Climate change is reshaping the global distribution, abundance, and impact of agricultural pests and plant pathogens, posing significant challenges to crop productivity and food security. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events influence pest development, reproduction, survival, and geographical expansion while simultaneously affecting pathogen virulence and disease epidemiology. Numerous insect pests, including fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), are expanding into previously unsuitable regions, whereas major plant diseases such as wheat rust, late blight, and bacterial wilt are becoming increasingly prevalent under favorable climatic conditions. These changes threaten agricultural sustainability and reduce the effectiveness of conventional pest management strategies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on climate-driven shifts in pest and pathogen dynamics and examines historical and contemporary case studies illustrating their agricultural impacts. In addition, it evaluates emerging crop protection approaches, including biological control, CRISPR-based genetic resistance, integrated pest management (IPM), remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and predictive modeling technologies. Key challenges, including uncertainty in climate projections, regulatory concerns surrounding genetic technologies, and the need for international collaboration, are also discussed. The review highlights the importance of integrating innovative technologies, ecological management practices, and policy frameworks to enhance agricultural resilience and ensure sustainable food production under changing climatic conditions.

Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites synthesized by plants that play crucial roles in plant defense, growth, and adaptation to environmental stresses. These compounds are primarily derived from the shikimate pathway and are classified based on their carbon skeleton into simple phenolics (C6, C6-Cn, and C6-Cn-C6) and complex phenolics, such as flavonoids, lignans, stilbenes and tannins. Phenolic compounds act as signaling molecules in plant-microbe interactions, including legume-rhizobia symbiosis and arbuscular mycorrhization. They also contribute to plant defense against biotic and abiotic stressors through direct antimicrobial activity, structural reinforcement and modulation of plant immune responses. Phenolic compounds are synthesized via the shikimate/phenylpropanoid or polyketide acetate/malonate pathways, resulting in a diverse array of compounds with distinct biological activities. Recent advances in biotechnology, including elicitation, genetic transformation, and metabolic engineering, have enabled the enhanced production of valuable phenolic compounds in plants. However, challenges remain in optimizing phenolic biosynthesis for improved crop resilience due to the complexity of the regulatory networks and potential trade-offs with plant growth and ecological interactions. Future research should focus on integrating systems biology, multi-omics approaches, and precision breeding to harness the potential of phenolic compounds for sustainable agriculture and crop improvement in the face of increasing biotic and abiotic stress.

Agroecosystems, which sustain global food production and economic stability, face increasing threats from emerging contaminants such as microplastics, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals, and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). These pollutants persist in the environment, bioaccumulate in crops, and impose complex risks to soil health, biodiversity, and human well-being. Microplastics derived from agricultural plastics and sewage sludge disrupt soil structure and microbial communities, while PFAS migrate into groundwater and contaminate drinking water supplies. Pharmaceuticals introduced through wastewater irrigation and manure application accelerate antimicrobial resistance, and ENMs used in agrochemicals influence nutrient dynamics and soil chemistry. Despite growing recognition of these hazards, regulatory responses remain fragmented and current risk-assessment frameworks insufficient. This review synthesizes advanced detection tools—including CRISPR-based biosensors, machine-learning contamination mapping, and high-resolution spectroscopy—with sustainable remediation strategies such as phytoremediation, biochar amendments, and nano-enabled pollutant degradation. By comparing emerging contaminants with conventional pollutants, this work establishes their unique persistence, mobility, and policy challenges while linking their impacts to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 3, and 6. Importantly, the review emphasizes that long-term resilience of agroecosystems requires coordinated global policy alignment, integration of interdisciplinary monitoring systems, and stakeholder engagement to reduce contaminant loads. Future research should prioritize harmonized toxicity thresholds, long-term field experiments on contaminant–crop interactions, and scalable, low-cost detection platforms suitable for resource-limited regions. Together, these efforts will be essential for mitigating EC-related risks, strengthening food security, and safeguarding environmental and public health.

Biotechnology in the food and beverage industry has revolutionized production by enhancing nutritional value, sustainability, and waste valorization. Plant-based beverages, agro-industrial by-products, and food waste are utilized in microbial fermentation, enzyme technologies, and genetic engineering to produce high-value products such as bioactive compounds, organic acids, bioplastics, and nutraceuticals. Microbial enzymes improve texture, taste, shelf life, and economic efficiency in food processing. Enzyme functionality is further enhanced through immobilization and protein engineering. However, biotechnology faces challenges in safety, regulation, ethics, and consumer acceptance. Regulatory systems, like GRAS norms in the U.S. and EU pre-market assessments, vary globally. Ethical concerns include environmental risks, socio-economic factors, and cultural sensitivities. Transparency, labeling, and risk management are crucial in building trust and balancing innovation with responsibility.

