Corn cultivation is one of the most important in the world. Urea possesses a high concentration of nitrogen, which is very important to corn crops, is easily handled, and has a lower cost per kilogram of nitrogen, but it presents high losses of this nutrient through volatilization. Therefore, technologies are developed to minimize these losses, the most widespread being N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). This study aims to select the most appropriate nonlinear model to describe the accumulated loss of nitrogen by volatilization of urea fertilizers of increased efficiency with NBPT applied as topdressing fertilization in corn plants. Urea treated with NBPT not only reduced, but also retarded the accumulated loss of nitrogen by NH3 volatilization. The von Bertalanffy model best adjusted the data for conventional urea fertilizers, while the Gompertz model best adjusted the data for other fertilizers. The UGRAN fertilizer showed the highest accumulated loss with an estimate of 36.503 kg ha-1, registering a loss of approximately 11 kg ha-1 of N on the first day after application, while the UNBPT4 fertilizer recorded the lowest accumulated loss with an estimate of 14.623 kg ha-1, which corresponds to a reduction of 59.9% in relation to the conventional urea.
Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of fluctuating moisture regimes on the Korean Peninsula, yet plant responses to moderate field moisture variation remain poorly understood. We investigated the effects of irrigation on growth, physiology, and gene expression of the native perennial plant Veronica longifolia under field conditions. Plants were exposed to irrigated and nonirrigated treatments for 20 weeks in 2024, followed by a subsequent growing season in 2025 without irrigation to assess cumulative and carryover effects. During the 2024 treatment period, seasonal mean soil water content ranged from 14.4% to 27.6% in the irrigated plot and from 10.1% to 24.8% in the nonirrigated plot, remaining within or above a generally favorable range for growth and suggesting that severe drought stress was unlikely. Nevertheless, irrigation increased plant height and leaf area, with leaf area 31.1% and 28.7% greater in the irrigated plot during the rainy and postrainy periods, respectively. Irrigation also enhanced reproductive performance, increasing seed mass, seed length, and seed width by 16.7%, 14.4%, and 14.2%, respectively. Seasonal physiological responses showed minimal differences in photosynthetic parameters, except for transient reversals during the rainy season, likely associated with excessive soil moisture. In 2025, biomass differences between treatments disappeared under uniform nonirrigated conditions; however, plants previously subjected to irrigation maintained higher photosynthetic activity and stomatal conductance. Gene expression analyses showed treatment-history-associated differences in transcripts commonly linked to abiotic stress regulation (VlADH, VlDREB1, and VlERF), antioxidant defense (VlPOD), carbon assimilation (VlrbcS), and photosystem II (PSII) repair (VlpsbA). Because gene expression was assessed at a single sampling time, these transcriptional patterns should be interpreted as possible carryover responses associated with prior irrigation history rather than direct evidence of physiological memory mechanisms. These findings suggest that moderate differences in field moisture availability can be associated with cumulative growth responses within the treatment year and with physiological and transcriptional differences in the following year.
Global population growth and climate change are placing unprecedented pressure on food systems, threatening crop productivity and nutritional quality. Vertical farming, as a form of totally controlled-environment agriculture, offers an innovative approach to optimizing plant growth and enhancing the quality of high-value crops such as basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The aim of this study was to compare the growth performance, antioxidant properties, and volatile profiles of four basil varieties-Lemon Basil, Purple Basil, Sweet Basil, and Thai Basil-grown in a vertical farm (VF) and in a traditional semi-controlled glasshouse (GH). In both environments, plants were cultivated in soilless systems with manual fertigation. Plant height, dry weight percentage, and the reflectance indices NDVI and Greenness Index were measured as indicators of growth performance; total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity (FRAP) were analyzed to evaluate antioxidant status, and headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was employed to characterize volatile compounds associated with the aroma of the crops. Depending on the basil variety, plants cultivated in VF generally exhibited enhanced growth compared to GH (up to 116% increase in plant height), increased antioxidant content (up to 88% higher TPC and up to 99% higher FRAP in VF), and greater accumulation of aromatic compounds (up to 120% larger summed peak area of the 50 most abundant volatile compounds in VF). These findings indicate that vertical farming can improve both growth and phytochemical quality of basil through precise environmental control, highlighting its potential for sustainable urban food production of high-quality fresh produce.
