Excessive application of chemical fertilizer and organophosphorus pesticides induced total phosphorus loss from planting causing surface water eutrophication

Effect of sesame cake fertilizer with γ-PGA on soil nutrient, water and nitrogen use efficiency

γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), as an environmentally sustainable material, is extensive applied in agriculture for enhancing water and fertilizer utilization efficiency, augmenting crop yield, and ameliorating soil conditions. However, the effect of γ-PGA in conjunction with sesame cake fertilizer on the soil environment remains uncertain.The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of γ-PGA on soil nutrients, water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and maize yield across various levels of sesame cake fertilizer. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the optimal ratio to establish a theoretical and practical foundation for sustainable agricultural development and the promotion of ecological agriculture. Through field experiments, nine treatments were established, comprising three levels of sesame cake fertilizer application rates (B1 = 900 kg/hm2 for low fertility, B2 = 1100 kg/hm2 for medium fertility, and B3 = 1300 kg/hm2 for high fertility) and three levels of γ-PGA application rates (R1 = 200 kg/hm2, R2 = 400 kg/hm2, and R3 = 600 kg/hm2). The results can be outlined as follows: (1) When γ-PGA application rate increased, total nitrogen (TN) exhibited a synergistic effect under B1 treatment, but an antagonistic effect under B2 and B3 treatments. At the 6-leaf stage (V6), 12-leaf stage (V12), and tasseling stage (VT), available phosphorus (AP) exhibited antagonistic effects. However, at the filling stage (R2) and maturity stage (R6), AP in B1 and B2 treatments at various depths underwent partial transformation into a synergistic effect. The levels of available potassium exhibited a notable antagonistic effect, leading to a decrease in harvest index (HI). B2 treatment demonstrated superior results compared to the B1 and B3 treatments, with the highest levels observed under B2R1 treatment; (2) TN content in the 0-40 cm soil layer increased during the filling period, and it was uniformly distributed in the 40-60 cm soil layer. When the soil AP was located in the 0-60 cm soil layer, there was an increase in AP content during the mature period. Following the tasseling period, different treatments exhibited varying patterns of increase in response to the presence of potassium within the 0-60 cm soil layer. Consequently, in cases where the sesame cake fertilizer content is low, the interaction between γ-PGA can compensate for the deficiency of fertilizer, thereby enhancing water and nitrogen utilization efficiency. The optimal fertilization strategy for enhancing soil nutrient distribution, WUE and NUE, and yield is proposed to be the application of 1100 kg/hm2 sesame cake fertilizer and 200 kg/hm2 γ-PGA.

Evaluating long-term impacts of land use/land cover changes on pollution loads at a catchment scale

Evaluating how pollutant loads react to changes in land use/land cover (LULC) is a challenging task due to the intricate relationships among the many elements within a watershed. However, the difficulty in connecting LULC change and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution loads to streams may be lessened by combining hydrological modeling with geospatial tools and multivariate statistics. The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of LULC change on NPS pollution loads in a highly human-dominated catchment, in central Ethiopia. In the study, hydrologic modeling was used to estimate the NPS parameters from multispectral Landsat images, and multivariate statistical techniques were then used to extract major LULC types that explain the variances of NPS loads between 1981 and 2020. The results demonstrated that there were human-induced LULC changes in the area, as the built-up and agricultural landscapes are rising (186.4% and 5.8%, respectively), and shrub and forest lands are decreasing (67.1% and 41%, respectively). As a result of these changes, the concentrations of nitrate (NO3), total P, total N, organic N, and organic P loads were increased by 69.41, 19.83, 18.45, 18.88, and 24.05%, respectively. Reductions in natural vegetation, as well as agriculture intensification, are the major contributors to the NPS pollutant losses to surface water sources. The result also revealed that pollution nutrients are strongly related to deforestation and agricultural land expansion. Proper adaptation strategies should be implemented to minimize the negative impact of LULC changes in the area.