Nanotechnology, which involves manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular scales to produce structures and devices ranging from 1 to 100 nm, is increasingly being applied in agriculture. Nanoscale materials possess distinct optical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties that enable the smart, targeted delivery of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetic materials to plants, as well as rapid sensing and on-site monitoring of plant health, soil fertility, and water quality in a digital format. This review explores the application of nanotechnology in agriculture, examining the challenges and benefits related to all aspects of crop production, with a particular focus on regulatory issues. Key findings indicate that nanotechnology can improve crop production and reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture through precise input management. However, several critical issues need to be addressed, including the limited knowledge of the long-term environmental impacts associated with agricultural nanotechnology and the ambiguity of current regulations. This underscores the need for further research to elucidate its impact on soil, water, and environmental and human health, to inform evidence-based regulations. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Global food security is at risk due to climate change. Soil fertility loss is among the impacts of climate change which reduces the productivity of rice–wheat cropping systems. This study investigated the effects of varying nitrogen levels and transplanting/sowing dates on the grain yield (GY) and biological yield (BY) of rice and wheat cultivars over two growing seasons (2017–2019). Additionally, the impact of climate change on the productivity of both crops was tested under a 1.5 °C temperature increase and 510 ppm CO2 concentration while nitrogen fertilization and sowing window adjustments were evaluated as adaptation options using the DSSAT and APSIM models. Results indicated that the application of 120 kg N ha−1 significantly enhanced both GY and BY in all rice cultivars. The highest wheat yields were obtained with 140 kg N ha−1 for all cultivars. Rice transplanting on the 1st of July and wheat sowing on the 15th of November showed the best yields. The statistical indices of the model’s forecast results were satisfactory for rice (R2 = 0.83–0.85, root mean square error (RMSE) = 341–441, model efficiency (EF) = 0.82–0.89) and wheat (R2 = 0.84–0.89, RMSE = 213–303, EF = 0.88–0.91). Both models predicted yield loss in wheat (20–25%) and rice (28–30%) under a climate change scenario. The models also predicted that increased nitrogen application and earlier planting would be necessary to reduce the impacts of climate change on the productivity of both crops.

Cotton is a global cash crop with a significant contribution in the world economy. Optimum nutrient and water supply are most important for sustainable cotton production under warmer and dry environments. Field experiments were carried out to evaluate the cumulative impacts of various nitrogen doses and mulches on sustainable cotton production under semi-arid conditions during 2018 and 2019. Four nitrogen doses; 0, 70, 140, and 210 kg ha−1 and three types of mulch: control (without mulch), natural mulch (5 tons/ha wheat straw), and chemical mulch (methanol (30%). Nitrogen 210 kg ha−1 with natural mulching increased 40.5% gunning out turn, 30.0% fiber length, 31.7% fiber strength, 32.6% fiber fineness, 20.8% fiber uniformity, and 34.0% fiber elongation. Shoot nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnesium contents were maximum where 210 kg ha−1 nitrogen and mulch was applied. Natural mulch reduced the soil temperature as compared to chemical and no mulch conditions. The soil temperature was 0.5 to 1.8 ℃ lower in mulching treatments as compared to the control. Maximum economic yield was around 90% higher in natural mulch with the 210 kg ha−1 nitrogen application. It is concluded that optimum nitrogen application with natural mulch not only enhanced plant growth and development but also induced sustainability in quality cotton production under semi-arid conditions.

Sugar beet, an important sugar crop, is particularly cultivated in humid regions to produce beet sugar, fulfilling about 25% of the world’s sugar requirement, supplementing cane sugar. However, sugar beet is not well adopted in the farming system of the tropics and subtropics, which is largely due to the historically well-established production technology of sugarcane and the lower awareness among local growers of sugar beet cultivation. Thus, the poor understanding of pest and disease management and the lack of processing units for sugar beet partially hinder farmers in the large-scale adaptation of sugar beet in the tropics and subtropics. Recent climatic developments have drawn attention to sugar beet cultivation in those regions, considering the low water demand and about half the growing duration (5–6 months) in contrast to sugarcane, sparing agricultural land for an extra crop. Nevertheless, a considerable knowledge gap exists for sugar beet when closely compared to sugarcane in tropical and subtropical growth conditions. Here, we examined the leverage of existing published articles regarding the significance and potential of sugar beet production in the tropics and subtropics, covering its pros and cons in comparison to sugarcane. The challenges for sugar beet production have also been identified, and possible mitigation strategies are suggested. Our assessment reveals that sugar beet can be a promising sugar crop in tropical and subtropical regions, considering the lower water requirements and higher salt resistance.