Macrophytes are vulnerable to various factors in their natural ecosystems, including climatic, ecological, and anthropogenic changes. This study aims to document how these factors influence floristic composition. Four sites were investigated in the Boeny Region of northwest Madagascar: Ambatoboeny, Marovoay, Ankarafantsika National Park, and Mahajanga II. Floristic inventories were compiled with geographic and floristic parameters, utilizing 1 × 1 m2 quadrat for each sample. Diversity indices, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), distance based-Redundancy Analysis (db-RDA) were conducted to analyze the data. A total of 98 species were recorded across the four study sites, belonging to 73 genera and 33 families. Twelve species were unique to Mahajanga II, 18 to Marovoy, 16 to Ankarafantsika, and five to Ambatoboeny. Rarefaction curves indicated a progressive trend in species diversity, which appeared to stabilize in both Shannon diversity. The db-RDA revealed species dispersion along longitudinal and latitudinal axes and in relation to vegetation cover. The Permutational Multivariate Analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) indicated a significant influence among the study sites. Over the course of two decades, we observed an increase in temperature at the three districts including the study sites, while precipitation levels progressively decreased during the same period. Wetlands in the northwestern part of Madagascar are in need of conservation and would benefit from further research.
ABSTRACT Soil respiration (Rs) is a major pathway of CO2 release from terrestrial ecosystems and plays a fundamental role in regulating forest carbon cycling. However, species‐specific controls on rhizosphere soil respiration in tropical deciduous forests remain poorly understood, particularly under tree species with contrasting functional characteristics. This study investigated rhizosphere Rs and associated soil physicochemical properties in the rhizosphere soils of three dominant tree species, Shorea robusta, Albizia procera, and Acacia auriculiformis, in Bhawal National Park, Bangladesh. Rhizosphere soils were collected from two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm), and soil physicochemical properties were analyzed alongside laboratory‐based measurements of Rs. Soil respiration differed significantly among tree species and soil depths, with the highest values observed in A. auriculiformis, followed by S. robusta, whereas the lowest in A. procera. In contrast, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen were greatest in the rhizosphere of A. procera and lowest in A. auriculiformis. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct differences in rhizosphere soil characteristics among tree species, primarily associated with soil pH, moisture content, calcium, and organic carbon. Multiple regression analysis identified soil moisture and calcium as the strongest predictors of Rs, explaining 52% of the observed variation. The negative relationship between Rs and soil organic carbon suggests differences in carbon turnover and stabilization rather than carbon quantity alone. Although the underlying mechanisms were not directly examined, the observed differences among species are likely associated with species‐specific belowground functional traits that influence rhizosphere processes. These findings demonstrate that tree species identity is an important determinant of belowground carbon dynamics and highlight the importance of considering species‐specific effects when designing forest restoration and management strategies aimed at maintaining soil carbon storage and ecosystem functioning in tropical deciduous forests.
ABSTRACT Land‐use change is a major driver of biodiversity loss and soil degradation in tropical ecosystems, yet its impacts on soil fungal communities, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated how fungal diversity and community composition differed between three land use types (cropland, disturbed, and undisturbed forest vegetation) in two forest reserves in southwestern Nigeria. We hypothesized that intact forests harbor the most diverse fungal communities, while croplands would be dominated by a less diverse community of more disturbance‐tolerant fungi. Using high‐throughput sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and Small Subunit (SSU) regions, we detected 9240 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 738 AMF amplicon sequence variants. Fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota, while AMF communities were primarily represented by the genus Glomus, followed by Paraglomus, Diversispora, Acaulospora, and Claroideoglomus. Contrary to expectations, we found no significant differences in AMF communities between land‐use types (F = 1.1, p = 0.351). Total fungal, saprotrophic and plant pathogenic fungal communities, on the other hand, clearly differed between land‐use types. Furthermore, indicator species analysis identified a greater number of unique fungal OTUs in undisturbed forests, suggesting that while generalists persist, specialist fungal taxa are lost in disturbed sites. Overall, our findings indicate that agroforestry, where perennial crops maintain host root continuity, may buffer mycorrhizal fungal assemblages against the negative effects of deforestation, but at the same time highlight the importance of conserving multiple forest habitats to protect site‐specific belowground biodiversity.
