Investigating how reproductive traits in rice respond to abiotic stress.

Oryza sativa is one of the most important crops and a food source for billions of people. Anthropic global warming, soil erosion, and unstable environmental conditions affect both its vegetative and reproductive growth, and consequently the final yield of its cultivation. The reproductive phase starts with the transition of apical meristem from vegetative to reproductive, which develops into a panicle, proceeds through the differentiation of the floret, and, after fertilization, the filling of the grain.

Analysis of Heavy Metal Accumulation in Ulva rigida and its Effects on Seed Germination of Pennisetum glaucum.

The alga contains salt and heavy metals that are accumulated in algae poses a significant challenge to the safe use of algae in soil fertilization and other applications. This study examines the relevance of algal biomass as an environmentally friendly fertilizer, thereby contributing to sustainable coastal management practices. In this study, the hot and cold extraction method were done to obtain the Ulva rigida extract.

Chemotaxonomy and Bioactive Potential of High-Mountain Plantago atrata.

Plantago atrata Hoppe is a high-altitude mountain plant exposed to harsh environmental factors. This study aims to elucidate the ecological, phytochemical and pharmacological characteristics of this lesser-known plantain. Despite nutrient-poor peat soil, the leaves of P.

Crop rotation increases Tibetan barley yield and soil quality on the Tibetan Plateau.

Tibetan barley (Hordeum vulgare) accounts for over 70% of the total food production in the Tibetan Plateau. However, continuous cropping of Tibetan barley causes soil degradation, reduces soil quality and causes yield decline. Here we explore the benefits of crop rotation with wheat and rape to improve crop yield and soil quality.

Betula pendula Roth. survival and growth in treeline is affected by genotype and environment.

Alpine and Arctic treelines are assumed to be shifting toward higher latitudes and altitudes as a consequence of climate warming. Here, we compared the survival and growth of 1264 silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) trees representing nine half-sib families.

Experimental study and model prediction of the influence of different factors on the mechanical properties of saline clay.

Water conveyance channels in cold and arid regions pass through several saline-alkali soil areas. Canal water leakage exacerbates the salt expansion traits of such soil, damaging canal slope lining structures. To investigate the mechanical properties of saline clay, this study conducted indoor tests, including direct shear, compression, and permeation tests, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of soil samples from typical sites.

Utilizing hydrophobic sand to construct an air permeable aquiclude to enhance rice yields.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the ecological restoration of abandoned open-pit mines, increasing the area of cultivated land, and ensuring food security. Soil reconstruction is a crucial step in ecological restoration of abandoned open-pit mines. This study investigated the utilization of hydrophobic sand to create an Air-Permeable Aquiclude (APAC) under the plant root zones, thereby minimizing water infiltration and enhancing soil aeration.

Functional and genomic analyses of plant growth promoting traits in Priestia aryabhattai and Paenibacillus sp. isolates from tomato rhizosphere.

This study investigated plant growth-promoting (PGP) mechanisms in Priestia aryabhattai VMYP6 and Paenibacillus sp. VMY10, isolated from tomato roots. Their genomes were initially assessed in silico through various approaches, and these observations were then compared with results obtained in vitro and in vivo.

Triaxial behavior and microstructural insights of loose sandy soil stabilized with alkali activated slag.

This study investigates the mechanical and microstructural properties of loose sandy soil stabilized with alkali-activated Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS). To examine the effects of varying GGBFS contents, curing times, and confining pressures on mechanical behavior, undrained triaxial and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were conducted. Microstructural analyses using FE-SEM, EDX, and FTIR were performed to elucidate the nature and development of cementation.

Pilot-scale phosphorus recovery from mobile toilet wastewater in Bangkok, Thailand.

The objective of this study is to enhance the capacity of struvite-phosphate forming reactor utilized in the production of phosphorus fertilizer from wastewater collected from mobile toilets, characterized by phosphorus (P) concentrations of 5.0 ± 1.1 g/l.

Deepening water scarcity in breadbasket nations.

Water is crucial for meeting sustainability targets, but its unsustainable use threatens human wellbeing and the environment. Past assessments of water scarcity (i.e.

Half of land use carbon emissions in Southeast Asia can be mitigated through peat swamp forest and mangrove conservation and restoration.

Southeast Asia (SEA) contributes approximately one-third of global land-use change carbon emissions, a substantial yet highly uncertain part of which is from anthropogenically-modified peat swamp forests (PSFs) and mangroves. Here, we report that between 2001-2022 land-use change impacting PSFs and mangroves in SEA generate approximately 691.8±97.

