Metal tolerance proteins (MTPs) encompass plant membrane divalent cation transporters to specifically participate in heavy metal stress resistance and mineral acquisition. However, the molecular ...behaviors and biological functions of this family in
Medicago truncatula
are scarcely known. A total of 12 potential
MTP
candidate genes in the
M. truncatula
genome were successfully identified and analyzed for a phylogenetic relationship, chromosomal distributions, gene structures, docking analysis, gene ontology, and previous gene expression.
M. truncatula MTPs
(
MtMTPs
) were further classified into three major cation diffusion facilitator (CDFs) groups: Mn-CDFs, Zn-CDFs, and Fe/Zn-CDFs. The structural analysis of
MtMTPs
displayed high gene similarity within the same group where all of them have cation_efflux domain or ZT_dimer.
Cis
-acting element analysis suggested that various abiotic stresses and phytohormones could induce the most
MtMTP
gene transcripts. Among all
MTPs
, PF16916 is the specific domain, whereas GLY, ILE, LEU, MET, ALA, SER, THR, VAL, ASN, and PHE amino acids were predicted to be the binding residues in the ligand-binding site of all these proteins. RNA-seq and gene ontology analysis revealed the significant role of
MTP
genes in the growth and development of
M. truncatula
.
MtMTP
genes displayed differential responses in plant leaves, stems, and roots under five divalent heavy metals (Cd
2+
, Co
2+
, Mn
2+
, Zn
2+
, and Fe
2+
). Ten, seven, and nine
MtMTPs
responded to at least one metal ion treatment in the leaves, stems, and roots, respectively. Additionally,
MtMTP1.1
,
MtMTP1.2
, and
MtMTP4
exhibited the highest expression responses in most heavy metal treatments. Our results presented a standpoint on the evolution of
MTPs
in
M. truncatula
. Overall, our study provides a novel insight into the evolution of the
MTP
gene family in
M. truncatula
and paves the way for additional functional characterization of this gene family.
Water scarcity and suitable irrigation water management in arid regions represent tangible challenges for sustainable agriculture. The current study aimed to apply multivariate analysis and to ...develop a simplified water quality assessment using principal component analysis (PCA) and the agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) technique to assess the water quality of the Bahr Mouise canal in El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The proposed methods depended on the monitored water chemical composition (e.g., pH, water electrical conductivity (ECiw), Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3−, Cl−, and SO42−) during 2019. Based on the supervised classification of satellite images (Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI)), the distinguished land use/land cover types around the Bahr Mouise canal were agriculture, urban, and water bodies, while the dominating land use was agriculture. The water quality of the Bahr Mouise canal was classified into two classes based on the application of the irrigation water quality index (IWQI), while the water quality was classified into three classes using the PCA and AHC methods. Temporal variations in water quality were investigated, where the water qualities in winter, autumn, and spring (January, February, March, April, November, and December) were classified as class I (no restrictions) based on IWQI application, and the water salinity, sodicity, and/or alkalinity did not represent limiting factors for irrigation water quality. On the other hand, in the summer season (May, June, July, August, and October), the irrigation water was classified as class II (low restrictions); therefore, irrigation processes during summer may lead to an increase in the alkalinity hazard. The PCA classifications were compared with the IWQI results; the PCA classifications had similar assessment results during the year, except in September, while the water quality was assigned to class II using the PCA method and class I by applying the IWQI. Furthermore, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) around the Bahr Mouise canal over eight months and climatic data assisted in explaining the fluctuations in water quality during 2019 as a result of changing the crop season and agriculture management. Assessments of water quality help to conserve soil, reduce degradation risk, and support decision makers in order to obtain sustainable agriculture, especially under water irrigation scarcity and the limited agricultural land in such an arid region.
