Salinization of agricultural land is becoming increasingly severe worldwide,posing a significant threat to food security.The exogenous application of bioactive substances has been widely used to enhance plant resistance to salt stress.In this study,we used corn steep liquor(CSL),myo-inositol(MI),and their combination to improve salt tolerance in Chinese cabbage(Brassica rap a L.ssp.pekinensis)under salt stress conditions.All three treatments significantly increased plant biomass and nutrient uptake,and improved soil physicochemical properties,while alleviating oxidative damage and ion toxicity.

Soil-borne diseases remain a critical barrier to sustainable agriculture, and compost application offers a promising strategy for biocontrol. Yet, the role of compost feedstock composition in regulating microbial succession, organic matter transformation, and disease suppression has been insufficiently explored. In this study, composting systems with varying initial cellulose levels were established to disentangle the contributions of microbial activity and organic matter composition. High-cellulose treatment (T3) enriched beneficial taxa such as Bacillus and Actinobacteria, significantly enhanced amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways, and achieved higher pathogen inhibition rates (PIR). Pot experiments confirmed that T3 reduced the cucumber Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum) disease severity index (DSI) from 3.0 in the pathogen-inoculated control (CK-FOC) to 1.1, while increasing shoot fresh weight to 12.59 ± 0.46 g·plant-1 compared with 5.26 ± 1.01 g·plant-1 in CK-FOC. Importantly, sterilized composts retained partial suppressive effects, demonstrating that functional organic matter itself possesses independent biocontrol potential in addition to microbiota-mediated suppression. Overall, this study demonstrates that optimizing compost feedstock composition can simultaneously enhance agricultural waste valorization and disease suppression efficacy, providing a sustainable strategy to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides while improving soil health and crop productivity.

Photocatalytic CO2 conversion has emerged as a compelling approach to tackle the global energy crisis and mitigate greenhouse effect. Among the fruitful materials, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have garnered enormous attention owing to excellent CO2 adsorption capacity, tunable electronic structure, and scalable synthetic versatility. However, rapid charge recombination, limited active site exposure and structural instability of LDHs retard their wide–spread applications in photocatalysis, and thus there is still deficiency of thorough and timely reviews that summarize the latest developments of LDHs–based photocatalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction (PCR). In this review, we begin with the systematic introduction on the intrinsic physicochemical properties of LDHs, including compositional flexibility, memory effect, and acid–base tunability. Subsequently, we comprehensively summarize the mainstream synthesis strategies such as co–precipitation, hydrothermal methods, anion exchange approaches, microwave–assisted synthesis, and exfoliation techniques for obtaining high–quality LDHs. Furthermore, we critically elucidate the diverse modification strategies, such as construction of LDHs–supported photocatalysts, junction engineering, morphology control, defect engineering, transition metal element doping and in suit–topotactic transformation, for boosting the PCR performances. Finally, we highlight the future research direction and perspectives to advance the design of LDHs–based photocatalysis, addressing the inherent challenges in CO2 conversion reaction. It is anticipated that our review would provide enriched and guided information on rational construction of robust and stable LDHs–based artificial photosystems toward solar–to–fuel conversion.

