Journal of Agriculture and Food Research最新文献

{"title":"Influence of scientific communications on the acceptance of PFAS alternatives on disposable dinnerware and take-out containers, by information source","authors":"Alicia Rihn ,&nbsp;Pralhad Bajgain ,&nbsp;Nicole Labbé ,&nbsp;Gourav Kamboj","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are “forever chemicals” used as treatments on disposable dinnerware and take-out containers to improve their water and oil/grease resistance. They are currently being phased out of use, and alternative options are in development. The objective of this study is to assess how four different information sources (social media influencer, local news, university, and company) influence consumer acceptance of PFAS and PFAS-free alternative treatments. Each treatment presented identical scientific information about PFAS contamination, regulations, and risk mitigation strategies but was attributed to a different source. An online survey of 835 U S. consumers was conducted in 2024. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and pairwise t-tests identified significant differences across information sources. Generally, information from influencers was perceived as easier to understand than information from companies. Information from universities and influencers was perceived as more trustworthy than information from news or companies. Regardless of the information source, plant-based treatments were perceived as the most acceptable, followed by generic PFAS-free alternatives. Exposure to information decreased customer acceptance of PFAS, bio-based, and lignin treatments, while acceptance of PFAS-free alternatives improved acceptance. Company-provided information resulted in the largest decrease in PFAS acceptability (by 20.5 %), however this decline was not significantly different from the decreases observed in other information source treatments. Overall, our findings suggest that even brief, source-labeled communications can meaningfully shift consumer acceptance of PFAS alternatives. Importantly, familiar framings such as “plant-based” and “PFAS-free” resonate more strongly than technical terms like “lignin” and “bio-based,” offering a straightforward strategy for shaping public attitudes and supporting the adoption of safer materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102646"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cropping camelina with flood irrigation under contrasting fertilization sources","authors":"Aritz Royo-Esnal,&nbsp;Carlos Cantero-Martínez,&nbsp;Noemí Codina-Pascual","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Under Mediterranean conditions, droughts are important threats for farmers. Camelina (<em>Camelina sativa</em> Crantz), an interesting oilseed crop for its oil characteristics, is generally considered as a drought tolerant crop, but it is also affected by hydric stress periods. The Central Ebro Basin, in North-eastern Spain, characterized by semi-arid and sub-humid climates, is also an area with important pig and cow farm concentration. Managing residues is imperative to avoid underground water pollution. In this area, the average yields of camelina are 1500 kg ha⁻¹ but are limited by irregular precipitations. Because the increasing frequency of drought periods, an experiment under rainfed subhumid climate and flood irrigation systems in a semiarid area, with three camelina varieties (<em>Calena</em>, <em>CO46</em> and <em>GP204</em>), and four fertilization sources was established in Lleida area for two seasons. At the beginning of the flowering stage, flood irrigation of 100 mm was applied in the irrigated fields. Yields varied from 1000 kg ha⁻¹ to 2500 kg ha⁻¹ in the rainfed fields but increased to 2100 kg ha⁻¹ to 3000 kg ha⁻¹ in the irrigated fields. <em>Calena</em> resulted the most productive variety, although without significant differences. The role of the fertilization source is not clear and seem to rely on edaphoclimatic field characteristics. These results suggest that growing camelina in irrigated fields contribute to a better and economically stable production, with less water demand than winter cereals. This is crucial in the climate change scenario where shortage of irrigation water is becoming general.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102650"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal sensitivity of maize starch to short-term low-light stress: Critical window during early grain filling","authors":"Mengke Wu ,&nbsp;Tianhao Zhang ,&nbsp;Jie Chu ,&nbsp;Yuxiang Gong ,&nbsp;Zhenqing Xia ,&nbsp;Qi Wang ,&nbsp;Kadambot H.M. Siddique ,&nbsp;Haidong Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2025.102596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2025.102596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Low-light stress is increasingly recognized as a significant abiotic stress factor compromising global crop productivity and quality stability. To deeper understand the effects of short-term low-light stress on the starch accumulation and quality attributes in a tested maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) hybrid, 10-day shading treatments (50 % light reduction) were applied during six growth phases from anthesis to maturity, and starch accumulation and physical and chemical properties were analyzed. The results showed that low-light stress had a greater impact during early grain filling stages than later stages. Low-light stress significantly impeded the conversion of soluble