ACS agricultural science & technology最新文献

To reduce pesticide exposure to nontarget organisms in the United States (US), mitigations are being proposed a priori for regulatory compliance. Consequently, agricultural best management practices (BMPs) for pesticide runoff, proposed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangered Species Act (ESA) workplan [USEPA. ESA Workplan Update: Nontarget Species Mitigation for RegistrationReview and Other FIFRA Actions, 2022. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-11/esa-workplan-update.pdf (accessed Feb, 2023)], were inventoried and their feasibility was evaluated. For mitigation “menus” to be successful, they must be comprehensive and include options for a variety of environmental conditions. Based on this inventory, the most adopted practices by landowners were soil cover and erosion control practices due to their widespread applicability to most cropland. In contrast, the least adopted practices were water management and vegetative buffer practices due to increased costs and land requirements. This work can support the refinement of the pesticide risk assessment process, including future mitigation options, and assist landowners in selecting the most feasible BMPs for their individual operation in compliance with the ESA.

The only commercially relevant source for natural rubber (NR) is the Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis. The need to find new sources of NR is increasing rapidly due to challenges from climate change and environmental impacts. NR from Taraxacum kok-saghyz (TKS) is a promising alternative. To compete with the pricing of NR from the rubber tree, an economically viable extraction system with a high output of NR is needed. The mechanisms involved in the separation of rubber from other plant constituents and potential rubber agglomeration during mechanical extraction processes are described through experimental results but not as extraction models. To analyze these mechanisms, two different wet-mill extraction system setups are investigated in this study: single-stage extraction and two-stage extraction with premilling. Two extraction models for mechanical rubber extraction mechanisms are identified and described: (i) the Model of Rolling Shear Mechanism with mild extraction behavior and rubber agglomeration, and (ii) the Model of Abrasion Shear Mechanism, which limits the rubber yield and promotes fast rubber agglomeration. The insights into the mechanisms are described and discussed through sieve analysis, rubber yield, dirt content, microscopic analyses, and viscoelastic analyses of the extracted rubber.

This study examines microplastics (MPs) for the first time in the soil of Diamond City, Surat (Gujarat, India) in terms of their abundance, distribution, chemical composition, and ecological risk assessment. A stereomicroscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to measure the physical and chemical properties of the MPs. The outcome showed the omnipresence of MPs in Surat city’s soil, with an average abundance of 103.2 ± 57.28 particles 100 g^–1. Over 90% of all MPs were made of polyethylene (70.19%), polypropylene (17.53%), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (6.92%) polymers. The white/transparent-colored MPs having a size of about 2–5 mm are predominantly available. The principal component analysis (PCA) results indicate that the discovered MPs in the soil samples are mostly represented by fragments and fibers, which account for 52.90% of the total variance in the data set. Additionally, in the current research, the ecological risk assessment of MPs in soil, the pollution load index (PLI), the polymer hazard index (PHI), and the ecological risk index (ERI) of MPs were studied. The PLI values greater than 1 were observed, indicating that all sampling sites were polluted with MPs. Based on the abundance, type of polymer, and toxicity of MPs found in the soil sample, an evaluation concluded that there is a moderate to medium ecological risk associated with MPs polluting the city soil. The greatest PHI value in this study is 239.69 (risk category: medium), while the lowest PHI value is 8.69 (risk category: low). The greenness profile of the method was assessed using the software-based analytical greenness metric (AGREE) tool. The developed approach is partially green, as shown by an AGREE metric score of 0.53. The present investigations emphasize the critical importance of taking action in metropolitan areas such as Surat to mitigate MP pollution and improve waste management practices for a greener and cleaner ecosystem in the future. These findings will inspire the creation of ecofriendly alternatives crucial for reducing plastic consumption, safeguarding ecosystems, and mitigating MPs’ impact on the soil quality.

To protect the environment, pesticides often require mitigation measures to reduce losses via runoff, erosion, spray drift, and other routes of transport. Although many mitigation measures are generally effective at reducing pesticide losses from treated areas, it is often unknown whether they provide the desired protection level for the environment including threatened and endangered (“listed”) species. In this paper, we use the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender model (APEX) to quantify reductions in pesticide losses via runoff and erosion for common mitigation measures. These measures are currently being considered for the protection of listed species in the United States (i.e., vegetative buffers, contour cropping, planting of cover crops, and no-till practices). Analyses were conducted for two pesticides, atrazine and pendimethalin, for each of the two crop groups, corn, and vegetables/ground fruits. Separate analyses were conducted for different hydrologic regions, in which these crops are grown in the United States. Our results indicate that the effectiveness of the runoff mitigation measures, whether singly or in combination, varies with pesticide, crop, and region. We also found that there are diminishing returns as more mitigations are added to the analysis. Such factors need to be considered when developing suites of potential mandatory pesticide mitigations (i.e., pick lists) for the protection of threatened and endangered species in the United States.

Conservation biology aims to prevent the decline in biodiversity by reducing the factors that cause it. One way to achieve this is by producing economically valuable orchids in high quantities, allowing humans to rely less on natural populations. In the study, Serapias orientalis seeds were successfully germinated using symbiotic methods and transplanted into a natural field. After 18 months, the plants began to flower, marking the first successful production of S. orientalis in a natural environment. The researchers then analyzed the fatty acid and chemical contents of the leaves and flowers using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, identifying 28 fatty acids and 19 other substances. The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic acid (21.72%), palmitic acid (20.22%), allylinolenic acid (16.87%), oleic acid (8.67%), and stearic acid (6.13%). Major compounds identified in the methanol extract included hydroxyacetic acid hydrazide (7.38%), semicarbazide hydrochloride (5.06%), dl-glyceraldehyde (5.42%), pentacosane (39.85%), and cholesterol (13.05%). These findings offer a new method for conserving S. orientalis and highlight the potential use of these plants in food, medical, and industrial applications due to their high concentration of bioactive compounds.