This study systematically evaluated the efficacy of a compost-derived functional microbial consortium in influencing humification during fermentation of garden waste bio-organic fertilizer. The results indicated that inoculation was associated with a significant increase in humus content by 14.68% compared to no inoculation and maintained a high viable bacterial count (>= 4.57 & times;108 CFU/g DW). Two-dimensional correlation spectrum (2D-COS) analysis suggested a well-ordered organic matter conversion sequence: polysaccharides -* cellulose -* proteins -* humus. The inoculum was associated with shifts in microbial community structure by reducing the Bacillota/Pseudomonadota ratio to 0.28, which corresponded with other maturity indicators such as increased humus content and germination index. This restructuring process correlated with the enrichment of nitrogenfixing genera and the establishment of a synergistic network centered on humification-core bacteria, which corresponded with enhanced activities of key enzymes (e.g., peroxidase, urease). These findings offer a theoretical foundation for producing high-quality bio-organic fertilizers through targeted microbial management.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination poses a serious threat to crop productivity and food safety. Although cysteine (Cys) has been implicated in Cd detoxification, its regulatory role in Chinese cabbage remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that exogenous Cys alleviates Cd toxicity by enhancing root Cd retention and coordinating multiple detoxification pathways. Cys restored biomass accumulation, root elongation, and photosynthetic performance while mitigating Cd-induced oxidative damage. Root vigour increased by 44.4%, accompanied by enhanced Cd sequestration in roots and restricted translocation to shoots. Cd concentrations in xylem sap decreased by 42.0%, and shoot Cd accumulation declined by 23.1%-44.6%. Although Cys increased Cd influx and root Cd accumulation, it inhibited long-distance Cd transport by repressing BraIRT1 and BraHMA2 expression. Cys further strengthened vacuolar immobilization by up-regulating BraABCC1/2 and BraPCS1, increasing GSH and PC2-PC4 contents, and improving the GSH/GSSG ratio, thereby supporting Cd chelation and redox homoeostasis. Time-resolved transcriptomics revealed attenuation of Cd-induced sulphate assimilation hyperactivation, enhanced GSH regeneration, and a metabolic shift from lignin biosynthesis toward glycosylated phenylpropanoid detoxification products, as validated by qRT-PCR. Together, these results identify Cys as a practical strategy to reduce shoot Cd accumulation in leafy vegetables by limiting Cd mobility at both cellular and whole-plant levels.

China produces 517 million tons/year of pig wastewater. This regional life cycle assessment (ISO 14040/44) compares five technologies (Storage Treatment - ST, Anaerobic Digestion - AD, Black Membrane Biogas Ponds BMBP, ST + Deodorant - ST + DM, Hydrothermal Carbonization - HTC) across seven Chinese regions for treating 237 tons of wastewater. HTC achieved carbon negativity (-1218 kg CO2-eq) and near-zero acidification (-5.85 kg SO2-eq) through emission sealing and nutrient immobilization, also reducing toxicity. BMBP reduced global warming potential (GWP) by 61% versus ST. Regional optimization shows: BMBP/HTC (minimizing acidification/eutrophication) suit North/East China; ST + DM (reduces eutrophication 61%, needs methane suppression) fits Southwest; AD enhances resource recovery in cold Northeast; BMBP benefits Central-South with nutrient control and heat tolerance; AD with renewable energy aids resource-scarce Northwest. These findings provide evidence for developing policies to advance circular agriculture and support China's transition to low-carbon livestock systems.

Biochar plays a crucial role in regulating soil phosphorus (P) availability, yet its effectiveness is influenced by multiple factors, including biochar features and soil properties. Improper biochar application may reduce P availability towards plants or unintendedly increase the environmental risk of P leaching. The efficiency of biochar in regulating soil P availability can be predicted and quantified by analyzing the interactions between its physicochemical properties and soil conditions. This study employed machine learning models—Random Forest, Support Vector Regression, and Artificial Neural Networks—to predict biochar efficiency in soil P availability regulation (activation or passivation) using a dataset of 534 samples with 19 input features. Model optimization and evaluation revealed that the Random Forest model achieved the highest prediction accuracy (R2 = 0.9107), outperforming the other two models. Mechanistic insights from feature importance analysis indicated that biochar pyrolysis temperature played a dominant role in influencing soil P availability. Moderate pyrolysis temperatures facilitated the formation of biochar with balanced porosity and surface reactivity, while biochar produced at higher temperatures favored for passivating soil availability. Furthermore, the biochar application rate, soil pH, and total soil P content are key factors influencing changes in soil available P following biochar amendment. Through a data-driven framework, this study demonstrated that pristine biochar could achieve or exceed the performance of modified biochar in P regulation, offering superior economic and environmental benefits. The findings integrated environmental science, soil chemistry, and data analytics, providing valuable guidance for precision agriculture and fostering sustainable agricultural practices by enhancing fertilizer efficiency and reducing environmental costs globally.

