ABSTRACT Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for half of the world's population, and increasing attention has been given to its starch properties in relation to health concerns such as diabetes. Drought stress can limit rice production, particularly in key producing countries including China, India, and Thailand. This study examined the effects of drought on physiological traits and starch properties in five Thai rice varieties that differ in apparent amylose content (AAC): “RD43” (intermediate AAC), “RD69” (low AAC), “Suphanburi 1 (SPR1)” (high AAC), “Hawm Daeng (HD; photoperiod insensitive)” (high AAC), and “Pathumthani 1 (PTT1)” (low AAC). Plants were subjected to 6 days of drought stress at the booting stage, followed by recovery. Drought stress negatively affects physiological responses, such as Soil–Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) values and vegetation indices. Principal component analysis revealed distinct variety‐specific responses and recovery capacities, indicating clear genotype‐dependent differences in drought tolerance. Yield components, including grain weight, total grain weight per plant, and the number of filled grains, were also negatively affected. In addition, drought altered starch properties, particularly AAC. RD43 showed the greatest tolerance to drought stress based on physiological responses, but exhibited the largest change in AAC, suggesting strong drought sensitivity of starch traits. By contrast, SPR1 was more sensitive in physiological responses but maintained relatively stable AAC. We also found a significant correlation between physiological parameters (SPAD, NDVI, SR, G, and SRPI) and AAC. Among these, SRPI showed the strongest relationship with AAC, and a significant correlation coefficient was detected in all cultivars tested (r = 0.496–0.685, depending on genotype). Lower SPAD values and reflectance indices (NDVI, SR, G, and SRPI) measured during the booting stage were consistently associated with reduced AAC in the final grain, indicating that declines in these parameters correspond to reductions in grain quality. These findings demonstrate how Thai rice varieties differ in their physiological and starch responses to drought and highlight the potential of measuring SPAD and reflectance indices at the booting stage as indicators associated with AAC under drought stress.
ABSTRACT Although sorghum plays a vital role in income generation, food, and nutritional security in Tanzania, access to quality seed and adoption of improved varieties remain low. Community‐based seed producers can enhance farmers' access to quality seed, yet their impact on the adoption of improved varieties and, subsequently, improving productivity has not been studied. Our empirical strategy relies on treatment effects matching, propensity score matching, inverse probability weighting, and regression adjustment. Data from 1492 farming households across the major sorghum‐producing regions of Tanzania showed that farmers were, on average, 35 km away from the main markets, relied on farm‐saved seeds and on their peers for information regarding production, seed knowledge, and markets. Adoption of improved sorghum varieties was at least 10% higher in treated than in control wards. The results suggest that if each ward had a QDS producer, adoption would increase by at least 14%. Farmers in treated wards allocated a minimum of 9% more of cultivated area to improved varieties compared to those in control wards. Productivity was higher among households using improved varieties, with gains of at least 55 kg/ha relative to non‐adopters. The average treatment effect ranged between 55 kg and 77 kg/ha. This estimate is a model‐based scaling scenario for the surveyed sorghum‐producing wards and should be interpreted as the expected gain from scaling out QDS producers' presence to comparable contexts. If the estimated area of 0.9 million ha of land under sorghum in Tanzania was grown to improved varieties, national production would increase by between 49,500 and 69,300 metric tons per season, translating to an estimated value of between USD 28.4 million and USD 39.8 million in additional revenue. These results underscore the importance of promoting decentralized seed production and distribution to broaden access to quality seed and increase the adoption of improved varieties and productivity in underserved communities. We propose evolving QDS production into an “in situ agrodealership” model that bundles quality‐declared seed with embedded advisory services and access to complementary inputs. This model complements (rather than replaces) private agrodealers by reaching last‐mile farmers through replicated producer networks across districts within existing QDS marketing rules, thereby increasing adoption and productivity at scale.
