bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Canny and Morphological Approaches to Calculating Area and Perimeter of Two-Dimensional Geometry
Authors: Mentari Mustika , Watequlis Syaifudin Yan , Funabiki Nobuo , Layra Aziza Nadia , Wijayanti Tita
Published: January 2023

Calculating area and perimeter in real-world conditions has its challenges. The actual conditions include applications in the medical field to measure the presence of tumors or the condition of human organs and applications in geography to measure specific areas on a map; applications in architecture often calculate the area and perimeter of buildings, interior design, exterior design, and other uses. Technology can make it easier with automatic calculations. Mathematical methods and computer vision techniques are required to create automated systems. The Canny method is usually used, which is good enough for detecting edges but not sufficient for measuring irregular geometric shapes. This paper aims to calculate the area and perimeter of a geometric shape using the Canny method and geometry. Data samples in various forms are used in this study. Calculating area and perimeter using the Canny method involves obtaining the length (X,Y) of the RGB image converted to HSV. Edge detection values are used to calculate the area and perimeter of objects. The morphological method uses binary image input as input data. Then proceed to the convolution process with structuring and calculating the area and circumference of objects. Based on the research results, calculating the area and circumference of objects is more effective using morphological methods. However, the level of accuracy is affected by the selection of structuring elements (strels) which must be optimal and global.
«Крещеные татары» или кряшены: советская национальная политика и проблема самоопределения тюркоязычных этнических групп Волго-Уральского региона в сравнительном освещении
“BAPTISED TATARS” OR KRYASHENS: SOVIET ETHNIC POLICY AND THE SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF TURKIC-SPEAKING ETHNIC GROUPS IN THE VOLGA-URAL REGION COMPARED WITH THE ALTAI-SAYAN REGION
Authors: Sevastyanov I. V.
Published: January 2023

Статья посвящена сравнительному рассмотрению особенностей трансформации этнической и этноконфессиональной идентичностей у тюркоязычных этно‑локальных групп Урало‑Поволжья (кряшены, нагайбаки) и Саяно-Алтайского региона (хакасы, телеуты, кумандинцы, тубалары, шорцы) на историческом временном отрезке от рубежа XIX–XX вв. до начала XXI в. Все перечисленные группы до недавнего прошлого так или иначе ассоциировались с категорией «крещеных татар» по причине их православного вероисповедания и преобладающего тюркоязычия. Советская национальная политика по отношению к названным этническим сообществам привела в разных ареалах традиционного проживания «крещеных татар» к несходным результатам. Наблюдаемые в постсоветский период процессы в их среде представляют собой примеры как устойчивого сохранения внутреннего единства, так и стремления к достижению статуса отдельного народа. Анализируется роль конфессионального фактора в указанных трансформациях и историческая специфика этнокультурного развития рассматриваемых в статье этнических сообществ.
The article compares the different patterns of the transformation of ethnic and confessional identities among the Turkic‑speaking local ethnic groups of the VolgaUral (Kryashens, Nağaybäks) and the Altay‑Sayan (the Khakas, Teleuts, Kumandins, Tubalars and Shors) regions between the 19th‑20th and the beginning of 21st centuries. Until recently all the mentioned groups had been associated with “baptised Tatars” due to their Orthodox religion and Turkic languages. The Soviet ethnic policy towards these groups led to dissimilar results in different regions. In the post‑Soviet period, they demonstrate both examples of sustainable preservation of internal unity and certain separatism. The article analyzes the role of confession in these transformations and the ethnic‑specific development of the studied groups throughout history.
Computational Mathematics: Solving Dual Fully Fuzzy Nonlinear Matrix Equations Numerically using Broyden’s Method
Authors: Zakaria La , Megarani Wahyu , Faisol Ahmad , Nuryaman Aang , Muharramah Ulfah
Published: January 2023

Fuzzy numbers have many applications in various mathematical models in both linear and nonlinear forms. In the form of a nonlinear system, fuzzy nonlinear equations can be constructed in the form of matrix equations. Unfortunately, the matrix equations used to solve the problem of dual fully fuzzy nonlinear systems are still relatively few found in the publication of research results. This article attempts to solve a dual fully fuzzy nonlinear equation system involving triangular fuzzy numbers using Broyden’s method. This article provides the pseudocode algorithm and the implementation of the algorithm into the MATLAB program for the iteration process to be carried out quickly and easily. The performance of the given algorithm is the fastest in finding system solutions and provides a minimum error value.
Risk Managed Cloud Adoption: An ANP Approach
Authors: Gupta Shikha , Pani Subhendu Kumar , Muduli Kamalakanta , Vaish Arti , Kumar Anil
Published: January 2023