ABSTRACT Insights into phenotypic plasticity in leaf traits provide context for how plants maintain adequate resource acquisition across changing environments. Whether insertion mutations that influence early seedling rosettes translate into differences in reproductive success and phenotypic plasticity across nutrient and temperature environments is less known. We selected Arabidopsis thaliana mutant lines associated with a single insertion mutation in a common genetic background from a screen that categorized rosettes into two sets based on qualitative seedling size (increase or decrease) in comparison to wildtype and natural accessions. Our experiment under nutrient and temperature treatments showed the decrease set of mutant lines maintained smaller rosettes at bolting across environments, whereas the same was not found for the increase set, which revealed greater within‐set variation. Nutrients increased fruit production, particularly at 20°C, whereas the warmer temperature (24°C) increased fruit abortion and tended to reduce fruit production, with stronger effects in the increase set. For the mutant lines studied for physiology, we found CO2 assimilation patterns were broadly similar across temperatures despite rosette size differences, suggesting that this aspect of physiology does not explain rosette differences. Treatment responses were not parallel across sets of lines, indicating substantial among‐line variation. The variation in phenotypic traits across abiotic environments in single gene‐insertion mutants offers new quantitative insights into tradeoffs between rosette and reproduction. With data on genetic mechanisms behind plasticity, our results highlight how individual mutations can generate context dependent variation in vegetative and reproductive traits and trait relationships, useful for informing other plants' responses to climate change.
ABSTRACT Agricultural management practices play a significant role in shaping soil biological communities and ecosystem processes. Soil nematodes are valuable biological indicators of soil health because they occupy different trophic levels and are sensitive to alterations in environmental conditions. This study assessed the influence of organic and conventional farming systems on soil nematode communities in spinach production systems in Embu County, Kenya. We hypothesized that organic farming systems would support higher nematode diversity and a more complex community structure than conventional systems. Soil samples were collected from farms under the two management systems and analyzed using high‐throughput sequencing targeting the 18S rRNA gene. A total of 394 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) representing 73 nematode genera were identified across the two systems. Numerical differences were observed in the abundance of nematode families, genera, and trophic groups between the two farming systems. Cephalobidae, Prismatolaimidae, and Trichodoridae showed higher relative abundance in the conventional system, while Rhabditidae, Monhysteridae, and Qudsianematidae were relatively more abundant in the organic system, but these differences were not statistically significant. Acrobeloides, Prismatolaimus, and Paratrichodorus were relatively more abundant in the conventional system, whereas Eumonhystera, Aphelenchoides, Diploscapter, and Microdorylaimus were more abundant in organic farms; however, these differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Similarly, fungivores and plant‐parasitic nematodes were relatively more abundant in conventional farms, whereas bacterivores, predators, and omnivores were more abundant in organic farms, although these differences were also not statistically significant (p > 0.05). No significant differences were observed in alpha or beta diversity between the two farming systems. Our work establishes a valuable baseline for future studies aimed at enhancing the sustainable management of spinach agroecosystems.
ABSTRACT Soilless cultivation has emerged as an effective approach for improving cucumber productivity under protected cultivation by enhancing root‐zone conditions and minimizing soil‐borne constraints. However, the performance of different growing media combinations remains insufficiently understood. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of different growing media on cucumber growth, yield, fruit quality, and root‐knot nematode incidence under protected cultivation. A completely randomized design (CRD) experiment was conducted with 13 different growing media treatments, including soil, perlite, vermiculite, cocopeat, sand, and their combinations. According to the findings, the Vermiculite + Cocopeat in the ratio of 1:1 (T9) combination reduced root‐knot nematode infection while dramatically increasing vine length, fruit set, fruit retention, fruit yield (28.05 kg/m2), and quality metrics. Vine length and yield were found to be strongly positively correlated by correlation analysis, while productivity was negatively correlated with root‐knot infestation. Fruit set, flowering period, and fruit retention all directly increased yield, according to path analysis. Strong genetic control over these variables was shown by estimates of variance components, which showed moderate heritability for fruit set and retention and high heritability (114.18%) for days to flower initiation. However, yield‐related traits exhibited low heritability viz yield per vine (14.24%) and YPP (12.89%), highlighting the significant role of environmental factors. These findings suggest that combination of Vermiculite and Cocopeat is the most suitable growing medium for cucumber cultivation in protected conditions, optimizing yield and reducing disease susceptibility.