Vegetable residues generated in intensive production systems represent a major stream of organic waste, yet their recycling efficiency is often limited by slow biological decomposition and associated pathogen concerns. In this study, we developed a cross-kingdom synthetic microbial consortium (SynCom) as a biological treatment approach to enhance the transformation of vegetable residues during recycling. In a short term greenhouse trial, SynCom-assisted treatment consistently accelerated residue decomposition compared with residue return alone. Spectroscopic analyses further indicated that SynCom inoculation altered residue derived carbon transformation, shifting dissolved organic matter toward more microbially processed and humified signatures. Amplicon sequencing and co-occurrence network analyses suggested that enhanced treatment performance was associated with reorganization of bacterial-fungal networks, characterized by increased participation of key taxa rather than dominance of the inoculated strains. Together, these results show that designed cross-kingdom SynComs can function as catalytic biological modifiers, improving decomposition efficiency and carbon transformation pathways of vegetable residues during recycling.

Artemisia frigida (subshrub) communities, which are indicators of grassland degradation, are widespread in overgrazed Eurasian steppes. After 4–6 years of enclosure, the community can recover to an Agropyron cristatum-dominated grass community. Understanding the competitive mechanisms between these two key species provides critical insights for the management of semi-arid steppes, where vegetation dynamics are primarily driven by soil moisture. Nevertheless, how soil moisture distribution mediates above- and belowground competition between A. cristatum and A. frigida remains unclear. To address this, we conducted a pot experiment that simulated natural vertical soil moisture heterogeneity with four soil moisture regimes in two soil layers (0–30 cm and 30–60 cm): uniformly dry (D–D), wet upper/dry lower (W–D), dry upper/wet lower (D–W), and uniformly wet (W–W), using both monoculture and mixed planting methods. Key results showed that (1) A. cristatum was more sensitive to soil moisture regimes than A. frigida. Its above- and belowground biomass were significantly higher under moist treatments (W–W, W–D, D–W) than under drought (D–D), whereas the biomass of A. frigida did not differ significantly among water treatments. (2) Compared with monoculture, mixed planting significantly increased the root–shoot ratio of A. frigida but did not affect that of A. cristatum. (3) Competitive ability differed between aboveground and belowground parts: competitive indices (aggressivity and relative competition intensity) revealed that A. cristatum exhibited stronger aboveground competitiveness under moist treatments, while A. frigida dominated aboveground under drought conditions. However, A. frigida consistently exhibited greater belowground competitive ability than A. cristatum across all water treatments in the mixture. These results emphasize that assessments of grass–shrub competition based solely on aboveground indicators may underestimate the competitive advantage of shrubs. Therefore, integrating belowground competitive processes is essential for accurately predicting grass–shrub competition and succession in semi-arid steppes.

Nitrogen (N) fertilization is an effective practice for restoring degraded grasslands, which might strongly depend on the rooting system and resource competition of individual plant species. The purpose of this study is to explore a method to distinguish the response of various plant root architectures to the resource availability in a mixed ecosystem in situ. Field experiments were conducted using isotope techniques in conjunction with a specialized experimental design at a semiarid grassland location featuring heavily grazed (HG) and moderately grazed (MG) grassland sites with different dominant species. The same amounts of water and 15N-labelled fertilizer were uniformly supplied by a tube fertigation system at soil depths of 0, 15 and 45 cm. At both the HG and MG sites, there was a significant increase in aboveground net primary production (ANPP), water use efficiency (WUE) and 15N use efficiency (15NUE) at the community level with increasing depths of fertigation. The ANPP and plant N uptake exhibited higher values at the HG site compared to those at the MG site, while 15NUE and 15N abundance were significantly lower at the HG site. The annual species Salsola collina Pall. exhibited the highest aboveground biomass (AGB) and 15N abundance compared to all other species. Furthermore, the 15N enrichment of S. collina increased with greater depths of 15N-labelled fertilization, indicating that S. collina might develop a more extensive root system in response to water and N addition in the degraded grassland. Our study highlights that using isotope methods could indirectly distinguish root distribution and resource acquisition. In the recovery of degraded grassland by N fertilizer, we should not only consider the aboveground biomass but also pay special attention to the resource competition of individual plant species due to the possible discrepancy in rooting systems.

