Agricultural Research最新文献

Climate change poses a threat to global food security by significantly affecting agricultural products, both directly and indirectly. This study aims to assess the impact of climate change on the climate suitability of 61 pollinator-dependent crops worldwide under different climate change scenarios. Utilizing species distribution models (SDMs), we predicted climate suitability maps for these crops in the present and projected conditions for 2070. Our findings indicate that under the most pessimistic climate change scenario in 2070 (SSP585), 16, 31, 34, 29, 29, and 31 crops in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, respectively, may experience a decrease in their suitable habitats. On average, crops in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America are expected to see a decrease of − 14.5%, − 11.2%, − 26.2%, − 4.7%, 5.5%, and − 14.4% in their suitability by 2070. Regional variations in the effects of climate change on crops highlight the vulnerability of certain areas, particularly Australia, where a substantial number of crops face a decline in suitable habitats. Conversely, North America may witness an increase in the distribution of specific products. Urgent action is needed to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including the development of more resilient crop varieties and improvements in agricultural practices, especially for highly vulnerable pollinator-dependent crops in Asia and Africa.

In arid and semiarid regions, animal production faces challenges like insufficient rainfall and limited land for fodder crops, leading to feed shortages. This study assessed the effects of cereal/legume combinations and harvesting times on the yield and nutrition of barley, triticale, and fodder pea in hydroponic systems. Our findings have unveiled the superior forage production and enhanced nutrient improvements associated with cereal/legume mixtures. For instance, the combination of barley and fodder peas resulted in the production of 5.55–8.5 kg of hydroponic forage per kilogram of dry seeds within a growth period of 7–10 days, compared to 4.7–5.9 kg of green forage per kilogram of barley dry seeds. These mixtures exhibited significantly higher levels of crude protein compared to cereal monocultures (barley and triticale). On day seven of growth, cereal/legume mixtures had very high dry matter values (22.20% for barley/fodder pea) compared to cereal monocultures (19.6% for barley). There were significant differences among dates of harvesting and yield-related components of all crops. Cereal/legume mixtures, particularly barley and fodder peas, significantly outperformed cereal monocultures in both yield and nutrition. On day seven, the barley/fodder pea mixture had a dry matter value of 22.20%, versus 19.6% for barley alone. Harvesting 7 days post-sowing offers optimal forage growth and nutritional value. After 10 days, there is a notable decline in protein and dry matter yield.

The escalating global demand for fruits has led to a surge in fruit production, resulting in significant fruit waste, particularly peels. The present study aims to investigate the nutrient content, proteolytic activity, phytochemical levels, vitamin C and antioxidant properties of five perennial fruits, namely Carica papaya (papaya), Selenicereus costaricensis (Red dragon fruit), Ananas comosus (Pineapple), Musa acuminata (Cavendish banana), Punica granatum (Pomegranate) peels of varying ripening stages. Accordingly, two ripening stages for pomegranate, papaya and dragon fruit (PoR1 and PoR2; PaR1 and PaR2; DR1 and DR2, respectively) and three stages for banana and pineapple (BR1, BR2 and BR3; PiR1, PiR2 and PiR3, respectively) were identified based on ethylene gas emission. The elemental analysis showed that fruit peels of Pineapple (PiR3), Banana (BR2), Papaya (PaR2), and Dragon fruit (DR2) showed significantly higher content of macro and micro-elements compared to the other ripening stages. Pomegranate peels exhibited the highest proteolytic activity (5.09 ± 0.98 units g⁻¹), total phenolics (246.09 ± 0.25 mg g⁻¹), total flavonoids (158.27 ± 1.72 mg g⁻¹), tannins (103.94 ± 0.09 mg g⁻¹), DPPH scavenging activity (129.43 ± 1.34%), and antioxidant activity (127.14 ± 1.35 mg g⁻¹ by phosphomolybdate assay). A. comosus peels had the greatest vitamin C levels (95.53 ± 3.52 mg g⁻¹). Anti-nutrient analysis revealed safe levels of oxalates, phytates, and alkaloids, except for high oxalate levels in pomegranate peels. Notably, all parameters exhibited an increasing trend with ripening stages, with a decline during senescence in Banana (BR3) and Pomegranate peel (PoR2). This knowledge of fruit peel composition can enhance their utilization by humans, pharmaceutical and food industries, while also contributing to more effective waste management. Our study addresses the pressing need for sustainable fruit peel utilization in the context of escalating fruit production and waste.

