated the typical rainstorm on 20 July 2021 over central east China by using the first-generation Chinese Reanalysis datasets and Global Land Data Assimilation System datasets, and the Noah land surface model coupled with the advanced weather research and forecasting model. Based on this, the gridded planetary boundary layer (PBL) profiles and ensemble states within soil perturbations are collected to investigate the main land-atmosphere coupling characteristics during this modeled rainstorm by using various local coupling metrics and the introduced ensemble statistical metrics. Results have shown that (1) except for the stratospheric thermodynamics and surface thermal over mountain areas, the main characteristics of mid-low layers and surface have been well documented in this modeled rainstorm; (2) the typical coupling intensity is characterized by the dominant morning moistening, early noon weak PBL warming around 2, noontime buoyant mixing temperature deficit around 274 K, daytime PBL and surface latent flux contribution around 100 and 280 W/m2 respectively, and significant afternoon soil-surface latent flux coupling; (3) moist static energy is more significant than PBL height during the relation chains, which is consistent with the significance of surface moistening indicated by local coupling metrics. In general, wet soil contributes greatly to daytime moisture evaporation, which then increases the early noon PBL warming and enhances the noontime buoyant mixing within weak flux contribution. However, this has been suppressed by large-scale forcing such as the upper southwestern inflows of rainstorms, which has further significantly shaped the spatial distribution of statistical metrics in contrast. These quantitatively described local couplings have highlighted both the convection potential diagnoses usage for the local weather application and more applicable coupling threshold diagnoses within the finer spatial investigation.

This study examined carbon footprint as an indicator of soil health at spatiotemporal scales with different land use types and varying soil depths in Morogoro, representing the eastern agroecological zone of Tanzania. Soils are highly weathered and acidic. The specific objectives were twofold: (1) To quantify soil organic carbon (SOC) at varying soil depths (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm) in contrasting land use types, including tractor cultivated, hand-hoe cultivated, ranch land, and reserved/bare land type; (2) To predict carbon management indices (CMI) of the studied land use types through regresses SOC, carbon pool index (CPI), and lability index (LI) at varying soil depths. Composite soil samples were based on transects of three main plots each (replicates) of 20 m by 50 m. Results showed that land use types and soil depths significantly (P <0.001) affected SOC (3.4%) and CMI (126.3). Hand hoe cultivated land at 0–15 cm recorded CMI of 259.8. Regression analysis showed an increase in CMI ranging from 97% to 99%, with standard error ranging from 2.177 to 46.096. Similar trends, but with disparity magnitudes in regressed parameters provide useful insight into transformations of organic carbon in contrasting land use types.

Establishment of mixed-forests has gained increasing attention as a way to optimize forest production, to improve ecological benefits and as a safety net for impacts of future climate uncertainties. However, practical knowledge about which species and what proportion of them should be mixed is still lacking. Thus, this study was conducted with the aim of identify suitable species for mixture with Acacia cincinnata. The mixture tested in the present study was A. cincinnata + Eucalyptus robusta (6:4), A. cincinnata + Acacia mangium (3:1) and monospecifc plantation of A. cincinnata established in 2014. After 7 years of growth, we analyzed the effects of species mixture on growth of tree species, understory vegetation and soil physico-chemical properties as well as bacterial community structure and diversity. The results showed that species mixture had no significant effect on growth characteristics, such as diameter and singletree volume of A. cincinnata. However, mixed-species planting increased the total stocking volume compered to monospecific plantation of A. cincinnata. Furthermore, stand mixture significantly increased species diversity, biomass and nutrient stocks in the understory vegetation. The soil of mixed stand of A. cincinnata and A. mangium had the highest C and N contents, whereas the soil of pure A. cincinnata stand had the highest P content. The diversity of soil bacterial community were the highest in the mixed stand of A. cincinnata and E- robusta, followed by pure A. cincinnata stand and A. cincinnata + A. mangium stand. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria was higher in soils of mixed stands. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was high in the soil of A. cincinnata + A. mangium while the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia was high in A. cincinnata + E. robusta stand. As a whole, the study demonstrated that establishing mixed-species plantation enhance the diversity and composition of understory vegetation, soil physico-chemical and soils bacterial community; thereby increasing biodiversity, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration in the biomass and soil. From the viewpoints of forest productivity and ecological benefits, it is advisable to establish a mixed plantation of A. cincinnata and A- mangium in southern China. As a whole, our work revealed that the sustainability of mixed-species plantation relies on the interactions between soil attributes, vegetation, and bacterial community.

Soil moisture (SM) products derived from passive satellite missions are playing an increasingly important role in agricultural applications, especially in crop monitoring and disaster warning. Evaluating the dependability of those products before they can be used on a large scale is crucial. In this study, we assessed the level 2 (L2) SM product from the Chinese Fengyun-3C (FY-3C) radiometer against in situ measurements collected from the Chinese Automatic Soil Moisture Observation Stations (CASMOS) during a one-year period from January 1 to December 31, 2016 in Henan, which is an agricultural province in China. Four statistical parameters were used to evaluate the products’ reliability: mean difference, root-mean-square error (RMSE), unbiased RMSE (ubRMSE), and the correlation coefficient. These statistical indicators revealed that the FY-3C L2 SM product generally did not agree with the in situ SM data from CASMOS. The time-series analysis further indicated that the correlations and estimated error were highly related to the growing periods of the crops in our study area. FY-3C L2 SM data tended to overestimate soil moisture during May, August, and September, when the crops reach their maximum vegetation density, and tended to underestimate the soil moisture content during the rest of the year. The averaged correlation coefficient between FY-3C SM and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) normalized difference vegetation index was 0.55, which demonstrates that the vegetation water content of the crops considerably influences the SM product. To improve the accuracy of the FY-3C SM product, an improved algorithm that can filter out the influences of the crops should be applied in the future.

Soil microbial fuel cells (sMFC) are a novel technique that use organic matters in soils as an alternative energy source. External resistance (ER) is a key factor influencing sMFC performance and, furthermore, alters the soil’s biological and chemical reactions. However, little information is available on how the microbial community and soil component changes in sMFC with different ER. Therefore, the effects of anodes of sMFC at different ER (2000 Ω, 1000 Ω, 200 Ω, 80 Ω and 50 Ω) were examined by measuring organic matter (OM) removal efficiency, trace elements in porewater and bacterial community structure in contaminated paddy soil. The results indicated that ER has significant effects on sMFC power production, OM removal efficiency and bacterial beta diversity. Moreover ER influences iron, arsenic and nickel concentration as well in soil porewater. In particular, greater current densities were observed at lower ER (2.4mA, 50Ω) compared to a higher ER (0.3mA, 2000Ω). The removal efficiency of OM increased with decreasing ER whereas it decreased with soil distance away from the anode. Furthermore, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed that ER may shape the bacterial communities that develop in the anode vicinity but have minimal effect on that of the bulk soil. The current study illustrates that lower ER can be used to selectively enhance the relative abundance of electrogenic bacteria and lead to high OM removal.

This study aims to construct simple devices to ascertain the concentrations of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-). The device structure comprises a visible and near-infrared absorption meas-urement room, along with an RGB (red, green, and blue) absorption measurement room, con-stituting the two measuring rooms. Both the measurement rooms are equipped with light sources and detectors configured to operate in opposed or thru-beam modes. A tiny processor is utilized for processing the measurements, with an algorithm implemented within its memory. During the algorithm development phase, ranges for measuring the quantity of nutrients were categorized using a discriminant analysis approach. Thirty percent of the soil sample data were utilized as verification data, while the remaining 70 percent served as training data. Nutrient content values from reliable measuring instruments were incorporated into all datasets. Discriminant analysis was employed to classify the amount of NH4+ into five ranges based on the test results. When tested with soil samples, the accuracy was 66.13% compared to the reference value of a reliable measuring device. Similarly, NO3- was classified into four ranges with an accuracy of 81% com-pared to the reference value of a reliable measuring device.