Lupins (Lupinus spp.) are legumes with high relevance for the sustainability of agricultural systems as they improve the soil quality, namely, through the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, and have good adaptability to different climates and soil conditions. Besides, they possess high nutritive value, especially due to the high protein content of the seeds. Nevertheless, the plants’ productivity and metabolism can be influenced by the genotype, the edaphoclimatic conditions, and the sowing practices. In this work, the effect of edaphoclimatic conditions and sowing dates on the productivity, nutritional factors, and alkaloids of the seeds of L. albus cv. Estoril, L. angustifolius cv. Tango, and L. luteus cv. Cardiga was evaluated. High variability in the seeds and protein productions, nutritional traits, and alkaloid content related to the species was observed, along with a significant effect of the location. Lupinus albus cv. Estoril showed a good compromise between productivity and low alkaloid content, being an interesting genotype for food and feed use in the conditions of this trial.

This manuscript presents a multiomics investigation into the metabolic and proteomic responses of wheat to molybdenum (Mo)- and copper (Cu)-based engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) exposure via root and leaf application methods. Wheat plants underwent a four-week growth period with a 16 h photoperiod (light intensity set at 150 μmol·m^–2·s^–1), at 22 °C and 60% humidity. Six distinct treatments were applied, including control conditions alongside exposure to Mo- and Cu-based ENMs through both root and leaf routes. The exposure dosage amounted to 6.25 mg of the respective element per plant. An additional treatment with a lower dose (0.6 mg Mo/plant) of Mo ENM exclusively through the root system was introduced upon the detection of phytotoxicity. Utilizing LC–MS/MS analysis, 82 metabolites across various classes and 24 proteins were assessed in different plant tissues (roots, stems, leaves) under diverse treatments. The investigation identified 58 responsive metabolites and 19 responsive proteins for Cu treatments, 71 responsive metabolites, and 24 responsive proteins for Mo treatments, mostly through leaf exposure for Cu and root exposure for Mo. Distinct tissue-specific preferences for metabolite accumulation were revealed, highlighting the prevalence of organic acids and fatty acids in stem or root tissues, while sugars and amino acids were abundant in leaves, mirroring their roles in energy storage and photosynthesis. Joint-pathway analysis was conducted and unveiled 23 perturbed pathways across treatments. Among these, Mo exposure via roots impacted all identified pathways, whereas exposure via leaf affected 15 pathways, underscoring the reliance on exposure route of metabolic and proteomic responses. The coordinated response observed in protein and metabolite concentrations, particularly in amino acids, highlighted a dynamic and interconnected proteomic-to-metabolic-to-proteomic relationship. Furthermore, the contrasting expression patterns observed in glutamate dehydrogenase (upregulation at 1.38 ≤ FC ≤ 1.63 with high Mo dose, and downregulation at 0.13 ≤ FC ≤ 0.54 with low Mo dose) and its consequential impact on glutamine expression (7.67 ≤ FC ≤ 39.60 with high Mo dose and 1.50 ≤ FC ≤ 1.95 with low Mo dose) following Mo root exposure highlighted dose-dependent regulatory trends influencing proteins and metabolites. These findings offer a multidimensional understanding of plant responses to ENMs exposure, guiding agricultural practices and environmental safety protocols while advancing knowledge on nanomaterial impacts on plant biology.

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) is an analytical technique employed to determine the elemental composition of diverse materials. Due to its nondestructive nature and direct analysis that requires little or no sample preparation, it has been particularly useful for investigating the mineral composition of plants and soil. However, commercially available XRF benchtop equipment often restricts this type of experiment in plant science due to the volume of the sample chamber and the source–detector geometry. To overcome this problem, we developed an XRF setup that prioritizes in vivo-based experiments. The equipment is equipped with a 4 W Ag X-ray tube and a silicon drift detector. The detection limits are comparable to those of commercial instruments and suitable for evaluating plant tissues. Finally, a case study using tomato plants as a model species and rubidium (Rb⁺) and strontium (Sr²⁺) as tracers for potassium (K⁺) and calcium (Ca²⁺), respectively, demonstrated their feasibility for long-term in vivo analysis. Therefore, the present XRF system stands out as a viable and cost-effective tool for assessing the absorption and transport of minerals in plant tissues probed by time-resolved in vivo X-ray spectroscopy.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease within the Citrus industry. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is one of the most prevalent HLB-associated strains that has not been cultured in vitro. To ensure the accuracy and comparability of the molecular diagnostic method for HLB detection, certified reference materials urgently need to be developed for CLas detection. Here, we developed a series of DNA reference materials of CLas using 16S rDNA as the target gene and the SAND gene as the Citrus reference gene. The 16S rDNA gene fragment cloned by the NCBI sequence and Citrus DNA extracted by healthy Citrus leaves are thoroughly mixed for preparation. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used as an accurate quantification method for 16S rDNA, and the SAND was established and optimized through this study. Nine laboratories collaborated in determining these two parameters, and the homogeneity and stability were adequate. The quantification results demonstrated that the copy number certified values and expanded uncertainty of 16S rDNA and SAND in the high-concentration reference material were (3.86 ± 0.34) × 10³ and (4.43 ± 0.39) × 10³ cp/μL, respectively. The copy number certified values and expanded uncertainty of 16S rDNA and SAND in the low-concentration reference material were (3.98 ± 0.36) × 10² and (4.34 ± 0.37) × 10³ cp/μL, respectively. In addition, this certified reference material will provide reliable quality control for detecting CLas.