sugars to starch, leading to a marked reduction in total starch content. Starch granule size distribution shifted towards larger granules, with the proportion of granules &gt;20 μm increasing by up to 63.16 %. Amylose content increased while relative crystallinity decreased. These structural alterations were accompanied by substantial functional declines, including lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy, a 18.26 % reduction in peak viscosity, and a dramatic 93.75 % enhancement in retrogradation percentage. Principal component analysis confirmed that the primary variations induced by shading were decreases in viscosity and gelatinization parameters, alongside increases in retrogradation properties. Crucially, the S2 stage (11–20 days after anthesis) was identified as the most vulnerable period to low-light stress, providing a key target for future protective strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102596"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A review on marine algae polysaccharides: From extraction, structural characteristics to anti-type 2 diabetes mellitus mechanisms and structure-activity relationship","authors":"Na Wang ,&nbsp;Wendi Xu ,&nbsp;Wenxi Duan ,&nbsp;Jingyi Qin ,&nbsp;Haibo Huang ,&nbsp;Jingjing Liu ,&nbsp;Lijuan Zhu ,&nbsp;Wenzhou Xiang","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing global prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the limitations of current treatments have spurred the quest for safe and efficient alternatives. Marine algae polysaccharides (MAP), obtained from brown, red and green algae, have emerged as promising natural candidates due to their diverse structures, bioavailability and varied biological activities. This review offers a thorough analysis of the potential of MAP in combating T2DM, covering their extraction, identification, molecular mechanisms and structure-activity relationships. The study commences by outlining the classification, structural features, advanced extraction and purification methods of MAP. The core of the review systematically explains the multifaceted mechanisms through which MAP combat T2DM, such as inhibiting digestive enzymes, improving insulin sensitivity through key pathways, safeguarding pancreatic β-cells and modulating gut microbiota-host metabolism. Additionally, the study explores structure-activity relationships, emphasizing how factors such as molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkages, conformation and chemical modifications significantly impact their ability to lower blood sugar levels. Key findings indicate that low-to-moderate molecular weight (Mw) MAP with high sulfation degree and fucose/galactose enrichment exhibit superior enzyme inhibitory and insulin-sensitizing effects, while high-Mw fractions excel in gut microbiota modulation <em>via</em> fermentation. This review establishes a comprehensive and translational theoretical framework that bridges fundamental polysaccharide research with high-impact biomedical applications, offering crucial insights to guide the rational design and translational advancement of MAP-based therapies or nutraceuticals for managing T2DM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102653"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agronomic traits and nutritional features of importance in low-raffinose genotypes for added-value soybeans","authors":"Alessandro Rosso ,&nbsp;María Castanedo ,&nbsp;Raffaele Meloni ,&nbsp;Primavera Pelosin ,&nbsp;Milena Corredig ,&nbsp;Antonio Martínez-Abad ,&nbsp;Massimo Blandino","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANF) in legumes is an important challenge towards a higher incorporation of beans in our diet. In soybeans, the oligosaccharides belonging to the raffinose family (RFO), stachyose, raffinose and verbascose, are of interest, as they are resistant to heating treatments and limit the use of soybeans in high value food and feed applications. To overcome these constrains, low RFO-lines have been recently developed.</div><div>This study, carried out over 2 growing seasons, evaluated new pre-commercial low-RFO cultivars (cvs), conventional genotypes destined for food use, and other added-value cvs, for agronomic traits and seed composition, with particular focus on oligosaccharides and trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). The total content of RFO in low-RFO cvs was very low in both growing seasons, with values of less than 0.4 and 0.2 g 100 g⁻¹ in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In comparison to the average concentration present in the other genotypes, the total concentration of RFO in these new cvs was six and eleven times lower in 2022 and 2023, respectively. In both years, the low-RFO cvs reported a yield potential, similar or higher than that of the control genotypes belonging to the same maturity group; furthermore, they showed a good seed dimension and test weight, and a high protein content (&gt;42 %). Low-RFO cvs had TIA comparable to those of the conventional genotypes. In conclusion, new low-RFO cvs can provide compositions for high added-value applications with specific requirements, showing also high protein levels and good agronomic performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102654"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent advances in soil carbon sequestration and emission reduction within legume green manure enhanced rotation systems: a review","authors":"Xiaoli Wang ,&nbsp;Yulong Wang ,&nbsp;Yunyou