To meet the ever-increasing demand for offering a sustainable environment, organizations are beginning to aim for cloud adoption and the migration of their IT infrastructure and operations to the cloud, utilizing various cloud-based technologies. However, cloud adoption has been impeded by the risk of being exposed as a result of a variety of concerns, including performance, security, and privacy concerns, as well as vulnerabilities and data portability. As a result, this study was carried out to investigate and analyse a variety of risks that come with cloud computing adoption by estimating the impact and frequency of these hazards. In this study, the Analytical Network Process (ANP) is used to prioritise these hazards. Prioritization of these risks based on their influence on cloud adoption may be useful for organizations in building a corrective action plan. According to their negative influence on cloud adoption, "business continuity and recovery planning" and "poor availability of services" are shown to be the most prominent hazards. This research also found that the two most common dangers encountered by cloud adopters in India are "poor availability of services" and "slow response rate."
Design of PID, FLC and Sliding Mode Controller for 2-DOF Robotic Manipulator: A Comparative Study
Authors: Tomar Mukti , Mandava Sunitha , Hemalatha Nuthalapti , Ramakoteswara Rao Veeravalli , Mandava Ravi Kumar
Published: January 2023

Controlling the manipulators in a precise manner is a challenging task. To overcome this difficulty around the world, many researchers have developed various control algorithms but are not providing optimal results. To obtain the optimal results in the current research the authors designed a proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) controller, fuzzy logic controller (FLC), and sliding mode controller (SMC) for a 2-DOF manipulator. The concept of forward and inverse kinematics was initially solved after assigning the D-H parameters for each joint. The purpose of forward or direct kinematics is to obtain the position and orientation of the end effector. Further, the concept of inverse kinematics is used to estimate the joint angles. Later on, the Lagrange-Euler formulation was used to calculate the dynamics of the 2-DOF manipulator, which is required to estimate the torque required for each joint of the robotics arm. The main goal of this research problem is to optimize the angular error between the two successive events. Finally, the developed algorithm is compared with the existing algorithms such as PID and Fuzzy logic controller.
Evaluating Biofuel Energy Policies for Sustainable Transportation Sector: A System Dynamics Approach
Authors: Mahate Vidosh , Bisen Anand , Vishwakarma Sachin , Avikal Shwetank , Jain Rajeev
Published: January 2023

Energy is vital for techno-socio-economic development of global transportation sector. A country’s energy policy will aim to provide an appropriate mix of resources to meet its energy demand. Biofuels have emerged as an alternative to meet the energy requirements. The contribution of this study is the evaluation of sustainable biofuel energy policies to increase the usage of biofuels in the transport sector without affecting the country's food security and to achieve social, economic and environmental benefits. The successful implementation of complex relationship between the factors influencing the production and use of biofuels is also addressed. In the present work, a system dynamics model has been developed to evaluate biofuel production focusing food security and to assess its impact on the economy and the environment. Simulation results have shown that the maximum biodiesel blending between 3.03% to 11.01% is possible without impacting the food security. It has been noted that 20% or less of biodiesel blends can be used as direct replacements for diesel fuel in all heavy-duty diesel vehicles without any alteration or modification of their engines. It has been demonstrated that biofuel blending strategies have a positive impact on the reduction of CO2 emission in the Indian transport sector.
O zrodzić (się) i czasownikach rodzenia w perspektywie historycznej
Authors: Piela Agnieszka
Published: January 2023

The aim of this paper is to present the semantic history of the verb zrodzić (się) in the Polish language against other names describing the act of giving birth or being born, most of which have a common root, e.g. rodzić (się), porodzić (się), narodzić (się), urodzić (się). It turns out that despite the fact that nowadays the discussed word is not a synonymous equivalent of either rodzić (się) or urodzić (się), it can still be found in the living speech in this meaning (e.g. zradzaćpotomstwo (to give birth to off spring)). Lexicographic sources document the characterised verb in one content only, cf. zrodzić ‘to originate something; to cause, create, induce’, zrodzić się ‘to be originated, to result, to arise from something; to come into being’ (e.g. konflikt, pomysł zrodził się(a conflict, idea was born); idea, inicjatywa zrodziła się (an idea, initiative was born)). The archaic content of the title verb fossilised in texts of prayers and in phraseology.
Keywords: history of the Polish language – semantics – lexis – phraseology – dictionary.
Dokładna nauka języka i stylu polskiego w dwóch częściach. Cz. 1
Tomasza Szumskiego .
Authors: Jaworska Anna
Published: January 2023

Tomasz Szumski (1778–1840) was a polyglot, teacher, bookseller, author of school textbooks, associated with Greater Poland. His grammar book, released in 1809, is the first Polish-language grammar book of the Polish language published in the 19th century where the grammatical description of Polish is made independent of the description of Latin. It is at the same time the first known 19th-century grammar of Polish where the author dared to polemicise with Onufry Kopczyński’s ideas contained in the Polish–Lati n Grammatyka dla szkół narodowych (Grammar for national schools).
Keywords: school grammar books – Polish linguistics – 19th century – Tomasz Szumski – Onufry Kopczyński
Fourier Neural Operator for Fluid Flow in Small-Shape 2D Simulated Porous Media Dataset
Authors: Choubineh Abouzar , Chen Jie , Wood David A. , Coenen Frans , Ma Fei
Published: January 2023

