Introduction: Characterised by steep slopes and a humid tropical climate with intense seasonal rains, the Idemili Watershed is prone to soil erosion and agrochemical runoff. Land use and cover change, driven by agricultural practices and urbanisation, exacerbate these processes. This study seeks to evaluate landscape-induced agrochemical runoff potential and determine hotspot erosion zones within the watershed.

Methods: Geospatial and environmental modelling approaches were applied. A 10m Copernicus DEM, SoilGrids v2.0 (sand, silt, clay (SOC)) datasets, and Sentinel-2 images were downloaded. Field surveys and Google Earth were used to validate gully erosion points. The datasets were clipped to the extent of the watershed and projected to WGS 1984 UTM Zone 32N. Slope, Stream, and Power Index (SPI) and Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) were derived in ArcGIS Pro 3.4. The K-factor was estimated using soil texture. Google Earth Engine (GEE) was used to generate LULC classes, namely farmland, built-up, and other. Critical Runoff Source Areas (CRSAs) were determined using slope, SPI, and TWI. The final erosional risk map was produced through weighted overlay (CRSA: 40%, K-factor: 40%, LULC: 20%). The map was validated by overlaying existing gully erosion points.

Results: Elevation varied from 2 to 262m, with high SPI and erosion potential associated with the central steep slopes (up to 55.4°). TWI values highlighted areas of potential moisture accumulation. The silt and clay soils of the northeast and central areas displayed moderate-to-high erodibility over 78% of the watershed. Farmland and built-up land use covered more than 30% of the land area. Areas of high erosion risk (36.5%) and moderate vulnerability (41.6%) overlap with steep, farmed, erodible terrain.

Conclusion: The integrated geospatial approach enabled the identification of erosion hotspots and priority areas for agrochemical runoff. The results have practical implications for targeted and evidence-based interventions to address runoff problems and promote sustainable land use.

ABSTRACT

Soils and cowpea are known to harbour microbes thatproduce hormones and other chemicals that help to stimulate plant growth. A field experiment was carried out on an Alfisol to determine the effects of poultry manure application and cowpea varieties on microbial population density during two seasons (dry and wet). The experiment followed a split-plot design and was arranged in a Randomised Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three cowpea varieties (FUAMPEA 1, FUAMPEA 2 and ITO7K-318-33) and three rates of poultry manure, 0t/ha, 2t/ha and 4t/ha, and replicated thrice. Soil samples were collected before and after planting at intervals of 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after sowing (WAS) for fungi and bacteria population density during the two seasons.

The results indicated that there were significant differences in population densities of fungi and bacteria under rates of poultry manure application and a preference for cowpea varieties at different weeks after sowing (WAS) and season. Fungus population increased weekly with the poultry manure application of 2t/ha during the dry season, 2t/ha had the highest fungus population density of 6.0 x 10⁴ CFU/g of soil at 6WAS with ITO7K-318-33 and the control had the smallest fungus population density of 6.0 x 10³ CFU/g of soil with FUAMPEA 2. The bacteria population was highest with a population density of 8.5 x 10⁶ CFU/g of soil under the application of 4t/ha poultry manure at 6WAS with FUAMPEA 2. In the wet season, 2t/ha had the highest bacteria population of 8.5 x 10⁶ CFU/g of soil with FUAMPEA 2 at 4WAS and 2t/ha with FUAMPEA 2 had the highest fungus population density of 4.0 x 10⁴ CFU/g, while ITO7K-318-33 and FUAMPEA 2 gave the lowest with the control.

Hence, the populations of bacteria and fungi in Alfisols were influenced by the seasons, selected based on preference and compatibility with cowpea varieties and rates of poultry manure applications.

The problem of vineyard restructuration is that it is a very difficult and time-consuming process. This research investigates a quicker way of replanting an old vineyard using organic–inorganic fertilizers and biostimulants. Specifically, in the experiment, we used a common chemical fertilizer 8-8-8+M.C, an organic fertilizer from leonardite, and two products with beneficial microorganisms (one with mycorrhiza, “Click Nature”, and one with mycorrhiza and trichoderma, “Click Horto”). The process also involved the cleaning of the field of any old vines, a soil analysis, and an analysis for nematodes to determine the soil condition. The old variety consisted of the French variety, Chardonnay, and the new Greek variety, Vidiano, with the rootstock 140RU VCR120. Each treatment was evaluated depending on the plant height, branching ability, leaf size, chlorophyll (SPAD units), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In addition, verification analyses were performed (soil analyses and qPCR) to examine, in further detail, each treatment and its effect, aiming for an accurate comparison. The qPCR (QLAZEN DNeasy PowerSoil Pro Kit) results showed that the treatment “Click Horto” (mycorrhiza and trichoderma), even though it created an antagonistic condition, resulting in overall lower microbial activity (LI-COR LI-6800 soil CO₂ flux chamber), achieved better plant establishment and development while simultaneously achieving better soil fertility than the other treatments. Moreover, the organic fertilizer achieved higher microbial biodiversity and activity while maintaining a satisfied level of plant development. On the contrary, the chemical fertilizer managed to affect soil health negatively by increasing the soil E.C by 18.1%, total CaCO₃ by 41.1%, and decreasing the organic matter (-11.3%) and microbial activity–biodiversity when compared to other treatments. Finally, this research suggests that vineyard restructuration with the use of the “Click Horto” product could be performed in a quicker and more sustainable and environmentally friendly way by improving the soil health and microbial activity.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in arid environments such as the Algerian Sahara Desert have attracted increasing scientific interest due to their potential to improve soil fertility and crop productivity under extreme conditions. In these regions, oasis agroecosystems are characterized by low-nutrient soils, high salinity, and extreme temperatures, yet they support the growth of both date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and other cultivated plants. This resilience suggests thatroot-associated microbial communities play a crucial role.

