Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences最新文献

Citrus (Citrus spp.), including orange as an important one, has a high economic value and significant role both in global market as well as in Indonesia. However, citrus anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. constantly becomes a limiting factor in citrus production. Nevertheless, there is no report on molecular basis about the species associates to the citrus anthracnose in Indonesia up to date. Therefore, this research aims to identify the isolates of Colletotrichum spp. based on polyphasic approach which combining morphological character, pathogenicity and multigene analysis using actin, β-tubulin, and GAPDH primers. Twenty-two isolates were obtained from leaves and citrus fruits with anthracnose symptoms which showed various morphological characteristics, both macroscopic and microscopic. Pathogenicity test results showed that all 22 isolates were virulent to Keprok Batu 55 orange and California lemon. The anthracnose symptoms produced are identical to the symptoms in the field, however the symptoms on the California lemon were milder than on the Keprok Batu 55 mandarin. The results of multigene analysis showed that there were three species causing citrus anthracnose in Indonesia, which were C. endophytichum, C. queenslandicum, and C. gloeosporioides. Those three species are C. gloeosporioides species complex, and this is the first report of C. endophytichum, C. queenslandicum causing citrus anthracnose in Indonesia which needs further concern for biosecurity. All isolate sequences based on actin, β-tubulin, and GAPDH gene markers were submitted into the GenBank and got accession numbers of OR188855–OR188875.

This study describes small-scale drum and disc pulpers developed to depulp Arabica and Robusta cherries in line with Benin and Rwandan farmers' needs. The purpose of the machines is to improve the uncontrolled conventional depulping means, which have led to a decline in parchments quality and can discourage coffee farmers. The development of the machines started with the identification of coffee depulping requirements, followed by analytical sizing of the major components, modeling, fabrication and finally testing. The fabricated machines using local material consist mainly of a hopper, depulping unit, discharge outlet, transmission system and a diesel engine, all supported by a rigid frame. The performance parameters of the machines evaluated with three replications of 3 kg for each variety and depulping clearance of 16 and 12 mm for Arabica and Robusta, respectively at 1200 rpm were analysed in GraphPad Prism V10.0.3. The t-test results of the drum pulper showed a mean pulping efficiency of 98.37 ± 0.73 and 85.00 ± 3.81 %, a capacity of 872.3 ± 91.05 and 924.1 ± 108.3 kg/h, a breakage rate of 0.91 ± 0.27 and 0.00 ± 0.00 %, a pulping index of 0.95 ± 0.01 and 0.70 ± 0.07 and a fuel consumption rate of 1.22 ± 0.54 and 0.86 ± 0.072 l/h for Arabica and Robusta, respectively. Whereas, the disc pulper showed a mean pulping efficiency of 75.56 and 87.5 ± 5.63 %, a capacity of 684.4 ± 215.9 and 756.80 ± 91.54 kg/h, a breakage rate of 0.15 ± 0.26 and 0.00 ± 0.00 %, a pulping index of 0.50 ± 0.14 and 0.79 ± 0.89 and a fuel consumption rate of 0.71 ± 0.30 and 0.73 ± 0.16 l/h for Arabica and Robusta, respectively. The drum pulper outperformed the disc pulper considering efficiency, the pulping index, and the mass of unpulped cherries. The performances revealed that smallholders could prefer both machines based on their settings for each coffee variety.

Water shortage and food security concerns are amplified by the spread of irrigated cultures within the context of climatic unpredictability. In the hot, arid MENA area, the frequent drought periods and the continuous deterioration of water resources limits the ecological system's functioning and the sustainable agricultural productivity. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the potential impacts of the evolution of water resources management on the environmental components, using Westerlund’s (2007) panel cointegration and the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCE-MG) estimator for a sample of six MENA economies over 35 years ((1990–2015). In the short run, there is unidirectional causality from agricultureadded value to CO₂ and from water productivity to CO₂ without any feedback. while, a bidirectional causality nexus was detected between energy consumption and CO₂ emission In the long run, however, a feedback causality has been obtained between CO₂ emissions, agriculture added value, water productivity, and energy consumption.

Sustainable water management, smart water systems, and energy transition in the water related activities are highly recommended as priorities towards a NetZero carbon global economic trend.

Soil salinity is one of the major problems that threaten the soils in Jordan, which led to a decrease in the percentage of arable land in Jordan. The phytoremediation process is concerned with the restoration of contaminated soils using tolerant plants, such as halophyte plants. In this context, the potential short-term phytoremediation ability of Panicum Mombasa and Salicornia Europaea was evaluated and measured. A field experiment was conducted over two consecutive years to study the ability of these previous two crops for the phytoremediation of saline soils induced by treated wastewater irrigation. Both crops with bare soil as a control were irrigated together from the effluent of the Ramtha Wastewater Treatment Plant at the same time. Soil electrical conductivity was identified as the main parameter for measuring the plant’s ability for salt absorption. The results for both seasons show a higher accumulation of salts in bare soil significantly as expected since no plants were present to absorb these salts and no leaching requirements were added with irrigation water. The absorption rate for each crop was measured at the 1st season for comparison. It is measured for each crop depending on the length of the growing season. Salicornia’s absorption rate was greater than Panicum, and it reached 36 ppm/day for salicornia, whereas it reached 33 ppm/day for panicum. In the 2nd season, both crops are planted and harvested together. Salt absorbed percentage from the soil under Salicornia was greater than Panicum and it reached 73 % as compared to bare soil. However, in the soils under Panicum, the amount of salts absorbed reached 37 % as compared to bare soil. Plant analysis for both crops shows higher salt ions accumulation in Salicornia tissues than Panicum, and this explains the higher absorption rate for Salicornia than Panicum. Microbiological analysis for Panicum shows some contamination, whereas no contamination occurs in Salicornia. This is explained by the high salinity environment in Salicornia which is not favorable for e-coil, total, and fecal coliform to grow. The obtained Results from this research state that both crops have the ability for phytoremediation, with greater ability for Salicornia.