The present study was carried out with eighteen Murrah buffalo calves of average age (8.7 ± 0.86 months) and body weight (125 ± 9.67 kg) were selected and divided into 3 groups of 6 animals each fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (T1), 5 (T2) and 10 (T3) ppm Ni and feeding trial lasted for 120 days. Supplementation of nickel up to 10 ppm did not show any significant effect (P > 0.05) on intake, excretion, absorption and retention patterns of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and manganese and their levels in plasma. However, the retention of Ni and its level in plasma were increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the level of nickel in their diet and it was the highest in T3 group. The retention of iron was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in T3 and T2 groups than T1 group. Furthermore, plasma levels of Fe were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in T3 group compared with T1 group. The selected hematobiochemical parameters, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity and plasma IGF-1 levels were comparable (P > 0.05) among the groups. However, hemoglobin, red blood cell, hematocrits, plasma glucose and catalase activity were significantly higher (P < 0.05); while, total cholesterol and cortisol levels lowered (P < 0.05) in group T3 as compared to T1 and T2 groups. Thus, it may be concluded that feeding Murrah buffalo calves a diet supplemented with 10 ppm of nickel had no determinantal effects on hematobiochemical parameters or minerals utilization. Additionally, it positively influenced nickel and iron balance, improved the physiological condition and health status by enhancing catalase activity, plasma glucose and hematology parameters, and lowered stress hormone and serum total cholesterol.

This systematic review undertook an examination of agricultural innovations in the Philippines spanning from 2018 to 2023. The objective was to provide a comprehensive categorization, analyze adoption trends, and offer recommendations to optimize research priorities. A methodical approach involving literature search, screening, and quantitative analysis facilitated an organized investigation into various innovation types, contributors, applications, and geographical contexts. The findings indicated that image analysis and sustainable farming systems held the highest shares within the innovation categories, comprising 26% and 23%, respectively. These segments showcased cutting-edge techniques along with a commitment to environmental stewardship. Notably, rice-centric innovations dominated at 33.33%, underscoring the underrepresentation of high-value crops, livestock, and remote farming sectors. However, a geographical bias was evident, with 69.23% of studies concentrating solely on Luzon regions, particularly in central and northern areas. This revealed a need to acknowledge the agricultural potential present in Visayas and Mindanao, emphasizing the necessity for increased research emphasis in these regions. Furthermore, the study unveiled a fragmented landscape in research contributions, with the majority of contributors representing less than a 5% share each. This fragmentation suggests a lack of cross-institutional partnerships, hindering a holistic and collaborative approach to agricultural innovation. Critical gaps in innovation prioritization and adoption levels were identified, particularly in sustainable practices, precision technologies, non-cereal commodities, and geographically disadvantaged communities. Addressing these gaps requires significant institutional support through modernization policies and localized capacity building programs, ideally facilitated by industry-academia partnerships. In conclusion, the establishment of unified innovation transfer conduits is essential to expedite the transition of solutions from proofs of concept to farmer-ready tools, ensuring a targeted approach that caters to regional needs.

We attempted for the first time to transfer genetic male sterile (GMS) ms10 gene from the donor parent MS-12, popular GMS line in India, into the genetic background of six heat-tolerant bell pepper inbreds to develop new GMS lines. In this project, recurrent parent phenome (RPP) recovery was analyzed in each generations of backcrossing using economic phenotypic markers. Phenotypic background analysis revealed that the extent of RPP recovery ranged from 43.59% (MSSM-1) to 66.26% (MSSM-21) and 70.89% (MSSM-17) to 92.09% (MSSM-21) for fruit weight, from 19.0% (MSSM-21) to 55.14% (MSSM-3) and 61.0% (MSSM-21) to 98.75% (MSSM-1) for number of lobes fruit⁻¹, from 55.77% (MSSM-17) to 94.25% (MSSM-2) and 69.83% (MSSM-17) to 98.26% (MSSM-3) for total fruit yield plant⁻¹ in BC₁F₁ and BC₂F₁ populations, respectively. Based on a paired 't' test analysis of the BC₂F₁ population, out of six, MSSM-1 and MSSM-2 generation showed non-significant differences for all 19 traits examined followed by MSSM-3 (18), indicating a successful recovery of recipient phenome after successful introgression of ms10 gene. The chi-square test results of all the BC₂F₂ generations showed that the ratio well fitted to the Mendelian ratio, i.e., 3:1, validated the non-discriminated segregation of the male sterility trait possessing ms10 gene. The GMS phenotype (ms10ms10) was maintained by backcrossing it with the MF heterozygote (Ms10ms10) plant. The GMS lines developed from this project will be utilized in bell pepper breeding programs aimed to identify the best cross combination for their cultivation under north-Indian plains.