Preparation of bacterial fertilizer from biogas residue after anaerobic co-digestion of kitchen waste and residual sludge

Azotobacter chroococcum and Bacillus subtilis were selected as fermentation strains, and biogas residue after anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste and residual sludge was used as fermentation substrate. A single factor optimization test was used to optimize the solid-state fermentation parameters of biogas residue with the number of viable bacteria and the number of spores as indexes. The results showed that the optimum inoculation conditions involved the following: 55% initial moisture content, 15% initial inoculation amount, 30 ℃, and 1:1 initial inoculation ratio for 13 days. Pot experiment showed that the prepared three kinds of bacterial fertilizers could not only effectively promote the growth of white clover, improve the composition of soil nutrients, but also change the structure of soil bacterial community, which is of great significance to the health of soil ecosystem in white clover.

Anthropogenic-induced environmental and ecological changes in the Nile Delta over the past half-century

Anthropogenic activities over the past half-century have had a negative impact on the wetland ecosystem in the Nile Delta, which provides essential provisioning and regulating services. Therefore, it is crucial to systematically investigate pollution levels and their ecological consequences at both spatial and temporal scales in order to promote sustainable development. In this study, data on metal pollution in the Manzala Lake were compiled through a systematic review of all published literature from 1968 to 2020. Additionally, agricultural data (including land use, pesticide and fertilizer usage, and discharge) and economic data for the same time period were collected to identify the main drivers of pollution. The results indicated an overall increasing trend in heavy metal concentrations during the study period. The average concentrations of metals, arranged in descending order, were as follows: Fe (15,115.5 μg/g) > Mn (722 μg/g) > Zn (115.4 μg/g) > Cu (65.9 μg/g) > Ni (62.5 μg/g) > Cr (58.1 μg/g) > Pb (54.1 μg/g) > Cd (4.7 μg/g) > Hg (0.1 μg/g). A linear regression model revealed that wastewater discharge, water reuse, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers are the main sources of heavy metal pollution in the Manzala Lake. Consequently, there has been a dramatic decrease in the biodiversity of fish and molluscan communities. The study also found a correlation between heavy metal pollution and socio-economic development, highlighting the urgent need for attention to the conservation, management, and sustainable development of the lake.

Sustainable adsorbent frameworks based on bio-resourced materials and biodegradable polymers in selective phosphate removal for waste-water remediation

Phosphorus to an optimum extent is an essential nutrient for all living organisms and its scarcity may cause food security, and environmental preservation issues vis-à-vis agroeconomic hurdles. Undesirably excess phosphorus intensifies the eutrophication problem in non-marine water bodies and disrupts the natural nutrient balance of the ecosystem. To overcome such dichotomy, biodegradable polymer-based adsorbents have emerged as a cost-effective and implementable approach in striking a "desired optimum-undesired excess" balance pertaining to phosphate in a sustainable manner. So far, the reports on adopting such adsorbent-approach for wastewater remediation remained largely scattered, unstructured, and poorly correlated. In this background, the contextual review comprehensively discusses the current state-of-the-art in utilizing biodegradable polymeric frameworks as an adsorbent system for phosphate removal and its efficient recovery from the aquatic ecosystem, while highlighting their characteristics-specific functional efficiency vis-à-vis easiness of synthetic and commercial viability. The overview further delves into the sources and environmental ramifications of excessive phosphorus in water bodies and associated mechanistic pathways of phosphorus removal via adsorption, precipitation, and membrane filtration enabled by biodegradable (natural and synthetic) polymeric substrates. Finally, functionality optimization, degradability tuning, and adsorption selectivity of biodegradable polymers are highlighted, while aiming to strike a balance in "removal-recovery-reuse" dynamics of phosphate. Thus, the current review not only paves the way for future exploration of biodegradable polymers in sustainable cost-effective adsorbents for phosphorus removal but also can serve as a guide for researchers dealing with this critical issue.