Machine Learning (ML) and/or Deep Learning (DL) methods can be used to predict fluid flow in porous media, as a suitable replacement for classical numerical approaches. Such data-driven approaches attempt to learn mappings between finite-dimensional Euclidean spaces. A novel neural framework, named Fourier Neural Operator (FNO), has been recently developed to act on infinite-dimensional spaces. A high proportion of the research available on the FNO has focused on problems with large-shape data. Furthermore, most published studies apply the FNO method to existing datasets. This paper applies and evaluates FNO to predict pressure distribution over a small, specified shape-data problem using 1700 Finite Element Method (FEM) generated samples, from heterogeneous permeability fields as the input. Considering FEM-calculated outputs as the true values, the configured FNO model provides superior prediction performance to that of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) in terms of statistical error assessment based on the coefficient of determination (R2) and Mean Squared Error (MSE). Sensitivity analysis considering a range of FNO configurations reveals that the most accurate model is obtained using modes=15 and width=100. Graphically, the FNO model precisely follows the observed trend in each porous medium evaluated. There is potential to further improve the FNO’s performance by including physics constraints in its network configuration.
Dynamic Infection Spread Model Based Group Testing
Authors: Arasli Batuhan , Ulukus Sennur
Published: January 2023

Group testing idea is an efficient approach to detect prevalence of an infection in the test samples taken from a group of individuals. It is based on the idea of pooling the test samples and performing tests to the mixed samples. This approach results in possible reduction in the required number of tests to identify infections. Classical group testing works consider static settings where the infection statuses of the individuals do not change throughout the testing process. In our paper, we study a dynamic infection spread model, inspired by the discrete time SIR model, where infections are spread via non-isolated infected individuals, while infection keeps spreading over time, a limited capacity testing is performed at each time instance as well. In contrast to the classical, static group testing problem, the objective in our setup is not to find the minimum number of required tests to identify the infection status of every individual in the population, but to control the infection spread by detecting and isolating the infections over time by using the given, limited number of tests. In order to analyze the performance of the proposed algorithms, we focus on the average-case analysis of the number of individuals that remain non-infected throughout the process of controlling the infection. We propose two dynamic algorithms that both use given limited number of tests to identify and isolate the infections over time, while the infection spreads, while the first algorithm is a dynamic randomized individual testing algorithm, in the second algorithm we employ the group testing approach similar to the original work of Dorfman. By considering weak versions of our algorithms, we obtain lower bounds for the performance of our algorithms. Finally, we implement our algorithms and run simulations to gather numerical results and compare our algorithms and theoretical approximation results under different sets of system parameters.
Design of Valve Seating Buffer for Electromagnetic Variable Valve System
Authors: Zhou Qingya , Liu Liang , Zheng Cong , Xu Zhaoping , Wang Xianhui
Published: January 2023

An electromagnetic variable valve (EMVV) system can significantly reduce pumping loss and discharge loss of the engine by enabling variable valve timing and variable valve lift. However, the valve seat easily produces a larger impact collision with the engine cylinder head because of fast valve seating velocity, greatly decreasing engine life. Therefore, in this paper, a valve seating buffer (VSB) is designed to solve the problem of large electromagnetic valve seating impact. Firstly, a scheme of an EMVV system with embedded buffer is proposed, the collision model is established to resolve the problem of the soft landing of the valve and the effectiveness of the model is verified by experiment. In addition, the structure, material and dimension parameters of the proposed buffer are designed, and some key parameters of the buffer are optimized by the Nelder–Mead (N–M) algorithm. Finally, a co-simulation model of the actuator and the buffer is built, and the valve seating performance is analyzed. The co-simulation results show that the valve seating velocity and rebound height of the EMVV system with the designed buffer are reduced by 94.8% and 97%, respectively, which verifies the advantages of the designed VSB.
Microbiological Assessment of Broiler Compound Feed Production as Part of the Food Chain—A Case Study in a Romanian Feed Mill
Authors: Lăpușneanu Dragoș Mihai , Simeanu Daniel , Radu-Rusu Cristina-Gabriela , Zaharia Roxana , Pop Ioan Mircea
Published: January 2023

