Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) has gained increasing global relevance due to its exceptional nutritional value and ability to thrive in diverse and marginal environments. However, despite the expansion of its cultivated area, yields remain suboptimal, often constrained by inadequate agronomic practices. Among the key determinants of productivity, crop structure—shaped by plant density and sowing method—plays a decisive role in resource allocation, competition, and yield formation. This study assessed the effects of four plant densities (8, 10, 15, and 20 plants m⁻²) and three establishment methods (continuous row sowing, hill seeding, and transplanting) on quinoa growth dynamics and yield performance under field conditions at the La Argelia Experimental Station, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Ecuador. A completely randomized factorial design was implemented, with 6 m² plots and 0.5 m row spacing. Both plant density and establishment method significantly influenced most growth and yield traits. Transplanting improved establishment efficiency but delayed physiological maturity, reduced plant height, and decreased aboveground biomass, likely due to post-transplant stress. In contrast, hill seeding at high plant density promoted greater plant height (2.28 m), aboveground biomass (2414 g m⁻²), and grain number (235,415 grains m⁻²). The highest yield (600 g m⁻²) was achieved at 20 plants m⁻², exceeding the lowest density by more than 30%, mainly through increased grain number per unit area and enhanced biomass production. These results underscore the importance of optimizing plant density and establishment method to maximize quinoa productivity and provide practical guidelines for improving resource-use efficiency under Andean growing conditions.

A reasonable supply of water and nitrogen is a key success factor in potato crop production. Excess or deficiency of these two elements has direct negative impacts on final yield and product quality. In arid and semi-arid regions, the adoption of water deficit irrigation strategies at the farm level is now an obligation to overcome water scarcity and optimise crop yields. The use of such deficit irrigation strategies also requires studying their impact on crop nitrogen nutrition and use. This work aims to study the impact of deficit irrigation strategies (DI and PRD) on potato nitrogen nutrition and use under specific climate and soil conditions in Tunisia. To achieve this objective, a two-year field trial was set up in 2021 and 2022. The experimental protocol is a complete randomised block design with three irrigation regimes: 1- Full Irrigation (FI) receiving 100% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 2- Deficit Irrigation (DI₇₅) with 75% of the ETc, and 3- Partial Root Zone Drying (PRD₅₀) with 50% of the ETc. Our results showed that the PRD₅₀ slightly decreased potato yield, but not significantly compared to FI and DI₇₅. SPAD-502 values were lower with the PRD regime than with FI and DI75 at 72 and 83 DAP, but the differences were not statistically significant. The total nitrogen content of the plant was significantly affected by the irrigation regime at 70 and 100 DAP. FI had the highest N content, followed by PRD₅₀ and DI₇₅. The Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI) was also significantly affected by the irrigation regime, with the FI treatment yielding the highest values, while DI₇₅ and PRD₅₀ induced nitrogen stress at 100 DAP. NUE decreased slightly with the PRD₅₀ regime, but not significantly, while PRD50 and DI75 significantly increased IWUE compared to FI.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, development, and productivity of Argental asparagus plants cultivated using ridge-free technology under drip irrigation in the conditions of the Left Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, under various mineral nutrition systems.

Within the framework of this research, the effectiveness of different fertilization systems was assessed on an eighth-year asparagus plantation: organic (manure), mineral (NPK fertigation), and combined (manure + microbial preparations + complex fertilizers). After the harvest and vegetation season, soil samples were collected and analyzed in laboratory conditions.

The highest concentrations of nitrate nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable potassium were recorded in variant D4 (combined fertilization): 122.5 mg/kg NO₃, 1687.5 mg/kg P₂O₅, and 511.0 mg/kg K₂O, which exceeded the control (D1) by 84.8%, 11.9%, and 16.7%, respectively. Mineral fertilization (D3) also demonstrated high effectiveness: 108.1 mg/kg NO₃ (+63%), 1679.1 mg/kg P₂O₅ (+11.4%), and 510.5 mg/kg K₂O (+16.6%) compared to the control. Organic fertilization (D2) resulted in a significant increase only in nitrogen content (+31.4%), while phosphorus and potassium levels remained similar to the control.