ABSTRACT Fluctuating light is a key factor limiting crop photosynthetic efficiency, with C 4 maize ( Zea mays ) and C 3 rice ( Oryza sativa ) crops exhibiting distinct acclimation responses. However, the systemic differences in physiological and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms between C 3 and C 4 crops under long‐term fluctuating light remain poorly understood. Herein, maize variety “Yunrui 408” and rice variety “Dianheyou 615,” both widely cultivated in Southwest China, were used to investigate responses to long‐term fluctuating light (FL) versus steady light (SL) via integrated analyses of phenotypic traits, photosynthetic physiology, transcriptomics, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. Results showed that long‐term FL causes greater yield losses (> 30%) in rice, including reduced 100‐grain weight and shoot dry weight, whereas maize exhibited milder yield suppression (< 20%) and enhanced starch/sucrose accumulation in grains and leaves. Maize maintained stable photosystem function via a synergistic mechanism. A large plastoquinone (PQ) pool buffered electron transport fluctuations, while the transcription factor ZmMYB93 coordinated the upregulation of carbon storage ( ZmAGPS1 ), energy supply ( ZmGAPC3 ), and carbon assimilation ( ZmFBA3 ) pathways to sustain metabolic homeostasis. In contrast, rice showed decreased photosynthesis under long‐term FL, characterized by downregulated core photosynthetic genes ( OsPsaA , OsPsbA ) and ATP synthase genes ( OsAtpB ). This suppression was driven by the PEL‐GLK inhibitory module; subcellular localization assays confirmed that OsPEL1 is a nuclear‐resident protein that physically interacts with GLK transcription factors within the nucleus to repress the transcriptional activation of core photosynthetic genes. Rice also relied on passive cyclic electron flow (CEF) and exhibited increased dark respiration, forming a negative feedback loop that impaired carbon assimilation. Overall, C 4 crop maize exhibits stronger adaptability to long‐term FL than C 3 crop rice. It adopts an active adaptation strategy by integrating PQ pool‐mediated electron transport buffering and ZmMYB93‐coordinated nuclear transcriptional regulation. In contrast, rice adopts a passive and inefficient regulatory strategy, where OsPEL1 ‐mediated nuclear inhibition of GLK and enhanced dark respiration lead to photosynthetic apparatus damage and carbon assimilation suppression, ultimately resulting in severe yield loss. These findings provide a blueprint for improving C 3 crop light‐use efficiency by leveraging the active regulatory mechanisms identified in maize to mitigate yield losses in dynamic field environments.
ABSTRACT This study examined the determinants of corn productivity and calorie instability associated with nitrogen fertilizer use by applying the multilevel ordered Logit model to corn production systems in Michigan. The results showed yield losses of 223 kg/ha, 43 kg/ha, and 34 kg/ha, indicating that nitrogen management has measurable consequences for corn productivity. The analysis estimated the effects of fertilizer inputs, pest management practices, crop insurance, and conservation participation on corn yield. The estimated production functions indicated that both nitrogen and potassium fertilizers positively and significantly affect corn productivity, although potassium exhibited relatively higher marginal productivity than nitrogen. The study further identified economic and noneconomic production regions based on the relationship between the marginal and average products of nitrogen fertilizer. The results indicated that farms operating below the threshold of 19 lb/acre (22 kg/ha) of nitrogen application remained in the noneconomic production zone characterized by underutilization of inputs, whereas farms operating above this threshold entered the economically rational production region with diminishing but positive returns to nitrogen use. Additionally, the marginal product of nitrogen fertilizer was converted into metabolizable energy values to evaluate calorie instability associated with nitrogen management. The findings showed that inefficient nitrogen application generated substantial volatility in calorie provision, particularly within the noneconomic production zone. Overall, the results emphasized the importance of balanced nutrient management, precision fertilizer application, integrated pest management, and risk reduction strategies for improving productivity, environmental sustainability, and food‐energy stability in corn production systems.