Abstract Forage kochia, a naturally growing and semi-shrub in Türkiye's flora, tolerates adverse soil and climatic conditions. In the research, the morphological and yield values ​​of the forage kochia populations collected from 5 different locations in Konya were examined during 2018–2019. According to morphological and yield values, we determined 80 plants, 76 plants with excellent yield potential, and four outgroup plants for molecular studies. A total of 250 polymorphic fragments were obtained from these 80 plants. In our study, the average PIC value was 0.322, and the mean MI value was 8.99. Genetic diversity parameters of the populations were obtained using the GenAlEx program, and it was found that the mean He was 0.209, and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 81.20%. According to the results of AMOVA, among-population variation was 9%, while within-population variation was 91%. The dendrogram obtained as a result of the study determined that the genetic distance between plants varied between 0.63 and 0.90. According to the similarity index used in the study, it was stated that there was a high degree of similarity (90%) between 3212 and 5419 coded plants. Furthermore, it was noted that the markers related with plant height were associated with canopy diameter, number of main branches, and leaf color. The results show us that these populations are a treasured gene resource for plant breeding.

Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult.) is a cool-season wheatgrass fodder plant whose vegetative form grows during early spring in the rangelands of Turkey. Due to their natural growth in dry pastures, especially in sheep grazing meadows, it has shown great potential to support the breeding of pastures in these rangelands. For this study, junegrass seeds have been collected from 47 different locations of the KOP region in 2015. In 2017 and 2018, an experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of the Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, where collected seeds were grown. Leaf length, leaf width, leaf color, the number of the tiller, bunch diameter, and hay yield of all the experimental genotypes were determined as part of the morphological parameters. The KC-17 population had the maximum leaf length of 11.87 cm whereas the KC-43 population had the maximum leaf width (i.e. 2.60 mm). In the molecular part, the genetic distance amongst populations according to the ISSR based dendrogram was between 0.61 and 0.87. It was determined that the KC-1 and KC-2 populations showed a large genetic similarity. The KC-18 and FR populations were connected externally to the dendrograms and were found to have a closer genetic relationship with the KC-45 population. When comparing the morphological and molecular dendrograms, there was a clear difference between the two. The results obtained from this preliminary study on phenotypic and molecular characterization of junegrass genotypes are beneficial for the further improvement of the species as an important forage crop for Turkish rangelands.

Mungbean is one of the important grain legume crops in Pakistan due to its vigorous growth even in adverse environment. Mungbean is part of daily cuisine in the country but its production is low mostly due to imbalance fertilization. The study was carried out to find best combination of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) for maximum production under less fertile soils during 2017-2018. In this study, three combinations of NPK (i.e., 30:30:0, 30:60:0 and 30:60:30 kg ha(-1)) were compared with control (without fertilization). Maximum pods per plant (22.43), pod length (9.51 cm), seeds per pod (8.97), 1000 seed weight (44.07 g), seed yield (1163 kg ha(-1)), biological yield (5231 kg ha(-1)) and harvest index (24.63 %) were obtained from 30:60:30 kg NPK ha(-1) during 2017 and similar trends were found during 2018. Maximum leaf area duration (212.64, 215.09 days), crop growth rate (3.99, 4.02 g m(-2) d(-1)), net assimilation rate (2.46, 2.54 g m(-2) d(-1)) and fraction of intercepted radiation (0.89, 0.88 MJ m(-2)) were obtained from mungbean plant under 30:60:30 kg ha(-1) NPK application during 2017 and 2018, respectively. These results are suggesting that integrated application of nitrogen, phosphorous and potash is very imperative to attain higher production of mungbean under semi-arid environments. It is concluded from the findings that farmers can harvest maximum final outputs of mungbean by the application of 30:60:30 kg ha(-1) NPK, respectively.

