Promoting resilience, increasing productivity and sustainability, and profit maximization remain key challenges facing farmers globally. These are exacerbated by factors such as climate change, low to no access to technological advancement, financial constraints, poor technical and management skills, inadequate government support, and limited access to resources. However, there are diverse strategies that abound, including on-farm diversification, that farmers could leverage on to address these numerous and complex challenges. This study investigated the determinants of on-farm diversification strategies among smallholders in Mpumalanga Province. The study employed a quantitative approach using closed-ended survey questionnaires to elicit information from a total of 465 farmers who were randomly sampled from a total population of 14,411. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive statistics to determine the on-farm diversification strategies employed by farmers and the factors influencing the use of these strategies. A binary logistic regression model was employed to establish the relationship between on-farm diversification strategies and the determining factors. More than half of the farmers were female (51.8%), with only 48.2% male. The majority (59.1%) of the farmers were between the ages of 36 and 60, with only 20.2% youth participation in farming. Slightly more than half (50.8%) of the farmers practise mixed farming as their on-farm diversification strategy, while only 4.3% of the farmers practise mono-cropping. The study identified significant variables such as level of education (p = 0.001), secondary source of income (p = 0.057), farmland size (p = 0.022), number of farm assistants (p = 0.016), and on-farm diversification awareness as key determinants of on-farm diversification among smallholder farmers in Mpumalanga Province. Therefore, it is recommended that policies within the agricultural sector be revised to encourage on-farm diversification in order to motivate farmers to transition to agripreneurship for poverty alleviation, food security and rural economic development (RED).

Three bacterial strains, Priestia megaterium F2, Priestia megaterium Q2, and Pseudomonas machongensis E2, were isolated from the rhizosphere of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.). Genomic DNA was extracted from pure cultures and sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Raw reads were quality-checked and assembled into draft genomes using standard bioinformatics pipelines. The assembled genome sizes were 5696,169 bp for strain E2 (GC content 63.1%), 5737,221 bp for strain F2 (GC content 37.6%), and 5068,091 bp for strain Q2 (GC content 38.2%). Genome annotation was performed using automated annotation tools, identifying 5144, 6011, and 5317 genes in E2, F2, and Q2, respectively.The dataset includes assembled genome sequences and corresponding annotations, with predicted genes associated with environmental adaptation, nutrient acquisition, and microbial interactions. Biosynthetic gene cluster analysis identified terpene, non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), NRPS-like, and phosphonate-associated clusters across the genomes. These data provide genomic information relevant to rhizosphere-associated bacteria isolated from cowpea under drought-prone conditions.

IntroductionDigital platforms are increasingly recognized as catalysts for agricultural transformation, offering tools that enhance coordination, market transparency, and post-harvest management. In South Africa, their potential is particularly relevant for emerging farmers who face structural challenges such as limited access to capital, infrastructure, and formal markets.Problem statementDespite the availability of digital innovations, adoption remains uneven due to barriers including digital illiteracy, inadequate training, and poor rural connectivity. These challenges raise critical questions about the extent to which digital platforms practically improve market access and reduce food losses.MethodologyThis review paper examines how digital technologies influence market access and food loss outcomes within the agricultural value chains.Results and discussionEvidence suggests that digital platforms improve coordination between producers and buyers, enhance price discovery, and reduce inefficiencies in post-harvest handling. However, infrastructural and institutional constraints moderate these benefits.ConclusionThe findings highlight the importance of strengthening digital literacy programs for emerging farmers, the need for investment in rural broadband and mobile infrastructure and integrating digital platforms into formal market systems and agricultural extension services.Study implicationsThe review emphasize the need for supportive policy frameworks that promote platform interoperability, encourage public–private partnerships to scale inclusive agri-tech solutions, and address affordability and access barriers within smallholder farming communities.