The use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) like 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) in agricultural systems can effectively reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and nitrate (NO3-) leaching, but their effectiveness varies across different soils. This microcosm experiment evaluated the efficacy of DMPP and its impact on soil microbial communities in four upland soils in Northern China (Tianshui: TS, Shihezi: SHZ, Heze: HZ and Daxing: DX). Results indicated that DMPP exhibits varying inhibitory effects on N2O emissions across different soils. The key microbes mediating N2O emissions, particularly ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), are the primary contributors to this variability. Specifically, DMPP led to a substantial reduction in N2O emissions in TS soil, inhibiting 81.3 % of emissions by suppressing both ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA). In SHZ soil, a 56.5 % reduction was observed, primarily attributed to decreased AOB amoA abundance. DX soil exhibited a 48.6 % reduction, linked to decreased AOA amoA abundance and an increase in nosZ-N2O reducers. Conversely, HZ soil showed the lowest reduction at 27.7 %, where DMPP stimulated the abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers while inhibiting unclassified Nitrosomonadales, the dominant AOB genus, which correlated positively with the net nitrification rate. Additionally, DMPP positively influenced norank Crenarchaeota-AOA in TS soil, and Bradyrhizobium-nosZ and Saccharothrix-narG in HZ soil, all negatively associated with N2O emissions. Soil properties such as total nitrogen, organic matter (SOM), ammonium (NH4+), pH, and available phosphorus (AP) levels significantly shaped microbial responses to DMPP. These findings underscore the importance of soil-specific characteristics in optimizing DMPP application strategies for reducing N2O emissions in upland soils.

As an environmentally friendly and carbon-rich material, biochar holds significant application potential in waste valorization, water pollution remediation, and carbon sequestration. In recent years, machine learning has emerged as a powerful data-driven tool and is being increasingly applied in biochar research. This review systematically summarizes the fundamental concepts, preparation methods, and key application areas of biochar, with a particular focus on recent advances in its roles in carbon footprint reduction and resource utilization. The applications of machine learning in process optimization, material design, and life cycle assessment are thoroughly discussed. Moreover, the challenges related to data acquisition, model interpretability, and interdisciplinary collaboration are critically analyzed. Importantly, the review highlights that biochar application can reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 20%–70%, with carbon sequestration rates reaching up to 90% depending on feedstock and pyrolysis conditions. Machine learning models such as random forest and deep neural networks have achieved prediction accuracies exceeding 90% in forecasting biochar yield, surface area, and adsorption capacity, significantly improving design efficiency and environmental performance. Looking ahead, the integration of advanced techniques such as deep learning, multi-objective optimization, and self-supervised learning is expected to further enhance the environmental benefits and intelligent design of biochar, thereby offering strong technical support for global climate mitigation and the circular economy development.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination of soil threatens agricultural productivity and food safety. In this study, a dual-component remediation strategy combining lanthanum-cysteine chelate (CLa) and corn steep liquor (CSL) was developed to alleviate Cd toxicity in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis). CLa enhanced photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, and root viability, while reducing Cd translocation to shoots. In contrast, CSL acted primarily through organic nutrient supplementation, stimulating chlorophyll synthesis and promoting the growth of beneficial rhizosphere microbes. Notably, the combined treatment (CLCS) exhibited a synergistic effect, significantly enhancing biomass production, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic performance, and oxidative stress tolerance, while reducing Cd accumulation in plant tissues. Furthermore, CLCS optimized the soil microenvironment and microbiota composition, reinforcing plant resilience under Cd stress. This study offers a promising and cost-effective approach for mitigation of heavy metal stress and crop productivity improvement by coordinated plant–microbe–soil interactions.