The study was conducted to reveal the genetic diversity of purple carrot in Central Anatolia using AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) and ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) methods. It was aimed to estimate the level of genetic diversity and population structure among purple carrot genotypes. In total, 23 local purple carrot genotypes were collected from Hatay and Konya regions in Turkey. PCR amplification data from 6 AFLP primer combinations generated a total of 148 DNA fragments scored, 138 of which were polymorphic. Also, 12 ISSR primers utilized produced 65 fragments, 50 of which were polymorphic. Molecular data were analysed with the unweighted pair-group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) and principle coordinate analysis (PCoA). The UPGMA analysis demonstrated that the genotypes had a similarity range from 0.54 to 0.94. According to dendogram, purple carrot genotypes generally have two main branches. Structure analysis of the population using DNA markers resulted in 4 distinct subpopulations (K = 4), two of which were represented by single genotypes while the majority of the genotypes were accumulated within a specific subgroup.

Background/Objectives In this in vitro study, the effects of Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) was evaluated on the periodontal ligament-Mesenchymal Stem Cells (pdl-MSCs) functions. Material and Methods Real-time cell analyzer-single plate (RTCA-SP) was employed for proliferation, and RTCA-dual purpose (DP) was utilized for pdl-MSCs migration potential treated with different SDF-1 concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, 200, and 400 ng/ml). Based on the dose-response findings, 10 ng/ml SDF-1 was used for further mRNA experiments. RNAs isolated at 6 and 24 h were checked using quantitative RT-PCR for mineralized tissue-associated genes including type I collagen (COL I), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). cRNA was synthesized for 6 h, and whole-genome array analysis was performed for over 47.000 probes. Data were subjected to quantile normalization before analysis. Results Increased proliferation and migration were observed in pdl-MSCs treated with 0.1, 1, and 10 ng/ml SDF-1. Increased COL I was observed at both time points: 6 and 24 h. While there was no significant change for OCN, OPN, and Runx2 at 6 h, SDF-1 up-regulated OCN and OPN, but down-regulated Runx2 mRNA expressions at 24 h. IL-8 and ESM1 genes were differentially expressed over twofold when the pdl-MSCs were exposed to SDF-1 at whole-genome array analysis. IL-8 induction was confirmed with RT-PCR. Conclusion Findings of this study displayed that SDF-1 modulated pdl-MSCs which were important for periodontal regeneration, inducing migration and proliferation, and regulating extracellular matrix synthesis in favor of the formation of new attachment.

The aim of this research is to evaluate and analyze the influence of different degrees of salt stress on the tolerance of Australian wheat lines having characteristics derived from wild types in comparison with a local cultivar well–adapted to Anatolian conditions under controlled conditions. In the research, the two lines, namely AU5924 and AU5907, adapted to Australian conditions harbor HKT1;4 and HKT1;5 loci and Bayraktar 2000 cultivar used as genetic material. In our study, a trial plan with four replicates and two salt treatment doses (0 mM control group and 200 mM stress group) was designed. The samples were collected for elemental analysis, measuring physiological parameters as well as determining proline content after the appearance of stress symptoms. In this respect, (K), known to play an important role in enhancing stress tolerance, was found to be higher in HKT–containing lines in comparison to Bayraktar 2000. HKT genes could improve the production of Anatolian varieties. While the dry weight of the genotype Bayraktar 2000 was higher than the lines checked, the proline content of line 5907 was lower and the potassium and (K/Na) ratio decreased. These parameters effectively increased the dry weight under salt stress. However, the line 5907 demonstrated the best tolerance among all analyzed genotypes.