Thus, our research established that mineral and combined fertilization systems were the most effective in improving the agrochemical properties of the soil. Their application enhances nutrient availability, which is critically important for the stable growth and development of asparagus plants.

Introduction: Oyster mushrooms are edible mushrooms that belong to the Pleurotaceae family. They contain bioactive compounds with numerous nutritional and health benefits. Studies of their antimicrobial activities have highlighted their natural role in biological control. Methods: Fresh oyster mushroom samples of Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus florida, and Pleurotus sajor caju were collected from growers in Gujarat, India. They were sun-dried for four days and powdered. Ten grams of powder from each species were extracted with 300 ml of double-distilled water, methanol, and ethanol (70%) using a Soxhlet apparatus, depending on the boiling point of each solvent. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Candida parapsilosis using extracts prepared at a concentration of 100 mg/ml, and tested in volumes of 25, 50, and 100 µl. Results: Methanol and ethanol extracts of oyster mushrooms exhibited inhibition zones ranging from 3.9 to 4.8 mm, whereas the aqueous (double-distilled water) extracts showed comparatively lower activity. Alcoholic extracts produced the largest overall bacterial inhibition zones, ranging from 22 to 23 mm at the highest concentration. Among the tested bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most sensitive. In contrast, the fungal strains showed smaller inhibition zones, with Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis exhibiting zones of 12-13 mm. Among the tested species, the alcoholic extract of Pleurotus florida demonstrated slightly higher antibacterial activity than those of P. ostreatus and P. sajor caju. In contrast, the methanol extract of P. sajor caju exhibited the most potent overall antimicrobial effect. Conclusion: The choice of solvent significantly influences the antimicrobial activity of oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are natural antimicrobial agents with applications in nutrition, medicine, and agriculture.

Postharvest sprouting poses a major challenge for the potato industry, reducing seed quality and causing economic losses. Seed quality is an important factor influencing the yield. SmartBlock^® and 1,4-DMN are new chemicals used to control sprouting. This study evaluated the effects of these suppressants on the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and growth of treated seed potatoes. ‘Panamera’ and ‘Mondial’ were treated with 0.100 mL kg⁻¹ × 4 dosages of SmartBlock^® and 1,4-DMN and stored in the dark. Treated seeds were planted in the field one week after the last application. The trial was arranged in a split–split plot design with 50 and 100% nitrogen as the main block, suppressants as the subplot, and cultivar assigned to plots, and replicated three times, including the control. Emergence percentage and index, leaf area, chlorophyll, stem number, tuber form index, and tuber yield were recorded, and NUE was calculated as yield (kg)/kg N input. 1,4-DMN significantly reduced the emergence percentage and index in ‘Panamera’ under 100% nitrogen, whereas SmartBlock^® increased the emergence index only at 50% nitrogen. SmartBlock^® and 1,4-DMN significantly increased stem number in ‘Panamera’, while 100% nitrogen increased chlorophyll. At 50% nitrogen, SmartBlock^® produced oval-shaped tubers, whereas the control produced short-oval tubers. NUE and yield increased in all treatments except SmartBlock^® at 50% N. Effects were limited in Mondial. Overall, 1,4-DMN increased NUE and yield under both full and reduced nitrogen application, suggesting its suitability for use by resource-constrained and commercial producers.

Introduction: Fire blight is a devastating disease, which threatens global fruit production in pear, apple, and other Rosaceae family members. The disease is caused by Erwinia amylovora bacteria, which colonize the stigma surface and grows rapidly prior to floral infection. Current strategies for controlling fire blight are insufficient; thus, alternative solutions must be sought.