ABSTRACT China's Second Outline of the Action Plan to Increase Grain Production Capacity by 50 Million Metric Tons places strong emphasis on maize yield improvement; however, its implications for domestic food security and global maize markets remain unclear. This study adapted an open‐source multicountry partial equilibrium model, calibrated it to a 2023 base year, and simulated a baseline and three policy‐induced maize yield‐improvement scenarios for 2030. Relative to the baseline, the Action Plan scenarios increase China's maize production by 4.01–12.19 million metric tons, reduce net maize imports from 22.45 million metric tons to 18.51–10.46 million metric tons, and raise the maize self‐sufficiency ratio from 93.17% to 94.37%–96.82%. Lower Chinese import demand reduces the world maize price by 0.93%–2.84% and contracts global maize trade by 1.31%–3.99%. Synchronized climate shock stress tests indicate that climate‐related production volatility can generate much larger price movements than those associated with medium‐term policy effects. The Action Plan can, therefore, strengthen China's maize security and moderately reshape global trade, but it should be complemented by climate adaptation, diversified trade, and transparent stock management.
ABSTRACT Herbicide resistance in weeds is frequently accompanied by fitness trade‐offs that compromise survival and reproductive success. In this study, we investigated a glufosinate‐resistant (R) population of Eleusine indica, in which the GS1‐1Ser59Gly mutation confers resistance to glufosinate, alongside a susceptible (S) population. Both R and S populations achieved 100% final germination under natural germination conditions, with no significant difference in germination rate. However, R plants displayed significantly earlier tillering and flowering in both monoculture and mixed growth conditions, approximately 15 days earlier than the S population, indicating accelerated reproductive timing. This precocity incurred a substantial fitness cost, manifested as a ~60% reduction in seed production per plant and reduced competitive suppression of rice growth. Transcriptomic analysis identified EiMADS56, a key‐flowering regulatory gene, that was significantly upregulated (2.2‐ to 3.1‐fold) in the R population, and its over‐expression of EiMADS56 in Arabidopsis thaliana advanced flowering by approximately 7 days. Moreover, the R population demonstrated enhanced ammonium nitrogen (NH4+) uptake and transport efficiency, suggesting a mechanistic link between improved nitrogen utilization and early reproduction. These results suggest that the GS1‐1Ser59Gly mutation may drive fitness trade‐offs in glufosinate‐resistant E. indica via nitrogen uptake‐mediated reproductive acceleration, thereby providing preliminary insights for refining herbicide resistance management and ecological risk evaluation.
ABSTRACT This study examines how climate variability influences the temporary migration among women in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. To do so, it combines local precipitation records with longitudinal household socioeconomic data from the Agincourt Health and Socio‐Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) covering the period 1992–2023. A mediation approach is applied to assess the extent to which food insecurity explains the link between climate variability, measured using the Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI), and women's temporary migration. The findings indicate that the likelihood of women engaging in temporary migration rises during both below‐average and above‐average rainfall periods. Food insecurity, which intensifies as natural resource availability declines and crop failures increase under climatic extremes, mediates a considerable part of this relationship. The robustness of the mediation effect is confirmed through Sobel, Delta, and Monte Carlo tests. These results underscore the need for public authorities and development stakeholders to support livelihood diversification by promoting sectors that are less sensitive to climate variability, such as tourism and local processing industries. Such a shift would contribute to strengthening rural economies and widening employment opportunities for women, decreasing their dependence on migration as an adaptive response. Greater attention is also required to ensure the protection and inclusion of migrant women in destination areas through socioprofessional programs that enhance autonomy and resilience.