Development of electrochemical sensors for quick detection of environmental (soil and water) NPK ions

All over the world, technology is becoming more and more prevalent in agriculture. Different types of instruments are already being used in this sector. For the time being, every farmer is trying to produce more crops on a piece of land. Eventually, soil loses its nutrients; however, to grow more crops, farmers use more fertilizers without knowing the proper conditions of the soil in real time. To overcome this issue, many scientists have recently focused on developing electrochemical sensors to detect macronutrients, i.e., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), in soil or water rapidly. In this review, we focus mainly on the recent developments in electrochemical sensors used for the detection of nutrients (NPK) in different types of samples. As it is outlined, the use of smart and portable electrochemical sensors can be helpful for the reduction of excess fertilizer and can play a vital role in maintaining suitable conditions in soils and water. We are optimistic that this review can guide researchers in the development of a portable and suitable NPK detection system for soil nutrients.

Responses of Crop Yield, Soil Fertility, and Heavy Metals to Spent Mushroom Residues Application

Waste mushroom residues are often returned to fields as organic amendments. Here, we estimated the effects of the continuous applications of different spent mushroom substrates for 2 years on crop yields, soil nutrients, and heavy metals in paddy fields. The study comprised seven treatments: no fertilization (CK) and mineral NPK fertilizer (CF), as well as NPK fertilizer combined with Enoki mushroom residue (EMR50), Oyster mushroom residue (OMR50), Auricularia polytricha mushroom residue (APR50), Shiitake mushroom residue (SMR50), and Agaricus bisporus residue (ABR50). The grain yield was highest under the APR50 treatment. The short-term application of waste mushroom residue significantly increased SOC, TN, TP, and TK content relative to the CK treatment. The SOC, TP, and TK were highest under ABR50. Both total Cr and Cd contents were highest under CF treatment. The highest cumulative ecological risk was observed under OMR50 treatment. In addition, crop yield was positively correlated with SOC, TN, TP, and TP. Our results highlight that further research and innovation are needed to optimize the benefits and overcome the challenges of mushroom residue application.

Life cycle assessment of nutrient recovery strategies from domestic wastewaters to quantify environmental performance and identification of trade-offs

Increase in anthropogenic activities proliferated the consumption of resources such as phosphorus; and increase the adverse environmental impacts especially eutrophication on water resources such as lakes. Nutrient recovery from domestic wastewaters to produce a fertiliser has been explored to address these challenges in the context of a sustainable circular nutrient economy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to holistically assess the impacts of integrating a nutrient recovery system on wastewater and water resource management using Laguna de Bay, Philippines as the geographical boundary. The inventory was developed based on the results of the emerging nutrient recovery reactor operations and the application of the recovered fertiliser on the agricultural crops. The LCA results for the proposed scenario showed environmental benefits of about 83.6% freshwater eutrophication, 102.5% terrestrial ecotoxicity, 26.9% water consumption, 100.7% mineral resource scarcity, while the global warming potential is 95.4% higher than the baseline scenario. Results imply policy review for septage management, system optimisation, and evaluation of alternative methods of wastewater management, in terms of life cycle thinking and sustainability across the globe.

Remote sensing retrieval and driving analysis of phytoplankton density in the large storage freshwater lake: A study based on random forest and Landsat-8 OLI