Soil microorganisms plays an important role on plant development and the homogenization of soil microbiome is agri-environmental harmful. It is essential that agricultural practices are carried out taking soil microbiome preservation in consideration. Agroforestry systems are one of the most environmentally friendly agrosystems and its plant diversity influence directly the soil microbiome diversity. In addition, many technologies have been developed and used by applying inoculants in agriculture. However, most of the inoculants are developed with only one or a little number of microbial species to supply a specific plant nutritional demand. In this study we tested the efficacy of the microbial consortium (MC) obtained from compost and the cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis (AP) comparing with the application of the vermicompost tea (VT) and bokashi (BK) in arugula, lettuce, beetroot, and carrot in an agroforestry system in two seasons. Soil changes on chemical properties and β-glucosidase and arylsulfatase were measured over time. The vegetables yield was measured and for arugula and lettuce the nutritional traits and plant root system were also evaluated. Greater plant yield, nutritional values, and plant root development was observed in the CM treated plants, AP and BK had similar results. Our results show that both CM and AP have potential to become a sustainable product for agricultural production

In this study, the separation conditions of UHPLC-QTOF-MS and the extraction conditions of QuEChERS were optimized. The analytical process for determining Broflanilide residues in different soil types was successfully established and applied to its adsorption, desorption and leaching in soil. Broflanilide was extracted from soil with acetonitrile as extraction solvent, and purified with 50 mg PSA + 150 mg MgSO4. The modified UHPLC-QTOF-MS method was used for determination. In different types of soil, the average recovery of Broflanilide was 87.7% -94.38%, and the RSD was lower than 7.6%. In the analysis and determination of the adsorption, desorption and leaching properties in four soils, the RSD was less than 9.2%, showing good stability and can be applied to the analysis and determination of the residue of Broflanilide in different soils.

The Mexican Soil Mesh (MSMx) web service emerges as a pivotal tool for researchers, farmers, and policymakers in the efficient management of extensive soil databases. Built on a responsive and intelligent web design, MSMx synchronizes seamlessly with the SQL language, allowing users to selectively download variables tailored to their studies at the desired spatial scale. The programmatic structure enhances query speed, optimizes development times, and incorporates satellite programming modules for effective handling of the vast soil dataset. This paper high-lights the key features, benefits, and applications of MSMx, emphasizing its role in facilitating data-driven decision-making processes and promoting sustainable soil management practices on the continental shelf of Mexico.

Baía de Todos os Santos is the second largest bay in Brazil and is home to important ecosystems, including estuarine systems and mangroves. However, studies on the seasonal variability of its soil properties and composition are still scarce. For this study, soil and leaf samples were seasonally collected from mangrove forests at four sites (Cacha Prego, Ponta Grossa, Ilha de Maré, and Pitinga), which are representative of different environmental conditions within the BTS. Soil physicochemical properties, soil composition and partition of Fe forms were determined, and analysis of minerals by Scanning Electron Microscope, was performed on soil samples. Isotopic ratios (δ13C, δ15N) were also determined on soil and leaf samples. Soils showed significant spatial and temporal changes affecting both their properties (pH, Eh) and their composition (TOC, pyrite and Fe oxyhydroxide contents). Clear spatial changes were observed in redox potential, significantly affecting the concentrations of the different geochemical forms of Fe, particularly the concentrations of crystalline oxyhydroxydes and pyrite in one of the studied sites. In three of the study sites, pyrite crystals showed clear evidence of degradation associated with sandy soils. Finally, δ13C and N/C ratios in soils seem to suggest a mixed origin of organic matter.

Soil moisture is an important factor affecting the plant growth. For a long time, the convenience, timeliness and accuracy of soil moisture monitoring have been limited due to the backward of observation methods and equipment. Therefore, the quantitative prediction of soil moisture has become a difficult problem. Aiming at the problems of high erection cost, easily damaged sensors and low measurement accuracy of the existing fixed sensor soil moisture monitoring system, a soil moisture prediction model based on the long short term memory neural network (LSTM) integrating the particle swarm optimization (PSO) (PSO-LSTM) is designed and implemented. The hyperparameters of the LSTM network can be obtained based on the excellent global search ability of the PSO algorithm. According to the meteorological data and soil moisture data of Haidian Park in 2019, the long short term memory(LSTM) neural network based prediction model is constructed with input vectors of surface temperature, average temperature, evaporation, sunshine hours, precipitation and average wind speed, and the output vector of soil relative humidity. The results show that compared with the back propagation(BP) neural network, the Elman neural network and the LSTM neural network, the proposed PSO-LSTM model has higher prediction performance.

A comprehensive investigation was undertaken at Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station, located at 54°52’50” N latitude and 23°49’41” E longitude on soil (Epieutric Endocalcaric Planosol – PLe-gln-w) since 1999, to understand the impacts of different agrotechnical measures on soil health and crop yield. Two primary factors were assessed. Factor A incorporated practices of straw removal versus straw chopping and spreading, while Factor B evaluated a spectrum of tillage techniques: conventional deep ploughing, shallow ploughing, ploughless tillage, single seedbed discing, and two no-tillage practices, one of which involved cover crops. Findings from this long-term study highlight the significant potential of specific farming systems in enhancing soil organic carbon. It has a positive effect on the release of CO2 emissions from the soil, thus promoting soil resilience and increasing plant productivity. These insights are paramount in devising sustainable agricultural strategies to counter the challenges of climate change on agroecosystems. This research showcases the profound effects of combining residue management and tillage practices, setting a novel standard for sustainable soil management of climatic uncertainties.

Intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) (M||P) significantly enhances crop yield. In a long-term M||P field experiment with two P fertilizer levels, we examined how long-term M||P affects topsoil aggregate fractions and stability, organic carbon (SOC), available phosphorus (AP), and total phosphorus (TP) in each aggregate fraction, along with crop yields. Compared to their respective monocultures, long-term M||P substantially increased the proportion of topsoil mechanical macroaggregates (7.6–16.3%) and water-stable macroaggregates (>1 mm) (13.8–36.1%), while reducing the unstable aggregate index (ELT) and the percentage of aggregation destruction (PAD). M||P significantly boosted the concentration (12.9–39.9%) and contribution rate (4.1–47.9%) of SOC in macroaggregates compared to single crops. Moreover, the concentration of TP in macroaggregates (>1 mm) and AP in each aggregate fraction of M||P exceeded that of the respective single crops (P<0.05). Furthermore, M||P significantly increased the Ca2-P, Ca8-P, Al-P, and Fe-P concentrations of intercropped maize (IM) and the Ca8-P, O-P, and Ca10-P concentrations of intercropped peanuts (IP). The land equivalent ratio (LER) of M||P was higher than one, and M||P stubble improved the yield of subsequent winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) compared with sole-crop maize stubble. P application augmented the concentration of SOC, TP, and AP in macroaggregates, resulting in improved crop yields. In conclusion, our findings suggest that long-term M||P combined with P application, sustains farmland productivity in the North China Plain by increasing SOC and macroaggregate fractions, improving aggregate stability, and enhancing soil P availability.

This study aims to investigate utilizing Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC), a by-product of sugar beet, as a soil stabilizer for addressing settlement issues beneath pavements. Various tests were conducted to assess the engineering properties of PCC-stabilized subgrades using PCC obtained from Amalgamated Sugar Cooperation in Twin Falls, Idaho. Local loess samples, like those found beneath pavements, were collected for testing purposes. Initial tests involved evaluating the unconfined compressive strength of compacted loess samples, followed by tests on samples mixed with different weight percentages of PCC. The results revealed a significant average increase of 10% to 28% in the strength of loess samples stabilized with 5% PCC compared to the strength of the native soil. The chemical composition and microstructure of PCC were further analyzed through X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDX), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Tests conducted at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). XRD analysis indicates the presence of calcium carbonate and silica. EDX analysis unveiled a carbon content of 9% by weight in PCC, which could contribute to the carbon footprint when it breaks down. Additionally, SEM images displayed an irregular microstructure and particle shape of PCC. Furthermore, the inclusion of PCC improved the resistance of loess to saturation collapse.

We investigated and quantified soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at the mangrove forest (Magyi, That Bot Khan and Wette) of Shwe Thaung Yan coastal region in Myanmar and estimated the SOC stock changes in Magyi mangrove forest over six years using repeated field measurements. The study sites were characterized by different mangrove vegetation, soil types, and sediment deposition from different water sources. Results showed that the mangrove preservation and restoration efforts had a significant effect on soil C storage, with soil carbon stocks in 2021 (1954.43 ± 33.24 ton/ha) being 2.7 times higher than the estimated carbon stock in 2015 (732.26 ± 6.99 ton/ha). The results also revealed slight differences in SOC between Magyi and the Tha-Bot-Khan and Wette areas, as the mangrove plants in the latter areas have an additional source of nutrients from Pho-Thoung-Gyi, a deep-sea bay near the forest. Our research findings are beneficial in understanding the role of Myanmar’s mangrove ecosystems in carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation efforts.