The scope of this study was to investigate the effect of yarn structure and material type on the thermal and mechanical comfort properties of plain knitted fabrics. A new type of elastic core spun ...yarn which is called tri-core yarn was introduced. The other yarn structures used were single-core/T400, single-core/lycra, dual-core yarn, and ring-spun yarn. The five types of yarn structure were produced with three material types (100% cotton, blended cotton/modal (50/50%), and blended cotton/tencel (50/50%)) at the same yarn count (10 Ne). Knitted fabrics with a single jersey structure were produced from yarn samples. The mechanical comfort properties including fabric modulus and recovery in wale and course directions were measured. Thermal comfort including air permeability, water vapor permeability, thermal conductivity, and thermal absorptivity were also measured. Full factorial analysis was performed on the test results. It was concluded from the factorial analysis that yarn structure, material type, and two-way interaction had a significant influence on mechanical and thermal comfort except for thermal conductivity, the significance of the material type was exactly P = 0.05. It was concluded that knitted fabric produced from tri-core in the case of blended cotton/tencel obtained the better modulus and elastic recovery in both directions in wales and courses that largely improved the mechanical comfort.
Biodiesel Co‐Product (BCP) amendment has been shown to decrease both nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in acidic soil; however, the effects of BCP on the soil microbiome have not ...been investigated thoroughly. In this study, we investigated the response of prokaryotic and fungal communities in aspects of structure, diversity, and co‐occurrence network to the BCP amendment following complete mixing application (0–18‐cm depth) of 1.5 mg BCP‐C g−1 and surface application (0–6‐cm depth) of 4.5 mg BCP‐C g−1 via high‐throughput 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing. The amendment altered microbial communities significantly by increasing the relative abundances of Proteobacteria (Burkholderia) and Ascomycota (Trichoderma) in prokaryotic and fungal communities, respectively. Only a higher rate application (4.5 mg BCP‐C g−1) decreased prokaryotic alpha diversity, whereas all rates of amendment decreased fungal diversity. The co‐occurrence network of prokaryotes had more nodes and links and a higher average degree and clustering coefficient than the fungal network with BCP addition. The majority of keystone species in prokaryotic and fungal networks were from Proteobacteria and Ascomycota taxa. Of note, the BCP amendment significantly increased the OTU numbers of potential biocontrol agents, including Trichoderma (T.) spirale, T. koningiopsis, and T. virens, etc., while decreased OTU numbers related to plant pathogens species, particularly in the complete mixing application. Our work highlights the potential for BCP amendments to promote the assembly of a healthy soil microbiome by enhancing the abundance of potential biocontrol microbes while reducing plant pathogens species, which may contribute to soil health.
Conceptual diagram illustrating the effect of biodiesel co‐product (BCP) amendments on the soil microbiome for promoting soil health. BCP amendment significantly influences the interactions in the co‐occurrence network of beneficial soil microbes against plant pathogens.
This work aims to compare the effects of different yarn structures on the elastic properties. A new type of elastic core-spun yarn which is called tri-core (elastane/T400/elastane) yarn is introduced ...and tested for elastic properties after cyclic loading. The other yarn structures used are single-core/T400, single-core/lycra, dual-core (elastane/T400) yarn, and yarn without a core component (conventional). The five types of yarn structure were produced at three levels of yarn counts (10, 14, and 18 Ne). Elastic properties after cyclic loading including stress decay, permanent deformation, elastic recovery, and relaxation rate were calculated and statistically analyzed using two-way analysis of variance. The scanning electron microscopy images of the five structures used were produced to illustrate the structure of these yarns. The results determined that elastane/T400/elastane core-spun and single-core/T400 yarns have higher values for most of the elastic properties. It was found that yarn count and yarn structure significantly affect stress decay, while the yarn structure significantly affects permanent deformation and elastic recovery. On the other hand, yarn count significantly affects the relaxation rate. Data showed that the number of cyclic tests significantly influences yarn elastic recovery.