The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the culturable bacterial communities associated with the rhizosphere and root endosphere of date palms growing in oasis soils. Using culture-dependent methods, we isolated a diverse collection of bacterial strains, with a predominance of genera such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and members of the Actinobacteria phylum. These isolates were screened for key PGPR traits, including inorganic phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation potential, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production. In addition, their tolerance to abiotic stresses such as high salinity and temperature was evaluated.

Several isolates demonstrated antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum under in vitro conditions, suggesting potential for use in biological control strategies. These findings highlight the capacity of date palm-associated bacterial communities to enhance soil fertility and support plant growth in harsh agroecological conditions.

Overall, the results show the importance of native PGPR in sustaining productivity in desert agriculture and offer promising prospects for the development of microbial biofertilizers and biocontrol agents adapted to arid environments.

This study investigates the effects of maize straw biochar application on the early growth of broccoli and cauliflower under coastal conditions in Southern Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted at Noakhali Science and Technology University over the winter cropping season (December–March), using a randomized complete block design with five biochar treatments (0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 tons/ha) applied before transplanting. Growth parameters, such as plant height, leaf number, and leaf breadth, were measured at 15 and 35 days after transplanting (DAT). Statistical analysis using R programming and two-way ANOVA revealed significant effects of crop type and biochar application. At 15 DAT, crop type influenced plant height, while biochar significantly enhanced plant height and leaf breadth by 35 DAT, though its effect on leaf number was transient. The transient nature of biochar's effects on leaf number and plant height emphasizes the importance of crop type and timing of the application. Final biomass and yield assessments are part of the full-season study and will be presented in subsequent publications, complementing these early growth findings. These findings provide insights for optimizing biochar use in sustainable agriculture in salinity-prone coastal regions.

Sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. saccharata Sturt.) is a valuable vegetable crop, prized for its nutritional value and sweet taste. It is used fresh, canned, or frozen. The research aimed to examine the influence of sowing date, production method (direct sowing versus container production), and hybrid choice on the yield and yield components of sweet corn in open-field conditions. The experiment was conducted in 2024 on a family farm in Bogojevac, near Leskovac, southern Serbia (43°05'38.31" N, 21°96'77.54" E), 225 m above sea level). Two supersweet hybrids, Sweet Nugget and 255 DDST, were tested with two sowing/planting dates (May 18 and June 29, 2024) and two production methods. The distance between strips was 70 cm, the distance between rows in the strip was 50 cm, and the distance between plants was 20 cm. Ear sampling was conducted 22–25 days after fertilization. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (IBM SPSS Statistics v26.0, p<0.05 and p<0.01) and Pearson correlation (Minitab trial version). The results showed that hybrid 255 DDST in container production during the first sowing date achieved the highest average number of rows (14 compared to 12 for direct sowing). Containerized seedling production achieved better results than direct seeding when analyzing ear weight, with the hybrid 255 DDST achieving 221.01 g and the hybrid Sweet Nugget 177.90 g in the first sowing date, compared to 99.44 g and 83.00 g, respectively, in the second sowing date. The total kernel weight was the highest (115.22 g) in hybrid 255 DDST in container production during the first sowing date. The sowing date had the greatest influence on kernel weight. Containerized production, especially on the first sowing date, had a positive impact on yield components, with genotype 255 DDST showing an advantage over Sweet Nugget, providing practical recommendations for sweet corn production planning.

The adoption of new technology takes time and is a highly complex matter in all domains. Our food production system already suffers from the effects of climate change; therefore, enabling plant scientists in academia and industry to come up with solutions to deal with the effects of climate change is urgently needed. Enabling these experts with efficient new screening technology will boost the quest to find more robust and tolerant crop varieties for coping with climate change effects. Large-scale research infrastructure is a driver of innovation in research and achieving scientific breakthroughs. In the Netherlands, recently, the Netherlands Plant Eco-phenotyping Centre (NPEC) was developed to enable large numbers of users to use high-tech, data-driven screening technologies for the next big step forward. Modern plant phenotyping, or phenomics, involves the objective, accurate, detailed and reproducible recording of a range of characteristics of a large number of plants, over time, in response to their environment. NPEC provides its users with a multitude of state-of-the-art platforms with which to grow plants in controlled, semi-controlled, or natural conditions, equipped with a range of modern sensors for far-reaching automation and digitization of plant phenotyping. Plant phenotyping is currently in the scientific spotlight because of its growing importance as a decisive factor in finding solutions to major global problems related to food security, the climate crisis. and the loss of biodiversity. Several examples will be discussed to show the impact of this upcoming technology.