Livelihood diversification is widely recognized as a strategy for improving income stability, resilience, and food security among smallholder farmers in developing countries. However, evidence on how institutional environments shape diversification outcomes remains fragmented, particularly regarding interactions between formal and informal institutions. This study applies the Sustainable Livelihood Framework to examine how these institutional spheres influence livelihood diversification across developing-country contexts. A systematic review of peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and institutional reports from Africa, Asia, and Latin America was conducted. The review synthesized evidence on the roles of formal institutions, including extension services, financial systems, policies, cooperatives, and market infrastructure, alongside informal institutions such as kinship networks, reciprocity systems, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, community savings groups, and Self-Help Groups. Findings show that both institutional spheres significantly influence diversification decisions, with stronger outcomes where complementarities exist. Formal institutions shape access to markets, finance, technology, and information, while informal institutions provide social capital, flexibility, and risk-sharing mechanisms. However, weak coordination, policy misalignment, and exclusionary implementation processes often constrain diversification and produce uneven outcomes. The study concludes that sustainable livelihood diversification depends on cohesive institutional environments that recognize and integrate both systems. Key outcomes include improved income, food security, resilience, and capital accumulation. Recommendations include strengthening institutional coordination, improving extension and financial access, investing in rural infrastructure, aligning policies with local norms, and reinforcing governance within informal institutions to support inclusive livelihood diversification.

Cowpea is a multipurpose leguminous crop that plays an important role in human dietary nutrition and agricultural sustainability due to its rich nutritional quality. Improving the nutritional quality of pods in new cultivars has become a priority objective in cowpea breeding. However, the genetic architecture of pod nutritional quality in the cowpea remains unclear. In the current study, five cowpea pod nutritional quality traits, including the amino acid content (AA), cellulose content (CC), crude protein content (PR), starch content (PTS), and soluble sugar content (PSS), were evaluated in a diversity panel of 215 cowpea landraces. It was found that all five traits showed substantial variation in this population, and the two subspecies, vegetable cowpea and grain cowpea, had different nutritional patterns in fresh pods. Using GWAS, a total of 20 genomic regions were identified as significantly associated with the five nutritional quality traits. Haplotype analysis further determined the corresponding favorable haplotype for each locus. In addition, 275 predicted genes were identified as the candidate genes for the selected regions, of which three predicted genes—VuG9806G012380, encoding an oligopeptide transporter protein, VuG9806G016720, encoding an α-glucosidase-like protein, and VuG9811G017840, encoding a glycoside hydrolase protein—were regarded as the likely candidate genes for AA_6.2, AA_6.3, and PSS_11.1, respectively. These results unravel the genetic basis of pod nutritional quality and will facilitate the molecular breeding of high-nutritional-quality cowpea varieties.

ABSTRACT Climate change‐mediated abiotic stresses limit crop performance, and plant responses are increasingly recognized as emergent properties of the coupling between soil, plants, and microbiomes rather than inherent plant characteristics. This review synthesizes mechanistic evidence from 2020 to 2025 on how rhizosphere microbiota contribute to crop stress adaptation within climate‐smart agriculture. We combined ecological theory with biochemical and physiological investigations to demonstrate how microbial community assembly, functional redundancy, network organization, and cropping‐system legacy interact with soil conditions to shape stress‐mitigating microbial pathways. Microbes employ these pathways, including phytohormone modulation, osmolyte and exopolysaccharide synthesis, volatile‐mediated signaling, and nutrient‐transforming metabolites, to influence plant performance under stress. Instead of considering microbiome interventions as universally transferable solutions, we highlight the constraints on microbial establishment and functioning imposed by soil structure, nutrient stoichiometry, moisture regime, host genotype, and legacy‐conditioned soil ecological contexts. We critically examine existing rhizosphere engineering approaches, including synthetic communities and inoculants, soil amendments, and microbiome‐based plant breeding, and highlight clear evidence of causation, inconsistencies, and unresolved outcomes. Particular emphasis is placed on emerging evidence that prior cropping systems, especially legume‐inclusive rotations, function as ecological conditioning mechanisms that influence microbial recruitment, amendment responsiveness, and intervention persistence. Based on this synthesis, we identify key knowledge gaps and focus on mechanistic research required to enhance the predictability, monitoring, and scalability of microbiome‐based strategies. Overall, we advance the concept of crop resilience as a property of coupled soil‐microbiome systems, and argue that climate‐smart agriculture requires predictable, scalable, and mechanistically grounded microbiome‐based approaches.

Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth is an obligate root parasitic flowering plant capable of causing 30–90

This work investigated the impact of low-pressure cold plasma (CP) as a pretreatment with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic trays or open corrugated cardboard (OCC) boxes on the overall quality of "Fan Retief" guava fruits stored for 28 days at 13 degrees C. Untreated samples placed in PET and OCC served as control. Guava fruits followed typical climacteric responses, but CP-treated samples significantly slowed down respiration (RRCO2) and ethylene production rate during storage (p <= 0.05). On day 28, CP-treated samples retained the highest titratable acidity and total phenolics compared to untreated samples (p <= 0.05). Overall, CP pretreatment better maintained the relative abundance of characteristic volatile compounds for guava fruits during storage, effectively delayed decay incidence, and inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in vivo compared to control.Practical ApplicationThis study demonstrated low-pressure cold plasma as a potential alternative phytosanitary tool for the postharvest handling of guava fruit.