This study aims to verify the time-variant feature of American ginseng (AG) continuous cropping obstacles and to explore the factors impeding continuous cropping. We verified the feature with a plant-soil feedback pot experiment and then investigated the factors by comparing the properties of control soils that had not been previously used for growing ginseng (CS) with those of soils with a 10-year-crop-rotation cycle following the growth of AG (RS). It’s found that the survival rate of AG in RS was lower than that in CS. The RS had lower pH, available potassium content, and urease activity. Additionally, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, caffeic, and cinnamic acid levels were lower in RS than in CS, but salicylic acid levels showed the opposite pattern. RS had higher Rhodanobacter and lower Acidothermus, Sphingomonas relative abundances in bacterial community. It’s also found that many bacteria were substantially correlated with phenolic acids and soil physiochemical properties. Results indicate that even after 10-year crop rotation, the negative effects of prior continuous cropping of AG has not been eliminated. The growth of AG can be affected negatively with deterioration of soil physicochemical properties and with lower levels of phenolic acids which promote pathogen reproduction. Probiotics reduction also weighs. Moreover, biotic factors are interrelated with abiotic ones. Therefore, it can be inferred that the comprehensive change of soil properties is the main obstacle for continuous cropping.

Highly-resolved data on water balance components (like runoff or storage) are crucial to improve water management, e.g., in drought or flood situations. Because regional observations of these components cannot be acquired adequately, applying water balance models is a feasible solution. We developed an innovative approach using the physically-based lumped-parameter water balance model BROOK90 (R version) integrated into a sensor network platform to derive daily water budget components for catchments in the Free State of Saxony. The model is not calibrated but rather uses available information on soil, land use and precipitation only. We applied the hydro response units (HRUs) approach for 6175 small and medium-sized catchments. For the evaluation, model output was cross-evaluated in ten selected head catchments in a low mountain range in Saxony. The mean values of Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE) for the period 2005-2019 to these catchments are 0.63 and 0.75 for daily and monthly discharge simulations, respectively. The simulated evapotranspiration and soil wetness are in good agreement with the SMAP_L4_GPH product in April 2015-2018. The study can be enhanced by using different data platforms as well as available information on study sites.

Soil quality assessment based on crop yields and identification of key indicators of it can be used for better management of agricultural production. In the current research, the weighted additive soil quality index (SQIw), factor analysis (FA) and multiple linear regression (MLR) method are used to assess the soil quality of rainfed winter wheat fields with two soil orders on 53.20 km2 of agricultural land in western Iran. A total of 18 soil quality indicators were determined for 100 soil samples (0-20 cm depth) from two soil orders (Inceptisols and Entisols). The soil properties measured were: pH, soil texture, organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), soil microbial respiration (SMR), carbonate calcium equivalent (CCE), soil porosity (SP), bulk density (BD), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), mean weight diameter (MWD), available potassium (AK), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), available Fe (AFe), available Zn (AZn), available Mn (AMn), and available Cu (ACu). Mean wheat grain yield for the two years for all of the 100 sampling sites was also gathered. The SQIw was calculated using two weighting methods (FA and MLR) and maps were created using a digital soil mapping framework. The soil indicators taken in the minimum data set (MDS) were AK, clay, CEC, AP, SMR, and sand. The correlation between the MLR weighting technique (SQI-M) and the rainfed wheat yield (r=0.62) was slightly larger than that the correlation of yield with the FA weighted technique (SQI-F) (r=0.58). Results showed that the means of both SQI-M and SQI-F and rainfed wheat yield for Inceptisols were higher than for Entisols although these differences were not statistically significant. Both SQI-M and SQI-F showed that areas with Entisols had lower proportions of good soil quality grades (Grade I and II), and higher proportions of poor soil quality grades (Grade IV and V) compared to Inceptisols. Based on these results, soil type must be considered for soil quality assessment in future studies to maintain and enhance soil quality and sustainable production. The overall soil quality of the study region was of poor and moderate grades. To improve soil quality, it is therefore recommended that effective practices such as the implementation of scientific integrated nutrient management involving the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in rainfed wheat fields be promoted.

Organic carbon (OC) accumulation in soil mitigates greenhouse gases emission and improves soil health. We aimed to quantify the dynamics of OC stock in soils and to justify technologies that allow annual increasing OC stock in the arable soil layer by 4‰. We based the study on a field experiment established in 1936 in the 9-field crop rotation with a fallow on Chernozem in European Russia. The RothC version 26.3 was used for the reproducing and forecasting OC dynamics. In all fertilizer applications at FYM background, there was a decrease in the OC stock with preferable loss of active OC, except the period 1964-71 with 2-5‰ annual OC increase. The model estimated the annual C input in the arable soil layer as 1,900 kg·ha-1. For increasing OC stocks by 4‰ per year, one should raise input to 2400 kg·ha-1. Simulation was made for 2016-2090 using climate scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Crop rotation without fallowing provided an initial increase of 3‰ and 6‰ of stocks in the RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 scenarios accordingly, followed by a loss in accumulated OC. Simulation demonstrates difficulties to increase OC concentration in Chernozems under intensive farming and potential capacity to rise OC stock through yield management.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) and deficit irrigation (DI) play a crucial strategic role in sustaining agricultural yield and reducing water stress in drought prone areas. The study was carried out in 2021-2022 to assess the impact of various PGRs (SA & NAA) & irrigation levels (60% Epan, 80 % Epan, and 100 % Epan) with DI & partial root drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PGR application boosted fruit yields and demonstrated its significance in reducing water stress by lowering canopy temperature, maintaining higher relative water content in the leaves, modifying stomatal opening, and increasing photosynthetic rate. PGRs were used to assess the increased accumulation of total phenols, flavonoids, and improved antioxidant activity. Results indicated that exogenous use of PGRs like SA+NAA in conjunction with 80% irrigation levels increased fruit yield (31.97 and 40.38%) and water productivity (64.92 and 75.39%) for DI and PRD treatments, respectively. Thus standardizing irrigation and crop management practices including PGR application can be recommended to boost pomegranate productivity particularly in water-scarce environments.

Castanea sativa Mill., an indigenous species of the mountainous Gabala region of Azerbaijan, where its local variety is now facing the danger of extinction. The preservation of this variety of European chestnut requires the development of effective strategies for reliable in vitro regeneration systems as an alternative to traditional methods, which has become the main objective of this study. In solving this problem, the generally accepted technique of micro-multiplication of axillary shoots was mainly used. First, a phased sterilization of was carried out using liquid soap, Previkur fungicide and mercury (II) chloride. DKW (Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut) nutrient medium was used for germination of explants, into which growth stimulants BAP (Benzilamunapurine), IBA (Indole - 3 butyric acid), IAA (Indole Acetic acid), NAA (Naphthalene Acetic Acid) and GA3 (Gibberelic acid) were introduced in various combinations and quantities. The test of the above-mentioned sterilization model revealed significant shortcomings in terms of the acceptability of the results obtained (16-77%). It was also found that the germination of explants takes 14 days and it is better to conduct it in a DKW environment containing hormones BAP (0.6 mg), IBA (0.1 mg) and GA3 (0.1 mg) / 1 L DKW. A mixture of BAP (0.1mg) + IBA (0.35 mg) is more suitable for the reproduction of grown explants + GA3 (0.2 mg) / 1 l DKW (the result is 3 new micro-plants for each explant), and for good root formation (it takes 30 days) – a mixture of IBA 1.0 mg + NAA 0.5 mg + IAA 0.5 mg / l L DKW. After the shoots have acquired a certain length (at least 1.5 cm), it is required to transfer them for 22 days to a DKW medium containing IBA (1 mg), IAA (0.5 mg) and NAA(0.5 mg) / l L DKW so that the root splitting process begins and ends.

Plant roots host various microorganisms around and inside their roots, known as the root microbiome. To become healthy and productive, plants should keep under surveillance niches around the roots to recognize disease-causing microbes and similarly exploit the services of beneficial microorganisms in nutrient acquisition, stress mitigation and growth promotion. Here we presented the communication strategies between plant roots and root-associated microbes in improving plant growth and yield. Understanding how plant root and root-associated microbes communicate is vital in designing ecofriendly strategies for targeted disease suppression and improved plant growth that will help in sustainable agriculture.