Extreme meteorological events, particularly the summer heat-drought compound events, increasingly threaten global rice production. In Southwest China, the precise synchronization of direct-seeded rice phenology with favorable climatic windows is critical for yield and quality. However, the interactive effects of sowing date and variety selection on climate resilience and economic returns remain insufficiently quantified. This study evaluated 16 rice varieties across five sowing dates (S1-S5), with S1 commencing on April 25th and subsequent sowings spaced at 10-day intervals in a representative heat-drought region to optimize cultivation strategies. Results indicated that typical heat-drought events concentrated from mid-July to mid-August. Delaying the sowing date effectively reduced high-temperature exposure. Two-line indica hybrid rice (2LIHR) generally outperformed inbred indica rice (IIR) and three-line indica hybrid rice (3LIHR) in grain yield and quality. Specifically, the yield of 2LIHR was 2.17%-53.92% higher than that of IIR and 6.92%-18.42% higher than that of 3LIHR. This yield advantage was primarily attributable to its superior panicle number, spikelets per panicle, and grain filling rate. Furthermore, appropriate delayed sowing date can effectively improve rice quality, and 2LIHR exhibited significantly higher head rice yield and lower chalky grain percentage across all sowing dates. Comprehensive GGE biplot, cluster analysis, and PCA showed that Jingliangyou-534 (JLY534) as the most stable and high-yielding variety. Economic assessment revealed that optimized configurations significantly enhanced profitability; for instance, JLY534 at S3 increased net profit by 765.43% compared to the control. Conversely, the control suffered economic losses under S4. These findings demonstrate that the synergistic optimization of sowing dates and varieties significantly improves resource-use efficiency and climate resilience, thereby providing a robust technical framework for enhancing food security and farmers' income in drought-prone tropical and subtropical regions.
ABSTRACT Recent advances in agricultural production and storage systems have contributed to a significant enhancement in annual wheat production and preservation, aimed at satisfying increasing consumer demands. Despite such potential developments, there are still significant post‐harvest losses in stored wheat, induced by destructive pests, grain moisture content, and proliferation of fungi. This review discussed recent innovations in wheat storage, comprising hermetic storage, biological pest control, modified atmosphere technologies, smart IoT/AI‐enabled storage systems, and drying techniques, as well as other environment‐friendly compounds, such as inert dusts, desiccants, and botanicals, which collectively extend wheat shelf life and reduce post‐harvest losses. Emphasis is given on the integrated application of these technologies, together with an IPM approach that combines preventive storage measures, regular monitoring, biological controls, and minimal chemical use, to develop an efficient, durable, and sustainable wheat storage system. The review also focuses on the impact of climate change on wheat storage systems as well as how the storage systems could be adjusted to accommodate these complications. In view of recent research and technological advances, this paper highlights the importance of various innovative approaches including IPM, for the maintenance of stored wheat quality to ensure food security, sustainability, and adaptation to climate change.
ABSTRACT By 2050, the global population is projected to reach ~10 billion, leading to 50% increase in food demand. This growth will place immense pressure on agricultural systems that are already struggling with the impacts of climate change and resource depletion. Key challenges include erratic rainfall patterns, increased occurrence of extreme weather events, land degradation, and freshwater scarcity. To ensure global food security, it is critical to revolutionize food production strategies by shifting toward sustainable, climate‐resilient practices. This review highlights the following advances: (1) pioneering protein production methods (cultured meat and precision fermentation); (2) soilless cultivation systems (hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics) combined with advanced molecular engineering (gene editing and photosynthesis engineering); and (3) emergence of carbon‐sequestering crops for agriculture to function as a carbon sink, helping to mitigate climate change. The integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and precision agriculture enables us to monitor and manage soil, crops, and climate conditions in real‐time, thereby maximizing yield and resource utilization efficiency. These innovations represent a transformative shift in global food production, aligning agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability.
