Current Issue : July-September Volume : 2026 Issue Number : 3 Articles : 5 Articles
To reduce the production cost of Pleurotus giganteus and to valorize agricultural waste, this study investigated the effects of substituting cottonseed hull with corn cob (a major lignocellulosic by-product of maize production) on the mycelial growth, agronomic traits, nutrient composition, commercial quality, and economic benefits of P. giganteus ‘Shenxun No.1’. The aim was to verify the feasibility of this substitution and screen optimal substrate formulations for industrial cultivation. Four substrate formulations with corn cob substitution ratios of 0% (T1), 15% (T2, control), 30% (T3), and 45% (T4) were designed, while adjusting cottonseed hull proportions to 45%, 30%, 15%, and 0%, respectively. Mycelial colonization performance, fruiting body agronomic traits (yield and cap/stipe characteristics), nutrient contents (crude protein, crude fiber, etc.), and commercial traits (marketable yield and production cost) were systematically determined and analyzed. The results showed that corn cob content exceeding 15% prolonged the substrate bag colonization time by 5–7 days, but T4 (45% corn cob) resulted in the densest mycelia with excellent structural development. In terms of fruiting bodies, T4 exhibited the highest yield in the second harvest flush and the highest total yield across three flushes. Nutritionally, crude protein content of fruiting bodies decreased by 10.48% in T4 compared to T1, while crude fiber content increased with rising corn cob proportion; no significant difference in crude polysaccharide content was observed among formulations. Importantly, corn cob substitution did not impair the commercial traits of fruiting bodies, and T4 achieved the lowest material cost per bag (0.78 CNY) with an optimal cost–benefit ratio. In conclusion, corn cob is a viable and cost-effective substitute for cottonseed hull in P. giganteus cultivation, and the 45% substitution formulation (T4) is recommended for industrial production due to its superior yield performance and economic benefits. This study provides a theoretical basis for sustainable utilization of agricultural waste and optimization of P. giganteus cultivation systems....
The growing demand for sustainable fertilization practices has stimulated interest in circular fertilizers derived from agro-industrial and agricultural wastes. This study assessed the agronomic and biological performance of several waste-based fertilizers—produced through composting, vermicomposting, and sulfur–bentonite enrichment—on chemical and microbiological soil properties. Composts and vermicomposts were prepared from olive pomace, citrus residues, wood sawdust, and straw, with or without elemental sulfur obtained from petroleum gas desulfurization. Field trials were conducted on a sandy loam soil (Motta San Giovanni, Italy) to compare the different formulations. After six months, soils amended with waste-based fertilizers exhibited significant improvements in key parameters relative to both the control and mineral fertilizer treatment. Vermicompost applications (SV1, SV2) increased total organic carbon by 20–30% (up to 2.1%), total nitrogen by 35–45% (0.22–0.23%), microbial biomass carbon by ~25% (≈1090 μg C g−1), and dehydrogenase and fluorescein diacetate activities by 10–20% compared with compost or sulfur–bentonite treatments. Compost amendments (SC1, SC2) raised soil pH (8.2–8.3) and organic matter content (≈3.3–3.6%), while sulfur–bentonite formulations lowered pH to 7.1–7.3 and increased water-soluble phenols (up to 40 μg TAE g−1 d.s). The highest cation exchange capacity (22–23 cmol (+) kg−1) was observed in vermicompost-amended soils. Microbial community analysis revealed greater fungal abundance under sulfur–bentonite treatments, whereas bacteria and actinomycetes predominated in compost-amended soils. Principal Component Analysis (explaining 76% of variance) identified two main functional pathways: vermicompost treatments clustered with indicators of high biological activity (TOC, TN, MBC, and enzyme activities), while compost and sulfur–bentonite treatments were associated with pH, phenolic compounds, and fungal biomass, reflecting slower but more stable organic matter turnover. Overall, vermicompost-based fertilizers proved most effective in enhancing short-term nutrient availability and microbial activation, whereas composts favored long-term soil carbon accumulation and stability. These results highlight the potential of circular fertilizers derived from agro-industrial wastes to restore soil health, close nutrient cycles, and reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers—thereby advancing sustainable and circular agriculture....