Compound feed and the raw materials used in their production are potential vectors of microbiological contamination in the food chain. The purpose of this study was to microbiologically asses raw materials (maize, wheat, soybean meal, and sunflower meal), and broiler compound feed (starter, grower, and finisher) from a representative feed mill in Romania; the microbiological contaminants that were analyzed were yeasts and molds, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Clostridium perfringens. Our study occured during the years 2019 and 2020; in 2019, 191 samples of raw materials and 360 samples of compound feed were analyzed and in 2020, 143 samples of raw materials and 241 samples of compound feed were analzyed. Among the tested samples of raw materials, the mean values of the yeasts and molds for maize, wheat, soybean, and sunflower meal were 1.3 × 103, 9.5 × 102, 6.4 × 102, and 7.4 × 102 cfu/g in 2019 and 1.5 × 103, 1.0 × 103, 5.2 × 102, and 7.1 × 102 cfu/g in 2020. In the analyzed compound feed samples, the mean amounts for the starter, grower, and finisher were 5.9 × 102, 4.2 × 102, and 4.2 × 102 cfu/g in 2019 and 5.3 × 102, 6.5 × 102, and 5.8 × 102 cfu/g in 2020. Potentially toxigenic fungi from Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium genera have been identified as the most common in all of the samples. In the raw materials, in both years the highest numbers of Aspergillus-positive samples were recorded: 66.6% in 2019 and 100% in 2020 for the maize samples, 50% in 2019 and 75% in 2020 for the wheat samples, 76% in 2019 and 87.5% in 2020 for the soybean meal samples and 71.4% in 2019 and 100% in 2020 for the sunflower meal. In the starter compound feed, the Aspergillus genera was prevailing in 2019 (46.6%), while in 2020, the species of the Penicillium and Cladosporium genera were identified in the majority of the samples (50%); for the grower and finisher compound feed, the Aspergillus genera was predominantly identified in 2019 (60% and 72.2% of the samples, respectively) and 2020 (61.5% and 46.6%, respectively). All of the results of the bacteriological analysis for determining the contamination with Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens were negative. Based on the results obtained in this study, monitoring and analysis of microbiological hazards in a feed mill will help to control and prevent contamination and have a direct impact on food safety.
Soil and Irrigation Water Salinity, and Its Consequences for Agriculture in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Tessema Negash , Yadeta Dame , Kebede Asfaw , Ayele Gebiaw T.
Published: January 2023

The salt problem in Ethiopia has been further exacerbated by a number of factors, including poor water quality, ineffective on-farm water management techniques, and a lack of appropriate and technically sound drainage infrastructure at irrigation sites. Despite its importance, no systematic review or documentation of the extent and consequences of the problem has been made so far. This scientific review primarily focuses on original studies published in the country, notably in arid and semi-arid regions where salinity issues have a significant influence. The data indicated that soil and irrigation water salinity have a substantial link with crops and agricultural communities in Ethiopia. Salinity has a significant impact on soil and water fertility, resulting in poorer agricultural production, food insecurity, and poverty. Salinity has a significant impact on crops in the country, from the germination stages to the harvesting stages during the growing season. If the current state of soil and water management continues, the severity of both soil and irrigation water salinity will reach an irreversible level that significantly impedes the country’s agricultural production capacity. As a result, cultured irrigation water treatment, crop selection based on salinity and sodicity levels, irrigation water quality, leaching, and fertilizer use in combination with organic manures are scientifically proven actions to address the salinity problem. Furthermore, to adequately reclaim and manage salinity in Ethiopia’s dryland saline zone, multi-stakeholder participation is required.
Weather Conditions and Biostimulants Influence Nitrogen Acquisition from Different Sources by Soybean Plants
Authors: Radzka Elżbieta , Rymuza Katarzyna , Wysokiński Andrzej
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to determine the influence of weather conditions (air temperature, precipitation and insolation) on the quantity of nitrogen taken up by soybean plants whose cultivation included an application of two biostimulants: Asahi and Improver, which have been approved for sale. An isotopic dilution method was used which involved an application of mineral fertilisers enriched with the isotope 15N (5%) to detect the quantity of nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere, acquired from the soil and taken up from the fertiliser. Microplots of 1 m2, organised to form larger units, were planted with soybean. The impact of meteorological conditions on the amount of nitrogen fixed by plants as influenced by the experimental biostimulants was estimated using regression trees based on the C&RT algorithm in STATISTICA 13.3. This procedure yielded regression trees which revealed that, irrespective of the test biostimulant, the quantity of nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere was mainly influenced by the air temperature in July, as indicated by the first and most significant branching of the tree. The poorest fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in plants was observed when the average 24-h air temperature in July was higher than 20.9 °C, the quantities being 20.61, 31.33 and 30.49 kg, respectively, in the control, Asahi- and Improver-treated plots. The superior nitrogen uptake from fertiliser, from 10.64 (for the control) to 14.98 kg (in the Improver-amended units), was found when the air temperatures recorded in July and June did not exceed, respectively, 20.9 and 13.15 °C, and the daily rainfall in July was up to 5.65 mm. The regression tree model associated with the quantity of nitrogen acquired by soybean plants from soil indicates that, just like atmospheric nitrogen and nitrogen taken up from fertiliser, the average daily air temperature in July was the major factor determining the first branching of the tree. When this temperature went beyond 20.9 °C, the lowest uptake of nitrogen from soil was found for control plants.
Residues of the Acaricides Abamectin, Hexythiazox, and Spiromesifen in Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Fruits Grown under Field Conditions in Najran, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Algethami Jari S. , Alhamami Mohsen A. M. , Ramadan Mohamed F. , Abdallah Osama I.
Published: January 2023