Agricultural and food processing wastes, such as corn steep liquor (CSL) and myo-inositol (MI), are promising biostimulants for enhancing crop resilience under abiotic stress. While our previous work established the effectiveness of CSL-MI co-application in mitigating salt stress in Brassica rapa, critical knowledge gaps persist regarding their combined mechanisms in regulating root system architecture and nutrient acquisition efficiency. Here, we investigate the comparative efficiency of CSL and MI in promoting growth and nutrient acquisition in Chinese cabbage under saline conditions (2.25g·kg−1 NaCl stress). Plant biomass, root architecture, photosynthetic pigment content, and total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations were measured. We found that co-application of CSL and MI increased the shoot fresh weight by 124.48% and the root fresh weight by 169.49% and plant total nitrogen content increased by 39.49% and plant total phosphorus content increased by 56.87% as compared to the salt treatment alone. The results emphasize the potential of agricultural waste-derived biostimulants for sustainable crop production under salt stress, with Chinese cabbage exhibiting similar responsiveness to combined CSL-MI application compared to other cabbage under similar stress.

Lactase peptide maintains food quality and ectoine stabilizes cell structure and function. The present study investigated the synergistic effect of 0.5 % lactopeptide and 0.1 % ectoine on preserving the quality of pak choi stored at 20 °C and 90 % relative humidity (RH) for 6 d. Results indicated that the combined treatment significantly reduced weight loss, electrolyte leakage, respiration rate, and ethylene generation compared to the untreated control or pak choi treated with ectoine. Furthermore, the combined treatment enhanced the level of ascorbic acid and flavonoids, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. A combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed the upregulation of key genes encoding proteins involved in the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway, including protochlorophyllide reductase (POR), divinyl chlorophyllide a 8-vinyl-reductase (DVR), and chlorophyll/bacteriochlorophyll a synthase (CHLG), while the expression of the gene encoding a chlorophyll-degrading enzyme, chlorophyll (ide) b reductase (NOL), was suppressed. The combined treatment increased the abundance of metabolites associated with the citrate cycle pathway, including L-glutamate, L-glutamine, and L-asparagine. Additionally, the expression of chalcone isomerase (4CL), naringenin 3-dioxygenase (F3H) and chalcone synthase (CHS) in the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis pathways, was elevated compared to the untreated control, resulting in increased levels of luteolin and naringenin chalcone. Collectively, our results indicate that the combined use of ectoine and lactopeptide effectively delayed the yellowing and postharvest senescence of pak choi during storage. The present study provides a foundation for further investigations of the postharvest metabolism of pak choi.