Remote sensing monitoring of seasonal changes in phytoplankton density and analyses of the driving factors of phytoplankton densities are necessary for assessing the health of aquatic ecosystems, controlling lake eutrophication, and formulating ecological restoration policies. Building upon the satellite-ground synchronization experiment that involves the in situ aquatic ecological monitoring conducted in Nansi Lake, which is the largest storage lake situated along the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, we developed a phytoplankton density retrieval model utilizing the random forest (RF) method and Landsat-8 OLI data. On this basis, we mapped the seasonal fluctuations and spatial disparities in the phytoplankton densities from 2013 to 2023. Subsequently, we conducted a detailed analysis of the driving factors and considered both the natural and anthropogenic aspects. The results indicate that (1) the RF model, when utilizing three band combinations, yielded favorable results with R2, RMSE and MAE values of 0.67, 1.31 × 106 cells/L and 1.18 × 106 cells/L, respectively. (2) The phytoplankton densities exhibited both seasonal and spatial variations, with higher concentrations in summer and autumn than in spring and winter. Significantly, the northwestern region of Zhaoyang Lake and the southeastern region of Weishan Lake had substantially greater phytoplankton densities than did the other areas. Furthermore, overarching upward trends were observed from 2013 to 2023, reflecting an annual rate of increase of 3.32%. (3) An analysis of the causal factors indicated that temperatures and gross agricultural production levels are the primary drivers influencing the seasonal variations and distributions of phytoplankton densities. In the future, we will delve into the potential of deep learning and utilize various satellite sensors to explore the intricacies of phytoplankton monitoring, as well as the complex mechanisms that influence aquatic ecological health.

Transcriptome analysis of axillary buds in low phosphorus stress and functional analysis of TaWRKY74s in wheat

BACKGROUND

Wheat is one of the main grain crops in the world, and the tiller number is a key factor affecting the yield of wheat. Phosphorus is an essential element for tiller development in wheat. However, due to decreasing phosphorus content in soil, there has been increasing use of phosphorus fertilizer, while imposing risk of soil and water pollution. Hence, it is important to identify low phosphorus tolerance genes and utilize them for stress resistance breeding in wheat.

RESULTS

We subjected the wheat variety Kenong 199 (KN199) to low phosphorus stress and observed a reduced tiller number. Using transcriptome analysis, we identified 1651 upregulated genes and 827 downregulated of genes after low phosphorus stress. The differentially expressed genes were found to be enriched in the enzyme activity regulation related to phosphorus, hormone signal transduction, and ion transmembrane transport. Furthermore, the transcription factor analysis revealed that TaWRKY74s were important for low phosphorus tolerance. TaWRKY74s have three alleles: TaWRKY74-A, TaWRKY74-B, and TaWRKY74-D, and they all belong to the WRKY family with conserved WRKYGQK motifs. These proteins were found to be located in the nucleus, and they were expressed in axillary meristem, shoot apical meristem(SAM), young leaves, leaf primordium, and spikelet primordium. The evolutionary tree showed that TaWRKY74s were closely related to OsWRKY74s in rice. Moreover, TaWRKY74s-RNAi transgenic plants displayed significantly fewer tillers compared to wild-type plants under normal conditions. Additionally, the tiller numebr of the RNAi transgenic plants was also significantly lower than that of the wild-type plants under low-phosphorus stress, and increased the decrease amplitude. This suggestd that TaWRKY74s are related to phosphorus response and can affect the tiller number of wheat.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this research showed that TaWRKY74s were key genes in wheat response to low phosphorus stress, which might regulate wheat tiller number through abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin signal transduction pathways. This research lays the foundation for further investigating the mechanism of TaWRKY74s in the low phosphorus environments and is significant for wheat stress resistance breeding.

Oral bovine serum albumin administration alleviates inflammatory signals and improves antioxidant capacity and immune response under thioacetamide stress in blunt snout bream fed a high-calorie diet

