Food and Energy Security最新文献

Yellow rust disease caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is one of the major threats to wheat production in Ethiopia. In this paper, the impact of yellow rust on the physical qualities of bread wheat was studied. For this purpose, combinations of four bread wheat varieties (Digalu, Hidase, Danda'a, and Honkolo) and two fungicides (Nativo SC 300 and Tilt® 250E.C.) were tested at two different hotspot areas (Albazar and Alicho) in the Silte Zone, Southern Ethiopia, under natural epidemics of the disease during the 2018 growing season. A randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with three replications was used to set up the experiment. A significant (p < .01) increase in hectoliters weight and wet gluten content were observed due to the application of Nativo SC 300; however, grain protein content did not respond significantly (p > .01) at both locations. Wheat varieties with high yellow rust severity exhibited maximum values of area under the disease progress curve and physical quality loss percentage (%). The highly susceptible wheat variety Digalu exhibited the highest values of hectoliter weight losses (%), and the actual losses ranged from 5.5% to 29.5%. Except for grain protein content, there was a significant negative correlation between the values of terminal rust severity, average coefficient infection, and area under the disease progress curve and that of hectoliters weight and wet gluten content, with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.85** to −0.33**. It is possible to improve the physiochemical properties of bread wheat through the application of foliar fungicides by selecting the appropriate genotypes that have an acceptable level of resistance to yellow rust.

Agroforestry in Nepal is a multifaceted and sustainable approach that harmonizes agricultural, environmental, and socioeconomic goals. This study conducted a comprehensive review of agroforestry systems in Nepal, emphasizing their impact on food security, rural livelihoods, and environmental sustainability. By bridging research gaps and highlighting environmental advantages, it provides valuable insights for evidence-based policymaking, making it a significant resource for Nepal and beyond. The study employed a comprehensive desktop review methodology using a PRISMA Flow Diagram for data collection and utilized academic databases to include literature related to agroforestry practices, their impacts, and associated socioeconomic and environmental aspects. Agroforestry systems in Nepal offer a comprehensive approach to sustainable agriculture, economic empowerment, and environmental conservation while enhancing resilience to climate change. While these systems provide multiple benefits, including enhanced soil quality and increased carbon sequestration, they also face challenges related to technical knowledge and market access. To fully harness the potential of agroforestry and address food (SDG 2), and energy security, and land degradation, bridging the gap between researchers and farmers, promoting information dissemination, and establishing support mechanisms are essential. Aligning with government strategies and international initiatives can pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous future for Nepal's rural communities and environment.

In Senegal, agriculture is an important sector underpinning the socioeconomic fabric of the populace. Notably, the agricultural production in this region exhibits heightened sensitivity to climatic perturbations, particularly droughts and heat waves. This study aims to determine the resilience of different agronomic interventions for farmers practicing mixed farming that produce both crops (i.e., groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.)) and raise animals in the Groundnut Basin in Senegal, which holds historical and socioeconomic significance. To understand the current situation regarding demographics, economics, consumption behavior, and farm operations for smallholder farmers, data were comprehensively collected from government and nongovernment organizations (NGO) reports, scientific papers, organization databases, and surveys. Additionally, the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) was used to understand how combinations of three planting dates, three plant densities, and six urea nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates affected the yield of pearl millet, which were used as the alternative scenarios to the baseline in the farm modeling and analyses. All the collected and generated data were used as inputs into the Farm Simulation Model (FARMSIM) to generate economic, nutritional, and risk data associated with mixed farming systems. The generated data were then used to determine the resilience of the alternative scenarios against the baseline. Initially, a multi-objective optimization was employed to meet nutritional needs while maintaining a healthy diet at the lowest cost. Then, the scenarios that met the population's nutritional requirements were evaluated based on four economic indicators: net cash farm income (NCFI), ending cash reserves (EC), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). Lastly, those that passed the economic feasibility test were ranked based on risk criteria certainty equivalent (CE) and risk premium (RP). The analyses found N fertilizer rates of 0, 20, and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ were generally economically not feasible. Additionally, medium (early-July to late-August) and late (late-July to mid-September) planting dates generally performed better than early (early-June to late-July) planting dates, while plant densities of 3.3 and 6.6 pL m⁻² performed better than 1.1. The robust resilience approach introduced in this study is easily transferable to other regions.

Rapeseed meal, a nutritious organic fertilizer (OF), contributes to improving soil environment and crop productivity. However, there are also problems, namely slow fertilizer efficiency and low nutrient utilization during the growing season. This 2-year field trial was conducted to explore the effect of biochar addition on improving the nutrient availability of OF through a comparative study of various biochar application rates under rice-rapeseed rotation conditions. The findings revealed that, compared to the individual application of chemical fertilizers (CF), OF alone decreased rice yield (2%/2%) and rapeseed yield (6%/10%) in 2019/2020. Compared with OF, combining biochar (15 t ha⁻¹) with OF (OF + B15) significantly increased rice yield (17%/10%) and rapeseed yield (25%/20%) in the first/second year. Additionally, OF + B15 still increased rice yield (14%/7%) and rapeseed yield (12%/13%) for two consecutive years compared to CF. The co-application of biochar and OF had positive impacts on soil physicochemical properties and enzymes. Compared to OF, OF + B15 elevated soil organic carbon (SOC) by 57%–81%, soil catalase 19%, invertase 14%–20%, urease 17%–19%, and phosphatase 13%–17% during rice season, and similarly increased SOC by 77%–90%, soil catalase 14%–16%, invertase 14%–20%, urease 18%–24%, and phosphatase 16%–17% in rapeseed season. Biochar addition improved soil conditions and enzymatic activities, and the available nutrient supply of OF. Also, the co-application of biochar and rapeseed meal surpassed the effect of chemical fertilizer alone on the growth and yield of crops. Therefore, biochar coupling with organic fertilizer is an effective fertilization strategy based on resource recycling, which promotes both crop yield and sustainable agriculture.