Nan ,&nbsp;Aizhong Yu ,&nbsp;Cai Zhao ,&nbsp;Wen Yin ,&nbsp;Falong Hu ,&nbsp;Huanhuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiang Chai ,&nbsp;Zhilong Fan","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prolonged intensive agricultural practices have caused substantial losses of soil carbon and nitrogen pools, contributing to soil degradation and increased greenhouse gas emissions, thereby posing significant threats to agricultural sustainability. Crop rotation represents a crucial agricultural practice for maintaining soil sustainability and promoting long-term soil health. Well-designed crop rotation systems can effectively maintain soil fertility, enhance agricultural resource utilization efficiency, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, thereby generating significant ecological and economic benefits. The integration of legume green manure into rotations offers particular promise due to its nitrogen fixing capacity and soil health benefits. However, owing to the inherent complexity of soil systems and their multifunctionality, a comprehensive theoretical framework for soil carbon sequestration and emission reduction within legume green manure rotation systems remains to be established. This review systematically examines the impact of legume green manure on key factors and processes controlling soil carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions within rotation systems. We synthesize current knowledge on the underlying mechanisms and identify critical research gaps. Future research should focus on the following key aspects to advance our understanding and application of legume green manure in rotation systems: (i) clarifying the synergistic physico-chemical-biological mechanisms of soil carbon sequestration mediated by legume green manure; (ii) investigating the impact of legume green manure on carbon sequestration and emission reduction in deep soil layers; (iii) enhancing quantitative analysis of carbon-nitrogen cycling dynamics using advanced techniques like isotope tracing; (iv) conducting comparative studies on regional variations in the effects of legume green manure; and (v) advancing mechanization and precision management technologies for legume green manure integration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102664"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of dietary administration of Himalayan nettle (Urtica ardens) on histological architecture and gene expression related to growth and immunity in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings","authors":"Sidharth Chauhan ,&nbsp;Basharat Ali ,&nbsp;Dixit Sharma ,&nbsp;Vikram Singh ,&nbsp;Yogesh Kumar Rawal","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Overuse of chemicals in aquaculture practices has raised serious concerns regarding the environmental impact and health implications of chemical-based feed additives, resulting in the search for natural alternatives. The present study investigated the effects of ethanolic extract of Himalayan nettle (<em>Urtica ardens</em>) leaf extract as dietary supplementation on the gene expression of genes responsible for growth and immunity, and histological structures of common carp (<em>Cyprinus carpio</em>). Experimental diets were formulated for five groups by supplementing various percentages of the nettle extract (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 %) into a basal feed (38 % crude protein). Common carp fingerlings with an average weight of 16.03 ± 1.83 g were randomly assigned to 15 tanks (10 fish/tank; five groups; triplicate groups per treatment) and fed on formulated diets for 90 days. Histological analysis revealed reduced hepatic lipid vacuolation and enhanced intestinal villi morphology. The gene expression analysis showed upregulation of growth-related genes (<em>GH</em>, <em>IGF1</em>, <em>IGF2</em>) and modulation of immune-related cytokines (<em>IL1β</em>, <em>IL10</em>, <em>TNFα</em>). Molecular docking analysis was performed using receptor structures from the Protein Data Bank and compounds from PubChem, all of which satisfied Lipinski's rule of five. Significant binding affinities were observed, with 8-Methyl-6-nonenamide showing strong interactions with TLR-2, Ghrelin, and Telomerase; cis-vaccinic acid with NLR-1; and histamine with TLR-3. Hydrogen bond formation at the active sites indicated stable protein-ligand complexes, contributing to molecular recognition and binding specificity. These findings suggest that <em>U. ardens</em> supplementation can enhance growth performance, immune responses, and tissue integrity in common carp, providing a potential natural alternative to synthetic feed additives in aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102665"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combining biochar, nitrogen fertilizer and no-tillage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase rice yield in rainfed lowland","authors":"Maduabuchi Paul Iboko ,&nbsp;Elliott Ronald Dossou-Yovo ,&nbsp;Niaba Témé ,&nbsp;Sunday Ewele Obalum ,&nbsp;Simeon Diedhiou ,&nbsp;Akissi Klamansoni Manuela Stephanie Konan ,&nbsp;Christian Brümmer","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102700","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102700","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>No-tillage and biochar amendment are widely regarded as effective strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the combined effects of no-tillage, biochar and nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on rice yield and GHG emissions remain scarcely investigated. We conducted a two-year field experiment in central Côte d’Ivoire to assess how biochar and N-fertilizer application under no-tillage influences methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, global warming potential (GWP), GHG intensity (GHGI), and rainfed lowland rice yield. The experiment included three N-fertilizer rates (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha⁻¹) combined with two biochar rates (3, and 6 t ha⁻¹) under no-tillage, alongside two additional treatments; N-only fertilizer (120 kg N ha⁻¹) under no-tillage, and under manual tillage (conventional practice). No-tillage combined with biochar and N-fertilizer increased N₂O emissions (9–96 %), but reduced CH₄ emissions (13–21 %) and increased rice yields (4–10 %) compared to conventional practice. This trade-off led to significant reductions in GWP (10–20 %) and GHGI (15–18) by no-tillage combined with biochar and N-fertilizer relative to conventional practice. Co-application of 6 t ha⁻¹ biochar with 60 kg N ha⁻¹ under no-tillage produced the highest partial N productivity. Conversely, applying N-fertilizer alone under no-tillage resulted in 43 % higher CH₄ emission than conventional practice. Across treatments, CH₄ emissions contributed 95 % of the total GWP, and soil moisture emerged as the main driver of CH₄ fluxes. These findings suggest that applying biochar and N-fertilizer under no-tillage represents a promising pathway to enhance rainfed lowland rice yield and reduce GHG emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102700"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eugenol-induced self-emulsification of gliadin-shellac hybrid composites for co-stabilization of vitamin K2 and D3","authors":"Jiaxin Lin ,&nbsp;Tao Wang ,&nbsp;Ren Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Feng ,&nbsp;Xiaohu Luo ,&nbsp;Kai Huang ,&nbsp;Jian He","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vitamin K₂ (VK₂) and vitamin D₃ (VD₃) can synergistically promote calcium absorption and reduce the prevalence of osteoporosis. Given their hydrophobicity and environmental sensitivity, stabilizing both these vitamins is pivotal for their application. In this study, we designed shellac-gliadin composites (SGCs) with favorable amphiphilicity, yielding a self-emulsifying delivery system (SEDS) upon mild mixing with eugenol. By increasing eugenol/SGCs mass ratio, SEDS was transformed from spherical to a network-like structure, forming tunable topological nanostructures with tailorable delivery performance and bioavailability. Based on the dual-step process, VK₂ was encapsulated during shellac-gliadin assembly, while VD₃ was co-encapsulated via self-emulsification. The generated dual-vitamin self-emulsifying system (DSEDS) improved the stability under UV-light and long-term storage for both vitamins with high encapsulation capacities of 48.05 and 9.36 mg/g for VK₂ and VD₃, respectively. The dual-step strategy introduced a novel approach for loading various fat-soluble nutrients, with potential applications in food and nutrition industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102688"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting food security in Ethiopia using spatiotemporal integration of heterogeneous data","authors":"Zigju Demissie ,&nbsp;Yaregal Assabie ,&nbsp;Tesfa Tegegne","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.102674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food insecurity is a complex challenge influenced by climatic, economic, agricultural, conflict-related, and socio-demographic factors. Data-driven decision-making is essential for designing targeted interventions and improving policies. This study presents spatiotemporal integration of heterogeneous datasets incorporating climate, crop production, food price, conflict, cross-border trade, exchange rate, and population growth for predicting food security in Ethiopia. All datasets were aligned using consistent region–month key and converted to a monthly resolution to preserve temporal relationships across regions. New variables, Food Price Index, Conflict Exposure Index, Climatic Vulnerability Index, and Market Accessibility Index, are derived through feature engineering and then included for predictive model development. Food Security Index (FSI) is the target variable, and preliminary results show that food insecurity is increasing in Ethiopia with distinct variations across regions. We used the stacking ensemble of statistical models, i.e., Random Forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and deep learning models, i.e., Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), using LSTM as a Meta-learner. A strict time-based split (earlier months for training and later months for testing) is applied to prevent temporal information leakage. The proposed stacking model outperforms individual learners with smaller errors, i.e., MAE = 0.00201 and RMSE = 0.038, and a higher R², i.e., 0.96. This study proves that spatiotemporal integration of heterogeneous datasets with stacking ensemble model provides holistic and accurate prediction output. This approach is valuable and recommendable for policymakers and early warning systems for decision-making and policy improvement, over using statistical methods alone.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"26 ","pages":"Article 102674"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}