Liquid excretions from different flower stigmas can interact with the stigma inhabitants including pollen grains and various microorganisms. Recently, our lab analyzed stigma exudates of several pear species and discovered extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) including microRNAs. Plant exRNAs modes of action are still poorly understood, yet recent studies have shown that plant extracellular small RNAs can be transmitted to cells from various kingdoms including mammalian and microorganisms and interfere with their transcriptional regulation.

Methods: The possibility that the pear stigma exudate microRNAs might have targets in the E. amylovora genome was explored via bioinformatic prediction of RNA–RNA interactions incorporating both the accessibility of interacting sites as well as the existence of a user-definable seed interaction. The two target prediction tools used were "TargetRNA2" and "IntraRNA2.0". Target prediction was performed with the threshold set up to p < 0.05 against “Erwinia amylovora CFBP1430 chromosome” with all the parameters set at the default values.

Results: The bioinformatic target prediction analysis identified 370 E. amylovora genes that are potentially targeted by the pear stigma miRs. Moreover, molecular categorization analysis of these genes revealed that several of them are known bacterial virulent factors, while many others are differentially expressed in E. amylovora during several infection stages on apple trees.

Conclusions: Our results indicate the possible involvement of the pear stigmatic microRNAs in host–pathogen interactions and suppression of E. amylovora pathogenicity genes. Moreover, our findings can potentially lead to the development of novel bio-control microRNA-based strategies against fire blight.

Root exudates play a crucial role in shaping the rhizosphere microbiome, influencing plant health and resilience against biotic stress. These exudates, composed of sugars, organic acids, amino acids, and secondary metabolites, act as chemical signals that modulate microbial recruitment, fostering beneficial interactions while suppressing pathogens. This study investigates the dynamic role of root exudates in regulating microbial communities and enhancing disease resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and citrus (Citrus spp.) under pathogen stress caused by Pseudomonas syringae, P. viridiflava, and Bacillus cereus. Using metabolomics and microbiome sequencing, we analyzed root exudate composition and its influence on rhizosphere microbial diversity. Results indicate that plants under pathogen attack upregulate the secretion of flavonoids, phenolics, and organic acids, thereby significantly enhancing the abundance of beneficial bacteria, including non-pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas and Bacillus spp. while suppressing pathogenic counterparts. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis reveals the activation of genes associated with exudate biosynthesis and microbial recognition pathways. Inoculation with selected beneficial rhizobacteria further amplified systemic resistance, reducing disease severity through induced systemic resistance (ISR) and competitive exclusion of pathogens. These findings underscore the critical role of root exudates in engineering beneficial microbial consortia, offering potential applications for sustainable crop protection. Harnessing this plant-microbe interaction could lead to the development of microbiome-based biocontrol strategies, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides and improving crop resilience against emerging pathogens. Future research should focus on optimizing root exudate-mediated microbial recruitment to enhance agricultural sustainability.

Introduction

Is tillering in sorghum a beneficial adaptive trait or an agronomic burden under water stress? Tillering in sorghum is a highly plastic trait, yet its adaptive value under water-limited conditions remains poorly understood due to contradictory findings. This study aimed to experimentally quantify the contribution of tillers to grain yield under contrasting water regimes across diverse sorghum cultivars over two growing seasons.

Methods

Field experiments were arranged in a split-plot design with three replications. The main plot factor consisted of three water regimes: full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI), and rainfed (RF). The subplot factor was four cultivars (Mr Buster, PAN606, Macia, and a local landrace).