Abstract The present study was conducted to assess the effects of co-application of winery solid waste compost (WWC) and synthetic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers (SF) on maize growth and yield parameters. The field experiment was conducted during the 2017/18 and 2018/19 summer cropping seasons. The WWCs (microbially inoculated and uninoculated) and SF were combined at ratios: 0:0, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0 (wt/wt) to attain the amount of N and P supplied by the predicted rates of compost. The optimum SF rate (90 kg/ha P and 200 kg/ha N) for maize was used as a positive control. The non-significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect of compost type on growth and yield parameters indicated that the microbial inoculation during compost production has no effect on compost quality. Compared with control, WWC-SF combination (50:50) improved grain weight per cob by 18.6% in 2017/18. The increase in the measured yield parameters was quantitatively higher in treatment with the 50:50 WWC-SF mix ratio than in other treatments. Significant and positive correlations exist between growth and yield parameters. In conclusion, the study findings suggest that the combined application of WWC and SF has great potential to enhance the maize growth and yield attributes.

Worldwide, there are over 1000 banana types which are classified in various subgenomic and genomic groups. Distinguishing between the banana types, their genomic and subgenomic groups has been a challenge due to different identities and nomenclature used in different regions of the world. The present study assessed the efficacy of multi-elemental fingerprinting combined with chemometrics to distinguish between genomic and sub-genomic groups within 100 Indian banana (Musa) accessions based on ripe banana pulp elemental concentrations. The concentrations of B, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn K, Zn, Na, and P were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Multi-elemental fingerprints plus chemometrics were done using principal component analysis (PCA) then combined with linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), support vector machine (PCA-SVM), and artificial neural network (PCA-ANN) for classification analysis with an 80:20 split between the calibration and verification sets (with total of 300 specimens). The PCA-SVM model was the most effective in classification when applied to the verification set subgenomic and genomic groups data, with accuracies of 83.7% and 100.0% respectively. These results demonstrated that ripe banana pulp multi-elemental fingerprints combined with chemometrics can discriminate between genomic and sub-genomic groups for Indian banana (Musa) accessions.

Attaining sufficiency in food supply to support a growing population without compromising ecosystem functioning remains a top agenda of researchers and agricultural stakeholders. Agroecological farming approaches are effective techniques that ensure sustainable food production even in adverse situations. Population growth has been forecasted to reach over 9.1 billion by 2050 outpacing food production. However, cereals and grain legumes are strategic to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger by 2030 (SDG 2), ending extreme poverty (SDG 1), and mitigating the climate change effect (SDG 13). There remains an urgent need to embrace more sustainable measures to increase food production for the growing population. This review explores the role of agroecology which employs a transdisciplinary approach to sustainable agricultural practices to improve the resilience of farming systems by increasing diversification through poly-cropping, agroforestry, use of local varieties, and integrated crop and livestock systems. Furthermore, the agroecological farming approach minimizes water use, lowers pollution levels on the farm, and ensures economic profitability for the farmers. Thus, application of agroecology techniques among the smallholder farmers is strategic to ensuring food security.

The response of grain yield, biomass yield and harvest index of maize to the application of commercial organic ameliorants was inconsistent and poor. Hence it was hypothesized that the supply of N and P to maize plants was inadequate during vegetative growth, resulting in low concentrations of the two nutrients in maize biomass. The effects of nine ameliorants on the N and P concentrations of maize plants at ninth leaf (V9) and silking (R1) stages of maize were studied over three years at Bothaville (8% clay), Ottosdal (12% clay) and Potchefstroom (34% clay). All ameliorants were applied as prescribed by manufacturers. The N and P concentrations in maize biomass of the ameliorants at V9 and R1 were lower, comparable or higher, showing that the inconsistent and poor response of yield parameters can not be ascribed to inadequate uptake of N and P. A matter of concern that justifies thorough investigation, is the prescribed use of Crop care and Growmor with partial and of Montys and Promis with no NPK fertilization, an unsustainable practice over the long term. Characterization of the active ingredient(s) of the ameliorants is deemed also of importance for better insight.