High temperature (HT) significantly affects the crop physiological traits and reduces the 12 productivity in plants. To increase yields as well as survival of crops under HT, developing heat13 tolerant plants is one of the main targets in crop breeding programs. The present study attempted 14 to investigate the linkage of the heat tolerance between the seedling and the reproductive growth 15 stages of tomato cultivars ’Dafnis‘ and ’Minichal’. This research was undertaken to evaluate heat 16 tolerance under two experimental designs such as screening at seedling stage and screening from 17 reproductive traits in greenhouses. Survival rate and physiological responses in seedlings of 18 tomatoes with 4-5 true leaf were estimated under HT (40 °C, RH 70%, day/night, respectively) and 19 under two control and HT greenhouse conditions (day time 28 °C and 40 °C, respectively). Heat 20 stress significantly affected physiological-chemical (photosynthesis, electrolyte conductivity, 21 proline) and vegetative parameters (plant height, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight) in all 22 tomatoes seedlings. The finding revealed that regardless of tomato cultivars the photosynthesis, 23 chlorophyll, total proline and electrical conductivity parameters were varied in seedlings during the 24 heat stress period. The heat tolerance rate of tomatoes in the seedling stage might not be associated 25 always with reproductive parameters. HT reduced the fruit parameters likeas fruit weight (31.9%), 26 fruit length (14.1%), fruit diameter (19.1%) and fruit hardness (9.1%) in compared to NT under HT 27 in heat susceptible tomato cultivar ‘Dafnis’, while in heat tolerant cultivar ‘Minichal’ fruit length 28 (7.1%) and fruit diameter (12.1%) was decreased by the affect of HT but on the contrary fruit weight 29 (3.6%) and fruit hardness (8.3%) were increased. In conclusion, screening and selection for tomatoes 30 should be evaluated at the vegetative and reproductive stages with consideration of reproductive 31 parameters.

We present an improved algorithm for fast calculation of the inverse square root for single-precision floating-point numbers. The algorithm is much more accurate than the famous fast inverse square root algorithm and has a similar computational cost. The presented modification concern Newton-Raphson corrections and can be applied when the distribution of these corrections is not symmetric (for instance, in our case they are always negative).

Root research on field grown crops is hindered by the difficulty of estimating root biomass in soil. Root washing, the current standard method is laborious and expensive. Biochemical methods to quantify root biomass in soil, targeting species-specific DNA, have potential as a more efficient assay. We combined an efficient DNA extraction method, designed specifically to extract DNA from soil, with well-established quantitative PCR methods to estimate the root biomass of twenty-two wheat varieties grown in field trials over two seasons. We also developed an assay for estimating root biomass for black-grass, a common weed of wheat cultivation. Two robust qPCR assays were developed to estimate the quantity of plant root DNA in soil samples, one specific to wheat and barley, and a second specific to black-grass. The DNA qPCR method was comparable, with high correlations, with the results of root washing from soil cores taken from winter wheat field trials. The DNA qPCR assay showed both variety and depth as significant factors in the distribution of root biomass in replicated field trials. The results suggest that these DNA qPCR assays are a useful, high throughput tool for investigating the genetic basis of wheat root biomass distribution in field grown crops, and the impact of black-grass root systems on crop production.

As a procedure deriving UH (unit hydrograph), the root selection method necessitates only storm runoff data. However, this method must deal with the uncertainty related to the noise fluctuation of runoff ordinates and derive one optimal UH from many storms. This study proposes a procedure that applies the Savitzky-Golay filter to smooth the noise fluctuation of the runoff ordinates and uses the linear combination of UHs from individual storms to derive an optimal UH. The proposed method is applied to the storms of the Nenagh River basin in Ireland. The applicability of the Savitzky-Golay filter for smoothing the noise fluctuation of storm runoffs is examined by means of the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency index. Furthermore, the root selection method is extended to also estimate IUHs. The results show that the adoption of the Savitzky-Golay filter improves the applicability of the root selection method and that the optimal UH predicts accurately the time-to-peak and peak discharge.

Pinus squamata is one of the most threatened conifer endemic to northeastern Yunnan Province, China, and it is prioritized as one of the Plant Species with Extremely Small Populations (PSESP) for urgent protection in China. However, we lack a comprehensive consideration of the protection effect and the endangered mechanism, especially based on the underground growth status of endangered plants. The integrated study of soil properties and rhizosphere bacteria can assist conservation to understand therequired conditions for the protection and survival of rare and endangered species. In our study, bacterial communities in wild, ex-situ, and reintroduced P. squamata rhizosphere were compared using Illumina sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA genes. We determined the soil physicochemical properties, analyzed the relationships between the bacterial communities and soil physicochemical factors, and predicted the potential bacterial ecological functions. The reintroduced site Qiaojia (RQ) had the highest richness and diversity. Samples were scattered (R = 0.93, P = 0.001), indicating significant difference between the different conservation sites. Soil total potassium (TK) and available nitrogen (AN) were the main factors driving bacterial community (0.01 &lt; P ≤ 0.05). The low abundance of Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) may be a biotic factor contributing to the endangerment of P. squamata. This study provides a foundation to assess the effect of conservation based on bacterial diversity and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to guide future research into the conservation of P. squamata.

Soil erosion due to soil erosion is an important ecological impact factor. In order to further explore the impact and contribution of soil and water conservation measures on sand production and transport in the watershed, and also to provide a reference for soil erosion control, soil and water conservation and ecological environmental protection in the Yellow River Basin. In this paper, based on the measured data from the Henan Soil and Water Conservation Observatory in the Yellow River Basin, we select appropriate equations for quantifying soil erosion factor to calculate the rainfall erosion, topography, soil, vegetation and soil conservation measures in the basin, and then analyse the changes in soil erosion factor and the actual benefits of soil conservation measures in the basin. The results show that there is an increasing trend in the rainfall erosion force factor R in the Yellow River Basin; Soil erosion can be K value made the vertical loess > yellow clunamon soil, the overall change shows a decreasing trend, indicating that erosion control has produced results and that attention should be paid to erosion control in the lithosol region in the future; Since the slope lengths of the runoff plots are laid out consistently with the same LS values for both topographic factors, soil erosion is severely increased when the slope exceeds 20°. The C value of natural vegetation is small, while the C value of bare land is large. The authorities should continue to promote the return of farmland to forests and grasses and pay attention to the self-regulation and restoration of ecosystems; There is an overall decreasing trend in the P value of the soil and water conservation measures factor, the soil and water conservation measures have been effective in providing good protection.

To study the feasibility and effect of compounding lignin and its derivatives to improve expansive soil, the physical properties, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the improved soil mixed with calcium lignosulfonate alone, calcium lignosulfonate and lignin fibers were investigated through indoor experiments and electron microscope scanning. Select samples with better performance for water stability tests, and discuss the improvement mechanism of expansive soil by combining macroscopic mechanical changes with microstructural characteristics. The research results show that the addition of calcium lignosulfonate can reduce the water content of the soil and enhance its strength of the soil. The overall performance is the best when the calcium lignosulfonate content is 3%. 3% calcium lignosulfonate compounded with 1.5% lignin fiber has the best all-around performance; the composite improved soil has a better pore-filling effect, the whole is more compact, and the connection between particles significantly enhances the strength, which greatly inhibits the development of cracks good water stability. Lignin and its derivatives compound improved expansive soil have better effect than traditional improvement methods, and have no pollution to the environment, which can provide a particular reference for engineering practice

To study the feasibility and effect of compounding lignin and its derivatives to improve expansive soil, the physical properties, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the improved soil mixed with calcium lignosulfonate alone, calcium lignosulfonate and lignin fibers were investigated through indoor experiments and electron microscope scanning. Select samples with better performance for water stability tests, and discuss the improvement mechanism of expansive soil by combining macroscopic mechanical changes with microstructural characteristics. The research results show that the addition of calcium lignosulfonate can reduce the water content of the soil and enhance its strength of the soil. The overall performance is the best when the calcium lignosulfonate content is 3%. 3% calcium lignosulfonate compounded with 1.5% lignin fiber has the best all-around performance; the composite improved soil has a better pore-filling effect, the whole is more compact, and the connection between particles significantly enhances the strength, which greatly inhibits the development of cracks good water stability. Lignin and its derivatives compound improved expansive soil have better effect than traditional improvement methods, and have no pollution to the environment, which can provide a particular reference for engineering practice.