ABSTRACT Limited cultivable land and seasonal flooding constrain vegetable production in the riverine char lands of Bangladesh, highlighting the need for efficient and climate‐resilient production systems. This study evaluated optimized potting media for seedling production and the vertical cultivation of high‐value vegetables, particularly capsicum and spinach, as well as the integration of outdoor vertical farming with conventional farming to improve vegetable productivity and farm income. The results indicated that vermicompost:soil:sand (1:1:1) produced the most vigorous tomato and cauliflower seedlings, recording stem lengths of 10.30 and 4.32 cm, root lengths of 4.03 and 5.12 cm, leaf areas of 9.70 and 5.92 cm2, stem diameters of 2.10 and 1.30 mm, and fresh weights of 0.80 and 0.75 g seedling−1, respectively. For crop production, vermicompost:rice husk at 70:30 produced the highest spinach yield (349.9 g pot−1) and capsicum yield (509.0 g pot−1). Compared with conventional farming, which produced 111.7 kg garden−1, BDT 4515 gross return, BDT 3465 net return, and a benefit–cost ratio of 4.30, the integrated vertical‐conventional system produced 307.56 kg garden−1, BDT 10,083.30 gross return, BDT 7998.30 net return, and a benefit–cost ratio of 4.84. These findings indicate that locally available organic substrates, particularly vermicompost‐based mixtures, can improve vegetable productivity, farm income, and land‐use efficiency in flood‐prone riverine areas. Vertical farming may therefore offer a practical climate‐resilient option for enhancing food security and livelihoods among resource‐poor char land farmers.
ABSTRACT Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) is a major cash‐generating pulse crop in Ethiopia's lowlands, serving as a key source of plant‐based protein and contributing to soil fertility. However, its production is severely constrained by Cercospora Leaf Spot (CLS), a destructive fungal disease. During the 2024 and 2025 cropping seasons, a total of 496 mungbean farms from 33 districts in five regions of Ethiopia were inspected to assess the distribution and occurrence of CLS and its association with agronomic factors. The districts were selected according to their mungbean production potential. Necessary information related to farm field inspected including altitude and absolute location were recorded during field assessments. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations between CLS occurrence and agronomic factors. CLS was widespread across all surveyed districts, with prevalence ranging from 72% (Gindo Koisha) to 100% (Sodo), and increased from 85.43% of fields in 2024 to 91.25% in 2025, showing a 5.8% increase in CLS occurrence. High CLS incidence (> 50%) and severity (> 40%) were significantly (p < 0.0001) associated with Sodo districts, followed by Adami Tullu, Awash Melakassa, Kulfo‐Halaba, and Lebo Kemkem. These conditions were predominantly observed in the 2025 cropping season at elevations above 1500 m a.s.l. and were linked to high weed infestation, minimal tillage, and infrequent weeding during the grain‐filling stage. Therefore, priority should be given to CLS‐prone districts through research‐based integrated management to ensure sustainable mungbean production. This would enhance nutritional security and recognize mungbean as a future smart food crop.