This investigation looks at the impact of oral bovine serum albumin (BSA) on antioxidants, immune responses, and inflammation signals in blunt snout bream fed a high-calorie diet. 480 fish (average weight: 45.84 ± 0.07 g) were randomly fed a control diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), a high carbohydrate diet (HCD), and a high-energy diet (HED) in six replicates for 12 weeks. After the feeding trial, fish were orally administered with 10% BSA for 10 h, then blood and liver samples from five fish were randomly obtained after 10 h to determine plasma inflammatory markers and inorganic components. Also, the leftover fish were injected with thioacetamide, blood and liver samples were simultaneously obtained at 12, 48, and 96 h, respectively, to determine antioxidant, immune, and inflammatory signals, with survival rates recorded at the same time interval. After 10 h, plasma inflammatory markers such as tumour necrosis factors (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL6), nitric oxide (NO), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1), and cortisol were significantly improved in fish fed HCD and HED as compared to the control. After thioacetamide stress, plasma lysozyme (LYM), complement 3, myeloperoxidase (MPO), and alkaline phosphatase activities, as well as immunoglobulin M, levels all increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing time with maximum value attained at 96 h, but shows no difference among dietary treatment. Similar results were observed in liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, but tended to reduce at 96 h. nf-kb, tnf-α, and mcp-1 tend to decrease with the minimum value attained at 48 h and gradually decrease with increasing time at 96 h. After 96 h of the thioacetamide (TAA) challenge, the survival rate of blunt snout bream fed with an HFD and HCD was significantly lower (P < 0.05) at 48, and 96 h before the administration of BSA. However, no differences were observed among dietary treatments after the BSA administration. Overall, this study indicated that oral dietary administration of BSA might greatly enhance the antioxidant capability and innate immunity and mitigates inflammation signals after TAA stress in blunt snout bream fed high energy diet.

Phosphonium-Based Polyelectrolytes: Preparation, Properties, and Usage in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Phosphorous is an essential element for the life of organisms, and phosphorus-based compounds have many uses in industry, such as flame retardancy reagents, ingredients in fertilizers, pyrotechnics, etc. Ionic liquids are salts with melting points lower than the boiling point of water. The term "polymerized ionic liquids" (PILs) refers to a class of polyelectrolytes that contain an ionic liquid (IL) species in each monomer repeating unit and are connected by a polymeric backbone to form macromolecular structures. PILs provide a new class of polymeric materials by combining some of the distinctive qualities of ILs in the polymer chain. Ionic liquids have been identified as attractive prospects for a variety of applications due to the high stability (thermal, chemical, and electrochemical) and high mobility of their ions, but their practical applicability is constrained because they lack the benefits of both liquids and solids, suffering from both leakage issues and excessive viscosity. PILs are garnering for developing non-volatile and non-flammable solid electrolytes. In this paper, we provide a brief review of phosphonium-based PILs, including their synthesis route, properties, advantages and drawbacks, and the comparison between nitrogen-based and phosphonium-based PILs. As phosphonium PILs can be used as polymer electrolytes in lithium-ion battery (LIB) applications, the conductivity and the thermo-mechanical properties are the most important features for this polymer electrolyte system. The chemical structure of phosphonium-based PILs that was reported in previous literature has been reviewed and summarized in this article. Generally, the phosphonium PILs that have more flexible backbones exhibit better conductivity values compared to the PILs that consist of a rigid backbone. At the end of this section, future directions for research regarding PILs are discussed, including the use of recyclable phosphorus from waste.

Recent developments in metallic-nanoparticles-loaded biochars synthesis and use for phosphorus recovery from aqueous solutions. A critical review