Special attention on the plant nutrients mineralization rates is often required when organic fertilizers are used on croplands. This study described the patterns of phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K) released from winery solid waste (WSW) compost in sandy loam soil. Treatments consisted of equivalent rates of 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 t ha-1 of compost-soil mixture in Ziplock bags buried on the field at 30 cm soil depth. Destructive sampling of treatments was conducted at 0, 7, 21, 42, 63, 84, 105 and 126 days after incubation (DAI) for laboratory analysis. The 40 t ha-1rate resulted in up to a 9.5% increase in soil pH while the contents of net mineralized P and K measured were significantly affected by compost rate and incubation period interaction. Over the 126 days of the incubation period that runs across summer and winter seasons, mineralized P ranged from -62 to 86 mg kg-1 whereas mineralized K varied between 41 and 2047 mg kg-1. Cumulative mineralized P and K contents ranged from 62 to 207 mg kg-1 and 1272 to 9206 mg kg-1, respectively with the highest amount obtained at the 40 t ha-1 compost rate. The high net P and K mineralized contents suggest that WSW compost may act as a P and K source. However, cautious use of WSW compost as a soil amendment is recommended to mitigate the potential risks of soil pH increases and other unintended consequences such as toxicity, nutrient imbalance, and possible P and K antagonistic effects. Keywords: Compost; Nutrient mineralization; Phyto-toxicity; Soil amendments

The damaging competition between crops and parasitic weeds has a negative impact on agricultural productivity; however, the impact of disturbance on the soil’s microbial community has received less attention. Hence, this study investigates the microbial composition and diversity of the maize rhizosphere infected with Striga hermonthica using a shotgun sequencing approach from two maize-growing fields (Eruwa, Nigeria and Mbuzini, South Africa). The rhizosphere soil DNA was extracted from infested soil using a Nucleospin soil genomic DNA extraction kit and sequenced on an Illumina platform. The dominant phyla were Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chlorobi, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, Thermotogae, Synergistetes, Ascomycota, Euryarchaeota, and Crenarchaeota. Bacteria phyla were observed to be of higher proportion in the rhizosphere soil samples obtained from Striga-infested maize field in Eruwa (Es) than those recovered from Mbuzini (Ms). The alpha diversity of microbial communities indicated insignificance differences (p > 0.05) between the five taxonomical groups (phylum, class, order, family, and genus), while the beta diversity produced a significant (p = 0.01, R = 0.52) difference in the microbial diversity of the infested soil. In summary, the study sheds light on the diversity and composition of the microbiome of Striga hermonthica-infested soil, which influences the microbial functions in the management and sustenance of plant health against parasitic weeds.

In recent years, utilization of Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) is upgrading not only in their culinary use and human nutrition, but also in the pharmaceutical industry, food industry and veterinary practices. This is driven by accumulating evidence that support the ethnobotanical use of this plant; in particular, advanced knowledge of the content of nutritional, medicinal and techno-functional bioactive ingredients. Herein, we discuss polyphenolic compounds as the main bioactive ingredients in Rhus coriaria L., which contribute mainly to the significance and utility of this spice. Most of the antioxidant potential and therapeutic roles of sumac are increasingly attributed to its constituent tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Hydroxyphenyl pyranoanthocyanins and other anthocynins are responsible for the highly desired red pigments accounting for the strong pigmentation capacity and colorant ability of sumac. Certain polyphenols and the essential oil components are responsible for the peculiar flavor and antimicrobial activity of sumac. Tannin-rich sumac extracts and isolates are known to enhance the food quality and the oxidative stability of animal products such as meat and milk. In conclusion, polyphenol-rich sumac extracts and its bioactive ingredients could be exploited towards developing novel food products which do not only address the current consumers' interests regarding organoleptic and nutritional value of food, but also meet the growing need for 'clean label' as well as value addition with respect to antioxidant capacity, disease prevention, and health promotion in humans.

Soil degradation remains an ongoing process that is exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Consequently, these processes decrease soil organic matter and nutrient contents, soil biological functions, and plant productivity. The addition of organic amendments (OAs) to the soil is a widespread practice to enhance soil quality and the health of agricultural soils. One of the most significant microbial hotspots controlling the processes, dynamics, and cycling of nutrients, carbon and water in terrestrial ecosystems is the rhizosphere. Understanding the continuing transformations of OAs and the distribution of different factors (C, nutrients, and microbial activities) across and along roots is crucial in the rhizosphere. The application of OAs to soil increases soil organic matter and nutrients, water holding capacity, improves soil structure and stimulates soil microbial activity and biomass. This review evaluates the role of the rhizosphere microbial community in organically amended soils for promoting plant growth and health. The diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome and the mechanisms used in plant protection are discussed.