ABSTRACT Soil carbon–nitrogen pools are central to soil health, yet their responses to conservation‐oriented management remain insufficiently quantified in tropical agroecosystems. This study evaluated soil carbon–nitrogen pools, stocks and soil health indicators across conventionally managed arable land (CMA), no‐till‐based conservation systems with 2, 4, 7 and 10 years of establishment (NT2, NT4, NT7 and NT10), and natural forest land (NFL) in a tropical Guinea Savanna Ferric Luvisol in southwestern Nigeria. Soil samples were collected at 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths and analyzed for carbon and nitrogen fractions, stocks, physical properties, water‐regulation indicators and chemical fertility attributes. Total organic carbon ranged from 4.7 to 11.2 g kg−1, while total nitrogen ranged from 0.3 to 3.7 g kg−1 across land‐use systems and depths. Within the NT2–NT10 chronosequence, total nitrogen increased by 0.24 and 0.38 g kg−1 year−1 in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers, respectively, while nitrogen stock increased by 0.09 and 0.17 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Surface carbon stock also increased with no‐till duration by 0.21 Mg ha−1 year−1. Longer no‐till duration was associated with higher aggregate stability, increasing by 0.68 and 0.83 percentage units year−1 in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers, respectively. Soil pH increased by 0.15 and 0.13 units year−1, while cation exchange capacity increased by approximately 0.46 cmolc kg−1 year−1 in both depths. In contrast, leaching potential declined by 0.98 and 1.29 percentage units year−1 in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers, respectively. The integrated soil health score increased from 19.6 under NT2 to 82.6 under NT10 in the surface layer, and NT10 also had the highest score in the 5–10 cm layer. These findings indicate that sustained no‐till‐based conservation management can improve soil carbon–nitrogen status, nutrient retention, water regulation and overall soil health. However, the observed responses reflect the combined effects of reduced disturbance, organic inputs, mulching, perennial crop cover and irrigation rather than no‐till alone.
ABSTRACT The development and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies are crucial for enhancing productivity and the welfare of smallholder farmers. Although there is growing empirical evidence on the impact of improved agricultural technologies on various economic and social outcomes, some studies often overlook potential biases. Stemming from both observable and unobservable characteristics, these biases can result in misleading conclusions. To fill the gap, this study examined the impact of the adoption of improved cassava varieties (ICV) on farm performance and household welfare using a sample of 608 households from 14 rural communities in Ghana. To account for potential biases, the study used appropriate matching algorithm, local average treatment effects and endogenous treatment effects regression. The findings show that ICV adoption has a positive impact on cassava yields, whole‐farm land productivity, and household crop incomes. We also show that adopters have significantly lower total annual per capita and food expenditures than non‐adopters. Furthermore, adopters were found to spend more on children's education. Thus, policies and strategies aimed at increasing ICV adoption rates could lead to increased land productivity and crop incomes, as well as enhanced food security and higher investment in children's education, particularly for female‐headed farm households.
ABSTRACT Barley production in the Ethiopian highlands is constrained by soil acidity and the lack of acid‐tolerant genotypes. This study evaluated the effects of environment, genotype, and their interaction on barley performance and identified suitable genotypes for acidic soils. Ten barley genotypes, including eight accessions, one local variety, and one released cultivar, were tested under acidic and lime‐treated soil conditions using a randomized complete block design. The results on the additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) analysis showed that environment explained 60.45% of the total variation, genotype 32.38%, and genotype by environment interaction accounted for 7.18%. The first and the second interaction principal component axes were significant and cumulatively accounted for 80.59% of the total interaction variance. Analysis of the first two principal components showed that E7 and E8 in the Gumer district, representing fully limed and unlimed soils, respectively, contributed most to the genotype by environment interaction. In contrast, E5 and E6 in the Hulla district, representing unlimed and fully limed soils, respectively, contributed least, while E1–E4 had moderate effects. Grain yields in limed environments consistently exceeded the grand mean of 2.79 t ha−1, whereas the unlimed environments produced substantially lower yields across. The first two AMMI components identified genotypes G1, G3, G9, and G10 as superior performers, combining high yield with stability. Therefore, expanding the cultivation of improved variety, G9, and further evaluating genotype G1, G3 and G10, and lime application could improve barley production and food security in the southern highlands of Ethiopia.