A recent survey that determined heavy metal concentrations in an abandoned Hg mine in Palawan, Philippines, found the occurrence of Hg with As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V, and Zn. While the Hg originated from the mine waste calcines as supported by previous studies, the critical knowledge about the origin of the other heavy metals remains to be unknown. Our study investigated the sources of heavy metal pollution surrounding the abandoned Hg mine; and assessed the soil and sediment quality, ecological risks, and health risks associated with these toxic metals. Multivariate analyses, such as hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA), and Pearson correlation analysis, were used to identify the heavy metal sources from the results of a previous paper. Our results showed that Fe, Ni, Cr, Co, and Mn are associated with the ultramafic geology of the study, whereas As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Pb, Sb, Tl, V, and Zn are likely due to historical mining and processing of cinnabar from 1953-1976. The mine waste calcines were used as construction material for the wharf and as land filler for the adjacent communities. The modified contamination factor (mCdeg) showed that the coast of Honda Bay is highly contaminated, while the inland areas, including the rivers, are very- to ultra-highly contaminated. There is a considerable ecological risk associated with the heavy metals, wherein Ni, Hg, Cr, and Mn contribute an average of 46.3 %, 26.3 %, 11.2 %, and 9.3 % to the potential ecological risk index (RI), respectively. The overall mean hazard index (HI) for both adults (1.4) and children (12.1) exceeded 1, implying the probability of non-carcinogenic adverse effects. The mean total cancer risk over a lifetime (LCR) for both adults (1.19×10-3) and children (2.89×10-3) exceeded the tolerable threshold of 10-4, suggesting a potentially high risk for developing cancer mainly by Ni, Co, and Cr exposure.

Degraded soils causing from natural and human affects are universal in arid and semi-arid regions all over the world. Bentonite and humic acid (BHA) are increasingly being tested to remediate these degraded lands with potential benefits on crop production and soil health. The objective of this paper was to determine the residual effects four to five years after a one-time BHA application at six rates on (i) dynamic changes in soil properties, and (ii) oat crop productivity parameters, in a dryland farming ecosystem. With increasing rates of one-time BHA application, soil profile water storage displayed a piecewise linear increase plus plateau, whereas soil electrical conductivity, pH and bulk density were all reduced significantly (P < 0.05) in the 0-20 cm and 20-60 cm layers. The improved soil environments gave rise to an increased activity of soil enzymes urease, invertase and catalase that respectively reached the peak values of 97%, 37% and 32% at the rates of 21 to 24 Mg BHA ha-1. These conversely boosted soil nutrient turnover, leading to a 40% higher soil available P. Compared with the control treatment, application of BHA at the estimated optimum rate (roughly 24 Mg ha-1) increased grain yield by 20%, protein yield by 62%, water use efficiency by 41%, and partial factor productivity of N by 20%. Results of this study showed for the first time that a one-time BHA application would be a new and effective strategy to combat land degradation, drought, and promote a sustainable soil micro-ecological environment in dryland agroecosystem under a varying climate scenario.

Soil CO2 efflux (FCO2) plays a dominant role in the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle but interpreting constraints on local observations is impeded by challenges in disentangling belowground CO2 sources. Trees contribute most C to forest soils, so linking aboveground properties to FCO2 could open new avenues to study plant-soil feedbacks and facilitate scaling; furthermore, FCO2 responds dynamically to meteorological conditions, complicating predictions of total FCO2 and forest C balance. We tested for proximity effects of individual Acer saccharum Marsh. trees on FCO2, comparing FCO2 within 1 m of mature stems to background fluxes before and after an intense rainfall event. Wetting significantly increased background FCO2 (6.4±0.3 vs. 8.6±0.6 s.e. μmol CO2 m-2s-1), with a much larger enhancement near tree stems (6.3±0.3 vs. 10.8±0.4 μmol CO2 m-2s-1). FCO2 varied significantly among individual trees and post-rain values increased with tree diameter (with a slope of 0.058 μmol CO2 m-2s-1 cm-1). Post-wetting amplification of FCO2 (the ‘Birch effect’) in root zones often results from the improved mobility of labile carbohydrates and further metabolization of recalcitrant organic matter, which may both occur at higher densities near larger trees. Our results indicate that plant-soil feedbacks change through tree ontogeny and provide evidence for a novel link between whole-system carbon fluxes and forest structure.

The sustainable production of food faces formidable challenges. Foremost is the availability of arable soils, which have been ravaged by the overuse of fertilizers and detrimental soil management techniques. As such, maintenance of soil quality, and reclamation of marginal soils, has become an increasingly important endeavor. Recently, there has been emerging interest in the use of biochar, a carbon rich, porous material thought to improve various aspects of soil performance. Biochar (BC) is produced through the thermochemical decomposition of organic matter at high temperature in an oxygen limited environment, in a process known as pyrolysis. Importantly, the source of organic material, or ‘feedstock,’ used in this process and different parameters of pyrolysis, especially temperature, determine the chemical and physical properties of biochar. Incorporation of BC impacts soil-water relations, tilth and nutrient status, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), and microbial activity. Soil amendment with BC has been shown to have an overall positive impact on soil health and crop productivity; however, initial soil properties need to be considered prior to the application of BC. There is an urgent need to understand the effects of long-term field application of BC and how it influences the soil microcosm. This knowledge will facilitate predictable enhancement of crop productivity and meaningful carbon sequestration.

There is a balanced plant-water relationship in the primary vegetation of desert area. With the increase of population and social development in desert areas, people’s need for forest vegetation ecosystem’s goods and service have been changed. To meet the growing demand for plant community goods and services, more original vegetation has been changed into non-native vegetation such as in China loess plateau. However, with the plant growth, sometime soil drying happens and then becomes gradually serious with times in most of desert regions. Serious drying of soil eventually result in soil degradation, vegetation decline and agriculture failure，which influence the produce and supply of forest vegetation goods and service in market in dry year or waste of soil water resources in wet year, which wastes precious nature resources. In order to solve these problems, the soil water resources have to be used in sustainable way and plant-water relationship have to be regulated on Carrying Capacity of Soil Water for Vegetation in the key period of plant water relationship regulation, to carry out sustainable use of nature resources, high-quality and sustainable development of forest and grass or high-quality produce of fruit and crop in desert re-gions.

In this study, the temporal variation in soil salinity dynamics was monitored and analyzed using Electromagnetic Induction (EMI) in an agricultural area in Port Said, Egypt, which is at risk of soil salinization. To assess soil salinity, repeated CMD2 soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) measurements were taken and inverted to generate electromagnetic conductivity imaging (EMCI), representing soil electrical conductivity (σ) distribution through time-lapse inversion. This process involved converting EMCI data into salinity cross sections using a site-specific calibration equation that correlates σ with the electrical conductivity of saturated soil paste extract (ECe) for the collected soil samples. The study was performed from August 2021 to April 2023, involving six surveys during two agriculture seasons. The results demonstrated the accurate prediction ability of soil salinity with R2 value of 0.81. The soil salinity cross sections generated on different dates observed changes in the soil salinity distribution. These changes can be attributed to shifts in irrigation water salinity resulting from canal lining, winter rainfall events, and variations in groundwater salinity. This approach is effective for evaluating agricultural management strategies in irrigated areas where it is necessary to continuously track soil salinity to avoid soil fertility degradation and a decrease in agricultural production and farmer’s income.

Seaweed polysaccharides can substitute synthetic compounds present in commercial stimulants and fertilizers, used in agriculture to improve crops yield and vigor. In this study, three different poly-saccharides (alginate, agar and carrageenan) were extracted from one brown seaweed, Saccorhiza polyschides, and two red seaweeds, Gracilaria gracilis and Chondrus crispus, respectively, and applied on potted turnip greens (Brassica napus L.), with intention to analyze their impact on plant growth, development and metabolism. Turnip plants treated with polysaccharides, specially, carrageenan of Chondrus crispus showed the best results in improving the crop’s productivity, such as plant length and weight, number of leaves, nutrient and pigment content, and soil fertility, compared with turnip plants from the negative control or treated with a commercial leaf fertilizer. λ-carrageenan extracted from the tetrasporophyte generation of Chondrus crispus had the highest bioactivity and positive effect in turnip plants among all treatments. λ-carrageenan has shown that can improve plant growth, increase plant’s biomass, and root system, enhance photosynthetic activity, increase the uptake of soil nutrients, and protect plants against abiotic and biotic stresses, stimulating the production of secondary metabolites and manage its defense pathways. Seaweed extracted polysaccharides have the potential to be used in sustainable agriculture.