Increased yield can be achieved by optimising the growth environment, improving the plant gene pool, or a combination of the two. This study’s objective was to evaluate the effect of combined heat and water stress (CHWS) on maize yield, grown in various soil conditions. The experimental design was a four-replicated 3 × 3 × 2 × 3 factorial in a completely randomized design. Three water stress levels, three soil amendments, two soil textural types, and three drought-tolerant maize varieties were combined to create 54 treatment interactions. The result showed that as the severity of the water stress increased, the yield decreased. The near terminal water stress reduced cob weight, grain weight, and grain number by 96, 97, and 97%, respectively. The maize varieties were ranked WE5323 ≥ ZM1523 > WE3128 in terms of average performance and stability. Under heat and moderate water stress, the poultry manure amendment performed well for WE5323 and ZM1523, while the mineral fertilizer amendment performed best for WE3128. Compared to the inorganic amendment, the organic had a greater ameliorative capacity for grain yield under CHWS. For improved grain yield under CHWS, farmers are advised to grow WE5323 and ZM1523 with organic amendments. The findings in this study could improve food security strategies for low-income households living in high-stress environments.

It is necessary to identify the appropriate traits that influence yield in a given environment as part of a breeding programme. The objective of this study was to identify the morphological traits that contribute to maize grain weight (GWt) under abiotic stress conditions. Three drought-tolerant maize varieties were grown under no-stress (NHWS), heat-stress (HS), and combined heat- and water-stress (CHWS) conditions. Data from 19 morphological traits were analysed. The correlation results revealed that eight traits consistently produced a significant positive relationship with GWt under the three growth conditions. The path coefficient analysis revealed that in the NHWS, HS, and CHWS conditions, five traits consistently had a positive direct effect on the GWt. Given the magnitude of the positive direct effects, increasing dry biomass yield, harvest index, and grain number in the NHWS; grain number, harvest index, and ear width in the HS; and harvest index, days till silk appearance, leaf chlorophyll content, and grain number in the CHWS will increase GWt. Under various abiotic stress conditions, maize phenotypic expression varied. Therefore, the identified traits that contributed positively to GWt under various stress conditions should be considered when developing a maize improvement programme in a stress-prone environment.

Improving the mineral concentrations of maize (Zea mays L.) will aid in the reduction of malnutrition in low-resource households that consume maize-based meals regularly. The study’s objective was to compare how different soil amendments and heat-stressed environments affect grain yield and mineral concentrations in maize. The study involved heat-stressed (HS) and non-heat-stressed (NHS) environments, three maize varieties (WE3128, WE5323, and ZM1523), and three soil amendments. The essential minerals analysis of the grain revealed a significant effect of variety, soil amendment, and heat stress on the grain yield and mineral contents. Among soil amendments, mineral fertilizer amendment (MF) gave the highest grain Zinc (Zn), 37.95 ± 15.3 µg/kg, while the highest grain iron (Fe) (136.9 ± 51.3 µg/kg) and yield were obtained with a combination of mineral fertilizer/poultry-manure amendment (MPM). The treatment interactions containing MPM in both the HS and NHS environments consistently produced positive results in the three maize varieties. When compared with the non-heat-stressed environment, the heat-stressed environment reduced grain weight (GWt) by 378% while increasing grain Fe and Zn concentrations by 43.6% and 15.8%, respectively. The HS was significantly higher than the NHS by 14.6%, 34.0%, 1.5%, 11.0%, 1.9%, and 89.2% for Ca, Cl, Mg, Na, P, and S, respectively. The highest macromineral concentrations were found in WE5323. All of the NHS treatments were grouped together, with the exception of NHS-4 and NHS-7, which produced the lowest means for the number of grain and GWt in the NHS, respectively. Although the variety was inconsistent in separating the treatment interactions, there was a good level of consistency in separating the treatment interactions along the heat stress factor and soil amendment factor. The correlation results revealed that a proportional relationship between Fe and Zn and grain yield tends to decrease the grain Fe or Zn concentrations. Therefore, selecting for high grain yield only may result in lower Fe and Zn concentrations in the grain. WE5323, amended with MPM, which produced the highest grain yield and stable mineral concentrations in non-heat-stressed and heat-stressed environments, should be considered in breeding programs aiming for high grain quantity and quality.