The dissipation profiles of the acaricides abamectin, hexythiazox, and spiromesifen in the fruits of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) grown under field conditions in Najran, Saudi Arabia, were studied. Extraction was performed with acetonitrile, and UPLC-MS/MS was used for quantification. Instead of conventional adsorbents, a 2-fold dilution of the sample extract quickly and efficiently reduced interfering co-extracts and matrix effects. The method was successfully validated according to EU regulations. The limit of quantification was set at 5 µg/kg for hexythiazox and spiromesifen and 20 µg/kg for abamectin. The mean recoveries and relative standard deviations were 88.6–98.7% and 5.2–12.4%, respectively. The method precision was evaluated at the LOQ level for each analyte and ranged from 6.7 to 15.7%, with good trueness (recovery) ranging from 85.7 to 97.2%. The matrix effect ranged from −2.2% to −4.6%, indicating negligible signal suppression. First-order kinetics were used to characterize the dissipation rates of abamectin, hexythiazox, and spiromesifen with half-lives (t1/2) of 2.11–2.42, 2.3–2.73, and 1.31–1.47 days, respectively, using the authorized and double authorized doses. Terminal residues were 0.028–0.331 mg/kg, 0.019–0.592 mg/kg, and 0.044–0.408 mg/kg, respectively, at 3, 7, and 10 days after the second treatment. According to the risk assessment results, the percentage of chronic dietary risk quotient was <100, meaning that abamectin, hexythiazox, and spiromesifen are not considered a risk to human health. The preharvest interval (PHI) should be 7, 7, and 3 days, respectively, if the authorized dose is used, and 10, 10, and 3 days, respectively, if double the authorized dose is used. The current study can be a helpful resource for the responsible and safe use of the tested acaricides on eggplant fruits.
Blue-Light-Dependent Stomatal Density and Specific Leaf Weight Coordinate to Promote Gas Exchange of Soybean Leaves
Authors: Chen Jiyu , Gao Jing , Wang Qi , Tan Xianming , Li Shenglan , Chen Ping , Yong Taiwen , Wang Xiaochun , Wu Yushan , Yang Feng , Yang Wenyu
Published: January 2023

Blue and red light are essential light signals used to regulate stomatal development and leaf structure. In the present study, stomatal and leaf traits that respond to blue and red light were studied at two light intensities (400 and 100 µmol m−2 s−1) in soybeans. The stomatal traits and leaf characteristics were determined. Furthermore, their contribution to the operational maximum stomatal conductance (gopmax) was evaluated using the rdacca.hp R package. With the light intensity significantly reduced, the stomatal size (SZ) under blue light did not change. Similarly, the decrease in light intensity did not influence the stomatal density (SD), specific leaf weight (SLW) or gopmax under red light. These results implied that the regulation of SD and SLW depended on blue light and that SZ was highly sensitive to red light. In addition, SLW was strongly correlated with SD. The SLW and SD had the highest contribution rates (19.43% and 19.5%, respectively) to gopmax, as compared with the other parameters. In conclusion, these results suggested that in long-term exposure to blue light, the enhancements in gopmax were primarily due to the synergistic promotion of SLW and SD.
Response of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Selected Biostimulants under Drought Conditions
Authors: Radzikowska-Kujawska Dominika , John Paula , Piechota Tomasz , Nowicki Marcin , Kowalczewski Przemysław Łukasz
Published: January 2023

To prevent the staggering degradation of the environment, restrictions in the use of plant protection products and fertilizers are being strengthened every year. Therefore, methods for improving plant tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions are sought to positively affect both plants and the natural environment. Here, we evaluated and compared the efficacy of four commercial biostimulants on the tolerance of winter wheat to drought stress. The effects of the following biological agents: Bacillus sp., soil bacterial strains, free amino acids, and humic substances on winter wheat were assessed in a pot experiment under full hydration soil moisture and under drought. Among the studied biostimulants, the two based on bacterial strains had the strongest beneficial effects on improving the tolerance of wheat plants to drought. In plants treated with either of these two, the highest level of CO2 assimilation was recorded under drought. Moreover, in the same plants, the decrease in transpiration value due to drought was the smallest. The highest stomatal conductance under drought was also noted in these same plants. The results of chlorophyll fluorescence also indicate the smallest damage to the photosynthetic apparatus in the plants on which these bacterial biostimulants were used. Under drought, the lowest initial fluorescence values were noted for these bacterial preparations, as were the highest values of maximum fluorescence. On the other hand, a parameter indicating stress was reduced due to drought in all plants, except for those treated with one of these preparations. Another parameter showing the efficiency of the use of light photons in the photosynthesis process increased only in plants treated with one of these preparations, whereas for other plants it decreased due to drought, with the smallest decrease observed in plants treated with the other preparations. The most effective work of the photosynthetic apparatus in such treated plants was observed by the fastest transport of electrons through photosystems under drought. Additionally, under drought, the highest grain yield was obtained in plants treated with one of these bacterial preparations. The drought stress resistance index indicated that among all tested formulations, plants treated with either of these bacterial preparations scored the best. The use of these two biostimulants is recommended for comparative efficacy studies in the field, to help combat the drought-related yield losses of wheat.
Herbaceous Peony Polyphenols Extend the Vase Life of Cut Flowers
Authors: Li Pinyue , Zhang Weiming , Tao Jun , Zhao Daqiu
Published: January 2023