Potential risk of heavy metals release in sediments and soils of the Yellow River Basin (Henan section): A perspective on bioavailability and bioaccessibility.

The ecology of watersheds plays an important role in regulating regional climate and human activities. The sediment-soil system in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin (Henan section) was explored. The spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals (HMs) showed that tributaries, which are affected by anthropogenic activities, contain higher concentrations of HMs than the main channel.

Deep eutectic solvent-mediated extraction of lignin: A novel strategy for producing high-quality biopolymers in controlled-release mulching applications.

Microplastic contamination of low-density polyethylene mulch and nutrient loss from fertilizers present significant challenges in the crop-growing. In this study, the focus was on creating a biodegradable film that combines the advantages of plastic film, thermal insulation and water retention, as well as the controlled release of fertilizer. A key innovation was the efficient introduction of low molecular weight and low dispersibility of poplar lignin into chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol matrices.

Blastocystis in humans and domestic animals: Risk factors assessment and potential zoonotic transmission in a periurban and rural region of Northeastern Argentina.

Blastocystis is a protist that infects both human and animal hosts worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the presence of Blastocystis in humans and domestic animals living in a periurban (PZ) and rural zone (RZ) in Northeastern Argentina and to assess their relation to socio-environmental conditions and hygiene practices as risk factors for human infection. In addition, we identified Blastocystis subtypes to evaluate the risk of zoonotic transmission.

Revising the coal mining CH emission factor based on multiple inventories and atmospheric inversion approach at one of the world's largest coal production areas: Shanxi province, China.

Methane (CH) emissions from the coal industry represent a substantial portion of anthropogenic CH emissions from energy-related activities. China ranks as the world's largest coal producer, where Shanxi Province is one of its major coal production regions and accounts for 20.7 % of the national total coal production.

Exploring the mechanisms of cadmium tolerance and bioaccumulation in a soil amoeba.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a global concern. Protists represent a prevalent yet understudied group in soil ecosystems, but our understanding of how protists interact with Cd remains limited. This study investigates the interaction between Cd and the soil amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, focusing on its resistance, accumulation, and molecular mechanisms.

Health risk assessment of dietary cadmium exposure based on cadmium bioavailability in food: Opportunities and challenges.

Long-term exposure to Cd through contaminated food can lead to multiple adverse health effects on humans. Although previous studies have covered global food Cd concentrations and dietary Cd exposures across different populations, there are increasing concerns regarding the adequacy of current food Cd safety standards to protect populations from adverse health effects. Moreover, incorporation of Cd relative bioavailability (Cd-RBA) in foods improves the accuracy of health risk assessment.

Riverine microplastics in the Mount Everest region affected by glacier meltwater.

Understanding the distribution and drivers of microplastics (MPs) in remote and sensitive environments is essential for assessing their ecological impacts and devising mitigation strategies. This study investigates the distribution and characteristics of MPs in streams and sediments of the Mt. Everest region.

Bacterial activation level determines Cd(II) immobilization efficiency by calcium-phosphate minerals in soil.

Soil mineral properties significantly influence the mobility of Cd(II) within the soil matrix. However, the limited understanding of how microbial metabolism affects mineral structure at the microscale poses challenges for in situ remediation. Here, we designed a model calcium-phosphate system in a urea-rich environment to explore the impact of different microbial activation levels on Cd(II) fixation at mineral interfaces.

Microbial metabolism in wormcast affected the perturbation on soil organic matter by microplastics under decabromodiphenyl ethane stress.

Large-scale plastic wastes annually inevitably induce co-pollution of microplastics (MPs) and novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), while gaps remain concerning their effect on terrestrial function. We investigated the impact of polylactic acid (PLA) or polyethylene (PE) MPs after aging in soil-earthworm microcosms under decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) contamination. MPs altered the food (i.

Recruitment of copiotrophic and autotrophic bacteria by hyperaccumulators enhances nutrient cycling to reclaim degraded soils at abandoned rare earth elements mining sites.

Hyperaccumulators harbor potentials for remediating rare earth elements (REEs)-contaminated soils. However, how they thrive in low-nutrient abandoned REEs mining sites is poorly understood. Three ferns (REEs-hyperaccumulators Dicranopteris pedata and Blechnum orientale, and non-hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata) along with their rhizosphere soils were collected to answer this question by comparing differences in soil nutrient levels, soil and plant REEs concentrations, and bacterial diversity, composition, and functions.

Newly isolated bacterium and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus effectively reduce the root cadmium concentration and increase the root biomass of Ophiopogon japonicus.

Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is one of the major challenges in food production. This has led to above-maximum threshold accumulation of Cd in O. japonicus roots.