Isosorbide, a bicyclic sugar alcohol, has recently been reported to exhibit potential plant biostimulant activity in Arabidopsis thaliana [2]. However, whether these effects extend to crop plants, particularly in terms of growth and yield, remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of foliar-applied isosorbide on fruit production in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom). Foliar application of isosorbide (2.5 mM) was performed at the flowering stage under once-weekly and twice-weekly spray regimes. At maturity, fruit fresh weight, mean individual fruit fresh weight, fruit number, and total soluble solids (Brix
The global imperative to transition towards sustainable agriculture is particularly acute in vulnerable, resource-scarce regions such as the Barind Tract of Bangladesh, an area characterized by a semi-arid climate, low soil fertility, and acute water scarcity. Understanding the drivers of and barriers to adoption is critical, and the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) framework provides a useful analytical lens. This study assessed farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning sustainable agriculture and examined the socio-economic and institutional factors associated with each of the three KAP domains. Data were collected through structured, face-to-face interviews with 273 smallholder farmers selected via a multi-stage random sampling procedure in the Rajshahi district. Composite KAP scores were computed by summing item scores, and respondents were categorized on the basis of their obtained composite scores. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and three separate multiple linear regression models. The findings reveal a notable paradox: although farmers possess moderate to high levels of knowledge (mean = 19.27 out of 30) and largely favorable attitudes (mean = 56.34 out of 70), their actual adoption of sustainable practices remains moderate (mean = 18.42 out of a possible 38), exposing a persistent knowledge–practice gap. Annual farm income emerged as the strongest and most consistent positive correlate across all three KAP domains, underscoring economic capacity as a fundamental enabler of engagement with sustainable agriculture. Farming experience was positively associated with knowledge and attitude, cosmopoliteness with knowledge, and age negatively with knowledge, whereas formal education, training, and agricultural extension contact showed no statistically significant associations. The results suggest that adoption in this context is constrained less by cognitive limitations than by structural and economic barriers. Policy should therefore complement information campaigns with financial de-risking instruments, stronger market linkages for sustainably produced crops, and facilitative, farmer-centric extension approaches to help bridge the intention–action divide.
Abstract Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) causes near-complete production failure in affected crops, yet household-level economic consequences and behavioral determinants of management adoption remain poorly quantified in African contexts. This study addresses that gap through cross-sectional survey of 121 smallholder banana farmers in Kigoma region, Tanzania, applying Two-Stage Weighted Regression; propensity score matching (PSM) combined with weighted regression) to quantify economic impacts and Multinomial Logit Regression to analyze adoption of BBTD control measures. Two key findings emerge. First, BBTD inflicts catastrophic income losses (TZS 1.3 million annually, equivalent to 90% of baseline household income), with poorest-quartile farmers facing near-zero post-BBTD incomes and elevated poverty-trap risk; welfare losses exceed income losses when nutritional downgrading, school withdrawal, and debt from informal borrowing are accounted for. Findings are robust to non-parametric Wilcoxon tests and PSM diagnostics. Second, disease management reveals a collective action failure: 63.6% of farmers practice roguing (a private-benefit control measure), but only 9% adopt clean planting materials (a positive-externality prevention measure), a gap driven by behavioral barriers (loss aversion, information asymmetry, and time-inconsistency) beyond simple lack of awareness. Female farmers adopt management practices at 2 to 3 times the rate of male farmers, and adoption is further predicted by farm income, household labor availability, and extension contact. Together, these findings suggest BBTD is less a technical failure than an economic and behavioral one, its persistence sustained by limited access to clean planting material and underinvested extension systems, both remediable through targeted public support for the households least able to absorb the shock.
Good health depends entirely on individuals receiving adequate nutritional intake so that every human being remains healthy and balanced, yet this basic need is not met for numerous households globally. Food supply shortages persist for a very large number of households, raising questions about how frequently households experience food insecurity and about the broader social and economic significance of such deprivation. This study analyzes the social and economic determinants of household exposure to food insecurity characterized by meal deprivation in Senegal using multinomial logistic regression. Unlike a binary model, this approach distinguishes multiple levels of food deprivation intensity: never, once or twice a year (occasional), sometimes (moderate), and often (severe). The results indicate that the frequency of cash income shortages is the predictor most strongly associated with of food insecurity across all levels, with an effect that escalates significantly in more severe cases. Educational attainment provides a moderate but significant buffer against moderate food insecurity, while broader national economic conditions only show a significant impact on severe situations. Gender and occupational status do not exert statistically significant effects. These findings suggest that a multi-tiered approach may be worth considering that integrates micro-level interventions such as income support and education with macroeconomic policies aimed at stabilization and inclusive growth. As the data are cross-sectional and self-reported, the results describe associations, not causal effects.
Ensuring the quality and safety of olive-derived products is crucial for consumer health, market integrity, and cultural heritage preservation. Traditional destructive testing methods, though reliable, are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and damage samples, limiting their utility for real-time monitoring. Recently, nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques such as spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, ultrasound, and electronic nose/tongue systems have emerged as rapid, non-invasive alternatives capable of assessing parameters like ripeness, contamination, and chemical composition efficiently. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics (BDA) with these NDT approaches significantly enhances their accuracy, sensitivity, and predictive capabilities, enabling real-time supply chain traceability and quality control. Additionally, computational pharmacology models the interactions and therapeutic effects of bioactive compounds in olive products, supporting holistic evaluations of safety and health benefits. Despite promising progress, challenges such as data heterogeneity, lack of standardized protocols, high instrumentation costs, and regulatory barriers hinder widespread industry adoption. The concept of digital twins offers transformative potential by simulating production processes and quality trajectories, facilitating proactive management and process optimization. This review synthesizes recent advancements (2013–2026) at the intersection of NDT, AI, BDA, digital twins, and computational pharmacology, emphasizing their synergistic integration to revolutionize olive product assessment. It provides a comprehensive overview of these innovative technologies, evaluates their current status, identifies existing challenges, and proposes future pathways toward sustainable, transparent, and scientifically validated practices that enhance product safety, authenticity, and health-promoting properties within the olive industry.