Herbaceous peony is a potential material for cut flowers, but its short vase life seriously affects the development of cut herbaceous peony flowers industry. In this study, herbaceous peony polyphenols were applied to extend the vase life of cut flowers, and the results indicated that 8% mass concentration of herbaceous peony polyphenols increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities; increased the soluble protein content of the cut flowers; and effectively reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Meanwhile, herbaceous peony polyphenols increased the water balance value of cut flowers. In addition, the observation of microstructures indicated that herbaceous peony polyphenols reduced the blockage mainly caused by Aspergillus spp. at the stem ends and inhibited the growth of Aspergillus spp. Additionally, aquaporin genes (AQPs), including three plasma membrane intrinsic protein genes (PlPIP1;2, PlPIP2;1, and PlPIP2;2) and one intrinsic protein gene (PlNIP), were isolated. PlPIP1;2, PlPIP2;1, and PlPIP2;2, which were induced by polyphenol treatment, had common effects on maintaining the water balance of cut flowers. Therefore, herbaceous peony polyphenols can significantly extend the vase life of cut flowers; these results provide for the application of the theoretical reference of herbaceous peony polyphenols in extending the vase life of cut flowers.
Accumulation of Volatile Fatty Acids from Hydrothermally Treated Strawberry Extrudate through Anaerobic Fermentation at Different pH Values
Authors: Serrano Antonio , Russo Egidio , Chaves-Quesada Blanca , Cubero-Cardoso Juan , Trujillo-Reyes Ángeles , Esposito Giovanni , Xu Xiaofan , Fermoso Fernando G.
Published: January 2023

The accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) through the anaerobic fermentation of organic waste, such as strawberry extrudate, is proposed for this work. A hydrothermal treatment was carried out, and it was proposed to break the complex matrix of the strawberry extrudate to favour the hydrolysis stage of the anaerobic digestion process. The production of volatile fatty acids from treated and untreated strawberry was evaluated by adjusting the pH to 5 and 9. After the hydrothermal treatment of the strawberry extrudate, an increase in the solubilisation of organic matter, such as sugars and phenols, was observed. In the production of VFAs by means of anaerobic digestion of the pretreated strawberry extrudate, a significant increase in the accumulation of volatile fatty acids was demonstrated at a pH of 9 with respect to the untreated strawberry extrudate. In addition, the operational pH also had a strong effect on the individual VFA profile. A stream enriched in acetic acid was obtained at a pH of 9 (around 65% of the VFAs), whereas the operation at a pH of 5 resulted in a more complex composition with a high percentage of propionic acid (29% of the VFAs).
Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity of Chlorophyll Content and Fluorescence Response within Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Canopies under Different Cadmium Stress
Authors: Huang Xiaoyun , Chen Hongxing , Chen Hui , Fan Chengwu , Tai Yueying , Chen Xiaoran , Zhang Wang , He Tengbing , Gao Zhenran
Published: January 2023

The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of rice canopy leaves at different leaf positions is very important for non-destructive monitoring under Cadmium (Cd) stress, and is one of the key problems that need to be solved urgently in modern agriculture. This study aims to explore the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of chlorophyll content and fluorescence in rice canopy leaves under different Cd stress concentrations. The responses of the relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) and Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) parameters to Cd stress in the tillering, heading, and filling stages were analyzed through pot experiments with three Cd concentrations: 0.20 mg·kg−1 (CK), 0.60 mg·kg−1 (Cd1), and 1.60 mg·kg−1 (Cd2). Results showed that the canopy leaf SPAD value increased with increasing Cd concentration. Compared with CK, the leaf SPAD value in the Cd1 and Cd2 treatments were 1.91–3.45% and 5.52–12.01% lower, respectively. The SPAD value of the lower leaves was higher in the tillering stage, while the SPAD value of the upper leaves was higher in the heading and filling stages. The non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) of the third leaf (D3), the initial fluorescence yield (Fo) of the second leaf (D2), and the maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) of photosystem II (PSII) in the tillering stage; the NPQ, Fo, and Fv/Fm of the D3 in the heading stage; and the NPQ, Fo, Fv/Fm, and Fv/Fm of the D2 in the filling stage were more sensitive to Cd stress than the other leaves and ChlF parameters.
Yield Predictive Worth of Pre-Flowering and Post-Flowering Indicators of Nitrogen Economy in High Yielding Winter Wheat
Authors: Szczepaniak Witold , Grzebisz Witold , Potarzycki Jarosław
Published: January 2023

Indicators of nitrogen economy in winter wheat during vegetative development are a reliable tool for yield prognosis. This hypothesis was verified in a field experiment, carried out in the 2013/2014, 2014/2015, and 2015/2016 seasons. The field experiment, in a two-factor split-plot design, included the following systems of wheat protection (CFP): (i) N + micronutrients, (ii) N + fungicides, (iii) N + micronutrients + fungicides; and N rates: 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 kg N ha−1. The content and accumulation of N in wheat at the beginning of stem elongation and at heading were used for grain density and yield prediction. In the grain-filling phase, the stem N acted as a buffer, stabilizing yield at a high level. The condition for such action was the stem N equilibrium with the ear N at flowering. The N depletion from the leaves during the grain-filling period significantly depended on the grain density. The post-flowering uptake of N by wheat was affected by the grain density, which was affected by the N reserves in the stem. Yield forecast based on pre-flowering indices of nitrogen economy in cereals affects both agronomic decisions aimed at correcting the nutritional status of plants, and farm economics.
False Seedbed for Agroecological Weed Management in Forage Cereal–Legume Intercrops and Monocultures in Greece
Authors: Gazoulis Ioannis , Kanatas Panagiotis , Antonopoulos Nikolaos , Tataridas Alexandros , Travlos Ilias
Published: January 2023