The increasing demand for high-quality dragon fruit in the European market requires efficient quality assessment methods. This study explores a non-destructive image analysis approach for classifying ripe dragon fruits based on fruit ripeness and weight. A low-cost system equipped with visible and ultraviolet lighting was employed to capture images of two sets of samples of 60 and 92 ripe dragon fruits, extracting non-destructive parameters such as visible and ultraviolet perimeter, maximum and minimum diameter and area, and RGB color coordinates. Fruit destructive characterization parameters were also measured. The first set of samples was used to develop a discriminant classification model. In a first step, the main characterization magnitudes were confirmed. A ripening index was calculated based on soluble solid content and acidity. Then, a cluster analysis was used to segregate the fruits into three quality characteristics based on the ripening index and weight. In a second step, a step-by-step discriminant analysis was conducted to classify the fruits into the three quality categories (based on the laboratory-measured weight, soluble solid content and total acidity) using the non-destructive magnitudes extracted from the image analysis. The proposed classification system achieved an accuracy of nearly 85% of well-classified dragon fruits, effectively segregating dragon fruits into the three established categories. Furthermore, the established model could select the very high-quality dragon fruit (riper and larger fruits) with 93% of correctly identified products. A comparable procedure was subsequently applied to the additional set of samples (set 2), obtaining consistent results and confirming that image analysis magnitudes related to size and color enable fruit classification into the predefined weight- and ripeness-based categories. Compared to conventional destructive methods, this non-destructive approach offers a promising, cost-effective, and reliable solution for quality assessment. The findings highlight the potential for integrating smart technologies into fruit classification processes, during automatic harvest and postharvest operations, ultimately improving efficiency, reducing labor costs, and enhancing product consistency in the dragon fruit industry....
The main objective of this work is to outline a theoretical framework for effectively managing income risk in agriculture. This is based on establishing clear boundaries among several private tools and promoting the concept of a public strategy a public intervention strategy that considers the necessary synergy between individual instruments (e.g., insurance, funds, credit). Farmers are currently facing notable structural challenges as they adapt to evolving global scenarios. These challenges are compounded by uncertainties about the future role of public policy, which could significantly influence the economic sustainability of agricultural revenue sustainability. Both market volatility and extreme weather events have severely affected farmers’ incomes in recent years, raising concerns about their long-term resilience. In this article, we propose a theoretical framework to analyze how public support has been utilized in risk management within the primary sector over recent decades. A secondary objective of this work is to emphasize the critical distinction between risk and uncertainty. Recognizing this difference is essential for devising new tools and policies aimed at enhancing farmers survive. This distinction is particularly important for institutional interventions, which play a pivotal role in managing risk within the agricultural sector....
1. Agriculture on drained lowland peat, though very productive, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One potential solution is to implement paludiculture: an agricultural system of cropping with raised water tables. Despite the potential for reducing GHG emissions, little is known about the impact of paludiculture on biodiversity. 2. We carried out breeding bird surveys using point counts to investigate bird habitat associations in cattail (Typha spp.) paludiculture at 10 trial sites in the Netherlands. We also performed point counts at nine nearby natural wetland sites and nine agricultural grassland sites for comparison. We modelled the results using generalised linear mixed model and analysis of similarities to understand differences in bird abundance and community composition between these land uses. 3. Paludiculture hosted a range of generalist and wetland specialist bird species, including several that are considered of European or global conservation concern. Predicted bird abundance in paludiculture was comparable to natural wetland (30.8 birds per ha; standard error: ±7.85; and 31.5 ± 10.5, respectively) and significantly higher than on grasslands (10.5 ± 3.23, p < 0.01). 4. Community composition in paludiculture was between that of wetlands and grasslands. While some wetland specialists were recorded in paludiculture, they were at lower abundance than in wetlands, and not all wetland specialists were present in paludiculture. The only species present in both paludiculture and grassland were those which forage in both habitats and are considered generalists. 5. Practical implication. Our study shows that paludiculture can support overall bird abundance on par with wetlands, and function as a habitat bridging agricultural and wetland species assemblages by providing resources for both generalist and wetland-associated species. These results suggest that paludiculture can be a multifunctional land use, enhancing biodiversity in addition to other known benefits....
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