Abstract This study examines the economic dimensions of using Agricultural Information Systems (AIS) in the Jordanian agricultural sector. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analyzes the determinants and productivity effects of adoption based on farm-level survey data from 842 agricultural holdings in 12 governorates, supplemented by retrospective data covering 2015–2024. Uses binary logistic regression with governorate fixed effects and heteroscedasticity-robust standard errors to account for the small number of clusters (12 governorates). The results show that digital infrastructure (β = 0.156, p < 0.001), farm income (β = 0.847, p < 0.001), and operator education (β = 0.423, p < 0.001) significantly increase the likelihood of adoption with Nagelkerke R² = 0.412. Distance from urban centers reduces the probability of adoption (β = −0.089, p = 0.001). Productivity associations are estimated using OLS regression. AIS-enabled farms exhibited 104.2% yield improvement and 51.5% higher water use efficiency compared to non-adopters. Production costs decreased by 28.5%, with an average payback period of 1.8–2.7 years. The model explains 81.4% of the variance (adjusted R² = 0.814) with AIS investment intensity and implementation quality as primary drivers. The study identify significant regional differences, with adoption rates ranging from 36.5% (Ma’an) to 58.6% (Amman). Financial barriers (72.8%), limited digital skills (67.4%) and lack of infrastructure (64.7%) are the biggest obstacles to adoption. The findings confirm that AIS adoption acts as a productivity-enhancing investment in water-scarce agricultural economies, although self-selection biases suggest that the observed associations may exaggerate causal effects. Policy implications emphasize targeted infrastructure investment and human capital development in peripheral areas to bridge the digital divide.
Abstract The shallow water table (SWT) in urban areas of cities located in arid areas emerges as a challenge threatening the existing infrastructure. It is essential to explore practical solutions to mitigate SWT rise in unconfined aquifers, where waterlogging and drainage/dewatering dynamics have not yet been adequately studied. This study investigates the feasibility of using bioengineering (planting of actively evapotranspiring Reeds) and smart heterogenization of the pore space (soil siphoning) aimed at controlling SWT levels. The performance of both approaches was evaluated using both controlled sand tank and larger-scale concrete-basin experiments to assess their practical applicability. Water loss from Reed-planted tanks was 187.5–237.3% greater than evaporation from bare-soil controls, while soil siphoning enhances evaporation by 36.8%–51.2%, depending on seasonal climatic conditions. These findings provide experimental evidence that Reeds and soil siphoning can increase water loss and reduce water table levels under the tested experimental conditions. The results indicate that these approaches warrant further investigation as low-energy options for SWT management in arid urban environments. However, their effectiveness under field conditions will depend on site-specific soil, hydrological, climatic, and operational conditions.
Water scarcity and increasing pressure on agricultural water resources require irrigation systems that improve water-use efficiency while maintaining crop productivity. Pocket fertigation delivers water and nutrients directly to the root zone and may improve irrigation performance through localized resource delivery. This study evaluated pocket fertigation under two irrigation-supply levels using water productivity (WP) and water footprint (WF) as complementary indicators in greenhouse melon cultivation. Greenhouse pot experiments were conducted over two growing cycles from June to December 2023 using a 2 × 2 factorial treatment structure with five plant–pot units per treatment combination. Two fertigation systems, conventional surface fertigation and pocket fertigation, were combined with irrigation-supply levels equivalent to 1.0 and 1.5 times pan evaporation (Epan). Yield, fruit sweetness, WP, and WF were evaluated. Growing cycle significantly affected yield, fruit sweetness, WP, and WF, while irrigation-supply level significantly affected yield. A significant interaction between growing cycle and irrigation-supply level was also observed for yield. In contrast, the fertigation-system main effect and its interaction with irrigation-supply level were not significant for yield, WP, or WF. The second growing cycle (GS2) generally exhibited higher yield and WP and lower WF than the first growing cycle (GS1); however, because different cultivars were used, these differences reflect the combined influence of cultivar and growing-period conditions. These findings highlight the importance of irrigation-supply level for melon yield under the experimental conditions evaluated.
Ancient plants are under intense selection pressure due to rapid climate change, habitat destruction, and the increasing introduction of invasive species. Senna (Cassia) native to desert region like Qatar, are tolerating immense environmental stress and considered as threatened. This is the first comparative analysis of native S. italica and non-native S. occidentalis from Qatar, characterizing their differential morphological, anatomical, and genetic features through microscopic observation, and PCR amplification of microsatellite-based molecular markers, respectively. Some contrasting physiological and anatomical features, such as differences in root structures, absence of pith in S. occidentalis, denser leaf stomata and greater number of trichomes in S. italica assisted to distinguish between native and non-native Senna species. Moreover, normal-field-grown S. italica seeds exhibited the presence of more macro and trace elements than desert-grown plants. Further, ISSR and SSR marker-based PCR confirmation and statistical assessment of genetic diversity within and among S. italica populations showed no polymorphisms. The presence of a single haplotype (Neh) in each population, null genetic diversity within populations (He), and the proportion of total genetic differences (Fst) confirmed the genetic homogeneity. In contrast, presence of polymorphic loci shown by selected ISSR and SSR markers in two species, along with total gene diversity (Ht) = 0.5 and genetic differences (Fst) = 1, assured genetic differences between them. Additionally, based on functional annotations of genes associated with the markers in Fabaceae, we identified several key genes pertinent to plant biological processes, reproductive and developmental functions, plant adaptation, and yield. This study demonstrated how efficient differentiation between native and non-native plant species can preserve the biodiversity of sensitive desert regions, reducing the risk of extinction and species transition for heritage plants.
The extensive use of synthetic insecticides has raised concerns regarding environmental persistence, resistance development, and toxicity toward non-target organisms, necessitating the development of sustainable alternatives. Eugenol, a plant-derived phenylpropanoid, is recognized for its insecticidal properties; however, its efficacy can be further improved through structural modification. In this study, a prediction-driven approach was employed to evaluate eugenol derivatives as acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-targeting biopesticides. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities within the AChE catalytic gorge, with eugenol valerate (–7.4 kcal·mol⁻¹) and eugenol isovalerate (–7.0 kcal·mol⁻¹) outperforming the reference insecticide malathion (–6.7 kcal·mol⁻¹). Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the structural stability of the ligand–enzyme complexes. In vitro leaf exposure studies against Planococcus citri demonstrated rapid insecticidal activity, with eugenol achieving approximately threefold higher mortality than malathion within 24 h and complete mortality by 48 h. Despite exhibiting weaker AChE inhibitory potency than malathion in vitro, the rapid mortality induced by eugenol may be associated with favourable toxicokinetic properties, including efficient cuticular penetration, moderate lipophilicity, rapid membrane diffusion, and possible secondary neurophysiological effects beyond direct AChE inhibition. Additionally, AChE inhibition assays showed concentration-dependent inhibition, with eugenol exhibiting moderate inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 12.18 mM) compared to malathion (IC₅₀ = 2.25 mM). In silico ADME analysis indicated favourable physicochemical and environmental behaviour, including optimal lipophilicity, good aqueous solubility, high absorption potential, and compliance with pesticide-relevant property criteria without PAINS alerts, supporting their suitability as biopesticide candidates. Docking analysis indicated that eugenol derivatives interact with AChE mainly through non-covalent interactions within the catalytic gorge, which may differ from the irreversible inhibition mechanism associated with organophosphate insecticides. Structural modification through esterification may also contribute to improved physicochemical stability and residual activity relative to native eugenol. These findings highlight the potential of eugenol-based derivatives as environmentally compatible, AChE-targeting biopesticides for sustainable pest management.