Intercropping cereals with legumes is a widely used agronomic practice to improve forage yield and quality in forage cropping systems. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the potential of a false seedbed to reduce weed pressure in intercrops and monocultures of annual ryegrass and berseem clover during the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 growing seasons in western Greece. A split-plot randomized complete block design with four replications was set up. Seedbed manipulations assigned to the main plots included: normal seedbed preparation (NSB) and seeding, and two different false seedbeds. In the first (FSB 1) and second false seedbeds (FSB 2), weeds were controlled by shallow tillage at 1 and 2 weeks, respectively, after the first tillage and immediately before crop sowing. Forages were subplots of berseem clover (BCM) and annual ryegrass monocultures (ARM) and three intercrops with BCM:ARM ratios of 75:25 (ARBC 1), 50:50 (ARBC 2), and 25:75 (ARBC 3). FSB 1 reduced weed biomass by 27% and 34% compared to NSB in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). FSB 2 improved forage yield by 9% and 14% in 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, respectively, compared to FSB 1. Compared to NSB, FSB 2 also increased forage yield by 11% in 2020–2021 and 17% in 2021–2022. Berseem clover biomass was higher in FSB 2 than in NSB main plots in both years. In the first harvest, ARBC 3 was the most weed-suppressive intercrop, which also provided the highest forage yield in both the first and second harvests of both years, followed by ARM and ARBC 2. In the second harvest, forage yield was 11% and 12% higher in ARBC 3 subplots than in ARBC 1 and BCM subplots, respectively. Similar results were obtained for cumulative forage yield from two harvests. Further research is needed to evaluate other alternative practices for agroecological weed management in low-input forage production systems in the Mediterranean region.
Features of the Phytoremediation by Agricultural Crops of Heavy Metal Contaminated Soils
Authors: Ilinskiy Andrey , Vinogradov Dmitriy , Politaeva Natalia , Badenko Vladimir , Ilin Igor
Published: January 2023

The novelty of the present research consisted in the study of the features of heavy metals accumulation in the phytomass of agricultural plants under the conditions of complex heavy metals contamination of podzolized chernozem (ashy soil) in the Ryazan region (Russia). Results of the vegetation experiments conducted on four crops—oats, black beans, buckwheat, and soybeans—were analyzed, which made it possible to assess the ability of these plants to accumulate heavy metals in their phytomass depending on the level of the heavy metals contamination of the soil. Results of the study showed that the removal of copper, zinc, and lead by beans was noticeably higher than that by oats, buckwheat and soy, due to their greater tolerance and ability to form a large phytomass, which must be taken into consideration when choosing phytoremediation for soil decontamination. This made it possible to evaluate the possibility of using the analyzed plants for the biological purification of polluted soil. The results are also planned to be used in the digitalization of agricultural production.
Using Nitrogen Stable Isotopes to Authenticate Organically and Conventionally Grown Vegetables: A New Tracking Framework
Authors: Muñoz-Redondo José Manuel , Montenegro José Carlos , Moreno-Rojas José Manuel
Published: January 2023

The demand for organic food products has increased in recent years due to them being perceived healthier, safer, and eco-friendlier by consumers, boosting the development of this industry. The higher retailing price of organic products increases the risk of fraudulent practices, making it necessary to establish control mechanisms to authenticate these products. However, the authentication of organic foodstuffs is a great analytical challenge that still requires further research. In the case of organic agriculture, regulations mainly determine the nutrient inputs that can be used by farmers, and generally prohibit the use of pesticides and/or synthetic fertilisers, aiming at maintaining soil fertility using green manures, composts, animal manures, etc. These inputs affect the final food product, and numerous analytical attempts, based on the measurement of multiple markers or complex chemical/physical profiles, have been tested over recent years. However, the high variability of these measurements due to weather condition factors reduces their efficiency and limits their use. In this sense, stable isotopes have emerged as an analytical technique with great potential for the authentication of organic agricultural products, due to their lower dependence on weather conditions and capability to reflect the origin of plant nitrogen, in the case of stable nitrogen isotopes. In this work, the feasibility was assessed using stable isotopes of bulk nitrogen for the organic authentication of four important horticultural crops (zucchini, cucumber, tomato, and pepper) produced in Almeria, southern Spain, which is the largest producing region with the highest export levels in Europe. To this end, 360 samples of vegetables were collected and their δ15N values were determined by combustion coupled to stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS). The results allowed an authentication framework to be established based on three ranges delimited by δ15N = 2‰ and δ15N = 5‰, which made it possible to detect with a high degree of confidence vegetables produced under proper organic practices (δ15N > 5‰), conventional practices (δ15N < 2‰), and samples that should be tracked over time to be considered organically produced (middle range). The results of this study demonstrated the potential of using δ15N as a single measure to authenticate organic vegetables, providing official bodies with a tool to make decisions about the organic accreditation of regularly inspected farmers.
A Novel Method of Situ Measurement Algorithm for Oudemansiella raphanipies Caps Based on YOLO v4 and Distance Filtering
Authors: Yin Hua , Xu Jingling , Wang Yinglong , Hu Dianming , Yi Wenlong
Published: January 2023