Banana and plantain (Musa spp. L.) are fundamental to food security and rural livelihoods across sub-Saharan Africa, yet production is severely constrained by multiple diseases, with Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) representing the most devastating viral threat. Inadequate diagnostic infrastructure limits effective management, particularly for asymptomatic infections disseminated through the informal exchange of planting material. This study presents an integrated diagnostic framework combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) molecular diagnostics with deep learning-based computer vision for rapid, scalable disease detection under field conditions. A four-primer LAMP assay targeting the BBTV coat protein gene was developed using conserved sequences from diverse African isolates and validated with a simplified alkaline extraction protocol that eliminates conventional nucleic acid purification. The assay achieved 100% specificity and concordant detection with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR, while reducing total diagnostic time from 4-6 h to 60 min. In-house production of the recombinant protein Geobacillus stearothermophilus deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase, large fragment demonstrated comparable enzymatic performance to commercial alternatives, with projected per-reaction cost reductions of 70%-80%. Concurrently, a Single Shot MultiBox Detector Lite MobileNetV2 object detection model was developed through 17 iterative training cycles on 17,703 field-collected images spanning 22 disease and physiological stress classes. The final model achieved per class accuracies of 92.5% for BBTV, 91.0% for banana xanthomonas wilt (BXW), and 98.1% for healthy leaf classification, with deployment via the PlantVillage mobile application enabling real-time offline diagnostics. A Quick Response (QR) code-based metadata system links each artificial intelligence (AI) phenotypic assessment to its corresponding molecular confirmation result, enabling georeferenced surveillance that tracks both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. Together, these complementary tools broad-scale AI screening for rapid field survey and LAMP molecular confirmation for pre-symptomatic detection providing an accessible, cost-effective diagnostic framework for safeguarding banana production across sub-Saharan Africa.
ABSTRACT Climate change threatens millions of Nepal's rural farmers as a consequence of a lack of institutional support and low adaptive capacity. Agricultural co‐operatives have emerged as a promising solution to increase farmers' resilience; however, their role across different co‐operative types remains underexplored. This study examines the driving factors of producer and multipurpose co‐operatives and their influence on farmers' adoption of climate change adaptation strategies, using survey data from 400 households across three agro‐ecological zones in Nepal. The results from the probit and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) model showed different patterns of participation across co‐operative types. Membership in producer co‐operatives is driven by household labour availability and midland agro‐ecological conditions. In contrast, multipurpose co‐operatives are mainly driven by higher education, access to information, and perception of climate risks. More specifically, the likelihood of adoption of adaptation strategies by producer and multipurpose co‐operatives increases by approximately 0.73 and 0.77 practices, respectively, compared to non‐members. These effects result from better access to inputs, climate information, financial services, and collective learning mechanisms facilitated by co‐operatives. Overall, our results underscore that co‐operatives function as institutional platforms that simultaneously reduce multiple constraints and enable higher adoption of climate adaptation strategies. Policies should prioritise the use of co‐operatives as delivery platforms. In particular, producer co‐operatives associated with labour availability and midland conditions should focus on input provision and production support, whereas multipurpose co‐operatives in lowland zones should incorporate climate advisory services and training.
ABSTRACT The Water–Energy–Food (WEF) nexus approach has emerged as a key framework for addressing interconnected resource challenges, particularly in rural Southern Africa, where climate vulnerability, institutional fragmentation, and livelihood pressures intersect. This study critically assesses the applicability of four prominent WEF nexus frameworks: the BonnFramework, the World Economic Forum (WEF) Framework, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Framework, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Framework. Drawing on a qualitative, interpretive review of 71 purposively selected publications, the study evaluates these frameworks against six feasibility criteria: data requirements, institutional capacity, cost and resource implications, technological complexity, cultural acceptability, and potential for downscaling in rural contexts. The findings reveal that although all frameworks effectively conceptualise WEF interdependencies, their practical applicability varies significantly. The Bonn and WEF frameworks provide strong high‐level integration but offer limited operational guidance; the FAO framework offers structured planning tools but remains resource‐intensive; and the IISD framework is the most adaptable, owing to its simplicity and focus on access, availability, and utilisation. The study concludes that localising global WEF frameworks is essential to address rural vulnerabilities and enhance implementation. This research shifts the focus from conceptual integration to feasibility, offering a practical perspective for policymakers and practitioners aiming to implement nexus‐based approaches in resource‐limited rural areas.