The impact of seed priming treatment using biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles from (Coriandrum sativum L.) leaves on seed germination and seedling vigour parameters in green gram was assessed at the Seed Centre, TNAU, Coimbatore, from 2020 to 2021. The green gram seeds were primed with various concentrations of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), namely, 100 mg/lit, 200 mg/lit, 300 mg/lit, 400 mg/lit, 500 mg/lit, and 600 mg/lit, for 3 h. Regardless of the concentration, the ZnO NPs-primed seeds exhibited a significant positive effect on seed germination, seedling vigour, and dry matter production compared to unprimed control and hydro-primed seeds. Seed priming with ZnO NPs at a concentration of 500 mg/lit resulted in an enhanced water imbibition rate in seeds (25.8%), which promoted the synthesis of the hydrolytic enzyme α-amylase (14.73 mg maltose min⁻¹) and the respiratory enzyme dehydrogenase (0.312 units g⁻¹). The ZnO NPs-primed seeds at 500 mg/lit also demonstrated a pronounced effect on antioxidant enzyme activity, including catalase (2138 units g⁻¹), peroxidase (0.342 mg g⁻¹ min⁻¹), superoxide dismutase (2.86 mg protein⁻¹ min⁻¹), and reduced lipid peroxidation value (0.105 units g⁻¹) compared to hydro-primed and control seeds. The analysis of Zn content confirmed a higher concentration of Zn in the treated seeds, ranging from 52 to 104 ppm, and in growing seedlings from 103 to 357 ppm. These results indicate that ZnO NPs seed priming treatment enhances seed quality parameters by accelerating the hydrolytic enzyme and antioxidant defence system in green gram seeds.

Jute crop holds significant economic importance contributing to environment and ecological balance. In the present study, optical and microwave satellite data was utilized to estimate jute acreage employing three distinct approaches, viz., logical criteria, machine learning and hybrid approach. Harmonized Sentinel-2 optical data products were utilized to generate monthly composite Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), whereas Ground Range Detected Sentinel-1 VH polarization Synthetic Aperture Radar data were used for generating monthly VH composite using median filter. Support Vector Machine (SVM), a machine learning algorithm, was adopted for this study. The EVI and VH multi-temporal profiles over the ground truth points were analysed and the criteria for identifying jute crop pixels were developed for different sowing period, i.e., March and April, during 2020 to 2023. The pre-processing of datasets and SVM was executed on the Google Earth Engine platform. The assessment of the three approaches highlighted variations in their predictive capabilities. Instead of its high classification accuracy (~ 0.80), the logical approach has its limitations in terms of complex sets of criteria and adoptability over larger extent. On the contrary, SVM classifier could develop self-learning criteria, but over-estimated the jute area with lower classification accuracy (Kappa ~ 0.45). The present study proposed a novel approach by coupling machine learning with simple logical criteria to address the limitations, while reserving its advantages. The analysis revealed that the capability of hybrid approaches in estimating the jute acreage was comparable with logical approach, with reduced operational complexities and wider adoptability over larger extent.

This present study explored the effect of dietary metabolizable energy levels combined with isonitrogenous crude protein content on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and myostatin gene expression in indigenous Aseel chickens. A total of 400 Aseel chicks were distributed into five treatment groups each one having eight replicates, totally 40 pens with 10 chicks per pen. Over a span of 15 weeks, five diets were formulated with varying ME levels ranging from 2600 to 3000 kcal ME/kg while maintaining an isonitrogenous CP level of 21%. At the end of the 15-week trial period, the 2900 kcal ME /kg fed group exhibited the greatest body weight gain, with a significant difference of 146.29 g from that of the 3000 kcal ME /kg fed group. There was a noticeable decrease in feed intake as energy levels increased, yet the 2900 kcal ME /kg fed group achieved the best feed efficiency of 3.69. Carcass characteristics such as dressing percentage and carcass weight remained unaffected by the varied energy diets (P > 0.05) in Aseel chickens. Furthermore, compared with the 2800 kcal ME/kg fed diet, the 2900 kcal ME/kg fed led to a 0.53-fold decrease in myostatin gene expression. Additionally, myostatin gene expression was negatively correlated with body weight gain, carcass weight and dressing percentage in Aseel chickens fed different dietary energy levels. In conclusion, a diet with 2900 kcal ME/kg and 21% isonitrogenous crude protein content appears to be optimum for enhancing growth performance in Aseel chickens up to 15 weeks of age, as evidenced by improved body weight gain and feed efficiency.

Avocado is an important fruit tree crop cultivated in more than 80 countries. It is a cross-pollinated species with a protogynous diurnally synchronous dichogamy (PDSD) flowering. Avocados were introduced into India in the early nineteenth century. Recently, the demand for avocados is increasing in the domestic and international markets due to the high nutritive value of the fruit. In India, wide morphological variations are observed in avocados due to the cross-pollinations. The comprehensive information on genetic diversity of Indian avocado is lacking. Understanding the genetic diversity existing in avocados is needed for germplasm conservation and crop improvement. Molecular markers are widely used for genetic characterization of germplasm. However, there are no reports on characterization of Indian avocado accessions using the microsatellite molecular markers. In the current study, the genetic diversity and population structure analysis of Indian avocado germplasm accessions were carried out using the genomic simple sequence repeats (gSSR) and expressed sequence tag (EST)-SSR markers. A high heterozygosity with an average of 0.74 was detected in the avocado accessions by the assayed SSR markers. The 83 avocado accessions were grouped into three major clusters in the genetic diversity analysis. Besides, a total of four subpopulations (K = 4) were identified in the STRUCTURE analysis. This is the first report of comprehensive characterization of Indian avocado accessions using the molecular markers.