Astaxanthin is a highly effective antioxidant and its application in agricultural production is still unclear. The effects of foliar astaxanthin application on nitrate content, antioxidant quality, and biomass of hydroponic two lettuce genotypes were investigated in present study. The 1.0 g L-1 astaxanthin showed the maximum positive effects on gene expression levels of the nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase, and thus significantly reduced nitrate content. Astaxanthin also improved levels of total phenolic, flavonoids, anthocyanin, and most identified individual phenolic compounds by increasing the gene expression levels of main enzymes involved in phenolic biosynthesis. In addition, soluble sugars, soluble proteins, ascorbic acid, glutathione, and various essential elements of lettuce significantly enhanced after astaxanthin treatment. Interestingly, these positive impacts obviously increased the photosynthesis and subsequent biomass of lettuce. In conclusion, astaxanthin application effectively improved the quality and yield of lettuce, showing great potential value in hydroponic lettuce production.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas with intensive emissions from acidic soil. This study explored the impact of the disruption of the microbial balance from microbial inhibitors (streptomycin and cycloheximide) on soil's N2O emission and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Under all the conditions examined, biotic processes accounted for 96-98% of total N2O emissions. High concentrations of streptomycin (6 and 10 mg g-1) reduced N2O emissions from 2.24 μg kg-1 h-1 to 1.93 μg kg-1 h-1 and 2.12 μg kg-1 h-1, respectively, whereas lower concentrations (2 and 4.5 mg g-1) increased emissions from 2.24 μg kg-1 h-1 to 2.95 μg kg-1 h-1 and 3.27 μg kg-1 h-1, respectively. Lower cycloheximide (2 and 4.5 mg g-1) significantly enhanced N2O emissions, reaching 9.15 μg kg-1 h-1 and 5.68 μg kg-1 h-1, respectively, whereas higher dosages (6 mg g-1 and 10 mg g-1) inhibited N2O emissions, reducing them to 5.55 μg kg-1 h-1 and 4.84 μg kg-1 h-1, respectively. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generally decreased with increasing inhibitor dosages but significantly increased at 2 mg g-1 and 4.5 mg g-1 streptomycin. The inhibitors also altered soil N and carbon (C) dynamics, increasing ammonium (NH4+-N), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that N2O emission was negatively correlated with cycloheximide dosage (R = -0.68, p < 0.001), NH4+-N (R = -0.31, p < 0.001) and DOC content (R = -0.57, p < 0.05). These findings highlight the consequences of microbial disruption on N2O emission and the complex microbial interactions in acidic soils. High concentrations of microbial inhibitors effectively reduce N2O emissions by suppressing key microbial groups in nitrification and denitrification. Conversely, lower concentrations may prompt compensatory responses from surviving microorganisms, resulting in increased N2O production. Future research should focus on sustainable management strategies to mitigate N2O emissions while preserving the soil's microbial community.

Microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) and its turnover play a crucial role in crop phosphorus (P) nutrition. However, the response of MBP to organic amendments, especially under the combined application of biochar and straw in Oxisols remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of substituting rice straw with different biochar proportions (0 %, 10 %, 30 %, and 50 %) on soil CO2 emissions, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and MBP content, their turnover parameters and carbon:phosphorus (C:P) stoichiometry during a 60-day incubation. The results showed that 10 % biochar substitution did not alter MBP content but decreased MBP flux and turnover rate, consequently prolonging turnover time. In contrast, higher biochar substitution rates (30 % and 50 %) increased MBP content by 7.37 % and 5.71 %, respectively, and gradually recovered MBP turnover. Notably, these higher biochar ratios also significantly decreased dissolved C:P and microbial C:P ratios, exacerbating C:P stoichiometric imbalance. The partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) indicated the MBC:MBP ratio as the primary driver of microbial P immobilization and turnover, demonstrating a positive correlation with CO2 emission rates. These results imply that strategic substitution of straw with biochar can increase potential soil P supply by enlarging MBP pools and accelerating MBP turnover, thereby improving crop P utilization efficiency.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas, with emissions occurring mostly from agricultural soils, especially acidic soils. This research aimed to elucidate the response of soils dominated by nitrification-driven N2O production to alkaline amendments, given that nitrification is a key process in N2O emission. This study investigated the impact of an alkaline mineral amendment (CSMP) on N2O emission, nitrification rate, and functional gene abundance. Using a robotic automated incubation system, CSMP both alone and in combination with urea was applied to two acidic soils (CL: pH 5.81; WS: pH 4.91). The results demonstrated that, relative to the CK, the CSMP-only treatment significantly increased N2O emissions by 18.4-fold in these acidic soils, with a 61.6-fold increase in the U + CSMP treatment. This very large increase was driven by a rise in AOB-amoA abundance and a concurrent decline in AOA-amoA, which was confirmed by structural equation modeling, which showed that the increase in pH strongly influenced N2O emission primarily through AOB-amoA. Although CSMP is effective for reversing soil acidification, its use must be carefully managed to prevent stimulation of N2O emissions. Future strategies should explore combining CSMP with approaches that can mitigate nitrification while maintaining its soil improvement benefits. This study provides critical insights for developing balanced management practices that address both soil health and climate change mitigation in acidic agricultural systems.