Phosphorus (P) represents a major pollutant of water resources and at the same time a vital element for human and plants. P recovery from wastewaters and its reuse is a necessity in order to compensate the current important depletion of P natural reserves. The use of biochars for P recovery from wastewaters and their subsequent valorization in agriculture, instead of synthetic industrial fertilizers, promotes circular economy and sustainability concepts. However, P retention by pristine biochars is usually low and a modification step is always required to improve their P recovery efficiency. The pre- or post-treatment of biochars with metal salts seems to be one of the most efficient approaches. This review aims to summarize and discuss the most recent developments (from 2020- up to now) in: i) the role of the feedstock nature, the metal salt type, the pyrolysis conditions, and the experimental adsorption parameters on metallic-nanoparticles-loaded biochars properties and effectiveness in recovering P from aqueous solutions, as well as the dominant involved mechanisms, ii) the effect of the eluent solutions nature on the regeneration ability of P-loaded biochars, and iii) the practical challenges facing the upscaling of P-loaded biochars production and valorization in agriculture. This review shows that the synthesized biochars through slow pyrolysis at relatively high temperatures (up to 700-800 °C) of mixed biomasses with Ca- Mg-rich materials or impregnated biomasses with specific metals in order to from layered double hydroxides (LDHs) biochars composites exhibit interesting structural, textural and surface chemistry properties allowing high P recovery efficiency. Depending on the pyrolysis's and adsorption's experimental conditions, these modified biochars may recover P through combined mechanisms including mainly electrostatic attraction, ligand exchange, surface complexation, hydrogen bonding, and precipitation. Moreover, the P-loaded biochars can be used directly in agriculture or efficiently regenerated with alkaline solutions. Finally, this review emphasizes the challenges concerning the production and use of P-loaded biochars in a context of circular economy. They concern the optimization of P recovery process from wastewater in real-time scenarios, the reduction of energy-related biochars production costs and the intensification of communication/dissemination campaigns to all the concerned actors (i.e., farmers, consumers, stakeholders, and policymakers) on the benefits of P-loaded biochars reuse. We believe that this review is beneficial for new breakthroughs on the synthesis and green application of metallic-nanoparticles-loaded biochars.

Promotion of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Growth by Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms

Brazil is an important peanut producer, but despite its high production, there still needs to be an inoculant for the peanut crop. In addition, the use of microorganisms that promote plant growth (PGPM) is not common, and this crop is highly dependent on chemical fertilizers. An excellent alternative to reduce the use of fertilizers and chemical inputs in peanut crops while reducing the production cost and environmental impact is the use of PGPM. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus subtilis, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and Trichoderma harzianum as single inoculants and co-inoculants on the growth promotion and productivity of peanuts in greenhouse and field conditions. In the greenhouse, the experiment was conducted with 12 treatments with six repetitions. In the field conditions, the experiment was conducted with five treatments with four repetitions. Both experiments were conducted in randomized blocks. In general, all the microorganisms evaluated in the present study promoted increases in root dry mass, shoot dry mass, phosphorus concentrations, and plant height in the greenhouse and under field conditions compared with the control. Interestingly, the mixtures of microorganisms inoculated in peanut plants did not promote greater plant growth and development compared with inoculations of the microorganisms separately. Specifically, in the field, the highest productivity was found for the inoculation of B. japonicum alone. The PGPM evaluated in the present study for peanut crops generally promoted some increases in productivity in greenhouse and field conditions.

Acceptance Intention and Behavioral Response to Soil-Testing Formula Fertilization Technology: An Empirical Study of Agricultural Land in Shaanxi Province

Soil-testing formula fertilization technology is a powerful tool for preserving arable land and ensuring food security. The purpose of this study was to investigate farmers’ acceptance intentions and behavioral responses to soil-testing formula fertilization technology. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this paper adopts the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method, with 295 farmers in the high-standard farmland project area of Shaanxi Province as samples. The research results show that attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC) all had a significant positive influence on farmers’ behavioral intentions. The order of impact effects from large to small is ATT > SN > PBC. The ecological rationality of farmers, communication and demonstration between neighbors, and effective technical training, as well as consulting and guidance services, can better enhance farmers’ intentions to apply soil-testing formula fertilization technology. This study could help to provide references for policymaking to improve the adoption of soil-testing formula fertilization technology.

