Pressmud, a by-product of the sugar industry, is rich in organic carbon and nutrients. This study explores the eco-design of pressmud-based organic blends integrated with biochar, vermicompost, and microbial inoculants to restore the fertility of nutrient-depleted soils. Through laboratory and field experiments, we assessed physicochemical properties, microbial activity, and crop response. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in soil health, increased organic carbon, and yield enhancements in crops such as maize and pulses. This research offers a sustainable waste valorization approach aligned with circular economy principles and environmental management. The degradation of agricultural soils due to intensive farming practices and excessive chemical input has led to widespread nutrient depletion, affecting crop productivity and ecological balance. This study presents an eco-design approach to formulate organic soil amendments using sugar industry pressmud, in combination with biochar, vermicompost, and microbial inoculants. Through laboratory characterization and field trials, we evaluated the blends' effects on soil physicochemical properties, microbial biomass, and crop yield performance. Results indicated significant improvements in organic carbon content, nutrient availability (NPK), microbial activity, and crop productivity compared to control treatments. The most effective blend—combining pressmud, biochar, and beneficial microbes—achieved up to 40% higher soil organic carbon and a 37% increase in crop yield. This eco-designed approach not only valorizes agro-industrial waste but also supports sustainable soil management and circular agricultural practices. The findings demonstrate the potential of pressmud-based blends as viable biofertilizers for the rehabilitation of nutrient-depleted farmlands.

Wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops worldwide, ranking first in area and fourth in production. It is the second most important cereal for human consumption after rice and for feed after maize. However, its growth is increasingly affected by abiotic stresses such as salinity, mainly caused by inadequate agricultural practices and saline irrigation. Another environmental concern is the large volume of toxic wastewater from olive oil mills (OMW). Recovering this waste is key to reducing environmental impact and supporting the circular economy. Based on this current issue, the objective of this study is to evaluate OMW as a potential biostimulant for wheat grown under salinity conditions. To achieve this, a greenhouse experiment was carried out in which wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown under controlled conditions, and three different doses of OMW (0.050, 0.125, 0.25 mM of phenolic compounds) were applied via foliar. The plants were treated with OMW both under saline (100 mM NaCl) and normal conditions. Under non-saline conditions, the highest OMW dose led to a 15% increase in stem length and a 17% in fresh weight compared to the untreated control. Additionally, this treatment resulted in a 20% higher protein concentration and improved membrane stability by 6%. In contrast, the two lower concentrations did not produce significant changes in growth parameters and remained similar to the non-saline control. Under saline conditions, plant growth was reduced in all treatments, and OMW applications did not counteract salt stress. Although the two highest OMW doses under salinity increased protein and proline levels, they did not improve fresh weight or stem length. While higher OMW concentration improved growth and physiological traits under non-saline conditions, no enhancement in growth was observed under salt stress, suggesting that an alternative OMW pretreatment or modified application strategies should be considered.

Bacterial endophytes are symbiotic microbes that live inside the internal tissue of plants and promote their growth by various mechanisms such as phyto hormone production, nutrient solubilization, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) is a popular vegetable worldwide due to its tender nutritious pods; however, its production is limited due to poor seed quality and low germination. Okra has a hard seed coat, which is a hindrance in germination and intensifies this problem. Bacterial endophytes have the potential to solve this problem by producing phyto hormones like GA₃ that break seed dormancy and by producing various enzymes that can soften its hard seed coat. Therefore, this study was conducted at MHU, Karnal, with the aim to improve the seed quality of okra using bacterial endophytes in CRD design with the treatment of 47 different endophytic bacterial isolates, which were retrieved from the roots of healthy okra plants. To evaluate their effect on seed quality, a paper test was conducted by treating sterilized okra seeds with different bacterial isolates @ 1×10⁶ cfu/ml for 24hr and key seed quality parameters were evaluated after 10 days of inoculation as per standards of the ISTA. All the isolates improved the seed quality parameters over the control: ONRE-26 achieved the highest seedling length of 31.24cm, a germination rate of 82%, a seedling fresh weight of 4.84g, a vigor index I of 2561.27 and a vigor index II of 33.42, while the control achieved a seedling length of 27.21cm, germination rate of 68.50%, seedling fresh weight of 3.51g, vigor index I of 1868.76 and vigor index II of 26.05. Isolate ONRE-26 was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens using 16s rRNA sequencing. It can be concluded that bacterial endophytes, particularly ONRE-26, significantly enhance okra seed quality under in vitro conditions. These findings suggest their promising role as eco-friendly biostimulants for the sustainable improvement of crop production.

