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Advancing plant healthcare through photobiotechnology for sustainable agriculture

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  Advancing plant healthcare through photobiotechnology represents a transformative pathway toward sustainable agriculture by harnessing the power of light to regulate plant growth, immunity, and productivity. Photobiotechnology integrates principles of plant physiology, molecular biology, and optical science to optimize photosynthesis, activate defense pathways, and enhance stress resilience using targeted light spectra. By manipulating specific wavelengths such as red, blue, and far-red light through LED systems, researchers can stimulate photoreceptors like phytochromes and cryptochromes, thereby improving nutrient uptake, disease resistance, and metabolic efficiency. This approach reduces dependency on chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, supporting eco-friendly crop management. Controlled light environments in greenhouses and vertical farms further enable precision agriculture, ensuring higher yields with lower water and energy inputs. Additionally, photodynamic trea...
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Physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of fruits, seeds and other sinks

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  The physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology of fruits, seeds, and other sink organs focus on understanding how plants allocate, store, and regulate assimilates such as sugars, proteins, lipids, and minerals during growth and development. Sink organs—including developing fruits, seeds, tubers, and storage roots—act as major sites of carbon and nutrient accumulation, driven by coordinated source–sink interactions. Physiological processes such as phloem loading and unloading, hormonal regulation (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, and ethylene), and environmental signaling control sink strength and biomass partitioning. At the biochemical level, pathways governing carbohydrate metabolism (sucrose synthase, invertases, starch biosynthesis), lipid accumulation, amino acid synthesis, and secondary metabolite production determine quality traits like sweetness, oil content, storage longevity, and stress tolerance. Molecular biology approaches reveal the gene network...
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Soil Bioresource Applications and Environmental Sustainability

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  Soil bioresources—comprising microorganisms, organic residues, biochar, compost, crop residues, and biofertilizers—play a pivotal role in advancing environmental sustainability and resilient agroecosystems. The strategic application of these bioresources enhances soil structure, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and microbial diversity, ultimately improving crop productivity while reducing reliance on synthetic inputs. Beneficial soil microbes facilitate nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and organic matter decomposition, thereby strengthening soil fertility and ecosystem stability. Organic amendments such as compost and biochar contribute to soil carbon storage, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and improve water retention capacity, particularly under climate stress conditions like drought and salinity. Furthermore, integrating soil bioresources into circular bioeconomy frameworks supports waste recycling, pollution remediation, and sustainable land management....
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Influence of potassium salt on cracking behavior of purple soil

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 The influence of potassium salt on the cracking behavior of purple soil under wetting–drying cycles is a critical issue in soil physics and land management, particularly in regions where purple soils are widely distributed and subjected to seasonal rainfall variability. Potassium salts alter the physicochemical properties of soil by affecting clay mineral interactions, osmotic potential, and pore-water dynamics. During repeated wetting–drying cycles, the presence of potassium ions (K⁺) can modify soil aggregation and shrink–swell characteristics, thereby influencing crack initiation, propagation, and network geometry. Moderate concentrations of potassium salt may enhance particle flocculation and improve aggregate stability, reducing crack width and density. However, excessive potassium accumulation can increase soil salinity, weaken structural integrity, and intensify desiccation cracking due to osmotic stress and reduced cohesion among particles. These cracking patterns signific...
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Interactions between soil environmental factors and microbial communities consistently predict plant health

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  Interactions between soil environmental factors and microbial communities play a decisive role in predicting plant health and ecosystem productivity. Soil properties such as pH, moisture content, temperature, nutrient availability, texture, and organic matter shape the structure, diversity, and metabolic activity of microbial communities. In turn, soil microorganisms—including bacteria, fungi, archaea, and actinomycetes—mediate nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression. Beneficial microbes enhance nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and iron mobilization, directly supporting plant growth and resilience. Conversely, imbalances in soil conditions can shift microbial communities toward pathogenic dominance, increasing disease incidence and reducing crop yield. Advanced molecular tools, metagenomics, and ecological modeling now enable researchers to link specific microbial assemblages and environmental variables with m...
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The mechanism of earthworms’ impact on soil aggregates under different moisture conditions

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  Earthworms play a pivotal role in shaping soil structure, and their impact on soil aggregates varies significantly under different moisture conditions. Through burrowing, casting, and the ingestion–excretion process, earthworms physically break down large soil clods and reassemble particles into stable macroaggregates enriched with organic matter and microbial communities. Under optimal moisture levels, their activity is intensified, promoting the formation of water-stable aggregates as mucus secretions act as binding agents that enhance particle cohesion. In moderately moist soils, earthworm casts improve aggregate stability, porosity, and aeration, facilitating root penetration and nutrient cycling. However, under excessively wet conditions, reduced oxygen availability may limit earthworm mobility and microbial interactions, thereby weakening aggregation processes. Conversely, in dry soils, decreased earthworm activity and limited mucus production reduce aggregate formation and...
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Biochar mediated alleviation of cadmium stress in crop plants

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  Biochar-mediated alleviation of cadmium stress in crop plants has emerged as an effective and sustainable strategy to improve plant health and productivity in contaminated soils. Biochar, a carbon-rich material derived from the pyrolysis of organic biomass, enhances soil physicochemical properties while immobilizing cadmium through adsorption, complexation, and precipitation mechanisms. Its high surface area, porous structure, and abundance of functional groups reduce cadmium bioavailability in the rhizosphere, thereby limiting metal uptake and translocation in crop plants. In addition, biochar application improves soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and nutrient retention, which collectively promote root growth and microbial activity. At the physiological level, biochar mitigates cadmium-induced oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, stabilizing membrane integrity, and improving photosynthetic efficiency. It also supports better water use efficiency and nutr...
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