Aspergillus niger-mediated release of phosphates from fish bone char reduces Pb phytoavailability in Pb-acid batteries polluted soil, and accumulation in fenugreek

Soil receiving discharges from Pb-acid batteries dismantling and restoring units (PBS) can have a high concentration of phytoavailable Pb. Reducing Pb phytoavailability in PBS can decline Pb uptake in food crops and minimize the risks to humans and the environment. This pot study aimed to reduce the concentration of phytoavailable Pb in PBS through Aspergillus niger (A. niger)-mediated release of PO₄^3- from fish bone [Apatite II (APII)] products. The PBS (Pb = 639 mg kg^-1 soil) was amended with APII powder (APII-P), APII char (APII-C), and A. niger inoculum as separate doses, and combining A. niger with APII-P (APII-P + A. niger) and APII-C (APII-C + A. niger). The effects of these treatments on reducing the phytoavailability of Pb in PBS and its uptake in fenugreek were examined. Additionally, enzymatic activities and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in the PBS and the indices of plant physiology, nutrition, and antioxidant defense machinery were scoped. Results revealed that the APII-C + A. niger treatment was the most efficient one. Compared to the control, it significantly reduced the Pb phytoavailability (DTPA-extractable Pb fraction) in soil and its uptake in plant shoots, roots, and grain, up to 61%, 83%, 74%, and 92%. The grain produced under APII-C + A. niger were safe for human consumption as Pb concentration in grain was 4.01 mg kg^-1 DW, remaining within the permissible limit set by WHO/FAO (2007). The APII-C + A. niger treatment also improved soil pH, EC, CEC, MBC, available P content and enzymatic activities, and the fenugreek quality parameters. A. niger played a significant role in solubilizing PO₄^3- from APII-C, which reacted with Pb and formed insoluble Pb-phosphates, thereby reducing Pb phytoavailability in PBS and its uptake in plants. This study suggests APII-C + A. niger can remediate Pb-polluted soils via reducing Pb phytoavailability in them.

Phyto-Friendly Soil Bacteria and Fungi Provide Beneficial Outcomes in the Host Plant by Differently Modulating Its Responses through (In)Direct Mechanisms

Sustainable agricultural systems based on the application of phyto-friendly bacteria and fungi are increasingly needed to preserve soil fertility and microbial biodiversity, as well as to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Although there is considerable attention on the potential applications of microbial consortia as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents for crop management, knowledge on the molecular responses modulated in host plants because of these beneficial associations is still incomplete. This review provides an up-to-date overview of the different mechanisms of action triggered by plant-growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) to promote host-plant growth and improve its defense system. In addition, we combined available gene-expression profiling data from tomato roots sampled in the early stages of interaction with Pseudomonas or Trichoderma strains to develop an integrated model that describes the common processes activated by both PGPMs and highlights the host's different responses to the two microorganisms. All the information gathered will help define new strategies for the selection of crop varieties with a better ability to benefit from the elicitation of microbial inoculants.

Supporting Sustainable Development by Identifying Ways to Enhance and Conserve Local Food Wisdom, Loei Province, Thailand

Traditional diets are generally nutrient-rich and utilise locally available resources. Strategies to help conserve local food wisdom and increase its value could facilitate a reduction in the burden of all forms of malnutrition and achieve global goals. Our objectives were to: (1) investigate the variety of local foods and food preparation methods in Loei province, Thailand; (2) investigate ways of increasing the nutritional, social, and economic value of local food in this province; and (3) construct a local food database to catalogue and conserve the local food wisdom. Nine out of fourteen districts in Loei province were purposively selected. All were designated key sustainable tourist destinations and represented a range of terrains. There were 423 interview participants, representing all villages in one subdistrict of each of the nine selected districts. We also conducted nine focus group discussions with a total of 90 participants. Data were analysed and categorised, based on the content analysis technique, and we created an online database of the catalogued recipes. There were 240 dishes, placed into seven categories of recipe type. Many of the characteristics of the local dishes from Loei province today remain closely connected to the history of this part of Thailand. We identified that the value of local foods could be improved by investing in technology used for home preservation, actively engaging younger generations to improve the transfer of local food wisdom, investment in technology to utilise local biodegradable materials, and tourist activities based around local food heritage. Future work will involve further development of the local food database, and research to evaluate the application of the database. Moreover, this research can serve as a model for retaining and valuing local food wisdom elsewhere, to promote food security, combat malnutrition, and benefit the local economy.