Oudemansiella raphanipies has gradually gained more and more popularity in the market for its delicious taste, while enhancing human immunity and regulating human body functions as well. To achieve the high-throughput and automatic monitoring of the phenotypes of Oudemansiella raphanipies, a novel method, based on YOLO v4 and Distance Filter (DF), was proposed for high-precision diameter estimation of Oudemansiella raphanipies caps. To begin with, a dataset of Oudemansiella raphanipies was established by the laboratory cultivation and collection of factory samples. The improved YOLO v4 target detection model with added CBAM modules to each convolution block in the backbone was trained to locate the caps and, thus, obtain an approximate bounding box. Secondly, the approximate contour of the cap was gained through the H component, canny edge detection operators, and distance filtering to conduct the noise elimination. Finally, the center of the fitted circle and its accurate contour of the cap could be obtained by the constrained least square method, and the diameter of the fitted circle was estimated by the calibration data. The results of practical tests showed that this method achieved an accuracy of 95.36% in recognizing Oudemansiella raphanipies caps in the growing bed, and the fitting effect of caps was superior to Circle Hough Transform (CHT), the least square method (LS), and Ransac, with no manual adjustment on parameters. Compared with the manual measurement, the mean absolute error (MAE) of this method was 0.77 mm, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.95, and the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.96 mm. Therefore, the model had high-cost performance and could meet the needs of continuous and long-term tracking of the cap shape of Oudemansiella raphanipies, providing the basis for future high-throughput breeding and machine picking.
Study of the Interaction of Dissolved Organic Carbon, Available Nutrients, and Clay Content Driving Soil Carbon Storage in the Rice Rotation Cropping System in Northern Thailand
Authors: Aumtong Suphathida , Chotamonsak Chakrit , Glomchinda Tantai
Published: January 2023

The appropriate management of crop residues in a rice rotation cropping system (RRCS) can promote carbon storage and contribute to soil health. The objective of this study was to determine and analyze the amount of organic carbon in the soil, the amount of labile carbon in a dissolved state in the soil, and the physicochemical properties of the soil and their relationship with soil organic carbon dynamics under the RRCS in northern Thailand. The RRCS can be divided into the following four categories by pattern: (1) Rice_F (rice (Oryza sativa) followed by a fallow period); (2) Rice_S (rice followed by shallots (Allium cepa L.); (3) Rice_Mixed crop (rice followed by tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), vegetables, or maize (Zea mays)); and (4) Rice_P (rice followed by potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)). These patterns can be classified according to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the availability of nutrients from fertilization, and clay contents. In our study, the Rice-F and Rice-S patterns led to higher soil organic carbon (SOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the soil, but when the Rice-P pattern was followed, the soil had a lower clay content, lower available phosphorus (Avail P), the lowest DOC, and high contents of calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+). This study also revealed that on the basis of relationships, clay content, Avail P, and DOC were the most important factors for the formation of SOC, while Ca2+ and Mg2+ were the subordinate factors for the decreased formation of SOC and carbon storage when the RRCS was followed. In addition, low SOC/clay when the Rice-P pattern was followed could reflect carbon saturation, while the percentages of DOC/SOC could indicate the decomposition and formation of SOC.
Regulatory Role of Trehalose Metabolism in Cold Stress of Harmonia axyridis Laboratory and Overwinter Populations
Authors: Wan Sijing , He Jianyun , Chao Lei , Shi Zuokun , Wang Shasha , Yu Weidong , Huang Zhen , Wang Su , Wang Shigui , Zhang Zhijun
Published: January 2023

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide that plays a key role in the response to cold and other environmental stressors in insects. Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) is an important natural predator of insect pests and has become a cosmopolitan invasive species, causing negative ecological impacts worldwide. In this study, the relative survival ability, trehalose and glycogen contents, trehalose activity and trehalose metabolism-related gene-expression profiles over a cold storage period were compared in a natural overwintering population and an indoor laboratory (experimental) population. Yellow adults were dominant in the overwintering population. The survival rate of the overwintering population during the cold storage period was higher than that of the experimental population after the fifth day. The contents of trehalose and glycogen in the overwinter population were higher than those of the experimental population during cold storage. Trehalose and glycogen contents initially increased and then decreased in the overwinter population, but decreased consistently over the cold storage period in the experimental population. Nevertheless, trehalose levels were relatively higher during the cold storage period in the overwinter population, with higher expression of TPS and TRE and trehalase activity. More importantly, the experiment showed that yellow adults have a better ability to regulate trehalose metabolism under cold storage compared to black adults. A strong resilience against cold stress and long-term cold storage ability could contribute to a better understanding of the invasiveness of H. axyridris.