This article delves into the pivotal role that biodiversity of soil microbes plays in bolstering tree health and overall agroecosystem productivity. With the advent of regenerative agricultural practices, there has been a resurgence of interest in understanding the complex interactions between soil microbiota and plant roots, particularly through processes like rhizophagy. Rhizophagy, the digestion of living root cells by soil microorganisms, stands out as a fundamental mechanism in nutrient cycling and overall tree vitality. By examining the impact of enhanced microbial diversity on tree health, we shed light on the practical applications, such as the utilization of the BEAM Inoculant product, which has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in augmenting soil health and, consequently, tree Vigor

This research was carried out to know the species composition of the Arbuscular Micorrhizal Fungi (AMF) communities native to two contrasting soils, and to establish the development and stability of aggregates in those soils contained in pots, as substrates for corn plants in the greenhouse. These soils were inoculated with allochthonous AMF. The experiment had three factors: Soil (S with two levels [S1 and S2]); AMF (A with three levels: without application [A0], with application of Claroideoglomus claroideum [A1] and with application of a consortium [A2]) and Fertilization (f with two levels (without fertilization [f0] and with fertilization [f1]); which generated 12 treatments, each with five replicates (60 experimental units [EU]); the EU consisted of a pot with a plant of corn; with a completely random distribution. The results showed that the Typic Ustifluvent presented nine species of native AMF, while the Typic Dystrustert had only three species. The native AMF in each soil influenced the activity of the allochthonous AMF, with differences being found in the stability of the macro-sized aggregates (0.5 to 2.0 mm) of each soil when they did not receive fertilization

The pre-emergent herbicide indaziflam is efficient in the management of weeds in eucalyptus crops, but this plant may develop less in soil contaminated with it. The objective was to evaluate the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR), growth and dry matter of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144, in clayey soil, contaminated with the herbicide indaziflam and the leaching potential of this herbicide. The design was completely randomized in a 3 x 5 factorial scheme, with four replications. Chlorophyll a and b contents, apparent electron transport rate (ETR), height growth and dry matter of leaves, stems and roots of Clone I144 were evaluated. The leaching of indaziflam in the clayey soil profile (69% clay) was evaluated in a bioassay with Sorghum bicolor, a plant with high sensitivity to this herbicide. The visual intoxication and height of this plant were evaluated at 28 days after sowing (DAS). Chlorophyll a and b contents and ETR, height and stem dry matter of Clone I144 were lower in soil contaminated with indaziflam residues. The dose of indaziflam, necessary to cause 50% (C50) of intoxication and the lowest height of sorghum plants, was 4.65 and 1.71 g ha-1 and 0.40 and 0.27 g ha-1 in clayey soil and sand, respectively. The sorption ratio (SR) of this herbicide was 10.65 in clayey soil. The herbicide indaziflam leached up to 30 cm depth at doses of 37.5 and 75 g ha-1 and its residue in the soil reduced the levels of chlorophylls a and b, the apparent electron transport rate (ETR) and the growth of Clone I144.

The invention of nanoscience not only brings a revolutionary change in the field of science but also changed the direction of research. Today the whole world is under the trigger of nano and nanoparticles have multidimensional applications in every aspect of life including environmental point of view. Till today a plethora of nanoparticles have been synthesized and have also been applied for multiple purposes and hence grabbed the attention of researchers all over the world. Among the bunch of NPs discovered to date, we have a particular interest in silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) because of their cost-effectiveness and huge abundance in the earth’s crust. With respect to every passing day, due to various kinds of anthropological activities, the quality of the environment such as air, water and soil is depleting which ultimately hampers the human civilization. To encompass the growing environmental issues, many techniques have been adopted. Among the many strategies, tackling the current issues regarding environment through nanoscience is highly worthy as because of its cost-effectiveness, less time consuming and easy handling process. This article reviews the potential of nanoparticles, particularly silver nanoparticles, for a wide range of environmental applications, such as soil, air, and water remediation.

Abstract: The empirical soil loss model, RUSLE, was used with a conjunction of remotely sensed data and geographic information system technology to delineate the soil erosion and watershed priorities in terms of conservation practices at seven boundary sub-watersheds (labeled as SW-00, SW-01, …, SW-06) between Iraq and Iran at Ali Al-Gharbi area, southern Iraq. The six factors of the RUSLE model, ie. the rainfall erosivity, the soil erodibility, the slope steepness length, the crop management, and management practice, were calculated or estimated using information from different data sources such as remotely sensed data and previous studies. The finding showed that the annual soil erosion loss ranges from 0 - 1890 (tons h-1 y-1) with an average of 0.66 (tons h-1 y-1). Values of soil erosion were classified into five classes: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The potential soil loss in the high and very high classes ranges from 14.84 to 1890 (tons h-1 y-1), and these classes occupy only 27 km2 of the study area, indicating that the soil loss is very low in the area being examined. In terms of the spatial distribution of soil loss, the northern and northeastern parts (mountains and hills) of the sub-watersheds where the slope is steeper are more likely to erode than the plain area in the southern and southeastern portions, indicating that slope, in addition to rainfall erosivity, has a dominant effect on the soil erosion rate. The study of soil erosion in the watersheds under consideration reveals that only the northern portions of the SW-00, SW-02, and SW-04 watersheds require high priority conservation plans; however, these portions are primarily located in mountain regions, making conservation plans implementation in these areas impractical. Due to low soil loss, other sub-watersheds, particularly SW-01, SW-03, SW-05, and SW-06, are given low priority.

Different soil nutrients affect plant metabolites accumulation characteristics. The main soil nutrients and their correlation with Pepino metabolites were investigated in this study to evaluate differences between greenhouses on the Loess Plateau in northwest China. A total of 269 Pepino metabolites in the fruits were identified using a UPLC-QTOF-MS approach from plants grown in three major Pepino growing regions. Their differential distribution characteristics were analyzed. 99 metabolites differed among the Pepino fruits in the three regions. The main classes of the differentially accumulated metabolites were ranked as Amino acids and derivatives, Nucleotides and derivatives, Organic acids, Alkaloids, Vitamins, Saccharides and Alcohols, Phenolic acids, Lipids, and others. Environmental factor analysis indicated that soil nutrients were the primary differentiating factor. Five soil nutrient indicators: TN（total nitrogen）, TP（total phosphorus）, AP（available phosphorus）, AK（available potassium）, and OM（organic matter）, exhibited significant differences in three growing sites. Metabolite and soil nutrient association analysis using redundancy analysis (RDA) and Mantel test indicated that TNand OM contributed to the accumulation of amino acids and derivatives, nucleotides and derivatives, and alkaloids while inhibiting organic acids, vitamins coagulation biosynthesis. Moreover, AP and TP were associated with the highest accumulation of saccharides and, alcohols, phenolic acids. Consequently, differences in soil nutrients were reflected in Pepino metabolites variability. This study clarified the metabolite variability and the relationship between Pepino and soil nutrients in the main planting areas of northwest China. It provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent development of Pepino's nutritional value and cultivation management.

Soil is a treasure trove of microbial variety, and bio-inoculants have the potential to improve the performance of horticultural crops under biotic and abiotic stress by boosting soil microbial diversity. Bio-inoculants are being developed to increase the diversity of soil microbes. The combined effects of bio-inoculants, on the other hand, result in the expansion of vegetation in the surrounding environment. Previous study on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus has shown the existence of agronomic and biochemical characteristics in horticultural crop species (AMF). Through the development of enhanced technologies for the analysis of RNA or DNA from soil, we may acquire a deeper knowledge of the microbiological diversity and functions of the planet, which are difficult to find using traditional societal approaches. It is not possible to uncover a full database of purposeful genetics, which includes both soil microorganisms and deliberate genetics. This is true for almost every soil type or circumstance. As a result of this review, this study offers suggestions for the use of bio-inoculants, the benefits of doing so, regular research strategies, and long-term research directions.