Nutrient deficiencies in alkaline soils (pH 7.9–8.5) frequently limit plant growth due to insufficient nutrient availability and uptake. This study investigated the effects of two bacterial strains, VITK-1 and VITK-3, on nutrient absorption, growth, and gene expression in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings grown in alkaline soil. Bacterial treatments were applied individually and as a consortium, and their ability to promote plant growth and nutrient solubility was evaluated. In vitro studies demonstrated the strains’ ability to solubilize essential nutrients, generate extracellular enzymes, and exhibit a variety of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) characteristics, including soil-borne pathogen control. In vivo investigations revealed notable improvements in germination, root and shoot development, and overall seedling vigor when compared to untreated controls. The bacterial consortium significantly improved protein and proline levels, antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid content, and decreased carbohydrate accumulation. Furthermore, treated plants exhibited activation of nutrient-regulating genes associated with better root metabolism and resilience to stress. These results show the potential of PGPR inoculants, particularly consortia, as a promising strategy for improving nutrient uptake, biochemical characteristics, and stress tolerance in crops grown in alkaline soils.

Bangladesh is a country with an agriculture-based economy. Rice is the main food among Bangladeshis. There are three seasons for rice cultivation: BORO, AMAN, and AUS. Our research area was the Thakurgaon district. The local farmers cultivate rice in only two seasons, BORO and AMON. We only considered the BORO season for this research. Our research objective was to find out if the farmers are making profit or a loss in rice cultivation; we also investigate the risk of cultivation for these seasons. We have collected data through direct interviews with the farmers using a structured questionnaire. We used a stratified purposive sampling technique for collecting data. We cover the five upozilas in this district. For analyzing the data, we have used the chi-square test, as well as regression and factor analysis, to determine the risk and profitability of rice production. We found that most of the farmers benefit from rice cultivation, but the percentage of farmers who are making a loss is also not that low. One of the reasons for this is that the farmers do not have their own land, and so they have to spend extra money for the land they use for cultivation. We also found that the yield, investment cost, and return are higher for the BORO season, because farmers have to irrigate their land in the BORO season. The yield from BORO is high; as such, farmers acquire much more money in the BORO season. The risk is also high in the BORO season, because there is a risk of drought and the land has to be irrigated manually. The cost of fertilizer and pesticide is very high in this season. All the farmers suggested that the government should take necessary steps to lessen the cost of fertilizer and pesticides.