This study developed a quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) model from the spectroradiometer reflections (400 to 1000 nm) and phosphorus (P) uptake in wheat under varying rates of P dosages (0, 25, and 50 ppm P) in the tillering (GS25) and heading (GS55) stages. Seventy-two experimental plants were grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the wavelengths associated with different periods and P doses. Principal component analysis was employed to select the five wavelengths (418, 563, 639, 756, and 1000 nm) that best encompassed the total variance amongst the different reflection values. The QDA model assigned the training data to their real classes (0 ppm P: 79%, 25 ppm P: 50%, and 50 ppm: 83%) with 71% accuracy. For validation of the model, 36 randomly selected test data were used (0 ppm P: 75%, 25 ppm P: 42%, and 50 ppm P; 92%) and resulted in 69% accuracy. Results concluded that wheat P demand during different vegetation stages can be determined from the spectral wavelengths input into a QDA model; for future research, however, we suggest the nutrient dosage ranges are broad enough to provide sufficient variability. Nevertheless, discriminant modeling is a viable method of determining plant nutritional status by spectral data. (C) 2021 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Being responsible for severe social and health issues, micronutrient malnutrition gives rise to serious apprehension throughout the world. Nutrition is the key factor in any strategy designed to reduce the burden of diseases globally. More than 3 billion people around the world suffer from micronutrient deficiency due to the consumption of poor-quality food. The green revolution fulfilled the need for greater yield, but the quality of the developed crops suffered. Today, poor people predominantly are suffering from micronutrient malnutrition as they cannot afford dietary supplementation due to poverty. Brain development and other body mechanisms and functions are critically affected due to the consumption of Zn and Fe deficient diet. Hence, the production of biofortified food crops is the need of time to solve the problem of micronutrient deficiency on a sustainable basis. Biofortification of commonly used food crops will offer the simplest solution to complex nutritional disorders. So. experimentation and testing should be done at both national and international levels to improve food quality and quantity. This review discusses different biofortification strategies that are employed to counteract several nutrient deficiencies. The role of several international agencies in this direction has also been discussed. This may help researchers to have an overview of the approaches in which more advancement is required. We emphasize that more efforts to modify the existing genomes using molecular techniques can open new pathways in the field of biofortification.

The effects of boron on the formation and maintenance of mineralized structures at the molecular level are still not clearly defined. Thus, a study was conducted using MC3T3-E1 cells to determine whether boron affected mRNA expressions of genes associated with bone/alveolar bone formation around the teethMC3T3-E1 (clone 4) cells were cultured in media treated with boric acid at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 10, 100, or 1000 ng/ml. Total RNAs of each group were isolated on day 3. Gene expression profiles were determined by using RT2 Profiler PCR micro-array that included 84 genes associated with osteogenic differentiation. Tuftelin1 mRNA expression was upregulated by all boron treatments. The upregulation was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR using the tuftelin probe. While 100 ng/ml had no effect on the integrin-α2 (Itga2) transcript and 1 ng/ml boric acid induced Itga2 mRNA expression (2.1-fold), 0.1, 10, and 1000 ng/ml boric acid downregulated the integrin-α2 gene transcript 2.2-, 1.5-, and 2.1-fold respectively. While 0.1 ng/ml boric acid induced BMP6, increased BMP1r mRNA expression (1.5 fold) was observed in 1000 ng/ml boric acid treatment. The findings suggest that boron affects the regulation of the tuftelin1 gene in osteoblastic cells. Further studies are needed to establish that the beneficial actions of boron on alveolar bone and tooth formation and maintenance include an effect on the expression of the tuftelin1 gene.

Genetic variability in a crop species for a particular trait symbolizes the prospect of its improvement. In today's modern world with continuously increasing population, enhancing crop production has become the main target of breeders and scientists; while the nutritional value of the crops remained ignored. Although preferential breeding during and after the green revolution supplied the required yield, nutritional diversity of crops suffered in the process. However, the revelation of nutritional deficiencies around the world during the last decade has tremendously accelerated genetic biofortification based research. Progression of molecular techniques has given a different pace to this research. Adequate natural variations in micronutrient content of both barley and wheat genotypes have been revealed. This chapter discusses the role of molecular advancement in the estimation of existing genetic variability; and consequently, its contribution in enhancement of genetic variation of micronutrients in wheat and barley genetic pool. Human health largely depends on the nutrient content of a crop that subsequently relies on the availability of nutrients from soil to plants. Hence, the genetic pathways engaged in the movement of these nutrients from soil to grain and their bioavailability will be outlined. Additionally, this chapter highlights the importance of genetic information in developing nutritionally balanced crops via conventional breeding methods, transgenic/cisgenic strategies and genome editing tools.

Bread wheat ( Triticum L.) with a very high economic value and great importance for human consumption is extensively cultivated worldwide. However, the wheat genotypes used experience significant yield loss when exposed to salinity conditions due to the fact that salt is a factor that affects plant metabolism. Nitric oxide, a well-known signalling molecule due to its therapeutic effects on human but produced internally also by plant species, can be utilized to ameliorate the adverse effects of the salinity stress conditions of plants. In this study, the changes caused by external nitric oxide applications on leaves anatomy of two bread wheat genotypes exposed to salinity stress were determined. The results were evaluated statistically by using numerical data obtained from the anatomical measurements.