A novel enrichment combined with a rapid screening method was employed to isolate bioemulsifying strains of Bacillus subtilis. Among a total of twenty isolates from railway soil at six geographically distant sites, ten produced bioemulsifiers for soybean oil and crude oil. Qualitative drop-collapse assays indicated the bioemulsifiers were surfactants.

During composting process, soils undergo many changes in their physical, chemical and biological properties. Composting has been widely known as an aerobic process during which organic matter is decomposed to humus like substances broken into many organic materials or compounds. The project aims to compare and analyze different combination of composting that yield different properties and nature of soils, and testing their soil physical properties. Dug three compost pits each 1.5 m in depth, labeled compost pit A consisting of potato peels – the only kitchen waste most common around the college hostels, compost pit B consisting of leaf litter and other garden trimmings and compost pit C consisting of cow dung and the other as a controlled experiment with no composting practices.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are capable to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers input cost of farmer. Keeping in view the study was designed to investigate and evaluate inoculation effect of indigenous rhizospheric bacteria on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under in vitro and in vivo conditions using different treatments. Ten potential strains were selected on the basis of their ACC deaminase activity, siderophore production, P-solubilization and production of indole acetic acid (IAA). Further these strains were tested in three different experiments (growth chamber, pot and field). We found significant increase in crop growth response to the inoculants in comparison with un-inoculated control. In pot and field trial we tested PGPR with recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers. The results of present study revealed that inoculation of bacterial strains with wheat seeds significantly increased plant growth and improved crop yield. Results of present study reveal that these strains could be employed in different combinations and can get higher yield in case of half recommended doses of inorganic fertilizers along with consortium of strains in comparison with sole application of recommended dose of fertilizer and with consortium of strains. These strains were further identified by 16Sr RNA gene sequencing, fatty acid profile and biolog. It can be concluded that inoculated bacteria have more potential and contributes in good crop quality, increased yield when they are applied in combination, thus have potential to minimize use of chemical fertilizers.

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is capable of improving soil health and ecosystem functions. Soil carbon sequestration is one of the ecosystem processes that is of importance in sustainable land management involving reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to climate change. In this study, we wanted to determine, during the first year of the process of establishing a CA cropping system in rain-fed areas in Madhya Pradesh state of India, which soil health indicators show measurable signs of improvement. Four field trials were selected, each comprising two neighboring plots. One plot (15×15 m) was managed conventionally under farmer practice and was tilled before sowing seeds, and in the adjacent plot Conservation Agriculture practices were applied. No mineral fertilizers or pesticides were applied in both treatments. Soil health indicators of soil aggregate stability, soil-atmosphere CO₂ fluxes, water infiltration, soil moisture, potentially mineralizable nitrogen, soil organic content and bulk density were measured. Results demonstrate that soil CO₂ emissions in CA soils decreased and soil aggregates stability improved in the first year. Generally, in CA soils, there were measurable improvements in all soil health indicators but only some of them were statistically significant.

Soil transmitted helminthic infections (STHIs) are common public health concern among children in Sub saharan Africa. A study to determine the prevalence of these infections among pupils in two primary schools in Nkpor and Mgbodohia communities, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria was conducted. The formo-ether concentration technique was used to concentrate and separate the eggs and cysts from the faeces. Out of 107 pupils investigated, 81 (75.7 %) were positive for at least one helminthic infection. Although more females (54.3%) were infected than males (45.7%), there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the prevalence of Soil transmitted helminthic infections in relation to sex. There was a significant difference (P>0.5) in infection among two major age groups (5-10years-45% and 11-15years-41.9%). Children within the age group of 16-20years had the least infection (9.9%). Out of the 81 children positive for STH, 47 (43.9 %,), 23 (21.5%), 11 (10.3%) and 5(4.7%) had Ascaris lumbricoide, Hookworm, Trichirus trichiura and mixed infection (A.lumbricoide + T. trichiura) respectively. Ascaris lumbricoide (43.9%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in prevalence than other parasites. Soil transmited helminthic infections are a public health among children concern in the study area. Provision of portable water, toilet facilities and good education on the epidemiology of STHIs in addition to regular de-worming will enhance control measures.

The objectives of the study were to determine the spatial rate of CO₂ flux (Net Ecosystem Exchange) and soil moisture in a wetland ecosystem applying Sentinel-1 IW (Interferometric Wide) data of VH (Vertical Transmit/Horizontal Receive—cross polarization) and VV (Vertical Transmit/Vertical Receive—like polarization) polarization. In-situ measurements of carbon flux, soil moisture, and LAI (Leaf Area Index) were carried out over the Biebrza Wetland in north-eastern Poland. The impact of soil moisture and LAI on backscattering coefficient (σ°) calculated from Sentinel-1 data showed that LAI dominates the influence on σ° when soil moisture is low. The models for soil moisture have been derived for wetland vegetation habitat types applying VH polarization (R² = 0.70 to 0.76). The vegetation habitats: reeds, sedge-moss, sedges, grass-herbs, and grass were classified using combined one Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) and three TerraSAR-X (TSX) ScanSAR VV data. The model for the assessment of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) has been developed based on the assumption that soil moisture and biomass represented by LAI have an influence on it. The σ° VH and σ° VV describe soil moisture and LAI, and have been the input to the NEE model. The model, created for classified habitats, is as follows: NEE = f (σ° Sentinel-1 VH, σ° Sentinel-1 VV). Reasonably good predictions of NEE have been achieved for classified habitats (R² = 0.51 to 0.58). The developed model has been used for mapping spatial and temporal distribution of NEE over Biebrza wetland habitat types. Eventually, emissions of CO₂ to the atmosphere (NEE positive) has been noted when soil moisture (SM) and biomass were low. This study demonstrates the importance of the capability of Sentinel-1 microwave data to calculate soil moisture and estimate NEE with all-weather acquisition conditions, offering an important advantage for frequent wetlands monitoring.

As a new plant slope protection technology, living stumps can effectively improve slope stability. The current study attemptes to investigate the mechanical characteristics of the root system of living stumps and their reinforcement mechanism on slopes by carrying out a three-dimensional living stump slope modeling test. Using ABS materials, a 3D model of a living elm stump was created by 3D printing and a slope model test was carried out. The reinforcement mechanism of the living stump was studied through a combination of model testing and numerical simulation. The results indicate that, due to the presence of living stumps in the lower and middle parts of the slope, the maximum shear stress area of the soil moved to a deeper direction. The stress state of the soil around the living stump was effectively improved due to the existence of the lateral root system.Living stumps in the lower part of the slope cross the potential sliding surface and transferred the soil shear stress gradually to the root system through root-soil interaction. Moreover, the tap roots and lateral roots of living stumps form a robust spatial structure that bears the shear stress of soil together, thus increasing the stability of the slope.

This study provides a comprehensive comparison of the Peter Chew Sum method and Newton's Sum in Quadratic Root Function Computations. Both methods offer significant advancements by alleviating the need for memorization of multiple formulas. However, when confronted with higher-order quadratic root functions such as the calculation of power 33. Newton's Sum method proves cumbersome due to its requirement of all previous answers for final computation, leading to increased steps and error risks. In contrast, the Peter Chew Sum method simplifies the computational process by requiring only a few previous answers, resulting in a more straightforward series of operations. We contextualize our analysis within the historical progression of mathematical techniques, highlighting the transformative leap represented by the Peter Chew Sum method in quadratic root function computations. Peter Chew Sum addressing the limitations of Newton's Sum , especially concerning higher-order functions such as the calculation of power 256. Furthermore, study demonstrates that the innovative approach of the Peter Chew Sum method not only simplifies complex computations but also fosters enhanced conceptual understanding among students. In conclusion, study findings underscore the profound impact of the Peter Chew Sum method on quadratic root function computations.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

The increased cultivation of high THC-containing Cannabis sativa L. (cannabis), particularly in greenhouses, has resulted in a greater incidence of diseases and molds that can negatively affect the growth and quality of the crop. Among them, the most important diseases are root rots (Fusarium and Pythium spp.), Botrytis bud rot (Botrytis cinerea), powdery mildew (Golovinomyces ambrosiae), cannabis stunt disease (caused by Hop latent viroid), and a range of microbes that reduce post-harvest quality. An integrated management approach to reduce the impact of these diseases/microbes requires combining different approaches that target the reproduction, spread and survival of the associated pathogens, many of which can occur on the same plant simultaneously. These approaches will be discussed in the context of developing an integrated plan to manage the important pathogens of greenhouse-grown cannabis at different stages of plant development. These stages include maintenance of stock plants, propagation through cuttings, vegetative growth of plants, and flowering. The cultivation of cannabis genotypes with tolerance or resistance to various pathogens is a very important approach, followed by the maintenance of pathogen-free stock plants. When combined with cultural approaches (sanitation, management of irrigation, and monitoring for diseases) and environmental approaches (greenhouse climate modification), a significant reduction in pathogen development and spread can be achieved. The use of preventive applications of microbial biological control agents and reduced risk biorational products can also reduce disease development at all stages of production in jurisdictions where they are registered for use. The combined use of promising strategies for integrated disease management on cannabis plants during greenhouse production will be reviewed. Future areas for research are identified.