Reactive nitrogen (N) plays a pivotal role in supplying N to plants and soil microbes, but it has negative environmental impacts through influencing the quality of water and air, which in turn ...influences human health. Thus, there is an urgent necessity to maximize N benefits while reducing the negative impacts on the environment. Improving crop N use efficiency (NUE) is required for environmental conservation and agricultural sustainability. Thus, the pivotal objective of this article is to introduce the modern developments and imminent prospects of improving crops NUE using various complementary methods. Here, the approaches of site-specific N management, use of synthetic and biological nitrification inhibitors, microbial nitrate (NO
3
−
) immobilization stimulation, and stimulation of the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), adopting agroforestry system, breeding techniques, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, omics approaches, and potential new targets and overexpression of N-related genes were presented as effective approaches to improving NUE. Optimal rate, time, application methods, using specially formulated forms of fertilizer, and using nitrification inhibitors are the most agricultural practices linked with improving NUE. The fertilizer recommendations could be often justified across the field rather than a uniform application using spatial variability of nutrient content. Restoring soil NO
3
−
retention capacity and adopting agroforestry system can also be promising ways to improve NUE. Furthermore, the use of genetic modification or the development of new cultivars that use N more efficiently is critical. In addition, omics data, including transcriptomics and metabolomics, not only advance our current understanding of N reactions but also help us move towards strategies, which are more effective in improving NUE and enhancing crop production. In conclusion, this article strongly advocates the use of integrated approaches with a private insight of genetics and agricultural management when managing N.
Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) are used to retard the nitrification process and reduce nitrogen (N) losses. However, the effects of soil properties on NI efficacy are less clear. Moreover, the direct ...and indirect effects of soil property variations on NI efficiency in minimizing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have not been previously studied. An incubation experiment was conducted for 40 days with two treatments, N (200 mg N-urea kg−1) and N + dicyandiamide (DCD) (20 mg DCD kg−1), and a control group (without the N) to investigate the response of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) to DCD application and the consequences for CO2, nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from six soils from the Loess Plateau with different properties. The nitrification process completed within 6–18 days for the N treatment and within 30->40 days for the N + DCD treatment. AOB increased significantly with N fertilizer application, while this effect was inhibited in soils when DCD was applied. AOA was not sensitive to N fertilizer and DCD application. The nitrification rate was positively correlated with the clay (p < 0.05) and SOM contents (p < 0.01); DCD was more effective in loam soil with low SOM and high soil pH. Soil pH significantly was decreased with N fertilizer application, while it increased when DCD was applied. Moreover, DCD application decreased CO2 emissions from soils by 22%–172%; CO2 emissions were negatively correlated with the clay and SOM contents. DCD application decreased N2O emissions in each soil by 1.0- to 94-fold compared with those after N fertilizer application. In contrast, DCD application increased NH3 release from soils by 59–278%. NH3 volatilization was negatively correlated with clay (p < 0.05) and SOM (p < 0.01) contents and positively correlated with soil pH (p < 0.01). Therefore, soil texture, SOM and soil pH have significant effects on the DCD performance, nitrification process and gaseous emissions.
•Dicyandiamide (DCD) was an effective inhibitor of NH4+ oxidation, NO3− production and N2O emission.•AOB was inhibited when DCD was applied while AOA was not sensitive to N fertilizer and DCD.•DCD have contributed to minimize CO2 emission from soils through its role in reducing soil acidification.•DCD application increased NH3 release from soils.•DCD efficacy was adversely affected by soils with high clay and high organic matter content.