Nitrate Water Contamination from Industrial Activities and Complete Denitrification as a Remediation Option

Freshwater is a scarce resource that continues to be at high risk of pollution from anthropogenic activities, requiring remediation in such cases for its continuous use. The agricultural and mining industries extensively use water and nitrogen (N)-dependent products, mainly in fertilizers and explosives, respectively, with their excess accumulating in different water bodies. Although removal of NO3 from water and soil through the application of chemical, physical, and biological methods has been studied globally, these methods seldom yield N2 gas as a desired byproduct for nitrogen cycling. These methods predominantly cause secondary contamination with deposits of chemical waste such as slurry brine, nitrite (NO2), ammonia (NH3), and nitrous oxide (N2O), which are also harmful and fastidious to remove. This review focuses on complete denitrification facilitated by bacteria as a remedial option aimed at producing nitrogen gas as a terminal byproduct. Synergistic interaction of different nitrogen metabolisms from different bacteria is highlighted, with detailed attention to the optimization of their enzymatic activities. A biotechnological approach to mitigating industrial NO3 contamination using indigenous bacteria from wastewater is proposed, holding the prospect of optimizing to the point of complete denitrification. The approach was reviewed and found to be durable, sustainable, cost effective, and environmentally friendly, as opposed to current chemical and physical water remediation technologies.

Autophagy and apoptosis cascade: which is more prominent in neuronal death?

Autophagy and apoptosis are two crucial self-destructive processes that maintain cellular homeostasis, which are characterized by their morphology and regulated through signal transduction mechanisms. These pathways determine the fate of cellular organelle and protein involved in human health and disease such as neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Cell death pathways share common molecular mechanisms, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, calcium ion concentration, reactive oxygen species, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Some key signaling molecules such as p53 and VEGF mediated angiogenic pathway exhibit cellular and molecular responses resulting in the triggering of apoptotic and autophagic pathways. Herein, based on previous studies, we describe the intricate relation between cell death pathways through their common genes and the role of various stress-causing agents. Further, extensive research on autophagy and apoptotic machinery excavates the implementation of selective biomarkers, for instance, mTOR, Bcl-2, BH3 family members, caspases, AMPK, PI3K/Akt/GSK3β, and p38/JNK/MAPK, in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. This molecular phenomenon will lead to the discovery of possible therapeutic biomolecules as a pharmacological intervention that are involved in the modulation of apoptosis and autophagy pathways. Moreover, we describe the potential role of micro-RNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and biomolecules as therapeutic agents that regulate cell death machinery to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Mounting evidence demonstrated that under stress conditions, such as calcium efflux, endoplasmic reticulum stress, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and oxidative stress intermediate molecules, namely p53 and VEGF, activate and cause cell death. Further, activation of p53 and VEGF cause alteration in gene expression and dysregulated signaling pathways through the involvement of signaling molecules, namely mTOR, Bcl-2, BH3, AMPK, MAPK, JNK, and PI3K/Akt, and caspases. Alteration in gene expression and signaling cascades cause neurotoxicity and misfolded protein aggregates, which are characteristics features of neurodegenerative diseases. Excessive neurotoxicity and misfolded protein aggregates lead to neuronal cell death by activating death pathways like autophagy and apoptosis. However, autophagy has a dual role in the apoptosis pathways, i.e., activation and inhibition of the apoptosis signaling. Further, micro-RNAs and LncRNAs act as pharmacological regulators of autophagy and apoptosis cascade, whereas, natural compounds and chemical compounds act as pharmacological inhibitors that rescue neuronal cell death through inhibition of apoptosis and autophagic cell death.