An exposition is undertaken to reveal the significant impact of the time-dependent root parameter, on the stability of Pointwise Stationary Fluid Flow Approximation (PSFFA) model of the non-stationary queueing system. This opens new grounds to stability analysis of non-stationary queueing systems. Potential PSFFA applications of IoT are highlighted.

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of different irrigation protocols on the shear bond strength (SBS) of self-adhesive resin composite cement (SARC) to primed radicular dentin. Radicular dentin slabs (N=58) were sectioned from extracted intact third molars, embedded in acrylate, polished, and randomly assigned to five experimental groups (N=8-12) and one control group, CG (N=8). Irrigation solutions used were sodium hypochlorite (H), ethylene-diamine-tetra acetic acid (EDTA), etidronic acid with hypochlorite (HEDP), saline solution (SS), and chlorhexi-dine (CHX). Each experimental group underwent different irrigation protocol for two minutes: 1) H/EDTA/H, 2) HEDP, 3) H/EDTA/CHX, 4)H/EDTA/SS, and 5) HEDP/SS. The CG samples were not treated with any irrigation solution. After drying, adhesive enhancing primer (AEP) and du-al-curing SARC were applied to the radicular dentin using molds corresponding to the Ultra Tester. Specimens were stored at 37°C in distilled water and fractured in shear mode after 10 days. The results were analyzed using the ANOVA statistical test and Post-hoc Games-Howell test, α=0.05. CG exhibited the highest SBS. Except for HEDP and HEDP/SS, all experimental groups showed significantly lower SBS compared to the control group (p< 0.05). HEDP seems to be ad-equate solution for root canal cleaning before dentin priming and fiber post cementation with self-adhesive resin cement. Cleaning protocols with H, EDTA and CHX cause a significant de-crease in bond strength.

: There remains no acquiescence that confirms the extent to which unemployment and entrepreneurship influence each other in developing countries. Thus, an incessant invite for further debate attracted the need to assess the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurship in terms of business formation in Namibia Given that, this study examines the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurial activities in Namibia. Time series data were collected from the World Bank database to investigate the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurship in Namibia. Unit root test was conducted using both the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test and the Phillips-Perron test to measure stationarity of the data and found all the variables to have no unit root after the first difference. Thus, we employed the Johansen-Juselius test of cointegration, and the results revealed the absence of a long-run relationship between the variables. Hence, we performed a vector autoregressive (VAR) model to estimate the short-run relationships and found that Namibia exhibit both the refugee and Schumpeter effects. Finally, the direction of causality between the variables was measured using the Pairwise Granger causality test and the results revealed that none of the variables was proven to granger cause the other, concluding that they are all independent of each other. Therefore, in pursuit of unemployment mitigation, we recommend policymakers to focus on other aspects beyond entrepreneurship when devising policies without jeopardizing the ease of business start-up procedures. This will incentivize entrepreneurial activities, which can eventually address other macroeconomic issues beyond unemployment.

Objective. The primary aim of this 6-month randomized, controlled, blinded clinical pilot study was to compare the percent root coverage obtained using an acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADM) and a coronally positioned tunnel (CPT) technique with two different suturing techniques. Materials and Methods. Sixteen patients with at least one Miller Class I or II recession defect ≥ 3 mm were randomly selected to receive a CPT with ADM using either two independent continuous sling sutures to secure the graft and the soft tissue separately (SEP) or a single continuous sling suture to secure both the graft and the soft tissue together (TOG) in the test group. Percent defect coverage, predictability of achieving 100% root coverage, keratinized tissue width, and attachment levels were assessed. Results. Both TOG and SEP suturing techniques achieved a significant amount of defect coverage, 83 vs. 85%, respectively, with no significant differences between groups. The predictability of achieving complete defect coverage was 63% for both groups. All maxillary sites had 100% coverage. There was a statistically significant gain of keratinized tissue for the TOG (1.1 ± 0.9 mm), while the SEP group gained only minimal amount (0.2 ± 0.8 mm). Conclusions. The single sling, for simultaneous suturing of the soft tissue and acellular dermal matrix, worked as well as two sling sutures used separately for the soft tissue and ADM. Suturing time was reduced by about 50% for the single sling group indicating a significant clinical advantage for the patient and surgeon.

Irrigation and fertilizer are two essential factors affecting rice root traits and yield. In this respect, a pot experiment was performed at the boro (dry season irrigated) season of 2021-22 in the Department of Agronomy of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The variety Binadhan-10 was planted at two irrigation conditions i.e. saturation (S) and continuous flooding (CF); two potassium (K) dose e.g. 65 kg ha-1 (K65) and 98 kg ha-1 (K98) and two nitrogen (N) dose i.e. 140 kg ha-1 (N140) and 210 kg ha-1 (N210). The experiment was laid in split plot design and replicated thrice. The findings confirmed the effectiveness of irrigation, K and N on root number (RN), root length (RL), root volume (RV), leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter (TDM), yield attributes and yield. Considering interaction among irrigation, K and N, S condition with K65 and N140 showed best performance. At 80 DAT, the highest RN (373.00), RL (1700.00 cm), RV (8.90 cm3 hill-1), LAI (4.94) and TDM (25.83 g plant-1) was obtained from this combination. Grain yield (GY) and root traits except root porosity, showed a significant positive association. Grain yield (GY) was highest (27.12 g pot-1) in S condition with K65 and N140.

The orthodontic treatment brings numerous benefits and, in most cases, the benefits outweigh the possible disadvantages. Root resorption (RR) is a common adverse phenomenon associated with orthodontic treatment. This study evaluates the role of low-level laser emission / Photobiomodu-lation (LE/P) in quantitative measurements of root resorption (QRR). The application of LE/P was done after each orthodontic activation with 4 types of treatment intervention (TI) on the RR after fixed orthodontic treatment (FOT) of the upper arch with ectopic eye tooth/teeth [EET]. 32 Orthodontic patients scheduled for FOT were selected and assigned to the 4 groups. These were LE/P+Self ligating bracket (SLB), LE/P+Conventional bracket (CB), Non-Photobiomodulation (non-LE/P)+SLB, and non-LE/P+CB. Standard management stages of FOT were followed in the maxilla. Each patient received a single application of LE/P labially/buccally and palatally, a total of 5 different points during each activation or appointment. The main outcome measure was QRR in maxillary anteriors before and after FOT assessed via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) using 3D OnDemand software. Insignificant QRR was found between before and after FOT in SLB, CLB, and LE/P, non-LE/P groups (p > 0.05). QRR in the SLB vs CB and LE/P vs non-LE/P group was significantly different in 11, 13, and 23 (p < 0.05). QRR in the LE/P+SLB group (p < 0.05) was significantly different in 11, 13, and 23 than that in the other groups. The most severe QRR was found on the 13 (0.88 ± 0.28mm and 0.87±0.27mm) and 23 (1.19 ± 0.14 mm and 1.16±0.13mm) in the CB and non-LE/P group (p < 0.001). LE/P+SLB showed highly significant superior outcome (p < 0.001) in relation to non-LE/P+CB, the QRR of 23 were 0.813± 0.114mm and 1.156± 0.166mm respectively. Significantly higher amount of QRR found in EET patients after FOT treated with the CB, non-LE/P, and non-LE/P+CB system and warrants further investigation to explore potential specific causes.