Nitrogen (N) fertilizers are very important for global food self-sufficiency (FSS), particularly for Africa, where the N input in agriculture is very low. This is the first work which studies and ...calculates the amount of N fertilizer that each country in Africa needs to feed itself by 2050. In this study, we used five different scenarios of inorganic fertilizer N (IFN) use and human diets to calculate the amount of N fertilizer needed to achieve FSS in Africa by 2050 and analyze the changes in N budget; N losses and N use efficiency (NUE). These scenarios include 1) business as usual (BAU), 2) equitable diet (EqD; self-sufficiency), 3) an IFN input 20% less than the EqD (S1), 4) an IFN input 40% less than the EqD (S2), and 5) a 20% increase in IFN input relative to the EqD (S3). Under the BAU scenario, production trends continue as they have over the past five decades, including an unhealthy human diet. In the EqD scenario, the priority is to meet the local demand for both animal and plant proteins with a healthy human diet. Under the EqD scenario, increasing the total N input from 35 kg N ha−1 yr−1 to 181 kg N ha−1 yr−1 during 2016–2050 is needed to achieve FSS in Africa. This increase in N fertilizer use represents unprecedented N inputs to African terrestrial ecosystems — at least 52 Tg N yr−1 — which would lead to inevitable increases in N losses. We also found that the NUE would decrease from 63% during 2010–2016 to 50% by 2050, whereas the total N surplus would increase from 13 kg N ha−1 yr−1 to 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1 by 2050. The estimated gaseous emissions would increase from 8 kg N ha−1 yr−1 to 61 kg N ha−1 yr−1 by 2050. Our findings conclude that, it is very important to consider the high N losses in Africa if the EqD scenario is applied. The S1 and S2 scenarios result in much less environmental N loss, and better NUE compared with the EqD scenario. Therefore, based on these findings we can recommend the implementation of the S2 scenario with an IFN dose of 77 kg N ha−1 yr−1, in parallel with the use of modern agricultural techniques and the increased use of organic inputs.
•Africa needs 181 kg nitrogen (N) ha−1 yr−1 to feed itself by 2050.•Total N surplus would be 90 kg N ha−1 yr−1 by 2050 based on the food self-sufficiency scenario (FSS).•N use efficiency would decrease from 63% to 50% during 2016–2050 based on the FSS scenario.•Gaseous emissions would be 61 kg N ha−1 yr−1 by 2050 based on the FSS scenario.•The inorganic fertilizer N dose of 77 kg N ha−1 yr−1 is suitable for current African conditions.
Understanding the underlying mechanisms of soil microbial nitrogen (N) utilization under land use change is critical to evaluating soil N availability or limitation and its environmental ...consequences. A combination of soil gross N production and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry provides a promising avenue for nutrient limitation assessment in soil microbial metabolism. Gross N production via
N tracing and ecoenzymatic stoichiometry through the vector and threshold element ratio (Vector-TER) model were quantified to evaluate the soil microbial N limitation in response to land use changes. We used tropical soil samples from a natural forest ecosystem and three managed ecosystems (paddy, rubber, and eucalyptus sites). Soil extracellular enzyme activities were significantly lower in managed ecosystems than in a natural forest. The Vector-TER model results indicated microbial carbon (C) and N limitations in the natural forest soil, and land use change from the natural forest to managed ecosystems increased the soil microbial N limitation. The soil microbial N limitation was positively related to gross N mineralization (GNM) and nitrification (GN) rates. The decrease in microbial biomass C and N as well as hydrolyzable ammonium N in managed ecosystems led to the decrease in N-acquiring enzymes, inhibiting GNM and GN rates and ultimately increasing the microbial N limitation. Soil GNM was also positively correlated with leucine aminopeptidase and β-
-acetylglucosaminidase. The results highlight that converting tropical natural forests to managed ecosystems can increase the soil microbial N limitation through reducing the soil microbial biomass and gross N production.
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Nematodes are hidden enemies that inhibit the entire ecosystem causing adverse effects on animals and plants, leading to economic losses. Management of foliar phytoparasitic nematodes ...is an excruciating task. Various approaches were used to control nematodes dispersal, i.e., traditional practices, resistant cultivars, plant extract, compost, biofumigants, induced resistance, nano-biotechnology applications, and chemical control. This study reviews the various strategies adopted in combating plant-parasitic nematodes while examining the benefits and challenges. The significant awareness of biological and environmental factors determines the effectiveness of nematode control, where the incorporation of alternative methods to reduce the nematodes population in plants with increasing crop yield. The researchers were interested in explaining the fundamental molecular mechanisms, providing an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the sustainable management of nematodes in croplands. Eco-friendly pesticides are effective as a sustainable nematodes management tool and safe for humans. The current review presents the eco-friendly methods in controlling nematodes to minimize yield losses, and benefit the agricultural production efficiency and the environment.
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