Results

Across two seasons, Landrace and Mr Buster consistently produced the highest fertile tiller numbers under RF and DI, though high rainfall during season 2 reduced water × cultivar differences. In season 1, hybrids PAN606 and Mr Buster achieved the highest main stem yields (5.7–6.0 t/ha) under DI and FI. In the second season, Landrace outperformed others in main stem yield under rainfed conditions (4.3 t/ha), while PAN maintained superior main stem productivity (3.6 – 4.0 t/ha) under DI and FI. When yield was aggregated across stem ranks, Landrace achieved the highest total grain yield (main stem + fertile tillers), reaching 12.4 and 9.8 t/ha in seasons 1 and 2, respectively, under rainfed conditions. Partitioning of these totals showed that the main stem contributed 40.4 - 40.7%, tiller 1 contributed 30.6 - 36.2%, tiller 2 added 15.6 - 19.4%, while tillers 3 and 4 marginally contributed 4.4 - 7.8% and 1.7%, respectively.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that early water stress induces tillering in sorghum as a compensatory drought-adaptation mechanism, with fertile tillers, especially tillers 1 and 2, contributing significantly to enhancing total grain yield under water-limited conditions.

This study evaluated the phytotoxicity of poultry manure-derived fertilizers. Four composting treatments were obtained from fresh poultry droppings at different initial C/N ratios (12 and 30, P and M, respectively) and oxygenation levels: static pile (S) and forced aeration (A). Acute toxicity tests were performed on seeds of three plant species (Helianthus annuus, Vigna radiata, and Sinapis alba) using elutriates of fresh poultry droppings (FPDs) and composts (1:10 w/v) at different concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 100% v/v). Seeds were disinfected, exposed to elutriates, and monitored for germination and root elongation over 4 days. Relative growth and germination indexes were calculated (RGI and GI, respectively). Toxicity/inhibition thresholds for GI and ICR were <80% (high), 80–100% (low), and >100% (none). Sunflower showed low toxicity effects with composted treatments, either static (MS,PS) or aerated ones (MA, PA), with a mean RGI of 1.07±0.22 and GI of 99.5±18.26 for all concentrations studied. Mungbeans showed high sensitivity to most composting treatments, particularly PA (RGI:0.7±0.25; GI:74±23.54) and MS (RGI:0.62±0.36; GI:64.24±38.84), while only PS showed low toxicity (RGI:0.94±0.15; GI:94.18±13.23). For both sunflower and mungbeans, FPD decreased germination and radicle growth below 70, showing high toxicity in both indexes. Mustard had variable responses, no sensitivity to PS and MA treatments, with average RGI of 1.5 and GI of 147.32, while MS and FPD caused slightly low toxicity, and PA had high toxicity. Root elongation (RGI) was more robust than germination (GI) for detecting phytotoxicity. In general, it was observed that composting poultry droppings, regardless of the aeration or initial C/N, reduced in sensitive species, making it suitable for its use as fertilizer.

Groundnut is a crucial legume crop that contributes significantly to worldwide food security, particularly in regions with limited agricultural resources. However, crop plants growth in Africa is generally poor due to soil infertility and climate change, leading to low grain yield, especially on smallholder farms. This study evaluated root nodulation, N₂ fixation, N contribution, and C accumulation, as well as plant water-use efficiency of four groundnut varieties grown in the field during the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons using the ¹⁵N and ¹³C natural abundance techniques. The results revealed significantly marked differences in plant growth, N content, %Ndfa, N-fixed, soil N uptake, and grain yield in both the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons. Groundnut varieties obtained 35.51 to 85.77 % of their N nutrition from symbiotic fixation and contributed 22.13 to 168.48 kg of N-fixed ha^-1 in both the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons. The shoot ¹³C values were similar for groundnut varieties in 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons, ranging from -28.57 ‰ to -28.19 ‰ for 2023, and -30.17 ‰ to -28.34 ‰ for 2024. The data from this study show that the groundnut varieties that fixed the most N also produced the greatest amounts of biomass and provided markedly higher grain yields. In conclusion, we found marked differences in symbiotic performance between and among the four groundnut varieties tested over the two cropping seasons, with varieties Kwarts and PC474 exhibiting greater symbiotic dependency on N₂ fixation for their N nutrition and higher amounts of N-fixed and greater grain yield. These two varieties showed greater shoot δ 13C values and hence higher water-use efficiency. These two varieties have the potential for use in breeding programs.