ABSTRACT In the current era, climate change has emerged as a fundamental threat to African agriculture, driven by increasingly erratic climatic patterns such as prolonged rainfall, decadal droughts, and escalating thermal stress. This review evaluates contemporary agricultural productivity by gathering and analyzing empirical data from academic publications and credible online resources indexed between 2015 and 2025. The primary objective is to delineate the impacts of climatic instability on yield trajectories and food system accessibility. Utilizing a regional comparative framework, the study examines 10 African nations (two per geographic region) to identify localized and pan‐African trends. Data synthesis from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar reveals that climatic variations have fundamentally undermined food security, contributing to famine, economic displacement, and the erosion of rural livelihoods. Key barriers to effective adaptation were identified as financial incapacity, weak institutional synergy, and a deficit in research and development infrastructure. Consequently, this review highlights the urgent need for a multifaceted resilience strategy that harmonizes indigenous adaptation practices, advanced genomics technology, application of artificial intelligence, and digital climate‐smart technologies. Strengthening food security will require not only technological adoption but also robust policy frameworks, incentivized investment, infrastructural development, and the expansion of extension services to bridge the gap between climate research and on‐farm implementation.
ABSTRACT While exogenous γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) enhances plant stress tolerance, fruit responses to increased endogenous GABA biosynthesis remain unclear. Although high‐GABA traits mitigate productivity loss in cherry tomatoes under salt stress, salinity responses differ among cultivars, and whether this occurs in medium‐sized tomatoes remains unknown. We tested whether endogenous GABA enrichment maintains production and promotes dry matter and GABA accumulation under salt stress. The medium‐sized tomato ‘Esprosso’ (ER), and its genome‐edited high‐GABA line (ERHG) were grown under control and salt stress conditions. Under salt stress, fruit fresh weight decreased by 43.4% in ER and 31.5% in ERHG, whereas fruit number per plant increased by 33.3% in ER and 71.1% in ERHG. Due to this compensatory increase, mean yield changes (+2.6% in ER and +11.1% in ERHG) were not statistically significant. Dry matter content increased by 0.6 percentage points (pp) in ER and 1.5 pp. in ERHG, showing a significant genotype × salt stress interaction. Salt stress elevated GABA concentration by 64.5% in ER and 74.4% in ERHG (from 141.5 to 246.8 mg 100 g−1 FW), increasing per‐fruit GABA content by 22.8% in ERHG. Total soluble solids (TSS) and ascorbic acid increased under salt stress in both genotypes, indicating the high‐GABA trait did not reduce TSS, whereas proline showed a genotype‐dependent response. These results suggest that enhanced endogenous GABA biosynthesis modifies fruit responses to salt stress by promoting GABA and dry matter accumulation and altering osmolyte‐related metabolism without reducing TSS, potentially contributing to high‐value tomato production under controlled salinity.
ABSTRACT Maize is a staple food in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA); however, commonly used maize varieties are deficient in essential nutrients, including lysine, tryptophan, vitamin A, and minerals such as iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). As a result, millions of people in this region suffer from one or more nutrient deficiencies that commonly lead to malnutrition‐related diseases. Especially children and nursing mothers are seriously affected. Over 32% of children under 5 years of age are stunted, and 37% of women aged 15–49 years are affected by anemia in SSA. These indicate that the severity of malnutrition remains high in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), underscoring the need for further work to address this issue. Industrial fortification, clinical supplementation, dietary diversification, and biofortification are strategies to combat malnutrition. Biofortification is one of the most effective and economically viable strategies for improving nutrition in LMICs. However, easily accessing biofortified maize varieties, lack of awareness about the nutritional benefits of biofortified maize among smallholder farmers and consumers, as well as the inadequate availability of biofortified germplasm are some of them among several challenges in SSA. Hence, this review paper focuses on the impact of essential nutrient deficiencies, strategies to combat malnutrition and the techniques to be employed for maize biofortification. It also discusses the challenges faced and offers recommendations for researchers, seed producers, farmers, and policymakers about biofortified maize varieties.