Abstract: Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) play a crucial role in sustainable agriculture by enhancing plant growth and health. This study aimed to characterize the PGPR potential of ten bacterial strains isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) plants, with the goal of developing a bacterial consortium for use as a biofertilizer. The investigation focused on evaluating their physiological characteristics and in vitro antifungal activities, as well as their in vivo effects on tomato plant growth.
All ten isolates demonstrated the ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a key phytohormone, with concentrations ranging from
1.09±0.05 μg/ml to 12.30±1.09 μg/ml. Ammonia production was also a common characteristic among all tested strains. While not universal, nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization were observed in a subset of the isolates, with seven strains showing phosphate solubilization on solid medium and eight on liquid medium, and six strains demonstrating nitrogen fixation. Furthermore, all ten strains produced at least one of the tested hydrolytic enzymes (protease, cellulase, or lipase) which are implicated in antifungal activity. In vitro antagonistic assays revealed significant inhibitory effects against
Fusarium, Alternaria, and Stemphylium, but no inhibition was observed against Cladosporium. Strains MNA8 and MNA6 showed the highest inhibition rates against
Alternaria (87.88% and 82.58%, respectively), while MNA3 exhibited the strongest antagonism against Fusarium (71.85%). MNA10, MNA6, and MNA8 were most effective against Stemphylium.
In vivo experiments showed that inoculation with the bacterial strains positively influenced tomato seed germination parameters, including final germination percentage (FGP), mean daily germination (MDG), mean germination time (MGT), and germination index (GI). All strains achieved a 100% FGP, representing a 60% improvement over the control. Morphological parameters such as stem and root lengths, and fresh and dry biomass, were also enhanced by bacterial inoculation. Notably, MNA7 increased stem length by 30% , and root length saw improvements between 71% and 117% across various treatments. MNA1 significantly boosted fresh and dry biomass by over 200%. Biochemical parameters, specifically chlorophyll content, also showed improvement, with eight strains increasing the total chlorophyll by 5.47% to 25.24%.
These findings highlight the promising potential of these rhizobacterial strains as effective bioinoculants for enhancing tomato plant growth and providing biocontrol against key phytopathogens. Further research, including molecular identification, abiotic stress resistance studies, in vivo validation of antifungal activity, and investigations into synergistic effects in bacterial consortia, are warranted to optimize their application and explore commercialization possibilities.

Trifolium alexandrinum L. (berseem) is a major forage legume known for its high nutritional value and importance in animal feeding systems. Enhancing its nutritive profile through sustainable practices can contribute significantly to improving livestock productivity. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have gained attention as eco-friendly biofertilizers that can enhance plant growth and nutrient content. This study aimed to assess the effect of a single PGPR strain (BT1) on the nutritional quality of T. alexandrinum grown under natural field conditions. An open-field experiment was conducted in which seeds were primed with the BT1 strain and irrigated accordingly. An untreated control group was maintained for comparison. The experimental setup included five replicates per treatment. At the vegetative stage, samples were collected and analyzed for nutritional parameters, including dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, organic matter, PDIE, PDIN, and energy values (UFL and UFV), using standard analytical procedures (AOAC, 1990) and INRA equations. The results indicated that inoculation with BT1 significantly enhanced the nutritional value of T. alexandrinum. Crude protein content increased to 21.53% DM in the BT1-treated group, compared to 16.05% in the control. Organic matter was also higher in the BT1 group (89.70% DM) versus the control (87.48% DM). Although dry matter content was slightly reduced in the BT1 treatment (22.76%) relative to the control (24.35%). Moreover, crude fiber content was slightly lower in the BT1 group (15.74%) than in the control (16.32%). Notably, all modifications observed in the BT1 treatment were in favor of improved forage quality, as reflected by the higher values of energy parameters (UFL and UFV) and protein digestibility indices (PDIN and PDIE) compared to the control. This consistent improvement across multiple nutritional parameters highlights the efficacy of BT1 as a biofertilizer.