ABSTRACT Plant architecture is a key determinant of rice (Oryza sativa) productivity, with tiller angle playing a central role in optimizing plant density, light interception, and yield. During domestication, rice underwent a critical transition from the prostrate growth habit of wild relatives such as Oryza rufipogon to the erect architecture of cultivated varieties, driven by selection for reduced tiller angle. While numerous studies have identified genes associated with tiller angle regulation, a comprehensive synthesis integrating domestication genetics, physiological mechanisms, and emerging biotechnological approaches remains limited. This review provides a critical and integrative perspective on the molecular control of tiller angle, distinguishing between genes that directly regulate gravitropism and shoot orientation (e.g., PROG1, TAC1, LAZY1) and those that indirectly influence plant architecture through hormonal or developmental pathways (e.g., D3, D14, D53, sd1). We highlight key domestication genes, including PROG1, PROG7, TIG1, and the RPAD locus, and clarify the current status of BTA8 as a candidate locus associated with basal tiller angle whose molecular function and regulatory interactions remain unresolved. Importantly, we move beyond descriptive summaries to propose a conceptual framework linking gene regulatory networks, auxin‐mediated gravitropism, and evolutionary selection during domestication. We further evaluate how recent advances in multiomics, single‐cell technologies, and CRISPR/Cas‐based genome editing can address current bottlenecks in dissecting complex traits such as tiller angle. By integrating genetic, physiological, and technological perspectives, this review identifies key knowledge gaps and outlines future research directions, including network‐level analysis and precision breeding strategies. These insights provide a foundation for exploiting wild rice genetic diversity to develop climate‐resilient, high‐yielding cultivars with optimized plant architecture.
ABSTRACT Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) poses a severe threat to global tomato production. Developing resistant cultivars requires a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant‐virus interactions. In this study, we employed an intergrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis to investigate the defense responses of a moderately resistant tomato line (MR2T826) compared to two susceptible lines (SV2T482 and SV2T1130) at 3 days post‐inoculation under TSWV infection. Metabolomic profiling identified a total of 1970 metabolites, with flavonoids and alkaloids being the most abundant classes. KEGG based pathway analysis revealed that the top four pathways ranked by enrichment significance in both comparisons (MR2T826_vs_SV2T482 and MR2T826_vs_SV2T1130). The pathway names were Biosynthesis of solanidine and solasodine steroidal glycoalkaloids, Flavonoid biosynthesis, Flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and Biosynthesis of quercetin aglycones I. Further analysis of Flavonoid biosynthesis pathway presented eighteen shared flavonoid differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Notably, eleven out of eighteen shared flavonoid DAMs were consistently upregulated in MR2T826, including several quercetin derivatives. Alongside, transcriptomic analysis revealed 450 differentially expressed genes common in MR2T826_vs_ SV2T482 and MR2T826_vs_ SV2T1130, among which 180 were significantly upregulated in MR2T826, including key transcription factors (e.g., NAC22, NAC56, BH063) and pathogenesis‐related protein genes. Integrated KEGG analysis revealed coordinated upregulation of quercetin‐related metabolites and key flavonoid biosynthetic genes in the resistant line MR2T826 compared with susceptible lines, indicating enhanced activation of flavonoid‐related pathways. Taken together, our results suggest that activation of flavonoid biosynthesis, potentially coordinated by specific transcription factors and associated with enhanced antioxidant capacity, is associated with the resistance response of tomato to TSWV. These findings provide new insights into the metabolic features of a moderately resistant tomato line and offer potential targets for future functional studies and resistance breeding.