ABSTRACT Natural ecosystem loss and deterioration in the quality of the urban environment due to rapid urbanization associated with soil pollution by mining activity have become a huge dilemma in the mining city of Lubumbashi (DR Congo). This study aimed to assess the importance attributed to trees through the expected services, species choice and their diversity in the polluted and unpolluted neighborhoods of Lubumbashi. Surveys were conducted on 178 residential plots at Penga Penga and Gécamines (polluted neighborhoods) and Kaleja and Kalebuka (unpolluted neighborhoods). In all the neighborhoods, supplying fruits, shade provision and windbreak were identified as the most expected ecosystem services (ES). Penga Penga residents tended to expect more regulating services than Gécamines, Kaleja and Kalebuka residents, who preferred more provisioning services overall. Thirty‐four tree species were identified during the survey, fruiting exotic species dominated by Mangifera indica (44.7%) and Persea americana (21.2%) were the most frequent in the studied neighborhoods of Lubumbashi, both in the polluted or the unpolluted neighborhoods, but Acacia auriculiformis, a non‐fruiting species (4.1%) was only more abundant in the polluted site of Penga Penga. Species richness varied among the neighborhoods, with higher values in unpolluted neighborhoods (Kalebuka and Kaleja: 23 and 22, respectively) than in polluted neighborhoods (Gécamines and Penga Penga: 12 and 18, respectively). As reported in the literature, tree species that cope with polluted soils and provide multiple ES in urban or periurban areas are likely a good option for sustainable phytostabilisation in the Katangan Copperbelt.
ABSTRACT Low maize yields in Mozambique remain a major constraint to food security, primarily due to soil nutrient depletion and limited access to affordable fertilizers among smallholder farmers. Integrated nutrient management, combining organic and mineral inputs, offers a promising approach to improve both productivity and soil health. This study evaluated the agronomic performance and economic viability of combining poultry and cattle manure with urea (mineral nitrogen) in maize production in Gaza province, Mozambique. A 3 × 3 × 3 factorial experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design evaluated three rates of cattle manure (0, 5, and 10 t·ha−1), poultry manure (0, 5, and 10 t·ha−1), and nitrogen fertilizer (0, 40, and 80 kg N·ha−1). Results showed that integrated treatments significantly increased plant height from 177 to 217 cm and grain yield from 3.04 to 5.23 t·ha−1 compared with the unfertilized controls. Soil organic matter increased from 1.60% in the control to 3.78% under 5 t·ha−1 cattle manure. The best agronomic performance was achieved by integrating poultry manure with 40–80 kg N·ha−1. Economically, the sole application of 5 t·ha−1 poultry manure provided the highest marginal rate of return (MRR > 1000%), indicating it as the most cost‐effective option. These findings demonstrated that integrated organic and mineral fertilization enhances maize yield and farm profitability, offering a practical solution for improving smallholder productivity in semi‐arid regions. Further multi‐season studies are recommended to validate longer‐term effects.
ABSTRACT Vaccinium, Cavendishia, and Macleania are typical genera of blueberries from the Ericaceae belt, a narrow ecosystem that connects the high Andean forest and páramo, where fragmentation makes the species more vulnerable to climate change. To answer the question of whether five related blueberry species could physiologically behave similarly in the dry season or if, on the contrary, they differ in their adaptability, three sites in Boyacá‐Colombia were climatically characterized to identify variables associated with soil water tension (Ψm). Stem water potential (SWP) and leaf gas exchange traits were measured in the wet and dry seasons to evaluate water stress responses. Cumulative precipitation was the only climatic variable significantly correlated with Ψm, and the linear regression of SWP as a function of Ψm had a moderate explanatory power (23.6%), suggesting the modulation of stem water potential despite soil irrigation. All species showed increases in leaf temperature and reductions in SWP, photosynthetic rate (A), and stomatal conductance (GS) during the dry season. However, species differed in their responses to drought with respect to water vapor deficit (VPDL), water‐use efficiency (WUE), the CO2 concentration ratio (Ci/Ca), and the severity of foliar symptoms. Although local specific climatic or edaphic conditions must be considered, we proposed a ranking from highest to lowest drought‐stress tolerance as follows: Macleania hirtiflora > Vaccinium meridionale > Cavendishia pubescens > Macleania rupestris > Cavendishia bracteata. Our results showed how specialization and adaptation to limiting conditions in the Andes are more strongly influenced by ecological pressures than by phylogenetic relatedness.