Lateral roots, including adventitious roots, are the main component of rapeseed roots with support, absorb, and synthesis functions and their morphological parameters directly affecting the plant's aboveground growth and yield. Root biomass, as a material base for lateral root growth, can be used as a link between plant phenotypes and their physiological processes, as well as to enhance root 3D growth model mechanisms and accuracy. To quantify the relationships between lateral root morphological indices and the corresponding organ biomass for rapeseed, we used two cultivars, NY 22 (conventional) and NZ 1818 (hybrid), and conducted cultivar and fertilizing cylindrical tube experiments during the 2016–2019, with two fertilizer levels, no fertilizer, and 180 kg N ha⁻¹ fertilizer. The lateral root biomass and morphological parameters were determined during the whole growth period. The biomass-based lateral root morphological parameter models were developed by analyzing the quantitative relationship between the lateral root morphological indices and their corresponding biomass, and the descriptive models were verified with independent experimental data. The results showed that the correlation (r) of simulated and observed values for the lateral root morphological parameters are all greater than 0.9 with significant levels at p < 0.001. The absolute values of the average absolute difference (d_a) of simulated and observed values for the lateral root length (L_LR), lateral root average diameter (AD_LR), lateral root surface area (SA_LR), and lateral root volume (V_LR) are −30.408 cm, −0.003 mm, 12.902 cm², and 0.039 cm³, respectively. The RMSE values are 175.183 cm, 0.010 mm, 59.710 cm², and 1.513 cm³, respectively. The ratio of d_a to the average observed values (d_ap) for the L_LR and V_LR are all less than 5%, and the AD_LR and SA_LR are all <6%. The models developed in this paper have good performance and reliability for predicting lateral root morphological parameters of rapeseed. The study provides a mechanistic method for linking the rapeseed growth model with the morphological model using corresponding organic biomass and laying a good foundation for establishing a 3D morphological model for rapeseed root system based on biomass.

The Longnan goat (LN) is a local breed discovered during the third census of China's livestock and poultry genetic resources. In order to thoroughly comprehend the population traits, this research examined a total of 70 animals from three different goat populations, namely the LN goat, Nanjiang Brown goat (NJ), and Boer goat (Boer). Specific-Locus Amplified Fragment Sequencing was employed to analyze genetic diversity, population structure, and selective sweep patterns. Additionally, individual DNA fingerprints were generated to provide detailed genetic profiles for each subject. A total of 643,868 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected, with a majority located in intergenic and intronic regions. Genetic diversity analysis uncovered lower diversity within the LN population compared to the other two populations. The analysis of population structure unveiled significant genetic distance between LN and both NJ and Boer populations, with distinct clustering patterns observed. Moreover, genetic differentiation coefficients (F_ST) of 0.1019 and 0.0854 were determined between LN and Boer, as well as LN and NJ, respectively, indicating substantial genetic differentiation. Selective sweep analysis, combining F_ST and π ratio, identified several genes associated with growth and development, reproduction, hair color, and immunity that may serve as valuable candidates for marker-assisted breeding. Furthermore, identification of 47,541 runs of homozygosity (ROHs) revealed non-uniform distribution across chromosomes, with the highest frequency on chromosome 1 and the lowest on chromosome 27. Correlations between different inbreeding coefficients varied, with the highest observed between F_HOM and F_GRM, and the lowest between F_{ROH >1.5Mb} and F_{ROH <500kb}. A total of 46 candidate genes were annotated within high-frequency ROH islands, primarily associated with biological processes such as reproduction, growth and development, and immunity. Finally, a DNA fingerprint, consisting of 371 highly polymorphic SNPs, was generated and presented in the form of a two-dimensional code for convenient access. Based on the population structure analysis, LN goats have been found to have a distant genetic distance and a higher degree of differentiation from both the Boer and NJ populations. Evaluation of genetic diversity parameters and ROH analysis indicates that the LN population exhibits lower genetic diversity and shows signs of inbreeding. Our findings offer theoretical support for the identification of genetic resources within this population.

The cover image is based on the Review Article Building a better Mungbean: Breeding for reproductive resilience in a changing climate by Shanice Van Haeften et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.467. Image Credit: Megan Pope

Due to global climate change, heat stress is increasingly harming the growth, development, overall biomass, and grain yield of numerous crops. Heat stress impairs pollen development and thus reduces seed set in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench; however, the effects of heat stress on anther development at specific stages and tiller formation remain incompletely understood. Here we report that exposure to heat stress [42°C/32°C (day/night)] at pollen mother cell (PMC) and booting stages profoundly disrupts tapetum and pollen development, resulting in a significant decrease in grain yield in sorghum. Sorghum plants subjected to 9 days or less of heat stress at the PMC stage exhibited normal pollen viability, but 12 days of heat stress caused almost complete loss of grain yield and the formation of nonviable pollen grains. Similarly, sorghum plants that were heat-stressed for 3 days at the booting stage produced few seeds. Further analysis revealed that aberrant tapetum and pollen development contributed to the sterility of pollen in these heat-stressed plants. Notably, in addition to inhibiting plant height, a 12-day heat stress at the PMC stage promoted the formation of basal tillers, whereas a 3-day heat stress at the booting stage stimulated the formation of apical tillers, which helped salvage seed yield under heat stress conditions. Moreover, the application of exogenous auxin promoted the formation of apical tillers and leaf numbers per apical tiller. Collectively, our findings suggest that sorghum is susceptible to heat stress during both early and late anther development, and auxin might be involved in governing the formation of apical tillers.