In this study, we investigate the impact of selected macroeconomic factors on agricultural financing practices in Djibouti. Therefore, the objective of this study is to understand how these factors influence the accessibility, distribution, and effectiveness of financial resources within the agricultural sector. To achieve this objective, we employed Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and Wavelet Coherence Analysis on an annual dataset covering a span of 25 years, ranging from 1998 to 2022. The findings reveal that factors such as inflation, diminishing rural population, economic growth, and the institutional framework of the country exert negative pressures on the availability of funding for agriculture. However, amidst these challenges, we find that official development assistance serves as a positive mitigating factor, offering crucial support to the agricultural sector. These findings hold significant implications for policymakers in Djibouti by providing valuable insights into how to develop targeted interventions to support farmers, increase access to credit, and improve agricultural productivity, as it lays the foundation for investments in food security, technology adoption, and climate-resilient practices.

The escalating expansion of saline soils in arid and semi-arid regions presents a significant challenge to agricultural sustainability. In light of the widespread water scarcity, there has been a growing demand for innovative technologies aimed reducing water during the leaching of saline soils. This study explores the application of acoustic vibrations, particularly utilizing a seismic vibrator SV 10/100, to improve the efficiency of soil desalination. The mechanism of action of acoustic vibrations is explained by the formation of a vortex flow around soil particles oscillating within a defined amplitude and frequency range, thereby enhancing the dissolution of salts. This study specifically targets soda solonetz-solonchak soils with diverse mechanical compositions, situated in the Ararat plain of Armenia. Field experiments utilizing the lysimetric method were conducted in 2016. The primary aim was to determine optimal parameters of acoustic oscillations to expedite desalination process while assessing their impact on soil physical properties during leaching. Findings revealed that higher oscillation amplitudes (ranging from 4 to 7 mm) at frequencies of 10–70 Hz, within a 100-meter radius or 3.14-hectare area were watched. Specifically, oscillations at frequencies of 30–50 Hz for 1.0–1.5 h per leaching water portion (2500 m³/ha) effectively reduced the required leaching water volume and duration by 2 times when applied during soil leaching following acidification. It is important to note that the soil properties after leaching remained in the optimal ranges for the region (soil density 1.2–1.3 g/cm³, hydraulic conductivity 10–20 cm/day). Overall, this research underscores the efficacy of acoustic oscillations in expediting reclamation processes, reducing leaching water requirements, enhancing soil fertility, and facilitating integration into agricultural cycle. Therefore, the newly proposed method of utilizing acoustic vibrations shows potential for efficiently leaching saline soils.

Fluoride is an essential element in preventing tooth decay, but excessive consumption can be harmful to health. There are various sources of fluoride exposure, including oral intake from water, tea, dates, toothpaste, and green vegetables; however, the extent of exposure varies among different groups in the population. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the consumption of these sources to avoid the risk of excessive fluoride intake. Our study, analyzing 33 varieties of root, fruit, tuber, and leaf vegetables produced in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region of Morocco, should be aiming to understand fluoride accumulation in vegetables, classify different varieties based on their fluoride content, and assess the risks associated with high fluoride exposure through vegetable consumption. The results revealed fluoride levels ranging from 2.3 to 36.2 mg/kg for leaves of consumable plants, 0.17 to 13.2 mg/kg for leafy vegetables, 0 to 5.19 mg/kg for fruit vegetables, 1.45 to 3.66 mg/kg for tuber vegetables, 1.62 to 8.33 mg/kg for bulb vegetables, and 0.85 to 3.40 mg/kg for root vegetables. This study emphasizes the significance of understanding fluoride concentrations in vegetables. It suggests classifying different varieties based on their fluoride content to prevent the risks associated with excessive fluoride exposure from consuming these vegetables. High fluoride exposure through vegetables can result in various health problems, including dental, skeletal, and other types of fluorosis.

Integrated agricultural systems (IAS) present a potent solution to address global food shortages by integrating crops, livestock, and forests in a rotational or sequential manner on a single piece of land. This study aims to explore current advances in IAS and their impacts on soil quality improvement. The study also shows the ability of IAS to enhance soil carbon sequestration and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to the monoculture systems, the combined production of crops, livestock and forest can improve soil quality attributes including physical properties (aggregate stability, water infiltration, pore distribution and soil water storage), chemical properties (exchangeable bases, base saturation, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium), and biological properties (microbial community and biochemical activities). The enhancement of soil quality due to the adoption of IAS can reduce the dependency on inorganic fertilizer application for increasing global food production. Furthermore, the diverse components in IAS can be harnessed to improve environmental protection by increasing soil carbon storage while limiting the emissions of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Therefore, the adoption of IAS offers the opportunity to sustainably manage soil environment while increasing food production.