Smallholder farmers often experience low yields that fluctuate yearly due to the variability of climate, resources, and diseases. The objective of the study was to assess cultivar x environment x management on potato yield stability. The experiments were conducted in five different environments (Mbalenhle, Hlathikhulu, Mbhava, Stezi, and Gobizembe) in KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) for two consecutive seasons (2022/23 and 2023/24) at smallholder farming settings under rainfed open field conditions. Four selected potato cultivars (Mondial, Electra, Sababa, and Panamera) were planted in different management practices, which were two levels of mulch (non-mulch and mulch), and fungicides (sprayed and unsprayed) in a randomized complete block design. Analysis was conducted using Genotype and Genotype by Environment (GGE) biplot and Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) models. The analysis of variance from AMMI revealed that the cultivar and environment interactions showed significant differences (P<0.05) under different management practices. A GGE and AMMI biplot graphically showed the inter-relationship between the tested environment and cultivars under different management practices. Mondial was more stable across management practices, except under mulched and unsprayed conditions, although a low yield was observed compared to Electra and Panamera. Electra was found to be stable and had high yield stability across all management practices and environments except Hlathikhulu due to its high tolerance against dry spells and foliar diseases such as late blight. At Hlathikhulu, Panamera was found to have a stable yield across different management practices. Smallholder farmers from Stezi, Mbalenhle, Mbhava, and Gobizembe can select Electra and apply the spraying of fungicides; in contrast, those from Hlathikhulu can use Panamera and fungicide spraying to obtain a potato yield with fewer fluctuations.

Nitrogen (N) is a key nutrient that significantly affects yield and grain protein content in malting barley. However, excessive N fertilization contributes substantially to total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To align malting barley cultivation with the European Green Deal, it is essential to reduce N inputs while maintaining high productivity and grain quality. Biostimulants derived from Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE) have been shown to improve soil N uptake and enhance nitrogen use efficiency. To evaluate their agronomic and environmental impact, field trials were conducted in Almyros, Greece, during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 growing seasons using two malting barley genotypes: a commercial variety (Fortuna) and a genotype (G62) with a different growth cycle. Five fertilization treatments were applied: i) sulfur-coated urea at 90 kg N/ha (U), ii) U + ANE (U + B), iii) urea with urease inhibitor at 75 kg N/ha (UI), iv) UI + ANE (UI + B), and v) an unfertilized control (C). Applications of ANE were carried out at Zadoks’ stages Z*24–30 and for surface fertilization at Z*30–33 for Fortuna and G62, respectively. The UI + B treatment significantly increased aboveground biomass and grain yield—by 50.72% and 53.23% in the first year, and 75.25% and 70.99% in the second—compared to the control. For G62, U + B proved more effective, enhancing biomass and yield by up to 55.67% and 78.75%, respectively. In terms of carbon footprint, UI + B resulted in a maximum reduction of 48.3% and 36.9% CO₂-eq per kg of yield for Fortuna, and 27.2% and 18.9% CO₂-eq per kg for G62, across the two consecutive seasons. In conclusion, the combined use of ANE with reduced N fertilization and urease inhibitors can improve yield and nitrogen efficiency while significantly lowering the carbon footprint of malting barley cultivation.

Climate change and water scarcity pose a threat to current crop productivity. Considering that Limpopo is a dry area, it will be hard to increase crop productivity under the continuous decline in rainfall resulting from climate change. It is vital to understand the impact of water stress on crop production in order to improve crops' ability to adapt to water stress in the future. To explore their potential under water-limited conditions, a study was conducted in Limpopo to assess the drought tolerance of four winter legume cover crops, i.e., pea, lupin, clover and vetch, in terms of key drought-tolerance traits, including the leaf area index, shoot biomass production, leaf gas exchange processes such as transpiration, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO₂ concentration, the photosynthetic rate and soil carbon dioxide emission rates. The experiment was carried out with a split-plot design, with the main factor being the winter legume—pea (Pisum sativum), lupin (Lupinus albus), clover (Trifolium spp.) or hairy vetch (Vicia villosa)—and the sub-factor being one of two irrigation regimes (well-watered and water stress). The results reveal that all cover crops performed better in well-watered conditions, with significantly higher shoot and root biomass than in water-stressed plots. Increased biomass had a positive effect on the shoot-to-root ratio, suggesting good adaptability to irrigation regimens. Although transpiration rates were elevated in well-watered treatment groups, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and photosynthetic rates did not differ significantly between the irrigation treatments. These findings highlight the resilience of these legume cover crops and suggest their potential for sustainable integration into dry-land farming systems, especially under future climate uncertainty.