ABSTRACT Fruits and vegetables are integral to West African diets, livelihoods and cultural food systems, yet their contributions to nutrition security remain constrained by significant postharvest losses. This review synthesises recent literature on traditional, modern and integrated postharvest management practices for indigenous fruits and vegetables in West Africa, with a focus on nutrient retention, food loss reduction and diet quality. Unlike previous reviews that focus on commercial horticultural crops or single‐country analyses, this review uniquely applies a nutrition‐sensitive systems framework to West African indigenous species, integrating evidence from food science, nutrition, gender studies and value chain analysis. We identify integrated postharvest approaches combining indigenous knowledge with context‐appropriate technological innovations as the most viable pathway for strengthening nutrition‐sensitive food systems, a finding that advances beyond the traditional technology‐centric or loss‐quantification literature. The effects of harvesting, handling, storage, preservation, processing and market coordination on food availability, affordability and nutrient preservation are critically examined. Traditional postharvest practices remain widespread due to their accessibility and cultural acceptance; however, their effectiveness is increasingly limited by climate variability and inadequate quality assurance. In contrast, modern postharvest technologies demonstrate improved preservation efficiency and nutrient retention but are often constrained by high costs, energy dependence and limited social inclusion. Evidence suggests that integrated postharvest approaches combining indigenous knowledge with context‐appropriate technological innovations offer the most viable pathway for strengthening nutrition‐sensitive food systems. The review also highlights the central role of women in postharvest activities and underscores the need for gender‐responsive, climate‐smart and market‐oriented interventions. Overall, enhancing postharvest management of fruits and vegetables represents a critical entry point for improving diet quality, reducing food losses and fostering resilient and inclusive food systems in West Africa.
ABSTRACT Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a key oilseed crop in China that benefits from eco‐friendly microbial agents for growth promotion and disease control; however, the precise molecular interactions between sesame and these agents remain elusive. This study investigated the microbial agent “Hangtianbao”(HTB), formulated with Paenibacillus kribbensis ΔPS04‐17, in a field‐grown sesame system over a single growing season. The experiment included three field plot replicates per group, with consistent field management except for HTB application, which was conducted four times at intervals, alternating between root drenching and foliar spraying. HTB significantly improved key agronomic traits, including single root fresh weight and seed number per pod, while increasing plot yield (0.14 ± 0.01 kg/m2) and total fat yield per plant (3.84 ± 0.50 g/plant), which were significantly higher than those of the CK group (0.09 ± 0.01 kg/m2 and 1.55 ± 0.26 g/plant). It also reduced incidence of Ralstonia solanacearum (4.79% ± 0.90%) and Macrophomina phaseolina (2.62% ± 0.40%) compared with the CK group (8.74% ± 0.52% and 5.08% ± 0.38%). Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses suggested potential associations between HTB application and changes in three core metabolic pathways: flavonoid biosynthesis, putatively associated with upregulation of the Chalcone Isomerase gene and accumulation of defensive metabolites; photosynthetic carbon fixation, putatively related to elevated expression of key genes such as rbcL and rbcS; and fatty acid synthesis, putatively correlated with upregulation of the FabG gene. These preliminary correlative findings provide important insights into microbial‐mediated crop improvement and support the development of sustainable agricultural practices.