In response to the forecasts of ongoing global climate change, many studies emphasize the need for continuous monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions using the carbon footprint method in order to support environmental management in agricultural production, and thus slow down the rate of growth of the concentration of these gases. The use of low-emission technologies, including sequestration, which involves reducing carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, is currently a priority action for sustainable development in agriculture, thus it is important to search for new solutions.

The material for this research consisted of the results of rigorous 5-year field experiments on yellow lupine (Lupinus luteus L.) as a legume crop. The first factor was sowing method: row sowing (traditional) and single-grain sowing. The second factor was sowing rate: 40, 60, 80, and 100 germinated seeds per square meter. Gas emissions were calculated as the sum of direct and indirect emissions produced during fuel combustion by tractors participating in all technological operations of cultivation, gas emissions from the field as a result of the use of mineral fertilizers and their production, emissions related to seed preparation, pesticide application, and the use of electricity and agricultural machines.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of row sowing and single-grain sowing, as well as sowing rate, on the CO₂ sequestration and productivity of yellow lupine.

The carbon footprint values for yellow lupin cultivation calculated on the basis of multi-annual data for an area of 1 ha amounted to an average of 1522.6 kg CO₂ equivalent. The lowest average emission values were calculated for the lowest sowing rate and precise single-grain sowing. The increase in seed yield due to precise single-grain sowing in the sowing density range of 40-80 plants per square meter reduced the carbon footprint of the legume crop.

Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB) is a common disease of wheat, often occurring alongside other foliar diseases. It is known as Septoria leaf spot and is caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici. STB is a major global wheat pathogen causing significant yield and quality loss. Its management is difficult due to climate variability and fungicide resistance, making an integrated approach essential. This combines using resistant hybrid cultivars with two-component systemic fungicide treatments to protect crops. This study evaluated the integrated pest management effectiveness of Kolosal Pro fungicide and identified Belyana and Agros spring wheat breeding lines (Belyana and Agros) for resistance to STB. The experiment was established from 2022 to 2024, and a wheat field experiment was conducted in Moscow, Russia. This study used a 3x3 factorial split-block design with three replications at the "Nemchinovka" Research Center. Treatments include Agros with no fungicide, Belyana with no fungicide, and integrated treatments combining Kolosal Pro with each cultivar. The application of fungicides was performed at key phenological stages (tillering, stem elongation, and flag leaf emergence), which are critical periods of effective disease management. The results indicate significant differences (p<0.05) in disease incidence, severity, and yield among treatments. The wheat lines showed considerable variation in the percentage of disease incidence and severity, which were classified as resistant and moderately resistant. The results show that Belyana x Kolosal Pro (the integrated treatment) was more resistant to STB severity (1.68%) compared to Agros and Kolosal Pro (1.70%). However, it was classified as moderately resistant. Regarding variety resistance and yield increase, the Belyana variety attained the least incidence (30.23%) and severity (1.82%) and exhibited the highest average grain yield of 4.64 t/ha. The findings demonstrated that combining the fungicide Kolosal Pro and the Belyana cultivar increases yield and reduces STB incidence and severity to an acceptable threshold level.

Context: Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) are crucial for enhancing plant nutrition and health. This study investigated the dual potential of PGPR as biocontrol agents to suppress aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus contamination in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and to concurrently improve crop growth and yield, addressing critical food safety and productivity challenges. Methodology: Two Bacillus strains, B. thuringiensis B9 and B. pacificus B11, isolated from tomato rhizosphere, were evaluated. In vitro antagonistic activity against aflatoxigenic A. flavus was assessed using vertical, circular confrontation and poisoned medium dual culture methods. A field trial was simultaneously conducted at astation, employing a Completely Randomized Block Design with four replications. Factors included two groundnut varieties (Grimari and Siksa) and four treatments (B. pacificus B11, B. thuringiensis B9, DAP+manure, and an untreated control). Growth and yield parameters were subsequently measured and statistically analyzed. Results: In vitro, B. pacificus B11 consistently inhibited aflatoxigenic A. flavus growth by over 50% across all methods, achieving the highest inhibition (83.9%) via circular confrontation. Field results demonstrated significant (p<0.05) differences among treatments for most growth and yield variables. Notably, B. pacificus B11 significantly improved groundnut performance regardless of variety, leading to a higher emergence rate (87.50%). Furthermore, this strain positively impacted pod number (40 per plant) and remarkably increased overall yield by more than 100% compared to the control. Conclusion: Bacillus pacificus B11 shows strong promise as a biofertilizer and biocontrol agent. Its capacity to enhance groundnut production while simultaneously reducing Aspergillus flavus contamination and potentially aflatoxin B1 contamination offers a sustainable alternative to chemical inputs, contributing to safer, higher-quality food production and reduced public health risks.