ABSTRACT Transitioning to clean and affordable energy is a persistent development challenge for rural populations in low‐ and middle‐income countries, where dependence on traditional biomass‐based fuels continues to dominate. Although off‐farm employment has gained increasing attention as a driver of rural livelihood transformation, its specific relationship with household energy transition remains underexplored in the academic literature. This limitation is evident in the tendency of existing studies to examine off‐farm income effects in general terms, often overlooking the distinct mechanisms through which off‐farm employment may influence household energy transition decisions. Moreover, there is notable conceptual inconsistency in how household energy types are categorized within the energy transition literature, with limited efforts to develop a consolidated typology. To address this knowledge gap, this study conducts a PRISMA‐guided systematic review of 34 peer‐reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2024, drawing data from 3 leading academic databases. The findings consolidate fragmented energy type classifications into a clearer typology and reveal a generally positive association between off‐farm employment and household adoption of modern energy sources—such as electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and solar energy—alongside a reduction in reliance on traditional biomass fuels. This relationship appears to operate primarily through two pathways: (i) increased household income, which improves affordability of modern energy technologies, and (ii) reduced time and labor burdens associated with biomass fuel collection. Nevertheless, the review identifies a critical gap in the literature: the effects of different forms and qualities of off‐farm employment on household energy decisions remain underemphasized. Overall, these insights reduce conceptual ambiguity and differentiate this review from earlier literature by linking rural labor diversification directly to household energy transition outcomes, thereby advancing a more precise understanding of rural energy transition dynamics.
The maize pericarp serves not only as a physical protective barrier of the seed but also as a critical functional interface involved in environmental response and physiological regulation. Systematic analysis of the metabolic basis of nutritional components and related metabolites in the maize pericarp is of great importance for quality improvement, nutrient fortification, and understanding crop adaptation to environmental changes. However, due to limitations in analytical techniques, current knowledge of the maize pericarp metabolome remains limited. In this study, UHPLC-MS/MS was employed to analyze the pericarp metabolome. A total of 12 and 9 classes of metabolites were identified in positive ion mode (POS) and negative ion mode (NEG), respectively, from which 52 significantly different metabolites were screened. Based on the core differential metabolites, a metabolic atlas of the pericarp was constructed, successfully classifying the tested population into three distinct subgroups with markedly different metabolic characteristics. By constructing an association network between metabolic and morphological phenotypes, we found that surface roughness parameters were most extensively linked with metabolites: both average roughness (Ra) and root mean square roughness (Rq) were significantly positively correlated with l-histidine, whereas roughness skewness (Rsk) was significantly negatively correlated with flavonoids, proline, and other metabolites. These results suggest that micrometer-scale morphological traits may be closely associated with the composition of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified a candidate gene, Zm00001d053872, that may be associated with coordinated variation in pericarp roughness and flavonoid metabolism. This study established a quantitative analysis method for pericarp characteristics based on a metabolic atlas and deciphered the synergistic regulatory network between pericarp morphology and metabolism through a multi-omics integration strategy, providing a theoretical basis for the genetic improvement of seed quality and pericarp-related agronomic traits.
ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) rate, timing, and source can strongly influence biomass sorghum yield, profitability, and disease risk, yet these management effects remain insufficiently understood under early‐ and late‐planted systems in the Mid‐Atlantic U.S. Two field experiments were conducted from 2017 to 2019 across multiple site‐years to evaluate the effects of planting date, sidedress N rate, and fertilizer source on biomass sorghum yield and related traits. Experiment 1 evaluated sidedress N rates (0–224 kg N ha−1) under early planting (EP; a full‐season cropping system) and late planting (LP; mimicking a double‐crop system) and determined the most economic rate of N (MERN). Experiment 2 compared environmentally smart nitrogen (ESN) with upfront and sidedress N applications at 168 kg N ha−1 across planting dates. In experiment 1, EP produced 53% greater dry matter yield and 18% higher plant height than LP, while LP had 8% lower disease severity. A MERN of 57 kg N ha−1 provided the maximum yield, partial factor productivity and N use efficiency. In experiment 2, EP resulted in 66%, 19%, and 26%, higher dry matter, plant height and stem diameter, respectively, than LP. Upfront N and ESN produced similar biomass yield and stem diameter, but upfront N increased disease severity relative to ESN. Overall, EP and application of 57 kg N ha−1 was the most effective strategy for maximizing biomass yield and farm profitability. These findings suggest producers should prioritize planting date and N rate at MERN over fertilizer source, while ESN may offer added benefits under disease‐prone conditions.
